The Governess | Patrick Hamilton | BBC Radio Drama | A Child Vanishes, Suspicion Begins

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:15][music] >> The Governess by Patrick Hamilton adapted for radio by the author.

[00:00:26]With Margaret Wolfit as Miss Fry and Hugh Manning as Ernest Drew.

[00:00:32]The Governess.

[00:00:36]>> [music] [music] >> The scene is the living room of Ernest Drew's house near Highgate in the year 1860.

[00:00:51]Ernest Drew is a well-to-do man in the city and the room is prosperously and profusely furnished.

[00:00:59]It is 8:00 on a bleak morning.

[00:01:01]Kate, the servant, is at the fireplace and Ellen, Drew's daughter, is already at her lessons.

[00:01:16]Oh, drat the blooming thing.

[00:01:18]>> You shouldn't say drat, Kate. It's swearing.

[00:01:21]>> Rubbish, it's silly. Course it isn't.

[00:01:23]Yes, it is and I know what it means.

[00:01:25]>> Oh, what?

[00:01:26]I won't tell you if you don't know. It's too bad.

[00:01:29]>> All right, I don't want to know, I'm sure.

[00:01:33]I'll tell you if you like.

[00:01:34]>> No, I don't want to know, thank you. It [snorts] means God rot. When you say drat you, it means God rot you. It's bad. You do think some funny things, don't you, Miss Ellen? If you didn't think so much, maybe you wouldn't walk about at nights in your sleep.

[00:01:47]>> I don't walk about at nights now. I haven't done it for a month and I shan't do it anymore.

[00:01:52]It's only because I'm a child.

[00:01:56]Good morning, Ellen, my dear.

[00:01:58]Good morning, Miss Fry. What are you doing here, Kate? Weren't you told to light the fire before Miss Ellen began her lesson?

[00:02:03]>> Yes, I was. I didn't know she was going to get up so early, that's all.

[00:02:06]>> Very well, Kate, you may go now.

[00:02:12]Well, and how's my lovely, studious little girl this morning? And what has she to show her nasty, cruel governess?

[00:02:20]I'm all right, thank you, Miss Fry. I've done the exercises and I think I can say the verbs by now.

[00:02:25]>> Good. Then let's look at the exercises, shall we?

[00:02:29]Miss Fry?

[00:02:31]Yes?

[00:02:33]Why were you so late at lessons this morning?

[00:02:36]Did you oversleep? Yes, my dear, I overslept.

[00:02:40]Wish I had overslept because I didn't sleep at all. What do you mean, Ellen, you didn't sleep at all?

[00:02:46]>> didn't. Or rather, I did sleep, but I dreamed all night long. It was horrible.

[00:02:51]It was all about baby. What about baby?

[00:02:54]They were doing something to him. I don't know what it was, but they were doing something.

[00:02:59]Who was doing something?

[00:03:01]I don't know. I can't remember.

[00:03:04]And then, when I woke up this morning, I looked over at baby's cot and he wasn't there. It gave me such a fright. And then I realized that Mommy must have come in in the night and taken him into her bed, the way she does, and I felt all right again. Yes, I see. Well, come along, Ellen, this isn't lessons, is it?

[00:03:21]Yes.

[00:03:22]Sorry, Miss Fry.

[00:03:25]You didn't sleep much last night, either, did you, Miss Fry? Oh, what makes you think that? I can always tell.

[00:03:33]You're all jumpy and nervy when you don't sleep.

[00:03:38]I'm sorry. Ellen, will you get on with your work? Yes, Miss Fry.

[00:03:44]Ellen?

[00:03:46]Yes, Miss Fry. How do you spell palmy?

[00:03:48]Palmy?

[00:03:49]>> Yes, palmy, a mum.

[00:03:51]p a r m i Not p a l m i? No, of course not.

[00:03:56]>> Then why did you write that? Have I?

[00:03:58]>> Yes, you have.

[00:04:00]I'm sorry.

[00:04:05]Ellen?

[00:04:06]Yes, Miss Fry. Will you look at the last sentence but one in your book?

[00:04:12]Yes, Miss Fry. Go on, read it.

[00:04:20]Well, what does it mean?

[00:04:22]I have received the portrait that you have me sent that you have sent me. Yes. Then why have you written I have received the portrait that I have sent? Does that make the slightest sense even in English? How would you receive a portrait that you sent?

[00:04:37]Well, you might send it to yourself.

[00:04:40]>> Are you trying to be witty at my expense, Ellen? No, Miss Fry.

[00:04:43]>> Because I wouldn't try to do that if I were you.

[00:04:47]>> [sighs] >> This is outrageous. Will you read the last sentence, please?

[00:04:57]Well, from who do you receive the flowers?

[00:05:00]>> Yes, and are you aware of what you've got here? No, Miss Fry. What?

[00:05:05]Look at what you have got. Go on, look.

[00:05:09]Well, what have you got?

[00:05:10]I've got who received these flowers.

[00:05:13]>> You do this on purpose, don't you, Ellen?

[00:05:14]>> No, I don't, Miss Fry.

[00:05:16]>> You know the right answers, but you do this on purpose to vex me.

[00:05:18]>> No, Miss Fry, I don't. Well, shall I vex you, too? Perhaps I shall vex you.

[00:05:24]There.

[00:05:25]There.

[00:05:25]I shall vex you. You see?

[00:05:28]Miss Fry, you're not to pinch me. You promised you'd never pinch me again.

[00:05:32]>> pinch you as I like. If you vex me, I shall pinch you.

[00:05:36]>> Oh, Miss Fry.

[00:05:38]If you pinch me again, I shall tell my father and he will stop you. Your father?

[00:05:43]Really? You think so? Yes.

[00:05:45]If I showed him my arm last week, he would have stopped you. It was cruel to see. I couldn't sleep for the pain and I'm supposed to sleep because I'm ill, because I walk about at nights. You know that I'm ill and yet you pinch me.

[00:05:59]I think you're going mad.

[00:06:02]You used to say that you loved me and and I loved you.

[00:06:06]I do love you. I try to love you and yet you pinch me.

[00:06:10]You always pinch me. OH MY >> [screaming] >> GOD. Oh my God.

[00:06:16]Will you stop that noise, you little fool?

[00:06:21]Now then, Ellen, pull yourself together.

[00:06:23]Pull yourself together.

[00:06:25]It's no use crying.

[00:06:27]I'm sorry, do you hear? I can't say more than that, can I?

[00:06:32]There now.

[00:06:33]You mustn't pinch me anymore.

[00:06:35]>> Very well, I shan't pinch you. I'm sorry. Isn't that enough?

[00:06:40]Oh, oh, I'm so miserable.

[00:06:44]I'm ill, Miss Fry.

[00:06:47]They said that if I did my lessons early so that I could ride horseback all the morning, I'd get better.

[00:06:53]But I don't.

[00:06:55]I dream all night and I'm so confused.

[00:06:59]I work for you. I try to please you. I try.

[00:07:04]It's just that I'm silly.

[00:07:08]I can't help being silly.

[00:07:11]Oh, I'm so Now then, quiet, quiet. Good morning, Miss Good morning, Ellen, my dear. Good morning.

[00:07:18]>> Bob. And what's my little sister been doing this morning? History? Geography?

[00:07:21]Arithmetic?

[00:07:22]>> No, French.

[00:07:24]By the way, you you haven't heard the verbs yet, Miss Fry.

[00:07:27]>> Never mind about the verbs now. You go along, it's getting late. All right, Miss Fry.

[00:07:32]Oh, dear. [sighs] What a funny child.

[00:07:35]>> know about funny. I should say she's practically dotty.

[00:07:38]>> Oh, no, it's just her age.

[00:07:39]>> The whole family is practically dotty if it comes to that.

[00:07:42]Has the governess shown himself about the place yet? No, I haven't seen him.

[00:07:46]Aha, someone knocks up on the window.

[00:07:48]Come in.

[00:07:50]Ah, good morning, Jock. Good morning, sir. Can I be cleaning the French windows? I was told to clean the windows. I don't know. Can he clean the windows?

[00:07:59]>> I should say so. Yes, you can, Jock. Oh, thank you, sir.

[00:08:06]Oh, I'm sorry. I I beg your pardon.

[00:08:09]That's all right, nurse. Anything you want? Um, no, sir. I just wondered if Mrs. Drew was in here. No, she ain't in here.

[00:08:16]>> Well, she's got the baby, you see, sir, and I want to feed him. At least I suppose she has. He wasn't in his cot this morning.

[00:08:22]>> Well, I don't know about baby, but the last I saw of Mrs. Drew, she was down the garden to cut some flowers from the hot house. Oh, really?

[00:08:30]Oh, then she must have put him back in his cot. Oh, thank you, sir.

[00:08:34]I'm sorry.

[00:08:35]>> That's all right, nurse.

[00:08:40]Aren't you going to have any breakfast, Miss Fry? Breakfast?

[00:08:43]Oh, of course, I forgot.

[00:08:45]>> You don't eat, do you?

[00:08:47]>> No, no, I don't eat. Quite right, too.

[00:08:49]There's nothing so frightful as seeing a fascinating woman stuffing her mouth with food. Why, she shouldn't eat more than a fairy does. Just a flake of honey and a drop of dew, what? Oh, you're being very silly this morning, Bob. It must be that cigar going to your head. I wish you'd put it out.

[00:09:03]>> Miss Fry, I can't oblige.

[00:09:05]>> [snorts] >> There's two things I can't resist. One, cigars, and the other's temptation.

[00:09:11]There's no doing anything about either.

[00:09:12]That's very witty. You ought to send it to Punch.

[00:09:14]>> I can't do that. That's where I got it from.

[00:09:17]Ah, good morning, governer.

[00:09:19]Good morning, my son.

[00:09:22]Good morning, Miss Fry. Good morning.

[00:09:28]Throw that weed on the fire, if you please, my boy. What? What's that? I said, throw that weed on the fire, if you please, or clear out of the room. I don't mind which. My weed doesn't seem to be very much in favor this morning.

[00:09:40]All right, governer.

[00:09:42]There it goes.

[00:09:45]Ah, good morning, Mother. Good morning, my dear.

[00:09:48]Good morning, Ethel. Good morning, Mrs. Drew.

[00:09:51]Good morning, Ernest. Good morning, Winifred.

[00:09:54]Can you tell me why they haven't brought my tray in Oh, haven't they? I'm sorry, is it time? It's 7 and 1/2 minutes past the time if you want the exact figures.

[00:10:03]>> Well, governor, you know if you don't >> Hold your tongue, Bob, please.

[00:10:07]I was speaking to your mother.

[00:10:07]>> Your tray will come if you'll only wait a moment, Ernest. You got out of bed the wrong side this morning, didn't you, governor? If you talk to me like that, Bob, before long you won't have a bed.

[00:10:17]At any rate, I know this room to get either in or out of the wrong side or the right.

[00:10:22]>> Oh, never mind, governor. There's other beds, you know.

[00:10:27]I will get the tray myself.

[00:10:31]Dear, there's always trouble about his tray, isn't there? Well, I stood up to him, didn't I? I mean, I'm the only one who ever stands up to the governor, except Miss Fry, and he doesn't go at her for some reason. Bloody Doesn't he? I think he probably does.

[00:10:44]How's your head this morning, Mrs. Drew?

[00:10:46]>> a little better, I think, my dear. Oh, by the way, nurse was looking for you, mother. Nurse? Well, what does she want?

