 This is Hollywood and CBS presenting forecast number four Herbert Marshall directed by Alfred Hitchcock in the first program of a proposed new series entitled suspense Tonight's forecast program ladies and gentlemen represents the ideal form of collaboration Mr. Alfred Hitchcock brilliant English director of such outstanding motion pictures as the 39 steps Rebecca and foreign correspondent was eager to create a very special type of radio drama the suspense story as Narrator and star for his production He thought at once of the distinguished actor with whom he had been associated in countless British film successes Herbert Marshall Mr. Marshall suggested that they dramatize a certain favorite story of his and that story happened to be the very one Mr. Hitchcock had had in mind Mrs. Bella clowns classic in chills the larger The larger is a work of fiction which springs from recorded fact a story which begins in the year 1988 in London a London terrorized by the fifth in a succession of recent murders It was believed that these deeds were the work of one person a tall gaunt figure in a black in Vanessa Cape carrying a small narrow bag That meager description provided by a highly unnerved witness was the sum total of all that was known of the murderer It was enough however to keep alive and alert the interest of all London of all those in fine quarters And all those in small grimy houses as for example Ellen Bunting Ellen was no different from all the other middle-aged housewives dwelling in the great city's squalid white chapel district She knew all the known facts of the case as Herbert Marshall will tell you Ellen knew it was quite proper to refer to this wielder of the knife as the Avenger Of course Ellen Bunting was far more concerned with her personal problems than with thoughts of the Avenger Yet the case of that strange elusive killer quite often forced all other matters from her mind There was that mad meaningless scheme. He seemed to follow all His victims for example have been women all have been young attractive and oddly enough blonde But Ellen could no more understand the motive for his brutal slashings than could the police This night she and her husband Robert Bunting Said before their fireplace reading the newspaper account of the latest murder The Avenger had struck again As that an expert that he might be anybody he might be the fellow you pass on the street It's a terrible thought. Yes. If only the police had something to go on It looks like that avengers just too quick for him Look, it says here that this girl he got last night was like all the others pretty blonde and Let's see described by her friends as a very light-hearted girl. What a pity Did you ever stop to think who fits that to a tee in fact fits all those girls? My own Daisy. Oh, that's a horrible thought. Well, maybe it's a good thing. She's with her aunt then instead of here London ain't a safe place for any girl right now Just the same I can't stop thinking how fine it'll be to have a back of him now Bunting You know the Daisy seems just as much my own daughter. She is yours But I'm telling you there's no sense even thinking about having a back right now. We just can't afford it I know that and only well, well, maybe we could manage it some way how haven't I script myself half crazy trying to keep Us going but you don't care about that. Do you know your daisies more important to you than I am Don't sound oh, I can't help if it don't what are we going to do? Tell me that we'll go along there something will turn up Oh, we haven't had a larger for months. Nobody even comes to look at the room anymore Yes, but things will work out. Oh, they ain't never going to work out so we won't even have a roof over our heads and Oh, I'm sorry Robbie. I I didn't mean to take on I know it's all right. I didn't think it it's just that I've been so worried Well, don't you go wearing another second old girl my first thing you know, you won't be pretty anymore You'll have your face all wrinkled now. See you come on. Let's see a smile. Come on. Just have one Who do you suppose that could be late for visitors I wanting Do you think it could be somebody looking for rooms? Well, it might be want me to go to the door. No, I'll go Just stay here. Yes. All right. Now be sure you get a good look at the ways before you let them in dear. I'm coming. Oh, I do hope it's Yes, sir Is it not true that you let lodgings? Yes, sir, won't you come in sir? Thank you Could I could I take your cape sir? There's no need Now I am looking for a quiet room. It must be quiet. Oh, we have that sir Above all our house is quiet your bag sir. May I take it? No, I'll hold it It'll be so good as to show me the