 The weird circle. In this cave, by the restless sea, we are met to call from out the past stories, strange, and weird. Bellkeeper, hold the bell, so all may know we are gathered again in the weird circle. Phantoms of a world gone by speak again the immortal tale, The Heart of Ethan Brand. Ethan, what are you doing here? What do you want? I've come to share a joke, brother Barton. A wonderful colossal joke. No man enjoys laughing alone, you know. Come in. Come in, Ethan. I don't fancy myself laughing at your joke. Sit a few minutes. The new fireman coming to keep the kill going tonight. I'll have to go out directly and get him started. Don't fidget, brother Barton. You've a lifetime to tend the fires of the line kill while I... My good brother Barton, I've quite a tale to tell you. In fact, you can't relish the joke until you've heard the strange story of my wickedness. You haven't changed, have you, Ethan? Oh yes. Yes. Much for the worse. I've learned to manipulate men as a chess player would move his pawns. I've made men commit crimes they had never dreamed of. And I've enjoyed every moment of my evil life. Oh, you're still as crazy as ever. What are you talking about? You'll understand when you hear my story. And by the way, Barton, I haven't been able to finish my search. I haven't yet found the unpartisanal scene. You're talking in riddles, Ethan. Now I'm a plain man. Talk to me simply. Don't tell me you've forgotten. Forgotten our long talks as we used to watch the fires of the line kill together. I'm not likely to forget working side by side with you. I don't recall all you had to say, though. You talk wild and crazy most of the time. Sometimes when you stood poking the fires and the kill and the sparks flew round and the red glare lit up that cynical smile you always wore, you looked like the devil himself. It was at just such a time, brother, when my face still glowed from the heat of the line kill that we began to talk of the unpardonable sin. Think back, Barton. Think back to a certain day when we stood together on the side of Mount Greylock firing the furnace. Stand back, Ethan, while I store in this log. We don't need it. Fire's going good enough now. All right, then. Out the door. I like to watch a blazing fire. I guess it's about the only excitement I get. What a life. Why don't you go to the city, Ethan, and get some kind of job there? I don't want some kind of job. I don't want to work just for the sake of working and making money. I'm not made like that. Sometimes I think, brother, you're not made like anybody else in this world. You flatter me, Barton. But there is no doubt that I'm unique. Yes, the only thing that would drive me to labor industriously would be some unusual, interesting motive. A wicked motive, if I know you. I'll bet my life on it. Before you die, Ethan, you're going to commit some kind of unpardonable sin. Unpardonable sin. Now, what does that mean? Unpardonable sin. We don't all yield the same temptations. Our weaknesses are all different. Our sins are different. And which sin is unpardonable? I guess I don't rightly know, but the way I look at it, a man's weakness can lead him to sin and maybe to an unpardonable sin. Now, take Willie Sheridan coming along there riding up horses or his folly. Maybe they can lead him to commit his unpardonable sin. He ought to be tended to his paper mill, but instead here he comes in the middle of the day horseback riding. Hiya, boys. Wine day. Sure is, Willie. Good hunting, Willie. Barton, you've inspired me. You've given me a reason for living. I'm going out in search of the unpardonable sin. Hi, Hickory. I almost think you mean it. You got the same kind of expression you used to have when we were kids and you'd pull wings off of flies just to watch them wriggle. A minor experiment, Barton. But now I shall embark on a master plan on a large-scale experiment in sin. Find out a man's weakness and you can control his life and perhaps make him commit the unpardonable sin. It should make a lifetime of interesting research. No doubt, Ethan. No doubt. Hey, look. Look over there in the valley. Must be a big fire. There's a lot of smoke. Yes, looks like it. Isn't that Willie Sheridan's place? Yeah, it's just about where it is all right. Say, if there's a fire in his stables, Willie will be fit to be tied. Well, Willie was on his way home just now. I think I'll run over and see the excitement. I always did like a fire. Surely you haven't forgotten that day, brother Barton. The day Willie's stables burned down. When I arrived, Willie was running around frantically, not accomplishing very much. Some of his horses were trapped and there was nothing anybody could do about it. As I watched Willie's mounting hysteria, I suddenly decided I had meant