Original subtitles

[UTENSILS CLATTERING]

What are you, Madeleine or the goulash?

Madeleine.

Sorry. I thought you were goulash.

Oh, it was probably my fault.

I'm so sorry, Mable. I'm quite sure it was I who made the mistake.

I dare say.Thank you.

You were goulash, weren't you Miss Meacham?

Uh, oh, yeah. Yes. Thanks, Mable.

MABLE: On what to follow.

The mousse angelic or the turnover.

What do you suggest?

Turnover.

Turnover.

I think Cook's acquiring a little lighter touch with her pastry.

Don't you think?

Not judging by the tarts, we had a tea yesterday.

Cannonballs.

Oh, did you think so? I rather liked them.

I had the most awful dreams.

I thought you were always dreaming.

Oh, they're not my usual dreams.

Not the ones I make myself dream.

I had the most terrible nightmares,

full of thugs and all that sort of thing.

I talked to Louis XV on Thursday night.

Did you indeed, dear?

This goulash is rather good!

I think you made a mistake.

[CLEARS THROAT]

Do you think you'll find a winner for tomorrow, Miss Meacham?

Master Latch is worth a pop or two each way.

Oh, I never bet nowadays.

When my husband was alive, he used to put sometimes

as much as five pounds on a horse for me.

I used to bet five times that amount when my father was

alive and I had an allowance.

Well, then, why don't you get spectacles?

Because I don't need them.

[TELEPHONE RINGING]

Sorry, Mr. Fowler, the goulash is off.

What? No goulash?

What about the cold pie?

Oh, I shouldn't have that if I was you. I saw what went into it.

If I was you, I'd have this.

All right. Whatever you say.

Ta.

She won't last.

I'm afraid not.

Still, I think it's a disgrace that the goulash is off

and two people are not even in yet.Yes, I know.

Of course, Mr. Malcolm's always late and rarely deserves it.

Anyway, after those long sessions at the Feathers,

I often wonder if he really knows what he's eating.

But the new lady, I mean, my dear, what will she think?

I saw her arrive.

Did you, dear?Yes, did you?

I was in the lounge.

I didn't, excuse me, think it quite right to peer out the window, Etta.

I happened to be in the hall.

I met her on the stairs.

Did you, dear?

She's called Mrs. Shankland. She comes from London.

She arrived by train. She has four suitcases

and a hat box and she's staying two weeks.

Really?Hmm.

I thought it was quite nice out this afternoon, didn't you, dear?

I mean, for December.

I didn't go out, I'm afraid. There was a Sibelius concert on a while ago.

You and your music.

Did you go out, Mr. Fowler?

What? No, I didn't. I was waiting for a telephone call.

I was the only brave one then. Fancy.[CHUCKLING]

I always say, the weather in December...

Oh, you're the new one, aren't you?

Yes.

You're here.

Brown Windsor soup or petit marmite?

I don't think I'll have any soup, thank you.

I'll try the goulash.

Goulash, that's right. We've just one portion left.

Well, really!

I've been saying about the weather in December.Yes.

It can be so treacherous, especially here on the south coast.

This afternoon, for instance,

even though the sun was quite bright, I put on a fur coat.

My warmest one too. The Persian lamb.

Very sensible of you.

See you later, ladies.

Trousers at dinner. She's so American.WOMAN: Yes, I know.

And he never bothers to change either.

You think Miss Cooper would say something.

I wonder, they don't teach them better manners at Oxford.

You would think they would indeed,

but you know my husband was at Oxford and...

Yes, dear, you've told me so before.

My nanny went to Birmingham

because of that wonderful engineering course they have there.

He hated it, of course.

Good evening.

Good evening, Miss Cooper.

Good evening, Miss Cooper.

Good evening.

I everything all right, Mrs. Shankland?

Yes, thank you.I'm so sorry I wasn't here to show you to your table.

I had a telephone call from London. Are you being looked after all right?

Yes, thank you.No soup?

No, I don't care for it. Bad for the figure.

I shouldn't have thought you'd have to worry about that, Mrs. Shankland.

Mmm, I do.

I work at modeling, you know.

MRS. COOPER: Are you down here for a little rest?

MRS. SHANKLAND: Yes, that's right.

I hope you find your room quite comfortable.

Mmm, I'm sure I shall.

If there's anything you want, don't hesitate to ask me.

I shall.

Mable.Yes, Miss?

Go up to Mr. Malcolm's room and tell him that he...

I've been and he's not there.

Have they kept something hot for him?

Yes. But Cook says if he's not in in five minutes...

He'll be in long before that.

[SIGHS]

[WIND HOWLING]

Miss Cooper, did I hear you say something about a telephone call?

Oh, yes. I'm afraid it wasn't from your guest, Mr. Fowler.

It was from Major Pollock.

He's coming back next Tuesday.

Oh, God. That old bore.

Ringing up from London? Oh, that's very extravagant for the Major.

I can't understand Philip not ringing up.

How does he expect us to meet him at the station

if we don't know what train he's on?

Have you tried calling him?

Yes, twice. No reply each time.

Perhaps I'd better try again.

It's a little late for that, Mr. Fowler. There's only one train left from London.

Please don't worry about the room, Miss Cooper.

If anything has gone wrong, which I don't believe, mind you,

I'll pay for it myself, I promise you.

No, that's perfectly all right. But I would like you to let me know,

if you don't mind, as soon as possible.

It's too bad, Miss Cooper. This is the third time, isn't it?

Oh, I expect he'll turn up.

Just forgotten to telephone, that's all.

You know what these young people are like.

Well, I don't, as it happens.

I don't care for Bohemians.

We have one too many here, I should've thought.

And I'm beginning to doubt the very existence

of Mr. Fowler's famous young painter friend.

He exists. Mr. Fowler showed me an article on him.

It appears, that he was the top boy at Mr. Fowler's former Tonbridge.

Well, I think it's a disgrace the way he keeps on letting him down like this.

Nonsense!

What, dear?

Why should the young show us any consideration?

We've had our lives, they still got theirs to live.

Seeing us can only remind them of death and old people's diseases.

I've got two of the prettiest nieces you ever saw,

they never come see me.

And I wouldn't like it if they did.

I'm getting a bit worried about Miss Meacham.

She certainly gets more and more unusual every week.

It's those dream games of hers.

Well, I suppose they're harmless

but I don't know what a psychiatrist would say.

The human mind, you know, is a very delicate piece of machinery,

as my husband used to say.

One never knows.

Well, shall I see you in the lounge

or will you be listening to one of your concerts?

No, there's nothing on tonight worth hearing. [CHUCKLES]

Good and... [SPEAKING FRENCH]

I brought you the turnover.

It's better than the other.

Thank you.

Oh, you're back. Thank heavens, I thought we'd never get off tonight.

Where you been? The Feathers?

Yes.MABLE: Thought so.

Goulash is off. You'll have to have madeleine?

All right.Brown Windsor like usual?

Yeah, thank you.

Good evening.

Here you are. Tuck into that.

That is if you if you haven't had enough liquids already.

Is this coincidence?

Of course.

What you doing here?

A rest cure.

Why this place?

It was recommended to me.Who by?

A man I met at a party somewhere.

Didn't he tell you I was here?

No.

Mentioned a journalist called John Malcolm. Is that you?

Of course, your Christian names.

Why, for the love of God, couldn't you get a royal bath

at one of the grand hotels?

I couldn't afford a grand hotel.

He pays you alimony, doesn't he?

750 a year.

I don't find it very easy. You see, I'm not getting work these days.

I thought he was a rich man.

Well, his antique shop lost a lot of money.

Gets his name in the papers a lot.

Yes, Michael's quite a social figure.

First nights and all that.

[CHUCKLES]

Yeah.

[SIGHS]

How long were you married to him?

Three years and six months.

Three months longer than me.

You know, I saw the headlines of the case.

They were quite juicy. Not as juicy as ours though, eh?

It was cruelty again, wasn't it?

Yes.

Did he try to kill you, too?

No.

Here you are. Usual veg.

You look a bit down in the dumps.

Anything the matter?No.

Well, don't take too long, will you, 'cause my friend is waiting.

Finished?Yes.

Oh, you can take that.

Oh, ta.

How did he show his cruelty?

In lots of ways. Small ways.

It can all be summed up by saying he doesn't really like women.

Oh.

Why did he marry you then?

Wanted a wife.

And you wanted a husband, eh?

[EXHALES SMOKE] I suppose so.

But he was gentle and kind

and he made me laugh.

I was fond of him.

I went into it with my eyes well open. I thought I could make it work.

But I was wrong.

[SCOFFS]

Oh, well. Third time lucky perhaps, eh?

Perhaps.

How long are you staying here?

I booked for two weeks.

Well, I'll leave for London tomorrow.

No!

If you feel like that, I'll go to another hotel.

Well, that might be easy. I guess.

John, I don't see what...

Why didn't' you come to see me in prison?

I wanted to but I was stopped.

Who by? Who stopped you?

My mother and father.

They thought it would make it easier for you if I kept away.

Yeah, that's a very well-bred Christian thought.

My dear ex-in-laws, well, how are they?

My father's dead.

My mother lives in a place very alike this in Kensington.

You'll leave tomorrow then, yes?

Yes.Thank you.

John.

What do we do now, hmm?

Shake hands?

I'm very glad to see you again, John.

Still got that scar on the side of your head?

No, that's gone.

Five stitches and a week in a hospital?

Eight years will cure most scars.

Most, I suppose.

Not all though. Good night.

Good, evening, Mr. Malcolm.

Ah, good evening.Did you want something?

Is there anything I can do?No, thanks, I'm finished. I'm going out.

It's a terrible night and it's starting to pour...[DOOR OPENING]

JOHN: It doesn't matter.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Coffee is served in the lounge, Mrs. Shankland.

Oh, thank you.If you like, I'll take you in

and introduce you to your fellow guests.Thank you.

It is so odd about newcomers.

I don't like any of my guests to feel lonely.Yeah.

[SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

[INAUDIBLE DIALOGUES]

Night, sweetie.

Good night.Good night, Miss Meacham.

[WIND HOWLING]

This weather...

[SIGHS]

Oh, that's it for me.

Does your father know about me yet?

Yes.

What'd you tell him?

Huh?

What did you tell him?

Don't do that, Jean. I'm in the middle of the trickiest

duct in the whole human body.

What did you tell him?

Oh, God.

That we were in love with each other and that we were going be married.

Then you told him a dirty lie, didn't you?[SIGHS]

Well, I had to put it like that otherwise he wouldn't have understood.

Now, Jean, please be quiet.

Oh, honey. Look, you better stop now.

Well, if you go on much longer, you know you won't sleep.

It'll make you old before your time.

My God.

To be old before one's time.

I wonder if all old people are miserable as these.

Oh, they're not miserable.[SCOFFS]

Look at old dream girl.

She's as happy as a lover commuting with her spirits

and waiting for the racing results.

And Bournemouth Belle is pretty happy. Swaying around here in her fox fur coat

and keeping her nose in everybody's business.[LAUGHING]

And as for Karl Marx...Honey, you can't say Karl Marx isn't miserable.

Oh, I don't know. He's got his booze and his articles in the New Outlook

and his vague air of a murky past.

Oh, but you know who I think is miserable?

Miss Cooper?

No, not Miss Cooper.

The new one.

Mrs. Shankland?Yeah.

You've only met her for a second an hour ago.

Oh, she can't fool me.

I mean what's she doing here dressed up like that?

She's been through something, that lady.

Jean, you're getting worse than the old girls.

She's divorced.[SCOFFS]

No, I'm sure of it.

All right, so, she's divorced.

Does that make her a tragic figure?

I would've thought according to your ideas on marriage,

it ought to make her an extremely happy one.

My ideas on marriage are only for us, Charles.

Because I want to have a career...

You're going to have a career and I'm going to be a famous surgeon...

And we don't want hoards of children cluttering up your consulting room.

Hey, but other people aren't as sensible as we are.

They go and get married and then they get miserable and it all goes wrong.

Well, that's not going to happen to us. We're too integrated.

Well, at least I know I am.

Come and give me a kiss and I'll show you how integrated I am.

[SQUEALS]

He completely floored that horrid socialist.

It was really excellent.

Oh. Hello.

Finish your work?

Yes, thank you.[CLEARS THROAT] Uh, yes.

Just going to bed.

Good night.

Good night, ladies.

Good night.

See you at breakfast.

They've been making love.

Yes. Perhaps they are in love.

I always thought there was something.

They're meant to be in here just to work.

Old friends and all that sort of thing. That's what they told Miss Cooper.

If they're in love, why can't they say so?

I hate anything furtive.

You know, that man was very good just now on television.

Oh, yes. What was it he said that was so true?

Something about the national cake.

[DOOR OPENS][WIND HOWLING]

Goodness!Oh!

Shut that door at once. There's a most terrible draft.

[SLURRING] A draft?

Oh, yeah.

He's drunk.[DOOR CLOSES]

Yes, the national cake.

Oh, it was in that wonderful answer he gave about

leveling up rather than leveling down.

He said, don't you remember,

that whereas the socialist were only...

[SIGHS]

...concerned...

...with cutting the national cake into exactly equal slices,

the conservatives were trying to increase the size of the cake.

Who said that?

Sir Roger Williams on television.

Oh, I might've guessed it.

I take it you don't agree with him, Mr. Malcolm?

Of course, I don't agree. You know damn well I don't agree.

That's not the point!

They got some damn clever people in that party.

Why do they have to put an old ass like that on television?

With a falsetto voice,

face like an angry walrus and the mind of a backward child of eight.

Well, that is not our impression of Sir Roger.

Well, poor old Roger, eh? I suppose he needs the dough

to make a little back on what he spends on all those girlfriends of his.

Are you personally acquainted with Sir Roger, Mr. Malcolm?

I never met him.

May I ask then, by what right...

No right. I just hear things about him, that's all.

Very libelous things if I may say so.

Yeah, well, the greater the truth, the greater the libel

is the phrase, isn't it?

What else did Sir Roger say, eh?

Did he mention the go-slow loving the docks?

As a matter of fact he did.

He said that the dockers have no sense of national responsibility.

There had no body of men in England with more.

Hearty line, Mr. Malcolm.

No, that's my line. Because that's something I know about

because I used to be a docker myself.

I'm not, if I may say so, surprised to hear it.

Well, I'm not surprised that you're not surprised, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

[BURPS] Excuse me.

Too much whiskey.

Keeps the draft out, you know. [CHUCKLES]

I gather you two ladies read the New Outlook.

I certainly do no such thing. I wouldn't soil my hands with it.

Ah, thought as much. What about you then, Lady Matheson, hmm?

Well, I have glanced at it from time to time

and I have read one of your articles, Mr. Malcolm.

[SNEEZES] Excuse me. Have you... What was it about?

Dividends on wages.What do you think of it?

Well, since you ask me, I thought it was monstrous. Utterly monstrous!

Do you realize that I have to live on a little less than half

of what the average dock worker makes in a year?

My husband was in the civil service

but he died before the pension scheme came into force. So that now...

Yeah, you can't afford to have your radio repaired, can you?

And you live by it, eh?

You had to move into a small back room at the hotel last year

when they put the prices up.

You see, you're the unlucky victims of our revolution.

You know, you and Miss Meacham

and Mr. Fowler and all of the rest of them.

You should appeal to our humane instincts,

Lady Matheson.

By voting on your side, I suppose?

Well, that would be the most practical way, I agree with you.

Never. Never till I die.

Why didn't you mention me when you were speaking of victims?

Well, because you're not one. And you won't be either

until our tax on capital gets at that tidy little nest egg of yours.

I think we should go, Gladys, and leave

Mr. Malcolm to sleep it off.

Oh, you're leaving, ladies. I mustn't forget my manners, must I?

I so enjoyed our little chat.

Don't forget, ladies. Next election, vote labor.

It's our own fault, Gladys. We should never have allowed ourselves

to get into an argument with a drunken red.

Oh, come along, Gladys.

I've left my reading glasses somewhere.

Search for reading glasses. [BURPS]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Not too late I hope.

I won't have any now, thank you.

Mr. Malcolm, did you come in through the French windows?

Ah, yes, I did.

You know there's a hotel rule against that.

I forgot it, I'm sorry.

There's mud all over the floor. Oh, really!

I'm very sorry.

I'm so sorry. Has there been some bother?[SCOFFS]

Oh, dear. What was it?

I'd rather not discuss it now. Can't you find them, dear?

They were underneath the chair.

Oh, do come along. That horrid man may be back at any moment.

Well, you see, I was sitting at Mr. Fowler's chair after dinner...

Good night, Miss Cooper.Good night.

Uh, Miss Cooper, I should like a word with you

tomorrow morning after breakfast.

Good night.Good night.

Good night, Mr. Fowler.

Good night.[LINE RINGING]

Everything all right, Mr. Fowler?

I'm afraid not.[COINS CLINKING]

I'll try again, of course.

I'm quite sure there's been a mistake of some kind.

A telegram wrongly addressed or something.

Yes, I expect so.

I don't want anyone to wait up.

But, as I can hear the front doorbell from my room,

would you mind if I answer it myself tonight?

That's perfectly all right, Mr. Fowler,

but you're surely not still expecting him, are you?

Well, he might have hired a car or something.

He's a very extravagant boy.

Well, good night.Good night, Mr. Fowler.

Are you, um...

You very drunk?

No, no, not very.

How many?

Well, as many as I could afford. Wasn't a lot.

Something's the matter. What is it?

Nothing much.

Want to tell me?

No, I can't tell you.

It's all right.

What did you say to the old ladies?

Too much.

Oh, far too damn much.

[CHUCKLES]

God.

I may have to leave.

You can't leave.I may have to.

You don't have to. I'll see to that.

Was, uh... Was it so bad?

No, not very bad. Just an ordinary show-off, you know.

Rather sour little bit of alcoholic self-assertion.

Taking it out on two old women.

Letting them know what a great political figure I am.

What a great man I was. I even let it out that I used to work in the docks.

Oh, Lord. [LAUGHING]

I'm sorry, Pat, I...

[SIGHS]

I don't know why I do these things.

I used to know how to behave.

I'd probably been nothing anyway.

The world's full of young men, who have not in middle age

fulfilled their promises.

I mean, there's nothing to that, is there? Nothing at all.

No, something's the matter. What is it?

I told you. I can't tell you and it's not important anyway.

It's important enough for quite a few whiskeys.

Well, quite a few things are important enough for that.

Would they, um...

Would they ever take you back into the party?

No. I'd often thought I liked it.

Try and stand for my old constituency again.

[CHUCKLES]

What a field day for the Tory press that would be, eh?

Oh, I can just see it. "John Malcolm rams

"the Junior minister in the '45 administration,

"went to prison for six months.

"Triple charge. Assaulting a policeman, drunk and disorderly.

"Grievous bodily harm to wife."

No.

Well, I think I'm...

I better stay John Malcolm.

Journalist. Middle-aged soak. Has-been.

Terror of the old ladies of the Hotel Beauregard, Bournemouth. I prefer that.

I don't want to know what it is,

but let me help you if I can.

[SIGHS]

Pat, you know,

I really do love you very sincerely.

[MISS COOPER CHUCKLES]

"Sincerely?" It sounds a little bit like what

a brother says to his sister.

Now, surely, you've got enough reason to know

that my feelings for you are more than fraternal.

Yes.

But in spite of all that...

And don't think I'm not grateful for all that...

Really not quite enough reason.

Oh, Mrs. Shankland, they told me you'd gone up some time ago.

Yes, I had.

But not to bed.That's a comfy arm chair out there, isn't it?

Yes, very.Was there anything you wanted, Mrs. Shankland?

No, I just wanted a word or two with Mr. Malcolm.

MISS COOPER: Oh, really. Had you two met before?

