 The DuPont Cavalcade of America presents the Exiled Heart, starring Rosemary de Camp as Louisa May Alcott. Good evening. This is Rosemary de Camp. The name of Louisa May Alcott is known to us all as the author of Little Women, but few of us know that she was the real life heroine of a delightful and romantic love story of her own. So tonight we go back with Cavalcade to the New England of 83 years ago. The DuPont Cavalcade of America presents the Exiled Heart, an original radio play by Virginia Radcliffe, starring Rosemary de Camp as Louisa May Alcott. It was in Concord, Massachusetts in the great days of Emerson, Hawthorne and Longfellow. But even in that inspired setting, the Alcott family was considered extraordinary. There was father, Bronson Alcott, transcendental philosopher, rich in dreams. I'm sure I'll be able to pay the bill in full by the end of March. And Mother Alcott, who shocked the respectable ladies of Concord by saying, I'm going out and get myself a paying position. And there are three daughters, my dashing elder sister, Annie, and I, the eager awkward would-be-authorous Louisa, and our talented, if somewhat, spoiled baby sister, our baby sister, May Louisa, can't you see I'm reading? Oh, excuse me. What is it? You hear new novel, of course. Little Women. It's wonderful. But I simply don't understand. What about May? The character of Lori. Who is he? Yes, Louisa. We can recognize almost everyone else in the book, even the title Little Women. Oh, I can remember your father calling you girls that years ago. Didn't you, Bronson? So I did. And now you're all so grown up? I'm May in the book. You're Joe Louisa, May is Amy, and our darling Betty was the model for best. But there never was a boy next door, and we don't know anyone like Lori. Yes. Who is he, Louisa? Where did you meet him? Well, I guess the story began about four years ago, really, when the war ended. Things were frightfully expensive, and we were terribly poor. Father and I were in the study, going over the monthly bills. Here's one I guess we ought to pay immediately, Louisa. What's it for? Oh, May's art lessons. Well, I guess I can scrape enough together. You can stop taking them for a while until we're caught up. No, I won't think of it. I have some payments coming from my novel moods and... But if you use it all up on May's lessons, how are we going to buy coal for next winter? Oh, let's not worry about that now. I'll find a job this summer somehow. Oh, I don't like your doing that again, Lou, minding other people's naughty children. What else can a gentile spinster do, Father? Now please don't worry, you just leave it to your ugly duckling. What's this? How'd it get mixed in with the bills? I don't know, dear. The postman must have brought it this morning. Oh, it's from Mr. Weld in Boston. I met him at a reception last month. Weld? Well, yes, I remember. Father, listen. He says, dear Miss Louisa, this is to remind you of our conversation regarding a European tour planned for my daughter Anna. As you know, she is not at all well and will of course require a traveling companion and nurse. If you will be kind enough to consider accepting the post, we should both be greatly in your debt. Oh, Father, except to Europe, London, Paris, Christopher Columbus. Well, it sounds delightful. Right, Mr. Weld, immediately and accept the position. But how can I? What would you and Mom and May do without me? What will all the bills do without me? Oh, we'll just forget about them till you get back. But I'd miss you also. And who'd sit with Annie's baby if it's Maiden Antwerk on the way? I sit very effectively myself, Louisa. Oh, Father. Now I'm going to be adamant. You've borne the responsibility of this family long enough, trying to earn a living for all of us and being able to write only in your spare time, and I insist. No, as your father, I command you to go. Oh, Father, you are a darling. Goodness, I'd better start thinking about getting some decent clothes together. Even an old maid has to dress well when she goes to Europe. Well, I can't bear to leave them. I'll be thinking about them all the time we're away. Well, you'd better start thinking about remedies for safety. I just know I'm going to feel gas. London is very foggy. That's our breath here, Louisa. All right. I'll inquire about rooms in that pome town over there. Inquire? The sign says real American bathtub. Let's register. Oh, ma'am, je l'aulke. Bonjour, madame Piquet. Où est le petit-déjeuner? Comment? You know, the breakfast room? Ici, madame Zelle. What's he? Oh, merci beaucoup. Madame Zelle, well, as Nestor, she has the malaise. Could you possibly serve le petit-déjeuner in her room? And a whole bother? Madame Zelle, may I help? The French language appears to present great difficulties. Perhaps I could give madame Piquet the instruction. Oh, would you? I shall be the lighter. Madame, madame Zelle, madame Zelle, desire le petit-déjeuner en la chambre. Oui, madame Zelle. Let me get off. Very kind, sir. Wiesniewski. Ladislos Wiesniewski, a Polish name. Oh, yes, well, would you teach me to pronounce it? I'm just a ghost tourist, but I am eager to learn. It is like this. Ladislos. Ladislos? Wiesniewski. Wiesniewski. Ladislos? Wiesniewski. On the. Do you plan to stay in the very long month I've no idea really you see I'm the paid companion to a young lady who has the desire and the means to travel or she's most attractive but she'd like to meet her and tell if you will forgive me I would much prefer it if you would do me the honor of driving about the day with me this afternoon I guess of course if you are free and would care to give me that great pleasure well golly Mr. I assure you the pleasure will be all mine and my sister and I