 You are alone in Paris. Unable to speak the language. Unable to cope with a gigantic conspiracy which seeks to convince you that you are mad. And you know you are the victim of a plot from which there is no escape. Escape produced and today written by William N. Ropeson and carefully contrived to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure. Today we escape to Paris at the time of the great Paris exposition and one of the recurring legends of the 20th century in Alexander Wolkert's version of the story of the vanishing lady. Another cup of tea Bruce? No thank you my dear. I'll just light up the pipe now and have a look at the evening standard. I'd like another please mother. All right Alice. Uh oh, only one sugar dear. We must watch our figures you know. Oh what nonsense. A growing girl like Alice needs plenty of sugar. See you mother daddy approved. Perhaps. But mother is still boss. Yes mother. There's a dear. Mother? Yes dear. I've been thinking. Yes dear. I've been thinking about my grandparents. Oh. I know all about daddy's parents. How grandfather Stanley commanded to dread not the battle of Jutland. It was not a dread not Alice. It was a heavy cruiser. Yes a heavy cruiser. He got the VC and our grandmother Stanley was a volunteer nurse at Westerlarge when the Zeppelins came over. And I know about your father too and how he died in India from his wounds and how gallant he was at the Khyber Pass. But mother. Yes dear. You've never never told me anything about grandmother Winship. Haven't I? No and I'd like to know something. Bruce. The child 16. I think it's time she knew. But Bruce. You'd probably feel better to get it off your chest. What mother? What is it? Well my dear. I've never talked about your grandmother because I've always half believed that someday somehow she'd come down our garden walk and I know it sounds silly. And explain where she's been for the last 20 years. Why? What happened to her? I don't know and I don't suppose I ever will. Cynthia darling if it's going to upset you. No Bruce. You're quite right. It would be best to get it off my chest as you put it. As you know Alice. I was born and brought up in India. And I was about your age when my father was killed in the Khyber campaign. Mother decided to leave India for good and return to her old home in Warwickshire. However since it was necessary for her to go to Paris to attend to some details of my father's estate. She decided we should leave the P&O boat and Marseille and proceed by train. You may imagine the timidity with which we two unascorted ladies traveled across France without the slightest knowledge of the language. And with our indeed assurance we could find a hotel room in Paris. Though we had telegraphed for reservations from Marseille. You see dear, the great Paris exposition had just opened and the city was jammed with visitors from all over the world. You may imagine our relief when we arrived at the Grand Hotel universe cell and heard the clock speak in quite understandable English. Welcome, welcome. You will be pleased to sign the register. You have our reservation. Oh indeed yes, almost fortunate madam that you telegraphed. I reserve for you the last room in the house. Oh I'm so relieved. Yes Cynthia, you may as well learn how to sign a register for yourself. Oh yes mama, where do I write? There in that line. Oh yes I see. Voila, you are fatigued from your journey, no? I shall have the boy show you to your rooms at once. Chasseur, chasseur. Oui monsieur. L'appartement 342 pour madame et mademoiselle Winship, tout le suite. Bien messieurs. This is your bagage madame? Yes these six. Voila le bagage, il y a six pièces. You'd best carry the little one with a medicine in it. Yes mama. Ah thank you, I'll take that one. The little red one. Très bien. This way ladies. Keep your eye on that porter Cynthia. I don't trust this Frenchman. Oh mama, I don't think he'll make off with our things. Oh here's the lift. I do wish we could have gone straight on to Southampton. But you'd only have had to come back across the channel to see the solicitor mama. We really saved time this way. I suppose I mean I wish we hadn't come to Paris at all. Such a sinister place. Oh mama. Voila le troisième. This way ladies to the right. Attendez. Très bien. 338, 343, 342. Voila. Entrez ladies. Thank you. Oh what a lovely big room. And look mama. French windows. Oh and the park out there and and that square with the statues. Oh the ladies. No thank you. Oh those beautiful beautiful bridges. Oh mama it's like something out of a book. Yes my dear. That's the trouble with Paris. So attractive. But underneath it's evil. Oh and mama the furniture. The guilt clock. And this lovely marble top table. Oh mama everything is so so French. I'll be very glad to be on my way to everything's English by this time tomorrow. Come away from that window and help me get into something comfortable. There's a dear. Yes mama of course. I don't know when I've been so tired. I just can't seem to catch my mama. Mama what's the matter? Mama speak to me. Here I'll get you up into bed. There now let me loosen your corset. Here mama here are the smelling salts breathe deeply darling. Mama the telephone. I've got to get a doctor. Hello operator will you please send a doctor up to room number let me see number 342. Will you please send a doctor to room number 342. While I waited for the doctor I did everything I could think of to bring my mother back to consciousness. I