Night Monster (1942)

[bunniefuu]

How did you find the frogs
at pollard slough, sir?

Quite well, thank you, torque.

Quite well, but very uncommunicative.

Uncommunicative, he says.

As if the frogs were likely to
tell him anything they knew.

Why don't you have
Millie do that, miss judd?

That's a maid's work, not a housekeeper's.

You needn't answer
because I know the reason.

That spot under your hand is blood,

and you didn't want anyone to know.

= blood?

Ridiculous.

Yes, it is ridiculous.

It couldn't be blood, but it is.

I've seen those spots before,

and I've seen you trying to scrub them out

because you knew what they were.

Blood, the whole house reeks of it.

The air is charged with death and hatred

and something that's unclean.

Oh, come to your room
and rest, Ms. ingston.

Keep your hands off me.

You're not my keeper.

No, of course not.

You're just a little
overwrought, that's all.

Come along.

That's not what you mean.

You want me to believe that I'm insane.

I'm not insane, am I, miss
judd, not really insane?

No more insane
than the rest of us.

= the rest of us?

How many of us are sane?

You wouldn't know, but I shall soon.

I've sent to the city of a psychiatrist.

- A psychiatrist?
- The very best, Dr. Harper.

Get to the phone, and
cancel the call immediately.

= it's too late.

Even you couldn't stop him.

He's motoring down, and
there's no way to reach him.

You must stop him.

Your brother sent for his own doctors.

Oh no, he mustn't.

Oh, I've got to see him...
No no no, it's useless.

They're coming by the next train.

Laurie's going to the
station to meet them.

= you know what that will mean.

You won't admit it, but you know!

Stop it, Margaret.

Oh, but they'll believe all...

You're talking too much!

Go to your room!

I said, go to you room!

Hello Sadie, this is Millie Carson.

Get me the constable"s office, will ya?

Yeah, cap beggs, if he's in, uh-huh.

Hello cap?

Say listen, there's a lotta
funny business going on out here

that I think you oughta look
into before it's too late.

What?

Oh, this is Millie, out at.

What was the idea of that?

You know it is contrary to orders

for servants to use the phone
for their personal affairs.

There was nothing very personal

about what I was going to say.

Moreover, it is extremely
bad form to gossip

about your employers.

If I did my duty, I'd
dismiss you on the spot.

Well, you needn't bother, I'm quitting.

= you can't do that.

Not without giving notice.

After what I've seen and
heard around this asylum?

Try and stop me.

What is it you think
you have seen and heard?

As if you don't know better than I do.

You're not going till I find out

what sort of slander you intend
to spread about honest folk.

Let her alone, Rolf.

He can't stop you from
quittin' if you wanna.

Remember your place, Laurie.

I happen to be in charge
of this household.

Sure, sure, sure, sure.

This is the way I win my women,

savin' 'em from butlers.

Turn her loose.

I'll drop you off in town, kid.

Go get your stuff.

Thanks, I'll call for it later.

You know, of course, I must
report you to Mr. ingston.

Do that and see what it gets you.

Him and me understand one another.

Rolf.

It might be wise to say
nothing of this to Mr. ingston.

Say, where'd Mr. ingston
collect all that menagerie

he has around him anyhow?

Whaddya mean, torque?

Yeah, torque and those man-eating dogs

and that crystal-gazer,
and that Butler looks like

something you'd find under a wet rock.

And his housekeeper, and his sister.

Say, she hasn't got all
her buttons, has she?

= search me.

But what about yours truly?

Anything wrong with me?

You oughta know.

What is it you think's
goin' on back there?

If you don't know,
you wouldn't believe me,

and if you don't know,
I'd be wasting my time.

But I'm sure gonna hand
cap beggs and earful.

It might not be healthy to talk too much

about what you think you know.

Healthy.

Okay.

Don't say I didn't tell ya.

What's this for, as if I didn't know?

How is it dames always
know what's on a guy's mind

before he knows himself?

You read the confession magazine.

Now wait a minute, there's
nothing really wrong with me.

Nothin' a good case of
rigor mortis wouldn't cure.

= oof!

- Dr. king.
- Well, hello phipps.

It's good to see you, again.

How are you, Dr. Timmons?

How do you do?

What are you two doing here?

Are they holding a medical
convention in hillsdale?

No no no, we're going to ingston towers.

Kurt ingston, you know.

Ingston towers, that's where I'm going.

They're supposed to
have a car for me here.

Perhaps that's it. = must be.

It's the only one in sight.

Is this by any chance

the car from the towers?

Yeah, this is it.

Still in glands, I suppose, phipps.

Of course, fascinating
little structures.

Oh, well by the way, I performed
an interesting experiment

last week the journal intends to publish.

There was a mother that...

Don't tell me now, let me
read about it in the journal.

Oh forget it, Millie, forget it.

It's too flimsy.

I can't act until
something really happens.

Well, wouldn't you say
something had happened

when they found doc Kramer
m*rder*d out at pollard slough?

Pollard slough ain't
on ingston property.

Well, it's right in back of it.

And there's something unnatural
about that k*lling, too.

That's right, the doc was strangled,

but there was a big blood
spot right beside him.

