The Signalman - Suspense | 11/04/1956 (Ep672)

0:00Are you really buying a car online on Auto Trader right now? Really? I can get super specific with dealer listings and see cars based on my budget. You can really have it delivered. Or pick it up. Mommy's look! Kid is walking up the slide. Really? Auto Trader. Buy your car online. Really? Soft Spence. And it's producer, the master of mystery and adventure, William N. Robson. Good afternoon. We are honored to bring you on this first program in our new Sunday time. One of the day's most talented actresses, Miss Sarah Churchill, starring in one of yesterday's most chilling tales, The Signalman, by Charles Dickens. More often than not, a classic suffers in transition from one medium to another. The transcribe play you're about to hear is an exception to this generality. The late great writer, director, Irving Reese, in his adaptation, has given a dimension to the story

1:03of the late great Charles Dickens never imagined. We suggest that you might find it interesting to read the Dickens story. After listening to this, the re-stramatization of the Signalman, starring Miss Sarah Churchill, a tale well calculated to keep you in... ...the end of the story. It had smashed by, like a wounded monster screaming in pain, and disappeared into the dark tunnel.

2:05In those brief seconds, I'd relived the emotions of my childhood. I still trembled with the child's terror and fascination that had surged through me the many times I stood here, 20 years before. Nothing had changed. The steep, dripping wet walls of jagged stone that led down to the tracks. The gloomy mouth of a tunnel. The small signal and shack huddled against the side of the cutting. Even the job was held by the same man they had told me in the village. He stood there in the glow of an angry sunset, furling his signal flag around a short pole. I called to him. Hello, below. Instead of looking up at me, he turned tensely to stare toward a red signal light that glowed at the mouth of a tunnel. Hello, below there.

3:05He finally turned. Slowly it seemed to me, even fearfully and looked up. He stared at me unanswering. As afraid the suddenness of my call had unnerved him, I tried to compensate by being overly casual. Hello, I would like to speak to you. Is that a path I can use to come down? He stared silently a while longer, then finally pointed his flag to a spot in the cutting embankment. To the zigzag path, with small footholds cut through the clammy stone. Attract seemed a mile below, but I was determined to get down. Midway, I sensed a vague vibration of earth and air, like a sound that could be felt but not heard. I tried to fight down a fear that suddenly gripped me. The air was filled with a violent pulsation. I seemed to have a force that could draw me down.

4:08I suddenly threw my hands up to my eyes as though to shut out some terrible sight. And then I flattened myself against the jagged rock and clutched her. Then I was angry with myself, ashamed of this uncontrolled childish reaction. I could see the signal and still staring at me. I climbed on the rest of the way quickly and carefully. I walked towards him with a casual smile. He watched me expectantly. Hello, I'm Amy Sair. I used to live in the village, I was anxious to speak to him. I'm sorry if I startled you when I called up.

5:11Why did you use those words? Those words? I hardly remember. I think I shouted, hello, below that or something to that effect. Not to that effect, Miss. Those were the very words. I know them well. Admit those were the words. All right, I admit. Why did you use them? Well, you were below. I wanted to attract your attention so I called, hello, below there. Seems logical, doesn't it? I miss. If you had no other reason. What other reason could I possibly have? I thought you would tell me. Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have come down. I think I frightened you. Now, why would you think that, Miss? Well, you stared at me as though you had a dread of me. I miss. I was doubtful whether I'd seen you before. Well, if you have, it was when I was eight years old,

6:13standing on that bridge over the tunnel up there. I used to love watching the train. Well, then my family moved to the city. This is my first visit back in 20 years. You don't believe me. I'm not certain. Where could you have seen me? Don't you know? Since I've been away for 20 years, I... Oh, there! By the red signal light at the mouth of the tunnel. That's why you turn and stare there when I first call. I miss. What would I be doing up at the signal light? I don't know. I wish... No, it's a mistake, Miss. I haven't been well. What is it you wish to speak to me about? Warning, the following Zipper Cruder radio spot you are about to hear is going to be filled with F words. When you're hiring, we at Zipper Cruder know you can feel frustrated. For Lauren, even. Like your efforts are futile.

