The Mad Magician Page #3

- You did no harm.

- It was stupid of me.

But I couldn't understand why you let the

policeman think that my bag was yours?

You couldn't?

Well, Alan was curious, too.

You know how detectives are.

He questioned me after you left us.

Oh? Well, what about?

Why you were so excited.

You were, you know.

It was all my fault. I've been so worried.

What was in that bag, don?

Do you really want to know, Karen?

It was a head.

A human head.

You're just making fun of me.

Not at all. It was your head, Karen.

The dummy-head I made

for the buzz saw trick.

Do you remember how its eyes rolled

and the mouth opened in a scream

when the teeth of the saw

ripped into its flesh?

That was the most

lifelike thing I ever made.

Do you think I'm going to let Rinaldi

take that away from me, too?

Oh, no, my dear.

He'll never find

that lovely head of yours.

Well. I'm glad it was nothing

more serious than that.

Oh, Karen.

That celebration tonight,

do they build a big bonfire?

Oh, a tremendous one.

Everybody brings fuel for it.

It's terribly exciting.

Yes, I'm sure it must be.

Well, good night, Karen.

Good night, don.

All right, boys, light it.

Toll the bell, here's parnell!

Dead as a doornail, dead as a post!

Dead on the vine, dead in the shell!

Poor parnell, well, well, well!

Toll the bell, here's parnell!

Dead as a doornail, dead as a post!

Dead on the vine, dead in the shell!

Poor parnell, well, well, well!

Toll the bell, here's parnell!

Dead as a doornail...

Mr. ormond.

Mr. ormond.

I thought I recognized you.

Don't you remember me?

Oh, of course. Hello, miss Lee.

Bones found on college campus!

Get your extra here!

Oh, extraordinary, isn't it?

- About these bones they found.

- I beg your pardon?

Well, the other night,

after the Hudson-parnell game,

they were having a celebration

on the campus.

A huge bonfire and, well,

that sort of thing, you know.

Yes.

Well, what do you think they found

in the ashes the next morning?

- I have no idea.

- Two human shin bones and part of a spine.

- Not really.

- Oh, yes, indeed.

I don't know what we're coming to.

- Do you have some rooms to rent?

- Hmm?

Well, I read this advertisement

in the morning paper...

This is your advertisement?

Oh, yes. Yes, of course. Do come in.

Alice!

We don't make a regular thing

of renting rooms,

but you see, my wife's mother

occupied the top floor and...

Well, she's gone on to her reward,

and so we have that space on our hands.

- Yes, frank?

- Hmm?

Oh, oh, this gentleman came to see

about the room you advertised.

- Mr., uh...

- Jameson. Ward Jameson.

Yes. Mrs. prentiss, my wife.

Oh, yes. Lt's a pleasure, Mr. Jameson.

I'll show you the rooms if you like.

Well, do watch the stairs.

There's no light on the upper landing.

Here we are.

This is the sitting room. The bedroom

is in here, with a bath beyond.

Oh, I'm sure you'll be comfortable,

and very quiet here.

That's what I'm looking for.

And my husband goes to business,

and I'm always busy in my study.

I write, you know.

- You do?

- Yes. Alice prentiss.

Oh, yes. Yes, of course.

You see, I need a place where I can study

and do some experimental work.

L'm afraid my habits are not those

of the regular businessman.

L'm apt to return late at night,

and I may not be here for days at a time.

Oh, that's quite all right.

Would you mind if I moved in right now?

I have everything I need.

But I haven't told you

what I want for the rooms.

Anything you say.

Well, let me see. With maid services

and everything, I had thought...

- Fifty a month?

- Fifty a month?

In advance, of course.

Oh, that's very good of you.

You've no idea what a relief it is

to find just the place I need,

where I can come and go as I please

and be left alone.

People are always so determined

to poke into your business.

I could see at once

that you're not that kind.

Oh, no, no, indeed.

Uh, I'll get you a receipt.

Anytime at all.

Well, it looks

like the deal is closed.

Everything is satisfactory, frank.

Oh, Mr. Jameson,

have you had supper?

- No, but I...

- L'll get you some.

Oh, please don't bother.

It's no bother.

I'll have the maid bring it up.

Thank you.

Charming woman.

Oh, yes, yes. I say, did Alice

tell you that she writes?

Yes, she did.

Murder mysteries. Oh, she's full of plots.

Morning, noon and night. That's all

i ever hear. Plots, plots, plots.

Oh, oh, I say, here.

Here's her latest, murder is a must'.

- Rather good title, don't you think?

- Very good.

- Yes, it sold over a hundred thousand

copies. - Vvhat does it mean?

Well, it's about a chap who murders a

chap, and then, so not to be found out,

he has to kill another one

and then another one,

and, well, that's the way it goes,

ad infinitum, ad nauseam.

However, it's rather cute

the way she dreams these things up.

I say, Alice has a theory

that all murderers are crazy.

So?

Well, I don't know about that.

Well, maybe we all have

a bit of it in us,

and maybe if it wasn't for the law,

we'd all go round killing each other.

I say, there's another good plot,

don't you think?

Well, I do hope you like it here,

Mr. Jameson.

Thank you.

Hello, Claire.

The village blacksmith.

Mmm.

Not bad.

Absence makes

the heart beat faster.

Are you glad to see me, darling?

Very glad.

Well, you don't show it.

At least I would expect a compliment.

You look terribly expensive.

Now you sound

like my second husband.

Shall we cheat him a little bit, darling?

I don't think so.

What's the matter?

Don't you love me anymore?

I'll always love what you were.

But not what I am?

Well, I think I'm rather nice.

Lots of people do.

What are you working on?

A new trick.

Is the studio making money?

It's doing very well.

Good. Good.

I suppose you know that Ross has left me.

Can you blame him?

Yes, and so would you,

if you would react normally.

Have you forgotten

that I was once your wife?

L'm not likely to.

Don, he's hiding from me.

I've got to find him.

I'll get even for both of us.

Tell me where he is.

I don't know.

You don't know.

You're afraid of him.

Yes, I think you are.

You know...

You know, I often wondered

why you let him make a fool of you

and turned the other cheek.

Perhaps you knew all the time

what was going on

and didn't have the courage

to do anything about it.

Don.

- What's happened to you?

- I didn't want to do that, Claire.

Now, you'd better get out of here.

But I read in the paper where Mrs.

Ross ormond had returned from Europe

and found that her husband was missing.

I said to myself, oh, you poor little

creature, if only I could help you.

Mrs. prentiss loves to help people.

And turned the other cheek.

It was rather smudgy.

No, thank you.

It was a rather smudgy happiness.

And then, Mr. ormond was wearing

his whiskers in a different style,

but there was something

about that face that rang a bell.

She... she... she studied it

under a microscope.

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