MRS. SHANKLAND: Yes.Oh.

Well, I'll leave you alone together then.

You want something, I should be up for quite some time.

I didn't want to leave without our saying

something to each other, John.

I hope you don't mind.

Why should I mind?

Rushing out of dinner like a whirlwind made it look as if

you hated the very sight of me.

The very sight of you

is the one thing about you that I don't hate.

Oh, dear.

[FORCED CHUCKLE] That's not a very nice thing to hear.

Don't you enjoy being complimented on your looks anymore?

Has your narcissism vanished?

No, I suppose not.

I don't enjoy being hated by you.

Oh, don't you? You used to.

You got me wrong, John. You always did, you know.

I don't think so, Anne, otherwise I wouldn't have found you so predictable.

Oh, you used to say I was predictable.

I remember that was one of the things that used to irritate me most.

Oh, go to bed, Anne. Leave quietly tomorrow, please.

It's better. It's better. Really it is.

Tell me, John. Did you always find me so predictable?

Even at the very beginning?

Yes.

Why on earth did you marry me then?

[SCOFFS]

If it flatters your vanity to hear it yet again,

because my love for you at the time was so desperate.

My craving for you was so violent

that I could deny you nothing that you asked.

Not even a marriage that every prompting of reason

told me ought to be disastrous.

Why did it so necessarily have to be disastrous?

Because of class, mainly.

Class? Oh, that's nonsense, John.

That's just inverted snobbery.

Look, the gulf between us was always pretty wide.

Now, I suppose my ideas of marriage must have been colored a little

by watching my mother lose her health, strength and eventually her life

looking after eight children.

Well, I'm not saying my demands on a wife would have been pitched that high,

but I think they would at least have involved a proper running of a home

and the begetting of children.

Oh, I did make it perfectly clear before we were married.

Yeah, yeah, you made it perfectly clear, perfectly clear.

A famous model mustn't gamble her figure for posterity.

Yeah, I accepted the bargain. The whole bargain.

I had no complaints.

You have, John. You know you have.

The real complaint is still the same as it always was.

That I didn't love you when we got married.

Oh, God, do we have to go through this again?

Yes, we do.

Why on earth would I've married you if I hadn't loved you?

After all, there were even grander figures than a junior minister...

Oh, yes. I remember them all. Dukes,

film producers, Australian millionaires

who had all been too well-mannered to complain

when you denied them their conjugal rights.

Too well brought up. Not to take your headache at bedtime

is just another headache at bedtime.

"I'm so sorry, darling. Too bad. Bad show. Better in the morning I hope, yes."

Feeling a bit tired myself anyway, hmm.

I mean, what possible enjoyment could there have been

for you in using your weapons on a husband like that?

No, you had to abuse them on a real live savage from the slums.

Make him grovel with the promise of vague and distant delights

that were his by right anyway.

Drive him to such a frenzy of rage and drink by a locked

door that he'd kick it in and hit you with his fist so hard

you knocked yourself unconscious against the wall.

Well, that must have been fun!

Goodness, John, how you do go on.

Yes, I do go on.

A foible of disappointed politicians perhaps anyway.

Drunker tonight than usual.

Because of seeing me?

Yes.

I'm sorry.

No, you're not.

Give me a cigarette.

[LAUGHS]

Not still this awful cork-tipped things.

I'll have one of mine. Hand me my bag.

John,

you do know that you're the only person in the world that

I've ever been really fond of.

You notice how tactfully I leave out the word love.

You do know that, don't you?

You showed your fondness for me in some rather surprising ways.

Well, I wasn't prepared to be your doormat.

I had to fight back sometimes, didn't I?

It was your choice of weapons that was so unfair.

I didn't have any others.

You had the brains and the eloquence

and the ability to make me feel cheap,

which incidentally you've done again tonight.

Have I?

I'm sorry.[LIGHTER CLICKS]

Anyway,

isn't it a principal of war that you always play upon your opponents. Weakness.

A principal of war, yes. Not marriage.

Well, marriage is a kind of war.

Oh, it is for you.

For you too, John. Be fair now.

The weakness you played on was my overpowering passion for you.

You can put it that way if you like.

There are less pretty sounding ways.

Anyway, we never could've agreed on that aspect of married life.

No, we couldn't.

Why are you staring at me?

You know very well why.

Don't. It makes me embarrassed.

Sorry.

John,

if you'd really wanted an obedient little house fraufor a wife,

why didn't you marry one?

Like that manageress that I caught you canoodling with a moment ago?

That was a canoodle, wasn't it?

[LAUGHS WRYLY]

A canoodle is what you would call it, yes.

Well, why haven't you married her?

Because I'm not in love with her.

Does that matter?

Well, I'm old fashioned enough to think that it does, yes.

Well, couldn't you as they say, "learn to love her?"

After all, she's your type.

I have only one type in the world.

Does my pride no good to say it.

Only one type.

The prototype.

I'm glad.

That's a nice little affair.

Who gave you that? Your second?

Yes.

Good taste.[CHUCKLES]

In jewels.

I think you should've made a go of it with that man.

Sounds much more your form.

He wasn't much of a man.

I'm in a bad way, you know, John.

I'm sorry.

Some of things you told me might happen to me.

Are happening.

Such as?

Loneliness for one.

No friends?

Not many. I haven't the gift.

Well, there's no gift.

To make people love you is a gift. You have that.

Had it.

Have it.

God, I hate being alone. God, how I hate it.

This place, for instance, gives me the creeps.

Why'd you come here then?

I suppose I didn't realize what it would be like.

Oh, God, what a life. I can just see myself in a few years' time

sitting at one of those separate tables.

No one on the horizon?

No one I'd want.

And time's slipping. God, that was fast.

Hasn't seemed so to me these last eight years.

Oh, John. I'm so sorry.

Such a wonderful fluke our meeting again like this.

We really shouldn't waste it.

After all, when fate plays such an astounding trick on us,

it must mean something,

mustn't it?

No, don't send me away tomorrow, John.

Let me stay on just a little while.

I won't be a nuisance. Really, I won't.

You won't be a nuisance. Hmm?

[BOTH MOANING]

Don't speak, don't speak.

Don't speak.Oh, John. Oh, John.

Oh, darling, John, I think I must say something.

I think I must remind you that we're in a public lounge,

and inform you Miss Cooper has been good enough to give me

what appears to be a very isolated room,

the number of which is 19.

Give me one of those horrid cork-tipped things of yours.

I'm right out of mine.

[TELEPHONE RINGING DISTANTLY]

What a shaky hand.

How do I look? All right?All right.

Half an hour.Hmm.

MISS COOPER: Mrs. Shankland.

You see?

Mrs. Shankland, you're wanted on the telephone, a London call.

Oh. Uh, where is the phone?

It's through here, if you'll follow me.

That's her, isn't it?What?

Mrs. Shankland. That's the one, isn't it?Yes.

She looks exactly the way you described her.

Well, what's going to happen now?

Oh, I always knew you were in love with her, and always would be.

You never made any bones about that.Pat, please, I...

No, you don't have to say anything, I understand.

So, you'll... You'll be going away, will you?

I don't know. God knows I don't know.Oh, I expect you will.

She look as if she had some willpower, that girl.

[CHUCKLES WRYLY]

She's taken this much trouble to run you to earth down here,

she won't let you go that easily.

She hasn't run me to earth.

Her coming down here was just a coincidence.

A coincidence? Do you really believe that?

Yes.

All right, I'm not saying anything.

Say it.No. I won't.

Say it, damn you, say it!Don't knock me about!

I'm not her, you know.

All right, if it's a coincidence,

why is she talking to your editor on the telephone just now?

Who?His name's Wilder, isn't it?

And he knows who you really are, doesn't he, and where you live?

Yes. Yes.

And he goes about the West End quite a bit.

I'd imagine cocktail parties, that sort of thing.

[INAUDIBLE]JOHN: Yes, yes.

Well, could be a different Mr. Wilder, I suppose.

If there's one coincidence why not another?

Thank you so much, Miss Cooper. I'm going to bed now.

I wonder, um, could you give me a call at 8:30 with hot water and lemon?

Yes, of course.Good night.

Good night, Mr. Malcolm.

JOHN: Anne, stay here.

Pat, you go.

Not now, wait until morning.

Leave us a moment. Please, leave us.

"When fate plays as astounding a trick on us as this,

"it must mean something," mustn't it, Anne?

Yes, that's what I said.

What did you tell Wilder? Hmm?

No, there's no need to lie anymore. I'll quote you, shall I?

My dear, our little plan has gone off quite wonderfully.

Thank you so much for your help.

You should've been there, you'd have died laughing.

Ten minutes alone with him was all I needed to have him groveling.

I can tread on his face now any time I want to.

Wish you wouldn't be so angry with me, John.

I had to see you, I was desperate to see you,

and this is the only way I knew how.

You couldn't have thought of telling me

the truth in there, could you?

No, you had to have your moment of conquest, your moment of triumph,

and you had to have it by lying and by cheating.

Of course I should've told you, of course I should have,

but you see, even now I still have a little pride left.

So have I, Anne. So have I.

Oh, I can see it now.

I can see the makeup and the lines that weren't there before.

There'll soon be nothing left, will there, eh, to drive a man to...

Why don't you, John, why don't you?

[CRIES OUT]

[WIND HOWLING]

[SOBBING]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Come along. Come along, Mrs. Shankland, come along.

Let's go to my room.

There's a fire there and a nice, comfortable chair.

I've even got a little sherry.

You see, somebody might come in here, and we don't want that, do we?

Come, come.

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: Oh, Miss Cooper,

I did tell you, didn't I, that my daughter Sybil's coming home this week?

Yes, you did, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

I'm sure you'll be very glad to have her back here with you.

I will indeed.

I trust that you'll speak very severely to Mr. Malcolm

about his disgraceful behavior last night.Yes.

I will, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

I promise I will. I will speak to him most severely.

Good morning.

Good morning, Miss Cooper.Good morning.