room, please. Oh, yes. Yes, sir. It's right up these stairs sir this way. Thank you You see sir, there's just my husband and me here and we're ever so quiet and and I'm sure you'll find this room Do you like him sir? Here we are Now I'll just light the car There Very good it is pleasant isn't it sir and there's not many rooms with such pretty pictures Are there now you've had them in the family for years sir and pictures interest me very little Do you see what really impresses me about the rooms the very simplicity of it the Bairness. Yes, sir. It's not at all crowded. It is it will be quite suitable. Mrs. Buntings Mrs. Bunting You see I do a great deal of studying in my book here The holy Bible. Yes, sir. Please let me help with your luggage. No, don't touch it. Oh, but I only wish to you only wish to help Of course you must forgive me. Mrs. Bunting. It's just that I I'm so very weary He bringeth them to their desired haven Beautiful words Mrs. Bunting indeed. They are sir and now at last I have found my haven of rest Yes, sir, then then you'll be taking the room. Let us see now What are you going to charge me with the tendons mind? I shall be staying in most of the time and I should be wanting meals. Oh, we can see to that. Then does 30 shillings a week suit you very Well, yes, sir. Yes, sir. That will be quite all right. Good and I shall pay you in advance My name is sleuth. Mrs. Bunting. Mr. Sleuth. S-L-E-U-T-H Think of a hound of Mrs. Bunting and you'll never forget my name 33 30 30 shillings. Thank you, sir. And I think I should enjoy a little light supper now Mrs. Bunting Bread and butter perhaps could you arrange that? Well, certainly sir. I'll do that now and if you'd be requiring any beer or spirits Certainly not. Oh, sir What did I say? I thought you understood me Mrs. Bunting and I had hoped that you and your husband were abstainers But we are sir. We don't keep nothing about I would have had to go out and of course, so I'm sorry Mrs. Bunting I fear I spoke sharply. I don't wish you to think they're rude after all you You've been so kind Considerate I hope I know a gentleman when I see one. Thank you. Thank you very much. Now. I'll just hurry with your supper Did he take the room? Don't bother me now. I have to get him some supper. What do you mean? Come to the kitchen where he won't hear us. See, tooky-delly. Yes, took the room. Yes, we're all right now Look 30 shillings a week in advance. Oh, it's wonderful. Wonderful And anything to see what this means. Yes, you can have Daisy now. Yes Here Bunting. Warn that teapot and put some tea leaves in it. Righto, righto. Yeah, do you know something, old girl? We're not gonna worry too much about Daisy being in danger of that Avenger fella. Whatever do you mean, Robbie? Well, she's not a girl who takes a drink, you know. What's that to do with it, please? Oh, something I read in the paper while he was upstairs with the gentleman They just found out that every one of the Avengers victims had been drinking. They figure he must be some kind of a rabid abstainer Put up a killed-get-chan. Now hurry Bunting, please. Yeah Two thoughts, two thoughts only, governed Eren's mind The larger's light supper and her own good fortune at having such a larger Mr. Sleuth was an eccentric sopper than he was such a gentleman, so quiet, so very religiously inclined She started up a staircase to Mr. Sleuth's room, her husband at her side. It won't be no harm to be safe though once Daisy's back in London, eh? We all see she stays closer than the earth, hm? Well, I'll be downstairs. Hurry up with these supper, old girl Cast down many wounded from her Game in his strongmen have been slain by her. Come in And to know the wickedness of folly. Why, Mr. Sleuth? Yes What is it? Those pictures. Those pretty girls. You've turned all their faces to the wall And that maneuver, that strange action, was the beginning of Eren's concern Soon they came to heart a recollection of the black Inverness cape, the small narrow bag The urgent matter of alcoholic drink And these details began to shape themselves into a pattern which grew more disturbing with each passing hour The day following the larger did not leave the upstairs room once, nor did he leave the next day And the oddness of this took its place in the pattern Then too the approaching arrival of Daisy, her stepdaughter added to her concern On the second night her sleep was restless with vague, horrifying images and so when she heard the first stealthy footsteps Outside her bedroom. She was instantly awake. She followed those steps down the stairs Down the hallway. She heard the front door open. Out of stillness fell upon the house And outside the streets were so sidelined she