Tales of Tomorrow

Tales of tomorrow.

Scientists conducting experiments in the super-sonic field

have discovered amazing reactions

on the part of human beings to inaudible sound waves.

Let's watch tonight's Tale of Tomorrow

as we unfold the story

of Arthur Martinson's strange musical instrument,

which proved to be the most eloquent ever designed.

I don't get it, Jake.

For months now, you've been hounding me to fire the man.

And still I haven't heard one good reason why.

Now, you're shop foreman and I shouldn't interfere,

but in this case, just what is it you got against Martinson?

I haven't got anything against him.

Now look, Max.

The man shows up here, he's hungry, he's broke,

he's out of a job.

Where does he come from, who is he?

You don't know.

All you do know is he's designing

some screwy new musical instrument

and he wants to use your workshop to finish it.

Well, that was almost six months ago.

You realize he's still in there tinkering?

- Physics prof at the university speaks very highly of him.

Oh, you're soft, Max.

Our business is to manufacture musical instruments.

Not to run a workshop for any crackpot who comes in here

who has a bright idea.

Here are the invoices, father.

Look, it's after five, why don't we go home now?

Just a moment, Evelyn.

I wonder if you'll ask Martinson

to step in here a second, please?

All right.

- Now, all this business between you and Martinson,

it's not over Evelyn, is it?

If I didn't know that you and Evelyn

were going to be married next month,

I'd say you were jealous of the man.

Of course, if Martinson is interfering

with the production schedule, that's a different matter.

But I understood that he was doing his experimental work

after shop hours.

Mr. Henkle?

Sit down, Martinson.

How, uh, how's your experimental work coming along?

Oh, very well, Mr. Henkle.

- I'm a bit concerned over this whole business.

Mr. Lippett insists that the entire shop routine

is being disrupted.

Now, frankly, Martinson, I'm getting fed up

with this constant bickering.

- Well, you've been more than generous with me, Mr. Henkle.

I was broke, you gave me a job making violins.

Gave me the full use of the shop after hours

for my experiment.

But, you must allow me to finish it.

It's so very close now.

- I think we're entitled to know two things.

First, how much longer?

Second, just what is it you're working on?

I'll need another two months.

- He's told us that six months ago, Max.

But this instrument, just what is it?

I'm sorry, Mr. Henkle.

I'm sure you can give us some idea.

Well, it concerns a new principal

in the transmission of high frequency sound waves.

A principal I ran down myself over five years ago.

I'm afraid that's all I can say just now

but I can promise you, gentlemen,

it will be the most eloquent musical instrument

the world has ever known.

- That's all you can tell us about it?

It's eloquent?

I can also say this.

Properly used, it will do more to heal the world's wounds

than any corps of diplomats.

And improperly used, it will be more destructive

than an H-bomb.

Well, that's a tall order, Martinson.

A very tall order.

Of course, if it's only a matter of a couple months-

- Now, Max, you're not gonna let him talk you into it again.

Yesterday, two more of Martinson's violins

were returned as defective.

That's not true, Jake, you know that.

You keep out of this, Evelyn.

I won't keep out of this.

You've been hounding Mr. Martinson now

for the last six months.

I'm not gonna let you get away with it any longer.

- Now, let's get one thing straight, right now.

If you're gonna marry me,

you don't tell me what I can do and what I can't do.

Is that very clear?

Yes, it is,

and something else is also very clear.

I'm not going to marry you.

- Now, you handle this any way you like, Max.

I'm through worrying about it.

- Well, father, you haven't given Mr. Martinson your answer.

Can he stay?

You can have your two months, Martinson.

I'm very grateful to you, Mr. Henkle.

Someday the whole world may be grateful.

You forgot this.

Oh, thank you.

Thanks very much.

Not at all.

Please, don't go.

It was very good of you to take my side, just now.

I'm sorry if I caused a quarrel between you and Mr. Lippett.

Oh, that's all right.

I've been trying to break things off with him,

for quite a while.

I never had the courage til just now.

- I still can't see what he has against me.

He's jealous.

Jealous of your work, jealous because father likes you.

Jealous because he thinks I may like you.

- You know, sometimes I feel sorry for him.

I don't.

I'm afraid of him.

Jake once wanted to be a concert pianist,

he never quite made it.

Since then, he's been bitter and arrogant.

Say, tell me, don't you every take time out

from working on this?

Night after night I find you here.

Well, I'm used to it.

For five years now, I've devoted every spare moment to it.

Almost every waking thought.

What did you mean when you said

the instrument would be eloquent?

- I meant that it will really enable people

to communicate with one another.

Well, don't they now?

Well, after a fashion.

But, haven't you ever felt the terrible inadequacy of words

even with someone you know very well?

You say one thing, they think you mean another.

You can talk for hours

and still find yourself misunderstood.

- Yes, that's the way it was with Jake and me.

Talking to him was like talking to a brick wall.

Someday soon there may be

no more brick walls between people.

No more stupid quarrels and conflict.

Only complete understanding and goodwill.

It does sound like a tall order.

I hope I'm in on it.

You'll be the first to witness it.

That's a promise.

Mr. Henkle, I said two months.

It's two months to the day and I finished it.

Well, let's hear what it sounds like.

All right, here it goes.

I don't hear anything.

Wait, just wait.

Now what do you feel?

Why, that's funny, all of a sudden

I feel excited, exhilarated, and I don't know why.

A moment ago, I was dog-tired.

Play him another.

Play him this.

Quickly, play!

Stop it, stop it.

Put that horn down.

Stop it.

It communicates emotion.

Emotion? What kind of emotion?

Any kind.

Whatever emotion the player is feeling at the moment.

It transmits it unchanged to the listener.

Can anyone play it?

Anyone. Anyone who feels emotion.

But, but how does it work?

- You know, of course, that when a person experiences

emotion, certain physical reactions occur along with it.

When you're frightened, you tremble.

When you're embarrassed, you blush.

Yes.

- The horn is sensitized to these physical reactions

and transmits an identical set to the listener.

But how?

When you played it just now,

I, I felt something, I'll admit.

But I didn't hear anything.

- That's because the horn transmits ultra-sonic vibration.

Ultra-sonic vibration?

High-frequency sound waves.

So high the human ear can't hear them.

- Is that what I've been reading about lately?

Inaudible sound waves,

powerful enough to kill a small animal

or to penetrate 25 feet of solid steel?

That's right.

They can do many strange and wonderful things.