Original subtitles

[ Returning from Lydia's father's funeral ]

[ Closes door ]

- Uh, uhh, uh.

[ Snoring ]

[ Brakes squeal dog barks ]

- Tea. - Huh? [ Clock chimes outside ]

- Ohh, ahh. [ Clock chimes ]

- Come here, Clutterhead. [ Clock strikes three ]

[ Slurping tea ]

Didn't you have something on, Clutterhead. Don't I seem to remember?

The Bazaar at four o'clock. The Chapel rebuilding fund.

Then for Jesus sake, get there!

It's only just three!

Three, two, four, eight, bloody midnight. What does it matter?

Be there! Never mind. Be there! Get there!

But they're all the same.

One bazaar is exactly the same as another.

Look at me, Clutterhead, will you?

For one moment.

Does it strain you?

- Tell me if the strain's too great for you.

Must be so interesting out of the window.

I was looking at the snow.

It started a few moments ago.

Tell me what you see, could you? Could you tell me what interests you?

- It's Thursday afternoon!

Early closing day.

Well, it's always the same on a Thursday.

- Always the same? - Yes.

Nothing happened. Always the same?

No one in trouble?

No more thwarted lovers plunging five floors to their deaths?

No more headlines like that you might have missed again? No.

I suppose if there were you'd be falling about the place

on your skates and spraining your other wrist.

- Is nothing going on out there?

There's no one out.

The only people I saw were the Aspen sisters.

They came back in the Daimler.

Take your hat.

- I don't wear it. - Put your hat on!

You will need your hat because it is polite

for a young man to wear a hat.

And you're gonna be polite to the two Miss Aspens.

- You're going to get a story from them.

- Perhaps they brought the girl back with them.

- Oh, there was a girl in the car, yes.

- You saw her?

- You saw that!

- She's the niece.

- She's the one that's gonna come into the money.

Put your hat on and go out there now!

No!

Look, they've hardly arrived. They'll hardly be there, themselves.

For the good Jesus!

They will hardly be there themselves, but you will, you will, you will.

For once, you will!

- And you'd better make a better job of it than you have done so far.

Though, Jesus knows, that wouldn't be hard.

Yes sir.

And, don't forget the Bazaar!

No sir.

[ Gate latch clicks; squeeks shut ]

[ Daimler stops; opens closes doors ]

Welcome to Aspen Park, Miss Lydia.

[ Dogs bark ] - Oh, leave her alone, now.

Go on, down dog. Down.

- Come along, dear. - Come along in, dear.

[ Dog barks ]

- D'Artagnan. Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on.

Down now. Now don't get those boots.

- Oh, God, you couldn't throw those boots of yours?

We don't have time to do that. Sit!

Now, come on, boy.

Leave 'em be.

They'll get used to it.

Have to. Ha, ha, ha. Like the rest of us, I suppose.

Exactly.

I'm sure we all want you to feel at home.

Uh, ha, ha, ha. Go on dogs, go, go it, go.

[ At the bazaar; applause ]

- And in declaring it open let me express the pious hope

- that this Grand Bazaar will yield a grand harvest

- for the cause we hold so dear. [ Door slams shut ]

[ "Clutterhead" arrives too late ]

[ Clears throat ]

It only remains for me to commend to you the, uh,

the excellent tea provided my Mrs. Wilpers and her bevy of handsome helpers.

[ Applause ]

And to hope that the adventurers-- the adventurous spirit--

will be tempted to try their luck, and, uh, huh, swell church funds,

at the tambola under the eagle eye of Councilor Roe.

[ Applause ]

- But, we are not here simply to enjoy ourselves

- or to see what we can win or take away,

[ Noisy, clumsy exit; slams door shut ]

- God, let us remember, helps those who help themselves.

If you sit in Mr. Elliott's room, your father, that is before he moved to Leicestershire,

I can't have been much more than your age when I came here,

but he always had a good word for us, I remember.

