1 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to the podcast. We need to come 2 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: up with those spooky Simpsons names. You know what they 3 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 1: do for a Treehouse of Horror every year. We just 4 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,720 Speaker 1: have never done that, but so I guess this year again. Still, 5 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,840 Speaker 1: I'm just Josh Clark, and you're just Charles w Chuck Bryant, 6 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 1: and there's Jerry the murderous ghoul Roland. No, you're Josh 7 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:40,720 Speaker 1: Spooky Clark and I'm Chuck. He's right behind you, Bryant. Nice. 8 00:00:41,479 --> 00:00:45,559 Speaker 1: That's good stuff, man, thanks for swooping in there. So 9 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,120 Speaker 1: this is our Halloween Special, which we do every year 10 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: these days for those of you who aren't familiar but 11 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: who like horror fiction prepared to be delighted. Yeah, what 12 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,360 Speaker 1: we do is, uh, we get together at a year 13 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: and we should point out this is one of two 14 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 1: ad free episodes we do every year, along with the 15 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: Christmas Holiday Spectacular. Uh. And you know we fight for 16 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: this every year because it would really ruin the vibe 17 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: of a good spooky story if we took a commercial break, 18 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: right yep. But it's our gift to your right. So 19 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 1: what we do is we read it used to be 20 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: one story. Sometimes we've fan sourced stories which was. Yeah, 21 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,039 Speaker 1: we had a whole horror fiction contest, which we will 22 00:01:32,040 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: never do again. No, it was a lot of work, 23 00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:35,920 Speaker 1: but it yielded some pretty great stuff. Yeah, and I 24 00:01:35,959 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: think last year we did the little uh two sentence 25 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 1: fans submitted things and that was kind of neat. But 26 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: this year we're going old school and just reading too 27 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: straight up horror fiction stories, one of which was written 28 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: expressly for us for this episode by our favorite writer 29 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: Ed Grabowski. Yes, and we have a little a little 30 00:01:59,680 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 1: update till last year's story. So Ed wrote us a 31 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: story last year called extrane of Use Invocot, which was 32 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: great and terrifying. It was so terrifying, in fact, chuck 33 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:14,080 Speaker 1: that over in the UK, a producer of films got 34 00:02:14,080 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: in touch with Ed and said, hey, mate, um, I 35 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: want to turn that story into a movie. What do 36 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:22,680 Speaker 1: you say? He said, I'm not your mate, but sure, Yeah, 37 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: and it's happening. That's I mean, how about that? Yeah. 38 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 1: They set up a website for it called The Between 39 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: dot Film. That's the name of the movie, is The 40 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:37,960 Speaker 1: Between and Now in the post dot com bubble days, 41 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 1: you can call your website dot anything. So again it's 42 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: the Between dot Film and it will give you some 43 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,919 Speaker 1: information on the story. There's even a link to last 44 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: year's Halloween episode, so if you want to go listen 45 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,080 Speaker 1: to it, go to that site and find it. And 46 00:02:52,240 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: they set up a crowdfunding um uh project to help 47 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 1: fund the project, and if you kick in you can 48 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: get things like obviously the movie when they complete it. Sure, 49 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: you can get signed scripts, even a credit in the movie. 50 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,639 Speaker 1: There's a lot of stuff you can get that they're offering. 51 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 1: And the movie slated to come out February fourteen, two 52 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:17,799 Speaker 1: thousand and eighteen as it stands right now. Man, that's great, 53 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: Like that's it's really on track to go. So um 54 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,520 Speaker 1: things are coming up for the Grabster, and he gave 55 00:03:24,600 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: us another great story that I'm I would be surprised 56 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,239 Speaker 1: if it doesn't get turned into a movie untially as well. Yeah, 57 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: I guess that producer said, I love the story, but 58 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,520 Speaker 1: that title's gotta go. Yeah, No one knows how to 59 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: say that. We're just gonna call it the Between. Cool title, 60 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: but the Between is definitely a little more marketable, and 61 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 1: I think in today's modern world than Latin. Yeah, we 62 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:49,280 Speaker 1: ought to uh, we ought to get a kickback on that. Huh. 63 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 1: You know I didn't bring it up. I was hoping 64 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 1: he would, but he, uh, he hasn't so far. No, 65 00:03:55,600 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: we're happy to be de facto executive producers. Yeah, we 66 00:04:00,400 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: could also be facto though if they give us, you know, 67 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: credits in the in the film, maybe a special thanks 68 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: at the end. Yeah, playing money like I owe my 69 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:15,440 Speaker 1: life to these guys. All right, yeah, all right, Well 70 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: you're ready to read his newest one, the Grabster's newest story. 71 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:22,600 Speaker 1: That's right. It is called Gifts, not g I F 72 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 1: F S G I F T S. Right. That was 73 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: a good creepy t thank you. So we're gonna start, 74 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 1: and Jerry, as ever, is going to pull out all 75 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: the stops and add all the bells and whistles to 76 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,560 Speaker 1: scare the Bejesus out of you while we're reading this. So, 77 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:50,960 Speaker 1: without further ado, there's Gifts by the Grabster. I'm here 78 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:55,039 Speaker 1: about the housekeeping job. I'm Marissa called earlier. I reached 79 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,000 Speaker 1: out to shake the man's hand, but he kept his 80 00:04:57,040 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: face on the paperwork. He was shuffling, holding out an 81 00:04:59,839 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 1: up raised index finger in my direction. I returned my 82 00:05:03,080 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: hand to my side. Finally, he stacked the papers and 83 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: looked up at me. You'll want to speak to my wife. 84 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,760 Speaker 1: Then she's handling those arrangements. She's gone to the market, 85 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 1: but should be back any moment. If you'd like to wait, 86 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:16,159 Speaker 1: There's a sitting room at the top of the stairs. 87 00:05:16,520 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: He nodded briskly and moved on to some other towns. 88 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,680 Speaker 1: A wide staircase of dark, varnished wood led to an 89 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: upstairs hallway running to my left and right. The ornate 90 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,800 Speaker 1: wallpaper was striped by alternating shafts of shadow and sunlight 91 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 1: coming through open doors, except at one end of the hall. 92 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 1: There the doors were closed in the hallway and folded 93 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 1: in shadow. Directly ahead of me was an open archway 94 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: leading to the sitting room, a sunlit chamber with a fireplace, 95 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: a number of well crafted but time worn leather chairs, 96 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: a row of bookshelves stacked with volumes, and a small 97 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 1: table set up for a game of chess. A young 98 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: boy roughly six years old was sitting in one of 99 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: the chairs, a large book spread out in his lap. 100 00:05:56,960 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: He looked up as I entered. Hello, he said, are 101 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: you a guest? No? I told him I've come about 102 00:06:03,200 --> 00:06:06,240 Speaker 1: the housekeeping job. Do you mind a little company I've 103 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:10,119 Speaker 1: got to wait for your mother. Okay, his smile brighton. 104 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:12,599 Speaker 1: It'll be good to have someone to help again. Mom 105 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 1: gets stressed when she has to do it all herself, 106 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: along with the shopping and everything. My name is Robert, 107 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 1: but everyone calls me Bobby. My name is Marissa. What's 108 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 1: that you're reading? Bobby? He tilted the book up so 109 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:26,320 Speaker 1: I could see the title A sign on Rosie's door. 110 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 1: What's it about a girl who becomes someone else and 111 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:32,920 Speaker 1: takes her friends on adventures? I had an adventure this week. 112 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:35,440 Speaker 1: Do you want to see what I found? Without waiting 113 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,480 Speaker 1: for me to answer, he hopped off the chair, setting 114 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: the book down behind him, and ran past me through 115 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,120 Speaker 1: the archway into the hall on his short legs. Don't 116 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: follow him, I turned to follow, seeing him head off 117 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,280 Speaker 1: down the brighter half of the corridor. It's in my room, 118 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 1: he called out, then disappeared into one of the open doorways. 119 00:06:54,040 --> 00:06:56,200 Speaker 1: By the time I got there, he was crawling underneath 120 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: the bed. It was clearly his room, decorated with racing 121 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: cars and car tune characters. He emerged clutching would appeared 122 00:07:02,920 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: to be a pillow. I had a dream the other 123 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,119 Speaker 1: night that I was in the dark, and no matter 124 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: where I crawled around, I couldn't get out of the dark. 125 00:07:09,560 --> 00:07:12,239 Speaker 1: It was cool inside wherever I was, but so dark, 126 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: so black, I couldn't see anything. When I woke up, 127 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: I was holding this. He held the pillow out to me. 128 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,600 Speaker 1: It was oddly shaped, more narrow than the usual pillow, 129 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:23,720 Speaker 1: and it was made of white satin, with a satin 130 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: ruffle around the edge. I took it and held it up, 131 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: humoring the child's tall tail. But I noticed the pillow 132 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 1: was stained in the center, a yellowish brown mark in 133 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: a rough oval shape. That's when I realized what it was. 134 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: It was a pillow from a burial casket. Bobby, where 135 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,239 Speaker 1: did you get this? I tried to keep from sounding alarmed. 