Original subtitles

Very well girls, have a happy holiday and goodbye until the next term, may go now.

- Miss Ives. - Yes dear?

- Will you be taking us for next term? - I hope so Muriel.

- Happy holiday Miss Ives. - Goodbye.

Come on Marian, let's get out of this dump.

Carne House is not a dump, if you were a real teacher.-

Thank heavens I'm not, it's bad enough being Games Mistress.

I sometimes wonder what is your favorite game.

If you really want to know, it's one I couldn't possibly teach the kids.

- Miss Drake. - It's golf.

I suppose you two are off on some gay adventure.

We would if I had my way, we were offered rooms at Bridgepool.

The place is absolutely crawling with Air Force boys.

But no, Marian insists on going to the Yorkshire Moors.

The moors?

You're, you're not going to where poor Evelyn was lost?

Yes, we are.

Well, I don't know how you have the courage.

When I think of Evelyn, lost on those awful moors.

Being dragged down into one of those dreadful bogs.

Rubbish, it's more likely she met some man, went off with him.

- That's a lie. - Miss Ives.

It's not the first time you've made rotten insinuations about Evelyn.

- Oh, I know you hated her youth and charm. - As deputy head of the school, I really...

Deputy head my deputy foot, we're on holiday now.

Come on Marian, if we must go to Yorkshire we might as well catch the train.

Well, goodbye.

- Goodbye there. - Goodbye dear.

So long playmates, don't do anything your mothers warned you not to.

You mustn't be hard on the girl, remember, she isn't English.

She's no lady.

Oh, the things I do for glamor, can you imagine a man doing this for us?

- But, we're in a Ladies Only. - I know.

And you mean you deliberately let me get into this without a word of warning?

- The other carriages were all so crowded. - Marian Ives...

You may be able to make me give up a perfectly good holiday in Bridgepool...

to go to your blasted, forsaken moors.

But if you think I'm traveling in a Ladies Only on a train that's stiff with men...

You see that?

If it hadn't been for that stupid sign, he'd have come in.

- A friend of yours? - Well, I did kind of notice him.

I heard one of his friends call him doctor.

Well then, all you have to do is to be taken ill, and you're practically set.

Oh, don't be so ridic...

Oh. Oh...

Oh.

- Oh. - Doris, what is it?

Hey, stop it you hear?

I'm a doctor, can I help?

Well, it isn't really necessary.

- Rather serious. - Oh?

Only one thing for it, we'll have to inject strychnine.

- Strychnine? That rather dangerous? - Rather, kill or cure.

Now let me see, I'm not certain whether it's a third of a gramme or .03.

You know, I always get muddled up between fractions and decimals.

Oh well, we just have to trust to luck.

You know, I believe it was three grammes?

- Why, where am I? Who are you? - The name, Randall, profession Doctor.

Present intention, to get you out of here and...

give you a nice cup of tea as quickly as possible.

Now, we're quite close to the dining car, it's just along on the left.

It's awfully kind of you Doctor, I, I hate wasting your time.

- Don't worry, you won't. - Oh Doctor.

Now off you go.

Aren't you coming with me? I might easily faint again.

Oh, that's the sort of fate you never have twice, not with the same doctor.

I am grateful to your friend, I was wondering how I could introduce myself.

And you don't seem to have made the most of your chance.

I'm doing my best.

Doctor, you may not realise it but this is a Ladies Only.

That's one of the great advantages of having MD after one's name.

They can get you into almost anywhere.

If you take my advice Miss, you not go traipsing over at moors this afternoon.

Glass is falling and weather might be a bit mucky.

Oh, that settles it.

No lady ever goes traipsing in mucky weather.

- Thank you. - Why, hello.

Oh hello.

- Well, this is a pleasant surprise. - What are you doing here?

Oh, I just happened to be passing.

Oh, you just happened to be passing pretty often, don't you?

It's a gift.

- And what were you doing in the clink? - Just getting some details.

About the way Evelyn went on her last walk across the moors?

I wish you'd give up that idea, it's morbid.

I'm sorry Barry, we've been discussing all that for the past three days.

Alright, but at least let me drive you.

Only part of the way, you've got your work to do.

Well, they only call me in for births and deaths.

And the people around this place live to be 100.

- What about births? - Very rare.

The husbands and wives don't get on so well together.

Hop in.

On my left, you have the Yorkshire Moors. On my right, you have the Yorkshire Moors.

And if you wait 'til you get over the crest of that rise,

- you'll have a magnificent view of the of... - The Yorkshire Moors.

You must be psychic.

Barry, I think we'd better get out now.

Don't hold with it, big moors are no places for small girls.

Besides, the Copper was right, the weather is going to be definitely mucky.

No good Barry, we're going.

- Say that again, will you. - We're going?

No, the Barry part, it always gives me a thrill.

Idiot.

Pardon me if I seem to interrupt the love scene of the century but when do we walk?

Now, will you stop here Barry?

Well, goodbye Barry.

And don't worry about the weather, we'll be in Pensley long before nightfall.

Goodbye.

- It's getting like pea soup. - And we should never have left the road.

And that divine scoutmaster said it was a shortcut.

- Never trust divine scoutmasters. - It'll pour in a minute.