[00:10:51]>> She was looking for baby. She had an idea you'd got him. No. Uh-huh. I haven't got him. Haven't seen him. Uh, the nurse is looking for you, Winifred.

[00:11:01]Yes, so I hear. I want to see her anyway, so I'll find her.

[00:11:09]Oh, well, this won't do. What won't do, Miss Fry? Lying about on the sofa all morning.

[00:11:16]Au revoir, monsieur. Au revoir, madame, or rather mademoiselle.

[00:11:23]Here you are, Bob.

[00:11:25]Would you like to look at something good? What's this?

[00:11:29]Is this the Grayson business? Yes.

[00:11:32]Mm, or rather that's a copy of my reply.

[00:11:36]My hat, governor, this is pretty warm.

[00:11:39]Are you going to send this? What do you mean? I've sent it. Are you going to stand by what you say here? Have you ever known me not stand by double or if necessary treble what I've said, my boy?

[00:11:49]Well, I can't say I have. Oh, you're a terror, governor, all right. You've earned your name in the city, I must say.

[00:11:56]But don't you know what you're called?

[00:11:58]No.

[00:11:59]I've no idea. The irresistible force.

[00:12:03]The irresistible force.

[00:12:05]Is that what they call me? Mm.

[00:12:07]The irresistible force.

[00:12:10]Really?

[00:12:12]By God, I'll show them they're right, the dogs. Are all the fellows dogs in the city, governor? Yes, 95% of them, and 60% dirty dogs, and 20% of them filthy mongrels thrown in. You've got pretty decided views, haven't you, governor?

[00:12:24]>> I've got decided views, my boy.

[00:12:27]I don't know about them being pretty.

[00:12:29]You've got the spirit, all right. You've certainly got that.

[00:12:32]Wish I had some of it. Yes, I wish to God you had, damn you.

[00:12:36]Oh, I Sorry for my language, Winifred. I didn't hear you come back into the room.

[00:12:40]Oh, that's all right, my dear.

[00:12:44]How's Helen these days?

[00:12:47]Do you think she's any better since we've cut down her lessons? Yes, I think she's better. At least I sometimes think she is. I don't know what to think, really.

[00:12:55]She'll be all right, though. I'm sure she'll be all right. Oh, I I'm sorry, madam. Good morning, nurse.

[00:13:01]>> Good morning, madam. I only wanted baby.

[00:13:03]Have you got him? It's getting late, isn't it? And he ought to be fed.

[00:13:07]>> I haven't got him.

[00:13:08]But what is all this about baby? They said you were looking for me.

[00:13:12]Oh, I'm sorry, madam. Only he wasn't in his cot this morning. I thought you must have taken him into your room.

[00:13:20]Well, you often do, don't you, madam?

[00:13:21]Well, yes, of course I do, but I didn't this morning. Oh, well, I expect Miss Helen's got him, that's all. Then you'd better go and find Miss Helen, hadn't you? Yes, sir, I will. Uh, half a moment, nurse. Yes, sir. Well, I don't know about Miss Helen having him. She was at her lessons this morning, and she hadn't got him then.

[00:13:38]Oh, hadn't she, sir?

[00:13:40]Well, she must have got him now. You'd better go and find her, nurse. Yes, madam. Well, I must be popping off. So long, mother. So long, governor.

[00:13:47]Goodbye, Bob, my dear.

[00:13:57]Oh, madam, can can I have a word with you, please?

[00:14:00]>> Yes, nurse. What do you want to say?

[00:14:03]Oh.

[00:14:04]Go on, what's the matter? Well, madam, it's only Miss Helen hasn't got him, madam. I've just spoken to her.

[00:14:10]I don't quite know what to make of it.

[00:14:12]What do you mean, nurse? Who Who has got him, then? I don't know. She hasn't got him, madam. That's all.

[00:14:18]Well, there's somebody must have got him. This is all very silly. Yes, madam, I know it is. Well, we mustn't be silly, that's all.

[00:14:27]You say he wasn't in his cot this morning.

[00:14:29]>> No, madam, he wasn't there.

[00:14:31]I thought you'd got him.

[00:14:32]>> Yes, you told me that. The point is, who took him?

[00:14:36]Oh, Ethel, I suppose you haven't seen him, have you, dear? Seen who, my dear?

[00:14:40]>> Baby. There seems to be some sort of confusion somewhere. No, I haven't seen him.

[00:14:46]But this is absurd.

[00:14:49]Nurse, if Mommy! Mommy! Be quiet a moment, darling. I'm talking to nurse.

[00:14:53]Tell me, nurse, If you Mommy! Mommy! I dreamed about him. I dreamed about him all night long. I dreamed they'd taken him away, and then when I woke, he wasn't there.

[00:15:03]>> not be a silly, hysterical child? I wish to speak to nurse. Nurse, tell me now, what time did you go in to baby this morning?

[00:15:10]>> The usual time, madam, about 8:00. And I didn't worry because I thought you'd got him.

[00:15:16]>> Yes, you've said that, nurse, already.

[00:15:18]>> Miss Fry, you tell them. Tell them I dreamed about him. I told you, Miss Fry, didn't I? You tell them.

[00:15:23]>> Now then, Ellen, there's no need to get excited. That won't help anybody, will it?

[00:15:26]>> What's that you say, Ellen?

[00:15:28]You say he was gone when you woke.

[00:15:30]When did you wake? I I don't know the time.

[00:15:33]Must have been about 5.

[00:15:35]>> Ellen, will you come here?

[00:15:38]Yes, Mommy. Now, I want you to promise to tell the truth.

[00:15:42]Of course I will, Mommy. You say you woke this morning about 5, and you saw baby was gone.

[00:15:47]>> Yes. How did you see he was gone if it was dark? There was the nightlight, Mommy. But but why didn't you tell somebody? I thought you'd taken him into your bed. I thought you'd come and taken him.

[00:15:58]>> Yes, I know. Now, are you sure it was as early as 5 that you noticed he'd gone? Yes, I'm sure.

[00:16:06]And all night I was dreaming they were doing something to him.

[00:16:09]>> Don't care about your dreaming. I'm asking you what you saw.

[00:16:12]>> Oh, I should say she's dreaming the whole thing, madam.

[00:16:14]>> I'm not dreaming, nurse. Of course she's dreaming. I mean, it doesn't make sense, does it, madam?

[00:16:19]>> You're perfectly right, nurse. Are you suggesting the child's been spirited away, Winifred? Yes, that could hardly have happened, could it?

[00:16:27]>> quite right. We must Either someone in this house has got the child and is playing with him somewhere, as everyone in this household does, or the child has miraculously got up out of its cot and walked about.

[00:16:41]In either case, there is exactly one thing to do. That is what it has not struck any of you to do yet.

[00:16:48]Go and look for it.

[00:16:51]What about Kate? Have you asked Kate?

[00:16:53]Oh, yes, madam. Kate. Of course that's it. It's Kate. And I haven't seen her this morning, either. That's what it is, madam. You mark my words.

[00:17:02]>> Very well, nurse. You go and find Kate, will you? Yes, sir. I'll go and find her. That's what it is, madam. I'll find her, madam. Don't you worry, I'll find her.

[00:17:13]Oh, dear.

[00:17:14]We were getting into quite a state, weren't we?

[00:17:17]It isn't Kate, Mommy. What? I dreamed about him all night, and when I woke, he was gone.

[00:17:23]>> Will you please control yourself, Ellen?

[00:17:25]But Miss Fry I said control yourself.

[00:17:26]You'd better leave the room. Go into the garden and cool yourself off. Unless you would like some more lessons to keep you occupied. Go on. Leave the room.

[00:17:34]Yes, Miss Fry.

[00:17:38]Dear, that child is a problem, isn't she? She quite upset me for a moment.

[00:17:43]>> upsets everyone, I'm afraid. That's the only way to deal with her when she gets like that.

[00:17:46]>> Yes, my dear, you did quite right.

[00:17:49]Dear, such a head.

[00:17:52]You don't think there's anything wrong, do you? Of course there isn't.

[00:17:56]>> It's a little worrying.

[00:17:58]Think I'll go and help find Kate, anyway. Shall I do that? Yes, sir. Go and help find Kate, Winifred. Yes, I think I will. It's It's puzzling, isn't it? Never mind, I'll I'll go and find her. I'll find her.

[00:18:15]A certain amount of excitement in the household this morning, Miss Fry. Yes, a certain amount, Mr. Drew.

[00:18:23]Isn't it time you went and counted your millions in the city?

[00:18:27]Why?

[00:18:28]Yes, I I believe it is.

[00:18:31]Mind you count them well.

[00:18:33]I'll count them as well as I can, Miss Fry.

[00:18:37]I know a way to make you count them better.

[00:18:41]Do you, Miss Fry? What's that?

[00:18:43]At least I think I do.

[00:18:46]Really?

[00:18:47]I wish you'd tell me how. If you'll come here, I will.

[00:18:58]Ethel.

[00:18:59]Won't that make you count them better, Mr. Drew?

[00:19:03]Ethel.

[00:19:05]Ethel.

[00:19:06]>> [panting] >> No, not now, Ethel.

[00:19:09]Tonight again.

[00:19:11]Tonight. Very well.

[00:19:13]Tonight.

[00:19:15]Now go and count your millions, oh dearest monster.

[00:19:20]>> [snorts] >> Good morning, Miss Fry.

[00:19:36]Come in.

[00:19:38]Oh.

[00:19:40]Yes, what do you want, Kate?

[00:19:41]>> I only wanted to try it if master's finished with it.

[00:19:43]>> Yes, very well, there it is.

[00:19:47]Oh, by the way, Kate, they're looking for you. Oh, are they, Miss Fry? What it that they Kate. Oh, Kate. Oh, here you are Kate.

[00:19:56]>> is it? What's the matter? Kate, have you got baby? No, why? Kate, put that tray down. This isn't a lark. You've had baby, haven't you? Put that tray down.

[00:20:05]>> I ain't going to put no tray down. Leave me alone.

[00:20:06]>> Yes, Kate, you'd better put the tray down.

[00:20:10]Now, what is all this? Have you gone mad? What's up with you?

[00:20:14]Oh, God.

[00:20:15]You haven't got him.

[00:20:17]He's gone, don't you see? He's gone, that's all.

[00:20:20]He's been taken away.

[00:20:23]It's them gypsies. That's what it is.

[00:20:25]It's them gypsies. Don't talk so silly, Kate. You and your gypsies. We've got to find him, that's all. We've got to find him before his mother knows. His mother's here, nurse.

[00:20:35]I think we'd better keep calm, don't you? Oh, madam. It's them gypsies, madam. Baby's gone. We must look for him, mustn't we? That's all we must do.

[00:20:42]We must look for him. Has Mr. Drew gone?

[00:20:45]I I think we want a man. Yes, that's what we want. I'll go and get Get Jock.

[00:20:50]I'll go and get Jock. It's them gypsies, madam. That's what it is. You mark my words.

[00:20:55]>> Kate, please, will you?

[00:20:58]Mommy. Mommy. Mommy, Mommy, I told you I dreamed about it all. I told you.

[00:21:03]>> Yes, my dear, will you just be quiet?

[00:21:05]Mommy, I would Who's near the one, madam? Yes, Jock.

[00:21:09]It seems that baby's missing.

[00:21:11]Since early this morning. He He wasn't in his cot. It was about 5:00.