In fact I'd liked to have gone to the funeral.

Only, of course, it wasn't my place to say so.

Would you like me to unpack for you?

[ Shakes head ]

Then I'll leave you to get settled, then.

I hope you'll be very happy here.

[ Closes door ]

[ Voices in the street ]

[ Wind blowing ]

I still say you ought to have gone up there this afternoon.

The Aspens have been at the big house for a few hundred years, my dear.

I dare say they'll still be there tomorrow.

It's not the Aspens I'm concerned about.

Sometimes I wonder whether you want to get anywhere in that job.

Me too.

There aren't that many firms that would put up with you

going off skating out there.

Never mind that you have to pick the afternoon when that poor girl

threw herself out of the window.

You heard about that?

- You know, Bretherton.

- The whole town's heard.

- I don't understand. You're being paid to do what you want to do, aren't you?

Commit local gossip to print.

- Oh, I see, we're too grand for Evansford, are we now? - No.

- That's what it is, if you ask me.

[ Door slams shut ]

Give him a chance. He's a bit of a dreamer and child.

I know that, but if someone doesn't push him

he's never going to make anything of himself.

[ Sound of someone blowing on a brass horn ]

- I could rifle fancy to weapon.

- They're German words and all.

You don't miss much, do you?

- Well, you can't, can you?

- I mean, with those paper walls when the press is gone as well.

It's a wonder those pigeons of yours come home at all.

Well, I'll tell you one thing. They don't like snow.

- And I reckon we've got more to go.

Evening, Clem.

Arthur.

Coming to choir practice?

All right. I may as well.

[ Sound of scraping a dish ]

What you mother's getting at, I think is,

well, what you want to do has to be paid for in working hours.

Home, job, I just don't to want to let my life in pigeonholes.

For most of us, you know, what we want and what we can have

are two different things.

[ Softer ] What I am saying, there's earning and living

and there's,... well, expressing yourself.

D'you think I should get another job?

Why, it's not a good time to chop and change just now.

But if I could?

Maybe that way your writing could be like Clem Robinson's pigeons.

Or my choir!

Or Joe Pendleton's euphonium?

Hah.

[ Sigh ] Well, think about it, anyhow.

[ Dinner at the Aspen's ]

Ahh.

[ Stomach growl ]

What was that?

[ Rollo laughs ]

[ Strikes piano key ]

- Come on, love. - Too high?

- I'll do myself some mischief up there.

[ All laugh ]

[ Strikes lower piano note ]

- That's better. - That's right!

One, two, three, four...

Zoen, zoen, zoen, zoen. Zoen, zoen, zoooh.

A ship by herself in the north country

And she goes by the name of the Cope Atlantic Bee

I fear she'll be taken by a Spanish galley he

As she sails by the lowland low

As she sails by the lowland low

By the lowland low

As she sails by the lowland, lowland, lowland, low-ooh

Through the captain got up wake a little cabin boy

he said...

Wake up, Tim!

Ahem, sorry, frog in my throat.

- You'll have more than a frog in your throat

if you do that on the night.

[ Laughter ]

All right, love, pick it up where we left off.

One, two, three...

Through the captain got up wake a little cabin boy

he said -------

[ Dog barks outside and Rollo mutters in the hallway ]

[ Wind howls and door slams ans dog barks ]

[ Door opens and closes]

Good morning.

None of that "Good morning." Where's your story?

Oh, you mean the bazaar.

Blast the bazaar! Have you been to see the Aspens?

Uh, well, as a matter of fact.

Yes or no.

Not just yet, no.

Why not?

Surgery. I had to go and see the doctor.

The doctor?

About my wrist.

Your wrist?

[ Happily ] He said it should be all right.

Can you hear yourself?

[ Happily ] I think so, yes.

You know what you're saying, do you?

- Well,... - Don't answer me back, Clutterhead.

You sprain your wrist when you've gone skating

in my time, in the paper's time without so much as a by-your-leave.

