Adventures of Philip Marlowe: The Persian Slippers

I felt low, very low, the night I sat out searching for the girl with a strange hazel eyes. The fog which hung over Los Angeles didn't help. And I felt even worse when I found her.

But by then I had death on my hands. From the pen of Raymond Chandler, outstanding author of crime fiction, comes his most famous character as CBS presents... The Adventures of Philip Marlowe. And now with Gerald Moore, star is Philip Marlowe.

We bring you tonight's gripping story, The Persian Slippers. One of those thin, chilly fogs that sneaked in from the Pacific and it hung vaguely to the streetlights along the sunset strip. It was a kind of a fog that you could see through, but everything was out of focus.

You may just start wondering what you were going to do when you were 90 and you were all alone. I'd have liked to have spent the night in a room full of noisy extroverts playing charades.

But instead I had to eat a quick dinner and drive up into the secluded Hollywood Hills to meet a guy. A guy who had nothing but trouble on his mind. When I pushed the buzzer I had the feeling of wishing I was someplace else.

Carl Delaney himself opened the door. He was grim and brusque into the point. Marlow? That's right. Come in Marlow. I appreciate this. You're coming up here after business hours. I mean... I wouldn't have asked except, uh, well, perhaps I waited too long as it is.

Sit down. Thanks. Wait it too long for what, Mr. Delaney? Thirty-six hours ago my wife disappeared. Marley, you've got to find her for me. Find her just as fast as you can. Wait a minute. Disappeared, you said.

Would you mind playing that pot back a little slower? Norma simply walked out that door, got in her car, and drove off to get hold of herself, as she always does when we've quarreled. And always before she's come back in an hour or so.

This time she simply didn't come back is that it? Look Mr. Delaney I could... You have to bet her let me finish before you do anything. Lately my wife has been brooding over something, something serious that she refused to discuss.

I've caught her crying several times and she's not a woman given to tears. Marlow I'm sure that unless we move fast when we do find her we're going to find her dead. Suicide? Yeah. With his thick blunt hand, Delaney reached for a color portrait lying face down on the table and gave it to me.

I looked and saw the face of a dream. A beautiful dream with strange hazel eyes and soft black hair. I felt Delaney watching me as I glanced up in time to catch the fading end of a very ugly expression on his face.

I handed the picture back to him and he laid it on the table again, face down. And he took me upstairs to Norma's room. It was a nice, frilly room, typically haunted by elusive sweet smells.

There was only one incanduous note. What was the horoscope doing on her desk? In the looks of a picture, I knew that Norma was attractive enough that she didn't need to look to the stars for a future.

A horoscope? Yeah, you know how women I am. Marlow, will you find her for me? I'll try. My rate is $25 a day plus expenses. And remember, you hired me to find her, not bring her back.

Fair enough, you're just find her. I'll be satisfied. I'll need a starting point. Are there any phone calls or letters or anything that might be a lead? What about friends? We have no close friends.

Norma always stayed to herself. Wait, there was a phone call yesterday from a... Madam Jeanette, I think it was. Who's that address maker? I have an any idea. She wanted to speak to Mrs. Delaney.

I told her Norma was out and she asked that my wife called her when she got back. That's all it was to it. Anything else you can tell me? No. No, it's not much to go on.

I don't see what I can do, Mr. Delaney. I'll be here all night, Marlowe. Call me if you need anything. I'll do that. Good night. I drove back through the persistent fog, the Sunset Boulevard.

That was 9.30. I knew it was going to be like tracking our hummingbirds through the petrified forest where the bent twigs. but I got a classified directory and I started digging. I checked the hairdressers, the manicurists and the milliners.

I was just about to start on the interior decorators when I remembered the horoscope on Norma's desk. I quickly turned to the personal consultants. Yeah, there it was. Madam Jeanette. Her establishment located Medubius neighborhood south of Olvera Street turned out to be a tacky cottage set back next to an alley.

It was as dark inside as art. I was pounding on the door like a vampire at sunrise when a newsboy came up the pad. Looking for Madam Jeanette? Yeah, yeah, you know it? Sure. She tells fortunes.

Said they've got a great career line. You want to see it? Not right now, thanks. And I'll say for her that she's a sound sleeper. Maybe, but not so early as this. But this time she's always hanging around that bar on the corner.

Tonight she's throwing a farewell party in there. Farewell party, who for? A self, she's leaving town. Thanks a lot. Here, kid. She a buck. My old man will swear I've been shooting crap again. You mean that one, Charlie?

