Original subtitles

Look here.

What is it? A bird nest.

Got eggs in.

Chuck it away, Arthur.

No.

Chuck it away.

Give it here.

None of them hatched. Not a one.

They'll be addled.

I dare say.

Of course. They won't have been there since summer.

And bird must have left them.

Dead ones, maybe.

The birds would know.

Let's have it. I tell you what, I'll keep them for my Edna's young'un. He'll

blow them clean.

Good luck to him. Come on.

Adel. Oh, spoiler.

Filthy, stinking Adel.

They was pretty.

You get back to work.

How's it coming?

Well, there's room in there for a freezer.

Just a matter of getting it through.

All this, you see.

Oh, can't you shut it?

Oh, well, you never know what you're starting.

I'll do my best.

All right, Mud. Good boy. It's all over now.

He don't like noise.

Do you mind? Just for a minute.

Shh. Come on, dear.

I reckon it's me.

Mud, you're a bad cat.

What did you call him?

Mud. Well, that is Mud Slinger. When he was a kitten, you know, big feet.

That'll do.

It's funny they said he was so good on the train.

I expect he's tired.

I'll take him through there to settle down.

Got a thirst on, I dare say.

No, it was all provided for.

Oh, is that a hint, Mr Vidding? I'll make a cup of tea in a minute.

All right, dear.

Calm down now. It's all right.

You can stay in there till you behave.

I'm going to tell on you.

All right, Molly. Take it easy. Be quiet.

Hello? Hello, Daddy? Yes, it's me.

Yes, I've got him. Thank you so much for sending him. And for having him.

He's been behaving like he is now.

Was he?

Well, you just listen to him.

I'm keeping him shut up till he behaves.

Well, just for a minute to show him he's boss.

Oh, yes, fine.

He's just fine. He's loving his work.

Cottage? Fine.

Well, it's terrible, but there's hope.

I'm just doing the curtains.

Yes, he's fine now.

Or she.

Kicking you steadily.

It's going to be all right this time.

Six months now. I'll soon be into the countdown.

I said I'll soon be into the countdown.

It's that awful cat.

Never mind.

I'd better let him out now.

Thank you for sending him, Daddy. And thanks for all you've done and you are

doing. You'll come and see the play soon?

Right.

Bye. Bye now.

Oh, cat, you really are.

This is your home, and you're going to like it.

Oh!

Pussy! Come here.

Pussy, come. Oh, darling.

Mr. Biddick, stop him!

Aye, then.

Oh, he's just run out.

What the hell's going on?

Oh, Peter, it's Mudslinger. He's run away.

I just collected him. You should have seen him.

Where is he now? He went down by the trees. Oh, please, go and find him.

Well, if he doesn't come back... He'll get lost.

He doesn't know the country. He'll get confused.

Not him. He's just feeling his freedom. Wait till he's hungry.

He'll show up. That's right. He's got his regular bowl.

Put some food in that. When he comes sniffing around, he'll know he's home.

Mr. Biddick, you'd make a good vet.

Watch it, Squire. I'll have your job off you.

Well, I'm going down, then. Joe, don't fret, missus.

Joe, it'll keep.

I'll make the tea.

No matter.

Time to finish anyway.

I'll go and fetch the old fella.

Arthur!

Arthur!

I like Arstan.

He's a character.

Yeah.

Plays up to you. Oh, look.

He didn't help.

Why? To get the cat, he could have.

Time for a drink.

Not for me.

You sure?

No, thanks. Well, a little one won't hurt you.

Well, there's no need to be strictly on the wagon. I mean, not at this stage.

Something weak? I've just lost the taste.

It was this place, you know.

Being here.

He didn't like it.

What, old mudslinger?

He was fine until I brought him inside.

In that case, let's sell up.

Oh, I simply said... No, no, no. Scrub everything. Go back to town just to

please the cat.

Peter, listen. No, you listen to me.

I have just had a pretty good day.

About the best day I've had for a very long time.

I've worked myself really hard and everything was all right. No, it was

more than all right. It was marvellous.

I've been meeting worthwhile people and helping them and it was needed and I was

needed and then I come back to this stupid fuss.

All right.

I'm sorry. That's just what I've escaped from.

Constipated poodles.

Scotties with overgrown toenails because they never went out. And hamsters and

putting down sick old budgies. It wasn't all like that. Oh, yes, it was.

Well, most of it.

Oh, no matter. Never mind. I'm a real vet now.

Do you know what I did today?