what I had said about the unpardonable sin. And I realized I could go about my research in a cold-blooded way. Willie would be my first experiment. He had, as we all know, a bad temper. And his fights with Tom, his groom, were known around the whole countryside. So I went up to Will and I said, Willie, you know how the fire started. No, no, no. I'd give anything in the world to find out. Must have been somebody's confounded carelessness. Or revenge, maybe? Revenge? What do you mean? Speak up, man. You must know Tom hates you. Everybody heard him say he'd get even someday. I see it now. Yes, it all adds up. I had to quarrel with Tom just before I took out the new filly. Look at Tom leaning against the fence. That satisfied smile on his face. He's got his revenge, all right. Now don't lose your head, Willie. Hey, what's the matter, Willie? Somebody stop him. He's got a pitchfork. Let me go, Willie. It wasn't Tom's fault. Tom wasn't even here. Too bad wasn't it, Barton, that Willie had such a bad temper and loved his horses so much? Those weaknesses led him to murder. As I stood looking at Tom's body, I wondered was murder the unpardonable sin. But I knew that though the law would punish him, most people would find it in their hearts to forgive Willie. I would have looked further for that unpardonable sin. As I walked away from the fire and the crime and passed the burning stables, I suddenly felt that I was too persons. All not good and bad as the Morris believed. But I felt I was too bad persons in one body. I know it sounds fantastic to your matter of fact mind. But to me it was clear. One of my cells was inexperienced in evil. But I knew I had an older self, a second soul as aged as the world and great in the knowledge of men and wickedness. And as I walked down the road and even in shadows, my second soul spoke to me. You're a rare bird. You're cold, calculating, completely without heart. We ought to go far. And if you listen to me, I'll set you on top of the world. That might be interesting. How do we begin? First, you must have money. Not too much to start with. It would look suspicious. Ethan, your old friend Esther will help you. Esther? Esther's only a clerk and a bank. That's what I was thinking. Remember, Ethan, find the person's weakness and you can control his life. Ethan, you are Esther's weakness. I'm not going to see you anymore, Esther. I want to give you a chance to forget me. Ethan, I can never do that. Goodness knows I wish I could, but I just can't get you out of my mind and my heart. I guess I've never really explained myself. You see, I'm not the type to be satisfied with a little cottage with a white fence all around and a clothesline in the backyard. I want the best and I want my wife to have the best. If I had a future and money, I'd ask you to marry me tomorrow, Esther. Ethan, you've never said that before. You've never mentioned marriage. I've never had the right. Oh, Ethan. And now, ironically, the chance of a lifetime has come to me. I have an opportunity to buy a share in a good business. All I need is small capital. But, of course, I can't do anything. Well, there must be some way to get the money. How much do you need, Ethan? $10,000. Of course, I only need it for a short time. Once I had an interest in the business, I could borrow money and pay back for $10,000 in a few months. Yes, of course you could, Ethan. Let me help. You know, mother left me quite a little income. No, I didn't know that. But you don't think I'd take money from you? From a woman? Why not any woman? I'm the woman you're going to marry. Please, Ethan. Please let me help you. All right, Mr. But I wouldn't take help from any other woman in the world. But how easy it was to get people to do what they want. It was like playing a fascinating mischievous game. That night, as I walked home from Esther's in the moonlight, my second self spoke again. Nicely, Ethan. Esther will have that money just when you need it. It'll just take a little time to arrange matters. And what do I do now? Ethan, call on Willys, poor, bewildered beautiful sister Grace Sheridan. Offer your sympathy over the recent tragedy. Grace can be a big help to us. Yes. Yes, that's a brilliant suggestion. I'll see that my talk with Grace Sheridan is highly satisfactory. And that the results are according to plan. I'm just so confused. Really, we're so crazy about the horses who neglected the mill, I'm afraid. Tell you the truth, I'm going to be lucky if I don't have to go into bankruptcy. Grace, let me help you. I'd like to put some money into the mill. Manage it for you. You see, paper interests me. Papers used for a thousand purposes. It's used all over the world. I'd turn your paper mill into a big business. You sound like a miracle, Ethan. Do