136 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: When I woke from my dream, I was lying on 137 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: top of it, holding it with both arms. He gave 138 00:07:48,880 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: it to me. I heard footsteps coming down the hall 139 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: behind me and turned to see a small framed woman 140 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: with graying black hair striding towards me. I handed the 141 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,840 Speaker 1: pillow back to Bobby ms leventus. She said yes. I 142 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: stuck out my hand again, this time getting a soft 143 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: handshake in return. Bobby's been showing me around. I looked 144 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: back at the child who sat on the edge of 145 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 1: his bed smiling, the pillow nowhere to be seen. All right, 146 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,160 Speaker 1: I don't like the sounds of Bobby. Uh No, not 147 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:20,320 Speaker 1: with this little burial casket stained pillow or his short, 148 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,760 Speaker 1: stubby legs, which is creepy all by itself. I got 149 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: the job, That's great. My husband didn't exactly sound joyful 150 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: at the news. To be honest, neither did I. Working 151 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 1: at Shipped in Grains Hotel for the summer was a 152 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 1: necessity and something of a hardship. The hotel was two 153 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 1: hundred miles away from our home, and I'd only be 154 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: able to afford the train back to visit once or 155 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 1: twice a week in the four months i'd be working there. 156 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:49,559 Speaker 1: But times are hard for everyone, and most had it 157 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: harder than us. Still, knowing this meant I'd be apart 158 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,360 Speaker 1: from John for the entire summer tempered my enthusiasm, and 159 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:59,720 Speaker 1: I could hear in his voice, even over the phone line, 160 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: more relief and weariness than glee. We sure needed. It's 161 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,240 Speaker 1: a nice place, old kind of fussy. Mrs Taggart is nice, 162 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: and the young boy Bobby is I paused about to say, 163 00:09:13,160 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: he's a bit odd, but it felt like gossiping about 164 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: a child, so I told John. He's very inquisitive, but 165 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: it wasn't what I meant. It's a lot for you 166 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: to do this, John said, that will help in the 167 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,080 Speaker 1: long run. It's hard to be a part though. I 168 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:31,240 Speaker 1: love you Mayor, I smiled, looking out the window at 169 00:09:31,240 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: the tidy gardens in front of shipped and Grange, dissolving 170 00:09:34,240 --> 00:09:37,559 Speaker 1: into shadows as twilight set in. I love you too, John. 171 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,800 Speaker 1: I'm glad you got that sappy party. Don't worry about Bobby. 172 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: Mrs Tiggert was walking me through the hotel, showing me 173 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: what my duties would include, in which room I'd be 174 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,200 Speaker 1: staying in on the ground floor near the kitchen. She 175 00:09:55,320 --> 00:09:59,319 Speaker 1: stopped awkwardly, placing a hand at my elbow. His imagination 176 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: is a new usual at times, but he's a kind boy, 177 00:10:02,600 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: he really is, which was true. I think he never 178 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: showed me the funeral pillow again. And Bobby would often 179 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: appear around a corner at the doorway of a room 180 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:15,000 Speaker 1: I was cleaning, clutching something odd. He was so eager 181 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,559 Speaker 1: to show me and didn't seem to have other friends, 182 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 1: so I let him linger around while I worked In truth, 183 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 1: he was more pleasant company than either of his parents, 184 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: whom I found stiff and formal. They rarely spoke to 185 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: me at all about anything not directly related to my job. 186 00:10:30,840 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: This was under my hat when I took it off 187 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: this morning, Bobby said. One afternoon, he held out a 188 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:39,200 Speaker 1: small pile of coins, worn and blackened with age Latin 189 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: writing barely legible on the faces. Those must be terribly valuable. 190 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: I said, Oh, I can't sell them. His face was 191 00:10:46,200 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: very serious. Mr. Sorrow says their mind to keep children 192 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: have their flights of fancy and imaginary friends, especially child 193 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: free to rome in old the state, like shipped in Grange. 194 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 1: But when Bobby said that name, I felt something on 195 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: the back of my neck, like a kiss that barely 196 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:13,840 Speaker 1: grazes the skin. Mr Sorrow. My voice was just a whisper. Yes, 197 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:17,440 Speaker 1: Bobby Grint, he's very tall. We were in room thirty three, 198 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 1: which was named the uttermost End, being the last room 199 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,440 Speaker 1: at the end of the longest third floor corridor. The 200 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 1: light was always bad in that room. The whole section 201 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,280 Speaker 1: of corridor had a dim greenish quality to it. It 202 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:31,719 Speaker 1: wasn't simply that the light was insufficient, but rather that 203 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:36,240 Speaker 1: it felt incorrect. The shadows fell at the wrong angles, 204 00:11:36,240 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: and the sun, when seen reflecting on a window pane 205 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:42,800 Speaker 1: or crystal decanter, appeared as a dull orange hole board 206 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: into the sky. As we spoke, Bobby's shadow seemed to 207 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:49,600 Speaker 1: stretch to reach across the room, as if to unfold me. 208 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:52,720 Speaker 1: He closed a small fist around the coins and ran off. 209 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:57,240 Speaker 1: The deep, disconcerting shadows remained. I remade the bed covers 210 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: quickly and hurried to leave. No one had stayed in 211 00:11:59,760 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 1: the the Most End in the time I've been working 212 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: at Shifting Grange. Maybe it's because they called it the 213 00:12:05,200 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: uttermost End. It's not the best name for a room. 214 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,880 Speaker 1: They're like, you'll like it. The lighting is incorrect. Even 215 00:12:12,960 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: Mary and Joseph would have been like, that's okay, we'll 216 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,960 Speaker 1: go out into the manger. You just keep that. I 217 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:21,960 Speaker 1: don't like the sounds of Mr Sorrow either. By the way, 218 00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 1: I woke up with hands on my throat this morning. 219 00:12:26,640 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 1: John said, ice cold. What did someone break in? There 220 00:12:31,880 --> 00:12:33,640 Speaker 1: was no one there. It must have been a nightmare. 221 00:12:34,040 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: My heart was racing, though, I'd imagine, so check the 222 00:12:37,720 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: windows around the house before bed tonight, then just to 223 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,400 Speaker 1: humor me, I will. I think I'll sleep like a 224 00:12:43,440 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 1: stone tonight. We've fallen behind on orders at the plant, 225 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,560 Speaker 1: and machine four went down again. I'm pulling my hair out. 226 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 1: John hung up the phone on his end, and I 227 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: listened to the silence on the line for a while, 228 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:57,280 Speaker 1: the hum and whisper of currents and the echoes of 229 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:02,120 Speaker 1: a thousand voices. Later that week, I was cleaning the 230 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:05,280 Speaker 1: main dining room, Bobby playing at the table behind me 231 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,560 Speaker 1: with some wooden army men he'd found in the attic. 232 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 1: The clatter of his toys had fallen silent, but I 233 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: didn't notice until Missus Tagger walked in. She looked at me, 234 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 1: then her gaze moved behind me, her eyes widening Bobby. 235 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 1: She hissed quietly. I turned to see Bobby standing very 236 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: close behind me, clutching in his hand a gleaming steel blade. 237 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: Is that from the kitchen, Mrs Taggart said. Bobby's face 238 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: turned sullen. No. He dropped the knife, climbing to the 239 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,040 Speaker 1: floor and ran from the room. Mrs Taggert collected the blade, 240 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: turning it over in her hands. It appeared to be 241 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,080 Speaker 1: finally made, though it for a dark stain she carried 242 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 1: it straight out to the trash bins in the rear yard. 243 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:48,240 Speaker 1: That boy ain't right, you know. That's the that's the 244 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: turning point right there. In midsummer, the weather grew hot 245 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: and close, but shade trees and thick walls kept the 246 00:13:55,400 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: oldest state quite cool. John and I still spoke on 247 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:00,640 Speaker 1: the phone every night, and I plan to return home 248 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:03,319 Speaker 1: for a weekend in just two weeks. It was nearly 249 00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 1: all I could think about at night. I would lie 250 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: in bed, waiting for sleep, trying to slow my breathing, 251 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:11,280 Speaker 1: taking in the sugar sweet smell from the elder shrubs 252 00:14:11,320 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: growing all around the open window. I'd often awakened hours later, 253 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: staring into the blind darkness of a strange room in 254 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 1: a strange town, and feel the weight of loneliness settle 255 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 1: on my chest like a stone. In those moments, soft 256 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: fingers of shadow would trace my jawline and collar bone 257 00:14:29,120 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: with the familiarity of a lover, and I spoke to 258 00:14:32,040 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: voices I could barely hear. One evening, after completing my 259 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: work for the day, I found Bobby rolling a small 260 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 1: rubber ball slowly up and down the upstairs hallway. Would 261 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 1: you like to play catch, I said. His face lit 262 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: up with delight, and he took up a position ten 263 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:52,680 Speaker 1: meters down the hall from me. It's Canadian. We rolled 264 00:14:52,680 --> 00:14:54,960 Speaker 1: and bounced the ball back and forth for some time, 265 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,040 Speaker 1: Bobby letting out the first really genuine laughter I'd heard 266 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 1: from him. My back was to the long, dim expanse 267 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 1: of the corridor leading to the uttermost end, but I 268 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: hadn't really thought about it until the door to one 269 00:15:08,800 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 1: of the other rooms just behind me slowly opened. I 270 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:14,280 Speaker 1: saw it swing open from the corner of my eye 271 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 1: Room twenty seven, the Prince's chamber. I watched the gaping 272 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: doorway for a moment. When no one emerged, I called 273 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 1: out missus Taggart. There was no reply, but Bobby giggled 274 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: behind me and the ball rolled slowly past me, coming 275 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:33,760 Speaker 1: to a stop in front of Room twenty seven. I 276 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: crept forward to retrieve it. Crouching to pick up the ball. 277 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,520 Speaker 1: As I stooped in front of the empty, darkened room, 278 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:43,760 Speaker 1: I was engulfed in a frigid chill. I stuffed my 279 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 1: hands into my pockets and returned to Bobby. With my 280 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,320 Speaker 1: right hand, I tossed the ball. When I pulled my 281 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:53,840 Speaker 1: left hand from my pocket. I realized I was holding something. 282 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: It was a pair of scissors. The orange plastic candle 283 00:15:58,080 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: had been melted and blackened by fire. The blades were 284 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:10,160 Speaker 1: clean and sharp. I've never seen them before. Oh man. 285 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,120 Speaker 1: The next day I was cleaning the dust from beneath 286 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 1: one of the guest beds. I like how Ed brings 287 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:19,400 Speaker 1: us along on the cleaning. Oh yeah, just keep us 288 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,680 Speaker 1: up to date. The next day, I was cleaning the 289 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 1: dust from beneath one of the guest beds, and as 290 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,280 Speaker 1: I reached for the rag i'd set down, something else 291 00:16:26,400 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 1: materialized in my hand. I don't mean to say that 292 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: I reached out and grasped an object. I mean that 293 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: my empty hand suddenly and inexplicably had something in it. 294 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 1: It had a dry, papery feel, and drawing my hand 295 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 1: out from under the bed, I saw that it was 296 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,280 Speaker 1: an old scrap of newspaper. There was no date on it, 297 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: as the top edge was torn and nothing on it 298 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 1: seemed to be of any significance. Advertisements for a furniture 299 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: shop in an article about a winter storm. In the 300 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:57,320 Speaker 1: center of the paper, a hole had been torn through. 301 00:16:57,840 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: Looking more closely, I could see that it was actually 302 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:02,760 Speaker 1: a bite mark. Someone had showed through the center of 303 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:06,800 Speaker 1: a piece of old newspaper. Mr Sorrow is giving gifts 304 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:12,520 Speaker 1: to you now, Miss Marissa. It was Bobby in the doorway, 305 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 1: dark circles under his eyes. He stood and watched me 306 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:19,800 Speaker 1: for an uncomfortably long time. I threw the newspaper away. 307 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 1: Oh boy, I'm getting creeped out here. Just one more 308 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: week until I can see you again. I know, I 309 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:30,560 Speaker 1: really can't wait. I've got a nice dinner plan and 310 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,719 Speaker 1: we can walk down by the star set like we 311 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: used to. The water is so green this time of year. 312 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: There was the joy that had been missing from John's 313 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:41,400 Speaker 1: voice earlier in the summer, and I'll confess it made 314 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: my heart swell to hear it. That sounds wonderful. Are 315 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,119 Speaker 1: things getting better at the factory a bit? I'm not 316 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: sleeping well, though, John said. I guess it's just that 317 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:55,440 Speaker 1: the house feels empty without you here. I'm consistently awakened 318 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: in the middle of the night by the feeling of 319 00:17:57,560 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 1: someone lying in the bed beside me. But of course 320 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: there's no one there. Someone will be there soon enough. 321 00:18:03,640 --> 00:18:06,320 Speaker 1: I was trying to be reassuring, but it came out wrong. 322 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: Me I mean, John laughed, of course you uh yeah, 323 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 1: you better hope it's her, right, John, of course it's you. 324 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:20,840 Speaker 1: All right, he sounds bully convinced. All right, let me 325 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:26,560 Speaker 1: bring it home. Mm hmm. I was awakened by a scream. 326 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:29,639 Speaker 1: Mrs Taggart was wailing, and I ran toward the sound, 327 00:18:29,680 --> 00:18:32,880 Speaker 1: groggy from sleep and stumbling over furniture in the darkness. 328 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 1: She was in Bobby's room. The bed was empty, and 329 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: she was crouched halfway out the open window. Bobby, she 330 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:42,520 Speaker 1: cried out into the night. I stood there, halfway through 331 00:18:42,520 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: the door, stunned. The window opened via a hand crank, 332 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 1: The handle detached for safety, and the socket was too 333 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 1: high for Bobby to reach in any case. Mr Taggart 334 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: ran past me down the corridor, and I followed him 335 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:58,440 Speaker 1: downstairs into the cool night air. Bobby was crumpled on 336 00:18:58,480 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 1: the lawn, his right folded under him, his face bloody, 337 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 1: but he was alive. He'll be all right. Mr Taggart 338 00:19:05,400 --> 00:19:07,520 Speaker 1: called up to his wife, who was still sobbing in 339 00:19:07,560 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 1: the window. Call for the doctor. Then Mrs Taggart shrieked, 340 00:19:11,359 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: glaring at me across the wide lawn. At that moment, 341 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: I noticed something in my hand, the hand crank for 342 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: the window. I stammered and dropped it. I was sound asleep, 343 00:19:22,760 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 1: I swear. I ran back into the house for the phone, 344 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,720 Speaker 1: not thinking clearly, not knowing what to do. So I 345 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: rang John. I needed to hear his voice, mayor he 346 00:19:31,359 --> 00:19:34,879 Speaker 1: sounded sleepy. John. Something horrible happened. Bobby fell out the window, 347 00:19:34,960 --> 00:19:37,359 Speaker 1: but I had the crank to open it in my hand. 348 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,360 Speaker 1: I don't know how it got there, but I was asleep, John, 349 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: I was asleep. Calmed down, Love, take a breath and 350 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 1: explain it again. I don't really under. John's voice was 351 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: cut off by a sharp hitch in his breath, a 352 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 1: sort of short cough, John, John, are you there? The 353 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: only sound over the phone line was a soft, wet 354 00:19:57,400 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 1: whistling repeated in a slow rhythmic pattern. I felt something 355 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:06,040 Speaker 1: in my hand just then, something warm like my fingers 356 00:20:06,040 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: were wrapped in hair, heavy weight dangling below on the phone. 357 00:20:11,080 --> 00:20:14,640 Speaker 1: The whistling sound faded to a low gurgle, and I screamed. 358 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,080 Speaker 1: And I screamed while something hot and wet splashed onto 359 00:20:18,119 --> 00:20:21,160 Speaker 1: my legs and ran down my feet. But I refused 360 00:20:21,160 --> 00:20:23,679 Speaker 1: to look down. I refused to see what it was 361 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: in my hand, and the voice on the phone was 362 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:35,440 Speaker 1: familiar and cold. It was not John, and I just screamed, Wow, boom, 363 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 1: holy cow. That is how it's done. If you're a 364 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:44,440 Speaker 1: horror Somewhere in Canada, a microphone was just dropped. Where 365 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,439 Speaker 1: did you go, Grabster? That was good stuff. Oh daddy, 366 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:49,439 Speaker 1: that's a good one. I think that could would make 367 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 1: a at the very least of wonderful short film. Agreed. Uh, 368 00:20:54,119 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 1: it's gonna be a tough one to follow. It's going 369 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,960 Speaker 1: to take a literal horror classic to follow that one. 370 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: And we'll get to that right after our eight minute 371 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: commercial break. Hey we're back. Yes, we should set this 372 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: one up a little bit. It's called The Yellow Wallpaper 373 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 1: by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and it is one of our 374 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 1: classic old stories that we used to do some of 375 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:21,840 Speaker 1: these and published first in New England magazine. And this 376 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: is um can only be considered early work of feminist literature. 