Torture Garden

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's more than an entertainment. It's a panacea.

Well, a tonic. That's it, ladies and gents.

A tonic for jangled nerves and tired blood.

There's nothing like a good fright for toning up the circulation.

And that's what you've got in here. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's in here.

You'll shriek, you'll shudder, you'll shiver,

but it's all in fun and no harm done.

So come along, ladies and gents, get your tickets now.

Only half a crown. Half a crown!

For the greatest thrill you've ever had in your life.

Come along to the Torture Garden of Dr Diabolo.

Dr Diabolo's Torture Garden.

Yes, my friends. There is no end

to man's inhumanity to man.

You have seen torture.

Now I'm going to show you death.

The electric chair.

It's used

for the execution of condemned criminals in the United States.

The man in that chair has committed a crime. It's murder.

He's gonna pay for it.

Strapped and helpless in that little chair,

the creature awaits his doom.

Perhaps you feel sympathy, compassion for him, eh?

Well, not me.

Not me,

for reasons of my own.

And soon, thousands of volts of electricity

will sear every nerve

and every cell of his body.

A very civilised method of revenge,

that I approve of.

You'll notice the bits of sponge here and there,

where the electrodes touch the flesh.

That is to prevent the gentleman

from being burnt to a cinder before your eyes. But, nevertheless,

he will burn inside.

Inside.

Inside.

Inside.

You picture yourself in his place.

Yes, try that.

Now, in his final moment,

his last breath,

his last sweet second of life.

And now, my friend,

in full payment for what has passed,

I am going to pull the switch.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, concludes our regular performance.

But wait.

There's more to come.

Oh, yes.

What you have seen

are imaginary horrors.

But now,

I can let you experience real ones.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I do have a private exhibit.

It is for the true connoisseurs.

Right behind the curtain there you will find

the real Torture Garden.

It is not for the faint of heart.

For what you find there will be more terrifying, more horrendous,

than your deepest, darkest dreams.

Now, then, who has the courage to try it?

- How much does it cost? - Well, since this exhibit

is limited to a special few, five pounds.

- Five pounds? You got a nerve. - And what about you?

Have you the nerve to face the thing that lies waiting inside there, eh?

It's a thrill of a lifetime, I guarantee it.

If you don't agree with me afterwards, I'll cheerfully refund your money.

Well, come on. Are you all cowards?

It is a lot of money,

but I'd like to see.

What about you, mate?

I think he's a fake.

Still, let's have a go.

One moment.

There are others here who may find this exhibit of special interest.

These two ladies.

Come on, I dare you.

Yes, thank you. Now step right inside, if you don't mind.

Don't be afraid. I'll join you in a moment.

Is this all there is?

- It's not much to look at, is it? - Not for a fiver, it isn't.

- You're American, aren't you? - Yes.

- Where you from? - Hollywood.

- You in films? - Yes, my cousin's visiting me on holiday.

I'm afraid she must find it rather dull here.

Yes or no?

Where is he?

Oh, it's just a waxworks.

A dummy?

- If you ask me, we're the dummies. - It isn't quite what I expected.

- What did you expect? - Well, I don't know, but...

Where is he, this...? What's he call himself?

Diabolo. You call me?

- Who's your friend? - That's a good question.

This is a figure from ancient legend.

Atropos, Goddess of Destiny.

In the left hand, the skein of life. In the right, the shears of fate.

Each coloured thread represents a human life.

And the shears have the power to cut it short.

Oh, come on.

It's just one of those mechanical figures that tells your fortune for a penny.

Yes, she can tell your fortune, of course.

That's the least of it. No, no, no.

See, I promised you horror. And I intend to keep that promise.

This sibyl here has a very strange magic,

a very strange power. For she is able to reveal

to each and every one of you the ultimate horror.

Which is, of course,

the horror that you have hidden away inside yourself.

The secret, in fact,

of your own evil.

A very old-fashioned word nowadays, "evil".

You'd prefer I say:

"The primordial monstrosities that lurk beneath the surface of the mind."

But I prefer "evil".

Just a minute.

- Is this all you've got to show us? - No, there is this also.

That if you can gain a knowledge of your inner evil,

why, then you will have been forewarned, and perhaps,

that is, perhaps,

you can escape the monstrous act

and the hideous consequences.

Are you trying to tell us that this thing can really foretell the future?

I'm simply trying to say that what she foretells

need not come to pass.

Not if you heed what you've learned.

Not if you shun the evil that lies deep in your nature.

I didn't pay five pounds to listen to you preach a sermon.

- I think you've lost your money, friend. - Come here, young man.

Come here.

What, are you afraid?

You seem to doubt my word.

How would you like to be the first to learn

what fate has in store for you?

What do I do, ask it questions?

That won't be necessary. Just stand where you are.

The figure will communicate with you.

- How? - Through your mind.

Just look at the figure. Look at the figure.

It can't hurt you. Now look at the shears.

Look deeply. Deeply, deeply.

Deeply, deeply,

into the shears of fate.

- Hello, I'm Colin Williams. - I'm Nurse Parker.

Yes, your uncle said you might be coming for a visit.

- How is he? - His heart is very weak.

The doctor says it could be any time now.

- I'll try not to tire him. - Good.

I'll be off. Oh, if there's any change,

get in touch with Dr Silversmith in the village. All right?

- I will. Thank you. Goodbye. - Goodbye.

Well, Colin, it's been a long time.

- Yes. Three years, isn't it? - It must be all of that.

You're looking fit.

- And you. - My time on earth is short, and

- since you're my sole living relative... - Yes, I realise that.

- And frankly, I'm very grateful. - Are you, now?

Yeah. It just so happens that

right now I'm in a bit of a fix, financially.

I didn't invite you here to discuss money.

Sit down.

- Here, let me... - No.

What I have to say is

of far greater importance.

This may be the last time we shall ever meet.

Once and for all, I want to urge you again to mend your ways.

You can't expect to go on like this forever.

You must find a job, settle down, make something of your life.

If you could only understand this, if you could see the light,

that would be the greatest legacy I could give you.

You're absolutely right.

These last three years haven't been easy.

Believe me, I've learned my lesson.

Good.

- You have a job? - I've got one promised,

as soon as I've cleared up my obligations.

Oh, it's not all that bad, it's just a matter of a

few thousand pounds.

Out of the question, absolutely out of the question.

- Uncle Roger. - I don't have the money.

And what about your fortune? My inheritance.

- There is no fortune. - Rubbish!

Everyone knows you've got money.

You've lived here on your own, what?

Thirty years?

You've never worked.

- How do you pay for it all? - That's none of your business.

That's where you're wrong. It is my business.

I've been asking questions.

They say in the village that everything you buy is paid for in cash.

No, no, not just ordinary cash.

But coins. Old gold coins.

Please, I don't want to talk about it.

All right.

We'll talk about something else.

This cottage, for instance.

Very old, isn't it?