I was out tuberculin testing a herd of cows.

Pedigree gunsies.

Oh, they're some good in the world. And they're so beautiful.

And then the farmer and his family. Well, you'll have to meet them, that's

all. You'll just have to meet them.

I'm so glad that... And as I was driving back, the land all looked so incredible.

I just had to pull up and... Oh, the smell of the earth, the air.

I just knew then this was it.

Darling... I sat there feeling grateful.

Oh, I've been so damn lucky I've got into partnership with a fine man. And he

is, Dickies.

You'll get to know him.

There's so much in him.

This is his world, and he's let me in on it, and that's not a thing to be taken

for granted.

Well, he has done pretty well out of it. He deserves to.

He works like a demon.

Oh, now that I've watched him.

And the stories he tells, oh, he's great.

Hey, we'll have to get more booze in here.

Dick's a whiskey man.

So you see, I'm committed.

So am I.

Yeah, I know.

Of course you are. I'm sorry, I didn't mean... I just can't get so excited

about it. I was brought up in the country, so it's just the country.

Yeah.

Oh, you look committed.

You do.

Just like a house.

I've really popped.

You're beautiful.

Like a Guernsey.

I'll say goodnight, then.

Goodnight, Mr Biddick.

See you tomorrow.

Goodnight.

How's it going on?

He's been chopping away at that wall.

A bit nervous.

You never know what you're starting, Missy.

Let's take a look. Come on.

I'll put some food out.

How wide's that freezer?

The one I saw.

No, the discount one.

It was big.

I should have measured it.

Well, it'll never go through here.

You're going to have to open this right up.

Oh, do you think you should?

Why not?

Well, it's his job.

He hasn't done it, and I'm paying.

Leave it. No.

Look at this.

It's hollow.

Well, it's certainly not supporting anything, that's obvious.

So we'll just lose it.

Wait. What?

I think I can see something in there.

What? Looks like a jar.

Okay, careful.

It's heavy.

What the hell?

You're storing something?

In the wall?

It's been sealed with something.

Wax or tallow.

I was once.

Peter?

Hmm? I don't know if we...

It's something dead.

Kitchen tongs.

Somebody's pet.

Once upon a time?

A cat?

No.

Mind you, it's not a dog either.

Or a puppy of any kind.

A lamb?

No.

It's more like a little pig, but... A pig with fur?

Oh, exactly.

That's why it can't be.

It must be a lamb.

A lamb with claws?

Get rid of it.

See what I mean?

I don't want to look at it.

Can't you take it outside and bury it or something?

It's interesting.

It's horrible.

I just... It'll probably turn out to be nothing unusual, just deceptive in the

way that it's dried out. But I'd like to show it to Dick.

Oh, do you have to? I'd be interested.

A farmyard monster.

Crossed between two animals that ought to have known better, eh?

Mind you, it is interesting.

You know, I'm not sure that it was ever actually born.

You're going to make dust?

Not my choosing.

If little hands will interfere.

It'll spoil the paint. Let it.

Oh, dear.

Morning.

Sorry, Mr Biddick, I overslept. I had a bad night.

Did you see my husband?

We had a quick word about this.

Better do it yourself, eh?

Well, he had to find out... Oh, no offence, Mrs Girl, cos I'll soon put it

to rights.

He said he found an old jar.

Yes. Some daft things you find.

He must have taken it.

Got rid of it.

I think I saw your cat this morning.

Oh? Flew fields off as I was riding my bike up here.

He'll be back.

Where is he? Eh?

I'm sure I... The cat, you mean?

I know he's somewhere.

What's in there?

That thing we found.

Can we look inside?

If you want.

Like a little monkey or... No.

This? Within the wall?

Yes. I should get shut on it.

Get it out of here.

Get it gone.

What are you doing? What the hell do you think you're doing?

Why did you do that?

Why?

I told you I wanted to show it to Dick.

Josephine, I'll tell you frankly.

When I first set eyes on this man of yours here, I thought to myself, good

grief. This is for a partner.

A Pekingese is a cooter.

But I took a chance, and every day proves me right. He's got it, you know.

He's a natural with big animals.

I thought he would be. Well, he's a big lad.

Long arms.

You need them for a tricky calving. You know, the smallest vet I ever knew, Ben

Adams. God, he dreaded a big cow.

Oh, they used to tease him.

Watch it, Ben, watch it. She left calf out and you in.

Pregnant with a bloody vet, what?

Fill that up.

Good man.

Tell you what, love.