Where you think we are?

I don't know, I'll get the map.

This must be Pensley, we're here by Puttock Hag.

- What's a hag? - The local name for a bog.

Doris, come back.

Help, help.

Marian Marian.

Help.

- Marian, Marian. - I'm sinking.

I'll get you out. How far are you from solid ground?

It's not a yard away but I, I can't get my feet out.

- Leave me. - Hold tight.

- Pull. - Hold tight.

My God, I thought I was done for.

And I've lost my shoe.

It's a house.

- And a man. - Come on.

We've lost our way and we're soaked to the skin.

- And hungry as hell. - We nearly got in a bog.

Can you give us shelter?

Well, make sure you'll know us, won't you?

You'd better come in, nowhere else you can go.

You'd better get dry.

Give me your things.

Oh, I can't tell you how thankful we are to be in here.

- What were you doing outside? - Walking.

- In the storm? - I enjoy storms.

Well, it takes all sorts to make a world,

I once met a man who got fun out of swallowing swords.

I can understand that, sense of isolation. Being alone in a world of wind and rain.

- Being alone, yes, I'm with you there. - That wouldn't be a hint to us?

You said you were hungry, I'll get you something.

Well, give me Boris Karloff.

Oh, my feet are worn down to the ankles.

You know, he looks the kind of fellow who buries his wife under the fireplace.

Oh, it was a fellow I read about, in a book.

On second thoughts, you'd better come and help me, it's just as warm in the kitchen.

If you ask me we're going to swing for our supper.

Bring those eggs and a carving knife.

It's some bread in that bin.

Oh heavenly, I'm so hungry my stomach is sticking to my back.

Oh, by the way, may I introduce Miss Marian Ives, Mr. Stephen Deremid.

How you know my name?

It's on the half the packages in the pantry, nothing much misses little Doris.

- Quite the detective, eh? - Yeah, Nick Carter's grandmother.

- Didn't you know? - Stephen Deremid?

- It's something familiar about that name. - Suppose we talk about you.

There's nothing much to tell, we're just a couple of school teachers on holiday.

- School teachers? - Don't worry, we won't give you a lecture.

- Where do you teach? - Girl's school at Oxford, Carne House.

- Where, where did you say? - Carne House, you know it?

Yes, I've heard the name.

What made you come to these moors?

A kind of sentimental journey. A friend of mine died here a year ago.

She was lost in a storm, like we were tonight.

They, they never found her body.

No, these moors are like quicksand, they never give up their dead.

You telling me, they wouldn't even give up my shoes.

I felt I had to come, have to say goodbye to her here.

Have to see if perhaps by some miracle I might be able to find where she died.

You may have read about it at the time.

No, we never get the papers here, this house is almost cut off from the world.

- Of course. - Of course?

I remember where I heard your name before. You're Stephen Deremid, the composer.

Stephen Deremid, who used to compose.

Yes, that's right, you, you haven't written anything for several years.

I gave up music for war.

I had an idiotic notion that civilization was worth fighting for.

That nothing that really mattered, not even music could exist under slavery.

- Oh, you were right. - Was I?

The world didn't think so.

I fought in Spain with the Republicans, reds, they called us.

And in those days, red was a very ungentlemanly color.

We were worthy fodder for the German and Italian bombs.

Civilization watched on the sidelines to make sure there should be no fair play.

I know it was horrible, criminally stupid.

I had it all. Buried alive by a shell and then for months in an internment camp.

Thousands of us in the open, left to rot.

You came back, why didn't you compose then?

I tried but it had gone, there seemed no point.

Need you be bitter? After all, the world is learned its lesson.

Is it?

Perhaps you're right.

Things we bled and died for so unfashionably have become quite the thing today.

- You are bitter. - Yes, I'm bitter.

The Spanish War was just a preliminary, this is the main event and I'm out of it, cracked.

Finished.

Funny, isn't it?

Doesn't anyone in this house ever go to bed?

I'll show you to your room.

You can switch on.

You have to make the bed yourselves.

My housekeeper isn't here, she must've been held up by the storm.

I'll get you some sheets.

- I'll bet they're moldy. - You're wrong.

They haven't been used for 50 years, but this cupboard's well aired.

50 years? You wouldn't rather we had a couple of shrouds?

These were a bit before your time but they're warm and dry.

- Thanks. - Not me, thanks.

- I'll stay put in my step-ins. - Please yourself.

This believe it or not is an alarm clock.

I'll set it for 8, then you can leave here early.

I always say there's nothing like making your guests feel they're really wanted.

- I want you to lock the door. - Well, of all the...

Very well.

It's just that my housekeeper might come back early.

If she finds the door locked she'll know we have company.

- Will you do this? - If makes you happier.

It does.

Well, what do you know about that? He can't trust himself.

It must be that aloof manner of mine, treat them rough, eat out of your hand.

Reminds me of a picture I once saw of Diane de Poitiers.

- Who played opposite her? - She was a medieval courtesan.

And she went to bed in a sack like that? Those old time girls had a lot to learn.

They believed in the charm of concealment.

Would've a job selling an idea like that to the boys of today.

- What, what's the matter? - Evelyn.