you really mean it? With all my heart. Well, how much money can you put into the mill? About ten thousand dollars. That's fair enough. Then it's settled. Fine. Here's to my very charming senior partner. Ah, it's a funny reason that we haven't seen much of each other in these years. Where have you been all the time? Just waiting. Waiting for this day and this moment. And we're going to see a lot of each other from now on, Grace. Everything happened, Barton, just as I had planned. Esther brought me the ten thousand dollars I bought the interest in the mill. And soon the long neglected business was going along far better than we had dreamed. I became a leading citizen. Then one night as I was turning out the light to go to bed, I heard the voice of my second self. It's time you made some political connections. For you and I are going farther than a small town in this state. Yes, I... I've been thinking about that. Your man, of course, is Jake Sampson. You must make him indebted to you. You've heard the gossip about Sampson, haven't you, Ethan? Yes, everybody talks about it. Jake's a big man. The political boss in this state, he could go far if it weren't for a woman. The woman he can't get rid of. Jake will be at the Chateau, the gambling casino outside town tomorrow night. And you must make a friend, a loyal, grateful friend out of Jake Sampson at any cost, Ethan. At any cost. What better place Barton to study men than at the Tables of Chance? Perhaps there I thought I would find the unpardonable sin. So the next night I went out of Chateau and I finally found Jake Sampson brooding over a glass of brandy. Hello, Ethan Brand. Join me. Help me drown my sorrow. You certainly do look despondent, Sampson. What's the trouble? I'm putty. Just putty. You mean putty in a woman's hands? You're a mind reader, Ethan. Then I guess everybody knows my personal affairs. I can be as hard as nails about everything else in the world except... A woman. It's the old story, isn't it? You've ceased to care and the woman's still wrapped up in you. Yes. She's not come along with me. Do you know what I mean? I've gone up and Babette has stayed just the same. I tried to explain it to her again tonight, but it's no use. I'm a man doomed to the woman he doesn't want. You ought to let me take over. I use direct, hard methods. She's right over there, Ethan. That little blonde in a red dress at the roulette table. I see. Well, Sampson, maybe I can do you a favor. I'd never forget it, Ethan Brand. I'll never forget it. You're not having much luck tonight, are you, Babette? This night or any other night. Say, how do you know my name? I ask somebody. I think you're very attractive. I'll save the sugar. Maybe you'll bring me luck. Mr. All I got left in the world is fifty dollars. What'll I do? Put it all on the black or just part of it? I can't make such an important decision for you. But then you see, I am a gambler. I gamble all or nothing. Yeah, me too. Here, here's fifty bucks. All on the black. Now, watch that old wheel. Everything. Well, goodbye, Mr. Hope you have better luck than I have. Oh, just a minute, Babette. I'm going for a walk. Let me come along. Why not? Say, the lake looks cold, don't it? Come on, let's walk down there. All right. Say, who'd you ask about me when you found out about my name? Jake Sampson. I asked him if he minded if I tried to cut in. What'd he say? Was he mad? No. No, not at all. He said that you and he had parted. Jake seemed glad that I was interested in you. Oh, he was, was he? Yes, yes. Jake was full of plans tonight. Of course, you know he's going to be married tomorrow. She's an awfully nice woman and she'll be a big help to- Wait a minute. Say that again. Well, well, don't. I get that. I know something like this is coming. But Jake ought to tell me himself. Yeah, no, right? Oh, I'm awfully sorry. Perhaps Jake just didn't have the courage to tell you. Oh, go away, mister. Leave me alone. I want to walk by myself. All right. You won't get lost down there by the lake. It's slippery on those wet rocks. Thanks for telling me. Well, goodbye, David. Goodbye. Hurry, Ethan. Hurry. So you won't be caught near the lake. No one must see you running away from the drowning. After that suicide, Jake Sampson began to make great political plans for me. So, Barton, I had two things I needed for advancement. A growing business and political backing. Then one evening Esther came to my house. Ethan, I've got to have that money back quickly. You see, I, I stole it. I stole it from the bank. I took it in dribbles and fixed the book so they wouldn't find out. But in a few days the accountants are coming, Ethan. But Esther, you told me it was money from your mother's estate. Oh, I lied, Ethan. I lied. I wanted you to