Original subtitles

Now, Mr.

Dimmesdale, may I introduce Miss Buffy and Master Jody?

How do it all.

Peace meet you, Mr. Dimmesdale.

Hi, Mr. Dimmesdale.

Now, off you go, homeward. Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

This establishment has style.

Not quite Glenmore Castle, but... Oh, it has its own advantages, you know.

Oh, excuse me, Will.

Yes. Uh, this the Davis pad?

Yes, yes.

I presume you're calling for Miss Sissy?

Right. What's up with the little bird man? I'm ready to fly.

Oh, Sissy, there's a gentleman to see you.

Oh, hi.

Mr. French, this is Gopher Resnick.

Let's drift. They're waiting for us at the Blacklight Bazaar.

Sissy, is it... possible that this gopher proposes to escort you to a

place?

Right. He wants to take me dancing.

I'm sorry, Sissy, but I must forbid it. The young man is shoeless.

You got something against feet, man?

Not in their proper place, no. The cradle, the seashore, or the shower.

Are you for real?

as real as this door.

Good day, sir.

Splendid.

I'm sorry, Sissy.

Oh, I'm not.

Thanks for getting rid of him. I can't understand what he's talking about half

the time.

Quite so.

Oh, may I introduce you to a former colleague of mine, Mr. Dimmesdale, Miss

Sissy. Hello.

Hello.

Well, back to the old homework.

Charming. You obviously have full authority, Giles.

Ah, Mr. Davies.

Hi.

Sir, this is Mr. Alfred Dimmesdale. We were in service together some years ago.

I think so.

Visiting in New York? No, sir, I shall stay if I'm able to secure a suitable

employment. Ah, yes, Mr.

Dimmesdale is seeking a position of a gentleman's gentleman, sir. I must say,

envy Mr. French, his exceptional situation here.

Well, I thought I was perhaps among some of your friends.

Oh, sure, yeah, I'll ask around.

Glad to. Thank you very much, Mr. Davis.

Again, a pleasure to meet you and your delightful family.

Giles. Excuse me, sir.

We'll let you know if I hear anything.

Yes, we'll be in touch, Alfred.

Old friend of yours, huh?

Oh, yes, sir. He, his sister, and I were in service together a very long time

ago.

Oh, if you'll excuse me, sir, I have a seat to do that. Right.

Your luncheon engagement with Mr. Krause is confirmed.

The 2 .30 meeting with Cahill and Weikert has been shifted to three.

There are calls from Mr. Sloan, the Milford people, and Mr. Burns.

I didn't open it. It was marked personal.

You

think

you know you're Mr. French.

You don't.

He's not fit to be in any nice home.

I'm sorry.

You don't need to be sorry.

Somebody's got a sick mind.

Most unpleasant, sir.

You went to a lot of trouble to put that together.

Was that all, sir?

Yes, Lincoln.

Uncle Bill!

You're late!

You're late.

We went to the drugstore for sodas, then we went to the park, then we went

shopping with Sissy. What did you buy? We didn't buy anything.

Uncle Bill, when girls go shopping, all they do is look.

And look, and look, and look.

Next time we go shopping, can Mrs. Beasley come too? She needs new glasses.

I have nothing.

When people say nothing, it means something.

Uncle Bill. Yeah. This was in the mailbox. No stamp or postmark. Just my

Oh, dandy. After what happened in London, Mr. French does not belong in an

Anastasio. Isn't that awful?

Yeah, it sure is. We got...

Yeah, let's go into the office.

It's a poison pen campaign.

It sure is.

Do you think we should tell him?

I did.

What did he say?

He said he was sorry.

Is that all?

Well, what else is he going to say?

Obviously, somebody wants to get him fired.

I'd like to stop this stuff.

Uncle Bill.

The other day, Gopher Resnick came by to take me dancing. He was barefooted, and

Mr. French said that I couldn't go out with him.

Yeah? So what happened?

So Mr.

French put him down.

And Gopher does not like to be put down.

You don't make Gopher do anything like this, do you?

Uncle Bill, he's really weird. It would be just like him.

Who calls?

Gopher.

I have to talk to you.

Oh, jump away, Bert.

Why have you been sending those awful letters to Mr. French?

Mr. who?

Mr. French. Just because he wouldn't let you go out with me. Oh, the cat with

the beaver and the hang -up about shoes.

Yes.

You're to stop writing those letters, Gopher.

Chick, I haven't been writing any letters to nobody.

I've been too busy with Jenny.

Jenny? Yeah, we met after I bounced out of your place the other night.

She's out of sight.

You know, that anti -barefoot boy really did me a big favor, sending me all the

way to Jenny.