7:14And you can spend a fortune trying to find fabulous people, only to get flooded with candidates who are just... fine. F***! Fortunately, Zipper Cruder figured out how to fix all that. And right now, you can try Zipper Cruder for free. At zippercruder.com slash zip. With Zipper Cruder, you can forget your frustrations. Because we find the right people for your roles fast. Which is our absolute favorite F word. In fact, four out of five employers who post on Zipper Cruder get a quality candidate within the first day. Fantastic! So, whether you need to hire four, 40, or 400 people, get ready to meet first rate talent. Just go to zippercruder.com slash zip to try Zipper Cruder for free. Don't forget that zippercruder.com slash zip. Finally, that zippercruder.com slash zip. Finding great candidates to hire can be like, well, trying to find a needle in a haystack. Sure, you can post your job to some job board. But then, all you can do is hope the right person comes along. Which is why you should try Zipper Cruder for free.

8:16At zippercruder.com slash zip. Zipper Cruder doesn't depend on candidates finding you. It finds them for you. It's powerful technology identifies people with the right experience and actively invites them to apply to your job. You get qualified candidates fast. So, while other companies might deliver a lot of hey, Zipper Cruder finds you what you're looking for. The needle in the haystack. See why four out of five employers who post a job on Zipper Cruder get a quality candidate within the first day. Zipper Cruder, the smartest way to hire. And right now, you can try Zipper Cruder for free. That's right. Free at zippercruder.com slash zip. That zippercruder.com slash zip. Zippercruder.com slash zip. Well, I'm, I'm a writer. I wanted to interview you. Me? Why, miss? Well, my magazine does a weekly biographical piece on interesting people and unusual occupations. It's called Close Up. I miss, I read them.

9:16You have? You seem surprised. Please, perhaps. Well, that one's so unsophisticated as I... I really didn't mean that. Well, there's a bit of a fire in my shot. It'd be more comfortable for you there. Won't you come in? Yes. Thank you. My, this is a lonely post. This is as must be rare. I miss. The branch superintendent makes an unusual inspection. Yeah, and that's all. Except for... Yeah. Hey, come in. Please. Oh. How snog and comfortable. Well, most of my waking life is spent here. I've tried to make it pleasant. And you've succeeded. You were speaking of visitors just as we came in. I've put this chair near the fireplace. One cheels out there. I see. You have a fine collection of books.

10:16Aye. They've given me much companionship in the long nights. Pretty awaited companion. Gibbons, decline and fall. Burton's anatomy of melancholy. Darwin... Do the surprise you again, miss. May I be frank. I'll have to be if I'm to succeed with the article. My editor is only interested in... Hard. Well, the unusual. And the level of my reading seems above the level of my station. Not many people in any station these days. Welcome, now, miss. Was you called for frankness? All right. Why would a man, with a mind capable of absorbing these subjects, stay on a desolate job like this? Well, you see, when I was a young man, I became very interested in the natural philosophies. I set my course, I studied art, blend the future. And then I ran wild, miss. I miss you as me opportunities.

11:16It went down. I've never risen again. Oh, I've no complaint. I've made my bed. It's too late to make another. Maybe you gave up too soon. No, no, miss. No, no. There are forces beyond us that shape us. One must know when not to resist, miss. Oh, I... I might have bloodied myself for a while longer, but I knew... I took this position 34 years ago. And you've never regretted. Oh, no. Not until... Until what? Won't you please tell me? You first tell me what brought you here. But I have. Well, you said nothing of what made you think of this place. Specifically, there are many places in people. Well, I told you. I used to come here as a child. The trains, frightened and fascinated me. I've always remembered it vividly through the years. I promised myself that one day I would come back and do a story on it.

12:19Good subjects aren't easy to find, you know. Why did you choose just now to come? These ideas germinate in a right as mine for a while and then an impulse... And you were drawn here. You say that as though mystic forces were involved. It was much simpler, I assure you. I've been working hard. I decided that a few days in the country would do me good. I plan to use them profitably by doing a story on you. But you might have come to that decision last month or last year. Well, that's true, but I can't see why you attach the special significance to the fact that I... Why? Why did the front news so? I wouldn't think I might have grown that silly childish fear. If I was drawn here as you say, I guess it was the sea where that I had. The modern psychiatrists would say it was a desire to relive a childhood experience.