Suddenly I feel nearer to her than I've ever done since she died.

As though as I, I close my eyes and open suddenly,

I'd see her sitting at the bottom of the bed.

Smiling out of the shadows.

Mean she, she might be here? In, in this room?

No, no. It's just a passing feeling.

Afraid it was because we were talking about her downstairs.

- Where are you going? - To lock the door.

Oh, you think it's really necessary? After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

- If you know what I mean. - I know exactly what you mean.

Listen.

Shut that damn thing off.

Put that light out, you want to blind me?

Come along Doris, is time to get up.

Have a hell of a cold in my nose.

Oh dear, I'm afraid we can't stay after what he said last night.

Oh, that's all right. Doris, the Christian martyr, that's big.

Well, I've always want to try pneumonia.

This is burden, that's what it is, burden.

Do you see what I see or, or is it a mirage?

Charming, isn't it.

The bank of the town must've gone, it's joined up with the river floods to form this.

Well, however much you may want it, I'm not going to swim, I'm going back to bed.

Are we completely cut off?

If there's no more rain it'll drain off fairly rapidly.

Otherwise you're here until it drops.

- En, what we can do? - I didn't ask you to come.

Oh, I'm very sorry, we'll try and keep out of your way as much as possible.

And I don't want you to go ferreting about the house.

I beg your pardon?

Well, there's a very natural temptation...

to go looking for secret rooms and priest holes in an old house like this.

- Really, I'm not as gullible as all that. - Oh no?

Well actually there's supposed to be a secret room, I've never troubled to look for it.

Oh, a secret room?

You wouldn't find it, so don't bother to try.

Oh and there two other rooms you won't be able to get into.

My bedroom and my study, I keep them locked.

Which of them is Bluebeard's chamber?

The only flaw in that story is that the rescuers came too soon.

- Hey Marian, come up here. - What is it?

That secret room, we got to find it, I'm nuts about secret rooms.

Come on Doris, you must go back to bed, you'll never find it.

No, I'm going to have one more try.

Hear that, it's hollow, come on.

Look.

You think perhaps there's a body inside it?

Don't be so stupid.

- Let's open it and see. - No, no.

Rather not.

- Come on, let's go. - Wait a minute, the secret room.

It's hollow too, I think we've got something here.

If I lean out of this window, I might be able to see...

if there's another one between here and the next room.

- Give me a hand. - Oh you stay in here, I'll do it.

Looking for something?

- He's coming up. - I'm off.

I expect you've seen everything you want to by now.

I need someone to give me a hand, any objections?

- Of course not. - I'll lend you my dungarees.

- You can use my housekeeper's wellingtons. - Won't she mind?

Mrs. Ranger is a philosopher, she never minds anything.

The storm is made a nice mess of this roof.

I got my grain stored in there.

Here's your chance to make yourself useful.

- Hurry up with that felt. - I'm coming.

Come on, come on, come on.

If you could only see yourself, here, let me give you a hand.

I can manage quite well, thank you.

A fine time of year you've chosen to go swimming.

- There, you better get some dry things on. - I'm perfectly all right, thank you.

Don't be an idiot.

- What's he been up to? - Oh, I slipped.

So did I but it didn't get me in that kind of a mess.

Now take your things off. I'll get you something to wear.

Won't be very up to date I'm afraid.

- Well? - Lovely.

The dress I mean, it belonged to my grandmother.

Would you prefer mushroom or mulligatawny?

I, I don't know.

- Does it matter? - Well, make up your mind.

- Well, mushroom. - Me too.

- Mulligatawny for Doris. - Her cold, won't be too hot for her?

Could it be?

- Some cook. - I can cook 57 varieties.

Talking about cooks, tell me about your housekeeper.

Mrs. Ranger, she's a treasure.

I can never tell you how much she's done for me.

She was my nurse in the hospital they sent me...

to in England when I was released from the prison camp.

I wasn't allowed any razors or braces or scissors at that time.

That's the kind of state I was in.

When I was discharged she came here with me, she's been with me ever since.

- Is she the only person here besides you? - No, there's Sturrock, the odd job man.

He drove her over to Pensley for her shopping.

Where you get that?

From Evelyn, she had one too.

Why you ask?

For no particular reason. I must've seen one like it somewhere before.

Evelyn had a kind of fancy about it.

She looked on it as a symbol.

She was to give it to the man she fell in love with.

- And did she? - She never met him.

And what about you?

Oh, I've, I've met men whose characters I've liked.

Whose brains I've admired.

Yet who meant nothing to me.

I've met others.

Brainless and brutal, you know?

Yes, I know. The queer fascination cruelty has.

The water level is much lower now.

By tomorrow, you'll be able to go.

I know, I saw it from my window before I came down.

I haven't been able to play like this for almost a year.

It's as if I were coming to life again.

Tomorrow, you'll be gone.

I meant to send you away. I still mean to send you away.

- But why? - Because it would be best for both of us.

Then, this doesn't mean anything to you?

Oh yes, it does but it was something beyond me, I shouldn't have given way to it.

- Then why do... - Don't ask me why.

Think anything you please but don't keep asking me why.

Very well.

I know that emotion can be real for a moment and then die out as soon.