As a result of which you miss, you totally lose, the best

human interest story that's likely to come your way.

And now! What have I done to deserve it?

You offer the fact of having that injury attended to,

good God, as an excuse for hanging fire on another story!

- But, if you'll just... - No! Don't!

Don't even speak to me.

- Would you...?

- Might you be so good as to visit Aspen Park?

- In your own good time, of course.

Or do I have to kick you every God-forsaken step of the way?

What I want to know is what on earth possessed you to bring her back here?

Oh, don't be an ass.

Ask the woman a sensible question, and what do you get?

We had to.

You can't leave the child alone in Elliott's house.

- How could we! - It was a plumb awful decision.

- She's had no proper upbringing for years. - No companions of her own age.

- Heh, heh. What makes you think we can improve on that?

- We must.

- [ Rollo ] I was being nasty.

- [ Aunt ] She's perilous.

Her mother wasn't.

I forbid you to mention that!

I don't have to take orders from you.

I should like to remind you that we hold this house in trust.

Quite. For Lydia.

- [ Aunt ] Bringing her here is no more [ Door slam ] than....attempts to.

- [ Rollo ] ...shows a terrible responsibility.

[ Pub chatter and clatter ]

- Hello!

You're not in Sodom, you know.

Or even Gomorrah.

Oh, don't talk soft to me. New backs have turned before.

Really.

- By the way, uh... - I was looking for you, that's all.

Oh, now you've found me how was the drop of the stuff

to get inebriated for seven cheers.

Whiskey at dinner time?

Right.

Your drunk, kinda.

Try it again. Are you going to join me or are you going to gather

your puritan robes around you and stalk clear?

Hm? Oh, I'll join you.

I'm sure you'll have 'em.

George! Same again.

And a similar for my young friend.

There's no need to be patronizing.

You didn't come up to your usual train.

- Yes, tell the truth, I gave London a miss today.

You're a lazy devil.

You malign me.

My ability to make money without exerting myself is neither here nor there.

Fact is I had a shock this morning.

- Oh?

I barged into parent's bedroom

and Mother didn't have a stitch on.

- You know she's got a figure like a girl.

- Now I mean... really like a girl.

I tell you, it was a thoroughly Oedipal experience.

- So much so that I spent the morning pursuing young Nora.

- And I was just beginning to make headway, - Nora Jepson.

- when she insisted on rushing home for lunch.

On the slate, George.

- Your astonishing... - [ Edward gulps ] - Good Lord.

- Ahh. Care for another?

Yes, rather.

Same again, please!

George.

Have you ever been to Aspen Park?

- No. Have you?

No.

Actually, I tell a lie. I went there once with Mother.

I can't have been more than a child.

She was selling... poppies, I think, for Armistice Day.

What was it like?

- Big. Gloomy.

- It felt like in my memory, it was like calling on God.

- Yeah.

- Keep the change. - Thank you.

- You're astonishing. - The thing is I'm supposed to go up there.

- For Bretherton? - Umm.

I mean to see the two sisters about their older brother,

he's just died.

I don't think I can put it off for much longer.

It does occur to me to wonder whether your

skin is entirely thick enough to be the very stuff

a budding reporter is made of.

I thought as our local man about town

you might have some ideas.

No.

- Well you can't go now. - Why not?

Well, siesta time.

Disturb the upper classes at siesta, and you will invariably

be thrown out upon your ear.

- Which bring us to tea time.

- These people measure their days in meals.

Now tea time is possible.

Oh, but, not for me it will be all

plates on your knees and cups on the arms of the chair.

I'm guaranteed to break what I don't drop or spill.

Not tea, then.

And certainly not dinner. You disturb that at your peril.

It looks like drinks time.

About six.

[ Gate chain loosens ]

[ Gate latch click ]

[ Gate hinge creaks ]

- Mr. Bretherton is it?

- [ Loudly ] Is it Mr. Bretherton there!

It's Mr. Richardson.

- Who?