Any letters?Nothing for you, I'm afraid.

Good morning, Miss Meacham.

It's gonna be a nice dry day at last.

Ah, will it be dry at Newbury, there that's the point.

MISS COOPER: Now, now, there, you have me, Miss Meacham.

Miss Cooper,

Mr. Malcolm wasn't in his room when I took his tea up

and his bed hadn't been slept in.

Yes, I know, Mabel.Oh, you know?

I should've told you. I'm sorry I forgot.

He had to go to London unexpectedly last night.Oh.

He won't be in to breakfast then?No, I expect not.

Well, that's somethin' anyway. It's nearly 10:00 now.

What about the new lady? She's not down yet.

Yes, she's down, Mabel. She won't be having any breakfast.

Not having any breakfast.

She has to be careful of her figure, I believe.

Well, I can't see what good a figure's to you

when you're dead of starvation.

She's leaving, isn't she, the new one?

Yes, she is. How did you know?

I heard her ask for her bags to be brought down, I knew she'd never stick it.

"Stick it," Miss Meacham?

Oh, I didn't mean the hotel.

Best for the price in Bournemouth, I've always said so.

No, I mean, all this, the life here's...

She's not the alone type, is she?

Is anyone the alone type?

Well, they're rare, of course, but, um...

You are for one, I'd say.

Am I?Mmm.

Oh, and I'm not saying

you won't fall in love and get married one of these days

or something silly like that, no.

What I'm saying is that if you don't you'll be all right,

because you're self-sufficient, you see.

Well, I'm glad you think so. Perhaps even a little more than you realize.

What do you mean by that?Nothing. I'm sorry, I'm tired.

I have a headache. I didn't sleep very well last night.

Well, I don't suppose you are glad, really.

Probably never had to face up to it yet.

I faced up to it very early on,

long before I was an old wreck,

while I was still young and pretty and could choose from quite a few.

Quite a few.

Well, I didn't choose any of them

and I've never regretted it, not for an instant.

People have always scared me a bit, you see. They're so complicated.

I suppose that's why I prefer the dead ones really.

Any trouble from them and you can switch them off like a television set.

No, what I've always said is,

being alone, that's the real blessed state,

if you've got the character for it.

Not Mrs. What's-Her-Name, from Mayfair, I would add, eh?

I could tell at a glance, two weeks here

and she'd have her head in the gas oven.

It's pork for lunch, isn't it?

Yes, Miss Meacham.

I loathe pork.

I'd have a bob or two on Danny Boy, dear, if I were you.

He's past the post, if the going's good.

[WOMAN SINGING DISTANTLY]

Pat, Can I talk to you a minute?

Are you all right?Yes, I'm all right.

Where did you go?I don't know, I walked a lot.

Were you out all night?Uh...

No, I sat in a shelter half the night.

Pat, can you have me have some money? I'm broke.

I spent my whole check in the Feathers last night.

How much do you want?

Enough to get me away for a few days, three or four pounds, I think.

Can you let me have it?

You won't need it. She's, uh...going.

Are you sure?Yes.

Where is she now?In my office.

Oh, don't worry, she won't come in here.

Ah, did you get very wet?

Um, well, I suppose. I guess I dried off.

Gotta have some breakfast. Your hands are like ice.

Hmm. I don't want anything to eat, just tea.

All right.

Straighten your tie and turn down your collar.

That's better. Now you look quite respectable...

Oh, you're back! And I suppose you think

you can have breakfast at this time.

Just some tea, thank you, Doreen.

Oh, okey-dokey.

Well, she'll have to go, that girl.

[FORCED CHUCKLE] It's a nice fright you gave us,

rushing out into the night and scaring us out of our wits.

"Us?"Yes.

Oh, you've been talking to her, have you?

Half the night. She was a bit hysterical and needed quieting.

I didn't want to get a doctor.

Pat, tell me the truth. Did I hurt her?No.

I remember pushing her and her falling, hitting her head,

I don't know, I'm confusing it.

She's perfectly all right. There's not a mark on her.

Thank God.

Here you are. I brought you some digestive biscuits, I know you like 'em.

Oh, thank you, Doreen. Thank you very much.

Oh, have you had a tumble or something?

You've got mud all up your arm!

Oh, yes, I remember. I slipped and fell down last night in the dark.

Oh, give it to me after and I'll get it off for you then.

How is she this morning?A bit shaky.

Quieter, though.

Did you know she took drugs?

Drugs? What sort of drugs?

The kind that make you sleep.

Only she takes three times the proper dose

and takes 'em in the day, too.

Damn fool, why does she do it?

Why do you go to The Feathers?

What time is she leaving?[CUTLERY CLATTERING]

She's only waiting now to get some news of you.

I was going to tell her from the hospital. She asked me to do that.

I see. Well...

I'll just finish this and I'll slip away quietly

and you can tell her that I'm perfectly all right.

Uh, you don't think you should do that yourself?

No.

Well, that's your own business.

Of course, I think if I were in your place, I would.

You don't know what it's like to be

in my place. You can't even guess.

I think I can.

Better let me call her in.

Pat, look, just don't interfere in this.

Could you give me one good reason why I should see her again? Just one.

All right. And God knows it's not for me to say so,

because you love her.

Because she needs your help.

I think everything you ever told me about her is perfectly true.

She is vain, she is spoiled, selfish.

Deceitful.

[SCOFFS]

I see those things as ordinary human faults, that's all,

but as you're in love with her, you see them as monstrous sins

and they drive you to, well, the sort of thing that happened last night.

I can't help feeling sorry for a woman who's unhappy and desperate.

Well, shall I call her in?

Patty, look, I'm... Just let her go to London

and live her life.

And let me live mine, in peace.

Yes, that'd be fine, if you'd just tell me one thing first.

Exactly what kind of peace are you living in down here?

A kind of peace, anyway.Is it?

Is it even really living? Is it?

Oh, I know there's your work and your pals at The Feathers and there's...

There is me, but is it really living?

It'll do.

[CHUCKLES]

Thank you.

I did try, you know, when we first started, you and I.

I did try to get you back into some kind of life.

I tried very hard.I know you did.

I could tell at the beginning I hadn't a hope.

Circumstances, Pat, beyond my control.

Beyond your control?

Yes, that's right.

And you come to think of it.

It seems really rather a pity you two haven't met, doesn't it?

Oh, yeah.

A great pity.

Well, I'm going into my office now

and I'm going to tell her you're here.

So, if you want to skedaddle, you can.

There's the door, the street's outside,

down the street is The Feathers.

It's a little early but I've no doubt they'll open for you.

[CUTLERY CLATTERING]

[DOREEN HUMMING]

MISS COOPER: Come on, Doreen, don't mess about.

Have you finished?Not quite, Doreen, thank you.

Well, make up your mind.

Well, Mrs. Shankland, you're a bit late

for breakfast, I'm afraid.

Still, I expect you didn't realize.

There's some coffee left, or tea if you'd rather,

and I can get you some biscuits.

Is that all right?

Uh, yes, thank you. Thank you, that's very kind of you.

I'll have coffee, please, not tea.

Right you are.

Oh, John.

You better sit at your table,

she'll be back in a minute.

[STAMMERING] Yes, yes, yes...

[SIGHS]

I've been desperately worried about you.

Well, you needn't have been. I'm perfectly all right.

How are you?

[LAUGHS WRYLY] Oh, I'm all right, too.

I'm leaving this morning, you know?

So I heard, yeah.

I won't bother you again. Ever again.

Just wanted to say how sorry I was

I had to lie to you.

Thank you.

Don't know why I did it.

Sorry I don't seem to know very much about

myself anymore.

It's all right.

I am an awful liar.

I don't know why but I seem to find it easier to lie

than to tell the truth,

even about the simplest things. [SNIFFLES]

Do you remember,

it was usually about my lying

we used to quarrel in the old days?

Yes, I remember.

Oh, John, what's gonna happen to me?

I brought you some more, I know your appetite.

There, Mrs. Shankland, coffee's just come in.

Oh, thank you.

Oh. [SNIFFLES]

Narrow escape.

I'm sorry I'm in rather a weak state this morning.

You must give up those drugs, Anne.She told you about them.

Yeah, they're no help to you, you know?I know.

You should throw them in the dustbin.

I mean, they're no good, those damn things.

[SIGHS] I can't do that.

But I will try and cut down

on them if I can.

Try?

I will try. Really, I will.

Is it...

[CLEARS THROAT] Is it me you want

or my love or...

I mean, if it's just my love, you know you've got that

for life anyway.

[SOFTLY] It's you, John.

Why? For God's sake, why?

I suppose because, well, you're all things that I'm not.

You're honest...

and...true

and...dependable.

[SNIFFLES]

I'm sorry. [BLOWS NOSE]

The damn waitress will come in and catch me crying again.

Look, I may have had all those qualities once

but I don't think I've got them anymore.

I don't know whether I could satisfy your needs.

I mean, I know damn well you can't satisfy mine.

Well, I might have learnt something in the last eight years.

This is not something you can be taught.

But I could still try.

Yes, you can try, I can try, we'd both fail.

[SIGHS]

Well, I could take the risk.

After all, there are worse deaths, aren't there?

Slower and more frightening.

So frightening, John.

So frightening.

You see, I'm an awful coward.

I never could face anything alone.

Not blitzes and the war,

being ill, having operations.

Now I can't face just growing old.

I mean, you know we haven't got much of

a chance together, don't you?

Have we all that much apart?

[DOOR OPENING]

Oh, do you want your tea over there now?

Uh, yes.

Do you two wanna sit together from now on? You can if you like.

Yes, I think we do.

All right, I'll make up a double for lunch then.

It's just as long as we know, you see?

[SNIFFLES]

Oh, look at you.

Thank you, Doreen.Hi, darling.

Yes.Hi, love.

Oh, yes.Mommy's little boy.

Here you are.

That's great. Thank you, Mabel.

What have you got there?

[ALL COOING]

Ooh, that's nasty.Oh, yes.

