Spellbound Page #4

I made no medical diagnosis.

I was shocked to see him collapse

and didn't think beyond that.

We were all pretty shocked, Sheriff.

The fellow took us all in.

All except Dr. Murchison.

And he didn't say anything that might

give you an idea of where he went?

No.

He may be hanging around.

We'll have to go over the grounds first.

I'm sorry this has happened

to you, Constance.

I felt like warning you about him,

but I wasn't certain.

Don't worry. It's not your fault.

They're bound to find him.

I'll keep you informed

of the police activities.

I say the fellow expected to get away

with it like any criminal.

Nonsense. Obviously, a case of amnesia.

He hadn't the faintest notion of

who he was or what he was doing.

What do you say, Constance?

I don't know.

You know, if you were anybody but

Constance Petersen, the human glacier

and the custodian of truth, I'd say...

Yes, you'd say what?

My dear, forgive me my scurvy thoughts.

You are telling the truth.

I was going to say

that you were holding something back.

I'm a sentimental ass.

A woman like you

could never become involved emotionally

with any man, sane or insane.

I suggest you

change the subject, Fleurot.

I would be very interested

to ask him certain questions

when they bring him back here.

No matter what you think.

You'll never ask our mystery man

any questions.

Why not?

For the very good reason,

the police will never find him alive.

Amnesia case of that sort

with the police after him.

It's an obvious suicide.

The fellow'll put an end to his pain

and nightmare fantasies

either by blowing his brains out

or dropping himself out of a window.

You're offending Dr. Petersen

with your callousness.

I'm sorry, Constance, that our staff

retains the manners of medical students.

I'm not offended.

I think Dr. Fleurot's ideas are quite

accurate, but I'm tired. Good night.

Good night.

The police have

asked me to announce

that our neighborhood roads

are free of the dangerous madman

who escaped from Green Manors.

The search for the impostor

has shifted to Manhattan.

This is WQZK Brooklyn, George Bell.

We now resume

our regularly scheduled program.

Sure feels good

to take the weight off your feet.

I'm from Pittsburgh.

There's a town for you.

Really can meet people in Pittsburgh.

Friendly.

Fellow could live and die in this town,

and he couldn't meet nobody.

How about you and me

having a nice little drink together

now that we're acquainted?

No, thank you.

You don't have to be so snooty about it.

I'll have you know, madam, that I know

better people than you in Pittsburgh.

Yeah, I'm sure you're a great

social success, given half a chance.

Now you're talking.

Do you mind not

sitting in my lap in public?

That's enough of that.

Beat it.

I'll have you know, I'm a guest

in this hotel. Who do you think you are?

I'm the house detective. Get going.

This town's getting worse and worse.

That's all right, lady,

you don't have to go.

I'm sorry you were being annoyed.

I've been watching you for some time,

and I figured

something like this might happen.

The chief duty of a house detective

is to spot trouble in advance.

- You're not registered here, are you?

- No.

I didn't think so,

the way you were wandering around.

Looking for somebody?

Don't be afraid of me.

I've got you spotted as

a lady in trouble and from out of town.

Schoolteacher or librarian, which is it?

- Schoolteacher.

- I thought so.

They always look like

they just lost something.

- Maybe I can help you.

- I don't think so, thank you.

Looking for some man, I suppose.

Must be a relative.

And from the worried look,

I'd say a pretty close one.

A husband, for instance.

- I'm really amazed.

- I hit it, huh?

But how could you tell?

I'm a kind of a psychologist.

You know, you got to be in my line.

Now, would you mind filling in

a few of the blank spaces for me?

No. It's just that we quarreled.

And then you got sorry and came running

after him. That's the usual psychology.

But now you're afraid to face him.

No, no.

It's that I don't know

what room he's in.

He told a friend he was coming

to this hotel but under a different name

so I couldn't find him.

But I must find him and apologize

and make him feel better.

When did he arrive here?

Yesterday morning.

Give me a description of him.

He's very tall and attractive.

Dark hair, a rather rugged face

and brown eyes and one suitcase.

I'll go check on him.

Did you find him?

Well, I think we got a line.

About 25 guys answering your description

registered here yesterday.

These are their registration cards.

You might recognize the handwriting.

That's very clever of you.

- This is his handwriting.

- John Brown, huh?

Not much imagination for an alias.

Room 3033.

Thank you very much. I was going to sit

here all day watching for him.

I know you would. I'm glad to be

of service. I'm a married man myself

and I know how it feels to have a wife

come chasing after you to apologize.

Constance.

What did you come for?

You don't owe me anything.

I'm going to do what I want to do.

Take care of you, cure you,

and remain with you till that happens.

But you can't,

you can't help hide a criminal.

You're not going to jeopardize

your standing as a doctor.

You're just getting started.

I won't let you be stupid about it.

I couldn't bear it away from you.

I went through yesterday holding

my breath as if I were being hunted.

I couldn't eat or work or do anything

but think of you.

So I had to come.

I'll get a room on this floor.

I'm here as your doctor only.

It has nothing to do with love.

Nothing at all.

Try remembering.

Let your mind go back to your childhood.

Was it happy?

Whom did you know in your childhood?

I'm haunted, but I...

I can't see by what.

- It's no use.

- You lived somewhere.

You had a mother, you were loved,

you had friends.

Yes. Probably a wife.

Can you remember her?

I didn't say I had one.

I said I probably had.

No, darling. Thank heaven,

I can't remember a wife.

I would like to ask you

a medical question.

Constance, would you mind

not prodding me? It mixes me up.

I can't remember anything.

Except that I love you.

How would you diagnose a pain

in the right upper quadrant?

A pain that is persistent?

Gall bladder, possibly a heart case,

or pneumonia,

depending on the patient's history.

It's obvious you're a doctor.

Yes. The eminent Dr. X.

And if we can unlock one tiny memory,

it will give us a key to the others.

No.

The only thing that comes to my mind

that I keep thinking over and over,

- is the logic of the situation.

- What logic?

That it was I who was with Edwardes.

"Police believe the impostor

who escaped from Green Manors

"to be the patient who visited

the real Dr. Edwardes

"in the Cumberland Mountains the day

that the noted psychiatrist disappeared.

"No trace of Dr. Edwardes has been found

since he left the Cumberland Resort

"in the company

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