Not every night. I say goodbye to my dear old neighborhood. Muscatel again, Jeanette? Yeah. Did I say dear old neighborhood, Charlie? I think you did, Jeanette. Must have had one too many then. Because of all the low flea-bitten row of shacks I ever lived in.

This is the new row. Oh, Jeanette, that's no way to talk. You hurt my feet. Thank you. You're ain't nothing like a little beard as soon as you hurt feelings. Yeah, you said it, Jeanette. Can I have another?

Yeah. Jellie, you're pinky and other. This is his last. The last? I thought you said it was a farewell party. Hey, you and all your dogs. This dog's forgetting me out of this rat trap of a town. See?

It's the last I want to see out of it. No, my life. See? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We must have to tell, Charlie. Yeah, hold on a minute, Jeanette. Hey, what'd it be, mister? Something just a bit drier than Muscatel.

Say, Scotch. It's on me, mister. My party. Well, well, this is indeed a pleasure. You're the madam Jeanette, aren't you? Yeah, why? You're all of 20 years younger than what I expected. Probably the life I lead.

Hey, wait a minute. Why should you be expecting anything about me? I don't know you. Perhaps not. But I know you. From where? Oh, you're more famous than you think. Your reputation is spread far beyond all veris street.

In fact, it's gone up as far as the sunset strip, Madame Jeanette. No kidding. How would you kid a fortune teller? Don't you know all, see all and tell all? Well? In judging from that Spanish shore, your Hungarian skirt and those embroidered Persian slippers, I'm beginning to think your fame is not only local but international.

Say, you're beginning to make me feel like I shouldn't be giving up this record. I could after all. Giving up fortune telling? No. Yeah. I'm leaving town on a midnight train. I'm gonna spread my talents all over the East.

And I'm not coming back. Don't tell me your crystal ball is late a golden egg. So to speak, yeah. I'll come in to some lettuce. Suddenly. That's always nice. I am, I guess it means you won't be interested in the few paltry dollars I intended to spend with you.

I can have another beer, too. Get that pinky blow. Ah, just a... Traveling lady, you can always use a little extra mula. What was it you wanted, bud? I'm looking for someone. Norma Delaney. Norma, I'm afraid I don't know anybody for that name.

I'm afraid you do. What's your angle? Who are you anyway? I'm Philip Marlow, private detective. Some private dick you must be. They have to resort to fortune tellers. Come on, Jeanette. Look at your crystal musketel.

Seething and spot Norma Delaney. I told you once. I don't know the name. Now blow. Just a minute, Doc, guys. Hey, Charlie. Yeah? This bridge crapping my party. What kind of a joint is this anyway?

Lady can't sit here and have a farewell party without being insulted by every jerk that drops in. Well, mister. I haven't finished my drink yet. You got pockets, ain't you? Just pour the drink into one of them and take it along.

You ain't finishing it here. Charlie reached under the bar for his pick handle. So I left without pursuing the subject further. But I knew Jeanette was lying right in a purple lipstick about Norma. I walked back to my car with a cigarette and spent a few precious minutes trying to decide whether or not to break into a place in the snow.

Then I caught the shadow of a figure slipping up on me from behind. I turned. Wait, wait, don't swing. Don't swing. You told me me, Pinky. I was in the bar when you were talking to the madam.

That tight-wards you, Nett. Yeah, I saw you, so? She did something the minute you left. I figured you might like to know what it was. It all depends. Well, I thought it might be worse something to you like a sore maybe Penny good at all. It's worth a five and no more all right

Metaphone cool who to what she's saying nothing Just some swear words in Spanish the line was busy Well, I kept my eyes open and I got the number all right. Let's have it if you can still remember it. Oh, I can remember easy five of first.

Here. Thanks. The number was Crenshaw, one nine, two nine. But you get it? Like the year of the big crash. Thanks to the thirst of an underweight luscious, it wasn't at the end of my rope yet.

I drove as far as the nearest drug store, dropped a nickel and a slot and dialed. Crenshaw, the year of the big crash. Hello, let me speak to Norman Delaney, please. I'm afraid you must have the wrong number.

Look, you, I'm trying to locate Mrs. Delaney, I suggest you help me. How did you get this number? From a client, Mr. Carl Delaney. But that's impossible. Let's stop sparring. We can save each other a lot of wear and tear if we get together and talk this over.

Maybe you're right. Does that sound sensible? I'm at the Beachwood apartment number four. Jack, I'll be right out. Mr. Pierre Gillum, it says here on the door. Yes. You with the matter of call? Uh-huh. Philip Marlow.

