The Cavalcade of America starring Gene Tierney presented by the DuPont Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. Good evening. Tonight our play is called The Indigo Girl. It's a story set in romantic old Carolina and our star is one of the loveliest actresses of the screen, Gene Tierney. Now The Indigo Girl starring Gene Tierney as Eliza Lucas on the DuPont Cavalcade of America. 1744, the docks of Charleston, South Carolina. A ship comes into port from the West Indies bringing precious goods to the colonies. But like all ships that put into Charleston Harbor, this one too brings more than merchandise. A passenger, poor and ill-clad, timidly approaches a group of men on the wharf. Pardon, Monsieur, may I inquire? Nothing today, go away. If the weight's all right, I'll wager my horse will show our heels to your Lady Bird in the first race. Oh, such a sheer nonsense. Lady Bird is a man. Monsieur, but I'm looking for... Go away. We tolerate no beggars here. But sir, they have told me you are Monsieur Crassway. My name is Pierre Aubin. I must see. I'll come around to the tavern later. Perhaps I can arrange for the cook to feed you at the back door. That is very kind. And he perhaps will have better manners. Hot trots? Shall I save some of the scraps for you? I've heard that overseers on plantations here are not very well paid. You presumptuous god of science. It would save the packet for bringing witty beggars into the country. And they are wits, doesn't disguise their filth, their vulgarity, or their influence. But when I spoke with the governor of Antigua and he told me to come here to work on his plantation, he did not mention that you suffered from such childish schticks of temper. Governor Lucas told you to come here? You are lying. He would have consulted me first. I have a letter introducing me to his daughter. And Miss Lucas has no interest in plantation affairs. I am the one who decides who shall work for me. Now be on your way. But Monsieur, you... You heard me. Be careful how you use that whip, my ill-mannered friend. I value this nose of mine. And keep it out of my path. You understand? Next time I won't miss. One two three and a one two three. Isn't that a grateful step, Charles? Come on, try it with me now. I'm very grateful when you dance, Eliza, but hardly my style. Oh, what is your style? Calling on a young lady and then sitting on the veranda all afternoon, lecturing her. I don't think you ever want me to have any fun, Charles. Come, come. Now you're putting me on the defensive. Well, you're a barrister, aren't you? Let's see you defend yourself. I shall have a difficult time defending myself to your father, when he finds I've allowed you to have all your own way all this time. Oh, Nansen, you couldn't help yourself. I've always done what I pleased, and I see no reason to mind you just because father's away. You'll remind me when we're married. Oh, will I? Yes, you will. You're surprisingly strong when you want to be, Charles dear. You make me almost forget what a stuffy provincial point of view you have about everything. I'm a little bit tired of hearing you call me provincial, Eliza. I merely agree with your father. He started this plantation with high hopes that it would provide rice to feed the colonies. I can remember when it was beautiful to look at. I should think you'd remember, too. But I don't know anything about growing rice. Mr. Crasswell's supposed to look after all that, and besides, all my friends agree there's no profit in it anyway. It's time you learned how to make it profitable, even if you have to go out into the fields and wade in water up to your knees to find out what it's all about. Oh, Charles, how ridiculous. Oh, Miss Eliza. Yes, what is it, Joshua? There's a man here outside, uh, talks kind of funny talk, uh, French, maybe it is. I also speak very fine English, mademoiselle. Who are you? How dare you break in on us this way? I am Pierre Aubin. I've talked with your father in Haiti. He, um, he tells me you have some small indigo fields growing here. Yes, but they are no use to us. Ah, but they could be, mademoiselle. You could make fine blue dye from your indigo to sell in the markets of Europe at a price far higher than you're receiving from your rice crop. Which certainly isn't high enough to live on. Mademoiselle, do you know what the fashion is in Europe? All the great ladies are vying with each other over the fabrics dyed with indigo. It is very expensive. I know. I can't afford it. Ah, but if you began to produce it in the colonies, the idea would spread. South Carolina might become the center of a new industry. Look, see here, I have brought a piece of brocade dyed with my own hand. Observe what a clear, exquisite blue it is. You mean that you have the secret for making it? I do. And if I may begin producing the dye here, you, mademoiselle, shall have gowns as lovely as these and make both our fortunes beside. What do you think, child? It sounds much more exciting than wading around in rice fields up to my knees. Indigo, who knows? Perhaps this is our chance. Maybe when papa comes back, all Carolina will be thriving on indigo dye. Eliza, how do we better investigate the man's story and the situation before a decision is made? Oh, nonsense. There you go being a barrister again. Joshua? Yes, miss? I believe Mr. Crasswell is inside. Will you bring him out here right away? Yes, miss Eliza. Are you