377 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 1: And what it really is clearly is a statement on 378 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,680 Speaker 1: the treatment of women at the time. You know, Oh yeah, 379 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:40,959 Speaker 1: for sure, clearly, um. And it must have been when 380 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:44,359 Speaker 1: was it originally published? This is very brave to have 381 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 1: published this because super brave. The author Charlotte Perkins Perkins 382 00:21:48,320 --> 00:21:53,480 Speaker 1: Gilman is definitely um almost poking fun at the status 383 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:58,200 Speaker 1: quo between men and women UM at the time by 384 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 1: by making your character just so fully bought into it 385 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,440 Speaker 1: that she's not even really questioning it at first. While 386 00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:06,960 Speaker 1: she's questioning it, you know what I'm saying. Yeah, she's 387 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,280 Speaker 1: questioning the details, but not the structure that is giving 388 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: rise to the details. Yeah, and she's clearly not too 389 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: shy about making her statement. It's not you don't have 390 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,679 Speaker 1: to read between too many lines, you know. I like 391 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: it to good story. And I believe this one's been 392 00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 1: made into a movie on Netflix if I'm not miss 393 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,280 Speaker 1: Oh really, I'm pretty sure I saw the Yellow Wallpaper 394 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: on Netflix. Yeah, alright, the yellow Wallpaper. Here we go. 395 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:39,840 Speaker 1: It is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John 396 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer, a colonial mansion, 397 00:22:44,840 --> 00:22:48,359 Speaker 1: hereditary estate. I would say, a haunted house, and reach 398 00:22:48,440 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: the height of romantic felicity. That would be asking too 399 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: much of fate. Still, I will proudly declare that there 400 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: is something queer about it. Else why should it be 401 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: let so cheaply? And why I have stood so long untenanted. 402 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: That's sort of a mouthful, huh, it really is. It's 403 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:10,240 Speaker 1: a lul for no one rents this place. John laughs 404 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,680 Speaker 1: at me, of course, but one expects that in marriage. 405 00:23:13,080 --> 00:23:16,160 Speaker 1: John is practical in the extreme. He has no patience 406 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:20,040 Speaker 1: and faith, an intense horror of superstition, and he scoffs 407 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:22,760 Speaker 1: openly at any talk of things not to be felt 408 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: and seen and put down in figures. John is a physician, 409 00:23:27,040 --> 00:23:30,200 Speaker 1: and perhaps I would not say it to a living soul, 410 00:23:30,240 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 1: of course, but this is dead paper and a great 411 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:36,800 Speaker 1: relief to my mind. Perhaps that is one reason I 412 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 1: do not get well faster. You see, he does not 413 00:23:40,320 --> 00:23:43,480 Speaker 1: believe I am sick. And what can one do If 414 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:47,440 Speaker 1: a physician of high standing and one's own husband assures 415 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 1: friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter 416 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,760 Speaker 1: with one but temporary nervous depression, a slight hysterical tendency, 417 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:58,160 Speaker 1: what is one to do. My brother is also a physician, 418 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: and also of high standing, and he says the same thing. 419 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: So I take phosphates or phosph fights, whichever it is, 420 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:09,159 Speaker 1: and tonics and journeys and air and exercise, and I'm 421 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:14,040 Speaker 1: absolutely forbidden to work until I am well again. By 422 00:24:14,040 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: the way she put work in quotation marks, which I 423 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: think was quite policy for the time. Yeah, little cynical, 424 00:24:20,359 --> 00:24:26,159 Speaker 1: for personally I disagree with their ideas. Personally I believe 425 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: that congenial work, with excitement and change would do me good. 426 00:24:29,920 --> 00:24:32,240 Speaker 1: But what is one to do. I did write for 427 00:24:32,280 --> 00:24:35,280 Speaker 1: a while in spite of them, but it does exhaust 428 00:24:35,359 --> 00:24:37,920 Speaker 1: me a good deal having to be so sly about 429 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:41,320 Speaker 1: it or else be met with heavy opposition. I sometimes 430 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,280 Speaker 1: fancy that, in my condition, if I had less opposition 431 00:24:44,359 --> 00:24:48,040 Speaker 1: and more society and stimulus. But John says, the very 432 00:24:48,040 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 1: worst thing I can do is to think about my condition, 433 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: and I confess it always makes me feel bad. So 434 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,480 Speaker 1: I will let it alone and talk about the house, 435 00:24:56,920 --> 00:25:00,160 Speaker 1: the most beautiful place. It is quite alone, standing well 436 00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: back from the road, quite three miles from the village. 437 00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: It makes me think of English places that you read about. 438 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: For there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, 439 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,080 Speaker 1: and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people. 440 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,520 Speaker 1: There is a delicious garden. I never saw such a garden, 441 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:17,600 Speaker 1: large and shady, full of box bordered paths and line 442 00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 1: with long grape covered arbors with seats under them. There 443 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:24,199 Speaker 1: were greenhouses too, but they're all broken now. There was 444 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,800 Speaker 1: some legal trouble. I believe something about the airs and 445 00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 1: co airs. Anyhow, the place has been empty for years 446 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,400 Speaker 1: that spoils my ghostliness. I'm afraid, but I don't care. 447 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:35,840 Speaker 1: There's something strange about the house. I can feel it. 448 00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,919 Speaker 1: I even said so to John one moonlit evening, but 449 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:41,480 Speaker 1: he said what I felt was a draft and shut 450 00:25:41,480 --> 00:25:45,400 Speaker 1: the window. I get unreasonably angry with John sometimes. I'm 451 00:25:45,440 --> 00:25:47,960 Speaker 1: sure I never used to be so sensitive. I think 452 00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: it is due to the nervous condition. But John says 453 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: if I feel so, I shall neglect proper self control. 454 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,960 Speaker 1: So I take pains to control myself before him at least, 455 00:25:57,359 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 1: and that makes me very tired. I don't like our 456 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 1: room a bit. I wanted one downstairs that opened on 457 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:06,320 Speaker 1: the piazza and had roses all over the window and 458 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,560 Speaker 1: such pretty old fashioned chintz hangings. But John would not 459 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,679 Speaker 1: hear of it. He said there was only one window, 460 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:17,679 Speaker 1: and not room for two beds. Nice touch, and no 461 00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: near room for him if he took another. He is 462 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:22,760 Speaker 1: very careful and loving and hardly lets me stir without 463 00:26:22,800 --> 00:26:27,160 Speaker 1: special direction. I have a schedule, prescription for each hour 464 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,119 Speaker 1: in the day. He takes all care from me, so 465 00:26:30,160 --> 00:26:34,200 Speaker 1: I feel basely ungrateful not to value it more. He said. 466 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:36,720 Speaker 1: We came here solely on my account, that I was 467 00:26:36,760 --> 00:26:38,760 Speaker 1: to have perfect rest and all the air I could get. 468 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:42,879 Speaker 1: Your exercise depends on your strengthen my idea, he said, 469 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:46,199 Speaker 1: like that, and your food somewhat on your appetite. But 470 00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:49,200 Speaker 1: air you can absorb all the time. So we took 471 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 1: the nursery at the top of the house. It was 472 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 1: a big airy room, the whole floor nearly with windows 473 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:57,879 Speaker 1: that look always and air and sunshine galore. It was 474 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:01,040 Speaker 1: a nursery first, and then play room and aymnasium, I 475 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,240 Speaker 1: should judge, for the windows are barred for little children, 476 00:27:04,680 --> 00:27:07,760 Speaker 1: and there are rings and things in the walls. The 477 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 1: paint and paper look as if a boy's school had 478 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:13,560 Speaker 1: used it. It is stripped off the paper and great 479 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 1: patches all around the head of my bed, about as 480 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,639 Speaker 1: far as I can reach, and in a great place 481 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: on the other side of the room low down. I 482 00:27:20,960 --> 00:27:23,960 Speaker 1: never saw a worse paper in my life. One of 483 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:28,119 Speaker 1: those sprawling, flamboyant patterns, committing every artistic sin it is 484 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 1: dull enough to confuse the eye, and following pronounced enough 485 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: to constantly irritate and provoke study. And when you follow 486 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:38,560 Speaker 1: the lame, uncertain curves for a little distance, they suddenly 487 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:43,119 Speaker 1: commit suicide, plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves, and 488 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:48,840 Speaker 1: unheard of contradictions. The color is repellent, almost revolting, a smoldering, 489 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: unclean yellow, strangely faded by the slow turning sunlight. It 490 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: is a dull yet lurid orange, in some places, a 491 00:27:56,920 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: sickly sulfur tin in others. No wonder the children hated it. 492 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: I should hate it myself if I had to live 493 00:28:03,040 --> 00:28:06,320 Speaker 1: in this room long. There comes John. I must put 494 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,639 Speaker 1: this away. He hates to have me write a word, 495 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:15,240 Speaker 1: all right, not bad. It sounds to me early on 496 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,800 Speaker 1: like this lady is already a prisoner in this room, 497 00:28:17,960 --> 00:28:21,040 Speaker 1: a prisoner in her life. Maybe even Chuck, you could say, 498 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,119 Speaker 1: I think so, I don't. John strikes me. He's one 499 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:26,760 Speaker 1: of those doctors. It's like, uh, you know, just breathe 500 00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:28,359 Speaker 1: into this bag for a bit and you'll be fine. 501 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:32,280 Speaker 1: Don't question me, or I'll have you surgically murdered. All right, 502 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,000 Speaker 1: take it away, We've been here two weeks, and I 503 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 1: haven't felt like writing before since that first day. I'm 504 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,400 Speaker 1: sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery, 505 00:28:42,640 --> 00:28:44,719 Speaker 1: and there's nothing to hinder my writing as much as 506 00:28:44,760 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: I please, save lack of strength. John is away all 507 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:50,960 Speaker 1: day and even some nights when his cases are serious. 508 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:54,600 Speaker 1: I'm glad my case is not serious, but these nervous 509 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: troubles are dreadfully depressing. John does not know how much 510 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: I really suffer. He knows there is no reason to suffer, 511 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:05,000 Speaker 1: and that satisfies it. Of course, it is only nervousness. 