You come with me and we'll go see your daddy. How about that?

Daddy will give you a little kissy poo and then it's beddy-byes.

[KISSES]There we go.

Bedtime already?Mmm-hmm.

How's it coming?Ooh, miles behind. Endless interruptions.

Idiotic to come back to this place.

Should've remembered what it was like from the last time.

Of course, we could've had David's cottage.

Ooh, nasty damn cottage. Not good for a baby.

No, sea air much better, isn't it, my little pumpkin?

Oh, he says, "Yes, Mommy.

"Makes babies sleep like a little lamb."

Don't say anything of the sort.

All he ever appears to say is "Goo." I'm getting a bit worried.

Oh, don't be silly.

I just think all this "tum along" stuff you smother him in

is bad for him, it's dangerous.

It can lead to arrested development later on.

Charles, don't be ridiculous.

[BABY COOING]

Oh, give me a big kiss.

A kiss, but not a kissy poo.

Let's go upstairs.No.

Why not?Too early.

You know, you're such a stick in the mud sometimes,

I wonder why I love you so much.

[SIGHS]

It's funny how it seems to have sort of crept up on me like this.

Did it creep up on you, too?

Or did you lie through your teeth before we got married?

I lied through my teeth.

Now, come on, darling, take baby up to beddy-byes

and leave Daddy to do his worky-perky

or Daddy won't ever grow up to become a docky-wocky.

[MAJOR POLLOCK SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

God, it is the Major. Go on, darling, for heaven's sake.

If he sees the baby, we're lost.

He'll go on for hours about infant welfare in Polynesia or something.

Ooh, come along, Vincent Michael Charles. It's time for your bath.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

Red Robin. Red Robin in the 3:30. Well, I remember that.

Not that I can afford much these days, you know.

Not like the old days when one used to ring up the hall porter at White's.

Get him to put on a couple of pennies, what?

Right, yes.

There you are, birdie!

Oh, there you are, Stratton. Still at it?

Yes, Major.

I don't know how you do it, dear boy, I really don't.

That's a most praiseworthy effort, I think.

Thank you, Major.

Of course, you know, when I was at Sandhurst, I...

Oh, sorry, I wasn't disturbing, was I?

No, that's quite all right, Major. When you were at Sandhurst...

Yeah, yeah, I was just gonna say.

[CLEARS THROAT] I was very much like you, you know.

Cramming away like mad.

Yes, military history. Clausewitz, that sort of stuff, no?

I could've told you a lot about Clausewitz once.

Oh, and you can't now?

Uh, no. No, afraid not. Everything goes, really. Everything goes.

Still, I didn't regret all those hours of study at the time.

I did pretty well at Sandhurst.

Did you get the Sword of Honor?

No, no. I came quite close to it, though.

I passed out pretty high. Pretty high.

Yes, not that it did me much good later on.

Except, of course, they did make me Battalion Adjutant,

because I was good at paperwork, you see.

I... [CLEARS THROAT]

I could've been Brigade Major, as it happens.

But I turned it down there, because, well...

If trouble comes, miles behind the lines, away from one's own chaps...

I suppose it was pretty foolish of me, really.

I could've been a General now, on full pay, what? [CHUCKLES]

Yes, promotion was always a bit tight in the Black Watch.

Hmm. Anyways, so sorry, my boy, go on, go on.

Yes, sir. I talk too much, eh?[CHUCKLES]

It's usually the trouble with retired, old Majors.No, no.

Not at all, sir, but I will go on if you don't mind.

I've rather a lot to do.

[PEOPLE SPEAKING DISTANTLY]

[FLOORBOARDS CREAKING]

[CLATTERING]

Oh, hello, Major. I've just had the most charming letter.

[SHUSHING]

[SOFTLY] A most charming letter. Quite unexpected.

A very pleasant surprise, eh?

Absolutely out of the blue.

Ah. Well, that's interesting. Who is your letter from, Fowler?

An old flame?[BOTH LAUGHING]

Old flame? I haven't got any old flames.

I leave that to you galloping Majors.Ah, well. [CHUCKLES]

Didn't do so badly once upon a time, you know?

The regiment, they used to call me Bucko Pollock.

Oh, I'm so sorry. Are we driving you away?

No, no, that's quite all right.

I can always concentrate much better in my room.

Oh, haven't you got a baby up there?

Yes, but it's a very quiet baby.Oh.

Hasn't learned to talk yet.

Yeah... Bucko Pollock.

Uh... Regency Buck, you see.

But surely those days are past and gone now.

[SPEAKING LATIN]

Didn't they teach you the new pronunciation at Wellington?

No, no, the old.

When were you there?Oh, let me see...

It must've been about 1918, I went up, I think.

Oh, they were using the new pronunciation then, I know.

Our head classics master was an old Wellingtonian. I distinctly remember...

Really? Yes, well, I must've forgotten it.

Yes, I never was much of a hand at Greek.

Latin. Horace.

Horace. Of course. Stupid of me.

Well, who is your letter from, eh?

It's a boy who used to be in my house.

I haven't heard of, ooh, well over 10 years.

He's a brilliant boy, he's done very well since.

You ever hear from that ex-pupil of yours, the painter fellow?

I still read about him in the newspapers occasionally,

but I don't get much personal news of him,

I'm afraid we've rather lost touch lately.

Oh, good afternoon, Major.

Oh, good afternoon, Miss Cooper.

We managed to get your West Hampshire weekly news.

We had to go to three places before we could find it.

Oh, thank you very much.

What was the urgency?

I just wanted to see it.

Never read it. Strange to say that I've been here,

what is it, four years now...

I'm not surprised.

There's nothing in it except parking offenses and cattle shows.

Miss Cooper, I've just had the most charming letter

from someone I haven't seen or heard of in over 10 years.

Oh, really? I'm so glad.

I invited to ask him if he'd care to come down for a day or two.

Of course, he probably won't,

but just in case, will a room be vacant?

I'm afraid not, Mr. Fowler, we've so many casuals,

but by the end of September.

Oh, good. I'll ask him for then.

You were with the Highland Division at Alamein,

weren't you, Major?

Major, I said you were with the Highland Division at Alamein?

[STAMMERING] No, no, not the Highland Division, no.

I thought you were.I never said so.

It's just that this boy, Macleod, his name is, James, I think...

Or was it John?

Anyway, at school, he was known as Curly.

In his letter, he says he was with the Highland division.

I just wondered if you'd run into him at all.

A Macleod? No, no, I don't think so, no.

Of course, it would've been highly unlikely if you had.

It was just possible, though.

[CHUCKLING] Yes, Curly McCloud.

I remember once he elided

a whole word in his Greek iambics.

[STUTTERS] Yes, it is pretty... Pretty dull, I grant you.

What?Oh, this paper.

Ah, I shouldn't think it's widely read at all, is it?

By locals, farmers, estate agents.

Oh, I've never seen anyone in the hotel reading it, have you?

Yes. Mrs. Railton-Bell takes it every week.

Oh, does she?

Whatever for?I don't know, I'm sure.

But there's not a lot that goes on even in West Hampshire

that she likes to miss.

And she can afford four pence for the information, I suppose.

[STAMMERS] I suppose so.

Yeah, I've never seen her reading it, have you?

She gets a lot of things sent in to her that she never reads.

Most of the stuff on the table over there is hers.

[STAMMERING] Yeah.

Hers would've been delivered in, I suppose, already this morning.

Yes, I expect so.

Well, there you are, see. Dash it all.

[CHUCKLES] Spend four pence for nothing.

I could have borrowed hers, couldn't I? [CHUCKLES]

I know you don't like venison, Major,

so I've ordered a chop for you for lunch tomorrow,

but I must ask you to be discreet about it, if you don't mind.

Very kind of you, Miss Cooper.

[GRUNTS][FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[INDISTINCT VOICES]

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: Darling, if that's what you meant,

why didn't you say so?

I do wish you'd learn to express yourself a little bit better.

Good afternoon, Major.Good afternoon, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

Uh, good afternoon, Mrs. Harvey.Good afternoon, Major.

[STAMMERING] So sorry.

If you don't mind, I was just glancing at your West Hampshire News.

There's something in it that I rather want to see

and I wondered if I might borrow it for a moment.

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: There you are, Major.

But be sure you return it to me.

Of course. Thank you...

Uh, Major, here's another copy.

Of the West Hampshire News?MRS. RAILTON-BELL: Yes.

Well, I'm dashed.MRS. RAILTON-BELL: It was lying on the sofa.

Oh, must be one of the casuals.

Well, you better have it, and give me mine back.

But don't you think whoever owned it might...

Well, if it was lying on the sofa, it's clearly been read.

I'd like mine back if you don't mind.

Oh, right-o.

I'll just put yours...

...back here with the others.

Thank you.

Mea culpa.

Well, I think I'll just go for a stroll.

Oh. Uh, Major, you don't happen to want any company, do you? I am...

I... I haven't been out for my walk yet.

Well, that's a very nice suggestion, Miss R.B., all that.

But, uh, I'm on my way to see a friend, you see.

I...Oh.

Right. I'm so sorry. Of course.

Of course...Oh, no, no. No, I'm...

I'm the one who's sorry. [CLEARS THROAT]

Well, cheerie-bye till dinner.

I wish he wouldn't use that revolting expression. It's so common.

Then, of course, he is common.Oh, no, Mummy.

Well, I don't think so. After all he was in a very good regiment.

[SCOFFS] Darling, you can be a member

of the Horse Guards and still be common.

Sibyl dearest, do you mind if your tactless old mother

whispered something in your ear?Yes.

I didn't think it was terribly wise of you

to lay yourself open into that snub just now.

Mummy, I don't... I don't think that was a snub.

I'm sure the Major really did have a friend to see.

Well, I often do go for walks with the Major.

Yes, I know you do, dear, and what's more,

lots of people have begun to notice it.

You don't mean...

[STUTTERING] You mean that they think I chase him?

[GASPS] That's awful.

Sibyl, it's not being particularly awful.

