All language subtitles for Road To Avonlea s07e06 Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life

A natural wizard?

Surely not.

Practically a child.

A very successful child.

Made a fortune and a family hotel
business.

Mama's rich, Papa's rich, and he made
them even richer.

And he's putting money into the White
Sands?

We're desperate for an infusion of cash.
What with the roof to fix, the footings

to shore up.

Butter him up, old girl. He could be the
answer to our prayers.

Good morning, Mr. Osborne. Sorry to keep
you waiting. May I introduce my

business partner, Miss Hetty King.

Pleasure, Miss King.

Oh, no, the pleasure's mine, Miss
Osborne.

So pleased you found time to respond to
our letter.

You've had a chance, I trust, to look
around our establishment.

I have.

And what do you think?

B .I.

B .I.? Burn it.

B .I. What a wit. Hear that, Hetty? Burn
it.

My time is valuable, Mr. Tremaine. I
never wasted on jokes.

To be blunt, this hotel is a dinosaur.

Have you noticed?

The White Sands is the pride and joy of
this island.

Madam, there are hotels being built
today that make this one look like a

from the Dark Ages.

I say S .F .S.

Start from scratch.

Here's the plan.

Trainloads of tourists, conventions,
group packages. We'll triple the

in a year.

Next you'll suggest showgirls and
singing waiters?

Precisely. Which is why I would tear out
this dining room and turn it into a

cafeteria. What is a cafeteria?

It's sort of a smorgasbord.

You expect my guests to line up like
sheep?

What do you think, young man?

Me?

Well, I think it might be fun.

If we set up separate stations.

Salad's there, and main course is there.

Food stations?

By Jiminy Tremaine, there's the sort of
fellow we like to work with.

The contract, sir.

Sign on the dotted line, and I'll bring
in the work crew.

I'm sorry.

I cannot turn the white stands into a
circus.

It's your funeral, Tremaine.

Great hotels are run by visionaries, not
by old progies.

Good day, sir.

Madam.

I'll give you a week to think this over.

Stay in touch. You've got potential.

Is it right, Hetty King?

Am I over the hill?

Of course not.

You're a man of wit.

And vitality. And that is visionary in
my book.

Health of the hotel.

Fine service and good old -fashioned
hospitality. I'll never go out of date.

Mark my words.

Oops.

School. I'm late.

Good day there, Pierre. Felix.

I wouldn't treat you for...

Ten of those insolent young
whippersnappers.

You know, she can be very sweet.

Miss King?

Who else?

We think alike on so many issues.

Au contraire.

You say white, she says black. You say
night, she says day.

You... fight about everything.

Oh, nonsense. A few little tiffs over
the years, they mean nothing.

I must do right by her, Pierre.

All the money she invested here, she
could lose it all.

If Osborne is right.

Miss King, Miss King!

Telegram! Oh, nobody take the budget!

Oh, it could be in your mouth.

Telegram.

From Mr. Pettibone.

Stopping early tomorrow at the Avonlea
School with Mr. Tunbridge, Deputy

Minister of Education.

Oh, tomorrow.

Good grief.

Now then, first I'll say a few words of
welcome to Mr. Tunbridge and then we'll

have the Lord's Prayer.

Is there a volunteer, anybody?

Me. I'll do it, Miss King. Very good.

Becky Lester.

Next, then, we should have some
rendition or other of the Maple Leaf

Miss King, Cecily and I can sing in
harmony.

Yes, of course.

Excellent. Miss King, Dora knows her
times table's upside down and sideways.

Mind your own beeswax, Davy Keith.

I'll be a nervous wreck.

Oh, nonsense, Dora. Davy's right.

Well, you do, you have a veritable
genius for numbers.

Oh, you're no class.

This will be the ideal opportunity for
you to show off your talents.

So I think I'll invite your families.

Why,

of course. I'd be delighted to attend.

I'll bring some pastries, if you like.