Come in, won't you? You said you were looking for Norma Delaney, Mr. Marlow. Tell me what's wrong. Is anything happened to her? Well, her husband seems to think she might have killed herself, but I have a hunch that you might have something interesting to say.

No, poor kid. Poor Norma. Well, I'll tell you what I can, Marlow, but it isn't much. I'm all he is and I'll sit thanks. I was in love with normal ones briefly a long time ago.

It was a wonderful girl, but her husband was insanely jealous. Even though she hadn't loved him for years, he refused to give her up. Even threatened to kill her first. No. Norm and I realized it's serious trouble lay ahead, so we bought it.

Good friends. And I haven't seen her or heard from her in months. from her in months. I buy it all but the last line. You have seen or heard from her in recent time. I'm not going to argue that.

I've told you the truth. You can take it or leave it. I leave it. Suppose we both put our card on the table. You lied to me when you said called Eleni, getting my number.

I know because Madame Jeanette called me shortly after you did it. Touche. But why did she run to call you with the mention of Norma's name if you two broke up months ago? And incidentally, how did that Earthsatz, It's a long story, Marlowe.

Good, I like long stories. I better begins just for a lock. Norm and I went down to Alvaro Street once they have our palms red. That's exactly how it started. Madam Jeanette was an unusual woman, a character, you might say.

Well, it became friendly with her. Norma got quite sentimental about her. One day we made a sort of pact. If every of us was in trouble and needed the other, we'd go to Madam Jeanette or get a message to her.

She would notify the other. She would notify the other. So when I walked in asking for Norma, the matter assumes she was in trouble. Right. Right. Call me immediately because she herself was leaving town in less than an hour.

I know. Well, Mr. Gilliam, it's all very interesting, but it's getting me no place. Thanks. If I need you again. No, no, no. Wait, Marlowe, don't go. I know a lot of details about Norma that I'm sure will be helpful.

For instance, she drives a Nash coupe, a part of blue. Part of blue coupe, huh? Thanks. And she has a fondness for white gloves. Where's them quite often? I see. Well, I better get more.

No, wait just a minute, mother. I've got to go. Listen, mother. I told you I was in a hurry. I'll take it easy. Stick around a while. Get away from that door. Oh, just who do you think you are?

Combusting in here, prying, asking questions. You dirty... Ooh! You'll ask for a kill'em. I don't... You got a left too, huh? So am I, brother. Left Gill'em sprawl all over his coffee table. His limp is a five-cent salad.

I'm sorry that glanced at my watch. Madam Jeanette's train left in forty minutes. I ran through twenty-two bucks worth of red lights getting down to a cottage because I was sure Gilliam's attempted stall was tied in with a departure, but I couldn't figure out why.

That is, I couldn't until I switched out my lights and coasted to a stop in front of her place. Then I saw it. Half hidden in the shadows back of the house. I got a powder blue coupe.

I got up on the porch close to the front door and listened. Jeanette was talking to a woman. I couldn't catch what they were saying, but one thing was certain. The woman was Norma Delaney.

All at once I realized the talk had stopped. That was my cue. I shoved open the door and went in. Jeanette sat at a table alone, facing me. Mr. Marlow, you've returned. What is it this time?

I'd like my fortune, Tom. Yeah. Now listen close comes you. I'll make this a short and snappy reading because I'm catching the train in 15 minutes. There's a woman very close to you. In fact she's right behind you sucker.

They opened my eyes again nothing changed. It took me a long time to figure out that the lights were off and it was dark. I climbed up the table leg hand over hand and then switched on a lamp.

Jeanette's house was absolutely quiet. I had caught a glimpse of a white glove whole known as a blunt instrument just before I dozed off. And that reminded me what I was down here for. I wobbled through the kitchen and out the back door, but the part of blue coupe was gone.

It was 1215. I head in the fog, both had gotten a little thicker. So I just stood there. useful like a ping pong ball in a bowling alley. Was a sound of footsteps that finally moved me, and a newsboy was back.

Wow, hi again, mister. Did you ever get a hold of Madame Jeanette before she left? Yeah, yeah, but not tight enough. Say a blue coupe left here a few minutes ago, do you see it?

Nope, I did. She, I'm sure, sorry she went away. She gave me a buck tonight, too. Said she was coming into a fortune. Hey, you and your career, like, say, what's that down there, in those weeds?

I don't know. It looks like some kind of a shoe. Yeah. Yeah, it is a shoe. Yes, see? What do you know? A Persian slipper. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I took the slipper along as a souvenir for my scrapbook and walked back to my car, trying to fit Norma Delaney's lovely hazel eyes in with that crack

on the skull, but I couldn't. Between throbs of my headache, I figured Pierre Gillum would know why Norma had dropped in on the madam so close to train time. I decided to go back and ask him.