13:19I miss. There are many answers. Philosophers have even speculated on the possibility that the future can intrude on the memory as well as the past. But surely you don't believe that. I believe only in the evidence of my five senses. Now I ask, why did you go to the door? To check the tunnel out. But doesn't need to be checked. You did before we came in. Why are you staring at me so? Was I staring at you? Please, something is praying on your mind. Can't you tell me? The fire needs staring. I'm avoiding my question. There's nothing here, Miss. Your coming was a mistake. An old man in a railroad tunnel, it would require considerable imagination to make an interesting story of that. What exactly are your duties? Oh, a very responsibility is more than act to a work.

14:22Miss, exactness and watchfulness are required most. Seeing that the signals operate, turning the switching handle now and then, listening to the telegraph ticket to see if the post is wanted. Not much else. Do the hours weigh heavily through the night? It's very difficult to impart, Miss. Very difficult to speak of. Now, if you ever make another trip, I'll try to tell you. Yes, yes, yes, of course. And I will have to make several trips before the story takes shape. When may I come again tomorrow? I miss if you wish. Thank you. I will be back tomorrow evening. You won't have any difficulty getting back up. No, it was only that first trip. I'll show my light till you reach the top. Thank you. Well, I'll say good night now, Miss. Good night, sir. I wish you a pleasant one. I regret the time. I understand. Miss, I think you do. May I ask you then, when you get to the top,

15:24don't call out to me a big of you. Don't call out. I won't. And when you come tomorrow night, please don't call out. Of course not. Good night. You may ask one parting question. Certain. When you came down the path earlier tonight, midway you suddenly threw your hands up to your eyes. Like this, as though to shoot out some dreadful sight. Why? To that uncontrollable, childish reaction, like I said, I thought as though the train would draw me down. I covered my eyes like a child not to see it. You had no feeling that the action was conveyed to you for some reason. No. Why should it seem otherwise? Because there's been someone at the red light at the mouth at the tunnel each night for a week now. Holding its hands up to its eyes, like that, as though to shoot out some dreadful sight. And you've actually seen it? Every night. Was it there tonight when you went to the door? Yes, I saw it quite clearly. Who was?

16:25You. In a moment we will return to tonight's story of Suspense. The signalman starring Miss Sarah Churchill. The quiz is as exciting as quiz can be. But what is even more exciting on Striket Rich is the human interest. For Striket Rich is the quiz show that gives folks an opportunity to win cash prizes for over the cause. And what could be more exciting than that? Get in on the human interest every Monday through Friday, when CBS Radio says Striket Rich on most of these same stations.

17:32And now we continue with the signalman by Charles Dickens with Miss Sarah Churchill and Ben Wright. A tale well calculated to keep you in Suspense. I return the next night as the distant clocks were striking nine. The signalman waited for me at the bottom of the cutting with his white light shining. We walked silently to his shack and it didn't sat down by the fire. I didn't wish to press him so I said nothing. He stared at the burning embers for a moment and then turned to me. I'm going to tell you Mrs. Best I can. What troubles me? I'm glad. I mistook you for someone else last night. That troubles me. The mistake.

18:32The someone else. Who is it then? I don't know. What does it do? For this time it stands with its left arm across its face. The right arm is way violently this way. I thought to say for God's sake clear the way. Clear the way. You heard those words? Oh I'm not certain not about those specific words but I have heard it called before. When? One moonlight night about a year ago I was sitting here when I heard a voice cry. Hello! Hello there! That's why you were startled when I used the word. I must. Well I ran to the door and I looked out and I saw this. This someone else standing up there by the red light near the tunnel waving its arm as I just showed you. The voice was hoarse with shouting and it cried. Hello! Hello there! Look out! Look out! I caught up me lump and I run toward the figure calling. What's wrong? What does happen?

19:32Where? When I got to the light it was gone. Did you see where? Well the tunnel was the only place it could go without passing me. Who I run into the tunnel for? 100 yards or so and I searched around with my life. Then I run back here and I telegraphed both ways and alarm had been given. Is anything wrong? And the answer came back both ways. All's well. Of course. Now I'm going to take advantage of last night's permission to be frank. You've been here more than 30 years haven't you? Huh. It isn't the most cheerful place in the world with that moaning wind through the tunnel and the wild harp it makes for the telegraph wise. It's understandable that you could have the illusion you've heard a call. And anyone standing at the dark long enough as you did from the door could imagine seeing something. You've let it pray on your mind so long. It seems real. I was not...