Mr. Richardson.

- Mr. Richardson? Oh, Mr. Richardson's son?

- Bert?

- Mr. Bretherton's assistant.

- What is it you wish to speak together?

The late Mr. Aspen, if you'd be so kind.

- Mr. Richardson, ma'am.

- [ Bertie ] What is the matter with Mr. Bretherton?

- [ Edward ] Nothing.

- He doesn't like me. He sent you instead.

- [ Juliana ] I can't say I care much for him, either.

I hope this isn't an inconvenience.

How do you assist Mr. Bretherton?

- I'm supposed to be a reporter. - Supposed? Don't you like it?

No.

- You needn't stand up.

- This is my sister.

Does it snow?

- Not at the moment.

- But I think it will again. - What about your hand?

I've sprained my wrist. - How?

Skating.

Don't you like that (diver)?

- Yes. - But no good. Is that it?

Very good as a matter of fact. I just fell.

You'd better slip off your overcoat. You'll feel the benefit when you go out again.

You're awfully thin.

- You ought to have (hans) done for that hand.

We caught our deaths, yesterday.

I detest funerals.

I'd like to have a glass of port when Lydia comes down.

It would probably do you good to have one, too.

- Oh, I don't want to intrude. - If you don't care to work for Bretherton

what do you want to do?

I want...I think I want to be a writer.

A novelist.

Does he drink as much as ever?

About as much, yes.

Heh, heh, heh.

How old are you?

Nineteen.

It'll be better when you're twenty...

eight.

It's the fourth cycle of settlement. If one can get over it, it's all right.

All men go through that.

Your hyacinth are very beautiful.

Ours are almost over.

Oh, you like flowers.

I can see you do. How nice.

It's not often that men like flowers.

Oh, yes, I'm very fond of them.

It's one of the things in our family. We all like them.

My father especially.

Uh, do I know your father?

I shouldn't think so. No, uh.

He works for Ramsey's.

He's in charge of the finishing room.

Very good shoes, Ramsey's.

I had a pair of Ramsey's shoes once. They lasted, oh, years.

You might have head him sing.

He's leader of the Orpheus Choir.

Oh, is that the choir that sang here at the Coronation?

Ha, huh, huh, you wouldn't remember. You were a baby in 1912.

They sang out there on the terrace. Oh, they sang most beautifully.

I think there's nothing more beautiful than the sound of men's voices in the open air.

- You're church? - Uh, chapel.

Oh, I see. Huh.

Need to get the port.

To summon Lydia down.

[ Rings bell ]

I think it's a refreshing manifestation in a young man to like flowers.

I think it's something of a phenomenon these days.

We must tell Lydia about your skating.

Where can one skate in Evansford?

On the old marsh. Anywhere on the flat water.

Where is that?

The flats are frozen in a mile-wide lake for

some say as much as forty miles.

There's been nothing like it for years.

I'd no idea!

That's the trouble with us. We stew.

They say Evansford's getting quite big.

We even have a Woolworth's, or something.

Do they have a Woolworth's?

I never go down there, now.

- Yes, there is a Woolworth's. - You see.

That's what I don't want to happen to Lydia, to be cutoff.

We want her to have friends. What do you think?

Would you want a young girl to grow up here like us?

[ Door opens ]

[ Rollo ] Well, was that the bell for dinner?

- You coming in?

No, I don't think so.

Unless Berty is all we get yet .

- Mr. Richardson this is my brother, Captain Rollo Aspen.

How do you do, sir?

Well, well enough, well enough.

Uh huh, well sit down, do.

Foul day, don't you think?

Plumb awful.

Plumb awful weather altogether.

I mean to say this wind is, uh...

plumb awful.

Mackness says there's an elm down, and,...

in the park.

[ Rollo laughs ]

[ The maid enters ]

We'll have the port, now.

Who's turn is it to pour? Huh?

Your astonishing good health.

How quaint.

Oh, I think it's a welcome change for a young man to have

an individual turn of phrase.

