Twilight Zone: 061 The Silence (part 2 of 2)

Well, that's really
quite incredible.

I gave him four weeks

possibly, to hold out,
six at the outside.

Nine weeks!

There's a little bit
more gristle there

than I gave him credit for.

Will there be
anything else, sir?

Oh, hello, Alfred.

Franklin told me
you were waiting.

Only to pose this
question to you.

Very succinct,
Archie, very brief.

How long?

How long what?

How long are you
going to keep on

with this... this
prolonged practical joke?

Well, not much longer.

Thank you, Franklin.

You should see
our boy down there.

Four and a half months,
not a sound out of him.

It's incredible.

That fop won't take it
for another month.

This I'll guarantee you.

For your sake,
I hope that's the case.

My sake?

You have the money, Archie?

I find that insulting, Alfred.

I'm sorry if it is.

I think he's going
to beat you, Archie.

I think that boy down there

is going to remain silent
for the entire year.

And I think you're
going to owe him $500,000.

I just hope you've got it.

You can hear me,
Tennyson, can't you?

I've been giving this
considerable thought.

You fulfilled your part
of the bargain admirably.

As a matter of fact

you have completely
surprised me, Tennyson.

But the fact is

I feel the whole thing
has gone too far.

It's becoming inhuman.

I'm prepared to offer you
a thousand dollars

and you may walk out today

right this moment,
if you choose.

It's going to be an early spring
this year, Tennyson.

You ought to see it.

In that time of the year

when a young man's
fancy lightly turns...

well, you know that
better than I do.

And young ladies, too.

For example

your wife.

She must be lonely
for you, Tennyson

desperately lonely.

As a matter of fact,
she...

she has been seen
with other young men.

It's odd

she hasn't paid you a visit,
isn't it?

Don't you think it's odd?

I happen to know
you've written her many notes

requesting a visit.

She hasn't responded,
even to the notes.

You may lose your wife, Tennyson.

I hope you're fully
aware of that.

While you stay here behind glass

the very reason
for all your agony

may be slipping away from you.

Why don't you leave, Tennyson?

Why don't you leave right now?

It still might be possible
to save your marriage.

Tennyson, I saw your wife again.

She was getting into
a little european sports car.

There was a, you know,
a nice young fellow driving it.

Your wife... wife... your
wife... wife... wife... wife.

Today is april fools' day,
Tennyson.

You remember april fools' day.

I think it was named for you

for only a fool would stay
in there as long as you have

knowing precisely what's
happening on the outside.

Your wife, I mean, Tennyson,
your wife... wife... wife.

Tennyson, this nonsense
must cease!

You've got
to get out of there.

You really do.

Why I could tell you some
stories about your wife.

How about it, Tennyson?

I might see my way clear
to giving you $5,000.

That would pay off
a lot of your debts.

And a little bracelet
for your wife.

Something to compensate
for the months of loneliness.

How about it, Tennyson?

$5,000.

$6,000, Tennyson.

You're an idiot, you
know that, Tennyson?!

You're going out of
your mind in there.

I know you are.

You're ready to crawl up
the walls.

Listen, Tennyson, you cannot
stay in there one more hour.

Not another half hour.

I wouldn't have believed it.

A year in that room

and not one word out of him.

Two minutes is all
the poor devil has got now-

two more minutes.

Look at Archie.

Not the face of a happy man,
would you say?

A rather monumental occasion,
isn't it, Archie?

12 months ago to the moment
you destroyed yourself

much as I told you you would.

Your little reminders
are gratuitous, Alfred.

Besides, it's not yet 10:00.

Whether it is
or whether it isn't

the destruction
i'm talking about

has already taken place.

There have been
ugly rumors, Archie

things you've done to him

like little asides, innuendos

suggestions, gossip about his wife.

You place such a premium
on honor, Archie

but you haven't acted
like an honorable man.

Please don't go to the
trouble of denying it.

I'm sure much of it is true.

But the ugly affair
has proved two things

hasn't it, Archie?

That that boy down
there is stronger

than you gave him credit for

and you are
considerably weaker.

How could he have done it?

How could he have done it?

It's impossible!

You, uh, have me at
a disadvantage, mr. Tennyson.

In a rather
compromising situation.

You force me into a position
of... rather distasteful candor.

The truth is I am a fraud.

I haven't any money.

I offered you a thousand
dollars, then $5,000.

I would have had to go out
into the street

to beg even that amount, let
alone a half a million dollars.

It's true that I have pride

bearing, taste,
exceptional breeding...

but I lost most of my money

some years ago.

Now you have forced me
to uncover the situation

proving, mr. Tennyson,
proving that, of the two of us

you are by far
the more substantial.

And I will naturally resign.

I will not ask you to suffer
my presence any longer.

Tennyson, you can talk,
your time is up.

You can talk, gurgle, sing,
chortle, anything you want.

What's he writing?

What is he doing?

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00:10:35,654 --> 00:10:37,004
Why doesn't he talk?

What does it say, Archie?

What did he write?

Why didn't he say something?

"I knew I would not
be able to keep

"my part of the bargain...

"so one year ago
I had the nerves

to my vocal chords severed."

Mr. Jamie Tennyson
who almost won a bet

but who discovered
somewhat belatedly

that gambling can be
a most unproductive pursuit

even with loaded dice,
marked cards

or, as in his case,
some severed vocal chords.

For somewhere beyond him,
a wheel was turned

and his number came up
"black 13."

If you don't believe it,
ask the croupier

the very special one
who handles roulette

in the twilight zone.