- Vincent Williams: People with rash ideas must be put away for their own good.
- Manny Coe: I don't get it.
- Vincent Williams: Really, Manny. Come now, you're not that naïve.
- Manny Coe: But she loves me, Mr. Williams.
- Vincent Williams: That's the beauty of it. To triumph over that little impediment of love. And after it's done, Manny, think of the elation. Free from emotional annoyances.
- Vincent Williams: I'm afraid your Betty is the kind of woman who would wait 20 years for you to get out of prison, moral and repentant.
- Manny Coe: I just can't believe she'd tell on me.
- Vincent Williams: I assure you, she did. Always beware the woman who loves you. Most often, they want to run your life. And I think that if anyone was to run your life, I'd be better qualified.
- Vincent Williams: I asked you here tonight to talk about you, Manny. You please me very much. And when one of my boys pleases me, he's always rewarded.
- Vincent Williams: It's a pity there are so many strange people in the world. I really don't understand them.
- Manny Coe: There's nothing wrong with Betty.
- Vincent Williams: Didn't you know? I'm afraid Betty doesn't like me. She even says I'm a crook. There's a rumor she's starting a purity campaign against our kind of people.
- Vincent Williams: Yes, there's the technical difficulty. This is no ordinary job. It has to be done expertly. It's some time since I was a technician, but the talent hasn't left me. Let's see. I have it. New Year's Eve is just a few days off.
- Manny Coe: New Year's Eve?
- Vincent Williams: The noise, the confusion, the gaiety at the end of an old year and the start of a new. The end of an old life, and the start of a new one.
- [He lies down on the sofa]
- Vincent Williams: Your new life. Until the new year. Good-bye, Manny.
- [He holds out his hand. Manny shakes his hand briefly, but Vincent continues to hold Manny's hand until Manny pulls away]
- Vincent Williams: A very impressive funeral. I don't quite know why, but I always feel more alive when someone else has died.
- Manny Coe: I know what you mean.
- Vincent Williams: Of course you do, Manny. You've proven it to me, time and again. But this last job - Betty - ah, that was a real masterpiece. You rose decidedly in my estimation. Getting her to run in front of a car. Very clever. No bullet wounds, no suspicion. Completely clean. Commendable.
- Manny Coe: Thank you, Mr. Williams.
- Vincent Williams: From now on, it might be "Vincent." Don't you think?
- Manny Coe: Yeah. Vincent!
- Vincent Williams: [Vincent lifts his glass] To Manny Coe, new assistant in Vincent Williams Enterprises.
- Manny Coe: I'll drink to that. To the future, Vincent. To the future.
- Vincent Williams: Hello, Georgie.
- Georgie: Hello, Mr. Williams.
- Vincent Williams: Having a good time?
- Georgie: Swell. Thanks for inviting me. I didn't have anything decent to wear...
- Vincent Williams: Well, we'll have to see to it that you get some new clothes. Won't we?
- Georgie: Yes, Mr. Williams. Boy, it's sure funny, isn't it? If I had clothes and dough and a car like Mr. Coe, I'd be enjoying myself, having a swell time.
- Vincent Williams: [Vincent looks over to the bar, where he sees Manny. Manny is talking with a woman, who has her arms around him] You're a very observant boy, Georgie. By the way, I thought you handled that camera store job very intelligently.
- Georgie: Yes, Mr. Williams.
- Vincent Williams: [Vincent puts his hand on Georgie's shoulder] I think a gray herringbone tweed would look very nice on you.
- [Vincent walks away. Georgie smiles triumphantly]
- Vincent Williams: What's the matter, Manny?
- Manny Coe: Nothing, Vincent.
- Vincent Williams: Why are you leaving?
- Manny Coe: [Surprised] What?
- Vincent Williams: [Vincent takes him by the arm and leads him toward the door] Oh, Manny. I'm sorry the Johnson job didn't turn out to be the success we anticipated.
- Manny Coe: I can't understand what happened. I planned every detail. I thought I hadn't overlooked anything.
- Vincent Williams: Perhaps you need a vacation.
- Manny Coe: Oh no. No, I'm sure I'll be all right by tomorrow night.
- Vincent Williams: Get a good night's sleep.
- Manny Coe: Thank you, Vincent. Good night.
- [He walks toward the door, where he sees Georgie]
- Georgie: Leaving, Mr. Coe?
- [Georgie grins]
- Manny Coe: [Looking disgusted] Yeah.
- Manny Coe: I've got to be up early tomorrow morning. It's a conference with Mr. Williams. You know how it is.
- Self - Host: [introduction]
- Self - Host: [Hitchcock in his usual suit is standing with his hands behind his back in the middle of a lineup of four smiling beauty contestants clad in one-piece swimsuits; there is a judge's ribbon on his left lapel] Good evening. This is a beauty contest. I should explain however, that I am not one of the contestants. At the last moment, someone stole my bathing suit, so I was made a judge.
- [looks around him below]
- Self - Host: You know the uh, the uh, problem of finding an unobtrusive spot for a vaccination is getting more and more difficult.
- [holds out a measuring tape and pulls it open in both hands, looking around him]
- Self - Host: Er, let's see now, uh... This is ridiculous. What difference does it make which one is the tallest?
- [throws the measuring tape away]
- Self - Host: While I continue the tiresome task of ogling these young ladies, our poor players will present tonight's story. It is called, "Vicious Circle".
- Self - Host: [Hitchcock is still wearing his judge's ribbon on his lapel] So much for life among the smart set. As you may have guessed, the law did not catch up with Manny. However, the bullet with his name on did. Actually, it had someone else's name on it, but it was missent. However, the error wasn't discovered until it was too late. This concludes tonight's divertissement. Next time, we shall return with more of the same. Good night.