And, Hedy, thank you for thinking of me.

Which is best?

The stripe or the velvet.

Oh, heaven's sakes, it's a hat.

Oh, you're right.

Yes, the velvet's more refined.

Elegant, stylish, the rest.

Hey, King, the deputy minister isn't
coming to give you an award, you know.

won't even notice what's on your head.
But how do you know, Rachel?

Well, I've been thinking.

What about the governor general's award
for best teacher?

Oh, can you imagine?

With a trip to Ottawa for the Gallop
presentation.

Well, I could wear the velvet then.

Hattie, it's bad luck to count your
chickens.

Now get a move on.

They're here!

Everybody, get in.

Where are they?

Mr. Tumbridge, Mr.

Pettibone. Oh, how good of you to pay us
call.

Good day, Miss King. Your
superintendent, Mr. Pettibone, is

today.

Welcome to the Avondale School.

Oh, please, right this way.

Here, Mr. Tumbridge, sir.

Oh, thank you.

Well, now, this is a pleasure.

Good day, class.

Good day, Mr.

Tumbridge, sir.

Please be seated.

Mr.

Tumbridge, may I say that despite the
short notice, the children have managed

prepare a recital in your honor. Oh,
yes, we have songs and a recitation.

Miss King, could I have a word with you
privately?

Privately? Oh, yes, of course.

At ease, everyone.

I fear there's been a slight
misunderstanding, Miss King. I'm on a

schedule. I'm afraid I can't stay for
your recital. Please give my apologies

the children, but I'm here for the
inauguration of the new school and

Now, you will be receiving details by
post, but I wanted to give you the

official news in person.

The news. You, Miss King, are to be
moved over to the Carmody School to

class in English composition.

Oh.

No, no, no, I couldn't.

I wouldn't dream of abandoning the
Avenue School.

My students need me.

You don't understand, Miss King.

Either you accept the Carmody position
or we must ask you to retire. Retire?

Did you say retire?

Well, it's your choice, of course.

But one -room schoolhouses are a thing
of the past.

Carmody will have 20 rooms with
specialized courses in shorthand and

business practice.

A student seeking a superior education
will come from all the surrounding

villages.

I mean, you're...

They're shipping some of my pupils over
to Calvary.

Not some of them, Miss King. All of
them.

Next year, the Albany School will be
closed.

Progress, Miss King.

Down with the old, up with the new.

Onward and upward.

Petty.

Petty bone.

Miss King. Shall we go?

Thank you kindly, Miss King.

Good day, class.

Good day.

I didn't know, Hetty. I'm sorry.

Let go.

If you like.

No, no, don't.

I mean... I don't mind if you don't
mind.

Do you think I should give up the hotel
business and retire?

Move back to Scotland.

Scotland? No.

Oh, no, you won't.

Simon, I will be lost without you.

Oh, Hattie.

I never dreamed.

Neither did I.

Mr. Tremaine, pardonnez -moi.

Oh, yes,

Pierre.

A lovely night, isn't it?

I suppose so.

I thought I should warn you. Young Felix
is planning to give some sort of dance

lessons.

He's putting up signs as we speak.

Oh, really? How lovely.

I thought you disapproved.

What are you going to do?

Do?

Did you ever see the moon shine so
brightly, Pierre?

Are you sure you're all right, Hattie
King?

Far be it from me to interfere where I'm
not wanted, but is there anything you'd

like to tell me?

You know, it's strange.

Here life's dealt me its cruelest blow,
and yet somehow I feel

strangely elated.

Yes, well, there's an old -fashioned
name for that. It's called lunacy.

What are you talking about?

Plain horse sense, that's what.

Take it from me, Hetty, when your heart
skips a beat, it isn't love, it's

indigestion.

I can't believe this has happened.

Every cloud has a silver lining, Eddie.

Platitudes.

We did have some wonderful times in this
old place, didn't we?

What's wrong with a one -room
schoolhouse? That's what I want to know.

