This is One Man's Family.
One Man's Family is dedicated to the mothers and fathers of the younger generation and to their bewildering offspring.
Today we present Chapter 4, Book 73, entitled The Sinister Shadow of Rexford Frome.
It's a cool, bright winter afternoon in Seacliff, San Francisco.
Henry Barber, bundled in muffler and jacket, has been outdoors this afternoon, puttering in the winter sunlight.
A between-seasons gardener, trying to find something to do.
Sometimes he stops to gaze absently toward the bay, thinking perhaps about last evening and the news which reached him with a surprise that shocked.
Paul's announcement of his coming marriage confirmed Henry's worst apprehensions, yet nothing could have prepared him for it.
If you will notice him now, he is fussing with his rose bushes, not really accomplishing very much.
Claudia's gleaming bronze convertible has just pulled into the driveway.
She watches her father for a moment and then comes slowly across to join him.
Hello, Dad.
Huh? Who?
Kind of a chilly day to be out in the garden, isn't it?
Oh, oh.
Paul came over to see me last night.
We had quite a nice long talk.
It's terribly difficult sometimes when you can see everybody's point of view.
Yes, yes. What are you getting at, Claudia?
I wanted to talk to you for a minute about Paul and Christine Abbott.
They're going to get married, Dad, and we've all got to...
Everything has been said that is going to be said about it. The subject is close, Claudia.
All right. I'll run along with you.
Oh, I wish you wouldn't. Your mother was over at Jack's. She's been there all day long, and Clifford is out somewhere. No one has been here at all.
Would you like a nice hot cup of tea? I presume I could persuade Mrs. Ketterman to fumble around in the kitchen and bring us a pot of tea.
No, thanks.
We'll go in the house if you don't mind. Come on.
Dad, are you limping?
Dad, what happened?
Nothing, whatever. I'll be all right in a moment.
We'll go in the library, eh? I have a nice fire in there.
Go ahead, my dear.
Is that a new coat? Turn around.
Like it, do you?
Yeah. Do you remember that you always used to say that there was no morale builder like something new to it?
Did I say that?
In the days when I was buying your things, you very often said it. Come here. Come here.
Oh, that is a nice fire.
That is. Oh, sit down now, Claudia. Tell me what you hear from Nicholas. Oh, here, let me take your nice new coat, eh?
It's all right here. I mustn't stay very long. Dad, you didn't hurt yourself, did you? You sat down pretty gingerly, it seems to me. What's the matter?
Oh, some scoundrel threw an empty cigarette package onto our lawn and it blew into the garden, and I was in an awkward position when I stooped over to pick it up.
What sort of person going by would throw an old crumpled up cigarette package on a man's lawn, eh?
I can't imagine.
I had a mental picture of him, cigarette dangling from his weak mouth, nicotine stains on his fingers, a disolute, shabby scoundrel.
So, I see you scooped up the refuse from an awkward position, and that's all there is to it. I have no trouble bending over, you know that.
Now, you sit back there. Lately, you perch on the edge of your seat like someone waiting for an approaching train.
And furthermore, lately, you very cleverly avoid answering my questions about Nicholas.
When did you last read us a letter from?
Oh, must be several days ago.
Week or more, isn't it?
That long, really?
Seven or eight days.
Really?
He's well, isn't he? Everything's all right, Claudia?
He'll have to stay in England longer than he expected. I guess when you settle in the state over there, it's a bit of doing these days.
Oh, grandfather! Grandfather!
Margaret.
Yes, in the library, Margaret. She's the one who always stops to see me on her way home from school.
Come in, young lady. My, isn't she getting tall?
I've got something I just figured out.
Here, here, here. Aren't you going to speak to your Aunt Claudia? What manners are these, eh?
Oh, hi, Aunt Claudia.
Hi to you, Margaret. Here, you don't come hell to scald her into a room and toss people glances, you know.
Here, you greet her, me?
Yes, grandfather.
Oh. Here, this is for you.
What? Oh, let me see. Open your hand.
Open yours. Is that it, my dear?
Yes, sir.
And here is a bright, shiny, solid, new, spendable silver dollar.
Money!
Oh, I'm impressed with the way you say that, Margaret. You make it sound like more than a dollar. Money!