Oh, he probably wounded
whoever att*cked him.

Anyway, he ain't got no
connection with the towers.

Oh, all right.

But I'm going out there and get my things.

I wouldn't spend another night
there if I owned the place.

Ain't you 'fraid to go
out there alone, Millie?

It'll be dark, you know,
the time you get there.

Don't worry, I'm not
going out there alone.

Jeb's driving me. - Huh?

I didn't say we'd go out there tonight.

Well now, there's
nothing to be afraid of.

Cap just said so himself.

Oh, I ain't scared.

Eh?

Well, I just don't like the frogs

out around that slough.

It sounds like you heard
about what's been seen

walkin' around that slough foggy nights,

and how even the frogs quit
croakin' when it shows up.

Oh bosh, I don't believe
none of that granny talk.

Well then, let's get started.

And let's stop by my
house, I wanna get my cape.

Goodbye.

If you will follow me please,

I will show you to your rooms.

Which one of you is Dr. Harper?

None of us is Dr. Harper.

Dr. king, Dr. phipps.

My name is Timmons, miss...
Ingston.

I was expecting Dr. houndston.

Well, you better go to your room, dear.

But I wanted to see Dr. Harper before...

But Dr. Harper's not here,
you better go upstairs.

= you'll let me know when he arrives?

= of course.

If you will excuse me.

Miss ingston's not been herself lately.

You no doubt recognize the symptoms.

I think we understand, nerves.

Glands, Dr. Timmons, definitely glands.

This way, gentlemen.

Are we to see Mr. ingston?

Mr. ingston will join
you at dinner, sir.

Oh, it's you.

Yes, I've come for my
things, if you don't mind.

It's a pleasure.

Uh, you walked all the way out here

through the fog alone?

No, Jeb harmon's
waiting down at the gate

to take me home.

Oh, I see.

Yes, yes, I'll tell him.

You may as well leave, Mr. harmon.

Millie's decided to spend the night here.

= there must be some mistake.

You couldn't pay her to
spend another night here.

She must've changed her mind.

Did she talk to you herself?

No, it sounded more
like the Butler's voice.

Well, lemme come in
and talk to her myself.

I gave you her message,
that ends the matter.

Goodnight, Mr. harmon.
= but listen!

Still can't see why Jeb ran off

without leaving word.

Very inconsiderate,
miss, very inconsiderate.

Hello there, in trouble?

Yes, my car broke down.

Would you mind giving me a lift?

Sure, where to?

Well, I was going to
the ingston towers, but...

You're practically there.

Is that your car I passed back there?

Yes, I'm afraid I'm
not much of a mechanic.

How come you're walking toward it

instead of away from it?

Well, I gave up in
disgust and started to walk,

but I heard a scream, and I might add

it didn't take me very long
to turn around and go back.

A scream in the night through
the fog on pollard slough.

Tell me more.

It didn't seem funny to me.

Mm?

What was it?

Oh, I won't go into that.

Must've been my imagination.

What's ingston like?

Oh, he's practically a recluse.

He never sees anybody except doctors.

I'm about the only one
of the local characters

he even lets hear the place.

= you in medicine?

No worse, I write horry-gories.

= you write what?

You know, whodunits.

Oh.

Sounds like a nice way
to earn your living.

Who said I earned a living?

This fog seems to seep through

and creep right into your bones.

Do either of you any idea
why we're here at the towers?

Answering the call of the
great god gold, I suppose,

what else?

I don't think I follow you.

Ingston"s been pretty lavish

with his donations to medicine lately.

And speaking for myself,

I could use a new research laboratory.

So, well we really need a new wing

at the hospital.

How 'bout you, Timmons?

I'd rather not joke on the
subject, if you don't mind.

Sorry, old man, no offense.

Oh, I'm unreasonably
sensitive about our profession,

I suppose.

As a matter of fact,
when ingston phoned,

he implied he is about to make

a big contribution to medicine.

And who's more eligible than we three,

who attended him amid his major illness.

And left him a helpless cr*pple.

Well, we did
all that medical science

possibly could.

Well, our best wasn't enough.

He had everything to live for.

Wealth, position, friends,

and we left him a misshapen thing

that must hide even from
the servants in the house.

I still say we did
all that medical science

could have done.

Then we are like blind
men groping in the dark.

If we don't know our job,
then why don't we quit

and make way for someone who does?

Snap out of it, Timmons.

Every doctor worthy of the
name feels that way at times.

= not me.

Personally, I feel we're doing great work.

And if I were ingston,

I doubt if I could ever
forgive any one of us.

Who is it?

= d*ck Baldwin.

Who's with you?

Dr. Harper.

Aren't you pretty young
to be a famous doctor?

= who said I was famous?

None but the renowned
ever entered these portals.

If you care to wait in the library,

I will tell Mr. ingston you are here.

- So we will.
- Thank you.

Hello, d*ck.

Hello, Mr. ingston.

Where have you been keeping
yourself for the past week?

In New York, publisher trouble.

Is that Mr. ingston?

= what's left of him.

Oh, well didn't they like your story?

No, not very much.

Not very much, what's wrong with it?

A masterpiece of horror!