used to act in fierce melodramas out in the barn we call them the witch's curse and the Moorish Maiden to vow things like that anyway I was always both a hero and villain in my high boots and food hat and I must be boring oh on the contrary I wish to hear much more tomorrow we come out together again yes a boat ride on the lake perfect oh shall you mind the canoe I cannot afford to hire the sale boat I have always thought sailboats quite ostentatious you know my muscle you're my first American friend I am yes and you're just as I imagine Americans to be when I was home in Poland you're going back I am an exile. Because I believe in liberty because the people of my country are oppressed and I want to fight for our freedom and here there are other exiles like myself who believe as I do who are working with me when it be going through but do not worry please I am sure you yourself would not hesitate to do the same as I if it meant the freedom of your homeland I shouldn't have come down said I don't feel it all well like you stay a little longer I want you to hear him play he is rather good looking yes I know you like it what good is it if I do confined to my bed most of the time I never have a chance to get to know people what is it called it is a massacre written by my countryman Friedrich Chopin I want you in this world to know each other and I must say well I am so happy to meet a friend but I'm all cut thank you to make friends quickly I see especially while her employer lies ill all alone and that's not fair you said you want to be alone today it is entirely my fault I monopolized her time and we found so much to talk about I'm sure you did tell me young man just what do you do I'm afraid I do not quite understand why don't you just say you're traveling for your health oh it is certainly true well so am I and I need my nurse in attendance almost constantly oh too bad miss well I was in hopes you could spare miss all cut for a little excursion to the lake tomorrow sorry I shall require her to be with me all day and yes perhaps all easy too you are listening to the exiled heart starring rosemary de camp as Louisa may all cut with Alice Reinhardt as Anna and Elliot Reed as Ladi on the Cavalry of America sponsored by the DeFont Company makers of better things for better living through chemistry taking the grand tour of Europe as nurse to miss Anna well I saw many strange wonderful places and strange new people and among these was Ladislaw Spitzniewski a young Polish refugee I realized Anna disapproved of him but I met him anyway for a canoe trip on the lake want me to tell you why Mr. Spitzniewski please not to call me so Louisa in America you have the custom of the knickknack oh you mean the nickname oh the nickname well let's see I want to know what you could possibly make of Ladislaw I'd be blessed if I know wait I've got it laddie oh perfect laddie oh it is as if I were at home with my family again you're very lonely for your home aren't you yes but I shouldn't talk about mine it's not quite fair oh yes the other day you began to tell me about the time you went to your first ball something about kerning the hair what was oh well there I was in a new frack and hobbling around in my first pair of high heels my hair in papers and brandishing a curling iron and suddenly yes we smell smoke oh I can't guess what is coming my beautiful girls came right off with the papers what a pathetic role little scorched bundled oh it is so pathetic but yet so amusing this picture why do you not write it down write that down oh would want to read it nothing really exciting ever happened to us listen to me Louisa I'm going to be very plain unpleasant maybe I read your novel moods last night it is not good it is unreal I know but the stories you tell me about your family your home they are wonderful you have the gift to make the homely events of every day exciting listen you tell me your father call you and your sisters I make named nickname during the war what was it little women and we tried so hard to be grown up in response then make that your theme oh Louisa please write it if only as a great favor to me to you Larry yes you see when one is in exile there is not much to go on but dreams of such a woman as you are such a home as yours it is all there is for an exiled heart to cling to I see I'll try Larry I'll think it out and try to write it yes maybe I will call it little women and it will be for you bored with hearing that old show plan music doesn't your laddie know anything else of course but I asked him to play this the polonaise military sort of call to arms you know you're making yourself rather conspicuous being seen so much with him conspicuous yes I worry about you you're so trusting all this man is a stranger a European what's the difference where he comes from please understand it's only your what is it ladies do you not enjoy the music I'm sorry Larry we're very implied to talk while you were playing but there is something wrong no please miss Wells was only saying that it's time as a matter of fact I was saying it's time we continued our tour of the continent oh oh I shall be so sorry to see you leave no doubt Louisa please go upstairs and get started with the passing and you don't really mean it must we go the climate here doesn't agree with me we leave for me first thing tomorrow morning you get enough you feel any better no I feel perfectly miserable I felt miserable ever since we came to me here let me stay in the bed I'll have to be more comfortable you want some tea I want to know what the maid was talking to you about in the parlor I had a telegram from Larry oh he he's going to Paris Anna well we aren't we're staying right here in Nice oh I want to know