20:43I was not finished miss. I'm sorry. Within six hours after it first appeared the main line flyer crashed and derailed at the far end of the tunnel. And within 10 hours the dead and the wounded were being brought through the tunnel over to the spot where the figure stood. Coincidence. A tragic remarkable coincidence. But don't you see that? There is more miss. Please forgive me. Six or seven months passed. And I've recovered from the surprise and shocked one morning just as daylight was breaking. I looked toward the red light. And I saw it again. Did it cry out? No it was silent. It didn't wave its arm. No miss. No it leaned against the post with both hands covering the eyes like this. I thought to block out some terrible sight. That's why you asked me why I had put my hands to my eyes as I came down the path. I miss you called out the words it used the first time and you covered your eyes as it did the second time. Go on please. Well that very day.

21:43As a train came out of the tunnel I noticed a confusion of hands and heads at one of the coach platforms. And something wave. I saw it in time to flag down the engineer. He applied his brakes but the train drifted past here. Oh about a hundred yards. As I ran up to it I heard terrible screams and cries. A beautiful young woman had fallen between the cars. And she was brought in here. She died on this very spot between us. How horrible. But I still don't see. One final word miss and you'll judge how my mind is troubled. It came back a week ago. And ever since it's been there. At the light. Aye. It covers its eyes. It weighs its arm. It shouts. But God's sight clear the way. Clear the way. I have no rest or peace for it. It caused me many minutes together in an organized manner. Below their lookout. Look out. It stands waving at me.

22:43It sounds the telegraph ticker. Did it sound the ticker last night while I was here? Twice. To show you it was your imagination. The ticker did not sound last night. No, I've never made a mistake. I said that miss. I don't wonder that you failed to hear it. But I heard it. Do you hear it now? Aye. What is it saying? It isn't clear. It only warns. It doesn't say against what. If I only knew what it meant. What is the danger? Where is the danger? There is danger overranging somewhere on the line. Some terrible calamity will happen. Please, you mustn't let yourself go. What if I telegraphed danger on either side of me or on both? I can give them no reason for it. I'd get into trouble and do no good. They think I was mad. And this is the way it would work, miss. Message. Danger. Take care. Answer. What danger? Where? Message. Don't know. But for God's sake, take care. They displace me. What else could they do, miss?

23:43Take care of the lives that are dependent on you. You must listen to me. When it first stood under the danger light. Why didn't it tell me where the accident was to happen if it must happen? Why didn't it tell me how it could be averted if it could have been averted? And when on its second coming it did its face. Why didn't it tell me instead? She's going to die. Let them keep her at home. If it came on those two occasions only to show me that its warnings were true and so prepare me for the third. Why not warn me plainly now? And I, Lord, help me a mere signal man on this solitary station when I go to somebody with credit to be believed in power to act. Why? Why? I can help you. But you must face realistically what I have to say, will you try? I, I, I will try, miss. These axons have shaken you deeply. You feel guilt about them. Even though there was nothing you could do. You've let it pray on your mind. Until you imagine someone tried to warn you. I saw and heard that someone.

24:44Even the senses can deceive when the mind is under stress. Men dying of thirst on the desert imagine lakes and here running stream. Oh, miss, the bodies of the dead were real enough. I'm speaking of what you imagined after the accident. If you let me, I'll prove to you step by step that the specter existed only in your fantasy. Now, can you prove that in the face of what I've just told you? By appealing to the intelligent reasoning portion of your mind. Listen, you were positive when you first saw me that I was the specter that you saw the light weren't you? You're just the same words. Well now listen carefully. I appealed to the intelligent, well-read, reasonable man. Three were. Hello below there. I was more than a hundred feet away at the top of the embankment. And you were here below with darkness falling. And three words made you positive you would see me before. Can't you see you were trying to fit something to what you already believed?

25:45What then you put your hands to your eyes? Where are the proofs? You have allowed yourself to believe some disaster is about to befall. When I covered my eyes because of a childish fear, you fitted that to what you already believed. Oh no, the telegraph took a while. You must hear me out. Would you at any other time? Or would anyone at any time? Believe that a telegraph ticker could sound in a room this small and be heard by one person or not the other. But I told you! Now the most important proof. You said that when you went to the door last night, it was there by the red danger light. I, it was. Will you come to the door with me now? And tell me if it is still there. Well. Do you see it? No. No, miss. It's not there. And I'm going to prove to you that it never was there.