When an unattached young girl

is seen constantly seeking the company

of an attractive older man...

It is. It is.

Sibyl, Sibyl, don't get into one of your states.

[BREATHING DEEPLY]

No, I'm not in a state, Mummy.

I just wish people wouldn't always think things like that.

I hate that side of life.

I hate it.Yes, I know you do, dear.

And that's why one must be very careful of wrong impression.

[MUMBLING INDISTINCTLY]

You all right, love?

Yes, Mummy.Good.

I wish these things wouldn't upset you so much.

I only go for walks with the Major because I like to hear him talk

about the war, and the regiment, and London.

Well, he's seen so much of life and I haven't.

Well, I'm sure I don't know what you mean by that.

[STUTTERING] Well, I only mean...

I'm sorry.

Oh, of course. I know you must miss

so much of the fun of life.

Balls and cocktail parties...

Things like that... And I can promise you if I could afford it,

you'd have them.

[MUMBLES]I do my best, you know.

I know, Mummy.There was Rome last year.

And our Scandinavian cruise the year before that.

I know, Mummy. I know. Please don't think I'm not grateful.

It's just that...

Hmm?

I wish I could do something.

Sibyl, we've been through all this before.

You'd never stand a job for more than a few weeks.

You've worked in one of the finest shops.

I was working in a basement.

And it made me feel stifled and faint.

There must... Must be something else.

Darling, you're not a strong child,

you must get that into your head.

Your nervous system isn't as sound as it should be,

and you're certainly not strong enough for a job.

Now, give me that newspaper, will you, dear?

Which one?

Uh, the West Hampshire Weekly News.

I want to know what that Major was so interested in.

Mmm... Thank you, dearest.

Oh, what a silly-billy.

I've gone and left my glasses and my book

in the shelter at the end of the Ragusa Road.

I'll get them for you, Mummy.

Oh, would you, darling? That is so sweet of you.

I hate for you to fetch and carry for me.

But you know my old legs are just a little bit tired.Yes, Mummy.

Uh, it's at the end of the shelter, darling, facing the sea.

Yes, I know, where we always sit.Yes.

Oh, hello, dear.

It's nearly time for the television news.

Gladys, dear, have you got your spectacles with you?

Yes, I think so, dear. Yes, here they are.

Just... Just read this out to me, would you, dear?

Where, dear?There, there... That little column.

"Lorry driver loses license..."No, no, no...

"Ex-officer..."Oh, yes.

"Ex-officer arrested. Offense in cinema."

In cinema?

Oh, dear, do we really want to hear this?

Yes, we do, we do. Go on.

"On Thursday last, before the Bournemouth Magistrate,

"David Angus Pollock, 55, giving his address as the Beauregard...

"Beauregard Hotel, Morgan Crescent,

"pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent behavior in a Bournemouth cinema

"on the complaint of a Mrs. Osbourne, 43, of 4 Strudland..."

It's Major Pollock!

He must have been drinking.But he's a teetotaler.

Well, perhaps just that once.No, no, no. Go on.

"Mrs. Osbourne giving evidence stated that Pollock sitting next to her

"persistently nudged her.

"And later attempted to take other liberties.

"She complained to an usherette.

"Inspector Franklin giving evidence said that

"in response to a telephone call from the cinema manager,

"Pollock had been kept under observation

"from 3:53 p.m. until 7:10 p.m.,

"by which time he had been observed to change his seat no less than five times

"always choosing a seat next to a female person."

Go on.

"On leaving the cinema, Pollock was arrested

"and after being charged and cautioned stated,

"'You have made a terrible mistake. You have the wrong man.

"'I was only in the place half an hour

"'I'm a Colonel in the Scots Guards.'"

[SCOFFS]

Scots Guards.

Uh... "Later he made a statement.

"Mr. William Crowder, solicitor, asked of his client's blameless record

"to be taken into account.

"He had enlisted in the Army in 1925.

"And in 1939, had been granted a commission,

"a Second Lieutenant in the RASC.

"During the war, he had held a responsible position in

"charge of an army supply depot

"in the Orkney Islands.

"And had been discharged in 1946 with the rank of Full Lieutenant."

Go on."Pollock was not called

"And was bound over for 12 months." Oh, it's dreadful!

It says here, "Persistently nudge."

I must speak to Miss Cooper about this, at once!

Oh, my dear, you really think you should?

Gladys, don't be ridiculous, of course I should!

If there's a liar and a fraudulent crook and a...

I can't bring myself to say it.

Wandering around among us, undetected.

Oh, there might be the most terrible repercussions.

Well, he has been wandering around amongst us

for a number of years now

and there have been no repercussions.[SIGHS]

I suppose we're too old.

I have a daughter, you know.

Oh, yes, of course.

Oh, poor Sibyl.

She's such a friend of his.

[GASPS LOUDLY]

Maud, dear, I know it's none of my business

and, of course, as a mother I do realize,

but, you know she's such a strange girl.

She's so, well, unexcitable and so shy.Yes.

I don't think you ought to tell her.

Not tell her?Well, not all of it.

Not the details. You can say he's a fraud if you like.

But not about the cinema.

I'm gonna show this to Miss Cooper

and demand that he leave this hotel tonight before dinner.

But, my dear, you know what Miss Cooper is.

She might not agree.

But she'll have to agree if we all insist!

But we don't all. It's only just the two of us.

Shouldn't we consult the others first?Oh, what a good idea!

Bring them all down.

Oh, I hate telling tales.

Telling tales, Gladys? The tale is told to the world.

Well, strictly speaking, only to West Hampshire.

Where's Mr. Fowler?

Oh, I don't know, in his room, I expect.

Jean's in the garden, I don't think we'll tell her, do you?

She's so odd and unpredictable.

Here comes Sibyl.

Bring them all down, I'll deal with her.

Now, Maud, you will remember what I've said, won't you?Yes, yes, yes.

[SIGHS]

Oh, you found them, did you, darling? Clever girl.

Sibyl, dear, I think you should go to your room,

if you don't mind.

Why?

We're going to have a very meeting of the regulars, darling,

to discuss a very urgent matter that's just come up.

But that's quite exciting, Mummy, I mean, can't I stay?

After all, I'm a regular, too.

Yes, I know you are, dear, but what we're going to discuss is

not suitable for you.

Why, Mummy, what is it?

Well, I'll tell you this much.

We're going to discuss whether or not we should ask Miss Cooper

to tell the Major to leave this hotel at once and never come back.

[STAMMERING] I don't understand. Why, Mummy?

Mummy, tell me why.

I can't tell you.

It might upset you too much.

But I must know, Mummy, I must know.

You insist on knowing?

Yes.

Very well, then I suppose I have no alternative.

Here.

Read this.

Middle column, halfway down.

Ex-officer arrested.

Oh. [GASPING]

[GLASS SHATTERS]

The others are just coming.

Oh, Maud, you haven't.

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: I'm so sorry, my dear.

It must have come as the most awful shock for you.

It was for us, too, as you can imagine.

[SIGHS] Are you all right now, dear?

Sibyl?

Are you all right?

Yes, Mummy.

What is it, Mrs. Railton-Bell? I've only got a minute.

Just take a seat, will you please?

I won't keep you a moment.

Sibyl, what have you done?

Sibyl, you've broken your glasses!

[EXCLAIMING]

There's a cut.Oh, let's see.

Excuse me.

Oh, well, it's nothing much.

No splinters.

Here, you better have this. It's quite clean.

Oh, Mr. Fowler, good, take a seat,

will you please? Then we can begin.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have some very grave news for you all.

Oh, the boiler's gone wrong again.

I only wish it were so trivial.

They're raising the prices again?

No, my news is graver than that.

I don't know what could be graver than that.

Look, Mrs. Railton-Bell, can't you just

get to the point, tell us what it is?

Very well, Mr. Stratton, if you wish it boldly, you shall have it.

Major Pollock, who's not a major at all, but a lieutenant,

promoted from the ranks of the RASC...

I knew it! I knew Sanders and the Black Watch

was a phony. Didn't I say that?

I must admit, I've always slightly suspected

the public school education.

No, no, please, ladies and gentlemen, that's not the point.

The point is that the Major was found guilty of...

Pleaded guilty!

Oh, Gladys, found or pleaded,

I don't see what difference it makes.

To behaving indecently

to no less than six respectable women,

in a Bournemouth cinema.

Good God.

What a performance.

Maud, I really must correct that.

We only know one was respectable, the one who complained.

And even she behaved in a most extraordinary manner.

Why couldn't she simply say straight out to the major,

"I do wish you'd stop doing whatever it is you are doing."

That's what I would have done.

And as for the other five, we don't know anything about them at all.

We don't even know if he nudged them.

But of course he nudged them,

he was in that cinema for an immoral purpose!

CHARLES: He must have made 10 nudges, really,

if he had the chance of using both elbows.

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: The point is that the Major,

the so called Major has pleaded guilty

to committing an offense of the most disgusting nature,

and I want to know what action we propose to take.

What action do you propose, Mrs. Railton-Bell?

Well, I propose on your behalf to go straight to Miss Cooper

and demand that he leave this hotel forthwith.

Oh, no.

You disagree, Mr. Stratton?

Yes, I do.

Please don't think I'm making light

of this business, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

To me, what he's done, if he's done it, well, seems ugly and repulsive.

So emotionally I'm entirely on your side.

But logically, I'm not.

Would you like to make a speech, Mr. Stratton?

Perhaps you'd like to stand up there and address us?

No, I'm all right where I am, thank you.

Look, I'm just saying that my dislike of the Major's offense

is probably a shortcoming in me.

While I would like to imagine that the Major understands

my form of lovemaking,

I should therefore understand his, but I don't.

So I am plainly in a state of prejudice against him.

I must be very wary of any moral judgments I may pass in this matter.

Or I should ask myself the question, "What harm has the man done?"

What harm has he done?

Well, apart from interfering with a certain lady,

whose motives in complaining, I agree with Lady Matheson,

are extremely questionable.