could hear distinctly the clock from a church tower a mile away Told the hour In her troubled frenzy She pictured a lone figure plodding through the deep fog moving quietly stealthily Searching Finding Soon after she heard the lodge of return She sought to quiet the horrible dread which had possessed her She showed herself the days as a rival that day was no cause for alarm now. She reasoned How could there be anything really evil about so religious a gentleman as mr. Sleuth But for her there was no more sleep merely a tormented state of half consciousness a State which suddenly dropped from her shortly after they break Horrible murder that was the piercing scream of a news boy far down the street They're in bunting heard the boy cry out the Avengers latest stroke made during the night It's first glimpse that morning of the gray-faced larger brought the steepest nights warm terror full to the surface But on the next instant she saw the pitiable helpless weariness in his eyes and curiously the terror began to pass She found that she was hoping desperate that her fears were unfounded Earlier she had determined to tell bunting of the awful convictions in her mind now. However, she felt she must be certain Certain before she spoke to a soul She knew there was one thing she must examine that was the largest single piece of luggage. She thought of it often What could it hold? Not much in the way of clothing. Surely it was too small to to narrow It was more like a case Case for a knife It was a long toward noon that I didn't found opportunity to search the largest room Soon after bunting left to meet Daisy. Mr. Sleuth himself walked from the house Ellen watched the tall thin figure in the black in the desk cape disappear down the street and then she rushed upstairs into the room Quickly she moved to the closet. It was no different from what it always did not only empty She found nothing under the bed She went then to the chest of drawers against the wall She opened the top drawn found inside nothing but a frayed shirt two handkerchiefs the next drawer under clothes socks The next empty the remain then only one possible place for the small narrow bag the bottom drawer and it was locked Hugging at the draw she heard suddenly the opening of the front door downstairs Anx-stricken she rushed out of the room and down the hall to the head of the stairs upstairs Daisy's here. Oh mother Ellen. It's so good to see you Whatever's the matter. Yes, you've gone quite white. Oh Well, I I'm all right. I I wasn't expecting you so soon. Oh, you don't know how fine it is to be back Mother Ellen. Oh the country is all right in its way, but there's nothing like London now. Yes, sir No, no, there isn't but as long as that avenges about I can see we're going to have to do something about these blonde locks Oh, don't worry about that. I'll die. I may be a I just pin them under my hat Daisy I might as well get you settled. Oh now father isn't that just like it? She's straight to the point and no point. I'll bet a six when she'll have a dust cloth in your hand before you've got your coat off I See my door is open. Oh, we we were just leaving so we does this mean that all of you have been in my room Oh, not at all, sir. I what does I do keep it locked? But you see sir, I was just tidying up a bit and and mr. Bonding. He brought his daughter up, sir She she just arrived. This is Daisy sir. Pleased to meet you, sir And she's she's been away for quite a long while you see mr. Sleuth and that's that's why we're a bit excited Yes, you must have been surprised when you came in during his laughing and getting on that way. Yes. Yes, I must say I was However, mr. Daisy, there are all types of joy other not Yes I'm sure there are the despicable evil joy of the abandoned and the divine happiness of the blessed a vast difference that You do understand me don't you? Yes, mr. Sleuth. I devoutly hope so miss Daisy Nowadays there are so very few young women like yourself who do in fact, I I all but despaired ever of finding one if If you'll excuse us now, sir, we'll we'll be getting Daisy's things put away. This is Bunty and I must be getting to my room Leave me miss Daisy. There's been a revelation to meet you. Oh, thank you, sir. I'm sure we should have much to discuss Oh At that moment And then had been determined to pour out her terrible knowledge and then the moment passed by She told herself that perhaps the past few days have been nothing more than a grim illusion a tormenting play of imagination She would wait then until she had attended the coroner's inquest into the last Avenger murder There perhaps she would hear evidence to disprove all her fears to assure her there was no earthly