(BELL TOLLS)
(TOLLING CONTINUES)
Poor old Willy Dalby.
I liked him. Admired him.
I was saying to you the other day, James,
I admire them all for their sheer spirit.
The awful thing is that providence doesn't allow their bodies
to be as indomitable as their wills.
Yes.
He just seemed to fade away, didn't he, in a few weeks.
I wonder how she'll manage.
I don't see how she can, not with three young children.
It's a hell of a pity. They worked so damned hard to build that place up!
Well, I thought I'd call.
Just to see how she's coping.
Yes. Of course, James, of course.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(FOOTSTEPS)
-Car coming, Mum. -Oh?
Vet, I think.
Well, don't just stand there, William! Show him in.
Hello, Willy. Thanks.
Mrs Dalby.
-How are you, Mr Herriot? -Fine. You?
Fine.
I'm sorry about Billy.
-Yes. -I was just passing.
Thought I'd drop in, see how things were.
Well, that's nice.
Is there anything at all I can do?
I think we're just about coping, thanks.
You'll be selling the farm, I suppose?
Good Lord, no!
Oh? Well, how will you manage?
Reckon we'll just take every day as it comes.
There's Charlie outside, of course. He'll come full time now.
And there's William.
He'll just have to grow up a bit quicker than was intended, that's all.
Man of the house now, then, Willy.
Well, if there is anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask.
I'll remember that.
You'll take a mug of tea and a custard tart with us while you're here?
No, I won't, thanks, Mrs Dalby. I must be off.
-All the best. -Thank you.
(DOOR SHUTS)
(COCK CROWS OUTSIDE)
Clancy, sir.
Pardon?
After my brother-in-law, you know?
Oh, the dog's called Clancy.
And he were a big bugger, sir.
Only All Island champion of wrestling, sir.
Until the day he got his eye poked out.
And never received no compensation, neither, on account that the referee said
he were unsighted at the time that the incident happened.
Uh, what exactly can we do for you, Mr Clancy?
-Uh, Mr Mulligan. -Uh, pardon?
What do you want?
Oh, medicine, sir, for me dog.
And what seems to be the trouble with your dog?
You won't have to mumble with me, sir, I'm a bit hard of hearing.
If you'll just not mumble.
What's the matter with him?
-Womiting, sir. -Pardon?
What's that?
Womiting?
That's it, sir. Womiting bad.
-(STIFLED LAUGHTER) -Oh, vomiting!
(CHUCKLES)
And how soon after eating does he vomit?
What's that?
I said, when does he womit?
-Vomit. -Oh, he's womiting all right, sir. Womiting bad.
Bismuth and mag carb, James.
There should be some bottles about. Tristan mixed a new batch yesterday.
Ah, these?
Yes, that's it. Thanks.
Nothing basically wrong with the brute
except that he eats every scrap of rubbish he comes across.
-Caninus omnivorous. -Oh, I see.
Been womiting again, have we, Mr Mulligan?
Oh, it is, sir, it is.
But I'm thinking it will brighten up later.
Perfectly possible. There you are, James. see you later.
Right.
Mr Mulligan?
Oh, thank you, sir. Thank you very much.
All right, come on, Clancy. Come on.
That's a good boy. Come on.
Oh... Hello.
Hello, James.
-Hello. -Hello.
Isn't that Siegfried I can hear calling you?
Didn't you see him? He just went out.
Am I by any chance in the way?
Distinctly.
Well, in that case, if you're quite sure I'm not wanted...
You aren't.
(LAUGHS)
-How are you? -Fine.
-You? -Oh, fine.
-What can I do for you? -I was in town and thought I'd call by.
I was wondering if you'd like to come up for tea on Sunday.
-Tea? -Sunday.
Oh, that'd be marvellous!
I mean, yes. Yes, I'd love to.
Good.
Well... See you Sunday, then.
Right.
-Bye for now. -Bye, Helen.
(JAMES WHISTLES HAPPILY)
Have you been eavesdropping?
I need to keep informed, as your tactical advisor in these matters.
Ah. I'm invited to tea.
Mmm. It's a good sign, right, James? It's a good sign, I think.
I should say so.
Always provided, of course, that you don't read too much into it.
What do you mean?
What I mean is you're not home and dry yet, you know. I mean,
he's still there, lurking about in the undergrowth.