No, no, it isn't that, it's just no good, it's too late.

You know your own mind best, it's your life here.

You look lovely now.

It's as if something had lighted a lamp inside you.

Suppose I should thank you for that.

Think I'll go to bed now Stephen. I'll leave before you get up in the morning.

- Goodbye Marian. - Bye.

If these old eyes don't deceive me there's been a spot of fun and games.

He kiss you?

- Yes. - Go on.

That's all.

Oh, well anyway he kissed you, the thin end of the wedge.

- Doris, look at this. - What is it?

- Don't you see? - It's a Carne House report form.

How it get here?

Well, it may be Osborne House or Melbourne House...

or any other old house ending with an E.

But I recognise the form. It is the one we use at Carne.

So do half the schools in England. What is it matter anyhow?

Don't you see?

If this is from Carne, only one person could've brought it here.

- Evelyn. - Evelyn?

Last night in this room I felt she'd been here.

Oh, baloney.

Old Stephen sourpuss downstairs is never even heard of her.

Then how did it get here?

Well, it probably blew into the moors and old sourpuss picked it up.

- He looks the waste not, want not type. - Yes.

If he saw the name on it that would account for the kind of...

recognition he gave when he heard we came from Carne.

Come on, go to bed.

Thank heavens the water is down and we can leave this place in the morning.

Yes, we shan't see Stephen again.

Come on Jim, I want the Lux.

You must be Mrs. Ranger.

That's right.

I reckon you got caught in the storm and Mr. Deremid gave you shelter?

My clothes got wet and he took them away for drying, I was just looking for them now.

There's an airing cupboard in the kitchen. Depend upon it, that's where they are.

Hurry along Jim now, get on with the fireplaces.

I was only having a look.

- Come on, I'll show you. - Thank you so much.

It's dry.

Mr. Stephen is not such a fool for a bachelor.

Oh, I shall have to lend you some of my stockings, that is if you don't mind.

Not at all.

- Mr. Stephen tell you about me? - Yes/.

Well, he said you seemed to have helped him when he needed it most.

I did my best.

I'd better get changed quickly, I got a friend with me.

I expect she'll be wondering what's happened to me.

I'll get the stockings.

By gum, the house is full of women.

- Oh I'm sorry if I startled you. - Oh it wasn't that.

Only I'm not used to seeing lovely visions at this time of the morning.

Visions? Oh go on.

- There are lot better looking girls than me. - Oh, not in this house Miss.

We haven't had a young lady here for, oh quite a long time.

- When was the last? - I better get on with my work.

Don't be frightened, he won't hurt you.

- Here, stroke him a bit. - What is he? A monkey?

No, he's a Capuchin, it's a raring for fleas.

- What's it called? - Cain, it's a good old bible name, isn't it?

You know, he sleeps with me at night, aye.

And he nips me to it, because he doesn't get his fair share of the bed.

- What about the fleas? - Oh, they don't like my blood.

But he likes a nibble at a young lady's.

Oh Doris, this is Mrs. Ranger. Mr. Deremid's housekeeper.

- How do you do? - Hello.

And I'm Jim Sturrock and this is Cain the Capuchin.

Your friend is been telling me about your adventures.

I've a mind you won't be sorry to leave these Yorkshire Moors.

Sorry, I'm on my way back to civilization if I have to swim.

I don't think that'll be necessary.

Jim, don't stand gawking there...

get out the car and drive these two young ladies to wherever they want to go.

- Oh, it's very kind of you but... - I won't hear a word.

You've done enough walking already.

Besides, the bogs will be even more dangerous after these rains.

Come along, I'll see you to the car.

Come on.

Now you behave yourself.

You know, one day it nipped me backside, we nearly had a smash-up.

Hurry up Jim, the young ladies can't wait all day.

The countryside looks nice after its wash and brush-up, doesn't it?

I always say the Earth's like a human being.

A good bath now and then doesn't do it any harm.

The only difference is, if the Earth doesn't get any water, it gets cracked up and dries.

A human being it just gets smelly.

I don't mind a good bath myself now and then.

Whenever I begin to see people drawing away from me.

Jim Sturrock I said, Jimmy, you're beginning to stink.

You get a nice view of Puttock Hag down there.

You see them three paths leading across it?

Don't you ever try walking on them.

Or you'll find yourself with your head under the mud.

They say one of the paths leads right across it.

But them that's tried to find out which one have never come back.

I reckon they've made a nice, tasty morsel for Puttock.

- Is no one know the path that leads across? - Well, Mr.Stephen thinks he knows it.

Spends a lot of time looking at Puttock, seems to draw him somehow.

I hate leaving like this, without knowing about Evelyn.

Go on, it's old sourpuss you're worrying about.

Hate leaving him too.

Don't you see Doris?

That report I found last night and the feeling I had she'd been in the room.

A whole lot of hooey, the sooner you forget about it, the better.

Please stop.

- I'm going back. - Oh, don't be a fool Marian.

I tell you Doris, I've got to know about Evelyn.

But don't think I'm going with you, because I'm not.

I'm going back to Bridgepool, for some fun and bright lights and normal people.

Goodbye Doris.

Hello did you forget something?