[00:21:16]What shall we do, Jock? Oh, right, mum.

[00:21:18]We must organize a research, that's all.

[00:21:21]Kate, will you go down and get cook, if you please, and bring her upstairs. And nurse, will you come and have a word with me in the next room?

[00:21:29]>> Yes, Jock. And you, miss Fry, will you just be staying here with Mrs. Drew? I told you they've taken him away. They've stolen him.

[00:21:37]>> Will you leave the room, please, Ellen?

[00:21:38]Didn't I tell you to leave the room before?

[00:21:41]Yes, miss Fry. Now, don't you be frightened, mum. We'll be finding the baby. We'll be finding him. Now, just a word with you, nurse, first. Now, come over.

[00:21:52]Miss Miss Fry.

[00:21:55]Ethel.

[00:21:57]I must go and look.

[00:21:58]I'm his mother. No, my dear, that's just what you mustn't do. It's all about nothing. You know it's all about nothing, don't you? Yes, I'm sure it is.

[00:22:07]Then you mustn't sit thinking. You must occupy yourself.

[00:22:10]What shall we do? What about a song?

[00:22:13]Yes, let's do that. Let's have a song, shall we? I shall play and you shall sing. Come along now. But, miss Fry, I I You must occupy yourself, don't you understand?

[00:22:24]Come over to the piano. Miss Fry, I I said, come along.

[00:22:31]Now, that's better.

[00:22:34]Now, you stand there and we'll find a song.

[00:22:37]Right. Here we are. Here's exactly what we want.

[00:22:41]I shall play and you [music] shall sing.

[00:22:44]Come now.

[00:22:51]I shall make you sing.

[00:22:54]Come now.

[00:22:55]I shall make you sing.

[00:22:58]>> Miss Fry, I don't want to sing.

[00:23:02]I'm only trying to help, dear.

[00:23:04]And why do you call me miss Fry? I'm sorry, Ethel.

[00:23:08]Oh.

[00:23:10]Ethel, I'm frightened. There, now.

[00:23:15]Bob.

[00:23:16]Bob, you're here. You haven't gone. Your father's gone. Oh, thank God.

[00:23:22]Baby's gone. They're searching. Bob, baby's gone. Yes, mother. Now, take it easy. Bob, why why haven't you gone?

[00:23:30]Is something [clears throat] the matter with you? Why aren't you searching? I've searched the whole place, high and low.

[00:23:35]I saw there was something up from the beginning. You haven't searched.

[00:23:39]Where have you searched? Steady, mother.

[00:23:42]I've searched every room, top and bottom, in and out. I've searched the cellars and I've searched the roof. Baby ain't in the house. The garden. He must be in the garden.

[00:23:51]>> No, he ain't there, either. I've searched the garden and then I've searched the sheds. He ain't about. He's been taken away. Bob.

[00:23:58]Bob, what are we to do?

[00:24:00]You must get your father. You're the only man. But, Bob, what are you going to do? Quiet, mother. I not the only man. There's plenty of others. Well, there's policeman, ain't there? And I'm off to get him. Now, yeah, you take her, miss Fry. Come on now, take her.

[00:24:15]And don't you bother, mother. There's plenty of other men. WE'LL GET HIM BACK.

[00:24:20]THERE, NOW, my dear. Come along.

[00:24:24]Sit down.

[00:24:26]There.

[00:24:28]That's right.

[00:24:33]I'm sure it's all absurd.

[00:24:36]I'm sure he hasn't gone. Of course, it is. Of course, he hasn't gone.

[00:24:41]Who should want my baby, miss Fry? Who, indeed?

[00:24:45]Quiet, now. Quiet.

[00:24:49]Yes.

[00:24:50]Quiet.

[00:24:53]Quiet.

[00:24:57]Miss Fry.

[00:24:58]Shall I pray?

[00:25:01]Will God give me back my little boy if I pray?

[00:25:03]>> Yes, let us pray.

[00:25:05]What shall we say to God?

[00:25:07]God, give me back my baby.

[00:25:09]Let us pray that. Very well. Go on.

[00:25:13]God, give me back my baby.

[00:25:16]God, give me back my baby. God, give me back my baby.

[00:25:24]Who should want my baby, miss Fry?

[00:25:28]Yes.

[00:25:29]Who should want your baby?

[00:25:32]Who should want your baby?

[00:25:35]Who should want your baby?

[00:25:39]>> [music] [music] >> And bring all heaven before mine eyes.

[00:26:13]And may at last my weary age find out the peaceful hermitage.

[00:26:20]The hairy gown and mossy The hairy gown and mossy cell. Don't tell me. The hairy gown and mossy cell where I may sit and rightly spell of every star that heaven doth show and every herb that sips the dew till old experience do attain to something like prophetic strain.

[00:26:41]These pleasures melancholy give.

[00:26:44]And I with thee will choose to live.

[00:26:47]Good.

[00:26:49]And now the other, the one you like.

[00:26:52]Which, miss Fry? I remember.

[00:26:56]Oh, yes.

[00:26:59]I remember.

[00:27:01]I remember the house where I was born.

[00:27:04]The little window where the sun came peeping in at morn.

[00:27:09]He never came a bit too soon.

[00:27:11]>> No, no, not bit.

[00:27:12]He never came He never came The thing you do with your eye.

[00:27:18]The thing you do with your eye? Wink.

[00:27:21]He never came a wink too soon nor brought too long a day.

[00:27:26]But now I often wish the night had borne my breath away.

[00:27:32]I remember.

[00:27:34]I remember the roses red and white.

[00:27:37]The violets and the lily cups, those flowers made of light.

[00:27:42]The lilacs where the robin built.

[00:27:45]And where my brother sat. The laburnum on his birthday.

[00:27:50]The trees living yet. Go on, Ellen. Go on. What's the matter?

[00:27:55]I remember. I remember where I used to swing.

[00:27:59]And thought the air would must rush as fresh as swallows Ellen, what is it? What's the matter?

[00:28:07]Why are you always crying? You know what it is. You know it's baby.

[00:28:13]And then, when you when you said about the laburnum on his birthday, baby was my brother. And he might have sat a tree on his birthday if he hadn't gone. If he hadn't been taken away.

[00:28:26]>> Ellen, dear, isn't it about time you got baby off your mind? That's all of 3 months ago now, isn't it?

[00:28:30]>> No.

[00:28:31]I'll never get him off my mind. And I don't care about 3 months or anything.

[00:28:36]It's as I dreamed. I knew then and I still know.

[00:28:41]Oh, only I could remember.

[00:28:44]Remember what, Ellen? You keep on saying that. Remember what? I don't know.

[00:28:48]That's just it.

[00:28:50]I know something, but I don't know what it is.

[00:28:53]It's all as I dreamed. I know that, but I don't know what I dreamed.

[00:28:59]If only I could remember, I'd know about baby. I'd know more than all those policemen and detectives know. They never asked me. Well, this isn't poetry, is it? Shall we go on?

[00:29:11]Yes, miss Fry.

[00:29:16]You recite, too, don't you?

[00:29:19]Were you very religiously brought up?

[00:29:21]What are you talking about, Ellen? Oh, nothing.

[00:29:26]Only I heard you reciting in your room one night and I went and listened at the door. And I thought it was from the Bible.

[00:29:32]It was so funny in the middle of the night.

[00:29:34]>> Go on with your poetry, Ellen.

[00:29:37]Yes, miss Fry. Where were we at? I remember. Oh, yes.

[00:29:41]I remember. I remember.

[00:29:44]That's funny, isn't it? I was just talking about remembering, wasn't I? Go on, Ellen.

[00:29:49]And I do remember something, if it comes to that.

[00:29:53]Something I never told anyone.

[00:29:57]What do you mean, you remember something you never told anyone?

[00:30:00]Oh, nothing. What is it, Ellen? It's nothing, Miss Fry.

[00:30:05]You come into it, really. I come into it? Yes, but hadn't we better get on with our poetry? You're being very silly and slightly insolent, Ellen. What do you remember, please? Oh, it's it's not very much. It's It's only about the night baby was taken away. Oh.

[00:30:20]What about that?

[00:30:22]It's only that I know I walked about that night. If it was in your sleep, how do you know you did it? Because I do.

[00:30:28]Because I've thought hard and I know I must have done. And where do I come in?

[00:30:31]Well, that's it. That's part of how I know. It's all a riddle. It's the riddle of the Sphinx. Stop talking nonsense, Ellen, and tell me how I come into this.

[00:30:40]It's your perfume. You know the perfume you use? Yes, I suppose so. Well.

[00:30:47]Go on.

[00:30:49]Well.

[00:30:50]The morning baby was gone, when I woke up, I smelt of your perfume.

[00:30:55]>> [snorts] >> It was all over my hair and all over my face. I smelt it all over me. Oh. Well.

[00:31:00]So, I must have walked into your room and smeared myself with your perfume.

[00:31:04]Really?

[00:31:06]How very strange. And that's why it's such a riddle. What is?

[00:31:10]Because why didn't I wake you up and then you'd have stopped me taking your perfume.

[00:31:15]Were you there, Miss Fry?

[00:31:18]I suppose you must have been.

[00:31:21]Yes, naturally I was there.

[00:31:24]Well, then that's why it's such a Sphinx's riddle.

[00:31:28]Perhaps you walked in your sleep before I came to bed. No, because I was awake till long after you went to bed. I heard you go to bed. I heard everyone go to bed.

[00:31:37]Are you sure you were there that night, Miss Fry? Where else could I have been?

[00:31:40]I don't know. But why didn't I wake you up and why didn't you stop me taking your perfume? That's why it's such a riddle. You know you're dreaming all this nonsense from beginning to end, don't I'm not dreaming it. I know that much.

[00:31:53]Don't contradict me, Ellen.

[00:31:55]Now, listen to me.

[00:31:57]You're going to stop this dreaming and imagining. You dream and chatter and chatter and dream and you upset us all.

[00:32:04]You're going to stop dreaming and you're going to stop chattering.

[00:32:08]Do you know what happens to those who dream too much? No, Miss Fry. They have to be pinched awake. Shall I pinch you awake? How would you like that? No, Miss Fry.

[00:32:18]Don't Don't pinch me again. You stopped pinching me. I've stopped pinching you, have I? Well, what if I start pinching you again? Like that.

[00:32:27]What if I pinch you again and again? DO YOU SCREAM OUT? WHAT? NO, Miss Fry.

[00:32:33]Don't pinch me.

[00:32:35]I'll do what you say.

[00:32:36]Well, then see that you do.

[00:32:39]You're upsetting the whole house, do you understand? Yes, Miss Fry. I'll do what you say.

[00:32:44]I thought you loved me.

[00:32:46]I love you.

[00:32:47]Now baby's gone, I try to love you more than ever. I know you do.

[00:32:52]Come along.

[00:32:54]Kiss me, my dear.

[00:32:56]There.

[00:32:58]Now, you're not going to be a silly little girl and you're going to stop this talking, aren't you?

[00:33:03]Yes, I know you are.

[00:33:07]Now.

[00:33:09]Come along.

[00:33:11]Let's pick up our books and off you go to bed.

[00:33:15]Come along.

[00:33:16]Yes, Miss Fry.

[00:33:18]I feel like going to bed. Why aren't you in bed already, young lady?

[00:33:23]Why are you doing lessons at this time of night? Oh, I'm to do them at night now because I don't sleep at night. I used to do them in the morning because I couldn't sleep in the mornings. I sleep in the mornings now.