- Is it to your liking?

- Eh, the port, I mean?

Oh, yes, thank you.

Too cold for me.

I think things are changing for young girls.

What I mean there's no longer any need...Ah.

[ Closes door ]

- This is Lydia, our niece.

Mr. Richardson, my dear, from the County Examiner.

Uh, we thought you might care for a glass of port.

Mr. Richardson says they're skating here, on the old marsh,

anywhere on the flat water.

- We have some skates somewhere.

- I used to have some skates, I know.

- Would it bore you to take Lydia skating with you?

No.

Would you like that, Lydia, dear?

I don't skate.

Oh, but you need to come to it with Mr. Richardson.

And what about the impossible Mr. Bretherton?

Can that be arranged?

Oh, uh, I think so, yes. I have to cover the police

courts tomorrow, but that's usually over by the shouting

about the, uh...lunchtime.

- Evanford has a police court now?

Oh, no, not Evansford.

Evansford is not even a postal entity.

It is still a subdistrict of Nembura.

If you look at the ordinance survey of only 30 years ago

you will see that nothing is shown but the church and this house.

Evansford is not even on the map.

The town has grown along the valley.

Oh, possibly so, but for our part we don't see it.

It's not the Evansford we knew. It's not the Evansford we like.

- However, that is not what we wish for Lydia.

- We wish her to be part of Evansford.

- We wish her to get to know young people.

- We have grown up here. We are as we are,

- but I don't think it's right for a young girl.

- Don't you agree?

Oh, uh, yes.

Uh, she will be unpacking tomorrow morning,

and you will be busy at the police court,

so you can take her in the afternoon.

Can you call for her?

Yes.

- Two o'clock, then.

- Very well. - Uh huh.

- Oh, that's settled, then.

Well, uh, I suppose I really ought to be going.

- If I might just ask... - Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

Till two o'clock tomorrow, then.

[ Opens then closes door ]

[ Slams door ]

[ Jingle of bicycle bell ]

[ Gate creaks open and closes ]

Ahhh.

The messenger shall it be.

- Uh, County Examiner... - God-awful weather again.

Makes you want to pee, this cold. Don't you though?

- No. -You ought to punish the pigeons, personally.

You don't shoot, do you?

No.

Out skating, I believe, with Lydia.

That's right.

Plumb awful pastime, if you ask me.

So! Takes a long walks.

- Uh, about Mr. Aspen. - Yeah, bad blow.

- I believe he died in Leicestershire?

- Oh, he really liked his place there...

[ Dog whines ]

Tchick, tchick, tchick. [ Dog whines ]

- better than here.

- Is there a Mrs. Aspen? - No.

- No, no.

- Well,...in a manner of speaking... yes, there is.

- Well, if it's a painful subject. - Oh, it's dashed delicate.

- and I know the girls would prefer it...

- Then it really doesn't matter.

She was a Miss... [ Door slams; dog barks ]

[ Maid walks by noisy ]

[ Slams door ]

Crawford.

They never really hit it off together. She was a lot younger than he was.

- And, ha, ha, ha, well we assume... - Thank you. I mustn't keep you.

- Ah, ha, not at all, old boy. Ha, ha, pleasure.

- Uh, I should go, you know, you're expecting.

[ Dog barks ]

- Captain Aspen said... - Ah, you're punctual. Isn't he punctual?

- Good afternoon. - Yes, indeed. - Mr. Richardson.

Where's Lydia?

[ Dog barks outside door ]

- [ Calls ] Lydia!

- I told you I had some skates, didn't I?

- I knew I had some skates.

Here.

They're the right size, too. Isn't it fortunate them being the right size?

-Ah, see who's here. Isn't that nice?

- Where're you going skating?

- On marshes, isn't it?

- How are you going to get there? How far away are they.

About two miles.

There's the Daimler. Matthess could always take them in the Daimler.

Oh, I don't think so. I don't see any point in that.