26:46I studied the light from the top of the hill before I came down tonight. The post is at least 70 high. The light is shielded with a hood. Even if a person stood directly under it or in front of it, they would be in complete shadow, in darkness. You couldn't see that person from this door and you couldn't see that person if you walked within a few yards of her or him or it. I'm going to walk up the incline now to the light and prove it to you. I walked up the inclining tracks towards the red light at the mouth of a tunnel. The chill dank wind had an edge like a cold knife. When I got to the light post I stood directly under it. No portion of the red blow reached me. I was lost completely in the dark. I saw the sickle man silhouetted in the yellow light of the doorway. Hello. Can you see me? Hello below there. Can you see me? No.

27:46Good. Now start walking toward me and tell me when you can see me. He stepped between the rails of the northbound track on a line with the red signal light and walked toward me. Suddenly the icy hand of my childhood dread gripped me. There was a vague vibration of the earth and air, far behind him coming up the great fast. I could begin to see the glow of the locomotive's light. Look out! Look out! For God's sake, clear the way! He walked a little further. He didn't hear me. Oh, he wouldn't hear me. I was rooted to the gravel. I threw my left arm up to my eyes and weight my right arm vertically. For no more! For God's sake, clear the way! For God's sake, clear the way!

28:53Song after it was over. They found me. Still standing there. Both of my hands up to my eyes. To shut out. The terrible sight. Suspense. In which Miss Celia Churchill starred an erving reset adaptation of Charles Dickens' story, The Signalman. Wait. Wait a moment for a final and important word from Miss Churchill. Listen. Listen again next Sunday afternoon when radio is outstanding theatre of thrills. Brings you Vincent Price in three skeleton key. A tale well calculated to keep you in. The story. The story.

29:53The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. The story. Suspense. Suspense is produced, directed and taped in Hollywood by William N. Robson. Mr. Ben Wright supported Miss Churchill as the signalman. The orchestra was conducted by Wilbur Hatch, sound effects by Ray Kemper and Gus Bays, with Doc Bennett at the microphone controls. And here once more is today's star of suspense, Miss Churchill. Thank you. It has been a pleasure to be a guest of suspense. As it is always a pleasure for me to be a guest in your country. I do hope you will permit me a word to you, my host. One of the greatest privileges we English-speaking peoples enjoy is the franchise. From that distant day when the barons rested the Magna Carta from King John at RunnyMeed.

30:55To the day after tomorrow we have cherished and fought for and even died for the right to vote. So please exercise your vote on Tuesday. Vote as you think, but vote. Stay tuned for five minutes of CBS News to be followed over most of these same stations by indictment. Find great candidates to hire can be like, well, trying to find a needle in a haystack.

31:55Sure, you can post your job to some job board, but then all you can do is hope the right person comes along. Which is why you should try Zippercrooter for free. At zippercrooter.com slash zip. Zippercrooter doesn't depend on candidates finding you. It finds them for you. It's powerful technology identifies people with the right experience and actively invites them to apply to your job. You get qualified candidates fast. So while other companies might deliver a lot of hey, Zippercrooter finds you what you're looking for. The needle in the haystack. See why four out of five employers who post a job on Zippercrooter get a quality candidate within the first day. Zippercrooter, the smartest way to hire. And right now you can try Zippercrooter for free. That's right. Free at zippercrooter.com slash zip. That zippercrooter.com slash zip. Zippercrooter.com slash zip. Warning, the following Zippercrooter radio spot you are about to hear is going to be filled with F words. When you're hiring, we at Zippercrooter know you can feel frustrated.

32:58For Lauren even. Like your efforts are futile. And you can spend a fortune trying to find fabulous people. Only to get flooded with candidates who are just fine. Fortunately, Zippercrooter figured out how to fix all that. And right now, you can try Zippercrooter for free at zippercrooter.com slash zip. With Zippercrooter, you can forget your frustrations. Because we find the right people for your roles fast. Which is our absolute favorite F word. In fact, four out of five employers who post on Zippercrooter get a quality candidate within the first day. Fantastic. So, whether you need to hire four, 40 or 400 people. Get ready to meet first rate talent. Just go to zippercrooter.com slash zip to try Zippercrooter for free. Don't forget that's zippercrooter.com slash zip. Finally, that zippercrooter.com slash zip.