[00:33:34]I wish I wasn't such an unusual child.

[00:33:37]Good night, Father.

[00:33:40]Good night, Ellen.

[00:33:42]Good night, Miss Fry.

[00:33:44]Good night, both. Good night, Ellen.

[00:33:47]And God bring baby back.

[00:33:50]God bring baby back. Good night, Ellen.

[00:33:53][clears throat] Good night.

[00:33:57]Hello, Kate.

[00:33:58]Good night. Good night, Miss Ellen.

[00:34:01]Excuse me, sir. There's a gentleman to see you. Oh, well, if there's a gentleman, I'd better withdraw as well.

[00:34:07]Good night, Mr. Drew. Good night, Miss Fry.

[00:34:11]Well, Kate, who is this gentleman? Oh, here's his card, sir. Well, tell this gentleman I'm not at home, will you, Kate? Yes, sir.

[00:34:27]Please, sir. I'm sorry, sir. Yes, Kate?

[00:34:30]He says you are at home, sir, cuz he saw you come in. And he says you couldn't say you weren't at home unless you were, sir. I'm sorry, sir. He said that? Yes, sir. Well, will you go and tell him I'm busy? Yes, sir.

[00:34:41]Excuse me, sir. Mr. Drew says he's too busy to see you. Well, then I'm sure he's not. Please tell your master that I am busy as well. Very good, sir.

[00:34:50]Please, sir. I'm sorry, sir. Well, what is it? He says so is he. So is he what?

[00:34:55]So is he busy, sir. Is that all he said?

[00:34:57]Yes, sir. He's rather a funny man, sir.

[00:35:00]Very funny.

[00:35:03]Well, will you tell him I'm too busy to see him? Yes, sir.

[00:35:14]Please, sir. I'm sorry, sir. Well, what is it now? He says you're not. Not what? Not too busy to see him, sir. I'm sorry, sir. There's no need to apologize for what he says, Kate. Is that all he said? No, sir. I asked him if it was urgent and he said yes, it was rather.

[00:35:29]Well, will you tell him, Kate, that there's only one urgent thing about it and that's that he gets out of this house before I send for the policeman and have him thrown out. Yes, sir.

[00:35:41]Never get this fire to draw.

[00:35:47]I'm very sorry, sir. Yes, Kate? I told him what you said, sir, but he said he's a policeman himself, sir. Really?

[00:35:54]Is that all he said? No, sir. He said you might as well have him in here, sir, cuz then he can throw himself out.

[00:36:00]Really? Yes, sir. He said it was all handy, sir, for everybody. I'm very sorry, sir.

[00:36:05]Show him in, Kate. Yes, sir.

[00:36:11]Would you go in, sir?

[00:36:13]Thank you, Kate. Uh you can go now.

[00:36:15]Thank you, sir.

[00:36:17]Who the blazes are you calling Kate and ordering about? Is Kate my servant or yours? Ah, Mr. Drew.

[00:36:24]Mr. Drew, I'm positive of it. I'm very pleased to meet you, Mr. Drew. Then it takes damn little to please you, sir.

[00:36:29]That's all I can say. Moreover, your pleasure is likely to be extremely brief because I'm going to kick you out in less than 2 minutes. Oh, yes. Yes. Yes what, sir? Yes, you are, sir. Yes, I am what? Yes, you are the sort of man the world says you are, I perceive.

[00:36:46]Oh.

[00:36:47]And what sort of man do they say I am?

[00:36:49]Oh, I don't know.

[00:36:51]You have a reputation of sorts, I believe, in the city. Yes, sir. I have a reputation.

[00:36:56]And do you know what my reputation is?

[00:36:59]Do you know what I'm called in the city?

[00:37:00]No, I don't know. But you obviously want to tell me. And what are you called in the city? I am called the irresistible force, sir.

[00:37:08]The irresistible force.

[00:37:11]Now, are you going to clear out of my house?

[00:37:15]Really, this is remarkable.

[00:37:16]What is remarkable? What [laughter] Did you know what I'm called in the police? It's an absolute fact. What are you called in the police?

[00:37:24]The immovable object, sir. The immovable [laughter] object. Isn't that wonderful?

[00:37:30]Oh. What is so wonderful? Why, sir, it's beyond belief. It's a mystery, it's a miracle.

[00:37:35]It might be the clue to the universe.

[00:37:37]The irresistible force meets the immovable object. What happens?

[00:37:42]The force is irresistible. The object is immovable. Incredible. But here it is.

[00:37:50]Well, here we are.

[00:37:53]Now, let's compose ourselves and see what happens. Surely you don't mind my sitting down, do you? We have the whole evening.

[00:37:59]Mr. What's-your-name? The inspector. What's your name? Inspector Rough.

[00:38:05]Very well, Inspector [clears throat] Rough.

[00:38:09]You seem to think that because you are a policeman, you cannot be thrown out of this room. Yes, that is true. Policemen do not control me. I control policemen.

[00:38:18]But is there any reason which has occurred to you why I should not throw you out myself? No, none. You could try.

[00:38:25]But then I am an adept at Japanese wrestling, you know. Is it an adept. And I should hate to send you rolling about your own room. I would have you know, sir, that I am not the sort of man who rolls about his own room. I know, but you would be, sir, if I started on you.

[00:38:41]Oh, it's a wonderful thing, sir, Japanese wrestling.

[00:38:44]I always think everyone should be taught it. Oh, although at other times, I have thought not.

[00:38:49]But if everyone were taught Japanese wrestling, what would be the use? We should all be Japanese wrestlers. We should all roll each other about.

[00:38:57]A nation of Japanese wrestlers. It's a It's a dreadful thought, ain't it, Mr. Drew? Have you come here to talk about wrestlers, sir?

[00:39:03]Oh, no.

[00:39:04]Anything but that.

[00:39:07]Then what are you here for, Inspector Rough?

[00:39:11]What is your business, sir?

[00:39:14]Why, sir, you must have guessed that.

[00:39:16]It's your business, after all, very much more than mine. How so?

[00:39:20]Why, sir, it's my business merely as a policeman, but it's yours as a father.

[00:39:24]Oh.

[00:39:26]That.

[00:39:27]Yes, sir. That. I thought as much.

[00:39:30]After all this time. Why, sir, what does time matter?

[00:39:34]You're a strange man, aren't you?

[00:39:36]And here it seems you're stranger still.

[00:39:38]What should the passage of time matter to a father in a case of this sort.

[00:39:42]>> The matter is closed, Inspector. Oh.

[00:39:45]My baby is gone. My baby is dead.

[00:39:48]To me, it is as though he died of the croup or of the cholera. Babies die that way, you know, in the hundreds and thousands.

[00:39:54]Mine was one of them.

[00:39:56]The matter is closed.

[00:39:59]I'm a strong man. My baby is dead. I have no hope of seeing him again, and I have no desire.

[00:40:04]By which you mean, I trust that you have at last strangled all hope and all desire.

[00:40:08]>> Have it whichever way you like, sir.

[00:40:10]My baby is dead. He was taken off by the croup or by the cholera.

[00:40:15]No, Mr. Drew. Unfortunately, he wasn't.

[00:40:19]He was taken off by another bacillus.

[00:40:21]Bacillus homo sapiens.

[00:40:24]A dirtier and darker and more dangerous bacillus, I sometimes think, than all the others put together.

[00:40:31]And I'm a student of that bacillus, sir.

[00:40:33]And I have a feeling that this case is not at its close.

[00:40:36]>> Well, it may not be closed to you, but it is to me.

[00:40:40]Now, listen, Inspector. I was a trifle offhand with you when you came in just now.

[00:40:44]>> Offhand? Yes, a little offhand.

[00:40:45]>> Yes, sir, or damn rude, if you like. And I'll tell you why.

[00:40:49]Because you come from the police force, sir.

[00:40:52]And I loathe the whole body of you.

[00:40:55]I've suffered more from your body of men recently, sir, than I've suffered from anything in the whole run of my life.

[00:41:00]And I've suffered a good deal in the past, sir.

[00:41:02]They came in here, a bunch of loud-mouthed, flat-footed, incompetent nincompoops, and went trampling over my house, pulling things to pieces, poking here and there, questioning all and sundry, ruining the health and sleep of everyone in my household, eating and drinking in my kitchen, blabbing off their mouths to the newspaper, calling the attention of the whole of England to my personal tragedy.

[00:41:25]And with what result, sir?

[00:41:27]The result that they knew nothing, did nothing, and found nothing.

[00:41:31]And could only utter fatuous comment, which could as well been uttered by a child of 10.

[00:41:37]My child is gone, sir. Whether it was the gypsies or whether it was a local murdering maniac or whether it was a personal enemy of mine, no one will ever know.

[00:41:46]But I want no help from the police in my surmises.

[00:41:48]And I want no more mud and misery stirred up.

[00:41:51]The mud and misery is settling now.

[00:41:54]That is all.

[00:41:59]Now, I I'd be glad if you'd go.

[00:42:06]Is there some special object in your call?

[00:42:10]May I ask if there's some new evidence which has caused you to call? No new evidence, exactly. Or rather, no exact new evidence. You see, evidence is a thing Oh, I'm sorry. Oh, Miss Fry.

[00:42:27]Come in, Miss Fry. I'm very sorry, really. Am I interrupting? I only came for my book.

[00:42:32]No, Miss Fry.

[00:42:34]Come and get your book. I left it on the sofa, I think.

[00:42:38]Oh, where is it now? It was here this evening. That's funny. It was here.

[00:42:45]Well, that's very funny.

[00:42:48]Really, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend, Mr. Drew? Oh, I'm sorry. This is Mr. Rogers, friend of mine.

[00:42:56]Or rather, a business associate.

[00:42:59]Miss Fry.

[00:43:00]Oh, good evening, Mr. Rogers. Good evening, Miss Fry. Miss Fry is my governess, you know. Your governess, Mr. Drew?

[00:43:08]>> [laughter] >> I didn't know anyone could govern you.

[00:43:10]No, I think you mean your children's governess, Mr. Drew. Yes, I I should have said that.

[00:43:17]Well, where's this book? It must be somewhere.

[00:43:20]Oh, never mind about the book. It was only a silly one, anyway. And I'm sure you were talking business, weren't you?

[00:43:24]>> Why, yes, Miss Fry, we were, really.

[00:43:26]>> Well, I'll leave you to it, then.

[00:43:28]Goodbye, Mr. Rogers.

[00:43:30]>> Oh, I'm sure it's not goodbye. Au revoir, Miss Fry.

[00:43:35]Au revoir?

[00:43:40]Well, now, what were we saying?

[00:43:43]I don't know that we were saying anything.

[00:43:46]Very handsome woman, Miss Fry. You think her so? Oh, yes.

[00:43:50]Unless you put a magnifying glass on her, I should say she painted, wouldn't you? How should I know?

[00:43:56]Oh, I should have thought you would have known. Would you? Why? Why, I should have thought him.

[00:44:01]But then, perhaps you don't know a great deal about women, Mr. Drew. No, I don't.

[00:44:04]>> And talking about women, has something ever occurred to you? I mean, in relation to your recent tragedy? No.

[00:44:11]What? Hasn't it ever occurred to you that it might be a woman, after all?

[00:44:15]A woman? How?

[00:44:17]A woman right at the bottom of it, sir.

[00:44:19]That's all. Oh, you mean a gypsy woman?