harm in Daisy being so near the larger This was her grave is concerned now for on the next day mr. Sleuth made it a point to see the girl more than once and Fearfully Ellen saw that Daisy welcomed his visits As Ellen was preparing to step out of the inquest she heard once more the voices of her stepdaughter and the larger Coming to her through the kitchen door She hesitated before strangely apprehensive The idea Mr. Sleuth is just saying he would excuse yourself. He thinks people and especially girls should spend all their time praying I sought to explain mrs. Bunting that all women are placed on this earth filled with evil They therefore must struggle constantly to find the path of righteousness. Why mr. Sleuth You mean a girl's not to enjoy life at all not to have fun frivolity my child is the devil's breeding ground And all his implements are there temptation pleasure wine There's nothing I like better than a glass of wine and I'm you drink You didn't know what she was saying mr. Sleuth. Just a child. Daisy you'd better go now But I didn't say nothing wrong What's the harm in a glass of wine she lieth in wait as for a prey and increase at the transgressors among men I don't know what you mean. I never had such nonsense You call holy scripture nonsense So what I prayed against is true. You are beyond salvation. That's not so. I'm a good girl. I am and I won't have you saying that Daisy go into the front room. It's quite all right. I must be going upstairs anyway I'm used to being misunderstood, you know People never realize that my efforts are simply for the greater good of humanity Of course And that the power on high will direct my hand toward the expulsion of all evil Daisy Does he listen to me? Yes. I've got to tell you about About about what mother Ellen Nothing I've got to go out for a while now. I'll be back The moment will reveal the secret horror had come again and passed Erin's sudden recollection of mr. Sleuth as he stood in the doorway had overwhelmed her She must give him this last chance this last frantic search for this proving evidence this trip to the inquest If that chance would fail then she would tell bunting or the police So with the knowledge of bunting was left in the house to look after daisy. She boarded the underground train bound for the coroner's court What does the train pulled away from the station? A new torture came to her began to mount in her mind It was the sudden realization that provided Sleuth was the murder She was equally responsible for his crimes She had been giving him Protection If anything should happen to daisy, she would be equally guilty Fully as guilty as the avenger Oh Seated at the rear of the small but crowded inquest room Listen to each of the witnesses as they were called and from one of them she found the first hope she had known for many days This witness lived next to the alley in which the avenger had committed his crime that night She had seen him from a window and the man she described in no way resembled Evan's larger But in another moment Evan's hope was swept away It was pointed out that the fog had been so heavy that night that the witness could not possibly have seen the murderer from her window She left the stand replaced by a mr Cannot This elderly gentleman was certain that he had not only seen but talked with the avenger He was in region sparky to testify only a few moments before When I saw him he was quite a tall man Very gaunt looking and carrying a handbag a handbag you say yes a small narrow one Just such a bag I might add as might contain a knife As I then heard these words the tension which had been mounting up within her became almost unbearable Rigid with horror. She gripped the arms of her chair. She heard the coroner I shall have to ask for more order in the court And now mr. Cannot I understand you heard this man speak. Oh, yes. We have a rather high hesitating voice an educated man I would judge but quite mad What do you mean by that? Well as he emerged from the fog He was talking aloud to himself Believe me, sir. He was reciting scriptures from the bible Scriptures from the bible Horrified Ellen rose from her seat only half hearing the confusion about her Are you asking us to believe I would say mr. Cannot that the man we are looking for Would be least of all a religious man and that's where you're an error mr. Coroner the religious note is the very key to the case very interesting That'll be all mr. Cannot just a moment sir Don't you understand the man you're after must be a religious maniac. That's the only explanation possible You will please stand down Court was dismissing the very truth. Ellen knew that now. She would no longer keep silent her hand shut