Well, apart from that, and apart from telling us

a few rather pathetic lies about his past,

I can't see he's done anything to justify us

chucking him out into the streets.

How can you say that?

I'm disgusted at what he's done

and I don't consider myself prejudiced.

People who behave like that are a public menace and

deserve anything they get.

What are you getting so excited about?

I'm being absolutely logical, Charles.

Supposing next time, we had a daughter?

I know, and supposing in 20 or 30 years' time

she happens to sit next to a Major...

Exactly.Oh, for God's sake, Jean!

Well, how would you feel if she...

I'd be very ashamed if she didn't use her elbows back

very hard in the right place.

Charles!Please, please, this is not a private argument.

Mr. Stratton, I take it

that you are against any form of action in this matter?

Mmm-hmm.

Of any kind at all?

Well, I might give him a reproving glance at dinner.

MRS. STRATTON: Oh, for Pete's sake.

And you, Mrs. Stratton, I'm sure you agree with me

that I should go straight to Miss Cooper?

Yes.Book burn.

What has book burning got to do with it?A lot!

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: Quiet, please!

Mr. Fowler, what do you think?

Well, it's difficult, it's very difficult.

I can't say I see it like Stratton or anything.

Well, if you're saying that nothing is really wrong,

it doesn't do actual harm to another human being.

Certain acts are wrong, because they are,

in themselves and by themselves, impure and immoral.

And it seems to me that this terrible wave of vice,

and sexual excess which seems to have flooded this country since the war,

might well be due in part to declining our old standards.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

As illogical and emotional as that may well seem to

the younger generation.

But tolerance is not necessarily a good.

Tolerance of evil may itself be an evil.

After all, it was Aristotle, wasn't it, who said that...

[MISS MEACHAM SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

You've all gone on far too long about it

and when we start quoting from Aristotle,

well, personally, I'm going to my room.

You heard, Miss Meacham?

Of course, I heard, I couldn't help it!

Had my chair against the wall to catch the sun,

and I certainly wasn't going to move it into the shade for you people.

Well, if you know the facts, I suppose we must solicit

your opinion, what is it?

Haven't any.

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: You must have some opinion.

Why should I?

What do I know about morals and ethics?

Only what I read in novels.

And as I only read thrillers, it doesn't amount to very much.

In these mystery books I read,

the hero does far worse things to his girls than the Major's done.

Nobody seems to mind.

We would like your views on Major Pollock.

MABLE: Would you?

My view on Major Pollock has always been that he's a crushing old bore

and a wicked old fraud.

Now I hear that he's a dirty old man, too.

I can't say that I'm in the least bit surprised.

And quite within these four walls, I don't give a damn.

Sad. It's very, very sad.

Well, Mr. Fowler.

Are you in favor of action?

I once had to recommend a boy for expulsion,

only once in the whole of the 15 years I was a housemaster.

I was deeply unhappy about it, deeply.

But events proved me right.

He was no good, he became a thief and a blackmailer,

and, oh, horrible things happened to him.

Horrible. Poor boy.

[CHUCKLES] He had a way with him.

Are you in favor of action, Mr. Fowler?

Yes, I suppose so. Yes, yes, yes, I am.

Gladys, what's your opinion?

Well, you see...Now, dear, you don't have to make a speech

like the others. Just say yes or no.

Oh, dear.

Oh, Gladys, do make up your mind, dear, don't shillyshally.

Are you on the side of Mr. Stratton and his defensive vice?

Or are you on the side of Mrs. Stratton, Mr. Fowler and myself?

I have never in my life had a question more disgracefully begged.

Senator McCarthy could use your talents, Mrs. Railton-Bell!

Shh. Will you be quiet?

Well, Gladys, dear, what is it to be?

Well, I suppose I'm on your side but, oh, dear.

MRS. RAILTON-BELL: Well, Mr. Stratton,

apart from Miss Meacham who would appear to be neutral,

the count seems to be five to one against you.Five to one?

My daughter naturally agrees.

How do you know?

I know her feelings.

Well, may we hear them from herself?

Ms. Railton-Bell.

Ms. Railton-Bell, could we hear your views?

Mr. Stratton's asking you a question, dear.

Yes, Mummy.

MR. STRATTON: Could we hear your views, please?

My views?

On Major Pollock, dear.

Are you in favor of action?

You know what you've just read in the paper, dear.

How do you feel about it?

Sick.

Of course you do, that's how we all feel.

Makes me sick.

Yes, dear, now don't fuss.Makes me sick.

Yes, dear, now don't fuss.Makes me sick.

Can I go up to bed, please? I don't feel very well.

Yes, darling. Of course, go up to your room and lie down.

Forget this whole nasty business.

Just pretend that it never happened.

[CONTINUES SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

She should never have told her like that. It was such a mistake.

I agree. If that girl doesn't end up as a mental case

it won't be the fault of her mother.

Really, Mr. Stratton?

I used the word mistake and you have no right...

No, no, I haven't, I'm sorry, the comment was purely my own.

It was your fault for asking.

Look, she was sitting there quite peacefully

apparently listening.

How was I to know she was in such a state?

Anyhow, I had an idiotic but well-meaning hope

that I might get her just this once to disagree publicly with her mother.

Are you coming?

What is the matter with you this evening?

Oh, you must forgive me, I suppose it's just

that I'm feeling a little light-headed

at finding myself on an issue of common humanity,

in a minority of one!

Oh, he's been overworking.

He'll feel differently about all this tomorrow.

Yes, I'll see to it.

She's all right.

She recovers very quickly.Oh, good.

I was just apologizing for my husband's behavior, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

Well, we all have a right to our own opinion.

Now, shall we all go and see Miss Cooper in a body?

Or would you like me to act as your spokesman?

I don't think a deputation is a good idea.

There you are. Oh.

I hope you all understand this is a duty I hardly relish.

I hardly call that a very accurate self-appraisal, would you?

No, doing her duty can seem a positive pleasure to some people, can't it?

Not that it ever has done to me,

but then, oh, I'm so weak and silly about these things.

Well, it would be a pleasure for me, in this case.

What a horrible man!

A ruthless young girl that, I should say.

Yes. But then some young people are nowadays, don't you think so?

Not only young people.

Oh, dear.

What a dreadful affair, made me feel quite miserable.

Talking about being on the side of right as one sees it,

is that one so often finds oneself in the company of such

very questionable allies.

Yes, that is very true.

Let's take our minds off of it, shall we?

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

Ah, there you are Miss R-B.

How's the world with you, eh?

Were you looking for Mummy's paper?

What, no, no, no. Of course not, I've got the other copy.

Don't pretend anymore, please.

You see, she's read it.

Oh.

Did she show it to you, too?

Yes.

And to the others.

Oh.

Miss Cooper, too?

Mummy's just gone to tell her.

Oh.

Well, that's it then, isn't it, eh?

Yes.Oh.

God.

Why did you do it?

I don't know. I wish I could answer you that.

Why does anyone do anything they shouldn't?

Why do some people drink too much,

some people smoke 50 cigarettes a day?

Because they can't stop it, I suppose.

You mean, this isn't the first time?

No.

Oh! That's horrible!

Yes, of course it is. I'm not trying to defend it.

You wouldn't guess, I know,

but all my life, I've been scared to death of women.

Well, of everyone I suppose, but mostly of women.

Had a very bad time at school.

Which wasn't Wellington, of course, just an ordinary council school.

Hmm.

Boys hate other boys to be timid and shy,

and they gave it to me good and proper.

My father despised me, too. He was a great sergeant major in the Black Watch.

Made me join the army but I was always

a bitter disappointment to him.

He died before I got a commission

and I only got that with a wangle,

but it wasn't difficult at the beginning of the war.

[CHUCKLES WRYLY]

It meant a lot to me, all the same, I mean...

Being saluted, being called "Sir."

I thought, "Well, I'm someone now, you see? I'm a real person."

Perhaps even some woman might even...

Never worked, you see.

Didn't work.

I'm made in a certain way, can't change myself.

Has to be the dark.

Always with strangers...

[STUTTERING] No, no, I can't bear it, it makes me sick.

Of course it would. [STAMMERING]

I'm sorry I only said that because...

You asked me why I did such things,

and, well, I wanted to talk to someone about it, you see?

I never have before. Not in the whole of my life.

I wouldn't have upset you of all people.

Why me, so specially?

Why not the others?

Oh, I don't give a hang about the others.

They all take it in their various ways, I suppose.

It'll be just a bit of gossip for them to snort or snigger about,

but it'll be different for you, Sibyl, and that makes me unhappy.

That's the first time you've called me Sibyl.

It is. Well...

Yes, there's not much point in that Miss R-B stuff, now, is there?

What makes me so different from the others?

You being so scared of, what shall we call it, life?

Yeah, that sounds more respectable

than the word I know you hate.

We're awfully alike, you know.

We're better as...

Frightened people.

But we've managed to forget our fright I think

when we've been in each other's company.

And speaking for myself, I'm awfully grateful

and I always will be.

I can't expect you to feel the same, now.

What are you doing?I'm getting my things together.

You haven't seen my tobacco patch, have you, anywhere?

It's on the mantelpiece.Ah.

Yes. [CHUCKLES]

[SNIFFLING]

The old Wellingtonian colors.

Why have you told so many

awful lies?

Because I don't like myself as I am.

I had to invent someone else.

Well, there's not much harm in that.

I mean, a lot of people daydream, don't they?

I've even begun to believe in the

Major myself.[DISTANT THUD]

Is that someone in the hall?

No, no.

I don't think so.

Where are you going to stay?

Well, I don't know.

There's a chap in London I might spend a couple of days with.

But I don't particularly want to go there.Why not?

Well, you see, it's rather a question of birds of a feather.

Oh.

Don't go there.

Don't go there.I have no one else.

Another hotel?

Well, I can't stay here, I can't stay anywhere near Bournemouth.

I must go to London, I don't know anywhere in town I can afford.

I'll lend you the money.What?

No, no, no.

Yes, I'll lend it to you. I have some savings...