[00:44:21]No, sir. Not a gypsy woman. Quite another sort of woman.

[00:44:26]You seem to go pale, sir. Am I right, or is it the light?

[00:44:29]No.

[00:44:31]I have nothing to make me go pale.

[00:44:34]I never had anything to make me do so.

[00:44:35]Never had anything to make you go pale?

[00:44:38]>> [laughter] >> I say, Drew, what a man you are. Will nothing stir you?

[00:44:43]Do you realize what we are talking about? Well, what are we? We are talking indirectly about a human body, sir. A little boy's human body, which is somewhere while we talk on this earth, alive or dead.

[00:45:01]A little body which is either crying for its mother at this moment in some dark place, or is lying mangled and strangled, or with its throat cut under a hedge or at the bottom of a well.

[00:45:14]If the first is the case, if the baby is still alive, then it is crying to you now, crying to its father. Listen.

[00:45:22]How quiet it is. Can't you Can't you hear it crying?

[00:45:27]And if the second is the case, sir, why then it is crying all the more.

[00:45:34]It is screaming and yelling for vengeance, sir, screaming and yelling for justice to the ends of the earth, justice from its father and from its mother, and justice from society, too, which I represent.

[00:45:46]That is what we're talking about, sir.

[00:45:50]I don't think you quite understand.

[00:45:51]>> My baby is dead and gone, sir. The case is closed.

[00:45:55]Have Have you any fresh evidence?

[00:45:58]If so, tell me what it is and go.

[00:46:02]Who are you, Inspector, and why have you come here? Who am I?

[00:46:06]Why, sir, at the moment I rank pretty high in my profession, if that's what you mean. Or rather, the others rank pretty low. And why did I come here tonight? Why?

[00:46:15]Because I got an impression, I should say.

[00:46:18]Yes.

[00:46:19]I followed the Drew case very carefully, you know, though I wasn't in charge. I followed it all through, and suddenly I got an impression, that's all. I had a feeling.

[00:46:28]>> I asked you if you had any fresh evidence. A feeling is not evidence, I fancy. No, sir.

[00:46:33]But a feeling is sometimes a good deal better than evidence.

[00:46:38]It was because of a feeling I had recently that a middle-aged sailor, a very formidable middle-aged sailor, Mr. Drew, swung from a rope at Norwich just 2 days ago.

[00:46:51]And now I have a feeling here.

[00:46:54]About what?

[00:46:56]Ah, we'll see.

[00:46:59]>> [snorts] >> You have a child, I believe, of about 12. Yes.

[00:47:05]I understand that she had a feeling of sorts.

[00:47:08]I understand that she thought she knew something. Is that so? My child, Ellen, dreams a great deal and walks in her sleep. There's nothing to be got out of her.

[00:47:18]>> [laughter] >> You mustn't turn down the dreamers.

[00:47:21]It's the dreamers who have the feelings, you know.

[00:47:25]I should like to see your child.

[00:47:27]>> You would not be interested in my child's feelings.

[00:47:30]I am more interested in your feelings, however.

[00:47:34]What sort of feelings have you? About what? About some people in this house, Mr. Drew. About two people in particular.

[00:47:41]>> What two people? Yourself for one.

[00:47:43]And who else? The governess, Miss Fry.

[00:47:46]Or rather, yourself and Miss Fry taken together. And why should I and Miss Fry be taken together? I don't know, unless you were taken with Miss Fry. Are you taken with Miss Fry, Mr. Drew?

[00:48:00]Taken?

[00:48:01]How?

[00:48:02]Taken badly, sir. Taken to the extreme.

[00:48:06]Are you suggesting that I am carrying on an illicit affair with a governess in my employ? It's been done, Mr. Drew. Are you doing precisely that?

[00:48:14]>> And what has this to do with my boy?

[00:48:15]Well, that's what I want to know.

[00:48:18]>> [snorts] >> I'll tell you something, though, Mr. Drew.

[00:48:22]I have a very strong feeling that no one came in from outside and took your baby.

[00:48:26]Then what happened?

[00:48:28]Well, I think someone from inside took him.

[00:48:33]And then went out.

[00:48:34]Excuse me, I don't quite follow you, Inspector.

[00:48:37]Do you believe that I have something to do with the abduction of my own baby?

[00:48:43]What is Miss Fry to you, Mr. Drew? Will you leave Miss Fry out of this, you damn rogue? Come now, sir. I'm going to question Miss Fry in a moment. What is Miss Fry to you, Mr. Drew?

[00:48:52]>> By God, sir, you're not going to question Miss Fry. Are you going to leave Miss Fry out of this, or am I going to break your neck?

[00:48:58]>> Why does the mention of Miss Fry upset you so, sir?

[00:49:03]What secret is there between you and Miss Fry? Why may I not talk to her? And why do you oppose me when I ask to probe the mystery of your own child? You will forget Miss Fry, sir, or I will break your neck.

[00:49:16]YOU SHALL NOT BRING MISS FRY IN. DO YOU HEAR?

[00:49:19]Take it easy now, sir.

[00:49:21]I shouldn't have to go far to bring her in.

[00:49:25]Oh.

[00:49:27]What do you mean by that?

[00:49:29]She's listening just outside, sir.

[00:49:31]Miss Fry would not listen.

[00:49:33]>> a great admiration for Miss Fry's character, haven't you, sir?

[00:49:37]And you have loved her for a long time.

[00:49:39]>> Now listen, Drew.

[00:49:42]I have a suspicion that you are not a wicked man.

[00:49:46]But I believe that there is something more about Miss Fry than you know. Miss Fry wouldn't listen.

[00:49:52]Then you will.

[00:49:54]See if she wouldn't.

[00:49:56]Go and see her at the French window, will you?

[00:50:07]Miss Fry?

[00:50:10]Miss Fry?

[00:50:13]Is that you, Miss Fry?

[00:50:16]Miss Fry? Yes.

[00:50:18]This is me.

[00:50:20]Do you want me?

[00:50:23]Come in, Miss Fry. Come in.

[00:50:32]Yes.

[00:50:34]Do you want me, Mr. Drew?

[00:50:36]What were you doing in the garden, Miss Fry? I was only walking. Walking in the wind to clear my head. I love to walk in the wind, don't you?

[00:50:44]Don't you, Mr. Rogers?

[00:50:46]Uh you're a romantic, Miss Fry. I can see that.

[00:50:49]Catching the effect of the night, eh?

[00:50:52]But you do better to come into the room or you'll catch cold.

[00:50:56]Oh, you look frozen to me.

[00:50:58]Come along now. You come to the fire.

[00:51:00]Aren't you men talking business?

[00:51:02]>> No, no, no. We've finished talking business now. At least I think we have, haven't we, Drew? Yes.

[00:51:07]Yes, we finished business. And what were you talking about? Can't I join in? Oh, we weren't talking about much. At least, not about anything very nice. Oh, I know what that means.

[00:51:17]What does that mean, Miss Fry?

[00:51:19]May I sit down beside you? Certainly.

[00:51:23]You were talking about baby, weren't you? Baby's always there. Baby always will be there, I'm afraid. Yes.

[00:51:30]Unless he was found, then he wouldn't be there, you see, anymore, would he?

[00:51:35]What's your view of this business, Miss Fry? In what way?

[00:51:39]Do you think the child's alive? Yes, if it were the gypsies, he might well be alive.

[00:51:45]But you don't really think it was the gypsies. You don't really think he's alive. What makes you think that?

[00:51:49]>> Just your tone.

[00:51:52]Do you think it was revenge? Yes, it might be.

[00:51:56]But who would want revenge?

[00:51:58]>> So indeed.

[00:51:59]Do you know what I really think? No, no, I'd like to hear. I think the child's dead, murdered, and I don't think its remains will ever be found. And I think we've got to face the fact or we'll all go mad.

[00:52:08]>> Oh, that's what you think, do you? Miss Fry? Yes. This man's name isn't Rogers.

[00:52:13]Oh. Really?

[00:52:15]What is it then? His name's Ruff, and he's a police detective. Don't answer him unless you want to. You needn't have said that, Mr. Drew. You needn't have come to this house, Inspector Ruff.

[00:52:26]How absurd you men are. Do you think that I didn't know? Do you think I didn't guess? Why do you have your silly secrets, you silly men? How do you do, Inspector Ruff? I'm more than delighted to meet you.

[00:52:39]Have you got any news? Oh, do tell me if there's anything fresh.

[00:52:43]Huh, you're so silly, both of you. It's so like you men. If only Excuse me, sir.

[00:52:50]Yes, Kate? There's a gentleman below to see the gentleman up here, sir. Ah, yes, I was expecting him. Uh thank you, Kate.

[00:52:56]Uh excuse me, please.

[00:52:58]Am I to bring the tea in, sir? Yes, Kate. With an extra cup, sir?

[00:53:03]Yes, Kate, with an extra cup.

[00:53:05]>> Thank you, sir.

[00:53:10]Ethel. Yes.

[00:53:13]Why were you listening outside? What did you say, sir? Listening outside?

[00:53:18]I'm sorry.

[00:53:20]I know you couldn't listen.

[00:53:23]I love you, Ethel. Then it seems you love an eavesdropper, Mr. Drew. I'm sorry.

[00:53:29]Ethel. Yes.

[00:53:31]Go on.

[00:53:33]You don't know anything about baby, do you?

[00:53:36]What a funny remark.

[00:53:38]What should I know?

[00:53:40]You don't happen to know anything which which you've kept back.

[00:53:44]I want my baby, you know. Naturally, you do.

[00:53:48]What are you talking about? Have you gone mad? I I'm sorry.

[00:53:54]That man's upset me. I'll send him away.

[00:53:57]Yes.

[00:53:58]Send him away, will you?

[00:53:59]I don't like him.

[00:54:01]Here he is, I think.

[00:54:03]Ah, here we are again.

[00:54:05]Who called on you, sir? Oh, just a man of mine, sir, on an errand. All the way from Camberwell. Oh.

[00:54:12]And how did he get here at this time of night? He took a cab, sir. Or rather, he allowed a cab to take him, to be more accurate.

[00:54:18]>> [laughter] >> Take a strong man to haul a cab all that way, wouldn't it? Yes. Well, now, please, if I finish a cab, will you allow it to take you out of this neighborhood?

[00:54:27]My family and I are about to have tea before we go to bed. And did the man from Camberwell know anything fresh, Inspector?

[00:54:33]>> [snorts] >> No, Miss Fry. Nothing fresh.

[00:54:36]Oh, really? How disappointing.

[00:54:40]Then why have you come?

[00:54:42]Don't you want to question us? Heaven knows we've been questioned enough, but we shan't mind a few more. Come now, Inspector. Question me. You seem very anxious to be questioned. Is that because you're so certain nothing will come to light?

[00:54:54]Really, Inspector, I don't think I quite like the way you speak.

[00:54:57]>> sorry.

[00:54:58]>> How dare you speak to Miss Fry like that? If you've got any questions >> Never mind about the questions. I must Quiet, please, gentlemen.

[00:55:06]Well, put it on the table, Kate.

[00:55:09]Yes, sir. Where Ernest? Ernest, do you please come? Oh.

[00:55:14]Oh, I'm sorry. This is Inspector Ruff, Winifred.

[00:55:18]My wife. Oh, how do you do, Inspector?

[00:55:21]How do you do, madam? Ernest, I'm sorry, Inspector. Ernest It's Oh, he's tipsy again. He's tipsy again.