-"He"? Who? -Richard Edmundson.
Still, I don't suppose he'll be there on Sunday.
You don't think there's a chance he might be, do you?
Oh, probably not.
Although, of course, he is an old friend of the family. Never away from the place.
-Oh? -And old Alderson does rather fancy him
for a son-in-law, I understand.
-Now, where did you hear that? -Down the pub.
I say, I'm not putting you off, am I?
-Of course not. -I mean, that's the very last thing that I want to do.
-Of course it is. -And she has invited you to tea.
Yes.
-Unless it's just being polite. -Polite?
Returning my hospitality.
I mean, let's face it, why should she invite me to tea?
I haven't exactly covered myself in glory with her, have I?
Was it your fault that when you took her to the dinner dance,
there wasn't one that weekend?
What about that awful night at the pictures?
And how were you to know they would change the film?
Or that Gobber Newhouse was going to come snoring next to you?
And then you really put the tin hat on it for me, didn't you?
I did?
Dragging me off on that dreadful double date with those nurses
-and getting me blotto. -Oh, come on, now, James, be fair.
My own memories of that evening are a bit blurred,
but I certainly didn't have to prise your jaws open and force the stuff down you.
I wake up at night sometimes and I relive the whole ghastly scene.
I'm there, legless, and Connie's at my elbow, not much better.
Then suddenly she goes green, drops her trifle, and passes out right in front of me.
And there they are, Helen and him,
that pink, scrubbed face staring at me down yards and yards of nose.
My dear James, don't be so gloomy.
You'll see, nothing will go wrong this time.
I wish I could share your confidence about that.
-By the way, have you seen Siegfried's new Rover? -Yes.
He's given me the old car, you know? -Ah!
Did you tell him the brakes were wonky?
Yes. He said a good driver doesn't need brakes.
I asked if I could take the Rover for a spin, you know?
And what did he say?
He went puce and asked me if I thought he was out of his mind!
Well, you did write the Austin off last week, didn't you?
And you did have your arm around a nurse at the time.
Yes. There is that.
(LAUGHS)
Do remember to close it behind you. There's a good chap.
More tea, James?
Mmm, thank you.
(GIGGLING)
James has had a busy time since we last saw him,
-with the sheep. -Oh, yes?
Did you have much twin lamb disease this time, James?
Yes, quite a bit, actually.
Quite a bit.
But I dosed the ewes with glucose, and it seemed to do quite a bit of good.
I reckon nowt to glucose.
I've tried it and I reckon nowt to it.
Oh, that is interesting. That's quite interesting...
(COUGHS)
There's a lot of pulpy kidney about.
-Pardon? -Pulpy kidney amongst the lambs.
Oh, fancy!
-That's interesting. -Yes. Yes, isn't it?
(GIGGLING)
It's a good job we've got a vaccine against it now.
I reckon nowt to vaccines.
-Oh? -No.
Wool ball.
I beg your pardon?
Wool ball on the stomach's causing the deaths you're on about.
Nowt to do with kidneys at all.
Wool ball.
Aye.
(CLOCK TICKS LOUDLY IN THE SILENCE)
(BOTH SPEAK AT ONCE)
Store cattle were down on Monday.
Oh, really?
-Aye. -Tsk, what a pity.
Mmm.
Pig trade was good, though.
Oh, aye, aye.
HELEN: Dad! MR ALDERSON: Mmm?
-Stan's here. -All right.
Stan's our cowman. One of the herd's gone down with the staggers.
Has she, by God?
-Where is she? -Up on top field.
I've got my stuff in the car. I'll go get it.
I'll get my boots on.
Lucky James was here.
Seems like it.
(DOG BARKING)
I'm sorry, Mr Alderson, I'm afraid she's dead.
Oh?
Her heart just gave out before the magnesium had a chance to work.
Ah, well, these things happen.
It wasn't your fault, James.
No, of course not.
You musn't blame yourself, then.
No, I don't.
Well, thanks for the tea.
It was lovely.
Ah, let's see, now. Barnet, Gill, Sumter, Dent...
I'd better look at Scruton's calf, James.
I know you've been treating it, but it's not going past the door.
Uh, tell me about it, will you?
Well, it's, uh, breathing a bit fast and it's running a temperature.
Yes.