Mrs. Ranger, I had to come back.

Is it is Mr. Stephen?

You caught me with one of my hobbies, aren't they dear little things?

You see, I spin this into wool, then I make jumpers and suchlike.

I've a host of nieces and they love the little woollies I make.

Isn't she a pretty creature?

He's still asleep.

Mrs. Ranger...

I suppose I'm not the first visitor you've had here?

You mean tourists and suchlike? Short shift that sort gets.

Still, sometimes there must be people you can't turn away.

Walkers who get lost in the moor or caught in a storm coming here for shelter as I did.

You know it's queer you should say that.

I suppose I ought not to mention it, but you don't look the sort that would talk.

I'm afraid it might hurt Mr. Stephen if he was reminded of it again.

Please tell me.

Alright, I will.

Come along Emily.

It was almost a year ago, a girl came here, she'd lost her way on the moors.

What was she like?

Dark, very pretty, she was a school mistress.

After she left, they got some tale about her going down in one of those bogs.

They even sent the police from Pensley up here.

Great gawks, poking and prying about to see which way she set off.

As if she'd lose her way in broad daylight, walking back the way she came.

- To Brickfell? - That's right.

I didn't see her go, Jim and I were down at Pensley that day.

Mr. Stephen saw her off.

You're in love with him, aren't you?

Same as that one a year ago.

I suppose you're feeling, that given the time and the chance he'll grow very fond of you.

- Yes. - I'm sorry.

Understand, I'm not preaching, I don't want to make trouble, only I like you,

I don't want to see you get hurt or him.

- How could he be hurt? - Easy.

I fancy you don't understand about him.

He's the best man I know, I'm fond of him like my own son.

But he's no more use now in the outside world.

- Oh, I won't believe that. - Listen.

When they downed him in Spain, I watched that boy come back to life.

He hated the world and everything in it.

So he set a wall around himself to shut out that world.

Every year now, he gets further and further away from it.

But supposing I'm willing to share his life? Cut off with him from the outside world.

A stranger is all right for a break but not for a long time.

- In a month you'd be rubbing his nerves raw. - I've still got to see him.

Alright, but I hope it'll be easier now after what I've said to you.

Easier?

When he tells you to go.

Hello Jim, you drop the young lady at the station?

- Aye, right tasty bit of stuff too. - No, that's no way to talk of a young lady.

- Have you been drinking? - At this time of the morning?

- They're not open. - Come here, let me smell your breath.

He's right, they can't be open yet.

- Have the floods done much damage? - I haven't had a chance to look yet.

The wall has crumbled the other side of the gate.

- It's a ruddy great hole there. - Well you better mend it then.

No, I'll leave that to the Master. Knowing how fond he is of mortar.

I always said he should've been a plasterer.

Get along now.

You ought to be working instead of yammering like an old woman.

Alright.

You look as if you could do with some sleep.

Why not go up to your room and rest? I'll call you when he wakes, come on.

Cain.

Cain.

Come here.

Come here you little rascal.

- What are you doing here? - I'm very sorry Miss.

I meant no offense.

Only I come for me monkey. I thought he might give you a fright.

It wasn't him that gave me the fright.

Come here, you little brat.

Aren't you ashamed of yourself, behaving like that in a lady's bedroom?

He's almost human though Miss.

I shall never forget the first time I took him to Pensley.

He found his way into the Ladies...

Are you all right, my dear? When I heard that scream I thought he'd got you.

What are you doing here?

Oh, it's all right, he only came after his monkey.

- That's right, I came after my monkey. - You great big blundering fool.

You might have scared her out of her life, off you go.

Quick, take your monkey with you, go on.

It's not a monkey, it's a Capuchin.

- Go on. - Alright, it's not a monkey.

And get on with your work.

Jim got a heart of gold, but he's no more brains than one of my rabbits.

Mr. Stephen is been up for an hour...

when I last saw him, he was going down to the stables.

- Good morning. - Why you still here?

Stephen, I know why you don't want me here.

Not only me but any woman, I know that Evelyn was here.

- Well? - Why didn't you tell me?

After all, she was my friend.

And now she's gone, I want to know about her.

- Alright, she was here, I sent her away. - Was it because she was in love with you?

- Yes. - You didn't love her?

Poor Evelyn.

She could've helped you if only you'd loved her.

I could help you Stephen.

Oh, if I left here without trying, I'd never feel right again.

This is all very high minded of you.

You seem to regard me as a sort of male...

sleeping beauty to be restored to life by your kiss.

No, you're like someone who's been thrown by a horse or crashed a plane.

The one way to get your nerve back is to get on a horse or go up in a plane again at once.

Go on.

The Spanish war was your crash.

Your wound is been buried alive by that shell.

Above all, your bitterness and frustration.

Oh, you've never even tried to climb back.

You're still buried alive, cut off here from the world.

Oh listen Stephen, use me as your cure.

I'm flaying myself to behave with you like this.

All I know is that I, I love you.

Before I go, at least I must try and do this for you.

I see, so you think a brief interlude with you, would send me back to the world, cured?

If you'd like to put it like that.

I'll be anything you want for these next few days.

If only it'll make you well and happy again.