Gillum was as reliable as a two-headed quarter and just as tricky. So when I got to his apartment, I pushed the buzzer, stepped back and braced myself. There was no fight left in it. He opened the door and his robe, fingered the mouse I had given him in grin.

Oh. So you found your way out by yourself? Uh-huh. Say, Gillum, what was so important about Norma seeing Madame Jeanette just before a train left? I don't know. You know enough to try to keep me here, to delay me one?

Oh, Marlow, I did that for all times, say, for an old friend. To not ask me to hold you here until midnight, and I tried my best. Obviously wasn't good enough. That's all I know about it.

I see your phone is off the hook, you know that? Yeah, I took it off. It's given me nothing but trouble tonight. I hereby wash my hands of this whole business. I'm going to bed, and I hope to sleep.

Good night. I envied him and left to call my client, Carl Delaney. He said he'd be in all night for the phone kept ringing and ringing and no one answered. I suddenly got a very creepy feeling.

Twenty minutes later I pulled to a stop at that small but elegant house. The lights were on and I saw the part of Luke who played in the garage next to Carl's big black sedan.

I ran up the steps. The front door was ajar so I went in. I found Carl Delaney in front of the fireplace. Down on the floor dead. There was a handbag on a chair. I opened it compact cigarettes and a key to room 340 in the Bradford Arms Hotel.

No identification. That color portrait of normal was standing up on the table this time. Those searching his allies seem to follow me all the way to the telephone. Lieutenant Barr speaking. Phil Marlowe, Byron. There's a dead one at 1077 Holy Crest Road.

Named Carl Delaney, murdered. I'll be right out. I hung up the phone and then the hair on my neck crawled as I heard the unmistakable sound of a woman's heels on the floor upstairs. I ducked behind a door as the heels clicked down the steps, and then she entered the room.

Norma Delaney was lovely. As lovely as a picture. She moved calmly and deliberately. Put a note on the table, picked up the handbag. Then turned to face the door I was hiding behind. You can come out now, Mr. Marlow.

Hello, Mrs. Delaney. You can call me Norma now. And if you're thinking of using your gun, perhaps you'll be good enough to read this note first. Here. To whom it may concern, I, Norma Delaney, purposely, and with premeditation, shot and killed my husband, Carl.

It is beyond me to express how deeply I hated him, and since I must pay for this in Canada and Europe, and I'm in Europe, I'll take my own life for the next few minutes.

Now look, Norma, no guns! Easy, Marlowe. I'll kill you if necessary. But it would be so pointless now. I'm free at last, and I want to spend a little time left to me in my own way.

Norma, if you're listening to me, tell me it. Tonight I made my only friend, Madam Jeanette Happie. And I killed a man who needed killing. Something good? Something bad. So I'm quitting, even up. What are you propose to do with me?

You mustn't try to stop me, Marlow. See that closet? Get inside, and careful how you move your hands. Turn around to the wall. Marlow, I'm sorry I had to hit you with your nets tonight.

Goodbye. MUSIC I took three shots of the smash to lock on that closet door. I heard her driving away just as I got it open. In spite of what she'd said, I couldn't let her kill herself.

I ran outside to my car. One glance under the hood was all it took. There was nothing left of the wiring but loose ends. I ran into the street and a miracle happened. The first time in my life a taxi in Los Angeles when I wanted it.

I'm sorry, Phil, I'm gonna call. Skip it, this is an emergency. Hey, wait a minute, you can't do that. Police, business, a girl is driving up the road in the blue coupe. We gotta catch her before she kills herself. Let's go.

Think I saw a taillight just then? Yeah, can't you go any faster? I'm on these curves, brother. I got a wife and kids. Okay, fella, we'll be at the top of the hill when we can get around the next bend.

We should spot her then. Yeah, you can see the whole road down the other side. Here we are, mister. This is the top. But I don't see her. Where is she? Hey, wait a minute. Stop here. Turn up your motor. This is haywire.

I don't get it. We will gain an honor, and now... ...she just disappears. What's that? Motor. That side road we passed. That's it. Look! Both saw the awful sight for just an instant. A part of Blue Coupe, where the woman crouched over the wheel.

It shot out of that side road, crashed through the guard rail, and fell end over and down into the gorge. By the time we got to the hole in the fence, the wreck was named final.