really interested in this idea? Why not? Don't you want me to be? I think it could be the brightest thing in the world. Not only for you, but for the colony. But I... Do you wish to see me, Miss Lucas? Yes, Mr. Crasswell. I want you to meet Mr. Aubin. He's come to start a new industry with his indigo dye. You? The same, monsieur. Such a pleasure to meet you again without your whip. Well Pierre, there's our indigo field. Papa had it planted just before he went away. And obviously no one has trouble to visit it since. You're very incriminate. Perhaps, mademoiselle. But one cannot expect plants to grow unless they are nurtured, tended with great care. That's why you're here, isn't it? Come along. I'll show you the vats. I think we still have some. Mr. Crasswell tried to cook some dye himself not long ago. And failed miserably. How did you know? Because, as I told you, no one here knows the secret of making true indigo dye. Are you going to tell me the secret, Pierre? No. And not only that, but your overseer, Mr. Crasswell, shall stay away from me while I'm at work. Preferably on the opposite side of the plantation. Well, you're not only impertinent, you're positively elegant. I am neither. And both. No, mademoiselle, I simply know what I'm talking about. Most of the time. I see. Well, if you expect to go on here, you'd better keep your opinions of yourself to yourself. And you will work under the supervision of Mr. Crasswell. Take your orders from him. But, mademoiselle, this is impossible. Then I suggest that you return to Haiti and forget the entire project. Oh no, no, no. Farewell. It will be as you say, mademoiselle. I thought as much. Au revoir. Bonjour, Mr. Crasswell. I have not seen you about lately. I trust the horse racing has been kind to your purse. Are you draining that bat when I expressly told you not to? The indigo is settling. This is the precise time for draining it. Turn it off. Turn off that speaker. If I do, the dye is ruined. Did you hear me? Turn it off. Mr. Crasswell, the young lady depends on me to produce a perfect dye. I realize you would like to see me fail, but I must do it correctly according to my formula. You insolent beggar. Ever since you came here, flattering Miss Lucas, into thinking you had some secret to make her rich, nothing's gone right. Miss Lucas is not concerned with becoming rich. She thinks more of the success of the colony. Bosh. The colonies are doomed and everyone knows it. I, for one, am going back to England as soon as I'm able. Well, you can, monsieur, and good riddance. For me, I'm going to stay. There is an air of freedom in America, and I came from Haiti to work and live. And I happen to know why you left Haiti in such haste, which I shall use at the proper time. There's enough of this now. Will you turn off that spigot? No, I will not. Then I will. Get out of my way. And just to teach you who has the real authority here, I think I'll erase that grin of yours for life. That's wicked. You wouldn't like to go back to that prison in Port-au-Prince, would you? They beat you there too, don't they? A knife. But it won't do you any good. In fact, I hope you try to attack me. Joshua! Joshua, come in here. You want me, Master Cradwell? And get the constable, Joshua. Yes, yes. Tell him there's an escaped convict here. He's been put in chains and deported back to Haiti. Oh, yes, yes. I will never go back. I have done nothing I'm ashamed of, and I will never go back to that torture! Stop him! He stabbed me. Don't let him get away. Stop him! Stop him! Miss Liza, oh my goodness, you're sure looking pretty. Yeah, am I, Nilly? My cap straight? Even if it wasn't, you'd still look blooming. Mr. Charles is going to feel mighty set up when he sees you trailing down them stairs. No, I don't think Mr. Charles ever really sees me. Hurly sees when he dreams at night a legal document and hapiest corpus. Oh, what you're saying? Never mind. I'm going down now. Fasten my stays, will you, Milly? Yes, Miss Liza, before you go. Well, what? Mr. Charles is waiting for you. Well, I had it in my mind. You ought to know what happened at the stables this afternoon. Well, it was that Frenchman, Mr. Pierre, stabbed Mr. Cradwell right through the gizzard. What? Milly, why didn't you tell me before? I was scared to, Miss Liza, till I found out Mr. Cradwell didn't die yet. That Frenchman, he ran away right out into the swamp somewhere. But how did it happen? I don't know. Joshua told me they were making a big fuss over the divet, and all of a sudden Mr. Pierre pulled out a knife as big as a couplet, and... Where you going, Miss Liza? I've got to go down and tell Charles. He'll be able to do something. Oh, but I haven't got your stays fastened yet. Well, I have to go. Charles! Eliza, what's wrong? Oh, Charles. Pierre stabbed Mr. Cradwell. What? He may die, but I know Pierre must have had a good reason. We've got to help him. Now, wait a minute. Not so fast. They had some kind of enmity between them all along. I should have known they'd be trouble. Look, Eliza, no matter what it was, or whether Mr. Cradwell lives or dies, You must not take sides in this, at least until we know the facts. You're not going to be a ballester now. Why are you so upset? What does this Pierre matter to you? Charles, when he first came here, I thought his idea was good. And my vanity, my need for money made me accept it. I never thought of what he wanted or needed. This