Peace someone has got taken.

He's got me for a partner, the crudest shocker in the county, and that's saying

something. Mind you, heart of gold.

Hey, Pete.

How's that? Thank you, my dear.

Frozen.

I know.

My joke.

You've done this place proud, huh? I like the trendy bits, you know. I think

they may be a mistake.

No, they're all right.

You knew it before?

Aye, when the Jacksons had it. Yeah, we only met them the once.

He was a loony.

Yes, funny chap.

He had a notion to start a dog farm here, breed Alsatians and make his

fortune out of the crime which.

He paid the earth for a prize, bitch, and do you know what?

She made a fool of him every time. How?

Blew it.

Misfired. She lost her puppies? Aye.

He used to get into such a tear with her, raving at her, cursing at her,

cursed me too.

In the end, he blamed the land and got rid of her.

The land.

You know, these fields. See, I tried to explain to him there was cattle

sickness, not dogs.

Couldn't make him see the difference. You mean these fields here? Yes, we were

talking about it the other day. No. Of course we were. Oh, come again. I might

have put that fella in the pub.

What about these fields?

Well, you must have noticed.

They're not in use. No stock on them. Nothing.

Mind you, they're no great loss. They're so small.

Sickness.

Brucellosis. Ah.

By the sound of it.

Of course, it was all ancient history, even before my time, but that's what

it'd be.

You mean contagious abortion?

That's right, love.

Very nasty.

So if these fields got a name for it, well, not surprisingly, nobody'd risk

their cat. But there's vaccine.

Oh, they know.

100% effective.

Ha-ha!

You try telling them that, they just won't chance it. Oh, I've done my bit.

You know, I even cleared the badgers out. The badgers?

Oh, quite a few that were down there. I got most of them.

You don't really believe the badgers. Oh, hell, you do what you can.

It could be carried by any bloody thing.

Earthworms, insects.

A germ?

Sunday name, Brucella abortus.

A germ?

All right, a germ.

How do you know it was a germ that caused it? It must have been. But you

don't know.

What else?

A germ, a germ.

You think so and you believe it. It's got to be. But you don't know. You don't

know at all. How can you? Joe? Put a bit of Latin on it and it really ratted up.

Oh, my God, this comes a talking shop. Look at her. She's scared stiff.

Tell her, quick, tell her, will you?

She can't catch it better from you.

That's right.

There can be no danger.

Not enough.

Josephine, my love, listen.

It won't happen to you. It makes cows abort, but you're not a cow.

You're beautifully in the club, and you're going to stay that way until the

proper time, understood?

You asked him here to show him something. You'd better do that.

All right, all right.

Well, you see how she is. My fault.

Well, you tried to explain. You do what you can. But what I said was true.

If there were cows on this land, and if they got infected, and if she drank

their milk, then she might catch something. But no risk to the baby. Oh,

she knows that much. What the hell? Oh, vets wise.

They always know enough to upset them.

You know, when my first wife was in part, it wasn't just medical books.

She'd go through my textbooks as well.

A pregnant woman with Glanders and swine fever is something to dread.

Maybe another woman to talk to.

I tell you what, tell her to drop in on my Dorothy. I don't know, though.

She's tactless. She's worse than me.

I say.

What's this?

It's weird, all right.

Might be... Look at those teeth. They're not... It's fragile, isn't it?

I mean, the point is, are they second teeth?

I mean, are they erupted at all or the gums just dried away? See what you mean.

A bigger animal, newborn. Or unborn. I mean, there's been so much distortion

and shriveling.

The bones may still have been soft.

Let's stop guessing.

We'll do a post-mortem. Yes, we could.

About 50 years too late, but never mind. It's older than that. It could be, you

know. That's what we'll do then.

Get her over to the surgery.

Take some samples of bone and hair. Damn blast. We can't do it tonight. We're

going out.

Hell. Hey.

What's this blackened bit here?

Joe tried to burn it. Did she?

Mm-hmm.

Well, it's not exactly cuddly. No, but interesting.

Where was this?

Come on, I'll show you.

Well, I say, this is all very mod-com. Ah, well, it wasn't.

It was a dirty great bulge. Well, just where you're standing now.

Sort of plaited over that jar. No, no, no, hollow.

Shaped to take it.

Proper little tomb.

Bricks and mortar.

Earth's floor under this. These cottages go back a hell of an age.

Three, four hundred years, the agents say.

What is that? Well, parts of it, anyway.

You know, that thing could have been planted just as long.