[00:55:28]>> What? Where is he?

[00:55:30]>> go to him, Ernest. You must go.

[00:55:31]>> Oh, don't take on so. Winifred has been tipsy often enough. Young whipper-snapper, I Oh. Good evening, father.

[00:55:39]Your mother says I'm tipsy. I mean, my mother says you're tipsy. I mean, I'm tipsy. Do I appear to be tipsy? Don't stand here talking nonsense, Bob. Come in and have some tea. Oh, I had a misspent Oh, come in.

[00:55:52]Let's all have some tea. Yes, we will all have tea.

[00:55:56]You'll be all right, Bob.

[00:55:58]Come along. We'll all have tea. I'm all right about the legs. I'm just a bit hazy about the top. You're a bit hazy about the top permanently, Bob.

[00:56:07]Sit down.

[00:56:09]I'm sorry about this, Inspector.

[00:56:11]>> Yes, Inspector, I'm sorry.

[00:56:13]Do you mind if I give Bob his tea first?

[00:56:16]There, Bob. Drink your tea. Thanks.

[00:56:19]Now, Inspector, do you like cream and sugar?

[00:56:22]>> Why, yes, madam. I'll have both, if I may.

[00:56:24]Yes, I've just been down to the House of Commons. Oh.

[00:56:28]How did you get in there?

[00:56:29]>> Oh, I have friends.

[00:56:32]Ah, it's all a lot of damn nonsense, as far as I can see. Yes, you've got something there, Bob. But there's no need to swear. What we want is a man like Cromwell. If Cromwell were alive today, HE'D TAKE A STAND about it, wouldn't he, sir? Well, actually, if Cromwell were alive today, he'd be rather too old to take a stand about anything, but >> [laughter] >> I see your point, young man. Oh. Thank you, Mrs. Drew.

[00:56:54]We're all dash quiet tonight, ain't we?

[00:56:57]Drink your tea, Bob.

[00:56:58]>> Hm?

[00:56:59]Drink your tea. Oh. Oh.

[00:57:03]>> [snorts] >> Uh why are you here, Inspector? Is there anything you want? No, madam. Nothing I want. Just some details from your husband. Nothing to worry about.

[00:57:14]We are dash quiet, you know. What is it?

[00:57:17]Angel passing over?

[00:57:19]This is a quiet house, Bob.

[00:57:21]It's the end of the day.

[00:57:24]We're going to bed in a moment. Yes.

[00:57:26]It's nice to be quiet at the end of the day.

[00:57:31]Hello? What's that?

[00:57:33]What's what?

[00:57:34]Didn't I hear something?

[00:57:36]I know what it is, I think. Wait, wait a sec. Mom, Mom Yes, Kate. What is it?

[00:57:40]She's at it again, Mom. She's at it again. She's coming down. She's coming in. She's right behind me. Kate, will you be quiet? We must all be quiet. Oh, she'll catch her death in her nightgown and barefoot. Quiet, Kate. Quiet. We've got to be quiet. That's all. Quiet. Yes, it's all right, Kate.

[00:57:56]Just be quiet. Yes, Miss Fry.

[00:58:00]I'm sorry.

[00:58:02]Jabou.

[00:58:03]Nou bouillant.

[00:58:05]Yes, Miss Fry.

[00:58:07]I remember.

[00:58:09]I remember about baby.

[00:58:12]We must guide her back. We We must guide her. Yes, I will guide her.

[00:58:17]>> No, don't guide her, Miss Fry. Have the goodness not to do so. Now, let her be.

[00:58:22]I remember. I remember the house where I was born.

[00:58:27]I remember.

[00:58:28]I remember sitting on the No, that's wrong.

[00:58:33]I remember, Miss Fry.

[00:58:35]I remember all about baby.

[00:58:38]I remember. I remember.

[00:58:41]I shall guide her. Let me guide her.

[00:58:43]>> not guide her, Miss Fry. I represent the law in this house, and if you try to guide her, I shall put you under constraint. Now, let her talk, please.

[00:58:50]Let her be, if you please.

[00:58:52]>> I remember. I remember the house where I was born.

[00:58:57]The laburnum, Miss Fry.

[00:59:00]Where my brother set the laburnum on his birthday.

[00:59:04]Baby was my brother, Miss Fry.

[00:59:07]Jabou.

[00:59:09]Nou bouillant.

[00:59:10]Nou bouille.

[00:59:12]Baby.

[00:59:14]Where have you gone?

[00:59:16]Baby.

[00:59:17]Where are you?

[00:59:19]Are you hiding, you naughty child? All right, I'll find you. You mustn't play such silly jokes.

[00:59:25]We ought to No, let her be. Let her be.

[00:59:27]I don't see what we're trying to Do as I say.

[00:59:30]Miss Fry.

[00:59:32]Is that you?

[00:59:34]I've lost baby, Miss Fry.

[00:59:37]Oh.

[00:59:38]I'm sorry.

[00:59:40]Qui recevait vous ces fleurs?

[00:59:43]Who received these flowers?

[00:59:47]No, Miss Fry.

[00:59:48]You're not to pinch me. If you pinch me, I shall tell my father. My arm was black and blue when I went to bed.

[00:59:55]Miss Fry.

[00:59:57]Don't pinch me.

[00:59:59]It hurts me.

[01:00:01]Where are you, Miss Fry?

[01:00:03]Where are you? I'll remember.

[01:00:05]I'll I'll remember as long as you don't pinch me.

[01:00:13]Your bottle of perfume, Miss Fry.

[01:00:16]Now I'll remember.

[01:00:19]Where are you, Miss Fry?

[01:00:21]Here's your perfume. I'll remember about baby now. Just give me a moment.

[01:00:25]Take your perfume, Miss Fry. It's only a bottle of ink, my dear.

[01:00:30]Let me take it.

[01:00:31]It's perfume, Miss Fry.

[01:00:34]I went into your room the night baby was taken.

[01:00:39]That's it.

[01:00:41]Something's the matter.

[01:00:43]Think I'm asleep, Miss Fry?

[01:00:46]Am Am I asleep and dreaming? Shall I pinch myself awake, Miss Fry? Let [laughter] me >> don't pinch yourself, my dear. Now, sit down. Come now. Sit down.

[01:00:56]Now, Miss Fry shan't hurt you.

[01:00:59]Go on with what you were saying.

[01:01:01]The perfume.

[01:01:03]What do you remember? You went into Miss Fry's room the night baby was taken.

[01:01:08]Yes.

[01:01:09]And I know I went because when I woke up, I smelt of perfume.

[01:01:14]It was all over my face and all over my hair.

[01:01:19]But if I went into your room, why didn't you stop me, Miss Fry?

[01:01:23]Because you weren't there.

[01:01:26]The night they took baby, you weren't in your room.

[01:01:30]Why weren't you there, Miss Fry? Do you know? I know. I remember. It's all coming back at last. I know everything, Miss Fry. I saw you.

[01:01:39]You took baby, Miss Fry.

[01:01:42]That's what I've been trying to remember. I saw you come in.

[01:01:46]You bent over baby's cot.

[01:01:48]You thought I was asleep and so I was.

[01:01:52]I was half asleep.

[01:01:54]But I saw you.

[01:01:56]You bent over baby's cot and you took him out.

[01:02:00]Your black veil, Miss Fry. Your black ugly veil and your black ugly hat and your black outdoor clothes.

[01:02:08]>> you to tell me. I've never seen you in them before.

[01:02:11]And underneath the veil, the mask. The mask we always played with. I remember.

[01:02:17]But I've got to remember tomorrow. I've got to remember when I'm awake.

[01:02:21]I'm asleep now.

[01:02:23]But I must remember when I'm awake.

[01:02:26]Then I'll tell them. I'll remember all right. You took baby, Miss Fry.

[01:02:30]What have you done to him?

[01:02:32]Have you killed him?

[01:02:34]He's ours, not yours.

[01:02:37]Give him back, Miss Fry. I'll remember tomorrow and I'll tell. I'll remember.

[01:02:41]I'll remember and Will you wake UP, YOU LITTLE FOOL? WILL YOU WAKE UP? WILL YOU WAKE UP?

[01:02:46]MISS FRY.

[01:02:48]ALL RIGHT, [laughter] MISS FRY. I'll I'll I'll take her, if you please.

[01:02:52]The little fool. She had to be woken up.

[01:02:54]>> Never mind about that, Miss Fry.

[01:02:56]Now, Ellen.

[01:02:58]This is Bob.

[01:02:59]You've been asleep, my dear, and you've and you've been woken up. Are you all right?

[01:03:03]Ethel, what made you do that? How could you do that?

[01:03:07]>> She had hysterics. She's a little fool.

[01:03:09]SHE HAD TO be slapped and shaken. No, she did not have to be slapped.

[01:03:13]Now, Ellen, it's all right.

[01:03:20]Remarkable.

[01:03:21]Very remarkable indeed.

[01:03:24]Ellen, my dear. How do you feel? What is it, Bob? Where are we? Bob, it's all right, mum. We're downstairs, my darling. You've You've been walking about again. I was dreaming about baby.

[01:03:36]Where's baby? We don't know about baby.

[01:03:39]Baby's gone, Ellen dear.

[01:03:41]You don't know anything, do you? No.

[01:03:44]I I was dreaming something, though. I I can't remember.

[01:03:48]Bob, I'm cold.

[01:03:50]I can't get baby off my mind.

[01:03:51]>> Never mind about baby, my dear.

[01:03:54]You're the baby now, you know. And I'm going to carry the baby to bed.

[01:03:58]Do you feel all right apart from the cold? Yes.

[01:04:01]I'm all right apart from the cold.

[01:04:02]>> Right you are.

[01:04:03]Up you get.

[01:04:06]Here you are. Comfy? Yes. Comfy. A1 at Lloyd's, right? Yes, Bob. A1 at Lloyd's.

[01:04:13]Shall I go and help, mum? Yes. Go, Kate, will you? Yes, mum.

[01:04:19]Why did you strike her, Miss Fry? What do you mean, Mrs. Drew? The child lost control, didn't she? I am her governess and I had to control her, did I not?

[01:04:27]Would you like another governess?

[01:04:29]I must go to Ellen.

[01:04:35]Why did you hit her, Ethel?

[01:04:36]>> Haven't I just explained to >> needn't go on about that. The child doesn't seem to have taken harm. It's supposed to upset them, but I don't know that it does. Of course it doesn't upset them. It does them good. Well, I don't know about that, either.

[01:04:49]Let's get on with our tea, shall we? Sit down, Miss Fry. Sit down and stop looking so frightened. The child's upset you, I'm afraid.

[01:04:56]Well, shall I pour you another cup of tea? Yes, will you?

[01:05:01]Afraid it'll be rather cold.

[01:05:03]Dear me, how that child rambled on.

[01:05:08]You seem to have made a strong impression on that girl's mind, Miss Fry. Yes, she's a funny child.

[01:05:14]Thank you, Inspector.

[01:05:17]And then all that business about the pinching. Can I pour you some tea, Mr. Drew? No, thank you, Inspector.

[01:05:23]Yeah, the pinching.

[01:05:24]She seemed quite frightened.

[01:05:27]You wouldn't pinch a sickly little girl, would you, Miss Fry, just because she was bad at her lessons? No, Inspector, I wouldn't do that. Do I look as though I would? No, Miss Fry, I can't say you do.