I know, Eddie.

It's difficult to set one's mind on a
new course.

Oh, another platitude.

One door closes and another opens.

And fools.

Frantic rats to me, Maudra. They're like
sheep conforming to the latest fad.

Exactly.

We don't conform, do we, Simon? We
continue to like the things that we

You know what we are.

We're rebels.

Yes.

Revolutionaries, that's us.

Revolutionaries. You know, Hetty, when
push comes to shove, you're the only one

that truly understands me.

Likewise, Simon.

Oh, it's such fun, isn't it, having
someone to confide in?

In the past few years, I've come to
realize how fleeting is time.

How much you mean to me.

Would you?

Oh, no.

Then you'll be mine forever and ever.

Oh, yes, yes.

Yes, yes.

Ah,

I was hoping to have a word with you,
Mr. Osborne.

I've worked out a new proposal to take
this decrepit hotel off your hands.

You don't have the money to fix it, and
I'm not prepared to throw good money

after bad and invest in this museum so
that you can relinquish your debt.

I have plans to save the place, but it
would mean you're selling out.

Now, hold on a minute, Mr. Osborne.

I will never hand over control of this
fine hotel.

It's a part of my life.

And I could never convince my business
partner to give up her stake, no.

A change of ownership is out of the
question, I'm afraid.

What about the people who depend on you
for employment?

In the present course of destruction
that you've chosen, they'll be out of

in less than a year.

You have no choice.

I will buy you and your partner out with
a respectable sum.

At this point, it's only LOE.

L -O -E.

Liquidate or evaporate.

I've dictated the basic terms to my
attorneys, who will drop a long -form

agreement.

I could even include provisions for the
continued employment of key staff.

Thank you for coming all this way to
discuss investment. Our conversation has

been most enlightening, Mr. Osborne.

I will take what you've said under
advisement.

I will let you know when I've reached my
decision.

Don't MTB now.

Missed the boat.

Smile. Don't, Hetty.

First outing as an engaged couple.

Bridge with the kings and the petty
boons.

That's what he'll be, I suppose.

Years after years of bridge.

Week after week, like clockwork.

Listening to Clive and Muriel and Alec
and Janet.

Yes.

Never mind.

We may grow to like it.

Come on now.

Let's find the others.

Probably in the parlor.

No matter what. I can't do that.
Everyone,

to Hedy and Simon, our very best wishes
for a long and happy life together.

To Hedy and Simon.

Thank you.

Where are you two lovebirds going to
build your little nest?

The White Sands.

Some disgusting to do, don't we,
darling?

No, we don't, dearest.

Why would I want to live in a hotel when
I've a perfectly lovely home to live

in? And one that's been in the family
for generations.

Why would I live in your little home
when I have the day and night

responsibilities for a great big hotel?

But you're giving up the hotel.

Oh, thank you.

Hedy, I must commend you on your wise
decision.

What decision? I haven't made one yet.

We're just discussing it. No.

No, no, I was referring to your wisdom
in turning down Carmody.

Very astute of you. Go out with a blaze
of glory, say I.

What are you talking about?

Clive. No, no, no, let him speak. Go on,
Clive.

There's nothing.

It's just that if I were in your shoes,
I would feel the same way. All those

smart... Young things on staff.

I'd have difficulty keeping up with
them.

Difficult.

What's difficult about it?

Have some cake, dear.

Now, surely, Clive, you're not
insinuating that some young snippet, wet

the ears, is a better teacher than I am.

Hattie, I'm on your side.

It doesn't matter what I think.

It's what the deputy minister thinks
that counts.

Oh, and what, praise tell, is that?

Well, that your teaching methods are
outdated.

That's why he's closing the Avonlea
schoolhouse.

Eddie, we mustn't get excited.

Now, look here, Clive Pettibone.

I'll pit my pupils against that Carmody
lot any day of the week.

Math, English, geography, you name it.