Who would put it there?

Have you got a bag, Josephine? Just to shove it in, you know. We're going to

get it out of your way.

Yes. We're going to conduct a rather belated autopsy. Try and find out if it

was a giant spineless hedgehog or a she-goat's kitten or just a watsit.

Will that do?

Lovely. Thanks.

Here we are.

All right, Pete.

I came with it.

You'd better get home quick before Dorothy gets her colours out or she

turns ugly.

Night out, love.

I'm sorry.

What? You know, about just now.

Oh, Josephine, my love.

As one rude shocker to another, it's forgotten.

Dick, I wanted to ask you.

Fire away.

About the Jacksons.

Were they here long?

From their early days, I think.

Did they have any children?

I don't think they did.

Oh.

I was just interested.

Of course, love.

Good night.

Good night.

Watch her.

We'll have some fun with this. I can't wait.

You're not... I mean, not tonight.

Don't worry, Pete, I won't do a thing without you. Oh, my God, this bag is all

splitting. I'll find you another.

Right, all right.

Look, you're in a hurry. Why don't you leave it and I'll bring it over

tomorrow? That's all right.

I'll tell you what, though.

Keep it out of her way, will you? Yes, of course.

We do Langton's place together in the afternoon, right?

The pigs!

Oh, yes.

See you then.

Yes. Bye, Dick.

Cheers.

Still no sign of the old pushcat.

I think he's deserted us. Oh, he'll make himself a living. Can you feel maize to

fill up on? Oh, thank you.

Sugar.

So, Arthur, got that sour jam again?

And Mrs. is bad at jam.

Still got it, eh?

Oh, that.

It's empty.

How about the, um... You know.

It's been taken away to be investigated.

To find out what it is or what it was.

Don't they know what it was?

It was in pretty bad shape.

That can make it difficult to be certain.

That's right. I remember a thing washed up. They said it was a sea serpent.

Turned out to be a whale. All rotted away.

Give it a neck, you see.

Whales don't have a neck.

I mean, what it was for.

No? He don't know either.

It had a purpose.

You mean bad purpose?

Most like.

That's saying it was some kind of charm?

You see, if a thing wouldn't happen by nature, if nature wouldn't bring it

about, then such as that might serve.

To do what?

To bring what about?

How would I know?

You talk as if you... You mean make something bad happen?

Could be that.

Well, it wouldn't be anything good.

It'd be harm.

You see, in them days, they believed they could put harm on a person or a

place.

A place?

On lands.

It was often done.

You said they. Who do you mean?

Somebody.

Somebody bad?

Wise in them powers.

To cast them and to fix them.

Now, that little brute you found, they always had such as those.

Nobody sure what it was.

That's the way, you see.

To hold the power.

To bind it.

That's what they'd reckon.

Tell us about the fairies, Arthur. No!

A thing like that.

It'd have been suckled, you know.

What?

Human suckling.

To set it to work.

You all right, missus? Don't mind him, are you right or fool?

Arthur, get that tea down. There's work to do.

Are you sure you're all right?

Yes.

So I'm all right. I'm going out to look for the cat.

I'm quite all right.

Muddy?

Muddy?

Ready?

Mort? Could you have I seen you?

Could you have done yourself a mischief running like that in your condition?

I'm all right.

Something frightened you?

Did you see anything?

No.

What are you staring at, Arthur? Nothing better to do?

I tell you what, it was his stupid talk.

Didn't I just say to you not to pay him no attention?

Oh, look at me.

Down among the trees, were you?

Yes. Yes, I was in the woods.

Ah, well.

Get back to my drainpipes, then.

Arthur, I need you to give me a hand.

I'll just finish off here.

Hurry it.

Knockin' off a bit early tonight, Mrs Gilkes.

Oh, are you?

Tho wants an estimate.

Miss Cooks?

Yes, Mr. Biddick?

We're just gone.

All right, are you?

Yes, yes, I'm fine now.

I'll see you tomorrow.

All right. Good night.

Good night.

Mr. Biddick?

Peter! Don't touch me!

Can't you see I'm covered in muck? Peter, listen to me! Oh, do stop

waffling, woman, and give me a hand!

Oh,

what the hell is that doing there?

I'm just trying to tell you. I've had enough for the day. I've had the lot.

I've been dropped right in it.

Bloody pigsty.

As if you need telling.

Oh, great idiot pork is about half a ton each. I was shoving about and down I

went.

Put some disinfectant on that lot, will you? It's probably done for, but please

try. I'm going to have a bath.

