Experiment Perilous Page #7

Extremely serious.

Very well.

I'll do what I can.

Well, you're going on up,

I'll leave you here.

- I can take you.

- Thanks, I'd like to walk.

- Tomorrow?

- I'll do what I can.

- Goodnight.

- Goodnight.

The boy's name is Alexander.

Quite a mouthful

for an infant, isn't it?

Alexander the conqueror.

Alec brought

her flowers. Daisies.

No, you aren't

Mr. Gregory, are you?

No, of course not.

The article

is signed, A. Gregory.

Alec, Alexander.

Alexander Gregory.

Allida?

Hunt.

I'm at Stanley's.

It's a restaurant, the

block west of your house.

Could you possibly come here?

I must see you.

Yes. Yes, there's

a private entrance.

I'll meet you there.

Good.

Sit down.

- Allida, do you trust me?

- Yes.

You've got to get out

of that house.

I'm frightened.

You mustn't be.

Don't you understand?

You're not to be

afraid ever again.

There are two

of us now.

What did you see when

you went upstairs?

Why, he was talking

quietly to the boy.

No. No, he's doing

something to Alec.

And he keeps

shutting me out.

- Please, don't.

- As if...

You've got to be calm,

otherwise you can't help me.

Now, tell me.

Who was Alexander Gregory?

- Oh, no.

- Please, tell me.

Nick said it was

my fault.

He said, if I pushed him

in front of that carriage

I couldn't have killed

him more surely.

What do you mean?

It was the night

of my birthday.

Yes.

Alec stayed late, and then

he insisted on walking.

It was snowing heavily.

And Nick walked part

of the way with him.

- And then...

- Yes.

I don't know.

They didn't find him

until early morning.

- He'd been run down.

- I see.

That night, Alec told me

he loved me.

It was the only time.

You didn't love Alec?

Oh, no.

But I didn't know

what was happening.

Suddenly, everything

seemed to have changed.

And then later

Nick came up

And his face

was young and fresh.

And for the first time,

we found a moment of happiness.

I understand.

And all that time, Alec was

lying out there in the snow.

It was Nick's idea to name your

boy Alec, wasn't it?

Yes. He insisted.

Oh, don't let him send

the boy away, please.

I don't send those daisies

to myself. I don't.

And Alec's dead.

He couldn't send them to me.

Do you know why I pictured

you with daisies?

Because I love you.

Because Alec loved you too,

he thought of them.

Does Nick know

how you feel toward me?

Yes, he knows.

Hunt, don't let me

hurt you too.

You couldn't.

Nothing you ever do

could hurt me.

Allida.

I wanna make sure that Nick

is still at the club.

I'll telephone Clag.

You'll be alright

for a moment?

Clag, I want you to listen

to me carefully.

Close the door

to your booth.

I can't.

It folds the wrong way.

The man who made

it is unhinged.

Listen, I want to know

if Nick is there at the club.

'Who? Never heard of him. '

- Listen, is Nick there?

- 'Yeah, sure. '

Alright, now,

pay attention.

I want you to call me

the moment he leaves.

When Nick leaves.

The very moment.

'The minute Nick leaves?

Why don't do ask him yourself?'

'He's right here himself.

He's right here. '

Clag, no, no, no.

Forget the whole thing.

Just don't mention it.

'Look, you've got

the wrong way around. '

'You say thank you,

and I say, don't mention it. '

Clag, I haven't called

you at all, you get it?

I haven't called you at all.

'What do you know about that?'

'He says he hasn't

called me at all. '

You've got to get back.

Don't be frightened.

Just for the night,

because of the boy.

- Yes, dear.

- Just for a while.

Bless you.

Come.

- I want this in the safe.

- Yes, doctor.

Tell Mitchell to see that

it's passed on quickly...

In the event that I

drop dead, will you?

Yes, doctor.

There's still no answer

at the Bederaux house, doctor.

How long has it been since

Mrs. Bederaux called?

Over two hours now.

- Lady, you had me worried.

- Hunt.

You're gonna be safe.

You and the boy.

Yes. Nick told me

to come to you.

I suggested last night

he send you to me.

He pretended

that you're not quite...

Oh, but there's nothing

wrong with me.

- You believe that, don't you?

- Yes, dear.

There's never been anything,

but a fear I couldn't explain.

I know.

- I think Cissie understood too.

- She did.

- You knew Cissie?

- Yes.

That night

she came back...

All the way upstairs

she kept whispering to me

"You must go, Allida.

You must go. "

Then, Nick went to

get some water

And she kept trying

to tell me something

Only she couldn't

get her breath.

Oh, it was terrible.

She kept saying

"I understand now.

I know now. "

And then Nick

sent me downstairs.

Please don't

think about it.

I did as you told me.

I sent out all the servants.

Except Deria.

- And Nick went away.

- Nick went away?

Yes, he had to go

to Boston.

We'll go and

get Alec now.

I've arranged a place in

the country for both of you.

Yes?

By messenger.

Excuse me.

It's nothing.

We'll go now.

I can't tell you

how I feel.

I don't have to,

do I?

No, dear.

For the first time

in my life.

"Dear Bailey, the

Boston boat is an anticlimax

"To the Brazilian queen

of my fathers.

"But it will do.

"When you read this,

I shall be in my stateroom

"Going through hell gate.

"A fitting name for it,

I think.

"Perhaps, you can

drag me back

"But that is a decision to

put your courage to the test.

"It is entirely in

your hands now to decide

"What Allida's

future will be.

If you agree with me...

- Hunt.

- Yes, dear?

Why did Nick go away?

I, I don't know.

"If you agree with me

"Allida will remember her

husband as an unfortunate man

"Who has fulfilled

his fatality

"As his father did before him.

Cordially,

Nicholas Bederaux. "

It's cold.

I'll light the fire.

We had to let the furnace

go out to have it repaired.

I'll light it for you.

Look at me.

I'm not afraid.

I'll call Clag.

There are a few things

he can do.

Shall I?

No, I'll go.

Will you get me

38th street, 3424?

Is Mr. Claghorn there?

'Oh. '

'Well, this is Dr. Bailey. '

'Will you have him call me

as soon as he comes in?'

38th Street, 7098.

It's very important.

Thank you.

It's amazing how you forfeit

every plan I make for you.

It won't be rash

of course, Hunt.

This makes hardly any more

sound than a pop of a cork.

And it will of course prevent

you from rejoining Allida.

'Oh, she's quite unharmed.

I promise you. '

Good.

Good.

I was afraid you wouldn't

fight at all.

But this is good.

Now, first of all, tell me,

where did you meet Cissie?

And how did you learn about

Alec? It fascinates me.

It's like discovering

that a whole new

Set of chessmen

have been set up.

But I can play with them

as you shall see.

The moment I found

your writing case

I knew you were in this

thing up to your neck.

You're mad, Nick.

Completely mad.

Do you know that?

Who knows which one

of us is mad?

Who said, "If any man

had one moment of sanity"

In that one moment, he would

take himself out of this world?"

But mad or not,

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