Just you wait.

I want a contest.

A contest?

Fair and square between the two schools
to settle what I consider to be a

question of slender... But what if you
lose?

My students won't lose. They'll win.

And then your precious Mr. Tumbridge
will have to reconsider his decision to

close my school. Come along, dear. I
feel a very big headache coming on.

Deputy Minister Ickrow.

I've got my students in training at one.

What about the wedding?

What?

Oh,

surely Simon, you don't think I'd let
our wedding place second fiddle to a

showdown between two schools, do you?

Do you? No, no, of course not.

I'll settle up everything with Osborne.

Dinner.

Tomorrow night.

At the hotel.

Eight o 'clock.

Delicious, hmm?

I'll be there.

With bells on.

Look here, Mr. Tombridge. This whole
situation is extremely regrettable. Miss

King is very upset. I just wish I'd been
able to warn her.

This is, after all, in accordance with
the Ministry of Education's progressive

new policies.

Hedy King is highly respected. For miles
around, she feels her reputation has

been damaged.

She wants to hold a contest between the
two schools to prove her point.

A contest?

Oh, this is most irregular.

Why not?

If Avonlea loses, your decision to close
the school will have been justified,

and this way, Miss King and her students
will have had their day in court, so to

speak.

Well, I'll, um... I'll give it some
thought.

Thank you, sir.

A written test.

To be taken in Carmody the day after
tomorrow.

Questions to be prepared by a committee
of three.

Myself, the Carmody principal, and a
ministry official.

Don't worry, Miss King. They don't scare
us.

We don't want our school to close.

No. We're going to beat their pants off.
Yeah.

Indeed we will, David Kidd.

Indeed we will.

All right, children.

Let's prepare to do battle.

Dividing into teams.

Math here.

Geography over there. English across the
back.

Ready. March.

Now remember, the fate of our school is
at stake.

I know you'll do me proud.

For God, for country, for Avonlea, to
work.

Will you see what I brought you?

Oh, Lydia, please, not now.

I'm in a triffle, honey. I'm supposed to
be meeting Simon for dinner at eight o

'clock. It'll only take a moment.

It's Grandmother King's wedding dress. I
found it in the attic.

Oh,

my.

Oh, my.

You look like a real bride.

Oh, thank you, child.

I know you're in a big rush to go out,
but I have a problem with my long

division. Davy's in a real sweat over
his objects of proposition.

Proposition, yes.

Mrs. Lynn's at her foreign missions
meeting, so she can't help. Oh, yes, I

forgot.

Good grief, it's 20 to 8.

Oh, well, I... stay to help, but I've
got to get home and put money to bed.

Yes, of course.

All right, Dora dear.

I'll see what I can do.

Only a few moments now.

Now, Olivia, just leave it there.

I'll try it on later, I promise.

Good.

I am tired.

Yeah.

No,

no, Davy.

One doesn't say who are you speaking to.

No.

What now?

I don't... See who that is, will you,
dear?

No, no, you see, one says, to whom are
you speaking?

Whom is the object of the preposition
to, you see.

Miss King, you gotta help us. Me and
Wiley, we're going off our rockers with

these here latitudes and longitudes.

Ma said you'd straighten us out. Would
you, Miss King, please? We gotta win.

Yes, all right.

Oh, get out the atlas.

Quickly now, quickly.

Be seated, both of you.

Miss King, you sure look pretty with
that veil on.

Oh, the veil.

Oh, yes, the veil.

I'll get it.

Now what?

Miss King, you have to help us. I'm
stuck on this Latin poetry and the

need help with their English.

Oh.

Yes, all right.

All right.

I'll see to you each in turn.

Is he first?

She

stood

him up.

Well, perhaps it's for the best.

You think so?

Love is like a delicate souffle.

It can rise or fall, and nobody ever
knows why.

One thing I do know, our friend over
there will be miserable if he gives up

he loves best.