I didn't sleep for two nights.

Put me down, Laurie, put me down.

Yes, d*ck, I.

Who's that?

I'm Dr. Harper, the
psychiatrist you sent for.

Psychiatrist?

I didn't send for any psychiatrist.

If I may explain, sir,

I believe it was miss Margaret
who sent for Dr. Harper.

Margaret?

She sent for a psychiatrist?

Well.

That's the most encouraging
symptom she's shown,

isn't it, Rolf?

I really couldn't say, sir.

When a person questions her own sanity,

it's a good signs he's not
for from normal, isn't it?

Well, I'm afraid that's
a rather overrated theory,

Mr. ingston.

Overrated or not,
it sounds encouraging to me.

Oh, pardon me, Dr. Harper,
my I present agor Singh.

He's something of a mentalist
himself in his own way,

in his own sphere.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

Rolf will show you to you room,

then you will honor us
by joining us at dinner.

Thank you.

If I were your age, d*ck,

I think I'd turn into a driveling neurotic

and send for Dr. Harper immediately.

Haven't you noticed the symptoms?

Begging your pardon, miss,

but dinner is about to be served.

- I'll only be a moment.
- Thank you.

Well, if it's not my three old friends

from the hospital cart
and operating table.

Welcome to the towers.

By George, is it good to
see you looking so well.

Glands must be functioning perfectly.

Perfectly, Dr. phipps, perfectly.

Well, it's good to see you, Timmons.

I'm sorry I can't offer
the cordial handshake

but it might be a bit gruesome.

Please, Mr. ingston, we
feel bad enough as it is.

Don't be ridiculous, Timmons,

you did all medical
science could do for me.

Just what I was saying this evening.

Of course, of course.

You know, I don't think you've
ever been properly rewarded.

But you will be.

You will be.

Gentlemen, may I present agor Singh,

a resident of the
towers, and d*ck Baldwin,

a neighbor and frequent visitor.

I'm glad to know you, sir.

Thank you, doctor.

Dr. Harper, just a minute.

I'm Sarah judd, the housekeeper

and miss ingston's companion.

I see,

I'm afraid you've been
rather badly imposed upon.

In what way?

Well, when I told miss
ingston you'd arrived,

she grew very excited.

She said she didn't want to see you.

That often happens in such cases.

= she even went so far as to ask

that you leave the towers tonight.

And I'm not at all sure that
it might not be for the best.

Well thank you, but I
couldn't even if I wanted to.

You see, my car broke down,

and there's no train until morning.

Oh.

Beg your pardon.

Excuse me.

If I were you, I'd confine
my attention to servant girls.

Eh, you mean me and you, eh?

How dare you?

Well why not?

You know, you can't
afford to be too choosy.

And besides, think what
you might be missin'.

What is it, Dr. Timmons?

Something seems to have startled you.

Why, I was under the
impression that, well, that.

That both of my arms are paralyzed.

As a matter of fact, they are,

just as you disciples of
hippocrates left them.

Well, uh, how are you
able to use them as you do?

Money and a local mechanic

were able to supply me with something

outside the range of medicine.

A few steel bars, electric
wires, and dry cells.

I would like to examine
that before we leave.

It may be of use to some
others similarly afflicted.

= you won't leave the towers

without having a talk with me, will you?

No, of course not,
I'll go now if you like.

Margaret, you're being very
inconsiderate of our guests.

I'm sorry.

I only wanted a few
minutes with Dr. Harper.

You are Dr. Harper, aren't you?

Yes, I'm Dr. Harper.

Sit down, come have
dinner with us, Margaret.

Oh no, please.

I've already had dinner in my room.

Dr. Harper hasn't.

I'll just be a few minutes.

Then we'll talk as long as you like.

Thank you.

Now then gentlemen, if
you'll resume your seats,

I believe we are safe
from any further invasion.

When we got to the place
where we found doc Kramer,

the frogs stopped a-croakin', and then...

Oh, I know, I know, I know.

You've told me all that before.

Ti still don't believe it.

All right, all right, don't believe it.

But when I got back home,

I called the towers to talk to
Millie and she wasn't there.

Now, if she started back
along that slough road,

there's no tellin'...

No tellin' but what she's
home in bed right now.

Well, you can find
out by callin' her pa.

= hello?

Oh Sadie, say, see if you can raise anyone

out at the Sam Carson house, will you?

I know you're all curious

as to why I brought you
together here at the towers.

But if you come into the library,

I think your Patience
will be amply rewarded.

Where are you going?

To miss ingston"s room as I promised.

Oh, that can wait until
after my little party.

Please don't make me insist.

Very well.

I think miss ingston had
better wait in her room.

Even the mildest form of
excitement is bad for her.

I'm sure I'll be all
right with Dr. Harper.

= of course.

Splendid, splendid.

Ingston towers.

Who, beggs?

No sir.

Millie quit this afternoon without notice.

Yes, sir, she came out
this evening for her things

and left immediately.

Wait a minute, wait
a minute, who is this?

Who's talking?

Oh, the Butler.

Oh, thank you.

Say, that's funny.

Millie ain't home yet,
and the Butler there,

he says she left the tower.

= the Butler.