[01:05:37]Does she, Mr. Drew? No, Inspector. We have no punishment in this house.

[01:05:42]I had enough of that when I was a child.

[01:05:44]Did you now?

[01:05:45]It's odd. I rather guessed you had.

[01:05:49]All the same.

[01:05:50]She thought she'd been pinched.

[01:05:53]And she was going to tell her father about it, how she went on. Inspector.

[01:05:56]>> Mr. Drew. You seem to be talking a great deal and not to any great point.

[01:06:00]Now, wouldn't you like to swallow your tea and go off home?

[01:06:03]We're a trifle upset tonight and if I may say so, it's mostly your doing.

[01:06:07]You're quite right, Mr. Drew.

[01:06:09]But then I thought the child might know something.

[01:06:12]May I sit beside you again, Miss Fry?

[01:06:15]Thank you.

[01:06:17]I I thought she might know something at the back of her mind and it might come out in her sleep.

[01:06:24]She always said you knew something, didn't she, Miss Fry? Yes. In the middle of all her other nonsense, she always said that. Yes.

[01:06:31]But anyway, that wouldn't be evidence, would it?

[01:06:33]I don't see how the ramblings of a sleepwalking child could be evidence to you, Miss Fry.

[01:06:38]No.

[01:06:40]And so I suppose I did wrong.

[01:06:42]And yet there might have been something there, you know.

[01:06:45]She might have seen something which would help us of some sort while she was asleep.

[01:06:48]>> How do you mean? If she was asleep, how could she have seen anything?

[01:06:50]>> That's what's so strange. You covered that point, didn't you notice? She said, what was it? You thought I was asleep, Miss Fry, and so I was. I was half asleep. But I saw you.

[01:07:03]Didn't you hear that? No. Oh, yes, didn't you, Drew? No. Oh, it's quite clear. You thought I was asleep, Miss Fry. But I saw you.

[01:07:11]You took baby, Miss Fry. I remember now, Miss Fry. You took baby.

[01:07:17]It's odd.

[01:07:19]After all, there there might be something in it, you know. Really, there might. Excuse me, Inspector. I don't quite like your tone with Miss Fry. My tone, how? We're talking about the senseless dreams of a sleepwalking child. You're somehow behaving to Miss Fry as though she were involved. My dears, not in the least.

[01:07:36]Miss Fry is not involved. I just thought the child might have really seen something, that's all.

[01:07:41]I'm sure you don't mind my tone, Miss Fry, do you? No, not in the least.

[01:07:44]>> All the same, sir, I still don't like your tone. I really don't care or bother about my tone, Mr. Drew. I'm trying to get at the truth.

[01:07:52]And then there was all that business about the perfume. Did you hear that, Miss Fry? Yes. It seems you walked into your room that night and took your perfume. And that you couldn't have been there because you didn't stop her.

[01:08:05]All senseless dreams, I suppose. Yes. No one took my perfume. And yet she smelt of it when she was awake.

[01:08:10]>> She dreams when she's asleep and when she's awake. And you were in your room all that night. Naturally.

[01:08:16]Where else should I have been? Yes, indeed. Where else?

[01:08:19]All senseless dreams.

[01:08:21]And yet she was so circumstantial, it seemed to add up to something in it.

[01:08:26]>> [snorts] >> I was particularly struck by that ugly black veil. Oh, what was that? Don't you remember? In your black veil, Miss Fry.

[01:08:34]Bending over the cot in your black ugly veil and your black outdoor clothes.

[01:08:39]And underneath the veil, the mask. The mask we always played with.

[01:08:44]You haven't got any black ugly clothes, have you, Miss Fry? No, not that I know of.

[01:08:47]>> No, I'm sure you haven't. You're much too charming to wear such things. You've never seen her in black ugly clothes, have you, Mr. Drew?

[01:08:53]>> No, I haven't. I have never seen her in black that I know. No. And that's what the child said in her sleep.

[01:08:59]She said she'd never seen you in them before.

[01:09:02]That was what struck me.

[01:09:05]And yet where did she get the idea?

[01:09:09]I suppose you haven't got some dress like it, Miss Fry, something she's seen but no one else, some dress you've hardly ever worn, hidden away. No.

[01:09:16]No, I've no such dress that I'm aware of.

[01:09:18]>> Are you quite sure? Something no one's seen you in? Something you've never worn except, perhaps, one night?

[01:09:26]What do you mean, except perhaps one night?

[01:09:31]Nothing, Miss Fry. Nothing at all.

[01:09:33]I don't think I like your tone now, Inspector. Let's leave my tone out of it, Miss Fry. We're talking about a black dress with a veil.

[01:09:40]>> I have no such dress, I have told you.

[01:09:42]>> No, Miss Fry, no. But perhaps something like it. The child must have got the idea somewhere. Haven't you something like it? Come to think of it, we could easily find out.

[01:09:50]>> How? Well, we could go upstairs now, if you like, and see.

[01:09:54]What about it? Shall we go upstairs now and see?

[01:09:56]>> NO SUCH DRESS. I HAVE NO such dress.

[01:09:59]>> No, Miss Fry, no. But shall we go upstairs and see if we can find something like it? There's no NEED TO GO UPSTAIRS. I HAVE NO SUCH DRESS, I TELL YOU.

[01:10:04]>> NOW, look here, Inspector. Leave Miss Fry alone. She's told you she's no such dress.

[01:10:08]>> I have no such dress.

[01:10:09]>> Be calm, Miss Fry. Don't take on so.

[01:10:13]We're only talking about dreams.

[01:10:16]A little girl's dreams.

[01:10:20]What else did she dream now?

[01:10:22]Oh, no.

[01:10:24]She didn't dream any more, did she, Miss Fry?

[01:10:26]Because at that moment you hit her. You hit her across the face. Why did you hit her at that moment, Miss Fry?

[01:10:31]>> I hit her to control her.

[01:10:36]Excuse me, sir. There's a gentleman to see you. Ah, yes. I was expecting him.

[01:10:41]A gentleman named Roberts.

[01:10:43]Tell him I'll be with him in a moment, Kate.

[01:10:44]>> Yes, sir.

[01:10:48]So, you hit her to control her, did you?

[01:10:51]Are you sure that's it, Miss Fry?

[01:10:54]Are you sure you didn't hit her because you knew you were done for?

[01:10:58]And done [clears throat] for you were, Miss Fry, believe me.

[01:11:03]Forgive me, please. I shan't be a moment.

[01:11:08]What's the man say?

[01:11:10]How dare you say that?

[01:11:12]Will you get rid of that man? Didn't you say you'd get rid of him?

[01:11:15]>> Ethel, yes, Ethel, of course I will. But what is all this about a black dress?

[01:11:21]>> There's no black dress, I tell you.

[01:11:23]Do you suspect me now? I shall go. I shall leave this house, that's all. If you will not PROTECT ME, I SHALL LEAVE.

[01:11:29]I SHALL PACK MY THINGS NOW.

[01:11:30]>> ETHEL, come back. In the name of God, come back. I have been insulted. If you will not protect ME, IF YOU WILL SUSPECT ME, THEN I SHALL GO. Then where will you find your kisses, Mr. Drew? Where will you FIND YOUR KISSES THEN?

[01:11:43]>> ETHEL, for God's sake, keep calm. I don't suspect you.

[01:11:47]Before God, I don't suspect you. I believe the man's a maniac. Only keep calm and I'll send him away.

[01:11:52]>> There's no dress, I tell you. He's trying to catch me out. There's no dress upstairs.

[01:11:56]>> there's no dress, Ethel.

[01:11:59]Do you think I don't trust you? Do you think I've gone mad, too?

[01:12:01]>> There's no dress, I tell you.

[01:12:03]>> Ethel, I know there's no dress.

[01:12:06]I know.

[01:12:12]Listen.

[01:12:13]Go and [clears throat] get the dress.

[01:12:17]What do you mean, Ethel? Go and get it.

[01:12:21]It's at the bottom of my wardrobe, at the back.

[01:12:24]You trust me, don't you?

[01:12:26]He's trying to catch me out, that's all.

[01:12:28]You trust me, DON'T YOU? YOU TRUST ME BLINDLY.

[01:12:30]>> ETHEL, I I THEN GO AND GET THE DRESS AND HIDE IT. I'LL TELL YOU LATER. TRUST ME.

[01:12:35]Do you trust me?

[01:12:36]>> Be quiet, Ethel. And and don't let him question me anymore.

[01:12:41]Oh, he's setting me off.

[01:12:44]He's starting me off.

[01:12:46]How How do you mean, starting you off?

[01:12:48]Oh, I don't know.

[01:12:51]Never mind.

[01:12:52]He's starting me off, Ethel.

[01:12:55]Be quiet.

[01:12:56]Quiet, please.

[01:12:57]Well, sir, have you spoken to your visitor? Yes, sir, I have.

[01:13:03]You take wonderful liberties, sir, in my house, don't you?

[01:13:06]Why, yes, I believe I do. But then, wonderful things have been going on in your house just recently, believe me.

[01:13:13]You have a very cock-a-hoop expression, sir. Really?

[01:13:16]That might conceivably be because I'm feeling a bit cock-a-hoop, sir.

[01:13:19]>> a very tortuous way of speaking, sir, and a very tortuous way of behaving, too, if I may say so.

[01:13:24]>> Oh, no, sir, not tortuous now. We're well out into the street now, round Tednam Corner and out into the street.

[01:13:29]>> What do you want to say? Nothing to you, sir.

[01:13:33]Quite a lot to Miss Fry.

[01:13:36]Can I have a word with you, Miss Fry?

[01:13:39]Miss Fry.

[01:13:41]>> [laughter] >> Hello. She sent me to Coventry.

[01:13:43]>> I don't know about Coventry, sir.

[01:13:45]You can get back to your damn Metropolitan Police Station or wherever you came from.

[01:13:50]Miss Fry is not going to say another word tonight.

[01:13:54]If you have any questions, you can put them to me.

[01:13:57]>> [snorts] >> There are a few questions I want to put.

[01:14:01]Now, tell me, Miss Fry.

[01:14:02]>> Miss Fry is not here.

[01:14:05]Address yourself to me.

[01:14:07]Oh, I see. Then you're Miss Fry.

[01:14:11]Good.

[01:14:12]Sit down, Miss Fry, and let's talk.

[01:14:16]I prefer to Go on.

[01:14:21]Miss Fry.

[01:14:23]Was your name Lowmess, first of all?

[01:14:26]Lowmess. Lowmess.

[01:14:29]And did you go to school in Gloucester when you were 15?

[01:14:33]And did you, at that early age, run away one day with a headmistress's little boy?

[01:14:39]And were you found in Bristol with him trying to get a boat to sea? What conceivable motive could any person have for doing any such thing? Motive.

[01:14:48]That's the odd thing.

[01:14:50]As a policeman, I know that women run off with babies not their own a hundred times a year. It's It's a police station commonplace.

[01:14:56]But it's not for a policeman to tell their motives.

[01:14:59]That's for a doctor.

[01:15:01]And a bit beyond a doctor, too, I imagine.

[01:15:05]However, >> [clears throat] >> were you later a governess in Northumberland, Miss Fry?

[01:15:10]>> No, this is not And did you again run away with a baby of the house with the aid of the gardener? A rather low lot, a man named Rush, whom you bribed? And were you found in London with him? What are you talking about, Rush? If Compose yourself, Miss Fry.