forth and she screamed I want to say Ellen Bunty on the verge of speaking had fainted and then When she was revived a few moments later, she said nothing Her brain was in too great a turmoil her nerves too shocked Like one in a dream. She allowed herself to be led from the courtroom The voices of spectators were only vague sounds to her Yes, it was hysterics. Yeah, they're beat about the knife. Yeah the knife the knife The knife As Ellen Bunty proceeded home with the remarks from the spectators remain in her mind. She heard them Over and over We all see she stays close in the house, eh No arm in being safe direct my hand toward the expulsion of all evil expulsion of all evil of wine As Ellen neared her neighborhood her very increased with each moving footstep a grip of terror go tighter tighter about her She moved faster faster if only she were in time She was two streets away from the house then one then Ventures all bunting sharply like the thrust of a knife. She realized what this meant daisy was left alone with the larger All bunting. Tell me bunting. Where's Daisy? Where is she? I say where are you? Oh, listen to me try to understand Sleuth is the avenger. What are you saying? Oh, larger. He is the avenger bunting. Oh, but there's no time for that daisy's in danger. Hurry Yes, daisy Daisy She's not here. What about the dining room? Look, she's not there. She's not downstairs. Then there's just Here's room go on Open the door Hey cut what's the idea hitch up a few more lines to do As mr. Marshall the narrator you have not as mr. Sleuth the larger Hit you can't stop the play right here doesn't fair, you know Why isn't it bad? What more is there to say for mr. Hitchcock want people want to know what bunting and me found in the room? All right, ellen What precisely did you find? Well, uh, nothing sir There you see nothing no larger no bible and that lock presser drawer What about that? We unlocked it sir and what was in it nothing sir You asked certain mrs. Bunting. Oh, you gave me quite a turn mr. Sleuth. I mean mr. Marshall Yes, sir. I'm sure sir. There was nothing well picking your part mr. Hitchcock But don't you think we better just mention about daisy? I don't know bunting What do you think we ought to say? Oh just at the reason she wasn't in the house when any enemy got there was Well, she gone out for a walk. That's all Did she enjoy it? Oh very much sir made it a king's cross and back in just under an hour, sir Splendid time bunting. Well, there you are but There's the story now. Wait a minute mr. Hitchcock. You can't do that. That's not the story. Of course. It's not. I look here Hitch here's the fellow who composed and conducted all our music will be hatch. He wants to know about this too. Everybody does All right, but What did they want to know? What became of mr. Sleuth? Oh him Why he left that afternoon. They never saw him again And now I think we ought to say something about the columbia four car show for were you please stop him mr. Marshall Hitch listen to me Yes, what is it? They want to know when the avenger finally was caught Oh, well, let me ask you something about Are you acquainted with loretta young? Yes, what's that got to do with it? Well in next week's columbia preview series Miss young will take the starring role in the drama of an american red cross nurse That's good news, isn't it? Oh, that's great But now listen hitch you've just got to tell that audience exactly when and how mr. Sleuth was caught caught Why on earth should he be caught? Why? Well, he was the avenger, wasn't he? Was he your guess gentle listener is as good as ours Even mrs. Bella clowns who wrote the novel isn't entirely sure For his masterful direction our thanks to alfred hitchcock whose latest pictures are david o selsnick's rebecca and walter wanger's foreign correspondent For his superb characterization of mr. Sleuth our thanks to herbert marshall And our thanks to the outstanding british character actor who tonight portrayed the role of bunting Edmund gwen If you like tonight's program and want to hear more in the same highly original hitchcock vane Radio versions of the lady vanishes in the 39 steps, for example Right to cbs and tell us so your interest will help bring suspense to the air as a weekly feature Forecast next week presents from hollywood loretta young in angel First of a proposed series based on the adventures and the romance of a typical red cross nurse From new york a new sort of comedy show ed gardener as archie in duffy's tavern With gertrude neeson, colonel stoop nagel larry adler and john kerby's orchestra. Don't miss forecast at this hour next week Honest pre-dental speaking. This is the columbia broadcasting system