Why it was him that sent
me away without her.

Said she'd changed her mind.

Hey, maybe we had better take
a ride out the slough road.

- Yeah.
- Come on.

As I said earlier this evening,

I'm about to make a contribution
to the art of healing,

a method above and
beyond anything employed

by medical science today.

There is method of
healing above and beyond

the science of modern medicine.

= this one is.

If you'd known it when you attended me,

I believe the results would've
been happier for us all.

If you don't mind, Mr. ingston,

your repeated reference
to our failure is...

I'm truly sorry, Dr. Timmons,

I only mentioned it by
way of illustration.

Is this process of yours by any chance

based on glandular functioning?

= no.

It's a method by which man
can grow new tissues at will,

replace entire organs, perhaps,

as much as a lobster can grow a new claw

to replace one he has lost in battle.

Extraordinary.

A new discovery of your own?

= of course not.

I learned it from agor Singh

during the months he's
been here at the towers.

I thought so.

And since when is yogism
accepted as a science?

= it has been known as a science

to the people of my faith for ages

before there was such a thing as a doctor.

Well, if I've been dragged
down here merely to witness

the cheap sideshow tricks of a charlatan,

I beg to be excused.

Why?

As long as you're here,

you may as well say and see it through.

On the contrary.

The powers I demonstrate
can be used for evil

as well as good.

It might be unwise to
explain them to Dr. king.

I resent that,

if it didn't give me such an
admirable excuse to leave.

Good night.

- Oh, Dr. king.
- Eh?

= just a second.

Have you had a basal
metabolism lately, doctor?

= of course not.

= know what?

Some little gland is playing
tricks with your disposition.

Before you undertake your demonstration,

it might be well to explain
the principle involved.

= modern science now admits

what my people have known for centuries.

Namely that all material, everything,

is composed of a single basic essence.

For want of a better name,
they call it cosmic substance.

All matter is really cosmic
substance in vibration.

Change the rate of vibration,

and you change the kind of matter.

This much, your science admits.

But the very next step,
they will not accept.

By sheer will power,

a trained mind can alter those vibrations,

ves, he can even reduce an
object to its basic elements

and then reassemble those
elements in another place.

Let me show you.

Oh, would you help me with chair?

= yeah.

- Rolf, the lights, please.
- Yes, sir.

Will you help me with this, sir?

Right here?

Thank you.

I impose only one
condition, absolute silence.

= look.

That's blood, dripping from the hands.

That's impossible.

= but there is.

You're right.

Let's see what's in this.

A perfect pigeon blood Ruby.

There's an inscription on
there, it's in ancient Greek.

Something about the curse of death.

Dr. Harper, come back here.

Dr. Harper, I want you in here!

The Ruby"s gone!

= so is the skeleton.

= he's fainted.

Turn on the lights and get some water.

Mr. ingston are you in the habit

of ordering your guests
around in that tone?

It's not a matter of
ordering my guests around,

my dear child, as a scientist,

I thought you might be
interested in the demonstration.

Would you mind rolling me

a little closer to the group, please?

I'm all right now.

Well gentlemen,
what do you think?

Just exactly what happened?

The skeleton came from a tomb in sicily.

I dematerialized it and
rematerialized it here.

I held it by a force of will.

Then someone shouted, and
it broke my concentration

of holding the elements together here.

Now do you believe
this method could be used

to rebuild wasted tissue?

Seems possible.

That is, if Mr. Singh's
explanation is the correct one.

What other explanation is there?

Well, it could be mass hypnotism

like the disappearing rope trick.

It could be, but it isn't.

Did you notice the blood
dripping from the hands?

= yeah.

= look.

How is it that the
blood didn't dematerialize

with the rest?

There are certain details in the process

that we are not allowed to
explain to the uninitiated.

Same kind of blood splotch
we found by doc Kramer's body.

= where'd it come from??

She wasn't wounded, she was strangled,

just like the doc was.

It don't add up.

Careful, now.

Now where are we going to find a man

who leaves bare footprints
the size of these?

As far as I'm concerned,
I don't wanna find him.

Me neither, but we got to.

They seem to lead right
towards ingston's gate.

Let's see what's on the other side.

- Me too?
- Yep, you too.

Yeah, another footprint
headed right towards the gate.

Ah, it's locked on the inside, hm.

Looks like we better have
a talk with the ingstons.

Yeah, sure enough.

While you're doin' that,

I'll drive Millie back to town.

Scared, Jeb?

From your study of the mind,

Singh's explanation of
his little demonstration

must seem even more fantastic
to you than to the rest of us.

My study of the mind
has only convinced me

how very little we know of its powers.

Surely you don't believe we actually saw

what we thought we saw.

It isn't that I believe, exactly.

It's more as if a quiet
little voice is saying to me,

could be.

You must admit it's
pretty hard to laugh off

that blood splotch on the carpet.

= yeah.

It's still there.

And it still looks damp.

I have an uneasy feeling

we haven't heard the last
of that demonstration.

You sound as if you were afraid.

=t think I am.

What are you afraid of?

= t don't know.

That's what makes it so awful.

I felt it the moment I
stepped foot in this house.

Ti feel like a child afraid of the dark.

Then I'll arrange with
Rolf to spend the night.

Who says the age of chivalry's dead?

Oh no, that won't be necessary.

A psychiatrist calling for help

because she's afraid of
the dark is a little silly,

isn't it?

You know, I think I like
the idea of your being afraid,

better than being a psychiatrist.

Why?

Oh, I don't know.

You seem like a girl that'd put 100%

into anything she went into.

Assuming you're right.

Don't you see, if you devote
all your time and energy

to being a doctor, how am I
going to have a chance to.

Oh, I thought you'd be alone.

Oh, miss ingston, wait.

Mr. Baldwin was just
leaving, weren't you, d*ck?

Apparently I was.

Goodnight, doctor, see you
in the morning, early I hope.

I'll be looking forward to it.

Good night, miss ingston.

Goodnight.

Oh, I'm afraid I shouldn't have come here.

They'll find out, and...

Ah, no one's going to find out.

And if they do, there's
nothing to be afraid of.

Now, you sit right here.

And what was it that
you wanted to tell me?

I'm afraid it's going to
be more difficult to tell you

than I thought.

You'll find it easier if
you don't look directly at me.

But first, did you send
miss judd to tell me

well no, of course not.

= t didn't think so.

Do you know any reason why she
might want to get rid of me?

Yes.

She's been my brother's
housekeeper for years,

long before his illness.

T think she was in love with him.

She would do anything to
keep him from being hurt.

I can't see why my
being here would hurt him.

It may depend on whether
or not you think I'm sane.

Do you?

Well, I suppose none
of this is entirely sane

on all subjects, why do you ask?

Well, there is a trace
of insanity in our family.

Lately, I've seen things my
reason told me couldn't be real.

What sort of things?

Half a dozen times,

I thought I've seen great
splotches of blood on the carpets.

That's not impossible.

We all saw one here in this room tonight.

Miss judd insists they were not blood.

Well, if that's all
that's worrying you...

Oh, but it isn't.

It's what I've seen
prowling about the grounds

on foggy nights, keeping to the shadows

and disappearing when they
thought someone was coming.

When did you first see it?

=t don't remember.

But the last time was at
our gate in the back wall.

As it passed through, the
frogs stopped croaking.

That was the night

they found Dr. Kramer
in the slough, m*rder*d.

I'm beginning to think
you're not the victim

of your imagination, miss ingston.

Can you describe the
appearance of what you saw?

Oh, as clearly as if
it were in this room.

It had a hideously distorted face.

It might've been any age,

but somehow I got the
impression is was just about.

Miss ingston.

Your brother sent me to
tell you to go to bed.

Miss ingston and I haven't
finished our discussion yet.

I'm to see she goes to her
room if I have to carry her.

Then I'll go with you.

Mr. ingston says she is to go alone.

= it will be better for both of us

if I do what he says.

Goodnight, Dr. Harper.

Goodnight.

She ain't as crazy as most people think.

- No?
- Uh-uh.

She's been talkin' too
much, and you're scared.

Why do you say that?

= t know.

And I don't blame you.

Anything could happen in this morgue,

and nobody'd be any wiser.

- Really?
- Uh-huh.

What kind of things?

=t ain't tellin' all I know.

But you don't need to be afraid.

I'll see that nothin' happens to you.

You're very kind.

Aw, forget it.

I don't feel that way about most dames,

but you're kinda different.

Maybe it's that doctor
you got hung on your name.

= d*ck.

I thought you'd gone home.

I was on my way, but
the local constabulary

met me at the gate and brought me back.

Captain beggs wants to
talk to you, Laurie.

Yeah?

What about?

He'll tell you what it's about.

Here is Laurie, sir.

- Turn up the lights.
- Yes, sir.

Hey, don't go away, I might want ya.

Did you know Millie Carson
come out here tonight?

Sure, I was in the kitchen at the time.

Did you phone the gateman she
was going to stay all night?

Why would I do a thing like that?

I'll ask the questions.

Go ahead, you can answer 'em, too.

You'll answer, or I'll take you down

and throw you in the jail.

= you and who else?

= just me.

Now, did you phone the gateman?

- No.
- Well, somebody did.

Well, why pick on me?

Maybe he done it.

Already asked him.

= his word's no better than mine.

Maybe it is.

He didn't have a row
with her this afternoon

the way that you did.

Hey, what's this all about?

We just found Millie's
body in the slough,

she's been m*rder*d.

= oh.

And because I had a scrap with her,

you're tryin' to say I done it, eh?

Well, that's crazy.

Maybe it is, maybe it ain't.

Sit and take off your shoe.

What for?

Nevermind what for, just do it.

Er.

Hey, wait a, what.

Where'd you get that mud on there?

Oh, I went down the road
after Dr. Harper's car.

The gardener was there.

What time was that?

I don't know, they was eatin' supper.

That's right, sir.

= hm.

= what's that for?

That's the length of
the footprint we found

right where Millie's body was.

Give us your foot here, come on.

Oh.

Well, that
kinda clears me, doesn't it?

Yes, I'm afraid it
does, for the time bein'.

Hey, there's plenty other
guys around here with feet.

Why don't you measure them?

=t aim to.

Have all the men in the house
come down here right away.

I'm afraid they have retired, sir.

Couldn't the investigation
wait until morning?

Yes, it could,
but it ain't going to.

Yes, sir.

About Mr. ingston, there's
no point to disturb him?

= no.

Hey, you better send
old frozen face down here.

She must wear size 10 at least.

Who's frozen face?

Miss judd, the housekeep.

I can't imagine her running
around in her bare feet.

Eh, yeah.

Well.

I'm sorry to disturb you, doctor,

but the police request your
presence in the library.

= police?

Yes, the local constable,
it's quite serious.

- I'll be right there.
- Excuse me, please.

You are wanted in the library, Dr. phipps.

Police matter.

Police matter? = yes.

I'm instructed to get you.

All right, just as soon as I get a robe.

Dr. king?

You better come along too, doctor.

What's the meeting
of all this commotion?

Miss ingston must be allowed to sleep.

Do you hear what I say?

You're the only one
makin' any noise, shut up!

How dare you!

He's been strangled.

Laurie, take her, will ya?

Get her out of here.

Horrible way his face
is twisted, those eyes.

He was paralyzed with fright.

Doctor, if he was strangled,
what's that blood doing here?

Hey look, look here.

There's a trail of it goes
right up there to that door.

Excuse me, please.

What did you find in there?

= nothin'.

Yes there is.

There's a big spot of blood.

Yes, just like
the one the skeleton left.

= what skeleton?

The one Igor Singh
materialized in the library.

= didn't I hear a scream?

Yes, sir.

"Twas miss judd when she saw Dr. king.

Dr. king, what's happened to him?

= he's been m*rder*d.

= m*rder*d?

Did you say Dr.
King has been m*rder*d?

Yes, sir.

And I've been expecting
something like this will happen.

Really?

Why?

That skeleton, sir, and
the Ruby, the curse of death.

I demand that you arrest this creature.

No, no, he couldn't
have k*lled Dr. king.

I didn't say he k*lled anybody,

but I do say...
All it want to know

is who k*lled Dr. king.

Now, down the library, all ya.

I know nothing of such matters,

but is it necessarily true

that the man who left
the footprint in the mud

is Dr. king's m*rder*r?

Couldn't the footprint have been made

before the girl drowned?

Listen, I got problems enough already

without you thinkin' up any new ones.

You can go.

Nonsense, doctor.

There are many such curses on the record.

The king tut curse, for instance?

Yes, but that's only one of many.

Personally, I'm rather
skeptical of those curses,

and for substantial reasons.

What reasons?

Well, I was with an auden
expedition, and I'm still alive.

Think I'll turn in, are you coming?

= not me.

And you're crazy if you go upstairs alone.

Ah.

If there is anything in those curses,

I'm living on borrowed time anyhow.

Goodnight. - Goodnight.

I thought I told you to get some sleep.

I thought I told you I
was afraid of the dark.

Well, don't let that throw you,

you got plenty of company.

I'm glad of that.

I'm also glad captain beggs
wouldn't let you go home.

Don't be silly,

you couldn't hire me to
spend the night by myself,

much less make the trip from
here to my place in the dark.

Nice of you to pretend you're afraid.

I'm not pretending, sister,

if you will pardon the familiarity.

You know, I think miss
ingston could throw some light

on Dr. king's m*rder.

Miss ingston?

No, I'm afraid Margaret
isn't entirely rational.

= that's what someone wants to believe.

Actually, she's the
sanest one in this house.

What are we waiting
for, let's talk to her.

No, I'm afraid to.

Might lead to her death, too.

As that mad chauffeur said a while ago,

anything could happen in this place.

Well you be sure and keep
them dogs locked up, torque.

I don't want 'em biting
anymore undertakers.

Well, looks like you've
taken charge of my home.

Yep.

It looks like I'm gonna stay in charge

until I clear up this m*rder.

Naturally, naturally.

The whole thing's fantastic.

Have they discovered anything?

Nope, nothin' but a corpse.

Well, nobody's gonna make a
slaughterhouse outta my home

and get away with it.

Come into the library.

All right, Laurie, all right.

Oh, good morning, Dr. Harper.

Good morning, Mr. ingston.

- Good morning, d*ck.
- Morning, Mr. ingston.

Has miss ingston
come down for breakfast yet?

I think she's on her way down now.

Oh, I'd like
to see her, if you excuse me.

See you later.

Eh, certainly.

d*ck, you're always writing
about things like this.

Who do you think this homicidal maniac is?

=t don't know much about real crimes.

In my stories, it's always
the one you least expect.

Well, that would be me, wouldn't it?

Yes, I'm afraid it would.

Well then, I guess we
better forget about fiction

and deal with this as a real crime.

Good morning, miss ingston.

May I have a word with
you after breakfast, alone.

Why aren't you in uniform?

= uniform?

= of course.

All of our servants wear uniforms.

Go get into yours, please.

Oh, yes of course, miss ingston.

It was human blood, all right.

Dr. phipps analyzed it.

Yes, but whose?

Where'd it come from?

= skeletons don't bleed.

= he's m*rder*d.

= who's m*rder*d?