After that, unless you ask me to stay, I, I go away for good.

You are going now, you're getting no unctuous glow out of saving me.

You fool.

You think I've turned my back on real women, lovely women...

to change it all for a sentimental little school marm?

Stephen.

What have you got? No beauty, no brains, just a lot of half digested ideas about life...

picked up in a teacher's common room. Now, will you go?

Marian.

- We back where we started. - Don't let's think about that now.

Don't let's think about anything beyond the next few days, they're ours.

- I've brought your tablets. - I don't want any tablets.

It's the full moon.

Switch off the light.

Stephen, what's the matter?

Your tablets.

Can I trust you take two before you go to bed?

Will two be enough? They weren't last time.

- They will be tonight. - Alright.

For God's sake, don't stare at me like that.

You mustn't be late.

Don't worry Miss Ives is going up now, good night.

Good night.

Come on, take them now.

Miss Marian, I've got something to say to you...

I'll make it short but it won't be sweet.

- You must leave this house, at once. - Oh, Mrs. Ranger, please.

We've been over this so often before.

I'm sure you mean well, but I know what I'm doing and I'm staying.

But you don't know the risks you're running.

You told me often enough.

I may hurt Stephen and break my own heart.

But there is more than that.

Haven't you felt there's something wrong about this house?

Alright, I'll put it in another way.

Aren't there things about this place, about us, that puzzled you?

This is a bad house.

Surely, you've felt that too? Someone educated like you?

Why you suppose we three live here?

Cut off from the world.

- You told me why, he told me why. - That's not the half of it my dear.

I can't tell you all.

I'm like a dog that's whistled two ways.

I can't say why you should go, I can only tell you that you must.

But why, at least give me some hint.

For my own conscience's sake, I've said too much already, please go.

Get out of here tomorrow, before he wakes up.

No.

Whatever it is, I'm staying.

Alright I've done all I can, I've said all I dare.

- Will you promise me one thing? - What?

If you feel or hear anything strange that frightens you...

- will you come straight to me. - Yes, I promise you that.

Always lock this door.

- That's what Stephen said. - Lock it now, as soon as I've gone.

Goodnight dear, try to sleep.

Stephen, Stephen.

Oh, he's killed him, he's killed Cain.

His neck is broke, poor little love.

Poor little Cain.

If you'd done your duty and kept me in sight, you could've spared her this.

And saved the monkey.

- He isn't a monkey, he's a Capuchin. - Take it away, take it away.

Do you think it's safe? To leave me?

Yes, Sturrock, I've made my kill for tonight.

After the war, when I was released from that prison camp...

they shipped me to a hospital at home, Mrs. Ranger was my special nurse.

There was a brain specialist there who told me that a shock like mine might result in...

something hidden and permanent recurring at certain intervals.

- Full moon? - Yes that's right, the full moon.

However the authorities were satisfied that I was cured.

And they sent me to the sea with Mrs. Ranger to look...

after me and give me my sleeping drugs.

The landlady had a little dog, a Pekingese, who took a great fancy to me.

And I was very happy there.

Then suddenly, everything stopped.

I woke up one night in the middle of the floor...

with the Pekingese in my hands, dead.

And my right hand was twisting its neck.

That was the first of those blackouts that the doctor had warned me about.

I'd killed a dog.

The next time it might be a man.

Then Mrs. Ranger came in, she knew at once what had happened to me.

I think she'd known it was going to happen.

She took the dog and got me back to my bed.

The next day we moved on to a cottage in Dorset.

Well, three months went by.

I was beginning to feel my confidence creep back when it happened again.

So then I decided to hide myself away here.

I knew what they'd do to me if once they found out.

Take me and lock me up in a private home with tame cat doctors...

purring over me like a collector's piece.

Can you bear to think of one of those places?

The bright pretense of being one, big, happy family...

and all the time everyone watching each other with sly, furtive glances and loose mouths.

The nightmare parody of a hydro, I couldn't have stood up to it Marian.

I'd been in a straitjacket before a month was out.

So I came here and fooled the world.

Sometimes after a longer spell than usual, I dared to believe I was sane.

Then it'd happen again to jerk me back.

Don't pity me Marian, I've won, in my way.

I ought to be locked up, put away but I'm free.

I'm on my own land in my own house, I draw checks and they honor them.

I've cheated the world alright.

Each day, for almost five years, I've gloated a little about that.

But Stephen, this may not be incurable.

You've no idea what they've done for the mind.

You think I'd risk that?

Oh, it's such a pitiful waste.

There's to be no talking from you when you go.

- But it's all so wrong. - I'll decide that.

I ought to have turned you out of this house at once.

Now you know why I have to send you away, why you have to lock your door.

I love you, you forced out of me.

Don't use it to betray me, you got to promise me that.

- Oh but Stephen, you know... - Now go to bed.

I want to be by myself.

Good morning.

Morning.

I'd have given anything for it not to have happened like that.

I've tried to tell you so many times but I just couldn't.

That fool Sturrock should've kept by him or failing that, should've prevented you seeing.

No, I should've found out in time, you could never have all kept on hiding it.

I wish you'd gone when I begged you to.

At least I know now it's not because he doesn't love me.

Besides I'm coming back.