You mean Aunt Hattie?

No, no, my boy.

I mean the hotel.

I'll get it.

Hello, Simon.

Oh, how could I have... I'm so sorry.
No, no, it's quite all right.

It was just a little snack.

Nothing special.

It's just the conscious tomorrow, you
know, and suddenly...

Everyone needed my help.

Yes,

I'll be in Carmody tomorrow to cheer you
on.

No, no, I understand.

I'm not upset.

No.

No.

Good night, my dear.

I'm leaving tomorrow afternoon.

Have you made up your mind?

It should be a simple choice, Tremaine.

I'm not prepared to talk about the
business affairs of the present.

You'll have to wait until tomorrow.

Well, old man, in another few weeks
you'll be lassoed and wed.

How are you two getting along?

I don't know.

She's been under a great deal of
pressure, as you can see.

It'll pass.

Planning on a nice long honeymoon, are
you?

Yes.

Just between you and me, I've got
surprise plans in the works for a trip

Scotland after I deal with the hotel.
Oh, yeah?

Go. visiting all my old haunts.

She's never been across the ocean, you
know.

Of course, if heavenly winds, the
honeymoon could go right out the window.

Nonsense. A woman in love doesn't cancel
her honeymoon.

It's an unwritten law.

Just the same. Keep Scotland on your
heart, will you?

I'd prefer to surprise Hetty in a
romantic way.

And time's up.

Prophetic words, eh?

Excuse me, please. Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Avenue General Store.

Yes.

Yes.

I'll tell them.

Avonlea has won.

The school stays open.

Three cheers for us.

Cheers to the future.

To you, Eddie King.

You certainly pulled it off.

No, no, not I.

No, no, it was my students.

The best in the province.

Oh, dear me, Simon.

You know...

The school's staying open only in a very
short honeymoon.

But I was planning something special.

Unique.

Once in a lifetime excursion.

Full of history.

Oh, yes, but you know, I've been
thinking that there are some very

hotels in Halifax.

Why not a quick weekend trip?

A weekend in Halifax?

That's all the time from school I can
afford, really.

Never mind.

We'll leave Saturday and take in a
moving picture show and stroll along the

and be back in time for school first
thing Monday morning.

Aunt Hattie, a telegram from the Deputy
Minister of Education.

Congratulations, no doubt.

The old goat will be eating crow by now,
that's for certain.

The decision's been stayed.

The exams were remarked.

Apparently we didn't win, after all.

And Tumbridge may still close the Abner
School.

Dear Lord.

Carmody, Principal, filed a complaint
against me for...

He said he saw me handling my students
during this, um...

Excuse me for revealing the question
ahead of

time.

Hattie!

Hattie Kim, you have to come out of this
sooner or later.

No, I don't, and I won't.

Never has a king been subjected to such
vile accusations.

Oh, this is a shame.

My poor school, my poor dear students.

Oh, it's a black, black day.

Nor will I, Simon Tremaine, nor will
I...

Drag your good name into the mire with
me.

So, here.

Take this.

You're off the hook.

Hetty.

You mustn't.

It's her pride.

She couldn't be worse if they cut off
her right arm.

But what about my pride?

I refuse to break off our engagement,
Hetty King.

No, I tell you.

Take it. You're a stubborn fool, Hickey
King.

But I'm just as stubborn as you are.

Poor Miss King.

Everything's going wrong.

We have to do something, Davy.

We have to do it quick.

Has Osborne left? Did he withdraw his
offer?

You haven't had a morsel of food today.
How about a nice hot roast beef sandwich

with gravy and home -fried potatoes?

Thank you, Pierre.

I couldn't choke down a crumb.

What with the constant complaining from
the guests about the plumbing, the leaky

roof, the lack of electricity.

Not to mention this... this contract.

Putting my name on this dotted line is
like... Signing your life away.

Exactly.

What's wrong with me?

It's plain as the nose on your face.