I don't think there's any pneumonia there,
but I suspect that it may be developing diphtheria.
Get that book, would you, Tristan, please.
Thank you.
Yes, James, go on.
There's a swelling on the jaw, and the throat glands are up.
Uh-huh.
Pneumonia, eh?
No, I said I didn't think it was pneumonia.
I say, how will you be treating it?
I'm injecting Prontycyl and I've left some liniment to be rubbed into the throat region.
Right, then.
Liniment for the chest.
-Not the chest, Siegfried. The throat. -SIEGFRIED: The throat.
Why on Earth would you be rubbing liniment into the throat?
To relieve the inflammation.
But surely, wouldn't it do more good on the chest?
Well, no, not for calf diphtheria.
Diphtheria? My dear old James, now, let's start again from the beginning, shall we?
You are one of the best fellows alive, but by the Lord, you lack
the gift of clear communication.
I'll take all the time in the world. There's absolutely no hurry.
You did tell me that you were treating Scruton's calf for pneumonia.
No, I didn't.
But I distinctly heard you mention you were.
Diphtheria, Siegfried, not pneumonia. Diphtheria.
He's running a temperature of 105.
105? Good Lord!
Well, look, the last thing I want to do is interfere, James, you know that.
But, uh, wouldn't you say the situation calls for a little Prontycyl?
I'm using Prontycyl, Siegfried, I have just told you that,
and I'm not treating the animal for pneumonia, I'm treating it for diphtheria.
What is the point of my telling you things if you never listen?
-(FRONT DOOR SLAMS) -My word!
Would you say that our James has had something on his mind the last few days?
Her name's Helen.
Oh. Ah!
(SHEEP BLEAT)
-James? -Hmm?
Don't mind my asking, but why am I sitting out here?
Do you know what I can't stand most about your brother?
-What? -Everything else I like about him except for this one thing.
-What? -It's when he gets patient with you.
When that saintly look comes on his face and you know for certain
that any minute now he's going to forgive you
-for something he's just done. -I know.
I just can't stand it.
I know.
Still, life could be worse, James.
Good Lord, no.
She was right, you know, it wasn't your fault.
You try telling her father that.
(SIGHS)
Have another beer, old son. Drown your sorrows.
Thanks.
My God!
She's off!
Oh, no!
Please, no!
(CRASHING)
-The damnedest thing! -What?
Someone's flattened the new club hut up on the golf course.
-Good Lord! Really? -Police haven't a clue how they did it.
Students, I expect. Don't care what they do these days.
You two were up in that direction yesterday, weren't you?
-Yes. Yes, we were. -(PHONE RINGS)
-Did you see... -I'll get it!
(DOOR SLAMS SHUT)
Oh, hello, Mrs Dalby.
Oh, I see. What are the symptoms?
Yes, all right. I'll get out as quickly as I can. Yes. Goodbye.
That was Mrs Dalby.
Oh, yes?
Those stirks she bought...
They're sick.
James, you'd better get up there straight away.
Yes. Yes, I'll go now.
Now, come on, Tristan, tell me exactly how this headlamp came to get
broken.
Well... We were coming to this gate, you see, up at Harrison's farm.
-Yes? -We braked and nothing happened.
The car just went straight on into the gate.
I see.
I must say, though, it wasn't James's fault he rammed the gate.
I mean, be fair, he has been complaining about those brakes for weeks.
They've got husk, Charlie.
Aye, that's what I thought. Touch of husk.
You'll be giving 'em a throat injection, will you, Mr Elliot?
-Yes, of course. -That'll soon put 'em right.
-Let's get them off this grass and into a building, shall we? -Aye.
Come on.
-Husk? -It's a parasite.
It infects the cow's bronchial tubes and sets up bronchitis.
I'm afraid that they're pretty bad, Mrs Dalby. I wish you'd called me sooner.
There's been that much to see to.
Of course. Sorry.
Is there something you can do for them?
I've given them an injection and I'll leave you some medicine.
They need the best possible food, that's good hay and high-protein cake.
(SIGHS) That'll cost a bit.
Yes, I know. I'm sorry, but it's the only treatment.
I certainly can't risk them picking up any more worms from the pasture.
Are we going to lose any of 'em, Mr Herriot?
It would be very wrong of me to make light of this, Mrs Dalby.