[01:15:26]And when that was hushed up through the kindness of your employers, did you live in a very poor way along with a man Rush and his gang in Camberwell?

[01:15:35]And then did you break with Rush and fake your name and references and appear here as governess to Mr. Drew three years ago?

[01:15:43]And did you, on the 18th of December last, in the middle of the night, in a black dress which I have just found upstairs, together with an ordinary child's mask which I have also found upstairs amongst the children's toys, abduct Mr. Drew's child and lodge it with the man Rush, leaving it to the mercy of that merciless man?

[01:16:00]>> What is he talking about, Ethel? Please.

[01:16:03]But But who is this man, Rush?

[01:16:05]>> Rush, sir?

[01:16:06]He's here, sir. He's here.

[01:16:08]As you will see.

[01:16:11]Rush. Come in here.

[01:16:13]Good evening, Governor.

[01:16:15]Pleased to see you again, Governor.

[01:16:17]Pleased to see you, Rush. I thought you might like to meet Miss Fry.

[01:16:22]Why, my dear.

[01:16:25]My precious darling.

[01:16:28]My precious darling, Miss Fry.

[01:16:31]He looks as how it's all up, don't it, dear?

[01:16:35]Why, dear, don't you recognize me?

[01:16:38]Who is this man, please?

[01:16:42]I I don't recognize him.

[01:16:45]Take him away, please.

[01:16:47]Oh, he's trying to set me off.

[01:16:50]What, my precious? Don't you recognize me?

[01:16:54]And I knew a stationer, isn't it?

[01:16:57]Don't you know me?

[01:16:59]I'd know me if I was you.

[01:17:02]It's all up, you know.

[01:17:03]And I've gone and turned it.

[01:17:06]Queen's evidence, my dear.

[01:17:08]I've told it to the dear little Queen and all her little ones.

[01:17:13]I'd know me if I was you.

[01:17:15]Who is this man?

[01:17:18]I've never seen him in my life.

[01:17:20]Oh.

[01:17:21]Don't let him set me off, please. Why, don't you know me, my dear?

[01:17:26]I shall have to set you off if you don't know me.

[01:17:30]The old song, dear.

[01:17:33]You're the rose, ain't you?

[01:17:35]And the lily of the valley.

[01:17:38]I am the rose of what?

[01:17:40]I'm the rose of what?

[01:17:45]I am the rose of Sharon and the lilies of the valley. As the lily among thorns?

[01:17:52]>> As the lily among thorns, I am the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley. As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters.

[01:18:03]The banqueting house, my dear.

[01:18:06]He brought me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love. For lo, the winter is past. She's off.

[01:18:18]>> The rain is over and >> set her off with old Solomon.

[01:18:21]She's as dotty as they make them. Oh, my love. Now, let me hear thy voice, for sweet is thy voice and my countenance is comely. Oh, what is this? Ethel. Ethel.

[01:18:32]>> All night on my bed I sought him whom I so love. I sought him. Ethel, stop her, someone. Stop her, for God's sake. She's mad.

[01:18:42]What has she done?

[01:18:44]Has she got my baby?

[01:18:46]Has she killed my baby?

[01:18:48]>> Never mind about your baby, Drew. Your baby's well enough. Your baby's in the house now, upstairs with its mother.

[01:18:55]Thou art fair, my love, and behold, thou art fair.

[01:19:00]My poor Ethel. Jealously is as cruel as the grave. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.

[01:19:08]If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly condemned.

[01:19:12]Oh, let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine.

[01:19:16]>> [laughter] >> Let him kiss me with the kisses of Ethel, baby's back. Baby's back. [laughter] They brought me back my baby. I don't care what happened you heart.

[01:19:30]Your baby?

[01:19:33]Did I hear you say?

[01:19:35]Did I hear you say your baby?

[01:19:37]Are you alluding to my baby Mrs. Drew?

[01:19:41]You dare to say he's yours. You dare to think he's yours.

[01:19:46]Yes, you did dare to do that. I showed you where you were mistaken I believe.

[01:19:52]You ugly little aging beast.

[01:19:56]Am I not beautiful? Are you not ugly? Is not the man mine? And if the man is mine is not the baby? You dare to think THE BABY IS YOURS WHEN THE MAN IS MINE. THE BABY IS MINE AND I HAVE SHOWN YOU HE IS MINE. You have suffered. I have made you suffer and suffer you shall. The baby is mine UGLY ONE, UGLY ONE, UGLY ONE.

[01:20:25]Are there lots of people in this room?

[01:20:28]Are there not?

[01:20:31]Why yes.

[01:20:33]The room is thick people.

[01:20:36]Miss Fry.

[01:20:37]Inspector?

[01:20:39]Don't you think you'd do better outside this house?

[01:20:42]They seem to have got some designs on your baby.

[01:20:45]And you don't want to stay on those terms do you?

[01:20:48]He's a friend of mine uh Miss Watson.

[01:20:51]I know her well. She's a good soul.

[01:20:54]Why don't you go with her?

[01:20:56]You can talk about your baby with her.

[01:21:00]My dear Miss Watson.

[01:21:04]Delighted to meet you.

[01:21:07]Shall we go?

[01:21:09]I have really no desire to stay here.

[01:21:12]Come.

[01:21:14]Let us go.

[01:21:15]How nice to meet a woman.

[01:21:18]We shall have a woman's chat about womanly shan't we?

[01:21:23]Do you know?

[01:21:24]I always hated men.

[01:21:27]I always hated men.

[01:21:31]Come Miss Watson.

[01:21:34]Come along.

[01:21:36]We'll talk about womanly things.

[01:21:39]We'll talk about womanly things.

[01:21:45]All right Roberts.

[01:21:47]Escort Rush off the premises please.

[01:21:48]I'll be long soon.

[01:21:50]Goodnight governor.

[01:21:51]Goodnight all.

[01:21:52]Ethel Fry is a funny one isn't she? If I may take the liberty.

[01:21:56]>> Clear out of here you. I'll put an end to your liberty before long even if I can't this time.

[01:22:01]Goodnight governor.

[01:22:04]Ernest.

[01:22:06]Don't you want to see baby?

[01:22:08]>> [laughter] >> He's back.

[01:22:10]We must go and see him together.

[01:22:13]Yes.

[01:22:14]Go and see baby my dear.

[01:22:17]Uh I'll see him in a moment.

[01:22:20]Uh I'm a little confused.

[01:22:23]>> Yes. Come and see baby.

[01:22:26]Baby is back.

[01:22:28]Baby is back.

[01:22:30]Oh Inspector.

[01:22:33]Thank you.

[01:22:34]Go and see your baby Mrs. Drew.

[01:22:41]Don't you want to do the same Mr. Drew?

[01:22:44]Inspector.

[01:22:47]Miss Fry. Yes.

[01:22:51]I love that woman.

[01:22:54]Yes Mr. Drew.

[01:22:55]I know you did.

[01:22:58]I'm sorry to have brought you pain.

[01:23:00]Brought me pain?

[01:23:03]You brought me back my baby man.

[01:23:07]You're a very clever detective. No sir.

[01:23:09]>> [clears throat] >> No detective at all not an ounce of it just routine and good memory.

[01:23:14]I saw the man Rush on my rounds in Camberwell with a mysterious addition to his menage. A baby.

[01:23:21]I remembered Rush's history. His history with a governess in Northumberland. I suddenly thought history might repeat itself.

[01:23:27]And then I thought of the Drew case where there was a governess.

[01:23:32]It was an inspiration and I was right.

[01:23:34]I sent Roberts and three men onto it and rounded them up.

[01:23:37]It was a foregone conclusion before I entered this house tonight.

[01:23:42]Hm.

[01:23:43]I'm afraid I've played a hoax on you tonight Mr. Drew.

[01:23:46]But then I thought you might be in some way guilty too.

[01:23:52]As you were saying just a good memory and common routine.

[01:23:56]I loved her Inspector.

[01:23:59]And I thought she loved me.

[01:24:03]What was the idea behind it all?

[01:24:06]God alone knows the ideas behind mad people sir.

[01:24:09]I know the way criminals behave and I know the way maniacs behave but I've never found what moves behind them yet.

[01:24:18]We all have the same longings and passions but we don't behave as they do.

[01:24:24]In this case God knows.

[01:24:28]Malice against the wife mostly I should say.

[01:24:30]Malicious hatred of her malicious love of yourself.

[01:24:34]The desire to hurt and strike by stealth.

[01:24:38]Desire for little children too perhaps.

[01:24:40]Too much love of love.

[01:24:43]Too much brooding on love.

[01:24:47]Don't try to account for Ethel Fryzer.

[01:24:51]She's outside all the accounts.

[01:24:52]>> She mustn't suffer.

[01:24:54]She mustn't be put away. She must be put away sir.

[01:24:57]But she needn't suffer.

[01:24:59]You have the money and she needn't suffer.

[01:25:03]No.

[01:25:05]She shan't.

[01:25:08]Thank you for my baby Inspector.

[01:25:09]>> Don't mention it sir.

[01:25:11]I [snorts] told you this all been in the day's routine. And by the way my day is not ended yet.

[01:25:16]What a day it's been.

[01:25:20]Listen sir.

[01:25:22]This is the way that life goes.

[01:25:24]Early this morning I had to attend a poor devil of a laborer who had succeeded in killing the wife and child he loved.

[01:25:34]But he had no such luck with himself.

[01:25:38]At noon I interviewed a poor devil of a clerk who'd stolen some money and was white with fear and ruin.

[01:25:49]This evening I came here and brought another sort of ruin.

[01:25:56]World's full of ruin sir.

[01:25:59]And full of poor devils.

[01:26:02]But it's full of healing too sir.

[01:26:05]And it's full of pity.

[01:26:10]Cultivate pity sir.

[01:26:12]Cultivate pity.

[01:26:15]You seem to be a hard man because there's something gnawing at you. Yes.

[01:26:21]I was brought up hardly.

[01:26:23]I had to fight my way against all of them. Don't fight your way with them sir. Cultivate pity.

[01:26:28]They're all poor deluded devils all of them.

[01:26:33]We're all poor deluded things all of us.

[01:26:38]Goodnight.

[01:26:40]Oh nice to see you goodnight to you sir.

[01:26:48]What's the matter dear?

[01:26:50]Are you worried about Ethel?

[01:26:53]Winifred.

[01:26:55]I'm afraid I've been a harsh bad blundering husband. What do you mean dear?

[01:27:02]You're not bad.

[01:27:03]Don't look so sad.

[01:27:06]Baby is back.

[01:27:08]Are you worried about Ethel? She'll be all right.

[01:27:12]Poor Ethel. Yes.

[01:27:16]Poor Ethel.

[01:27:18]Poor thing.

[01:27:21]Poor deluded devils all of us.

[01:27:25]Poor things.

[01:27:28]Oh my dear.

[01:27:34]Poor devils all of us.

[01:27:37]>> [laughter] >> Poor things.

[01:27:44]>> [gasps] [music] [music] >> In The Governess by Patrick Hamilton adapted for radio by the author the part of Miss Fry was played by Margaret Wolfit and that of Ernest Drew by Hugh Manning.

[01:28:40]Mrs. Drew Joan Matheson Ellen Helen Worth Bob David Gooderson Nurse Dorit Wells Detective Inspector Rough Alan Dudley Rush Martin Friend Jock Ronald Herdman Kate Jane Knowles.

[01:28:59]The play was produced by David H.

[01:29:01]Godfrey.