512 00:29:05,040 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: It does weigh on me so not to do my 513 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,640 Speaker 1: duty in any way. I'm meant to be such a 514 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:12,480 Speaker 1: help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and 515 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,400 Speaker 1: here I am a comparative burden. Already. Nobody would believe 516 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: what an effort it is to do what little I 517 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:22,160 Speaker 1: am able to dress and entertain and order things. It 518 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,840 Speaker 1: is fortunate Mary is so good with the baby, such 519 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: a dear baby, and yet I cannot be with him. 520 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: It makes me so nervous. I suppose John never was 521 00:29:31,840 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: nervous in his life. He laughs at me so about 522 00:29:34,640 --> 00:29:38,280 Speaker 1: this wallpaper. At first, he meant to repaper the room. 523 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,440 Speaker 1: But afterwards he said that I was letting it get 524 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:42,320 Speaker 1: the better of me, and that nothing was worse for 525 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,800 Speaker 1: a nervous patient than to give way to such fancies. 526 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: He said that after the wallpaper was changed, it would 527 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 1: be the heavy bedstead, and then the barred windows, and 528 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 1: then the gate at the head of the stairs and 529 00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:55,240 Speaker 1: so on. You know, this place is doing you good, 530 00:29:55,280 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: he said. And really, dear, I don't care to renovate 531 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: the house, just for three months rental. Then let us 532 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: go downstairs. I said, there's such pretty rooms there. Then 533 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:06,480 Speaker 1: he took me in his arms, and he called me 534 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 1: a blessed little goose, and he said he would go 535 00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,240 Speaker 1: down to the cellar if I wished, and have it 536 00:30:11,280 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: whitewashed into the bargain. But he has right enough about 537 00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: the beds and windows and things. It is an airy 538 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: and comfortable room as anyone need wish. And of course 539 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:22,400 Speaker 1: I would not be so silly as to make him 540 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 1: uncomfortable just for a whim. I'm really getting quite fond 541 00:30:25,880 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 1: of the big room, all about that horrid paper. Out 542 00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 1: of one window I can see the garden, those mysterious 543 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:35,880 Speaker 1: deep shaded arbors, the riotous old fashioned flowers and bushes 544 00:30:35,880 --> 00:30:38,960 Speaker 1: and gnarly trees. Out of another, I get a lovely 545 00:30:39,040 --> 00:30:41,520 Speaker 1: view of the bay. In a little private wharf belonging 546 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: to the estate. There is a beautiful shaded lane that 547 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:47,520 Speaker 1: runs down there from the house. I always fancy that 548 00:30:47,560 --> 00:30:50,560 Speaker 1: I see people walking in these numerous paths and arbors. 549 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 1: But John has cautioned me not to give way to 550 00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: fancy in the least. He says that with my imaginative 551 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: power and habit of story making, a nervous weakness like 552 00:30:58,280 --> 00:31:01,000 Speaker 1: mine is sure to lead to all manner of excited fancies, 553 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:03,200 Speaker 1: and that I ought to use my will in good 554 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 1: sense to check the tendency. So I try. I think 555 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,600 Speaker 1: sometimes that if I were only well enough to write 556 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:11,959 Speaker 1: a little, it would relieve the press of ideas and 557 00:31:12,040 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: rest me. But I find I get pretty tired when 558 00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:18,280 Speaker 1: I try. It is so discouraging not to have any 559 00:31:18,320 --> 00:31:21,680 Speaker 1: advice and companionship about my work. When I get really well, 560 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: John says we will ask cousin Henry and Julia down 561 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: for a long visit. But he says he would as 562 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 1: soon put fireworks in my pillow cases to let me 563 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:31,960 Speaker 1: have those stimulating people about. Now. I wish I would 564 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:34,920 Speaker 1: get well faster, but I must not think about that. 565 00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 1: This paper looks to me as if it knew what 566 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: a vicious influence it had. There's a recurrent spot where 567 00:31:40,520 --> 00:31:43,720 Speaker 1: the patterned laws like a broken neck, two bulbous eyes 568 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 1: that stare at you upside down. I get positively angry 569 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 1: with the impertinence of it, and the everlasting nous. Up 570 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:53,600 Speaker 1: and down in sideways they crawl, and those absurd, unblinking 571 00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,760 Speaker 1: eyes are everywhere. There is one place where two breaths 572 00:31:56,760 --> 00:32:00,040 Speaker 1: didn't match, and the eyes go all up and on 573 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,840 Speaker 1: the line, one a little higher than the other. I 574 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,880 Speaker 1: never saw so much expression in an inanimate thing before, 575 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:09,040 Speaker 1: and we all know how much expression they have. I 576 00:32:09,160 --> 00:32:11,160 Speaker 1: used to lie awake as a child and get more 577 00:32:11,320 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 1: entertainment and terror out of blank walls and plain furniture 578 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 1: than most children could find in a toy store. I 579 00:32:17,080 --> 00:32:20,200 Speaker 1: remember what kindly wink the knobs of our big old 580 00:32:20,240 --> 00:32:22,760 Speaker 1: bureau used to have. And there was one chair that 581 00:32:22,800 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: always seemed like a strong friend. He used to feel 582 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,240 Speaker 1: that if any of the other things looked too fierce, 583 00:32:28,440 --> 00:32:30,400 Speaker 1: I could always hop into that chair and be safe. 584 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:34,240 Speaker 1: The furniture in this room is no worse than inharmonious, however, 585 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 1: for we had to bring it all from downstairs. I 586 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,920 Speaker 1: suppose when this was used as a playroom they had 587 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 1: to take the nursery things out, And no wonder, I 588 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 1: never saw such ravages as the children have made here. 589 00:32:45,400 --> 00:32:48,520 Speaker 1: The wallpaper, as I said before, is torn off in spots, 590 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:51,280 Speaker 1: and it sticketh closer than a brother. They must have 591 00:32:51,280 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 1: had perseverance as well as hatred. Then the floor is 592 00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:57,640 Speaker 1: scratched and gouged and splintered. The plaster itself is dug 593 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:00,240 Speaker 1: out here or there. And this great heavy bed, which 594 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:02,200 Speaker 1: is all we found in the room, looks as if 595 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: it has been through the wars. But I don't mind 596 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:09,520 Speaker 1: it a bit, only the paper. There comes John's sister. 597 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,480 Speaker 1: Such a dear girl as she is, and so careful 598 00:33:12,520 --> 00:33:14,600 Speaker 1: of me, I must not let her find me writing. 599 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 1: She's a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no 600 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:21,200 Speaker 1: better profession. I verily believe she thinks it is the 601 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: writing which made me sick. But I can write when 602 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:25,960 Speaker 1: she is out and see her A long way off 603 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:29,280 Speaker 1: from these windows. There's one that commands the road, a 604 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,280 Speaker 1: lovely shaded, winding road, and one that just looks off 605 00:33:32,360 --> 00:33:35,640 Speaker 1: over the country, A lovely country too, full of elms 606 00:33:35,640 --> 00:33:39,560 Speaker 1: and velvet meadows. This wallpaper has a kind of sub 607 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:44,480 Speaker 1: pattern in a different shade, particularly irritating one, for you 608 00:33:44,520 --> 00:33:47,000 Speaker 1: can only see it in certain lights, and not clearly then, 609 00:33:47,800 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: but in the places where it isn't faded, where the 610 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:53,440 Speaker 1: sun is just so, I can see a strange, provoking, 611 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:57,200 Speaker 1: formless sort of figure that seems to skulk about behind 612 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:01,800 Speaker 1: that silly and conspicuous front design. There's sister on the stairs. 613 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,640 Speaker 1: Do you ever call uh? You me a blessed little goose? Yeah? 614 00:34:07,360 --> 00:34:09,680 Speaker 1: Every day. I couldn't believe the lady took the words 615 00:34:09,760 --> 00:34:11,239 Speaker 1: right out of my mouth. How does that go over? 616 00:34:11,560 --> 00:34:15,239 Speaker 1: It doesn't go over? Well, I have shin splints from 617 00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:18,440 Speaker 1: all right, So the lady is here she uh we 618 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:21,440 Speaker 1: now have learned that her sister in law is the 619 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:25,799 Speaker 1: housekeeper and nanny of her baby. That she doesn't see right, 620 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:31,440 Speaker 1: and she's in this room going a little nuts? Was 621 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 1: she well to begin with? Who knows? Well? I don't know. 622 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:37,280 Speaker 1: I think the fact that she's saying like I've always 623 00:34:37,360 --> 00:34:43,400 Speaker 1: considered furniture capable of moving and possessing a personality. I 624 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:45,239 Speaker 1: don't know if you call that nuts, but maybe she 625 00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: has an imagination. The groundwork is there, all right. Here 626 00:34:47,719 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: we go. Well, the fourth of July is over. The 627 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:55,319 Speaker 1: people are gone, and I am tired out. John did 628 00:34:55,320 --> 00:35:00,160 Speaker 1: put fireworks in my pillow case. I'm just kidding. The 629 00:35:00,160 --> 00:35:02,399 Speaker 1: people are gone and I am tired out. John thought 630 00:35:02,440 --> 00:35:04,320 Speaker 1: it might do me some good to see a little company, 631 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,640 Speaker 1: so we just had Mother and Nelly and the children 632 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:09,879 Speaker 1: down for a week. Of course, I didn't do a thing. 633 00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:12,920 Speaker 1: Jenny sees to everything now, but it tired me all 634 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 1: the same. John says, if I don't pick up faster, 635 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 1: he shall send me over to Weir Mitchell and the Fall. 636 00:35:18,840 --> 00:35:20,600 Speaker 1: But I don't want to go there at all. I 637 00:35:20,640 --> 00:35:23,160 Speaker 1: had a friend who was in his hands once, and 638 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: she says he is just like John and my brother, 639 00:35:25,480 --> 00:35:31,320 Speaker 1: only more so, that is to say, a nineteenth century man. Besides, 640 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:34,000 Speaker 1: it is such an undertaking to go so far. I 641 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,879 Speaker 1: don't feel as if it was worth while to turn 642 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:40,040 Speaker 1: my hand over for anything, And I'm getting dreadfully fretful 643 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:44,120 Speaker 1: and querulous. I cry it nothing and cry most at 644 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:46,839 Speaker 1: the time. Of course, I don't want John is here 645 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:50,120 Speaker 1: or anybody else. But when I am alone, and I'm 646 00:35:50,160 --> 00:35:53,000 Speaker 1: alone a good deal. Just now. John is kept in 647 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:56,959 Speaker 1: town very often by serious cases. And Jenny is good 648 00:35:56,960 --> 00:35:59,759 Speaker 1: and lets me alone when I want her too. So 649 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 1: I walk a little in the garden or down that 650 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:04,640 Speaker 1: lovely lane, sit on the porch under the roses, and 651 00:36:05,160 --> 00:36:08,480 Speaker 1: lie down up here. A good deal. I'm getting really 652 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,960 Speaker 1: fond of the room, in spite of the wallpaper. Perhaps 653 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 1: because of the wallpaper, it dwells in my mind. So 654 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,160 Speaker 1: I lie here on this great immovable bed. It is 655 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:22,759 Speaker 1: nailed down, I believe, and follow that pattern about by 656 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:26,120 Speaker 1: the hour. It is as good as gymnastics, I assure you. 657 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,640 Speaker 1: I start, will say at the bottom, down in the 658 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:32,759 Speaker 1: corner over there, where it has not been touched, and 659 00:36:32,840 --> 00:36:36,560 Speaker 1: I determine for the thousandth time that I will follow 660 00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,640 Speaker 1: that pointless pattern to some sort of conclusion. I know 661 00:36:40,719 --> 00:36:43,040 Speaker 1: a little of the principle of design, and I know 662 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,880 Speaker 1: this thing was not arranged on any laws of radiation 663 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:49,680 Speaker 1: or alternation or repetition or symmetry or anything else that 664 00:36:49,719 --> 00:36:53,080 Speaker 1: I've ever heard of. It is repeated, of course by 665 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:56,640 Speaker 1: the breadths, but not otherwise looked at. In one way, 666 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:01,239 Speaker 1: each breath stands alone. The bloated curves and wishes kind 667 00:37:01,239 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: of debased Romanesque with delirium. Tremens go waddling up and 668 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:10,399 Speaker 1: down in isolated columns of fatuity. But on the other hand, 669 00:37:10,440 --> 00:37:14,080 Speaker 1: they connect diagonally, and the sprawling outlines run off in 670 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:17,719 Speaker 1: great slanting ways of optic horror, like a lot of 671 00:37:17,719 --> 00:37:21,719 Speaker 1: wallowing seaweeds in full chase. The whole thing goes horizontally too, 672 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 1: at least it seems so, and I exhaust myself in 673 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: trying to distinguish the order of its going in that direction. 674 00:37:29,719 --> 00:37:32,680 Speaker 1: They have used a horizontal breadth for a frieze, and 675 00:37:32,719 --> 00:37:35,759 Speaker 1: that adds wonderfully to the confusion. There is one end 676 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:38,520 Speaker 1: of the room where it is almost intact, and there, 677 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:41,600 Speaker 1: when the cross lights fade and the low sun shines 678 00:37:41,640 --> 00:37:45,399 Speaker 1: directly upon it, I can almost fancy radiation. After all, 679 00:37:46,120 --> 00:37:49,360 Speaker 1: the interminable grotesque seemed to form around a common center 680 00:37:49,760 --> 00:37:53,239 Speaker 1: and rush off and headlong plunges of equal distraction. It 681 00:37:53,320 --> 00:37:56,239 Speaker 1: makes me tired to follow it. I will take a nap. 682 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:58,759 Speaker 1: I guess I don't know why I should write this. 683 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:02,120 Speaker 1: I don't want to. I don't feel able, and I 684 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:05,040 Speaker 1: know John would think it's absurd, But I must say 685 00:38:05,080 --> 00:38:07,520 Speaker 1: what I feel and think in some way. It is 686 00:38:07,560 --> 00:38:10,160 Speaker 1: such a relief, But the effort is getting to be 687 00:38:10,239 --> 00:38:13,240 Speaker 1: greater than the relief half the time. Now I am 688 00:38:13,280 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 1: awfully lazy and lie down ever so much. John says 689 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 1: I mustn't lose my strength, and has me take cod, 690 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:23,480 Speaker 1: liver oil and lots of tonics and things, to say 691 00:38:23,520 --> 00:38:27,080 Speaker 1: nothing of ale and wine and rare meat. Dear John, 692 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:30,480 Speaker 1: he loves me very dearly and hates to have me sick. 693 00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 1: I tried to have a real, earnest, reasonable talk with 694 00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:35,800 Speaker 1: him the other day and tell him how I wish 695 00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:37,920 Speaker 1: you would let me go and make a visit to 696 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:40,719 Speaker 1: cousin Henry and Julia. But he said I wasn't able 697 00:38:40,760 --> 00:38:43,600 Speaker 1: to go, nor able to stand it after I got there. 698 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:46,200 Speaker 1: And I did not make out a very good case 699 00:38:46,239 --> 00:38:49,160 Speaker 1: for myself, for I was crying before I had finished. 700 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: Is getting to be a great effort for me to 701 00:38:52,239 --> 00:38:56,439 Speaker 1: think straight, just this nervous weakness, I suppose, And dear 702 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:58,920 Speaker 1: John gathered me up in his arms and just carried 703 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 1: me upstairs and laid me on the bed and sat 704 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:04,359 Speaker 1: by me and read to me till get tired. My 705 00:39:05,200 --> 00:39:11,000 Speaker 1: poor little goose head sorry. I feel terrible for this lady. 706 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:13,759 Speaker 1: I do, and it just really is suffering from like 707 00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:18,719 Speaker 1: massive depression, yeah for sure. And and on top of that, 708 00:39:18,760 --> 00:39:21,040 Speaker 1: she's being locked in her room that's driving her nuts 709 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:23,879 Speaker 1: by her husband. Yeah, I think that's the problem here. 710 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:28,239 Speaker 1: He said I was his darling and his comfort and 711 00:39:28,280 --> 00:39:30,440 Speaker 1: all he had, and that I must take care of 712 00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:33,399 Speaker 1: myself for his sake and keep well. He says, yeah, 713 00:39:33,400 --> 00:39:37,000 Speaker 1: because it's all about John, right right, get better for me. 714 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:40,680 Speaker 1: Why can't you just get better? He says, No one 715 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:42,719 Speaker 1: but myself can help me out of it. That I 716 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:45,160 Speaker 1: must use my will and self control and not let 717 00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:48,240 Speaker 1: any silly fancies run away with me. There's one comfort. 718 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:51,319 Speaker 1: The baby is well and happy and does not have 719 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:55,839 Speaker 1: to occupy this nursery with that horrid wall paper. If 720 00:39:55,880 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: we had not used it, that blessed child would have 721 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,720 Speaker 1: What a fortunate escape. Why I wouldn't have a child 722 00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:06,080 Speaker 1: of mine, an impressionable little thing, live in such a 723 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:09,000 Speaker 1: room for worlds. I never thought of it before, But 724 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,200 Speaker 1: it is lucky that John kept me here. After all. 725 00:40:11,719 --> 00:40:13,720 Speaker 1: I can stand it so much easier than a baby, 726 00:40:13,760 --> 00:40:17,120 Speaker 1: you see. Of course I never mentioned it to them anymore. 727 00:40:17,320 --> 00:40:19,959 Speaker 1: I am too wise, but I keep watching it all 728 00:40:20,040 --> 00:40:22,840 Speaker 1: the same. There are things in that paper that nobody 729 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:26,480 Speaker 1: knows but me, or ever will. Behind that outside pattern, 730 00:40:26,840 --> 00:40:30,400 Speaker 1: the dim shapes get clearer every day. It is always 731 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:34,400 Speaker 1: the same shape, only very numerous. And it is like 732 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:38,440 Speaker 1: a woman stooping down and creeping about behind that pattern. 733 00:40:38,920 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: I don't like it a bit, I wonder. I begin 734 00:40:41,719 --> 00:40:44,680 Speaker 1: to think. I wish John would take me away from here. 735 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:47,720 Speaker 1: It is so hard to talk to John about my case, 736 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:51,080 Speaker 1: because he is so wise, because he loves me so 737 00:40:51,680 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 1: But I tried. Last night, it was moonlight. The moon 738 00:40:55,440 --> 00:40:58,560 Speaker 1: shines in all around, just as the sun does. I 739 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,160 Speaker 1: hate to see it. Sometimes it creeps so slowly and 740 00:41:01,200 --> 00:41:04,920 Speaker 1: always comes in by one window or another. John was asleep, 741 00:41:04,960 --> 00:41:07,279 Speaker 1: and I hated to waken him, so I kept still 742 00:41:07,320 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 1: and watched the moonlight on that undulating wallpaper until I 743 00:41:10,239 --> 00:41:14,120 Speaker 1: felt creepy. The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, 744 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:16,839 Speaker 1: just as if she wanted to get out. I got 745 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,120 Speaker 1: up softly and went to feel and see if the 746 00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:22,200 Speaker 1: paper did move. When I came back, John was awake. 747 00:41:22,800 --> 00:41:25,560 Speaker 1: What is it, little girl? He said, don't go walking 748 00:41:25,600 --> 00:41:28,560 Speaker 1: about like that, you'll get cold. I thought it was 749 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 1: a good time to talk, so I told him that 750 00:41:30,520 --> 00:41:33,000 Speaker 1: I was really not gaining here, and that I wished 751 00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:35,880 Speaker 1: he would take me away. Why, darling, said he, or 752 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:37,960 Speaker 1: at least will be up in three weeks, and I 753 00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:40,759 Speaker 1: can't see how to leave before the repairs are not 754 00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:43,640 Speaker 1: done at home, and I cannot possibly leave town just now. 755 00:41:43,960 --> 00:41:45,839 Speaker 1: Of course, if you were in any danger, I could 756 00:41:45,920 --> 00:41:48,400 Speaker 1: and would. But you really are better, dear, whether you 757 00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:50,640 Speaker 1: can see it or not. I am a doctor, dear, 758 00:41:50,760 --> 00:41:54,359 Speaker 1: and I know you are gaining flesh and color. Your 759 00:41:54,400 --> 00:41:57,960 Speaker 1: appetite is better. I feel really much easier about you. 760 00:41:58,719 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 1: I don't weigh a bit more, or said I, nor 761 00:42:01,200 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 1: as much, and my appetite maybe better in the evening 762 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:06,080 Speaker 1: when you are here, but it is worse in the 763 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:09,640 Speaker 1: morning when you were away. Bless her little heart, said he, 764 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:12,520 Speaker 1: with a big hug. She shall be as sick as 765 00:42:12,560 --> 00:42:15,440 Speaker 1: she pleases. But now let's improve the shining hours by 766 00:42:15,480 --> 00:42:17,520 Speaker 1: going to sleep and talk about it in the morning. 767 00:42:18,320 --> 00:42:22,280 Speaker 1: And you won't go away, I asked gloomily, How can I, dear? 768 00:42:22,600 --> 00:42:24,399 Speaker 1: It is only three weeks more, and then we will 769 00:42:24,440 --> 00:42:26,439 Speaker 1: take a nice little trip of a few days. While 770 00:42:26,520 --> 00:42:29,080 Speaker 1: Jeanie is getting the house ready. Really, dear, you are 771 00:42:29,200 --> 00:42:33,360 Speaker 1: better better in body? Perhaps I began and then stop short, 772 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:35,400 Speaker 1: Or he sat up straight and looked at me with 773 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:38,319 Speaker 1: such a stern, reproachful look that I could not say 774 00:42:38,320 --> 00:42:42,440 Speaker 1: another word. My darling, I beg of you, for my 775 00:42:42,560 --> 00:42:44,600 Speaker 1: sake and for our child's sake, as well as of 776 00:42:44,680 --> 00:42:47,960 Speaker 1: your own, that you will never, for one instant let 777 00:42:47,960 --> 00:42:51,400 Speaker 1: that idea enter your mind. There is nothing so dangerous, 778 00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:54,239 Speaker 1: so fascinating to a temperament like yours. It is a 779 00:42:54,280 --> 00:42:57,239 Speaker 1: false and foolish fancy. Can you not trust me as 780 00:42:57,280 --> 00:43:00,600 Speaker 1: a physician when I tell you so? So? Of course 781 00:43:00,640 --> 00:43:02,520 Speaker 1: I said no more on that score, and we went 782 00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:05,680 Speaker 1: to sleep before long. He thought I was asleep first, 783 00:43:05,760 --> 00:43:08,279 Speaker 1: but I wasn't, and lay there for hours trying to 784 00:43:08,320 --> 00:43:11,160 Speaker 1: decide whether that front pattern and the back pattern really 785 00:43:11,160 --> 00:43:14,960 Speaker 1: did move together or separately. On a pattern like this 786 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:19,080 Speaker 1: by daylight, there's a lack of sequence, defines of law 787 00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:23,120 Speaker 1: that is constant irritant to a normal mind. Color is 788 00:43:23,200 --> 00:43:26,960 Speaker 1: hideous enough, and unreliable enough, and infuriating enough, but the 789 00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:30,600 Speaker 1: pattern is torturing. You think you have mastered it, but 790 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:33,200 Speaker 1: just as you get well underway and following it turns 791 00:43:33,239 --> 00:43:36,080 Speaker 1: back a somersault, and there you are. It slaps you 792 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:38,320 Speaker 1: in the face, knocks you down, and tramples you. It 793 00:43:38,440 --> 00:43:41,680 Speaker 1: is like a bad dream. The outside pattern is a 794 00:43:41,680 --> 00:43:45,839 Speaker 1: florid arabesque reminding one of a fungus. If you can 795 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:50,560 Speaker 1: imagine a toadstool in joints, an interminable string of toadstools, 796 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:54,160 Speaker 1: budding and sprouting and endless convolutions, why that is something 797 00:43:54,239 --> 00:43:59,160 Speaker 1: like it? That is, sometimes there's one marked peculiarity about 798 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:01,760 Speaker 1: this paper, a thing nobody seems to notice but myself, 799 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:04,720 Speaker 1: and that is that it changes as the light changes 800 00:44:05,320 --> 00:44:08,000 Speaker 1: when the sun shoots in through the east window. I 801 00:44:08,000 --> 00:44:11,240 Speaker 1: always watched for that first long straight ray. It changes 802 00:44:11,280 --> 00:44:14,160 Speaker 1: so quickly that I never can quite believe it. That 803 00:44:14,280 --> 00:44:17,359 Speaker 1: is why I always watch it by moonlight. The moon 804 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:19,920 Speaker 1: shines in all night. When there is a moon, I 805 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:22,400 Speaker 1: wouldn't know it was the same paper at night in 806 00:44:22,480 --> 00:44:26,000 Speaker 1: any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst 807 00:44:26,000 --> 00:44:29,720 Speaker 1: of all, by moonlight, it becomes bars. The outside pattern 808 00:44:29,800 --> 00:44:32,160 Speaker 1: I mean, and the woman behind it is as plain 809 00:44:32,239 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 1: as can be. I didn't realize for a long time 810 00:44:35,160 --> 00:44:38,720 Speaker 1: what the thing was that showed behind that dim sub pattern. 811 00:44:39,040 --> 00:44:41,120 Speaker 1: But now I am quite sure it is a woman. 812 00:44:41,840 --> 00:44:45,080 Speaker 1: By daylight, she is subdued quiet. I fancy it is 813 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:48,200 Speaker 1: the pattern that keeps her so still. It is so puzzling. 814 00:44:48,520 --> 00:44:51,440 Speaker 1: It keeps me quiet by the hour. I lie down 815 00:44:51,520 --> 00:44:54,040 Speaker 1: ever so much. Now John says it is good for 816 00:44:54,120 --> 00:44:57,360 Speaker 1: me and to sleep all I can. Indeed, he started 817 00:44:57,360 --> 00:44:59,480 Speaker 1: the habit by making me lie down for an hour 818 00:44:59,600 --> 00:45:03,480 Speaker 1: after each meal. It's a very bad habit, I am convinced. 819 00:45:03,520 --> 00:45:07,080 Speaker 1: For you see, I don't sleep, and that cultivates deceit 820 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:10,080 Speaker 1: for I don't tell them I'm awake. Oh No. The 821 00:45:10,120 --> 00:45:13,600 Speaker 1: fact is I'm getting a little afraid of John. It 822 00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:18,080 Speaker 1: seems very queer sometimes, and even Jenny has an inexplicable look. 823 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:22,640 Speaker 1: It strikes me occasionally just as a scientific hypothesis, but 824 00:45:22,760 --> 00:45:26,960 Speaker 1: perhaps it is the paper. All right, un she's coming 825 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:29,720 Speaker 1: to her senses, right. I don't know if you would 826 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:33,719 Speaker 1: call that a scientific hypothesis, but yeah, she seems to 827 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:37,719 Speaker 1: be like, oh I mean about John, right, yeah, okay, yes, 828 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:44,640 Speaker 1: agreed this quote position unquote mm hmm, all right. I've 829 00:45:44,680 --> 00:45:47,080 Speaker 1: watched John when he did not know I was looking, 830 00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:50,360 Speaker 1: and come into the room suddenly on the most innocent excuses, 831 00:45:50,719 --> 00:45:53,840 Speaker 1: and I've called him several times looking at the paper 832 00:45:54,239 --> 00:45:56,799 Speaker 1: and Jenny too. I caught Jenny with her hand on 833 00:45:56,840 --> 00:45:59,040 Speaker 1: it once. She didn't know I was in the room, 834 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:01,920 Speaker 1: and when I asked her, in a quiet, very quiet voice, 835 00:46:02,280 --> 00:46:05,359 Speaker 1: with the most restrained manner possible, what she was doing 836 00:46:05,400 --> 00:46:08,719 Speaker 1: with the paper, she turned around as if she had 837 00:46:08,719 --> 00:46:12,440 Speaker 1: been caught stealing, and looked quite angry and asked me 838 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:15,360 Speaker 1: why I should frighten her. So then she said that 839 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:18,800 Speaker 1: the paper stained everything it touched, and she had found 840 00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:22,719 Speaker 1: yellow smooches on all my clothes and John's, and she 841 00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:26,680 Speaker 1: wished we would be more careful. Did not that sound innocent? 842 00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:29,600 Speaker 1: But I know she was studying that pattern, and I 843 00:46:29,600 --> 00:46:33,040 Speaker 1: am determined that nobody shall find it out. But myself, 844 00:46:33,800 --> 00:46:35,920 Speaker 1: life is very much more exciting now than it used 845 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:38,640 Speaker 1: to be. You see, I have something more to expect, 846 00:46:38,640 --> 00:46:41,640 Speaker 1: to look forward to, to watch. I really do eat 847 00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:44,920 Speaker 1: better and more quiet than I was. John is so 848 00:46:45,000 --> 00:46:47,680 Speaker 1: pleased to see me improved. He laughed a little the 849 00:46:47,719 --> 00:46:50,000 Speaker 1: other day and said I seemed to be flourishing in 850 00:46:50,040 --> 00:46:53,680 Speaker 1: spite of my wallpaper. I turned it off with a laugh. 851 00:46:53,920 --> 00:46:56,200 Speaker 1: I had no intention of telling him it was because 852 00:46:56,280 --> 00:46:59,000 Speaker 1: of the wallpaper. He would make fun of me. He 853 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:01,799 Speaker 1: might even want to take me away. I don't want 854 00:47:01,800 --> 00:47:04,399 Speaker 1: to leave now until I have found it out. There 855 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:06,879 Speaker 1: is a week more, and I think that will be enough. 856 00:47:07,280 --> 00:47:10,200 Speaker 1: I'm feeling ever so much better. I don't sleep much 857 00:47:10,239 --> 00:47:13,520 Speaker 1: at night, for it is so interesting to watch the developments, 858 00:47:13,520 --> 00:47:16,160 Speaker 1: but I sleep a good deal in the daytime. In 859 00:47:16,160 --> 00:47:19,920 Speaker 1: the daytime it is tiresome and perplexing. There are always 860 00:47:19,960 --> 00:47:22,400 Speaker 1: new shoots on the fungus, and new shades of yellow 861 00:47:22,680 --> 00:47:25,799 Speaker 1: all over it. I cannot keep counting them, though I 862 00:47:25,800 --> 00:47:30,480 Speaker 1: have tried conscientiously. It is the strangest yellow that wallpaper. 863 00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:32,960 Speaker 1: It makes me think of all the yellow things I 864 00:47:33,000 --> 00:47:37,600 Speaker 1: ever saw, Not the beautiful ones like buttercups, but old, foul, 865 00:47:37,719 --> 00:47:42,520 Speaker 1: bad yellow things. There's something else about that paper, the smell. 866 00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:45,239 Speaker 1: I noticed it the moment we came in the room, 867 00:47:45,320 --> 00:47:47,799 Speaker 1: but with so much air and sun it was not bad. 868 00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:50,359 Speaker 1: Now we have had a week of fog and rain, 869 00:47:50,840 --> 00:47:53,120 Speaker 1: and whether the windows are open or not, the smell 870 00:47:53,239 --> 00:47:56,920 Speaker 1: is here. It creeps all over the house, find it 871 00:47:57,000 --> 00:48:00,480 Speaker 1: hovering in the dining room, skulking in the parlor, hiding 872 00:48:00,520 --> 00:48:03,440 Speaker 1: in the hall, lying in wait for me on the stairs. 873 00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:06,640 Speaker 1: It gets into my hair, even when I go to 874 00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:10,359 Speaker 1: ride by, turning my head suddenly in surprise. It there 875 00:48:10,440 --> 00:48:14,600 Speaker 1: is that smell, Such a peculiar odor too. I spend 876 00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:17,239 Speaker 1: hours in trying to analyze it, to find what it 877 00:48:17,360 --> 00:48:21,640 Speaker 1: smelled like. It is not bad at first, and very gentle, 878 00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:25,719 Speaker 1: but quite the subtlest, most enduring odor I ever met. 879 00:48:26,360 --> 00:48:29,040 Speaker 1: In this damp weather, it is awful. I wake up 880 00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:31,520 Speaker 1: in the night and find it hanging over me. It 881 00:48:31,760 --> 00:48:35,120 Speaker 1: used to disturb me. At first I thought seriously of 882 00:48:35,200 --> 00:48:39,400 Speaker 1: burning the house to reach the smell, but now I 883 00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:41,759 Speaker 1: am used to it. The only thing I can think 884 00:48:41,800 --> 00:48:44,560 Speaker 1: of that it is like is the color of the paper, 885 00:48:45,120 --> 00:48:48,640 Speaker 1: a yellow smell. There's a very funny mark on the 886 00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:51,640 Speaker 1: wall low down near the mopboard, a streak that runs 887 00:48:51,680 --> 00:48:54,719 Speaker 1: round the room. It goes behind every piece of furniture 888 00:48:54,840 --> 00:49:00,279 Speaker 1: except the bed, A long, straight, even smooch. What are 889 00:49:00,280 --> 00:49:04,840 Speaker 1: these smooches? I think she means like smear, smudge, Okay, smudge, 890 00:49:04,880 --> 00:49:08,239 Speaker 1: I think the old timey smudge. I'm gonna bring that back. 891 00:49:09,239 --> 00:49:11,439 Speaker 1: It goes behind every piece of furniture except the bed, 892 00:49:11,480 --> 00:49:14,200 Speaker 1: A long, straight, even smooch. As if it had been 893 00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:17,120 Speaker 1: rubbed over and over. I wonder how it was done 894 00:49:17,120 --> 00:49:19,000 Speaker 1: and who did it, and what they did it for. 895 00:49:19,680 --> 00:49:23,280 Speaker 1: Round and round and round, round and round and round. 896 00:49:23,960 --> 00:49:28,560 Speaker 1: It makes me dizzy. I really have discovered something at last, 897 00:49:29,120 --> 00:49:31,359 Speaker 1: through watching so much at night when it changes, so 898 00:49:31,520 --> 00:49:34,799 Speaker 1: I have finally found out the front pattern does move, 899 00:49:35,120 --> 00:49:41,720 Speaker 1: and no wonder the woman behind shakes it. Yeah, sometimes 900 00:49:41,719 --> 00:49:44,480 Speaker 1: I think there are a great many women behind, and 901 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:48,319 Speaker 1: sometimes only one, and she crawls around fast, and her 902 00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:51,520 Speaker 1: crawling shakes it all over. Then in the very bright 903 00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:55,320 Speaker 1: spots she keeps still, and in the very shady spots 904 00:49:55,360 --> 00:49:57,959 Speaker 1: she just takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard, 905 00:49:58,880 --> 00:50:01,640 Speaker 1: and she's all the time haring to climb through. But 906 00:50:01,719 --> 00:50:05,680 Speaker 1: nobody could climb through that pattern. It strangles, So I 907 00:50:05,719 --> 00:50:08,600 Speaker 1: think that is why it has so many heads. They 908 00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:11,520 Speaker 1: get through, and then the pattern strangles them off and 909 00:50:11,560 --> 00:50:14,920 Speaker 1: turns them upside down and makes their eyes white. If 910 00:50:14,960 --> 00:50:17,480 Speaker 1: those heads were covered or taken off, it would not 911 00:50:17,640 --> 00:50:20,719 Speaker 1: be half so bad. I think that woman gets out 912 00:50:20,760 --> 00:50:24,520 Speaker 1: in the daytime, and I'll tell you why. Privately. I've 913 00:50:24,520 --> 00:50:27,000 Speaker 1: seen her. I can see her out of every one 914 00:50:27,000 --> 00:50:29,399 Speaker 1: of my windows, and it's the same woman I know, 915 00:50:29,840 --> 00:50:32,840 Speaker 1: for she is always creeping, and most women do not 916 00:50:32,960 --> 00:50:37,120 Speaker 1: creep by daylight. That is very true, except little gooses. 