Some of them are certainly going to die.
-Many? -Very possibly.
I see.
Well...
If you'll sit yourself down, I'll get you that mug of tea.
You gave them all the injection, did you, James?
For what it's worth.
Oh, the books speak very well of it.
Chloroform stupefy the worms, turpentine to kill them,
creosote to cause the cough that expels them.
You're on with all that?
Not for one moment, no. I think that any good effects
that have been achieved have been the result of getting the
cattle off the infected pasture in time.
Still, it always impresses the farmers very greatly.
How did she take the news?
Like she always does, on the chin.
As Charlie says, she does her crying in private.
She's an indomitable woman.
Oh, well, James...
You've done all you can.
We'll all do every damn thing we can. We can't do more.
(HE COUGHS CONVULSIVELY)
-Night, James. -Night, Siegfried.
(DOOR SHUTS AND COUGHING RECEDES)
-(TELEPHONE RINGS) -I'll get it.
SIEGFRIED: Thank you!
Hello, yes?
(LAUGHING)
Mr Worley here, up at the pub.
I'm having trouble with my sow, Marigold. She pigged this afternoon, and
I don't think she's got much milk.
Little pigs look very hungry to me. Can you come out?
Yes, all right, Mr Worley. Yes, I'll come. Goodbye.
I took a look at this lass... Boy, she was gradely...
-(ALL LAUGHING) -Hey, Worley!
If that's the wife, tell her I've emigrated.
(ALL LAUGHING)
Anyway, she says to me, she says,
"Were you on the bus on the way down?"
(LAUGHS)
-Good of you to come out, Mr Herriot. -Not at all, Mr Worley.
-She's out back, as you know. -Right.
She said, "I don't recognise you. Are you with our crowd?"
I looked and I thought, "I don't know you, love, either."
(ALL LAUGHING)
No homes to go to, some of 'em.
(CUSTOMERS SING DRUNKENLY)
Right. Right.
(SOUND OF SINGING WAFTS ACROSS)
Thank you.
(PIGLETS SQUEAK)
See what I mean? Just no milk.
(SINGING CONTINUES)
It isn't that, Mr Worley. It's there, all right,
it's just not getting through.
Oh? Can you do owt about it?
Yes, actually.
(SINGING CONTINUES)
You're taking a bit of a risk, aren't you, Mr Worley?
It's nearly 1:00 in the morning.
No sweat. Local constable, PC Dalloway, is a mucker of mine,
larked together many a time when we were kids.
He has what you might call a very elastic attitude, is old Dallows,
to the licensing laws.
-Oh, I see. -He'll be in there having one with us in about half an hour.
How very civilised of him!
(PIGLETS SQUEAK AND SOW PANTS)
There, now, Mr Worley, that's better, isn't it?
Nay! It's never cleared up already, has it?
See for yourself.
It's a miracle, is that. I've never seen owt like it!
Well, I'll go to Heligoland!
Course, I can see you like pigs, you know.
Can you really, Mr Worley?
Oh, yes. I'm never wrong.
The minute I saw the way you got down to her, first time you come.
"Hello," I said, "Now, there's a young man who likes pigs."
Really?
-Mr Farnon's the same. -Oh, really?
There's nothing he likes better than a pig.
you know, I never realised that.
And his young brother, young Mr Farnon, he's very fond of pigs.
He's had a lot of experience with pigs.
You don't have to tell me. The minute I saw that lad I could tell.
He's got "pig" written all over him.
Yes, well, I'll tell him you said that.
You do that.
(INAUDIBLE)
Old Worley's going to have to change his brewery.
I'm getting sick to death of this beer.
I... Hey, it's not Mr Herriot, is it?
How are you, Mr Newhouse?
Nay, lad, don't "Mister" me. Call me Gobber like everybody else.
Hey, I say, you're not going without having one, are you?
-It's a bit late, actually, isn't it? -Nay, lad!
I haven't been home for me tea yet.
-No, come on through and join the party. -Thank you.
Hey, you lot! Hey, I say! Look who I found 'ere.
ALL: Evening, Mr Herriot!
-Evening. -Six pints of bitter, Worley.
Six pints coming up.
Now, Mr Herriot, how's the dog trade, then?
It's all right.
-Keeping you busy, eh? -Right.