Yes. Well, what do you say?
Oh, excuse me. I was trying to see the date on it. Oh, thank you, grandfather. Thanks very much.
I'm glad you came in, Margaret, but just now your Aunt Claudia and I are having a little talk, eh?
You run out and play, and come back later. How will that be?
Okay, but I figured out who gave Sharon Ann the chicken pot.
You don't tell me. And who was that?
Well, there's a girl in the second grade named Trudy Beecham, and Sharon Ann's teacher told me that eleven kids in the second grade have got it now,
and that Trudy Beecham had it first, but they didn't find out until she was almost over it.
Really? What was the mother thinking of?
Well, when she was in the first grade, Trudy was the one that brought in the measles, and when she was in kindergarten, she brought in the egg.
Yes, yes, and a fascinating story it must be. Eh, Claudia?
I should say.
Yes, but you run along now, Margaret, and be sure to come back later.
Okay, Grandfather. Oh, goodbye, Aunt Claudia.
Goodbye, dear.
Goodbye, Grandfather.
Goodbye, my dear.
Hehehe.
Claudia, there you are again, on the edge of your chair again. Are you really in such a hurry?
Well, I... there are always millions of things I have to do.
Oh, yes, yes, yes. Nicholas has been writing you every day, has he, Claudia?
Every day, yes. Every night before he goes to bed.
It has been seven or eight days since you have heard from him.
Who told you that?
I haven't been around in about all these years for nothing, my dear.
Something's held up, Nicky's letters, that's all.
Seven of them?
Well, I...
You have tried to phone him, I presume?
Yes, Dad, I have.
Well?
I can't locate him anywhere. Even his solicitors don't know where he is.
I haven't seen or heard from him for a week. He just disappeared.
Have you been in touch with our State Department or our Embassy in London?
What?
You see, you... B, would you neglect the one essential first thing to do?
Why, Nicholas is an American citizen.
All the agencies of the most powerful government in the world are at your disposal.
Now, let's get on the telephone right now and start the wheels in motion, Claudia.
And when you have a worry as grave as this one, come to me.
Come to me, my dear.
And at Jack Barber's house next door a few minutes later...
Betty, where are you?
Hazel?
I'm here in the kitchen. Come on out.
I'll show her in a minute, Betty. Anything I can do to help?
Hi. Oh, no, thanks. She's just wonderful, Hazel.
Actually, we have to rack our brain to think of ways to keep her in bed.
What are you making?
Just a chocolate pudding.
Dr. Thompson told her she could have anything she wanted to eat.
Jack says she's giving orders like a gourmet at the risk.
Sit down. Take the kitchen stool.
Is Mother here?
She's upstairs with Nicolette and the children. She's been here most all day.
I haven't seen her yet today.
She seems fine, but it must have been an awful shock when Paul told him he was going to marry Mrs. Abbott.
I hear you were there when it happened.
Yes, Betty, I was.
Just awful?
Oh, we were chatting there in front of the fire in Father's library, having fun, really.
Cliff was there, and Mother and Father, and Paul came downstairs from his studio with Joan.
She'd been over for some help on a theme, and I thought Paul was just hesitating there with us to chat for a moment, you know?
Uh-huh.
And then very quietly, he announced it. He was aloof, with a grom.
Oh, he's hurt too, I suppose. I really don't know.
Darn it all.
Look how simply fine everything would have been if he'd just married Nicolette in the first place.
I know, Betty.
You know what I wish? I wish the old Middleton place still had newspapers in the driveway and weeds all over it.
I wish those people had never bought it or fixed it up or anything.
There's been nothing but trouble ever since Rex Brom and his sister moved here.
Yes, I know.
I can't bring myself to say a single word to Nicolette about it.
Breakfast was just plain uncomfortable this morning.
Jack and I each waited for the other to tell Nicolette.
Nicolette doesn't know?
Oh, she does now. Mother Barbara told her upstairs. I hadn't been able to mention it.
It's been kind of an embarrassing day ever since breakfast.
Oh dear.
Of course Nicolette says she and Paul understand each other, and they're just good friends, and she wants him to be happy.
But underneath, I know she loves him.
We all do.
We all love him very much.
But I keep remembering that once we all thought they were going to...
Well, still, who knows what they said to each other when they were alone together all those times.
Like Jack says, maybe we just wanted Paul to marry Nicolette. We read things into it.
Oh, darn Paul anyway. He's just messed everything up.
But he has to live his life, Betty, and oh, we've heard him. I know, all of us.
But with Father feeling the way he does...
Oh, Betty, you have so many conflicting loyalties, I swear I don't know what to do.
It seems to me now that I'm a married woman with a family and all that some people deliberately try to do things the hardest possible way.
I'm content to have my children and my husband and my house and just live. It's so simple.
Oh, sure. Very simple when you have everything you want.
Yeah. I guess it's hard to see another person's point of view sometimes.
Last night, when it happened, what did Father Barbara say?
Nothing.
He didn't?
Watched the fire. Didn't take part in anything. I didn't stay very long. I couldn't.
I suppose, if the truth were known, Father loves Paul better than almost anybody in the world, and he can't bear to lose him.
All along, you see, because Nicolette stayed on here with you and loves your children, so...
Father thought that some day, in some impossible, rosy future time, Paul would marry Nicolette.
Glad I wasn't there last night. I wish I hadn't been.
And how is that chocolate pudding for the vigorous invalid? Oh, Hazel.
Hello, Nicolette. It is nice after the rain. You've noticed?
Oh, it's a lovely day. I was watching some white clouds over the city this morning.
They made castles and cradles and little beds. They were just as pure and white and billowy as they could be.
It's so clear today. I saw one of the big planes leaving this morning. You could see it for the longest time way out over the ocean.
We are like the club women at a tea party, making meaningless little noises so there will not be a silence. Yes?
It is because Paul is to be married. It is because Paul is now to be as happy as he deserves to be.
Oh, Nicolette.
Betty, I know. All of the family is upset and bewildered. Everyone is torn this way and that way. How unnecessary it is.
Mrs. Abbott must be the most charming person. She must be. Paul loves her.
But Nicolette, what are we going to do?
You are asking my advice? What the barbers should do?
Rather, I will tell you what I suspect the barbers will do. Yes? They will welcome Mrs. Abbott.
They will try, I am quite sure, to see in her what Paul has seen in her.
Of course.
But Father Barbara...
Oh, Father Barbara, yes indeed a perfectly terrifying man. Have you forgotten that I had trouble with him too?
I had forgotten that.
Oh, how he frightened me. Such firm, unbending character. Such rock-like resistance.
Yet, I found out what is underneath.
What?
A heart. A heart this big.
Oh, he really has.
Yet, he is tempertous sometimes and he is stubborn. But there are ways to handle him. Where is that pudding?
The Princess upstairs has regally ordered the chocolate pudding.
Well, I can only stay for a minute, Chris. I just stopped by on my way home from the airport.
Don't you want to have dinner with Rex and me?
Thanks, but I don't think I'd better tonight. I'll see you later this evening, though.
I hope so. I didn't see you tall last night. I missed you.
But you had work to do, so I forgive you.
Well, as a matter of fact, I didn't accomplish much. I talked to Dad quite a while and Joan came over to have me help her with the theme she was writing.
Oh.
So, the evening went by. How's Joan?
She sent her love. I told her that we were going to get married. She was very thrilled.
Well, one by one your family is learning news. First Biffrey, now Joan.
Oh, they all know now. I told them last night.
Your father too?
Mm-mm. Dad and Mom. Hazel was there too.
Well, Paul dear, it looks as though you'll have to go through with it now. There's no turning back.
I'm hooked, eh?
Afraid you are.
I imagine a storm broke loose when you told your father about us.
Well, to be truthful, I don't know. I told them and left. I drove Joan home, told Claudine, and then I drove around for a long time in the rain by myself.
Everybody was in bed when I got home, and I was up early this morning and didn't see anybody. So, if the sky came down, I escaped it.
And now you have to go home and face it at dinner.
Nothing to face. We're going to get married, I've told them. That's all there is to it.
But is that all there is to it?
The only thing that worries me is that this has been so tough on you.
Paul.
Yes, Chris?
Let's be very honest, shall we?
Haven't we always been?