massaged her fingers and toes. I put wet clothes on her forehead. I waved the smelling salts under her nose but she lay silent and white and unmoving like one dead. Only the quick shallow movement of her breast assured me she was not and all the time another anxiety possessed me. What if this doctor could not speak English? How should I tell him the circumstances of mother's unexpected feinting? How should I understand his instructions for treatment? I'm sure it was not long although it seemed like an eternity before he arrived accompanied by the manager of the hotel and to my great relief they both spoke English. The doctor felt mother's pulse took her temperature and did the usual things that doctors do and then he turned the tailcoated hotel manager. While they talked in this language I couldn't understand. I looked from one face to the other trying to read from their expressions how serious my mother's illness was but they were as casual as though they were ordering dinner and finally I could stand it no longer. Oh you must tell me what is the matter with her? Mademoiselle your mother is ill yes seriously ill it is a collapse due perhaps to the strain of traveling however a week of two of absolute rest will work well. We were to go on to England tomorrow. That would be out of the question Mademoiselle she cannot be moved for at least several days right now she must have complete rest the next 24 hours will be critical. Oh Mamma. Oh Mamma. No no no Mademoiselle you must not break down too I need your help. Yes doctor. Immediately I need some medicine will you fetch it for me? I must not leave your mother for a moment during these critical hours here I will write down this address and a little message to my wife. Your wife? Yes yes I have the medicine already prepared at home it will be faster to go there for it than to a pharmacy there are very few chemists who have the ingredient. But couldn't you telephone? I have no telephone. Well a messenger perhaps. With the exposition opening nowhere can you find a reliable messenger they're all selling souvenirs. Oh no Mademoiselle you will accomplish here and more rapidly yourself. Here is the address van Cadbis Rival de Grasse and here is the message to give to my wife. I don't know Paris at all I'm a total stranger here. I am sure the manager here will give the necessary instructions to the cabbie. Indeed I will. Now if Mamma Moselle is ready. Before I quite knew what was happening I was seated in a rickety taxi cab outside the hotel with the doctor's message clutched in my hand while the hotel manager gave valuable directions to the cabbie. Entendu? Entendu. Bon, it is arranged mademoiselle Jack is one of our most trusted cabbies he will get you to the doctor's house and back in safety. Oh thank you so much sir and you will look after mother won't you? Indeed I will. Over that you may be sure. When we left the hotel we crossed a huge square with statues around it and turned into a wide avenue which led up a gentle incline at the top of which was a huge arch but before long we turned off to the right into narrower streets. It must have been 20 minutes later when we turned into another wide boulevard and I saw another huge arch up ahead or was it the same arch? Driver Mamma Moselle haven't we passed that arch before? Regardez Mamma Moselle, voici l'arque de triomphe, la banatorie I don't want a sightseeing tour I want to go to this address directly don't you understand? Now please take me there at once. At last we turned into a narrow street and pulled up before a grim gray house. The blue enamel sun on the wall read number 24 beasts. I jumped out of the cab almost before it stopped, rushed up the three stern steps and pulled at the brass bill knob. Oh hurry, hurry, hurry please. Oh the the doctor sent me for some medicine. Here read this please. The doctor's wife stood there reading and rereading the notice though she didn't understand it and until I thought I would scream please please hurry get me the medicine it's my mother she may be dying I must get back to her please hurry. She pointed to a chair and slowly walked down the hall and closed the door behind her. I waited and waited and I wondered. Wounded about the time the taxi had taken to get here about that arch that looks so familiar and I was torn by the hundred nameless anxieties that torture you when you're nearest and dearest is ill and then I heard something that froze my blood a telephone a telephone clearly ringing somewhere in the house but the doctor said he had no telephone that was the reason I must come all this way for the medicine oh no it couldn't be in this house it must be next door across the street of course that's where the sound was coming from but no it was the voice of the doctor's wife answering the phone oh no no what monstrous plot was this I felt my scalp crawled with terror my brain pounded my head felt as though it would burst I wanted to scream to run out of this awful house to run all the way across Paris to the bedside of my mother oh thank you thank you oh wow men was in now driver please please in the name of your own mother hurry back to the hotel as fast as possible please but my pleading was of no use either it was misunderstood or ignored we crawled across Paris just as slowly as we had come and I was certain I saw that same white arch three times but at last we crossed the great square with the statues and I knew we were close to the hotel oh please please hurry