-Not too busy, eh? -Pardon?
Hey, I say!
I saw him the other night with his young lady in the cuddling seats!
(RIBALD LAUGHTER FROM DRINKERS)
Come on, then, get your chops round this lot!
-Good health, Mr Herriot. -Cheers!
-Cheers, Mr Herriot. -Cheers.
-Sorry, Mr Newhouse. -Don't spill it!
I wish you all the very best, lad.
Thank you.
Now, then, what are we having? Give us a song.
-That'll be six shillings, please, Mr Herriot. -Six shillings?
With yours. Sorry I can't make it any less.
# Get up, get up, get out of bed
# Cheer up, cheer up, the sun is red
# Live, love, laugh and be happy #
Thank you.
Now, that Gobber Newhouse, he hates pigs.
(BELL RINGS)
-That'll be old Dallows now. -All right, Mr Worley. I'll let him in.
-Good night. -Good night, Mr Herriot.
(SINGING CONTINUES)
Good evening, sir.
Evening, Officer.
Or should I say morning? Your car outside, sir?
-Yes. -You've had a bit of a bump, haven't you, sir?
Ran into a wall. Brakes, you know.
-Brakes? -They don't work very well.
You do realise it's an offence, sir, having defective brakes.
I'm having them seen to.
Very wise, sir. Having a bit of a late night, are we, sir?
I've been looking at Mr Worley's pig.
-Oh, yes, sir? -I'm a vet.
Ah! Well, tell me, sir, do you make it 1:00 a.m.?
(SINGING CONTINUES)
Yes, I do. One, just.
Yes. That's just what I make it.
You aren't PC Dalloway, our regular local man.
On holiday, sir, Skegness.
Oh, really?
-Good night, Officer. -Good morning, sir.
(SINGING STOPS ABRUPTLY)
Fifteen quid. And a warning from the bench that next time it would cost him his licence.
What about the rest of them?
£2 each,
despite passionate protestations from Gobber Newhouse
that the beer in his glass was purchased before
closing time four hours earlier!
-They're a heartless lot, magistrates! -Not a pig lover amongst them!
(BOTH LAUGH)
-How are you feeling now? -Worse than ever.
It's flu, Siegfried. You should be in bed.
Yes, now I'm going to have to.
Will you be able to manage all right?
Leave everything to us, Siegfried, and don't worry.
Give me a reason.
Give me one good reason why I shouldn't worry,
leaving everything to you.
(HUMOURLESS CHUCKLE TURNS INTO A COUGHING FIT)
Do you get the feeling occasionally, James,
that Siegfried doesn't entirely trust us?
Yes.
Yes, I do.
-What's wrong with your hand? -It was that bad calving last week.
Think I must have gotten an infection in it.
You should see the doctor.
Yes, I intend to, as soon as I've been to the Dalbys'.
I don't know. Just about everything seems to be going wrong at the moment.
How many have died so far, Mrs Dalby?
Four so far.
Last one died this morning.
I'm sorry.
Only them as has 'em can lose 'em.
How many more can we expect to go, do you think?
It's hard to say. It could be at least another half dozen, I'd have thought.
Even the survivors... Well, they aren't going to be winning any medals for you.
Well, you did warn us.
And there's nothing you can give 'em?
There's nothing a country vet needs more desperately at the moment than a husk vaccine.
I see.
Doesn't anything ever get you down, Mrs Dalby?
Oh, aye!
Besides, there's a lot worse off than me.
Come on.
Thank you.
Courting Helen Alderson, are you?
-I wouldn't say that. -Oh?
-Chance'd be a fine thing. -What do you mean?
Every time I seem to go near the girl, something terrible happens.
-Well, that's a good sign. -You think so?
Aye. now, with my Billy, when we were courting, he were always breaking things.
Oh, yes?
I remember, first time he come for tea, he offered to bring tray through from kitchen.
He knocked the spout clean off me mum's best teapot!
Really?
(KNOCKING)
(HOARSELY) Come in.
-Good morning, brother. -Is it?
I'd say that was a matter of opinion.
-How are you feeling? -Ghastly!
Must you be so hearty?
Why is it whenever I'm unwell, you manage to become like a generator of vitality?
Why can't you be your usual somnolent self?
And will you please put that damned cigarette out?
I'm having enough difficulty breathing as it is!