have the money. I thought we were going to be married. We are going to be married, Esther, very soon now. And I'll get you that money by noon tomorrow. Oh, Ethan, I knew you wouldn't let me down. I knew it. I, I've got to go now, dear. Goodbye, Ethan. Goodbye, Esther. You must not marry Esther. I've never for a moment seriously considered it. Grace is the woman for you, Ethan. I know that. Don't I know I'd get full ownership of the mill from Grace? Besides she has the social connections I need. You must get rid of Esther some safe way. She's the kind of woman who would be troublesome. The kind would fight for you. Hang on to the end. You must get rid of Esther without hurting yourself. Yes, but how? How? Remember your rule, Ethan. Control people through their weaknesses. Now, Charles Townsend, the president of Esther's bank, loves power, power over people. He likes to make people suffer. He acts quick and he has no mercy. Go to Townsend now, tonight, and say to him... Mr. Townsend, I've come as a friend to do you a favor. But in return I'll expect one from you. Well, it depends upon what it is, Mr. Brand. You must keep the source of the information I'll give you a secret. My name must be out of it. That's a reasonable request. But should you just happen to forget and just, of course, by accident? Mention my name. I'm afraid I'd be forced to take my banking business elsewhere. Why, really, Mr. Brand? What do you take me for? What's on your mind? I just thought you might like to know one of your clerks has stolen ten thousand dollars. What? Who? Which one is it? Esther, I'd advise you to get to the bank early in the morning, Mr. Townsend, and check the books. Check the books early. Mr. Barton, that brings us up to date. I should be sitting very pretty indeed. Esther is out of my way in the state penitentiary. I'm engaged to Grace Sheridan. I shall be owner of a prosperous mill. And Jake Sampson has great political plans for me. Yes, Barton, I'm on my way to that coveted place on top of the world. You're mad, even stark mad, you and your second self. Get out of my house! Brother, you haven't heard the end. You haven't shared my joke. I'm on my way to the top. But I'm never going to get there. I came here from Dr. Myers. I haven't been feeling very well lately. I made him tell me the truth. I've got a few months to live. I'll never realize any of the glory ahead for me. Isn't it a joke, brother? A colossal joke. What are you made of, even? You don't even care about yourself, do you? Doesn't seem to mean anything that you're going to die. Not a thing. I don't know why I haven't any feeling, any emotion, Barton. But there it is. I haven't. Well, I've had quite career, haven't I, brother? I think it all started over a search. A search for the unpardonable sin. Which I never did find. Ethan, you caused a girl to steal. You drove a woman to suicide and egged down a man to murder. You found the unpardonable sin, Ethan. You've committed it by deliberately leading people into temptation. The unpardonable sin, Ethan, is in your own breast. Now, please get out. We can't stand the sight of you any longer. If that's what you feel. I think I'll go up on the side of Mount Greylock and have a last look on the scenes of my boyhood. See, our rustic blind kill once more. Then I shan't be going there. My new fireman knows his business anyway. I don't want to see you again, Ethan. But perhaps, brother, perhaps you shall. It didn't turn out, Ethan, as we planned, did it? No. But I have decided what I must do. Yes. Yes, it's the best way. Come. Yo! Yo, wake up! Ruffine fireman asleep on the job. Wake up! Oh, oh, that's a bad head I have. Your brother, your brother Ethan, he sucked me in the jar he did. Ah, the blasted fool. Your brother wanted to stir the fires in the kiln, but I wouldn't let him. The fires was just right. I didn't want no interference. So, so he sucked me, he did. Oh, I guess I've been out for some time. Look at that. The idiot left the furnace door open. Now wait till the fires are out. Joe! Joe! What's the matter now? Come here. Look. Look inside the furnace. Ah! The saint's preservice. The skeleton. A white skeleton of a man lying there on the red hot coals. And here? You're outside the door on the ground as the man's hat. Maybe it's your brother. Yes, it belonged to Ethan Brandt. Ah, he must have been a madman for sure. Joe, hand me those prongs. Here they are. What do you find to know? There. There on the skeleton is a hard object. There's a lump on the breast. Ah, so there is. Why, why is the shape of a, of a human heart? Dear, look at it. It's, it's marble. It's a marble heart. From the time-worn pages of the past, we have brought you the immortal tale, the heart of Ethan Brandt. Bellkeeper, toll the bell.