And I may as well tell you I've finished with Dick.

Why? He was watching.

He laughed himself stupid.

I mean, the man's got no standards.

He doesn't give a damn.

Mind you, he's all they want round here, and he's good enough for them.

All right, I'm getting out.

I shall give my formal notice tomorrow, and that's it.

What? Well, if you find you simply can't work with somebody... Leave him?

Yes.

All right, all right, this time I'm sure.

I should have gone after that research job. The chap I saw practically promised

it me. Did he? Oh, as good as.

Jo, I've got to.

All right. I mean, he was most encouraging. Yes, yes, I think you

should get in touch with him. Can you do that? Yeah, I've still got his address

somewhere. Well, ring him. Straight away, make an appointment. I'll come

with you. It helps sometimes.

Do you mean that?

Yes. But I thought you'd mind.

I want to go, too.

You sure you're not just... I mean, you've done so much.

I hate it here.

I didn't at first, but I do now.

There's something wrong here.

I thought it was just the atmosphere, but... Today, I thought...

I heard... I thought that... Hey!

It's the pregnancy.

No. It was the same last time, remember?

Had some pretty odd days then.

Oh, that was different.

That was because things went wrong.

I'll put those clothes into soap.

Where's the lad? Oh, he's back.

I can smell he's back.

Oh, what a thing to say.

Peter's in the bath. I'll bet he is.

Pigs. Oh, I hate pigs. Pete, come on out of there.

I was just now. Give that to me, dear. Don't upset yourself. I'm more used to

it than you are. She is, too. The time I've gone arse over tipping muck.

We're going to celebrate Pete's baptism of fire.

God, he got himself into a real tear. You know he wouldn't speak to me.

He said you laughed at him. Of course I did. It was funny.

You'd have laughed yourself sick too if you'd been... Pete, when a man's been

through what you've been through, and I mean that literally, the palm clings. It

gets in the mind.

I brought the only known cure to be applied internally.

Glasses, were they? Ah, here we are.

Peter's got something to say.

Oh-ho-ho-ho.

Here, take your medicine.

Repeat dose till patient starts to sing and dance.

I put it outside, dear. It's

best. Yes, thank you.

Dick says your cat ran away.

I think he was frightened.

He'll be back.

Now, for a drinky.

Dick's talked him round.

I knew he would.

That new fella of yours.

He looks like a clown, but he'll do it.

I had this problem, see, that he hadn't paid his bill.

But, of course, if he hadn't paid his bill, I... No, I mean, if he had paid

his bill, I... Well, no way.

See what you mean. That rocker, it's nice, I like it.

Yes. Don't often see that kind these days.

Josephine, look at her.

Sitting there like a watcher on a bloody monument or a bloody jug.

Mind you, that was good.

Best feed a bacon and egg I've had for years, a lot of it, and, you know,

that's what counts.

Fight them round sometime.

Yes, we will.

Make that stuff you used to make, you know, with all the bits in it, all the

kinds of fish. I never made it. Of course you did. I hate fish.

You used to make it. Not me.

You did.

It was her.

It was his first wife.

My God, it was. I forgot.

That calls for a song, I think.

Mickey forever walked over the land. He walked it all over with his stick in his

hand. He walked it all night and he walked it all day looking for the brown

cow that did...

I nearly went over then.

Wouldn't thank me for that.

Listen. Get these.

A wedding present.

It's a nice pattern. I like it.

Some patterns aren't a bit nice.

Mrs. Pomeroy. Mrs.

Pomeroy. Now then, dear Dorothy.

There's something here that isn't right. I want you to listen.

Eh? In the house. I think it's bad.

Now then, dear.

Don't worry.

There's always some... something wrong when you move house.

I don't mean that!

I think you're doing it up very nicely.

I remember we had a lot of trouble with the devil.

Dorothy?

Tomorrow I won't know one end of a cow for another.

And if you don't know one end of a cow for another, you might as well give up.

I'm sorry about all the...

Don't worry, dear.

You're going to have a baby soon.

That's nice.

I'll tell him what we'll do.

Where did you hide it?

I'd better say good night.

Good night.

Good night, Toadstool!

What did you think you were doing? Are you going to drive?

What do you mean?

Oh, bottom gear all the way.

Sergeant... Sergeant Drew is a power man. He wouldn't dream of... Breath...

Breath of lies. Well, he wouldn't, would he?

Anyway...

I'll come and pull you out.

Oh!