- You can't do that, it's not safe for you. - No, I've thought of all that.

Think of him.

He wouldn't be able to bear seeing you watch him knowing you know about him.

Listen Mrs. Ranger, I believe this thing of Stephen's is curable.

It's not organic and it's not hereditary.

It's the result of an old shock. A darkness that comes and goes.

- If we could get a brain specialist down... - Mr. Stephen would never allow that.

I know the man, one of the finest in the world.

Stephen wouldn't have to know, he'd have to come here casually, on some excuse.

I see, now tell me something. Mind you, I don't want to crab all this.

But how much would a big man like that cost?

Oh dear, I hadn't thought about that.

I might be able to raise something myself.

Borrow on the little that's coming to me but not enough, I'm afraid.

- I think I might be able to find it here. - How?

Listen.

Mr. Stephen's great grandfather had a lot of gold cups and things.

They found most of it when he died.

But the things he cared for most he's supposed to hide in the house.

- If that is so, I know where they are. - In the secret room?

How you know about that?

When we first came, Stephen told me about it, but he said he never found it.

I think I know where it is.

- I believe I do too. - Where?

In the floor above this is a little window covered with ivy.

You can only see it if you look very closely.

That's where I make it, if there's a thing of value hidden, that's where it'll be.

Oh but I,

- I don't feel right about going in there. - Well, you're doing it for his sake.

Yes, yes, that's true.

But how and when?

Well, Sturrock is driving us both into Pensley this afternoon.

Mr. Stephen has to see his bank manager so he has to go.

You'll have at least an hour and then you can try to get in.

Very well.

I'm so glad we're going to be partners in helping him.

Still here, eh?

- I suppose more than ever you want me to go? - No, not yet.

Remember my saying something to you last night, something about a promise?

- What exactly you want me to say? - You know very well.

You found out my, well, let's be thoroughly dramatic and call it my secret.

I want you to promise that it remains a secret.

Oh, you know I'd never tell as an informer.

That if I did mention your case to anyone it'd only be to help you.

That's just what I'm afraid of, that you'll go to some quack brain specialist.

Only too eager to use me as a guinea pig, until he tired of the experiment...

and handed me over to the authorities.

Oh, but Stephen, every doctor is as much under the seal of secrecy as a priest.

You forget something, madmen are public enemies.

Now understand this, you are not discussing me with anyone in the outside world.

- Anyone, you understand? - Suppose I decide I know better?

I love you, that gives me some right in the matter.

None at all, it's my life.

- You give me that promise? - If I don't?

Once again, you forced me to be dramatic.

Until you do promise, I can't allow you to leave the house.

I see.

Come in.

Look dear, I brought you some lunch.

He says you're not to leave your room, what's the meaning of it?

Afraid he's getting suspicious about what I might do.

Then you mustn't do it.

- It's too dangerous. - Dangerous?

But Marian, I'm frightened for you.

It's something more you know, you haven't told me about.

I don't know, thank God.

- I don't even want to suspect. - Tell me, please.

I never meant to tell you this but now I must.

That girl who was here last year. She found out about Mr. Stephen.

She wanted to do like you, bring a doctor up here to see him.

He couldn't talk her out of it, she's so determined.

They say she went down in Puttock Hag.

Nobody ever found her body.

And we never saw her leave the house.

I know what you're thinking.

It's not true.

Impossible.

So you see why you mustn't do any more, run further risks.

- I'm still going on with my plan. - Oh, you do love him, don't you?

Alright then.

I'll have Jim get out the long ladder, it's by the side of the house.

He won't go past that way.

Mrs. Ranger...

Alright.

I'm going to lock you in, when I come back, we'll talk about the future.

Sturrock...

What are you doing up there?

What is all this? Exterior decorating?

I say, is anything the matter?

Steady.

I'm all right, it...

just coming into the sunlight after the gloom in there.

- Well, what is it? A secret room? - How did you know?

Elementary my dear Watson, the ladder and your antics...

tell me that the door on the inside is blocked.

Oh, well, why are you here?

Two reasons, one of them is your luscious girlfriend.

- Doris? - Yes.

I ran into her in Brickfell.

She told me a crazy story about a mysterious house.

And bits of paper stuck in a wardrobe door and a locket given to a dead girl.

And an anti-social sort of blighter called Stephen.

So I thought I'd come along here and do a bit of snooping.

- Oh, you said there were two reasons. - Why yes, didn't I tell you?

- I'm in love with you. - Oh Barry, please.

I know, I know, we only met a couple of weeks ago, spent a few days together.

But it doesn't make any difference.

My heart turned over when I saw you sitting in that carriage.

And it's been whizzing around like a flywheel ever since.

- Oh Barry please, I can't listen. - Alright, I'm watching the fences.

But tell me one thing.

You love anyone else?

- No, no. - I heard you the first time.

Barry please, will take me away from here, now.

Just what I've come for, car is around the corner with the luscious Doris in it.

She couldn't face coming back to the house.

Oh, I'll go and get my things, wait here for me.

- Have another cake. - No thank you.

Oh go on, it won't hurt you. Men like curves.

- So they tell me. - And what else did they tell you?

They didn't have a chance to tell me much.