Yes. But I don't think we've ever actually faced the situation squarely, just brutally head on. Let's do it right now.
Good. Here we go with charging.
No, don't make light of this. I'm serious, really.
I'm sorry. Go ahead. What are you going to say?
Well, just supposing your family never accepts me. No, not wait. Now, let me finish.
Suppose after we're married that your father, for example, keeps on being obdurate, shall we say?
Why not? I think that's a pretty good word to describe the way he's been acting.
You don't think it would make any difference in our life? We might be all alone, rejected completely. Could you take it, you think?
Could you? That's the important thing.
Paul, I love you. That's all that counts with me.
And that's all that counts with me, Chris. Why do you think it could ever make a bit of difference in my devotion to you, how my father or any of my family act?
No, I don't think so, but I just want to...
Look, Chris, I don't go into a thing lightly or tentatively. When I knew I loved you, when I asked you to marry me, everything else in the world became subordinate to that.
Nothing my family has done, nothing they could ever do will change my feeling towards you. Storm or adversity or whatever can break down over our heads.
And I'll only hold you closer to tell you again how much I love you.
Paul, I wonder if I'm worthy of such love.
Here, here, no, don't...
Why are you interrupting?
Oh, hello, Rex.
Paul, how are you? I...
Well, what's going on here? Have you got my pretty sister in tears?
Rex, you would come in at a time like this.
Should I go out and make another entrance?
Oh, I think we'll let you stay, Rex.
Very decent of you, old boy.
Matter of fact, about time for me to leave anyway.
Oh, if you go now, Chris will say I drove you off.
No, no, you're in the clear. Paul's already told me he has to go home for dinner this evening.
But I'll be back. I'm a hard man to get rid of.
For which I'm very grateful.
You know, I'm about convinced that you two are in love.
What a penetrating mind you have.
Well, I'll leave you two to match wits.
And I'll see you around eight or so, Chris.
Perfect. I'll go to the door with you.
I'd really feel more at home if you'd just sit right there looking pretty and let me find my way out alone.
Certainly, let him fend for himself. I think he knows his way around his house by now.
I suppose that remark could be taken as a...
Well, I'll ignore it.
Goodbye, Chris.
Bye, Paul.
So long, Paul.
So long. I'll be seeing you about eight.
All right.
Well, I'm waiting.
Waiting for what?
Hear what the trouble is.
What are you talking about, Rex? There hasn't been any trouble.
Well, now, just a minute. You're not the tearful type.
When I came in, there was definite evidence you'd either been crying or about to.
Well, there are such things as tears of happiness, you know.
Or wouldn't you know about that, you cynic?
Well, then let me rejoice with you.
Tell me the good news.
Rex, really?
Have you set a date for the marriage? Is that it?
Well, no. Not definitely, no.
I don't seem to be getting very far. I feel like a cross-examiner.
Well, I'm not surprised. That's about the way you're acting.
Look, Chris, I don't want to pursue this ad nauseam, but...
You seem upset, and I'd like to know what it is.
I don't like you upset.
Whenever I feel you're unhappy, I...
Well, you know what it does to me. I can't stand it.
I know, Rex. It was nothing, really.
We got to talking about Paul's family.
His old man, Barber, up to some...
Please, Rex.
Okay, go ahead.
What did Paul have to say about his family?
He told them last night that we were going to get married.
Uh-uh. And the roof fell in, huh?
Well, if it did, Paul wasn't there to see it. He told them and left.
Afraid old Barber would hit him with a poker, I guess.
If you're going to keep on about Paul's father, I'm just not going to talk about it anymore.
I wish I could have been there. I would have told him a few things.
You know, for a time you were taking a pretty civilized attitude about the Barbers, Rex,
but lately you seem to have lost your sense of humor completely.
Oh, I can't see much humor in the way they've been treating you.
I'm not marrying the family. I'm marrying Paul, so they don't like me. I can stand that.
What's so stupid that infuriates me?
You know what I think it is?
What?
He's bringing out your good old inferiority complex.
He won't accept us. That's what's getting you down.
You're reacting the way you did when we were the gardener's children,
the poor little fralig kids in the fashionable neighborhood.