Mr. Davis?

Mr. Gimsdale is here. Thank you.

Have a seat, Mr. Gimsdale. Thank you for coming.

It wasn't clear to me on the telephone, sir, have you heard of someone

interested in my services?

No, no, no, it wasn't that.

Look, what would you think of taking French's place with my family?

I'd be shocked, sir.

Now, don't misunderstand me.

I like French. I like him very much.

If I just had myself to consider, why, it'd be different. But I have to think

the children.

But Mr. French and the children appear to have an excellent rapport.

Yes, they do.

But we've been hearing these rumors lately about what happened in England at

Lord Glenmore's.

Sir, may I suggest that you do not listen to rumors or to people who spread

them?

Well, should I decide to let French go, when do you think you could take over

the household?

Oh, I would not be interested, Mr. Davis.

If it's a matter of salary.

It's not a question of the salary. It's the children.

Mind you, I like children from a distance.

And I admire people who have the patience to look after them.

People like Giles and my sister.

But I'm just not cut out to be a nanny.

I see.

Well, I appreciate you coming over, Mr. Demsdale.

Not at all, Mr. Davis. And should you hear of a nice, uncomplicated bachelor

needs looking after, please bear me in mind. I sure will.

you're supposed to get all excited.

Why?

Everybody does when the mailman comes.

I don't. I don't get any letters.

Well, maybe you will today.

I never write any.

Uncle Bill.

Uncle Bill.

Uncle Bill.

Mr. French.

Mr. French.

Hey, Buffy, here's a letter without anybody's name on it.

Let me see.

And no stamp either.

You can have it if you want to.

Okay.

What does it say?

It's something about Mr.

French.

I'm going to the library.

Hey, is there any mail for me?

What does his cap mean?

Set his cap?

What are you reading?

This.

Your Mr.

Friend set his cap for Lord Glenmore's young daughter and broke her heart.

Fortunately, his scheme was exposed and he was fired. He escaped to America.

Where did you get this?

It was in our mailbox.

about Mr.

French?

Don't worry about it. He wouldn't understand.

We could try.

Mr. French?

Yes.

You know, Mr. French set his cap for Lord Glenmore's young daughter and broke

her heart.

Fortunately, his scheme was exposed and he was fired.

He escaped to America.

That's the third note.

I regret that you should be involved, Sissy.

Well, we've got to do something about these awful things.

You can't let this person go on writing lies about you.

Calling you names and saying that Lord Glenmore fired you.

It's not a lie.

Lord Glenmore did, in fact, dismiss me.

With cause.

He did?

I'm afraid so.

Fortunately...

Mr. Davis was so impressed by our personal interview that he made no

inquiries.

And I've given him no calls for regret since.

Are you saying that these notes are true?

Quite.

If you'll excuse me.

Come on, Bob.

Where are you going?

As if Mr. French is ready to take us to the park.

I'll take you to the park.

But you were going to the library.

Well, I've changed my mind. Come on.

Oh, Buffy, Jody, I'll get ready to take you to the park now.

That's all right, Mr. French. Sissy's taking us.

Oh?

Come on.

Mr. French was going to bring us. It's better for me to take you.

Go on and play.

Aren't those the Davis children?

Yes.

Do you suppose something's happened to Mr. French?

Oh, no.

Sissy often brings the children when Mr. French is busy.

Good morning, Miss Sissy.

Hi, Miss Babisham.

Miss Davis, Miss Dimmesdale.

Hello.

I rather expected to see Mr. French with the children today.

I decided to bring them.

I'm going to be spending more time with them, taking more responsibility.

It was nice to have met you.

When your friend says all this stuff is true, it's about Glenmore's daughter?

Mm -hmm.

Every word of it.

Uncle Bill, what kind of a man is Mr. French?

Well, he's intelligent and he's honest, you know.

That's what I thought.

There's got to be more to it than this.

Well, if there is, then why doesn't he defend himself?

Uncle Bill? Yeah?

Something's going on.

And she says nothing.

And we ask Mr. French what's wrong.

And he says nothing.

So now we're asking you what's wrong.

Please don't say nothing.

Because we know it's something.

You're sure something's wrong, huh?

Mm -hmm.

Mr. French looks so sad and far away.

Well, he's kind of worried, and sissy's worried, and I'm worried, and I think

that's enough worrying for one family. So why don't you just go and play and

us handle the worrying, okay?

As long as you tell us when it's time for us to worry.

Okay, I promise.

Hey,

French.

You've read the latest expose, sir. Yeah, yeah. Did you tell Sissy this is

Yes.

Well, she doesn't want to believe it.

Each of us is free to believe as he wishes, sir.