Dr. Timmons, up in his room.

Strangled, the same as king.

And the same splotch of blood.

Well, as far as I'm
concerned, this settles it.

Does anybody know how that
fella Singh keeps himself?

Were you looking for me?

= yeah.

I got to arrest you for the
m*rder of king and Timmons.

I assure you,

I had nothing to do with
either of the crimes.

Well, you better hang onto
that assurance of yours.

You'll need it for the judge.

May I ask, what evidence
do you expect to produce?

Plenty.

I heard all about that hocus
pocus you performed last night.

That's good enough for me.

Possibly.

But aren't you likely to
be laughed out of court

when you try to convince the jury

about anything so fantastic?

I'm afraid he's right, cap.

Yeah, but I got to arrest someone.

Give me a little time,

and I think I can
produce the guilty party.

= you know who done it?

Yes, I'm afraid so.

But I prefer not to act, I can prove it.

He's a q*eer critter.

Give me a hand
with Timmons, please.

= yeah.

= come in.

I'm sorry to break in
on you like this, lynne,

but if you think miss
ingston knows anything

about these murders, you've
got to persuade her to talk.

d*ck I told you, I don't dare.

She won't be safe if she tells.

You can't think about
that now, Timmons is dead.

= Timmons??

Yes, and there's no
telling how many more will go

if we don't do something.

All right, we'll try.

Well?

We'd like to speak to miss
ingston a moment, please.

Miss ingston's asleep.

Why did you do that?

You knew I wasn't asleep.

They didn't.

= we better wait in here until judd leaves

and then try again.

Look, doc.

You gotta scram outta here.

What for?

Well, can't you see?

You're gonna be next.

Why do you say that?

Do you know something?

= nevermind what I know.

You oughta be able to see it for yourself.

Now look, here's a house full of people,

and who's being k*lled?

Doctors, Dr. king, Dr. Timmons,

not to mention old doc Kramer.

You're next, I know.

What about Dr. Harper?

Ah, she's no doctor, she's just a dame.

= how about this Millie?

Was she a doctor, too?

She just knew too much.

I told her not to blow her top,

but she wouldn't listen to me.

I can't get out while that corn
crib constable is watching.

Listen doc, just pack your stuff,

and I'll smuggle you out
right after dark, you see?

You better lock this door
till you hear me knock.

Like that.

Mr. ingston has been asking
for you rather impatiently.

Yeah?

In his room?

Certainly.

= oh.

She's gone, but she locked the door.

Maybe the key to this door'll work.

= that's an idea.

Worth a try, anyhow, come on.

Margaret, we have very little time,

so I'll get right to the point.

I think you know who k*lled those doctors.

You've got to tell us in
order to prevent other deaths.

I can't, I can't do that.

Please, Margaret, you must.

We've no time to lose.

You don't know what you're asking.

I'm afraid I know more than you suspect.

I think I saw the same thing you did.

Oh no, you couldn't have.

That man I saw in the fog last night,

is the man who k*lled
Millie and Timmons and king.

That man's your brother.

Well, you shouldn't have told me.

I'd rather believe I was insane.

But you sent for me, didn't you?

Because of his strange behavior?

Yes.

Yes, I suppose I did.

I couldn't tell you after Dr. king.

Kurt ingston.

That's not possible, the
man's paralyzed, I'm positive.

I don't know how he does it,
but it's ingston, all right.

I recognized him when I saw Laurie

carrying him down the stairs.

Yes, but why, what
possible motive would he have

to k*ll those people?

Well, since you know a part,

you may as well know all of it.

He's brooded over his
condition till he's not sane.

He blames his doctors because
he's so pitifully crippled.

He invited them here so he
could do away with them.

Even though I know this, I can't prove it.

If he's only pretending to be paralyzed,

that can be proved.

The important thing now

is to have beggs get phipps out of here

before it's too late.

d*ck, let me have the key.
= here.

= you better lock the door after we leave.

I'll go find beggs,

you tell Dr. phipps to get ready.

Listen cap, I've got some news for you

that's gonna set you right back...

d*ck!

Back here, hurry!

= sounds like I'm too late.

You better wait in your room, lynne.

This isn't going to be pleasant.

Strangled, just like the others.

And blood that comes from nowhere.

Wait a minute.

Funny.

This blood leads right over to the wall.

Whatever left that blood
went through this wall.

Heh, couldn't go
through there, it's solid.

Nevertheless, it did.

Look at this, cap, hm?

Well, dog my cats.

Sure enough, look a that.

The trail leads right along the floor.

Hey, you know, this time I got an idea

we'll find something worth findin'.

Nothin' but another puddle of blood.

Yep, just like all the others.

It all seemed to start with that skeleton

of agor singhs.

You know, that's good enough for me.

I'm going to arrest that hindu

if I never see the bag of money.

You'll have the wrong man, cap.

Whaddya mean,

do you think you've really
found out something?

Yes, the man you want is Kurt ingston.

Oh fiddlesticks, this
is no time for joking.

I'm not joking, his sister told me.

= how could she know?

She's as crazy as a hootie owl.

Dr. Harper says she's sane.