No, I won't hear of it.

No, no. Don't worry about me.

I shall be perfectly all right, thank you very much.

MISS COOPER: Major Pollock, may I see you

in my office a moment?

Oh...

There's no need for your office, Miss Cooper.

I know what you have to say and I'm leaving at once.

MISS COOPER: I see that's entirely your own decision, is it?

Well, of course.

Because I would like to make it perfectly plain to you,

there's no question whatever of my desiring you to leave this hotel.

If you want to stay on here, you're at perfect liberty to do so.

It's entirely a matter for you.

I see.

[STAMMERING]

That's very good of you, Miss Cooper.

But... But of course I have to go.

I can quite understand that you would want to.

I shan't charge you the usual weeks' notice,

when will you be leaving, before dinner?

Of course, yes.

Could I help you find somewhere to stay until you can get settled?

I can hardly expect that, Miss Cooper.

Well, why on earth not?

There are two hotels,

run by the Beauregard group in London,

one is in West Kensington,

the other is in St. John's Wood.

They're both about the same price.

Which would you prefer?

[STAMMERING] West Kensington, I think.

Would you like me to telephone them for you?

No, no, no.

I ought to phone them myself.

I wouldn't like you to be involved.

In case of further trouble.

Um...

May I use the phone in your office?

Yes, yes, of course.

I'll pay for the call, of course.

Sibyl,

if I don't see you again, I will write to you,

and say goodbye.

[SIGHS HEAVILY]

MISS COOPER: Your mother's gone up to dress for dinner, Miss Railton-Bell.

She asked me to find you and tell you,

you can have your meal upstairs tonight, if you'd rather.

That's all right.

How are you feeling now?

I'm all right.

Is there...

Is there anything I can do to help?

No, no, I'm quite well now. He's going and that's good.

I despise him.

Do you?

I wonder if you should.

He's a vile, wicked man and he's done horrid, beastly things.

You said he could stay here and that's wicked, too!

Then I suppose I'm wicked, too.

Sibyl, dear...Oh.

Why is everyone calling me Sibyl today? Please stop.

[SOBS]

It's making me cry.

I don't mean to do that, I just mean to help you.

Oh, that's better, that's much, much, better.

It's so horrible.

Yes, yes, I know it is

and I'm very sorry for you.

He says we're alike.

He and I.

Does he?

He says that we're both frightened of life and sex.

I've said it. He says I hate saying it and I do.

What's the matter with me?

There must be something the matter with me.

No, there's nothing very much, I should say.

I don't like to be ordinary.

I've never met an ordinary person.

I meet all sorts here in my job, you know.

And the one thing I've learned in five years,

is that the word "normal" applied to

any human creature is utterly meaningless.

I don't think Mummy would agree with you.

[CHUCKLES] No, I don't think she would.

You've never really been away from her, have you?

No, just once when I had a job.

I worked in a department store.

Only... Well, I got ill and I had to leave.

Oh, what a pity. Well, you must try again one day, don't you think?

Mummy says no.

Mummy says no?

Well, you must just try to get

mummy to say yes, don't you think?

I don't know how.

Oh, I'll tell you how.

By going out and getting a job on your own.

She'll say yes quick enough then.

[SIGHS]

Do you think...

Do you think he'll be all right?

I don't know, I hope so.[STUTTERING]

Is it a nice hotel, this one in West Kensington?

Yes, very nice.

Do you think he'll find a friend there?

I hope so.

So do I.

Oh, God, so do I.

[SOBBING][FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

[SNIFFLING]Ah...

That's that. I've fixed it.

You'll be pleased to know that I said Mr. Pollock.

And I didn't have to mention your name or this hotel.

I must go and pack now. Goodbye, Sibyl.

[STAMMERING] God bless you.

Very upset.

Funny think you know, that isn't even the worst part of it.

She's an odd one, almost a case, but...

She means quite a lot to me.

I think you mean quite a lot to her.

Oh, well...

I did, once.

Not now, of course.

Call to London, one and six.

It's about the young, the betting slip, the betting slip.

[CONTINUES SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

What... What time is your train to London?

At 7:45.Oh, you've got plenty of time.

Well, I've got an awful lot to do, you know.

Four years, a hellish business.

I'm dreading the thought of going to a new hotel, trembling with fear.

The thought of meeting new people.

I'll probably be forced to take refuge in all that

Major stuff again.

Try not to.Oh, I will try. I only hope I can succeed.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]Still there, damn!

You've been awfully good to me, you know.

I don't know why. I don't deserve it.

I'm very grateful, very grateful.

That's all right.

You're an odd fish, you know...

If you don't mind my saying so.

An awful lot more goes on behind that calm managerial front of yours

than anyone would ever imagine.

Has something bad ever happened to you?

[CHUCKLES] Yes.

Very bad?

I've got over it.

What was it?

I loved a man who loved somebody else.

Still love him?

Oh, yes, I always will.

Any hope?

No. None at all.

Why you so cheerful about it?

There's nothing else to be.

I've settled for the situation, you see.

Besides, I've still got my memories which are pretty good ones,

all things considered.

Ah.

Quite the philosopher, what? [CHUCKLES]

I must stop saying what.

Well, I must make a dash for it or I'll miss the train.

Why don't you stay?

Stay? Stay here? Here in the hotel, you mean?

You say you dread the new hotel.

Why, I dread this one a damn sight more now.

Yes, I'm sure you do, but if you stay down here you couldn't be forced

into any more of that Major stuff, could you?

Well, I might be forced into something a damn sight more conclusive.

You know the form,

old service revolver.

Nasty mess on one of your carpets,

ugly scandal for your hotel.

I'd take the risk, if you would.

My dear, Miss Cooper, I...

I'm far too much of a coward to stay here.

What a pity. I thought it would be so nice

if you could prove to yourself that you weren't.

You're thinking of her too, of course, aren't you?

Yes.

Help her to think she's made me find my soul and all that, eh?

Yes.

Not a hope.

Not a hope, I'm afraid. I know my form, you see.

I wonder if you do.Yes, I do.

I do, only too well.

Thanks for trying anyway.

Coast's clear.

There's a nine-something train, isn't there?

9:32.

Oh, well, I expect I'll catch the 7:45.

[FOOTSTEPS RETREATING]

[CUTLERY CLATTERING][INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

Good night.MAN: Good night.

Good night.Oh, good night.

Were you the fricassee or the Cambridge steak?

Hmm? Oh, it doesn't matter,

Mabel, they're both uneatable.

What about the cold chicken then?Cold chicken?

What happened to the hot, yeah?

If I were you, I'd have this fricassee.

It's all right, it's rabbit.

Any cheese, Mabel?

No, cheese is off.

There's never any cheese.

Gladys, dear,

I believe there's a new quiz program on television tonight.

Yes, I know. I read all about it in the Radio Times.

It sounds quite fascinating.

I shall hope to see it next week.

Oh, why not tonight?

Oh, I feel much too tired. I'm going up to bed immediately after dinner.

Yes, of course.

A really nerve wracking day, it's been, hasn't it?

I don't suppose any of us will ever forget it. Ever.

I feel utterly shattered myself.

Well, anyway, thank heaven it's all over and done with.

Now pass the sauce, dear, will you, please?

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

I told you, darling, we can't afford to do it till next year,

so, please just leave it alone, will you?

[DOOR OPENING]

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

Table number 17, you said he was out.

That's what Cook said.

Cook said he was leaving before dinner.

I'm sorry, Major, there's been some sort of a muddle.

I'll lay your table right away.

Now what would you like? The fricassee is nice.

Soup first?No, thank you.

[SPOON CLATTERING]

There we are. All cozy now?

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]

Good evening.

Good evening.

Clouding over a bit, isn't it?

I think we might get some rain later on.

Yes, I think we may.

Let's hope so.

It's a very tricky course in hard going.

You knew Newmarket, don't you, Major?

[STAMMERING] No, I don't.I thought...

Oh.

Yes, well, it's a very tricky course in hard going.

Of course if we have some rain tomorrow,

I'll probably let you have a winner by Tuesday.

I may not be here on Tuesday.MABEL: Oh.

In that case, I'll send it on to you,

if you leave me an address, but I'll need the money for the wire there.

Thank you, that's very kind of you.

Don't think it kind if it loses.

Good evening.WOMAN: Good evening.

Good evening, Mr. Fowler.Good evening.

Good evening. Is everything satisfactory?

Fine, thank you.I'm so glad.

Good evening.Good evening.

Very nice.

Good evening, Mrs. Railton-Bell.Good evening.

Good evening, Mr. Pollock.

I hear they forgot to lay your table tonight. I'm so sorry.

That's all right.

I recommend the fricassee. It's really awfully good.

Yes, I've ordered it.

Have you? I'm so glad.

Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Stratton. Is everything all right?

Yes, lovely, thank you.Splendid.

It's very cold in here, suddenly.

I'll just get out of the draft.

Good evening.

Good evening.Hampshire did pretty well, did you see?

350 odd for five wickets.

Yes.

Very good.

I wish their bowling was a little stronger though.Mmm-hmm.

Well...

Good night.Good night.

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

I advise the apple charlotte. It's very good.

POLLOCK: Thank you. I'll have that.

Come, Sibyl.

I haven't finished my dinner yet, Mummy.

It doesn't matter. Come into the lounge.

No, Mummy.

Sibyl, come with me at once.

No, Mummy.

I'm going to stay in the dining room and finish my dinner.

There's a new moon tonight.

We should all go and have a look for it.

WOMAN: Yes, we should.Yes, we must.

Good night, Mrs. Railton-Bell.

Sorry it's been so long. You were a bit late, you see.

That's all right. My fault.

What's the matter with you tonight?

You always say mea culpa.

Do I?

Yes, well, they both mean the same, don't they?

I suppose so.

There you are. Now what about breakfast?

Breakfast?Cook got it wrong about your going, didn't she?

Yes.

She did.That's good.

Breakfast, usual time then?

Yes, Doreen, thank you.

Breakfast, usual time.

[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS]