42-10-27_Lord_of_the_Witch_Doctors.txt

Suspense. The thrill of the nighttime, the hushed voice and the prowling step, the crime that is almost committed, the finger of suspicion pointing perhaps at the wrong man, the stir of nerves at the ticking of the clock, the rescue that might be too late or the murderer who might get away, mystery and intrigue and dangerous adventure. We invite you to enjoy stories that keep you in suspense. For suspense, tonight we present The Lord of the Witch Doctors by John Dixon Carr. The drums were beating that night. The Lord of the Witch Doctors was on his way. Twenty miles off the East African coast, Fanned by the blistering heat of the Indian Ocean, lies the island of Zanzibar. Here, many years ago. To be exact, in the year 1889. Three nations were rivals for trade with the Imperial German Eagle. At Mogadishu were the Italians. A mixed population boiled along that coast Portuguese, Arabs, Swahili. On the island itself, Sayyid Khalif, Sultan of Zanzibar, ruled the remains of a once mighty empire. Mohammedan Bantus of the tribe of Zeng. Look over there in the moonlight. That white building, patched and rotted, was the palace where Sayyid Khalif lived with his fat wives and his captive lions. Not far away on the hill overlooking the harbor stood the British residency. The British resident or crown official held uneasy sway against German and Italian influence. And at the residency on that hot night, Long. Marta. Yes, Father. Come away from the windows, please. But, Father, those drums are on the mainland. Never mind. Twenty miles from here. I'd rather you stood back. It's the fires I don't like, sir. You can see the red light all this distance. They're having a beano of some kind. You'd better stand back, too, Mr. Harris. Oh, look here, sir. Yes, Mr. Harris. I've been your diplomatic attache in this place for three years. Couldn't you call me by my first name in private? Just as you please. Lower the sun blinds and turn down the wick of that lamp. You don't think there's any danger? There's no danger whatever, but. Nero seems terribly restless tonight. It's only natural, my dear, with the drums going. Everybody seems restless. This has been going on for days. You begin to get in your nerves. So you feel it too, eh? And I do wish, Sarah Carlef wouldn't tease Nero. Jab at him with the meat fork and that kind of thing. If that lion ever got wounded. Nerves, my dear. Nothing but nerves. Let's face it, sir. There's something very queer going on over on that mainland. Well, suppose there is. All we know is what Nyoka knows. This great witch doctor, whoever he is, has been making a triumphal progress to the coast. The whole bush is afraid of him. You alarm me. Nyoka says he's got horns. He can make himself seven feet tall, like stretching an accordion. Oh, really, Dale Harris? I don't say I believe it. I say it might be dangerous. Now, for instance, could this be one of Dr. Schmidt's tricks? Dr. Schmidt is a friend of ours. Yes, he's also head of the German East Africa Company. Dr. Schmidt is a gentleman. Look at that coast over there. He's got every native chief in his pocket. Dr. Smith assured me that the German Emperor has no more territorial claims in East Africa. We get our trade concessions from Saeed Khalif. Saeed's our only friend, but we can't even be sure of him. The Germans give him trade gin and a grand piano. The Italians give him three new wives for his harem. What do we give him? I have no instructions from London about the situation in this island. No. Somebody in Whitehall probably forgot to post them. For the last time, Mr. Harris, I will not hear His Majesty's government criticized like that. Sorry, sorry. These things take time. If there's any danger, we'll be notified in due course. Listen. Though they're only our own natives, they beat their own drums, you know. Somebody went past that window. That's probably only Nyoka, my dear. Surely you're not afraid of our own servant. No, but I. Master! Master! Master! Nyoka, listen to me. Don't hang on to that big curtain, you'll pull it down. Now stand up straight and tell me. What is it? He here, Bwana. He here, yes, he. Who's here? Big. Wait, doctor, here. Yes, please. He came up past the moonlight. He walked slow. Boom, boom. He got big teeth. Eat with the outside front door. Now. What was that? The drums have stopped. My oak is right, sir. We have got a visitor. There's somebody coming down the hall. Better turn down that lamp, Arthur. I. I can't seem to find the lamp. My fingers are all plums. There's a revolver in the table drawer behind you, sir. I don't need it. Stand perfectly still, all of you. Now, please, friends of all, don't be alarmed. Are you English? That's right, miss. Born and bred in Streatham. Which of you is the British consul? I am the British resident, sir. My name is Richardson. May I ask the meaning of this tomfool? Well, that's just what I'm here to tell you. Or maybe I'd better show you. Now, observe my right hand. I hold it up so, and as I live, a lighted cigar. But perhaps the lady doesn't like smoking in the drawing room. Now, look here, there's nothing up my sleeves. I wouldn't deceive you for the world. I turn over my hand, and would you believe it, a glass of water. Is this man insane? Father, I think he's trying to tell you he's a magician. That's right, miss. Direct from the Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly. Animal taming and magic. That's my line. Then you're the famous witch doctor that's got all the natives in an uproar. Nobody else, young fella. Yes, well, you tell us what you mean by this nonsense scaring everybody when there's no danger. No danger? I suppose you haven't heard about Sayyid Caliph and his Gatling guns. Gatling guns? Kindly presented by Dr. Otto Schmidt. And believe me, all you've got is an appointment with a Gatling gun, unless my nonsense steps in. Here, take a look at this. What, you can't be from the British Foreign Office? Well, that's just what I am, Governor. I'm going up in the world, don't you think? By the way, I'd better give you your instructions. The envelope's pretty dirty and a little bit smelly from being under my furs and devil paint, but. Read it, sir. Go on and read it. Foreign Office, Whitehall, British Consul, Zanzibar. Bearer of this letter, the great Mephisto. That's me. Real name, Barney Itch. They must be out of their minds. Are they? Listen, old man. I've been three weeks in that jungle with a Swahili interpreter. I've been bitten and stung and fried to death. But Schmidt or no Schmidt, I've got those native chiefs just where I want them. You see what happens when I announce I'm a friend of the great white queen? Why, you'll have them eaten out of your hand. Well, that's true. Then all we've got to do is get around Sayyid Caliph here on this island. But do we need to get around him? Young lady, be good enough not to speak until you're spoken to. Oh, I'm sorry, Father. Sayyid may be lazy and as fat as a hippopotamus. He's rather a fine old boy. Is he? You said something about gatling guns. Now listen. Here's the game. Father, I don't like this. I've never heard Nero's restless advice. Never mind, Nero. Go on. Well, I came over here tonight in a steam launch. Tomorrow I'm paying my state visit to the great Sultan Sayyid Caliph. Now, you present me as your friend, and the friend of the great white queen, and I do my best tricks. Is anything wrong with your native boy? Niall, gotta be still. You're not afraid of our witch doctor friend, are you? No, I'm a good Christian. Here, what are you doing? Come out from under that sofa. But, Bwana, I see something. I look out through window slats. See Bwana Baldhead coming apart? Bwana Baldhead? That's Dr. Schmidt. Dr. Schmidt? Well, he mustn't find me here. Yes, I quite agree. This is. This is most irregular. Is there a back way out of here? Yes, through that arch. Stay in the back room. Nyoka will show you. Me go with Wiggs, doctor. Yes, Harry, please. I don't like that. Never mind what you like. You go. All right, master. All right. It's all right. They've gone. Yes, about time, too. Good evening, Dr. Schmidt. Pleasure to see you. Always a pleasure to see you. Ah, my friends. I wish I could say it was such a pleasure to see you. Isn't it, doctor? This is at any time but now. Do not mistake me, I beg of you. No, it is that confounded lion, Nero. Always I say it will happen, and now it has happened. What about Nero? My friends, I regret. Yes, me, this kid. Yes, tasted blood. What's that? You would permit that I sit down and take off my sun helmet. I am not young, and I'm tired. It's not Sayyid Khalif. Yeah, yeah, it is so. Yes, this is that lion once more. Oh, poor old boy. He was our friend. He's not dead. Yeah, yeah, I regret. Yeah, he's dead. Sultan of Sansa Barstead. Oh, God. But how did the lion ever get at him? He drank too much pomba. That was his trouble. He got drunk and thinks he can do too much. So he opened the door and went into the lion's cage. Into the cage? Yeah. Would you believe it? Not easily. But it is true. Over to Paris, there is what you call gnashing of teeth. The son of Novius in tears. Did you see this happen, Doctor? No, no, no. I go there later and they tell me it. It's all of us because of some foolish toy, a tomb head toy. That he's been struck over the head and thrown into the cage by someone who did not like him. Well, that's more likely if you ask me. My friend, it is foolishness. Everybody liked old man. He was a father to his people and a kind friend. Doctor, are you telling us that, say, he may have been put into that cage unconscious? It is what one African soldier says, yeah. Well, then he may still be alive. Alive? It is impossible. What's more than possible? A lion may maul an unconscious man, but it doesn't often kill him. This is vital. Vital to Said himself and others as well. You're a doctor? Can't you go and make sure? My friend, I regret. I am not that kind of a doctor. Harris, you may be right. I think I'd better go myself. Yes, that's a good idea, sir. I'll stay here and entertain Dr. Schmidt. Unless, of course, he wants to go with you. No, no, no. I thank you. I do not like sights of that sort. I have a tender heart and I have illnesses. Besides, you can do nothing. I tell you, he is dead. We'll see. Martha, you'd better come with me. Your nurse's training may be of some use at last. Of course. Um, hadn't we better go the back way and. Speak to Nyoka? Yes, Nyoka mustn't be troubled in that back room. Very good evening to you, Dr. Schmidt. Ah, Mr. Harris, they have good hearts, but they're so foolish. I would give my own right arm to aid that poor man. Well, they must have philosophy. They must cheer up and bear it. Yes? Now, Doctor, we're all alone. So we are. So we are. We must sit down and have a nice, comfortable chat. Yes? Definitely yes. I wanted to have a word with you anyway. Ah, so? About what, Mr. Harris? Oh, various things. I am happy to give you all the time in the world. I like talking to young people. It makes me feel young again myself. Like Nobi? Nobi? Saeed Khalif's eldest son, the new Sultan. Ah, one fine young man. For a savage. Yes, but weak. Easy to manage. And very fond of his father, too. It's a wonder he didn't have the lion shot after they got the body away. Shot with what, my friend? I beg your pardon, Yemen. I do not consider the matters fun. No, no, no. But, uh, shot with what? These brutes, they have nothing but muzzle loading muskets. Get nearer with those? No. Suppose they had Gatling guns. Pardon? Just suppose that, of course. Of course. Well. Ah, my friend. Gatlings would be of no better use. You only wound. To kill a lion, you must reach the eye or heart with a high power bullet. What is the matter with us? Why are we talking of these things? Talking of death, you mean? Of Saeed Khalif, who gave all the trade concessions on Zandabar to the British? My friend, I was talking about express rifles. Look here, don't you find it warm in here? Yeah, yeah, a little. Yes, it smells of animals' fur, doesn't it? I'll just raise those sunblinds. No, no, no, no. You must not trouble yourself to do that. It's no trouble. I beg of you not to trouble. It is not necessary. Doctor, you've been mopping your forehead ever since you've been here. A little fresh air never hurt anybody. Here. Here. Isn't that better? Much. Much. Why not sit down, my boy, and we have a nice chat? Fine enough night. No smell of the animal's cage here. My friend, you talk like a hunter. Yes. Yes. Or a victim. Yes, it's a fine night. At least for this part of the world. Fire's still burning on the mainland. I wonder if that's a good sign. Of what? I wish I knew. And the sea is like skim milk under the moon. And. Good Lord. What is it that makes you jump? Look there, in the harbor. My friend, I see nothing. Perhaps if I take off my spectacles and vibe. My man, you must see it. In the harbor, out at the left, Ab, beyond the shadow of those big palm trees. Don't you see our riding lights? It looks like. By George, it is. It's a warship. It's only a German gunboat, my friend. Only a very little German gunboat. German gunboat. My friend, you must not be so distrustful. That is not kind. Let me get a telescope. But I tell you who she is. It is nothing. She's on what you call a goodwill tour. You're not angry. Angry? My friend. Well, I did not know. I could not guess. That is, the England is hard to understand. We know that ourselves. I tell you something in confidence. The Germans are sensitive. The British objected. The natives feel too strong. I tell the gunboat to go away. I fire an express rifle. It has a sound boom! You cannot mistake one another. That is why I think of an express rifle. But if nobody will object, why not the least bit? Tell