Sorry.
And if you'd refrain from burning my bed to the ground, I'd be grateful.
Morning, Siegfried.
Good Lord, this place looks like a field hospital.
What did the doctor say about your hand?
Well, it is infected, and I've got to wear the sling until the swelling goes down.
Great. How on Earth are you going to get about?
It's no problem. I'll drive him.
God help you, James.
Who was that on the telephone? I must say you took your damned time answering it!
It's Armitage at Sorton. He's got a cow down with milk fever.
Well, you'd better get out to him, hadn't you?
It's a bit of a problem, that, actually. I'm afraid the old car's off the road.
You haven't crashed it again, have you?
It's the brakes. I was warned by the police, remember?
Oh, yes.
So it's a bit of a problem, you see. Of course, there is the Rover.
Well, it's either that or that poor cow, Siegfried,
and as you've said yourself, if we're called out...
BOTH: We must attend.
Hah!
(COUGHING)
Give me my trousers.
One scratch, just one scratch,
and I'll kill you myself with my bare hands.
What a break, eh, Jim?
Bears out what I always say, everything happens for the best.
-You won't forget what he said. -My dear Jim, don't worry.
-This isn't the way to Sorton. -Yes it is, the scenic route.
-It's ten miles further this way! -That as well.
-Just take it easy, will you? -Relax, Jim. Enjoy yourself.
You know, I really think I missed my way.
I could have raced for a living.
I have an instinctive feeling for cars, you know?
Look out!
(METAL SCRAPING)
(SHEEP BLEATING)
(SHEPHERD WHISTLES TO DOGS)
(WHISTLING)
SHEPHERD: Come 'ee!
Come 'ee!
(TENTATIVE KNOCK AT DOOR)
Come in.
Come in!
Come in.
How are you feeling now, then, Siegfried?
-Worse! -Oh, dear. Dear, dear.
How did you get on?
-Fine. -Fine.
The cow was on her feet when we left.
Where are the keys?
Yes, of course.
About the car, Siegfried... There were these sheep, you see.
You've damaged it, haven't you?
Well... Yes.
What have you done to it?
Front and rear wings pretty badly mangled,
and, er... Both near-side doors... Ripped off.
Aagh!
Tricky, James. Still, as I always say,
things usually turn out better than you'd expect.
-Lucky he was too weak to walk. -What? Yes.
(CRASHING OF FURNITURE)
Tonight, James. Can't wait to get my hands on little Angela.
You must be some kind of a maniac.
I know tonight's going to be a complete disaster.
Nonsense. Tonight will be the most romantic night of your life.
(BELL RINGS)
If we ever get through in here. See who it is, would you?
-Mrs Dalby. -Mr Farnon. Mr Herriot, you aren't off duty, are you?
No, not yet. Why, what's the matter?
It's the herd, the new one I bought.
They all seemed fit enough when I bought 'em,
but now they seem to be losing ground, fast.
Oh?
They look as if they're giddy, and some of them are lying down, sort of dazed, like.
I see. Just give me a moment and I'll get my bag packed.
I don't think it's husk, anyway.
-Thank heaven for that! -But I'll dose them with this worm medicine just to be sure,
and then I'll take some samples and get them off to the laboratory tonight.
Thanks, Mr Herriot.
Well, I better come straight away.
I'll give you a lift, if you like.
That's kind of you, but I'll do the shopping whilst I'm here.
All right, Mrs Dalby.
I might see you later, then.
-Yes, you might. -Thank you.
-Bye. -Bye-bye.
What's the matter, James?
What?
Oh, sorry.
-It's that poor woman. -Mrs Dalby?
All the things that have gone wrong these past few months.
It's incredible the way she manages to rise above it all.
But if she loses this herd as well...
-Will she lose it, do you think? -Oh, I don't know, Tristan.
-What's the matter with them? -I don't know, no way of telling till I've seen them.
But I'm taking no chances. That woman's been through quite enough as it is.
I'll get up there straight away.
(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING)
-Gin and limes for you, duckie. -Thank you.
-Tomato juice for you, little Angela. -Thanks.
And a pint of best bitter for my friend and colleague.
Thank you, sir.
-Cheers. -Cheers.
Poor old Siegfried, missing all the fun, hey?
Shall we dance, little Angela?