There was I, in a town full of the gorgeous beasts.

And there was Jiminy conscience on my shoulder nagging me to go back to Marian.

- And Jiminy conscience won. - For the first and last time.

You know, it was a bit of luck my running into you as soon as you arrived at Brickfell.

You telling me, I didn't fancy meeting Dracula on my own.

Oh, come on Marian, snap out of it, forget about old sourpuss.

Leave her alone Doris, I understand how you feel.

I don't wonder you would've been shaken with what you found in that room.

What room? What, what did you find?

You went in there?

Yes, I nipped up the ladder while you were packing your things.

- You, you saw it? - The skeleton? Yes.

A skeleton? I might've known he'd have one knocking around.

As a possible future coroner, rather interested me.

- I mean, how long he'd been there. - He'd been there?

Some old priest, I dare say. That was probably a priest hole.

A man?

Oh certainly, and I should think at least 300 years old.

Do you know what you're saying?

Rather, the one thing I can't be fooled on is bones.

I remember when I was a medical student, they brought me a skeleton...

Barry, will you take me back?

- I thought you might be wanting that. - Well, this is where I came in.

Coming?

Not me, I prefer to keep my skeleton in my clothes.

Well, she was a luscious piece, I can tell you.

So, speaking the language like a native, I said to her Mademoiselle, voulez vous...

You love him very much, don't you?

Yes.

This will do Barry, please drop me here.

- Can't I take you up to the house? - No, I'd rather walk.

Shall I wait for you?

No, I won't be coming back.

Get her Jim.

I might've known you'd come back.

Standing there so quietly while I planted the little bunny.

- A proper sly piece, isn't she? - Don't move now.

I shall have to get Jim to pull your throat out.

- How shall we do it? - We can take her upstairs and do it there.

Then plant her by his bedside. When he wakes up, tell him he did it.

- He'll be more under us than ever then. - No, think you're wrong Jim.

He's so high minded he might give himself up.

Aye.

Perhaps the Puttock Hag is better after all.

I think you're right Jim, really I do.

Hurry up.

She's coming to, Jim.

- You didn't hit her hard enough. - I will next time.

Go on, scream, no one can hear you.

- Why you this to Stephen? - Why do people do most things? For money.

And he paid us very well, didn't he Jim? To look after him.

- Us knowing his weakness for killing. - He didn't kill, I know that now.

Those animals he found dead, even Cain.

- You killed them. - Not bad, you got brains.

The sleeping tablets.

They were just to make him unconscious for a moment...

while you planted the dead things in his hands.

Proper funny the way he took them and thought they were doing him good.

You must've planned this all out from the very...

beginning, even when you were his nurse in hospital.

That's right, I did.

You're evil.

To have him dependent on you and yet to make him suffer.

Yes, there was fun in that.

To watch him trying to escape and jerk him back just as he thought he was getting free.

- Real fun, that was. - Get her, Jim.

Thought you'd get away, eh?

Just like your friend Evelyn, but she ended up in Puttock Hag as you're going to.

- You killed Evelyn? - Yes.

She got the same bee in her bonnet as you.

Of course the one thing we couldn't have was a specialist...

coming down here finding he was sane.

So we had to stop her.

- A rare cool one Mrs. R, ain't she? - Jim, we're wasting time.

- Will you do it or shall I? - Let me, I've never done it before.

Don't move, either of you.

I'm sorry I had to let you go through all this.

I got to hear everything they had to say. I've been following from the beginning.

You're surprised to see this, aren't you Mrs. Ranger?

It's my one secret you haven't shared with me.

I brought it back from Spain and kept it by me, it's been a great comfort to me.

Every night I look at it and I think...

if ever it does become unbearable, before they start chaining me down...

there's always this way out.

And now it seems there's another use for it.

You killed Evelyn.

You're going to kill me only I took longer to die.

Think of it, to be sane, and think you were mad.

Well, what you going to do about it?

I'm going to take you to Pensley, to the police.

And charge us with the murder of Evelyn Prentice?

Spinster of God knows what parish. Oh, don't make me laugh.

Where's your evidence?

A story told by an hysterical girl and you.

A man whose actions for years have been those of an idiot.

Besides, you can't have a murder without a body.

And I can't see them draining the Puttock for that.

Alright Mrs. Ranger...

- I'll convict you and sentence you myself. - No Stephen, no.

I'd like to shoot you and watch you die.

But I'll not be your executioner, I'll leave the judgment to that.

You see those three paths?

Well, you know the story.

One of them goes through to the other side, the other two end in slime.

You can take your choice.

And if you choose wrong, you can think of Evelyn as you go down.

He means it.

You'd better start, I might change my mind.

I'm thankful for every moment you've suffered these last five years.

Come on, come on.

- We take the left. - No, center, center.

To the left, trust me, I know.

Get on you fool, he'll kill us if you don't.

Pull yourself together, I tell you we're all right.

They going to get across.

- I tell you this is the wrong path. - Shut up.

- I'm going back. - And have him shoot you?

I don't care, I'm not going to die in the bog, I'm going back.

Stephen it's horrible.

- If only they'd chosen right. - They did.

That's why I let them go. This is the path that goes across.