Oh, no, he was trying to get down there. The whole hillside will be on fire in another minute. I guess she pulled over here into this side road and waited for us to go by.

And we did. Yeah, Sandy here, too. So why don't she didn't get stuck? What's the matter? There's something buried here in the sand. one of its eyes ran over it. What is it? It's plenty, brother. Come on, turn that heck of yours around. Let's get off this mountain. I just found the answer to a lot

of questions. Hello, tenant. We found the body on the wife's suicide note. And one of the boys spotted that fire up on the hill. What is it? Car went off the road. An accident or the suicide? That's the little of both, Ibarra. But we'll talk later.

Right now we got to go to the Bradford Arms Hotel on the double and please no siren arms was a three story walk up when we got there a bar station one man in front sent another cover the back and we started up the stairs it reached the second floor when we saw him on the landing above

kill he spotted us at the same time and turned back fast damn all of those out that's our boy bar up here kill him let's go there he goes he said for the fire second lieutenant so yours i got business the other way you stop right room three thirty six thirty eight Ah, 340.

So all over now, you better drop the gun. Please, it's been neat so far. Don't mess it up. Come on, beautiful. Drop it. It's better. Well, while I got him out, I wing him to bring him down.

But here he is. And the lady must be your... Yes, Lieutenant. The lady is Norma Delaney, the girl who wanted to kill a jealous husband and then commit suicide, but didn't want to die doing it.

So she used someone else's body, Madam Genetz, which was a logical choice because Jeanette was blackmailing her. Thus two vultures with one stone, leaving two lovebirds free to fly away together. Right, Norma? Didn't you give Madame Jeanette money so she'd leave town until everybody she was going away?

Yes. I did. That way the body wouldn't be missed, huh? Yeah. Isn't it pretty? I'll lay off, Marlo, can't you? Okay, Gilliam, okay. Now, Lee Bower, I've got a sour taste in my mouth. I think I'll go home and goggle.

Any else you need? No, I guess not, Phil, have had all its necessary. Oh, wait, just one thing. How do you get inside this setup? How do you find out it was the dead Madame Jeanette who went over to Clif instead of the very much alive Mrs. Delaney here?

Jeanette had on a pair of Persian slippers, Lieutenant. One fell off down at her cottage where Norma murdered her and put her in the trunk of the car. The other one fell off in the sand of that side road when she took Jeanette out of the trunk and propped her up behind the wheel.

It was lucky, Baran. Just dumb luck. I took a walk later, a long walk, all by myself, through that thin, empty fog in the dark, empty streets. A pair of hazel eyes and a pair of Persian slippers went round and round in my head. And for some reason I kept thinking, a pair of

The Persian slippers has two souls and two heels. And it's hard to tell just exactly where the one becomes the other. The Adventures of Philip Barlow, created by Raymond Chandler, Stars Gerald Moore, and is produced and directed by Norman McDonald.

In tonight's story, the Persian slippers Virginia Gregg was heard as Madame Jeanette, with Larry Dobkin as Pierre Gillum and Louis Van Ruten as Carl Delaney. The additional players were Jean Bates as Norma Delaney, Gil Stratton Jr. is the newsboy, Frank Richards as the barkeep and Tony Barrett is pinky.

Detective Lieutenant Ibarra was played by Jeff Corey. The special music was conceived and conducted by Ivan Dittmar. Be sure to be with us again next week at the same time when Philip Barlow says... ... sounded good, real good.

A weak-ended Malibu expenses paid with a cash bonus thrown in. But that was before I knew about the henchman, the redhead and the cops. These three and a white Panama hat ruined it all for me.

The big star-studded array of CBS Sunday shows starts tonight. One, two, three, four, five top entertainment programs that make listening to your CBS station a happy habit. One, cabin B-13, the popular dramatic show about John Dixon Carr, Renown Mystery Writer.

Two, the new electric theater guest-starring Henry Fonda tonight, and regularly starring Helen Hayes, first lady of the theater when she returns from London. Three are Miss Brooks, the hilarious comedy success starring Eve Arden. Four, Lum and Abner, a brand new half hour show of smiles and chuckles with the merchants of Pie and Ridge.

Five, Strike It Rich, the sensational quiz show with a heart to wind up the sparkling parade of entertainment. Mystery, drama, comedy, excitement tonight over most of the E.C.B.S. stations. And next Sunday, the first broadcast in the new season for two of Radio's greatest stars, Amos and Andy.

Yes, Sunday nights are great on CBS. Check your local newspapers for program times. This is Roy Rowan speaking for CBS, the Columbia Broadcasting System.