Dr. Harper also says
that just about the time

Millie was k*lled, she
saw Kurt ingston walking

down by the slough.

Well, whaddya know.

How could it be ingston, he can't walk.

I think if you'll examine him,

you'll find he's no more
paralyzed than I am.

Hm, well best way to find out

would be to go have a talk with him, eh?

= come in!

Well, well it's about
time someone came to see

how I'm getting along.

This ain't exactly a
social call, Mr. ingston.

= don't tell me there's been another.

Who? - Dr. phipps.

Phipps, strangled like the others?

Yes, and a trail of blood

that leads through a
secret panel in his room.

Secret panel in this house?

Mm-hm.

Whoever did it seems to know
the house pretty thoroughly.

Phipps.

By the great lord Harry, I'd
give my last rotten dollar

to be able to get out of this bed.

There's them that says
you can, Mr. ingston

when you have a mind to.

So, I see you managed
to talk to my sister,

in spite of miss judd.

No, I ain't, d*ck hasn't.

I thought it was an open secret

that Margaret wasn't entirely
responsible mentally.

Dr. Harper says she is.

She also says that she saw
you walking last night,

just about the time Millie was m*rder*d.

So you believe I can really walk?

It'd be a very easy thing
to pretend to be paralyzed.

It looks as if you've got me there.

I'm not really paralyzed,

but I've let people think I am.

Ah, it looks like that
settles things, don't it, huh?

I'll let you be a judge of that.

Will you please turn back the covers?

I preferred to have people
think I was paralyzed

rather than just half a man.

I don't know to apologize, Mr. ingston.

I guess I let my imagination
run away with me.

Forget it.

But if I were you, I'd get
Dr. Harper out of this house

and back to the city.

I'm going to, just as
soon as cap'll let me.

This ain't a very good time for you

to be askin' favors, young fella.

Let's get back downstairs,
go on, get goin'.

I'm sorry I let him make a fool outta me.

You didn't, you've got to
follow every clue, however slim.

None of us is safe until
you get your k*ller.

I ought known better
to pay any attention

to a young squirt like you.

Ah, listen, cap, I was
only tryin' to help you.

Captain beggs!

What is it?

Will you have
a look at this, sir?

Whose room is this?

= Laurie's.

Don't see no corpse.

Trail leads along the floor.

I'm tired of followin' them trails,

you don't find nothin' at the other end

except for a puddle of blood.

Cap, look!

Well there's one thing
certain, he ain't guilty.

You better tell ingston.

All right.

Wait, don't you go away.

I'll need help with this corpse.

Yes, sir.

Mr. ingston, Laurie.

How'd you get into that chair by yourself?

Oh, I see.

Still a little suspicious
of me, aren't you?

I'm sorry, everything's a
little wacky to me, I guess.

I just found Laurie in the next room.

- Like the others?
- Yeah.

No chance of his still
being alive, I suppose.

No, no I'm afraid not.

You going somewhere Dr. Harper?

I really don't see that
that's any of your business,

miss judd.

Answer me, do you think
you're going somewhere?

Yes.

She's going to take a walk
around the grounds with me.

You're going to your room,

and you're going to be locked in here.

You're mistaken, miss judd.

Dr. Harper's going back to the city.

Get out, doctor, hurry!

Get out!

We can't leave without her.

She won't leave her
brother, she told me so.

Get out, doctor, and lock the door!

= you fool!

If you loved your brother as I do,

you'd have k*lled them yourself

before you'd let them get away!

This place has been the
breeding spot of hatred,

insane hatred, revenge, m*rder.

It's got to be blotted
out, and everyone in it.

Let me go, let me go, you fool!

Do you want us both to burn to death?

Yes!

There is nothing you can do about it!

You and Kurt have no right to live,

and I don't want to.

Well, if you
can believe the stories

about this place,

we're safe as long as
those frogs keep croaking.

There's a foot bridge down
there, leads to a farmhouse.

Come on.

It's ingston, he's walking.

= fine hero I turned out to be.

= who fired the sh*t?

Who cares, let's get you outta here.

Hey, what's all the ruckus about?

I just sh*t Mr. ingston.

Ingston?

Well how'd he get out here?

He walked.

Listen, have I got to
go through all that again?

I know that ingston can't walk.

Neverthelees, he did.

= but how?

Oh, mechanical legs,
never thought of that.

Those aren't mechanical legs.

= of course not.

He materialized them, just as
I materialized the skeleton

in the library.

= oh nonsense.

Nobody in in their right senses

will believe that hocus pocus.

Are you quite sure?

I see it, but I still don't believe it.

For months, I've been training his mind.

Giving him power by which
he could restore himself

in some degree to normality.

Instead, he used the power
to destroy the doctors

whom he believed was the
cause of his condition.

Yes, but Millie and
Laurie, they weren't doctors.

No, but they found out too much,

and so had Dr. Harper.

Still doesn't add up.

What about those pools of blood

we found beside each body?

The blood was ingston"s.

There are certain details in the process

that he did not yet master.

It's all pretty horrible.

Look the towers.

= it was inevitable.

A little knowledge of
the occult is dangerous

unless it's used for good.

Disaster will follow its
wake, that is cosmic law.