I can remember how I used to burn when Mr. Henry Barber would pass by occasionally
and Dad would have to bow and touch his hat when Mr. Barber spoke to him.
Why should our father have to bow to a barber and tip his hat?
Oh, Rex, that wasn't Mr. Barber's fault. It was because our father was a peasant.
That's the way he was trained.
Well, it wasn't the way I was trained.
I'm not going to bow and scrape and you're not either.
You've got more character, more talent, more of everything than any barber that ever lived.
Rex, darling, please don't let yourself get all worked up like this.
Paul and them sitting over there so smug, so superior.
I don't care what they think about me. It's you.
That they wouldn't have the decency, the humanity, the...
Let's put it that way. The humanity to ask you to walk into their sacred home.
Rex, stop it. This has nothing to do with Paul.
It hasn't. They don't think you're good enough for them. That's at the bottom of it.
Well, what if they don't? That won't make any difference to us, to Paul and me.
I wonder.
What?
How do you know it won't? He's been tied to that family for a good many years now.
How do you think he's going to feel if he's cut off from them completely after you're married?
We discussed that. Don't you say he loves me, Rex? That's all that matters.
I'm afraid of it. Chris, I'm afraid.
I couldn't stand it if you had another unhappy marriage.
If you had enough unhappiness, you're not going to have any more, never.
You don't think this is making me very happy, do you?
Well, it's better to have a little now than a whole lifetime of it.
Oh, Rex, I'm not going to listen to any more of this.
Look, look, will you promise me one thing?
What?
Promise me you won't marry him for six months. At least six months.
Will you promise me that? Will you?
Rex, why?
To see if it's really right. So you can be sure.
I'll tell him. I'll tell him when he comes back to me.
I'll do no such thing, Rex. Good heavens.
Are you trying to ruin this marriage?
If it's wrong, wouldn't it be better if I did?
But it isn't wrong.
It won't hurt to wait if he loves you six months.
It won't make any difference. Will you promise me?
I mean this desperately, Chris. I know I'm right.
Rex, you worry me when you act like this.
Let me talk to Paul tonight. I'll fix it.
No, Rex, no.
You will promise to wait, won't you? I'll tell you what you can do.
You can go on that concert tour they wanted you to take. That's it. That's perfect.
I've already told them I wouldn't go.
Tell them to change their mind. It was only a week ago they asked you.
Please, Chris, that's the answer.
Then when you come back, if you still love each other, why...
Then... then maybe...
Rex, you're shaking all over.
Come on, go up and lie down.
Promise me first, please. Please, Chris.
Rex...
I don't know what to say. I'm so worried about you.
I've never seen you quite this way.
Are you sick?
All I know is...
that you've got to wait.
All right.
All right.
Oh, here you are, Ma.
Come on in, Clifford.
This door was open. You want me to close it?
No, it was getting a little stuffy in here.
Well, what are you doing up here in your sewing room all by yourself?
Oh, I thought I'd come up here for a while. It's cozy and warm.
Dad sitting downstairs all alone, you up here?
What goes, Mom? You haven't had a quarrel, have you?
No, but your father didn't seem to want to talk, so I thought I'd just leave him alone.
Oh, hmm.
Oh, Paul coming home for dinner?
Yes, he called from the airport and said he'd be here.
About time for him, too.
Yeah.
Well, Mom, how do you feel about it today?
Feel about what, Clifford?
About Paul's announcement last night.
Well, I've done a lot of thinking today about Paul and Mrs. Abbott, Christine.
A lot of thinking.
And?
And I think your father and I have been very, very small and very, very thoughtless.
Oh, wait, no, Mom. It wasn't you so much. Dad's the one.
Oh, your father talked more and stormed and all that.
But I should have done something despite all that, Clifford.
Well, gee, Mom, I think you're wonderful to take this attitude about it.
Not wonderful at all. I should have had that girl over here ages ago.
That's exactly what I'm going to do, no matter what your father says.
Well, have you talked to Dad about it today?
Well, I've tried once or twice, but he simply refuses to discuss the matter.
When he began answering me little grunts downstairs a while ago, I just went off and left him.
Well, anyway, it'll mean an awful lot to Paul that you feel this way, Lee.
Nobody's seen him today, I suppose?