917 00:50:38,280 --> 00:50:40,319 Speaker 1: I see her on that long road under the tree, 918 00:50:40,400 --> 00:50:43,440 Speaker 1: creeping along. When a carriage comes, she hides under the 919 00:50:43,440 --> 00:50:46,640 Speaker 1: BlackBerry vines. I don't blame her a bit. It must 920 00:50:46,640 --> 00:50:50,440 Speaker 1: be very humiliating to be out creeping by daylight. I 921 00:50:50,480 --> 00:50:53,080 Speaker 1: always locked the door when I creep by daylight. I 922 00:50:53,120 --> 00:50:54,920 Speaker 1: can't do it at night, for I know John will 923 00:50:54,920 --> 00:50:58,720 Speaker 1: suspect something at once. And John is so queer now 924 00:50:59,040 --> 00:51:01,680 Speaker 1: that I don't want to irritate him. I wish he 925 00:51:01,680 --> 00:51:04,920 Speaker 1: would take another room. Besides, I don't want anybody to 926 00:51:04,960 --> 00:51:07,959 Speaker 1: get that woman out at night. But myself often wonder 927 00:51:08,000 --> 00:51:09,600 Speaker 1: if I could see her out of all the windows 928 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:12,440 Speaker 1: at once, but turn as fast as I can. I 929 00:51:12,480 --> 00:51:15,440 Speaker 1: can only see out of one at a time, And 930 00:51:15,480 --> 00:51:18,239 Speaker 1: though I always see her, she may be able to 931 00:51:18,280 --> 00:51:21,640 Speaker 1: creep faster than I can turn. I watched her sometimes 932 00:51:21,880 --> 00:51:24,360 Speaker 1: away off in the open country, creeping as fast as 933 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:27,200 Speaker 1: a cloud shadow in a high wind. If only that 934 00:51:27,239 --> 00:51:29,520 Speaker 1: top pattern could be gotten off from the under one, 935 00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:32,279 Speaker 1: I mean to try it a little. By little, I 936 00:51:32,400 --> 00:51:34,920 Speaker 1: found out another funny thing, but I shan't tell it 937 00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:38,040 Speaker 1: this time. Does not do to trust people so much. 938 00:51:38,520 --> 00:51:40,839 Speaker 1: There are only two more days to get this paper off, 939 00:51:41,120 --> 00:51:43,840 Speaker 1: and I believe John is beginning to notice. I don't 940 00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:46,200 Speaker 1: like the look in his eyes. And I heard him 941 00:51:46,200 --> 00:51:49,600 Speaker 1: ask Jenny a lot of professional questions about me. She 942 00:51:49,760 --> 00:51:52,200 Speaker 1: had a very good report to give. She said, I 943 00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:54,960 Speaker 1: slept a good deal in the daytime. John knows I 944 00:51:55,000 --> 00:51:57,880 Speaker 1: don't sleep very well at night, for all, I'm so quiet. 945 00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:01,880 Speaker 1: He asked me all sorts of questions too, and pretended 946 00:52:01,920 --> 00:52:04,640 Speaker 1: to be very loving and kind, as if I couldn't 947 00:52:04,640 --> 00:52:08,080 Speaker 1: see through him. Still, I don't wonder he x o 948 00:52:08,840 --> 00:52:12,480 Speaker 1: sleeping under this paper for three months. It only interests me, 949 00:52:12,880 --> 00:52:15,760 Speaker 1: but I feel sure John and Jenny are secretly affected 950 00:52:15,800 --> 00:52:20,919 Speaker 1: by it. All right, take his home, brother taken at home. 951 00:52:22,360 --> 00:52:27,040 Speaker 1: Come on, poor lady, let's go hurrah. This is the 952 00:52:27,160 --> 00:52:30,360 Speaker 1: last day. But it is enough John to stay in 953 00:52:30,400 --> 00:52:33,400 Speaker 1: town overnight and won't be out until this evening. Jenny 954 00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:35,880 Speaker 1: wanted to sleep with me the sly thing, but I 955 00:52:35,960 --> 00:52:38,839 Speaker 1: told her I should undoubtedly rest better for a night 956 00:52:38,920 --> 00:52:42,760 Speaker 1: all alone. That was clever, for really, I wasn't alone 957 00:52:42,760 --> 00:52:45,239 Speaker 1: a bit as soon as it was moonlight, and that 958 00:52:45,280 --> 00:52:47,759 Speaker 1: poor thing began to crawl and shake the pattern. I 959 00:52:47,800 --> 00:52:50,160 Speaker 1: got up and ran to help her. I pulled and 960 00:52:50,200 --> 00:52:53,200 Speaker 1: she shook. I shook and she pulled, And before morning 961 00:52:53,200 --> 00:52:55,920 Speaker 1: we had peeled off yards of that paper, a strip 962 00:52:55,960 --> 00:52:58,640 Speaker 1: about as high as my head and half around the room. 963 00:52:58,719 --> 00:53:01,279 Speaker 1: And then when the sun came, that awful pattern began 964 00:53:01,320 --> 00:53:03,520 Speaker 1: to laugh at me. I declared I would finish it 965 00:53:03,600 --> 00:53:06,879 Speaker 1: to day. We go away tomorrow, and they are moving 966 00:53:06,920 --> 00:53:09,080 Speaker 1: all of my furniture down again, to leave things as 967 00:53:09,120 --> 00:53:12,359 Speaker 1: they were before. Jenny looked at the wall in amazement, 968 00:53:12,600 --> 00:53:14,480 Speaker 1: but I told her merrily that I did it out 969 00:53:14,480 --> 00:53:17,160 Speaker 1: of pure fite at the vicious thing. She laughed and 970 00:53:17,200 --> 00:53:19,680 Speaker 1: said she wouldn't mind doing it herself, but I must 971 00:53:19,680 --> 00:53:23,239 Speaker 1: not get tired. How she betrayed herself that time. But 972 00:53:23,360 --> 00:53:26,040 Speaker 1: I am here, and no person touches the paper but 973 00:53:26,280 --> 00:53:29,600 Speaker 1: me not alive. She tried to get me out of 974 00:53:29,640 --> 00:53:32,440 Speaker 1: the room, it was too patent, but I said it 975 00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:34,560 Speaker 1: was so quiet and empty and clean now that I 976 00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:37,160 Speaker 1: believed I would lie down again and sleep all I could, 977 00:53:37,440 --> 00:53:39,640 Speaker 1: and not to wake me even for dinner. I would 978 00:53:39,719 --> 00:53:42,680 Speaker 1: call when I woke. So now she is gone and 979 00:53:42,719 --> 00:53:44,680 Speaker 1: the servants are gone and the things are gone, and 980 00:53:44,719 --> 00:53:47,640 Speaker 1: there is nothing left with that great bedstead nailed down 981 00:53:47,920 --> 00:53:50,960 Speaker 1: with the canvas mattress we found on it. We shall 982 00:53:50,960 --> 00:53:54,680 Speaker 1: sleep downstairs tonight and take the boat home tomorrow. I 983 00:53:54,800 --> 00:53:57,360 Speaker 1: quite enjoy the room now, but it is bare again. 984 00:53:57,719 --> 00:54:00,840 Speaker 1: How those children did tear about here? The bedstet is 985 00:54:00,880 --> 00:54:03,960 Speaker 1: fairly gnawed. But I must get to work. I have 986 00:54:04,000 --> 00:54:05,960 Speaker 1: locked the door and thrown the key down into the 987 00:54:05,960 --> 00:54:08,759 Speaker 1: front path. I don't want to go out, and I 988 00:54:08,800 --> 00:54:11,240 Speaker 1: don't want to have anybody come in until John comes. 989 00:54:11,719 --> 00:54:15,879 Speaker 1: I wanted to astonish him. I've got a rope up here, 990 00:54:16,160 --> 00:54:19,120 Speaker 1: and that even Jenny did not find. If that woman 991 00:54:19,160 --> 00:54:21,160 Speaker 1: does get out and tries to get away, I can 992 00:54:21,200 --> 00:54:24,080 Speaker 1: tie her. But I forgot. I could not reach far 993 00:54:24,160 --> 00:54:27,600 Speaker 1: without anything to stand on. This bed will not move. 994 00:54:28,160 --> 00:54:30,120 Speaker 1: I tried to lift it and push it until I 995 00:54:30,200 --> 00:54:32,279 Speaker 1: was lame, and then I got so angry. I bit 996 00:54:32,360 --> 00:54:34,439 Speaker 1: off a little piece at one corner, but it hurt 997 00:54:34,480 --> 00:54:37,279 Speaker 1: my teeth. Then I peeled off all the paper I 998 00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:40,080 Speaker 1: could reach standing on the floor. It sticks horribly, and 999 00:54:40,160 --> 00:54:43,560 Speaker 1: the pattern just enjoys it. All those strangled heads and 1000 00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:47,520 Speaker 1: bulbous eyes and waddling fungus growths to shriek with derision. 1001 00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:51,439 Speaker 1: I'm getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump 1002 00:54:51,440 --> 00:54:54,400 Speaker 1: out the window would be an admirable exercise, but the 1003 00:54:54,400 --> 00:54:57,880 Speaker 1: bars are too strong to even try. Besides, I wouldn't 1004 00:54:57,920 --> 00:55:00,360 Speaker 1: do it, of course, not. I know well enough that 1005 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:03,200 Speaker 1: a step like that is improper. It might be misconstrued. 1006 00:55:03,640 --> 00:55:06,279 Speaker 1: I don't like to look out the windows even There 1007 00:55:06,280 --> 00:55:08,400 Speaker 1: are so many of those creeping women, and they creep 1008 00:55:08,520 --> 00:55:11,120 Speaker 1: so fast. I wonder if they all come out of 1009 00:55:11,120 --> 00:55:15,520 Speaker 1: that wallpaper as I did. But I am securely fastened 1010 00:55:15,520 --> 00:55:18,080 Speaker 1: now by my well hidden rope. You don't get me 1011 00:55:18,120 --> 00:55:20,880 Speaker 1: out into the road there. I suppose I shall have 1012 00:55:20,960 --> 00:55:23,160 Speaker 1: to get back behind the pattern when it comes at night, 1013 00:55:23,480 --> 00:55:25,960 Speaker 1: and that is hard. It is so pleasant to be 1014 00:55:26,000 --> 00:55:28,440 Speaker 1: out in this great room and creep around as I please. 1015 00:55:29,040 --> 00:55:31,520 Speaker 1: I don't want to go outside. I won't even if 1016 00:55:31,600 --> 00:55:34,080 Speaker 1: Jenny asks me to. For outside, you have to creep 1017 00:55:34,120 --> 00:55:36,600 Speaker 1: on the ground, and everything is green instead of yellow. 1018 00:55:37,000 --> 00:55:39,440 Speaker 1: But here I can creep smoothly on the floor, and 1019 00:55:39,480 --> 00:55:42,320 Speaker 1: my shoulder just fits in that long smooch around the wall, 1020 00:55:42,520 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 1: so I cannot lose my way. Why there's John at 1021 00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:48,319 Speaker 1: the door. It is no use, young man. You can't 1022 00:55:48,400 --> 00:55:51,520 Speaker 1: open it. How he does call and pound. Now he's 1023 00:55:51,560 --> 00:55:54,120 Speaker 1: crying for an axe. It would be ashamed to break 1024 00:55:54,120 --> 00:55:57,239 Speaker 1: down that beautiful door, John dear, said I, in the 1025 00:55:57,320 --> 00:55:59,880 Speaker 1: gentlest voice. The key is down by the front steps 1026 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:03,960 Speaker 1: under a plantain leaf. That silenced him for a few moments. 1027 00:56:04,400 --> 00:56:07,480 Speaker 1: Then he said, very quietly, indeed, opened the door, my darling, 1028 00:56:08,160 --> 00:56:10,400 Speaker 1: I can't, said I. The key is down by the 1029 00:56:10,440 --> 00:56:13,319 Speaker 1: front door, under a plantain leaf. And then I said 1030 00:56:13,360 --> 00:56:17,000 Speaker 1: it again several times, very gently and slowly, and said 1031 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:18,840 Speaker 1: it so often that he had to go and see. 1032 00:56:19,280 --> 00:56:20,880 Speaker 1: And he got it, of course, and he came in. 1033 00:56:21,719 --> 00:56:25,080 Speaker 1: He stopped short by the door. What is the matter, 1034 00:56:25,160 --> 00:56:28,040 Speaker 1: he cried, for God's sake, what are you doing? I 1035 00:56:28,120 --> 00:56:30,400 Speaker 1: kept on creeping just the same, But I looked at 1036 00:56:30,480 --> 00:56:33,319 Speaker 1: him over my shoulder. I've got out at last, said I, 1037 00:56:33,360 --> 00:56:35,799 Speaker 1: in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off 1038 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:38,680 Speaker 1: most of the paper, so you can't put me back. Now. 1039 00:56:38,680 --> 00:56:41,680 Speaker 1: Why should that man have fainted? But he did, and 1040 00:56:41,760 --> 00:56:44,040 Speaker 1: right across my path by the wall, so that I 1041 00:56:44,080 --> 00:56:55,400 Speaker 1: had to creep over him every time. Alrighty, that was 1042 00:56:55,400 --> 00:57:02,600 Speaker 1: a good story. Creeping she she became part of the wallpaper. Yeah, 1043 00:57:02,640 --> 00:57:07,240 Speaker 1: and I love how um Madam Perkins Uh to switch 1044 00:57:07,360 --> 00:57:10,239 Speaker 1: suddenly where your brains like, wait, what happened? And then 1045 00:57:10,400 --> 00:57:13,480 Speaker 1: it starts to sink in. It's great stuff. Yeah, very 1046 00:57:13,520 --> 00:57:17,120 Speaker 1: creepy uh and quite a feminist statement. Like I said, 1047 00:57:17,240 --> 00:57:18,880 Speaker 1: you don't have to read between any lines on that one. 1048 00:57:20,080 --> 00:57:24,160 Speaker 1: Um yeah, being held behind bars Yeah yeah. Uh. Well, 1049 00:57:24,200 --> 00:57:27,040 Speaker 1: happy Halloween everybody, Thanks for joining us. We hope you 1050 00:57:27,120 --> 00:57:29,920 Speaker 1: liked this one. Yeah, and this one uh is released 1051 00:57:30,000 --> 00:57:32,800 Speaker 1: right on Halloween, which is always nice. It is perfect, 1052 00:57:32,960 --> 00:57:36,520 Speaker 1: as they say, so until the next episode. If you 1053 00:57:36,560 --> 00:57:38,400 Speaker 1: want to get in touch with us, you can tweet 1054 00:57:38,440 --> 00:57:41,560 Speaker 1: to us at Josh m Clark and at s y 1055 00:57:41,680 --> 00:57:44,880 Speaker 1: s K podcast. You can join us on Facebook dot com, 1056 00:57:44,920 --> 00:57:48,040 Speaker 1: slash stuff you Should Know and slash Charles W. Chuck Bryant. 1057 00:57:48,240 --> 00:57:51,520 Speaker 1: You can send us a spooky email to Stuff Podcast 1058 00:57:51,560 --> 00:57:53,960 Speaker 1: at how stuff Works dot com and has always joined 1059 00:57:54,000 --> 00:57:56,040 Speaker 1: us at our home on the web, Stuff you Should 1060 00:57:56,080 --> 00:58:06,600 Speaker 1: Know dot com. For more on this and thousands of 1061 00:58:06,600 --> 00:58:09,320 Speaker 1: other topics, visit how Stuff Works dot com.