is an amazing change in you, Eliza. Must be a reason for it. A human being is out in those terrible swamps somewhere, frightened, in need of help. Isn't that reason enough? And what help can we give him, Eliza? Except the assurance that he'll be given a fair trial. Oh, you don't understand. He's never known fairness and justice. He thought he'd find it here, but so far he sees none of it. So why should he trust us now? Eliza, look at me. What's come over you? You're jealous, aren't you? And why shouldn't I be? I can think you're capable of it. Well, I am. But I won't see you lose your silly little head over a man with a prison record who's caused nothing but trouble ever since he arrived here. I don't care what he was before he came here. He tried to live up to his side of the bargain. He's important to us now. If we're ever to start this industry, Charles, he must be here to help us. So we must help him. Don't you see? But how, except in a court of law. Law, law. Is that all you think of? I'm going out in the swamp and find him and bring him back. That's what I think of your law. You wouldn't dare go out there. Oh, wouldn't I? Well, I'm going. And don't try to follow me. Eliza! Good night, you, you habeas corpus, you! You are listening to the Indigo Girl starring Gene Tierney as Eliza Lucas on the cavalcade of America presented by the DuPont Company, makers of better things for better living through chemistry. In the year 1744, a girl named Eliza Lucas is trying to start an indigo dye industry on her father's plantation in South Carolina. Difficulties arose when a dye maker, Pierre Aubin, who has come from the West Indies to help Eliza, quarrels with her overseer, stabs him and disappears. And because his knowledge is essential to the creation of an indigo industry in the colonies, Eliza determines to find Pierre and bring him back to her plantation. And in the swamps, she comes upon a deserted cabin. Pierre? Are you in here? What do you wish for me? Oh, Pierre, listen, I want you to come back with me. I'll see that they don't arrest you. I have killed a man, Mademoiselle. But you haven't. Joshua says he isn't even seriously wounded. Even so. You must have heard, I have a prison record. Worse than that, I escaped from the jail. They will send me back to Haiti in chains. Not if you come back with me. I can hide you where the authorities won't find you. Oh, please, trust me. Why should I? Because, Pierre, I've come to believe in you. You've started something good, something important. And I want you to believe me. I'll help you all I can myself if you'll only come back. And, Craswell? I'll discharge Mr. Craswell in the morning. Please, Pierre, now do be careful. There ain't any way, Mademoiselle. I will risk it. Mr. Lizer, oh, Mr. Lizer, I have to tell you that Mr. Craswell's gone and got you into real trouble. What are you talking about, Millie? Well, he knows Mr. Pierre told you the secret for making Indigo, and that's why you was hiding him here on the plantation, and he's gone and told the constable. Are you sure? How do you know? Well, Joshua's got a wonderful way about him. He knows just about everything that goes on around here. Then they'll come here, they'll arrest Pierre, Millie. No, they ain't gonna come. They're here right now. What? Yes, ma'am. Something around the place like they owned it. Oh, Millie, why do you always take an hour to tell me anything? You there. Soldier, what do you think you're doing? Ain't it apparent, Miss? We found this escaped convict on your property. We're taking him into Charleston. But you can't. You haven't any right. We have a warrant for his arrest. I think that's sufficient right. Now, prisoners already admitted that he stabbed Mr. Craswell. Haven't you, Auvin? I think there is no need for me to say anything now. Pierre, I'll do everything I can for you, I promise. You have already done enough in having me arrested. I? But you can't take that, Pierre. Can't I? It has happened, has it not? Now that you have learned the secret for making the die, what else is there to think? Goodbye, Mademoiselle. Eliza, I can scarcely believe it. Come in, please. I hope you don't mind. Please sit down. I'm delighted to see you. Are you really? Because I need your help now, desperately. Oh yes, they've arrested your Pierre. Eliza, no one can save him if he's guilty. But he isn't. He acted in self-defense when he stabbed Mr. Craswell. Perhaps. Charles, you must believe it. He's told you this, but there are witnesses who heard him threaten Craswell the day he first arrived in Charleston. How do you know? I made it my business to find out. I also discovered several other details. Which prove him guilty, I suppose? No, Eliza. I believe him to be innocent. What? I just don't understand you, Charles. You see, Eliza, in law, one is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. But to a lawyer, it's often just the opposite. I thought you guilty of thoughtlessness, frivolity, almost criminal negligence of the trust your father put in you when he went away. And wasn't I? I don't know, Eliza. I despaired of you. And then suddenly, almost overnight, you changed. I thought it must be love for a man that had done this for you. And you were jealous. How could I help it? I loved you myself. Who did you? Do you? Oh, I've missed you so, Eliza. I tried to reason it out, but logic didn't help. All I can say is that I want you to marry