I don't believe so. Henry said he was gone when he got up, and that was pretty early, around 6.30, I think.
Yeah. Gosh, I wish we could do something about Dad. If he would just...
Hello, what's that, Clifford?
Oh, oh, hi, Dad. I didn't see you standing here.
Yeah, yeah. I thought you said something about Dad.
He did, Henry. He said he wished we could do something about you, and I wish the same thing.
Hmm.
Now, if you're just going to grunt at me, you can go on back downstairs.
I've had about all I can stand of that for one day.
I wasn't aware that I was grunting, finally. Mind if I sit down?
Well, you're a good boy.
Oh, yes, yes.
Well, I think I'll go wash up for dinner. When Paul comes up, tell him I'd like to see him, will you?
All right, Clifford.
Take it easy, Dad.
Huh?
He said take it easy.
What's that mean?
Henry.
Hmm?
Will you be reasonable and let me talk to you about Paul for a little bit now?
I don't know why you would put it that way. Have I been so unreasonable?
Yes, we both have. Furthermore, we've been thoughtless and petty.
Paul's going to get married, Henry.
Is that news? I heard that with my own ears last night.
The girl he's going to marry will be our daughter-in-law. Their children will be our grandchildren, the children of our son, a son whom we both love very, very much.
Henry, look at me.
Yes, yes.
Do you realize how much Paul means to us? How much he deserves to be happy? How proud you are of him?
Yes, yes.
I'm going to ask Christine's pardon, Henry. I'm going to ask her to this house, and I'm going to love her for Paul's sake, and I hope for her own when I get to know her.
And I sincerely hope she will learn to love me and you, Henry.
Yes, yes.
What I would like is for you...
Hi, Mom.
Oh, Paul, dear, come in.
Hello, Dad.
Yes, yes.
I'm a little later than I expected to be.
We're so glad you're going to be home for dinner.
Well, I have an engagement right after dinner, though.
Yes, Paul.
Well, I'll go and clean up a bit.
Paul.
Yes, Dad.
Your mother and I have been talking here, and I want to extend my congratulations to you.
Thank you.
And I wish you would extend my felicitations to Mrs.... to Christine.
I'll be happy to. Thank you.
Yes, yes. You might also ask her if I may pay her a call and present my compliments to her in person.
That is, of course...
Hey, Mom, is Paul...
Oh, hi.
Hi.
You're on the phone, fellow.
Oh, thanks. Excuse me a second.
It's the upstairs hall phone, Paul.
Okay.
Oh, Henry, my dear, you were simply magnificent.
What happened?
Oh, hey, Dad, don't tell me Mom won you over to Paul's side.
With your mother, indeed. I think I'm capable of making up my own mind.
Of course you are, Henry.
Well, your father was very gracious to Paul Clifford.
He extended his congratulations and felicitations, and furthermore, they were sincere.
Oh, gee, Dad, that is... well, that's going to mean an awful lot to Paul, I know.
Yes, and you can be very proud, Henry.
I'm sure that what you've done has made Paul very happy.
Yes, yes.
It sure is great to have the family all pulling together again.
But while I begin...
Oh, come in, Paul. We're holding a big meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society and things and stuff.
Oh, well, that sounds interesting.
Well, I know you're hungry, so I'll go and see about dinner.
Oh, uh, Mom, I... I won't be going out tonight, after all.
That phone call will change my plan, so I'll be home.
How nice. We ought to get everybody together and have a real celebration to wish you happiness.
Oh, yeah, and to celebrate the family being back together again.
Yes, yes.
You have just heard chapter 4, book 73 of One Man's Family, written and produced under the direction of Carlton E. Morse.
Chapter 5, entitled So Near and Yet So Far, will come to you next week at this same time.
What's on NBC today?
Two great Sunday shows that add up to one hour of stellar entertainment, The Phil Harris, Alice Faye Show, and The Adventures of Sam Spade.
You can hear them both later today on NBC.
Remember for comedy, tune to Phil Harris and Alice Faye, and then stay tuned for mystery on The Adventures of Sam Spade.
One Man's Family comes to you from California.
Coming up, it's the Quiz Kids. Stay tuned to NBC.
Oh, no.