what you do with yourself while I'm resting moon about him all the time oh of course not been trying to think out a book I want to write a romance no doubt no it's a story about my family I guess it was Larry who made me see how important it is that I write it now Larry again why don't you be sensible why don't you look for a husband who could at least support June Anna don't you think it possible for two people to become good friends without making a romance out of it no well I do his life his background have been very different from mine yet we think alike we believe in the same thing oh Anna it's almost as if you've been living next door to Orchard House back in Concord all this time and then we've grown up together come now Louisa be honest with yourself you are in love with him aren't you aren't you yes I guess I am then I'm truly sorry for you but why oh I haven't been easy to get along with Louisa I know I'm difficult but I am fond of you and sometimes when people are ill they see things well people don't see in spite of what you say my dear I know he can never come into your world and you will never enter his I don't believe that of course you don't so you better go to Paris without me but I am on go on it's spring go and meet your laddie but oh Louisa be sure to keep watch over your oh Christopher Columbus am I really in you really are bloody somebody's following you are you sure they aren't spying spying oh I see you mean brandy sloth and they are pulled here no they are my compatriots we work on our plan together and any day the call will come through to us oh dear I try to dissuade them but they insist on coming along today to greet how do you do that how do you do which is which I am the bronies love I am live for me and we should like to show you so tell us what you wish to see first the Louvre les and believe are you three always together always we are in separate like the three musketeers we are there were times in the lives of the three musketeers when they are separated for a little while you understand of course you and I'm still will wish to be alone to see that is together it is noon now leave and I will meet you at the cafe de la raison c'est 2 o'clock chat or a bar gentlemen or what until this after a lot of a lot of a lot of a lot of a laddie must we know Louisa we are going to lose ourselves so thoroughly that they'll never find us again you and I by ourselves are going everywhere see everything that is Paris in the spring lift your glass Louisa so high what do you see you anything else light and shadow pale light strong shadow it is bad as you see through the champagne through your eyes and I see it now through your eyes and Paris is ours isn't it look down a moment at the lights this is the high place my daughter the hill of the sacred heart where lovers come in the hours after midnight it is two hours after midnight and I love you madrugas do you say that because they're high above Paris needs two hours after midnight I say it for the first time Louisa I love you laddie I love you for the first time in my life my daughter say my daughter too my daughter oh we alluded them didn't we brawny and Leo we have alluded the world I'll take care of me lad look down there Louisa the boulevard the same not redone the city which understands lovers even lover to our eggs are most especially exiled oh there you are we've looked all over Paris for you we should have moon we found you up here did you have to you could have waited until next week for example I am sorry we could not what is wrong nothing has happened yes that is why we search for you the call has come through Louisa it is the word we polish exiles wait to hear through all this time it is our chance it is only the first small organized attempt it is only a beginning but so important but you you needn't go away right now not this minute if you were I what would you do I if it were your home your sisters your father and mother I don't know already oh yes I do know can I say tell me that you love me and that you understand already I love you and I understand my drug I shall be able to bear leaving you only if I know that you will meet me here in this place when my work is done I shall I can't love anyone and I shall never forget you never never I said I can't love anyone else and I'll never forget you Joe never never Louisa was that what Lattie said to you over there yes me why didn't you ever tell us Louisa what became of him let me have the book a minute I want to read you something here don't laugh at the spinsters dear girls for often very tender tragical romances are hidden away in the hearts that beat so quietly under the sober gown oh I am glad he's dead but he lived in these pages of mine it's Lori the boy next door the listeners join the audience in the theater tonight applauding the performance of Rosemary de Cam and the others in tonight's cast on the Cavalcade of America next week Cavalcade presents one of Hollywood's romantic young stars John Lund in break the news it's the dramatic story of the Associated Press the Great American News Service which this year celebrates the century of exciting reporting be sure to listen next Monday night to break the news starring John Lund on the DuPont Cavalcade of America music for the DuPont Cavalcade is composed by Arden Cornwell and conducted by Donald Brian in tonight's cast you heard Elliott Reed as Lattie and Alice Reinhardt as Anna this is Ted Pearson inviting you to listen next week to break the news starring John Lund Cavalcade of America is presented each week from the stage of the Longacre Theatre on Broadway in New York it's brought to you by the DuPont Company of Wilmington Delaware this is NBC the national broadcasting company