just beyond the great square we turned up a narrow street which shortly entered a wide circle in the middle of which was a tall slender monument the driver swung around the monument and pulled up before the entrance of the hotel reached back and opened the door I jumped out of the cab and then I saw the sign over the entrance it said hotel ritz driver driver you've taken me to the wrong hotel I'm staying at the grand hotel universal no I don't understand what you're saying will you please take me to the grand hotel universal it's stupid stupid man can't you understand my mother is sick you've taken more than two hours to get me to the doctor's house and back can't you understand my mother is sick perhaps dying I looked around me a small group of passes by had stopped to understand curiously to the argument and then they joined in taking sides everywhere I looked with foreign faces strangers enemies and then shouldering through the crowd I saw a bareheaded young man in tweeds with a pipe clamped in his teeth and before he had a chance to speak I knew help had come I say having some trouble oh thank heavens you're English right you are now it seems to be the matter I told him as rapidly as I could and he paid the muleish cabbie he popped me into another cab five minutes later we walked up into the lobby of the grand hotel universal the manager was behind the desk my mother is she all right I beg your pardon ma'am ozell my mother mrs. winchip in 342 is she all right there is no madame winchip in 342 what 342 is occupied by mr august no I a permanent guest but don't you remember me I'm Cynthia winchip two hours ago you put me into a taxi to go to the doctor's house for some medicine for my mother I am afraid that my motherly is mistaken I have never seen her before in my life well okay what is this no it's nice it's just as I say we signed the register less than three hours ago we got in on the train from our safe well let's have a look at the register yes I'll show you I'm in 342 where is the register it is here ma'am ozell you may see it for yourself see today's date 14 guests registered but I do not see any mademoiselle or madame winchip do you no what have you done with my mother I should not like to have to ask you to leave this would you please we'll get to the bottom of this perhaps ma'am ozell is mistaken perhaps she is registered at some other hotel no this is the hotel the grand universal you you were standing there when we arrived you handed my mother the pen with which she registered you came to the door with a doctor you put me in a taxi but I assure you ma'am ozell these are fantastic wait a minute is that there boy there he carried our baggage here remember there were six pieces don't you remember you wanted to take them all and I insisted on carrying the little jewel case it was a little red one oh no mademoiselle it's the first time in my vique je vois mademoiselle this is he never saw you in his life before but this is monstrous it it's impossible my mother is somewhere in this hotel what have you done with her what have you done with her feeling better now miss winchip a little thank you care for something else no thank you another cup of tea perhaps certainly I don't know how to thank you mr willers I don't even know your name it's bruce bruce stanley I'm very glad to meet you mr stanley it's a pleasure miss winchip mr stanley you believe me don't you of course I do miss winchip we did register at that hotel we were in room 342 but I can even describe the furnishings there was a big window that went from the ceiling to the floor well every hotel room in Paris has windows like that miss winchip oh they do yes well in this room the draperies were plum colored and there was a marble top table black marble it was and a gilt clock it had run down that the hands had stopped I remember it 20 minutes past three the walls were covered in rose brocade and the bed spread was a washed out yellow if I could only get into that room you'd see that I'm not making this up I'm not I'm sure you aren't perhaps I can find a way to make them let you in the room can you yes I'm with the embassy you know undersecretary sort of thing I believe the British Empire has enough influence to change the mind of an obstinate Paris innkeeper well then let's do it right away well I'm afraid the might of Britain can't move that fast it's past any time but but tomorrow we shall see tomorrow but I must get into that room tonight I I am no money no way to sleep well we can do nothing with the people at the hotel you saw that we'll just have to be patient until tomorrow I'm sure I can find a room for you tonight in a parcion near the embassy you're so very kind how can I ever thank you mr Stanley well you you might begin by calling me Bruce thank you Bruce thank you Cynthia oh oh I just thought of something the doctor the doctor yes the one the hotel manager brought in to look after mother I still have his address somewhere here in my purse yes here it is now we must go there immediately he can tell us about mother let me see 24 bees Ruvaldigra well that's not far just off boulevard was by near the Luxembourg how long would it take to get there by taxi oh about 10 minutes but it it took over an hour this afternoon oh here we are here's this is the place attendez mon vieux the house is dark well it's quite late well I don't care we've got to find out tonight where is he there at the upstairs window hey monsieur le docteur c'est