Well, I guess there are circumstances in these things that make a difference.

Sir, my position in this household has been most rewarding.

However, under the present circumstances, perhaps I'd better...

talking about leaving.

But, sir... I said no now. I told the kids they got nothing to worry about.

They were concerned?

Well, of course they're concerned. What do you think now? They don't care

anything about poison pen letters and Lord somebody's daughter in England a

time ago.

They don't know anything about that. All they care about is you.

I'm with them.

Yes, sir.

You say all this is true, huh?

Well, I don't believe it.

Well, that's your privilege, sir.

You going to have dinner at the usual time?

Yes, sir. The usual time.

All right.

Same thing he told you?

Nothing more?

We offered to quit.

Think he ought to leave us?

No, I don't want him to leave.

Oh, Uncle Bill, I'm just really mixed up. It just seems there are two Mr.

French's. The one that we've known and loved.

And then that other one in those awful letters.

Well, what do you want him to do?

Prove that he's really the good Mr.

French?

Because that's exactly what he's not gonna do. Now, you know why?

Because if he has to prove it to you, to keep your respect, then your respect

isn't worth anything to him.

But, Uncle Bill... Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. Suppose it was me in

letters, huh?

You? Yeah.

Would you want... Would you put me on trial? Would you want proof?

Of course not. Okay.

That's all French wants.

Just trust him the same way you trust me.

Hmm?

Mr. French?

Yes, is he?

Thank you.

For what?

Well, for a lot of things, but mostly just for being the kind of person you

The person I am?

You're honest and you're uncompromising.

You're very tolerant of emotional teenage girls.

Oh, you're most welcome.

And now, would you kindly inform the others that dinner is served?

It's all better down for the night?

Oh, yes, sir. We had a little trouble with Mrs.

Beasley's insomnia, but at the moment all is quiet.

Oh, sir, with your permission, I'd like to go into a few details about my

dismissal by Lord Glenmore.

No, you don't have to do that.

Which is precisely why I choose to, sir.

Don't do it for me, Mr. French.

No, I do it for myself.

You see, Evelyn, Lord Glenmore's daughter, was a charming young woman.

but naive, overprotected.

She hardly ever saw a young man, only father, uncle, small brothers.

She was quite intelligent, well -read, and seemed to enjoy conversing with me.

Well, out of all this, she became fascinated, imagined that she'd fallen

with me.

I was younger then, and my figure a bit trimmer, sir.

So when Lord...

Glenmore learned that his daughter wanted to marry his valet. He was most

distressed. Oh, he knew it wasn't my fault, sir. In fact, he asked me for my

help.

But we were afraid that if I merely left their employ, Evelyn would romanticize

the separation.

Only, well, continue the embarrassment.

Well, then, at Lord Glenmore's suggestion, I led her to believe that...

Well, I was a married man and pretended to be single, hoping to obtain money

from Lord Glenmore.

She was dreadfully distressed, but... Well, I was dismissed in disgrace,

and then shortly afterwards, sir, I was fortunate enough to meet you and come to

America.

What happened to her, Evelyn?

Oh, she married a young man of her own age. I'm told she has a lovely family.

What an unselfish thing to do.

I guess Lord Glenmore was pretty grateful for that, wasn't he?

Oh, he was. He was, sir.

I'm sorry, Sissy. Perhaps I should have told you about it this morning, but

somehow I... You didn't think you had to defend yourself.

Well, listen.

Why is somebody stirring up all this whole scandal? Who's writing these

anyway?

Well, sir.

Alfred and Alice Dimmesdale were in service with me at Lord Glenmore's. It

wasn't Dimmesdale.

I put him to a test.

Oh, no, sir, it wasn't Alfred. I've known all along that it was Alice

Dimmesdale.

Why?

Well, I suppose she felt it her duty to protect Sissy and the children, poor

thing.

Oh, she's horrible.

I don't feel sorry for her one bit.

That is a privilege of youth, Miss Sissy.

Well, Jody, are you going to play your game, I know?

Oh, Mr. French, I'm going to sell my bowl.

Ricky made up a new game called You Don't Know.

Oh, I see, I see.

Now he makes up the rules.

Ah, Miss Dimmesdale.

You're still taking care of the children, I see.

Yes, yes, indeed. And I'd like to thank you for your efforts on my behalf.

My efforts?

Yes, yes, indeed.

I thought perhaps you might like to keep these.

They served a purpose. Oh, not necessarily the one you had in mind, but

nonetheless, I would like to thank you.

Good day, madam.

Miss Patterson.

Beautiful day, Mr. French.

Oh, indeed, indeed.

In every way, an acceptable day.