Would you like to dance, Daphne?
It would be a pleasure.
(MUSIC ENDS)
(APPLAUSE)
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
There will now be a short break while my colleagues and I retire
for a few glasses of medicine.
(LAUGHTER)
And our heartiest thanks to the kind gentleman who sent them over.
(APPLAUSE)
-Hello. -Hello, James.
Daphne Arkwright, Helen Alderson.
-Pleased to meet you. -Hello.
-Are you enjoying it? -It's great.
-How are you? -Fine. You?
-Fine. Busy, you know. -Oh, yes.
Excuse me.
Excuse me. Come along, Helen.
-Well, see you later, perhaps. -Yes.
Nice to meet you.
-Shall we go and get our drinks? -What?
-Our drinks. -Oh, sorry.
I insist, Angela, you enter into the spirit of the occasion.
Now, what better spirit than a gin and orange?
-ANGELA: No. -Go on, Angela, have a drink.
-No. -Go on.
It's not going to be much fun for you
if you're stone-cold sober at the end of the evening, is it?
And it won't be much fun for me, either.
-Now, just a sip, hmm? -ANGELA: No.
(JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING)
-There you are, Jim. -Oh, hello, Tris.
-Enjoying yourself? -Very much.
-What's the matter? -Nothing. Nothing at all.
Come on, love, you'll enjoy this.
-You could always ask her to dance, you know. -I can't.
-Why can't you? -She's with him, isn't she?
-No, she isn't. -Yes, she is.
I've seen them. They've been together all evening.
They're in a party.
-Are they really? -Well, of course they are.
For heaven's sake, man, don't mess about. Go to it!
Go imitate the actions of a tiger,
or whatever other animal is appropriate.
Excuse me.
-Hello again. -Hello.
-Lost your girlfriend? -Oh, she isn't my girlfriend. She's a friend of Tristan's.
Oh, I see.
Nice dress.
Thank you.
Can I have this dance?
I'm afraid you can't. It's already promised.
Oh, I see.
-Ready? -Yes.
-Perhaps later. -Yes.
Excuse me.
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
Hello.
Who did you want to speak to?
Hang on. I'll see if I can find him.
(MUSIC ENDS)
-Have you asked her to dance yet? -Any minute now.
Good man!
If you'll take your partners this time, ladies and gentlemen, for the tango.
-Blast it! -What's the matter now?
I can't tango.
Oh, of course you can.
Just get her on the floor and oil yourself about as if you were George Raft.
TRISTAN: She's waiting.
Excuse me.
-Mr Herriot? -Hello.
There's a telephone call for you.
Oh, thanks.
He who hesitates...
(INAUDIBLE)
Shall we have a go?
Hello, Mr Worley. What seems to be the trouble?
Oh, I see.
Yes, well...
All right, I'll come out as quickly as I can. Yes. Goodbye.
-I thought you went backwards? -No!
It's no good, love, I can't get the hang of it. Come on, then.
(INAUDIBLE)
-Now where are you going? -I've been called out.
Oh, hell!
Yes.
Hello. I'm afraid we're going to have to give our dance a miss. I've been called out.
Oh, dear!
I sometimes think there must be better ways of earning a living!
I'm sure you don't, not really.
-I don't suppose... -What?
-Come with me? -All right.
I have to go to Skeldale House and pick up some things.
Of course.
She just left With Mr Herriot.
Oh!
(DOG BARKS)
-I won't be a minute. -All right.
(BARKING CONTINUES)
-All right now? -Oh, yes.
SIEGFRIED: James! Is that you?
Yes!
Is everything all right? (COUGHING)
It's perfect.
What?
(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)
She's what you call a beauty, isn't she, Miss Alderson?
Mmm? Very nice.
-I bet you like pigs, don't you? -Oh, yes.
I thought so. I can always tell, you know.
Right, Mr Worley.
I've given her an injection. So she should start to pick up in a couple of days.
It's not serious, but I'm glad you called me. And I'll, er... I'll call again on Monday.
Very kind of you.
Sorry to drag you away from your dance.
Not at all, Mr Worley. It was a real pleasure.
This is your young lady, then, is it?
That's right, Mr Worley.
This is my young lady.
-We could go back to the ball. -Do you want to?
No. Do you?
No.
I love you.
I know that.