You are not ready to leave the hotel
business.

I like running this place.

In fact, I love it.

I love the walls. I love the ceilings.

Furniture. I don't want the Osbournes of
the world changing as much as a doily.

Tell me, lad.

You've known your aunt much longer than
I have.

Just how important is teaching a school
to her?

It's where her heart is.

If she gave it up, she'd be unhappy.

Unhappy.

She'd be miserable.

Well, there you have it, gentlemen.

She loves me.

I love her.

But what do we do about it?

Well, let's start with fixing the roof.

Then we can patch the plumbing. We'll
have this old place looking like a brand

new hotel in no time.

We'll never let it fall apart.

You sure Mr. Tremaine said he'd give us
a ride?

He promised.

As long as we keep it, it's the only you
know who.

Let's go.

Just where do you think you're going?

Um, we were just going to school.

At six o 'clock in the morning?

Mrs. Lind, I cannot tell a lie. Shut up,
Dora.

We're going to go look for the blue
-backed springle goose.

We have to do a paper on it.

The blue -backed what?

It's a very rare bird.

And if we don't go right now, we'll miss
it. Because it only comes once a year.

Well, I never... I suppose, if you
must... We'll be back in time for lunch.

You see, Mr. Tunbridge, sir, I know Miss
King didn't cheat.

She only looked at me to give me a
little bit of encouragement.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Test me right now. I can answer any
question you ask me.

Mr. Tunbridge, I see no need to test the
child again. It's quite obvious that

they are trying to cover up for Miss
King.

They cheated on the exam.

The heavenly school should close as
planned. Then we can teach them a thing

two about the three R's. Reading,
writing.

And respect for the truth.

Excuse me.

Wilson.

What are the markings all over these
pages?

The children erased some of their
answers during the exam. They were

Oh, I'm sure there's more here than
meets the eye. The writing, it's

inconsistent.

None of it matches the individual paper.

Wilson, you can fool some of the people
some of the time.

Dora,

what's ten times seven?

It's seventy, of course.

Davy, what's the past tense of the verb
to be?

Was. Dora, double elevens?

One hundred and thirty -two. Davy, name
me three prepositions.

Under, over, on. Dora, sixty -eight plus
two minus seven?

Sixty -three. Davy, what's the
conjunction?

And.

Get yourself together.

Quick. Mr. Tunbridge is coming up the
walk with the children.

What? Blue -backed, sprinkled goose.

Miss King?

Mrs. Lynde, we got company.

Miss King?

Mr.

Tunbridge. Forgive the intrusion, Miss
King, but your students summoned me to a

meeting. to discuss the complaint filed
by the Carmody principal.

The what?

Yes, there seems to be a certain
desperation over at Carmody to increase

student population of that school in
order to increase funding.

Oh.

Principal Wilson, he reached our
answers.

We showed him how brilliant we are. Mind
you, my boy.

Thanks to a brilliant teacher.

Yes, I apologize for the odious
suggestions.

previous day.

Such devotion and scholarship among
these admirable children, it can't be

ignored. The retabulated exams prove, as
we originally thought, that the Avonlea

School is the hands -down winner of the
competition.

Miss King, the Avonlea School will
remain open as long as you remain at the

helm.

Then this is the...

A glorious day, family.

Thank you.

One minute. Oh, I'm...

I haven't seen you as happy as this in a
long, long time.

You look happy, too.

You know me so well.

Like a book.

We've been fooling ourselves, haven't
we?

Your marriage proposal, Simon Tremaine,
is the greatest compliment I've

ever been paid.

Do you think they'll give me my money
back?

Perhaps you'd better save it.

You may fall in love again.

No.

I'm still in love.

Oh, my.

I don't feel marriage really suits
either of us.

No, probably not.

Would you care to indulge in old hotel
custom?

What?

No.

I'd much prefer a quiet stroll together
along our decrepit veranda.

Whatever pleases you, darling.