me, Doctor, do you like it here on this island? Well, it's not Berlin. Don't you ever want to get away from a forsaken mud heap like this? My friend, I am a chairman. My duty is here, and I stay here. Yes, I know. Between ourselves, that's exactly my position. But you are young. That's not the point, it's the importance of the job. The British don't rule Zanzibar. We hold the trade concessions from Saeed Khalif, and our residency has to protect them. But even you, Doctor, would be surprised at the amount of trade that we have to protect and the revenue that comes out of this island. Is that so, now? You don't say so. I do say so. You say it so much? More than you think. Of course, I'm not allowed to give you any figures. No, no, no. Of course not. I would not dream of asking you. How much would you say it? Comes to roughly. Oh, come now, Doctor. As one gentleman to another, you're not asking me to give away secrets. Oh, no, no, no, no. It was only a joke, you understand. Please do not try to uptrip me. I would try to pull your leg, and it was only a joke, believe me. Yes. It's all in the game, isn't it? Yes, all in the game as gentlemen. Oh, Doctor, you're quite a humorist. You're not offended. Not at all. No, as I was saying, I hold a rather important job. Of course, Mr. Richardson holds an even more important one. He's been very friendly with old Saeed Khalifa on this job. Of course, you know what that job is. Of course. He's the British Consul. What is the matter with you? You're not smiling any longer. Why are you looking at me like that? So that's it. That's the game. You made exactly the same mistake that he did. I'm suited. Dr. Schmidt, have you met the great lord of the witch doctors, the maker of spells and the tamer of lions? I am a good Christian. I pay no attention to what need to say. I do not believe in witch doctors. No, neither do I. Not in this one, at any rate. What one? The witch doctor who came here tonight and said that he was on a mission for the British Foreign Office. He's an imposter from the word go, and you're working with him. Oh, don't upset your chair like that, Dr. Schmidt. Because if you fall on it, you may hurt yourself. I have not hurt myself, young man. Oh, yes, you have. The fellow who came here tonight addressed Mr. Richardson as the British Consul. That might have been a slip of the tongue. But then you see the letter on the table there? By F.I. sight, I thank you. That letter is supposed to come from the Foreign Office, and it calls him the British Consul, too. I heard it read aloud. The Foreign Office may make mistakes, but they don't make mistakes like that. That letter, Doctor, is a forgery. It was forged by a German, and probably by the German who calls himself Barney Hicks or the great Mephisto. He's in the back room now. No, he's not, Governor. He's standing in the doorway behind you now. Yes, I thought I heard you. Don't turn around to look at me. I'm just warning him. Have you got anything to enforce that? Yes. I've got a 500 Express rifle that could smee all over the opposite wall. Carl, Pastor Joaquin Matust. What the kind of. If you fellas are going to shoot me, I wish you'd speak English about it. Carl, I beg of you. No, no, no. Don't fire that rifle exactly. You see, Carl, I'm turning around. This is all very. Now, Carl. You see what the doctor means, Carl? If you fire that rifle, you'll send your gunboat out of that harbor just when you need it. Isn't that the signal, Doctor, to send the gunboat away? Carl, I beg of you. Yes, it is. Very simple, economical German signal. So, you two killed Saeed Khalif. That is slander. That cannot be proved. Had to do it, I imagine. Saeed was the one chief that you couldn't buy or frighten with your witch doctor, so you got rid of him. Tomorrow morning, the witch doctor would have appeared. He'd have scared the daylights out of a weak and superstitious son, Noby. I told you I was fairly good at my work, Governor. And I am. Yes, and then the witch doctor would have taken over everything. The British resident had to be bamboozled for 24 hours to keep him out of the way with a ghost story about a British agent. And there was a gunboat in the harbor in case of trouble. Slight mistake there, Governor. There is a gunboat in the harbor. Yes. It's really worked out beautifully. The Emperor should be pleased. I don't think your white queen will be very happy, though. I'm the great witch doctor to that frightened mob over there. Say it is dead. And there's a German gunboat in the harbor. Listen. I think I hear something. Whoever's out there, stay back. Whoever's out there, stay back. Listen to me. Say it's alive. He's alive. This is impossible. We can see him breathe. We don't even think he's badly hurt, but he's still in the cage, unconscious. Still. In the cage? You mean they can't get him out of there? If he wakes up or they attempt anything, Nero will tear him to pieces. The whole crowd over there is nearly crazy, but they don't dare go into the cage. Well, gentlemen, you should have been more careful. If they do get Saeed out of there alive, you're done for. Be quiet. Listen. Nobody and the rest of the natives are coming up here now. See here, miss. Are you talking about the old boy's son? Nobody, yes. He wants to see the witch doctor. The witch doctor? This puts you in some slight trouble, Carl. Listen to me, miss. I couldn't get that old buzzard from the. out of the way to old Madeline, even if I. I've got to get out of here. Too late now, my dear witch doctor. The natives have surrounded the house. Who's that? It's Noby. He's coming down the hall. Hey, Noby. Speak wide language. Paris Sultan's warrant. Witch doctor. Much respect. Fallen floor. Your aunt. Play your part, Carl. Play your ruddy part. Get up again. Great medicine man. Father hurt. In cage with a lion. You come. Say something, Carl. You can't be a dumb wizard. You come. My dear Nobby, my friend. The rich doctor can't understand you. Be rich, doctor. Not speak everything. But rich, doctor. No, no. It is not that. He does not hear you. He's in another world. See, see, see how his eyes close. See how he says. I know this. He saved my father. Or maybe all of you. We will kill all white people here. Witch doctor saved my father from lion. You come. Noby, listen to me. You needn't worry. The great witch doctor can save your father. Go in cage? No, not go in cage. Strike with fire? Yes, that's it. Strike with wizard fire. Open heaven. Flash great light. Nero scream and die. Father save. Carl, you must not save him. We remain alive, he will talk. Then the natives will know. You'll not want to save father? The witch doctor does want to save your father, Nobi. You see that gun under his arm? Gun? Gun no good. Not use gun. Only wound, lion. Lion in pain kill father. No, that's not like your muskets, Nobi. It's an express gun. It's. It's a magic gun. Magic gun? Listen, Nobi. Magic gun save your father with one shot. Just like that. Lion fall over dead. Your father well again. And our friend. We use gun. Give me gun. No, you could not use it, Noby. Which doctor can use it best? Tell him to use it. Tell him to be sure that he hits the lion. Look here, Harris. I've had enough of this. Yes, Noby. If he wants to hit Nero with that white fire, he can strike the lion dead before you could wink your eyes. Then do. You'd better try it, Carl. And you'd better not miss him, or you know what'll happen to every white person in this room. My hands are shaky, like magician with shaky hands. That won't do. I take your shoulder, you follow. There is change by Ballastor. All caught over the river, bright as day. Thousand torches all make light. Now do. Now do! See how quiet they get when nobody raises their hands. They're playing. So are we. You won't do it. You'd better. I told you that. They're out of hand now. If you miss, you're no witch doctor. And if you had any thought of hitting Said instead, Just imagine what they do to you. I can't see. These torches blind me. You do. I think the old man's moving. If he stirs, the lion will kill him. You know what that means. That's right. Up with a rifle. My hands are shaking. Careful, the sights. It's a point blank shot. Allah, Foucault. All right, Nobi. The lion is dead. They can go in and carry your father out now. The lion dead? German magic. It's great magic. Yes, Snobie, it is. But English magic is greater. English magic better than German magic? Yes, Snobie, and I'll prove it. Turn around. Look out towards the harbor. I stand here. I wave my hand, like this. Nothing up my sleeves. I wouldn't deceive you for the world. I wave my hand towards the gunboat in the bay. The gunboat sails away. English magic, Noby. English magic. And so ends the Lord of the Witch Doctors. Tonight's story of Suspense. Next Tuesday, when CBS again brings you Suspense, our story will be The Devil in the Summer House. The broadcast for next week only is scheduled for 10 p.m. Eastern Wartime, a half hour later than usual. William Spear, the producer, John Dietz, the director, Bernard Herrmann, the composer conductor, and John Dixon Carr, the author, are all collaborators on Suspense. This is the Columbia Broadcasting System.