Isn't there a bus?

Yes, there is a bus.

Then I suggest you take the bus.

Thank you again for taking Lydia.

- Have a nice time. Have a lovely time.

- We'll try.

Oh!

Oh, dear.

I do hope we're doing the right thing.

Let me assure you we are.

[ Front door closes ]

I could carry those.

[ Sound of approaching bus ]

[ Bus door closes ]

They'll be going to the lower town.

It's not so crowded here.

It's narrow, though.

I'll go in first, shall I?

Since I know the way.

[ Sound of wind blowing ]

[ Sound of distant voices ]

[ Screaming and laughter ]

These laces will take forever. Here.

Is that any better?

Yes.

Makes me look older, doesn't it?

Yes.

End of it is very worse.

No.

[ Background noise quite loud ]

I think I can't skate at all.

You'll soon get the hang of it.

Hold hands.

It's better crossed.

Now.

My fault.

It doesn't really start with your feet.

Small. Here we go.

Well, (plug it).

And then your hips.

Like so. Now you try it.

Now, forward. Keep you body forward.

With me.

Forward.

- Are you all right? - Yes

[ Lydia shouts ]

Did you hurt your hands?

No, no.

Well, come on, then.

- You're not getting cold, are you? - No, no.

Who is that?

Over there.

Oh, it's Edward.

Who's he with?

I don't know.

Do you?

I've never seen her before.

She can't skate for toffee.

Perhaps he sees something else in her.

It doesn't matter when you limber up.

I don't want to do that.

Well, I do.

Are you ready?

Hey, there!

- We're trackless. - You're going to give me the go-by?

May I introduce Tom Holland and his sister Nancy.

Miss Lydia Aspen.

How do you do?

Hello.

Pleased to meet you.

Rum punch?

- Oh, yeah, sounds just the ticket in this weather.

- I'll get them. - No, I will.

- You can help me carry them.

What's this? Heaven's so!

Enough of your lip.

I was sorry to hear about your father.

Did you know him?

To speak of.

Well, that's to say yes and no.

My family are farmers.

We've been tenants of the Aspens for, oh,...generations.

So, you see, we felt for you.

Thank you.

We think this is enough for neighbors, are we?

Just teaching her to skate.

- All right. - There's no need to bite my head off.

- And I'll have you know it's lots of work, too.

- It looks it.

- Um. - Good.

- Yes. Thank you.

How're you getting on?

Not very well, I'm afraid.

She hasn't been skating before.

- People sometimes get on better when they go alone.

Come on!

Come to me here!

On your own, Miss Aspen. You leave her alone.

That's it.

[ Laughing ] It's the most wonderful thing!

I can do it! I can stand!

Well, you'll be all right, now!

- You don't need anybody now.

Once you've got the feeling. Once you know.

She'll be all right, now.

She's got the feeling.

- Well,...goodbye.

Goodbye.

It's wonderful. The most wonderful thing.

- I can do it.

I can stand. Oh!

The screw's broken.

There might be someone in the hut with a screw or tape.

Which hut?

Over there.

- Ehh. Your screws are rotten.

- Old as Anderson.

Can you put in new ones?

- Not tonight.

- But I want them tonight.

- Now.

Well, Miss, you'll have to want on.

You can't have everything you want.

- You'll have regular skating, Miss.

- We'll turn it. - Do you know who I am?

I don't and I don't care.

Skates will be here tomorrow morning, Mr. Richardson, as soon as you are.

Thank you.

[ Noisy bus arrives ]

Hey!

- Well! - Goodnight!

[ Door slams shut ]

[ Throws skate box down ]

[ Opens door ]

[ Closes door ]

- Didn't you ask Mr. Richardson in?

- No.

- Where are your skates?

- The screws broke.

- Aw, was it no fun at all?

- When are you going again?

I wasn't asked.

[ Opens and closes door ]

Oh, dear.

[ Gate creaks open ]

[ Gate creaks shut ]