mademoiselle windshield elle vous vous questionnée à propos de sa mère windshield je connais pas mademoiselle windshield this is he doesn't know you but he must he must it doctor don't you remember this afternoon you sent me here your house for medicine for my mother je comprends pas l'anglais he says he doesn't understand english oh the liar the dreadful liar he does he speaks perfect english je vous conseille de ne pas déranger le repos des gens comme il faut et de vous en aller avant que je n'appelle la police i'm sorry oh what am i going to do what am i going to do if it hadn't been for bruce i'm certain i should have gone out of my mind he found a room for me at a pension near the embassy where i spent his sleepless night of anxiety almost beyond endurance bruce called for me at half past 10 the next morning and took me back to the hotel do my surprise the attitude of the manager had changed completely but of course mademoiselle may inspect room 342 we are only too glad to convince mademoiselle that her mother is not and never was in the grand hotel universel why i personally will escort you to the room as this way please to the ascenseur oh bruce that terrible man that horrible horrible now remember what i told you last night bruce you'll see plum colored draperies black marbled up table rose walls and a guilt clock with hand stopped at 20 minutes past three you'll see yes and voila not was him this way please it was room 342 that you wish to see my moselle yes that's right third door to the right perfect you see bruce i know where it is yes my dear here we are voila enter please now bruce you'll see the yellow bedspread oh not quite the room you just described in the elevator mademoiselle the drapes are royal blue a little dusty i fear i must have this room renovated you see there is no marble top table no the clock as you notice is running and right on time it seems and the walls are not rose bouquet but yellow flowered now my dear mademoiselle you see how thoroughly mistaken you are no no no they had tried to make me think i was mad they succeeded i remembered nothing until i awoke in my aunt's house in england two weeks later thanks to bruce who never left my side during those terrible days when my sanity hung in the balance well that's the story alice and that's why i've never been able to talk about your grandmother windshield oh mother horrible because all these years i've clung to the foolish hope that somehow she'd come back and tell us herself what happened you poor dear you may as well dispel that hope forever synthia what since you've at last brought yourself to discuss your mother's disappearance i think it's time you knew the true fact bruce your mother died 20 minutes after you left the hotel and at full zaran for the doctor oh no she died of the bubonic plague she had caught in india before she sailed the doctor recognized the symptoms the moment he examined her he told the hotel manager in french in your presence they agreed that the matter must be kept completely secret if the news leaked out that there was a case of plague in paris the city would have been emptied of visitors the exposition would have been a failure oh bruce the conspiracy of silence began in the hotel the bellboy was paid to claim he never saw you the taxi driver was paid well to take you to the doctor's house by the most roundabout route the note to the doctor's wife advised her to detain you as long as she could the taxi driver read his own imaginative touch by returning you to the ritz instead of the universe so i should have to think what might have happened if i hadn't come through the blast one dome just then but you didn't know not then when did you find out next morning by then the conspiracy had grown to international proportions the embassy had been advised if the exposition was a failure the frank would fall the pound sterling would be affected that sort of thing i knew when we went back to the hotel you would not find your plum drapes and rose colored walls and black marble top table and you let me go through with it what could i do i was acting under orders i knew that the hotel had completely fumigated and redecorated the room overnight and everything was in readiness to repudiate your story i had to let the last act of the dreadful farce played to its dreadful end what did they do with my mother her body was removed from the room less than 30 minutes after you left it immediately burned why why didn't you tell me all this years ago why did you let me go on all this time this is the first time you've ever mentioned your mother since then my dear alice yes mother there's a new issue of the tetler in the library wouldn't you like to look at it mother i want now dear there's a good girl i want to have a talk with your father escape produced by william n robson and directed by norman mcdonnell has brought you the vanishing lady by alexander wolcott freely adapted for radio by mr robson the part of synthia was played by john banks bruce was played by hi everback the hotel manager and driver by ramsey hill musical score was conceived by scy fewer with eddie dunsteader at the console next week you are deathly afraid of snakes and between you and a fortune between you and escape you're on the white jaws of a deadly cotton mouth next week we escape with ervin s cobs famous story snake doctor goodbye then until the same time next week we when we again offer you escape this is cbs the columbia broadcasting system