me. If I listen to your marriage proposal, will you defend Pierre? You'll accept me? I said I'd listen. You drive a bargain, don't you, Eliza? Will you do it? Will you? My dear, I had already written my introductory remarks to the court. Order, order in the court. Counsel for the defense will continue with the cross-examination. All right. Mr. Craswell, you said that the defendant was draining the die vat against your express orders. Now may I ask why you gave that order? Why? Well, because he was going about it all wrong. He would have spoiled the entire run. You're sure of that? Of course I'm sure. And because the defendant refused to obey your orders, that run of die was ruined? It was. Mr. Craswell, a few minutes ago you testified that the defendant drew a knife and stabbed you while you were both standing by the vats arguing as to whether the spigot should be turned on or off. I assume that you stood by and watched to see whether the die was ruined or not after you'd been stabbed. Your Lordship, I object. There is a leading question. Objection sustained. Have there any more questions to ask the plaintiff, counsel? No, your Lordship, but I request permission of the court to call Miss Eliza Lucas to the stand. Stand down, Mr. Craswell. Miss Lucas takes the witness stand, if you will. You swear to tell the truth? The whole truth, nothing but the truth, sir, here to guard. I do. Now, Miss Lucas, will you explain to the court why you are wearing that particular gown today? How do you like my gown, your Lordship? Well, it's a little... it must be coming, but what is your gown to do with the case? It's a lovely shade of blue, isn't it? A real... Pure indigo of the kind one finds only in the West Indies. Your Lordship, I object that, coming with the witness's gown and its becoming this or both irrelevant, she's trying to influence the court unfairly by calling attention to her beauty. Your Lordship, I submit that the witness has good reason for mentioning her gown and its color. True indigo dye is important to this case. Objection overruled. Please continue, Miss Lucas. When Pierre Aubin came to my plantation and asked to be allowed to produce the dye, I was as ignorant as anyone else as to how it was done. I gave him very little encouragement and nothing to work with. Our indigo fields were in disgraceful shape, our vats and equipment worse. But I saw that he had a will to succeed. He had wanted to come to this country because he said it had an air of freedom. However, my overseer hated him openly and the... Your Lordship, may I interrupt? The witness has not made one statement truly relevant to this case. My dear sir, it seems to me the most relevant statement I could make in this case is that Pierre Aubin has brought a will to work, strength and a new industry to the new world. And instead of showing him that we believe in freedom of opportunity, we have betrayed him. Order, order. And as to his guilt, I can only ask you to recall both his testimony and that of my butler, Joshua. Mr. Craswell threatened Pierre Aubin with a whip when he refused to follow his orders. Yet Pierre knew what he was doing, gentlemen, the color of my gown bears witness to that. I made the dye for it thanks to Pierre's secret. Because of this knowledge, I have been able to help other planters start producing indigo so that we may all benefit, so that the colonies may become independent. Order, order. Thank you, Eliza. Your Lordship, the defense rests. Order, if you please. If the court inclines to the belief that the reasonable doubt in this case is established and in accordance with the witnesses' striking plea, my strong view is that each one of us shall be given to think before we deal unfairly in such a situation again. For herein lies our future and the nation which we hope to build. Please no remitted to the custody of Miss Lucas. His Majesty's court is missing. May I compliment you on your plea, my lady? You plead as one of Shakespeare's portrait. My husband isn't mine, your Lordship. Who's then? I learned it from counsel who put me in the witness box, Charles Pinkney, my husband-to-be. Indeed. My felicitations, Mr. Pinkney. Thank you, your Lordship. You see, in exchange for my undertaking this case, the witness has promised to be my bride. Then the matter ends well for all concerned. But tell me, Miss Lucas, aren't you afraid that counsel has driven a hard bargain with you? Oh, no, your Lordship, not at all. I should have married him in any case. Tonight, Stéphane Cavalcade, the indigo girl, was written by Virginia Radcliffe and Paul Peters. It was directed by Jack Zaller. and Paul Peters, was directed by Jack Zoller. Music was composed by Arden Cornwell, conducted by Donald Bryan. Sprouts Cotsworth was heard as Charles Pinkney, and Bob Dryden as Pierre Aubin. Next week at Cavalcade time, we'll present another popular and talented star of the screen, John Lund, in a heartwarming and beautiful story of a boy, a girl, the land, and Johnny Appleseed. And in weeks to come, you'll hear Rex Harrison, John Payne, and Madeline Carroll in future Cavalcade stories. This is Ted Pearson speaking. Cavalcade of America comes to you each week from the stage of the Longacre Theatre on Broadway in New York, and is presented by the DuPont Company of Wilmington, Delaware. Gene Tierney appeared to the courtesy of 20th Century Fox, producers of The Snake Tip, starring Olivia DeHadeline. Music
