The 39 Steps Page #3

with all its fine shops...

and Argyll Street

on a Saturday night...

with the trams

and the lights...

and the cinema palaces

and their crowds.

And it's Saturday night tonight.

You certainly don't get

those things out here.

No.

You miss them?

Sometimes.

I've never been to Glasgow,

but I've been to Edinburgh...

and Montreal and London.

I'll tell you all about London

at supper.

- John wouldn't approve of that.

- Why not?

He says it's best not to think

of such places and the wickedness there.

Why not listen now

before he comes back?

What do you want to know?

Is it true that all the ladies

paint their toenails?

Some of them.

- Do London ladies look beautiful?

- They do.

But they wouldn't

if you were beside them.

- You ought not say that.

- What ought he not to say?

I was saying I prefer living in town

than the country.

God made the country.

- Is the supper ready, woman?

- Aye.

- Do you mind if I look at your paper?

- I don't mind.

Thank you.

- You did not tell me your name.

- Hammond.

Well, Mr. Hammond, if you'll put down

that paper, I'll say a blessing.

Of course.

Sanctify these bounteous masses

to us miserable sinners.

O Lord,

make us truly thankful...

for them and for all

Thy manifold blessings.

Continually turn our hearts...

from wickedness...

and from worldly things...

unto Thee.

Amen.

I forgot to lock the barn.

There are cars coming.

It'll be the police. You best be going.

- Thank you. I was having a grand sleep.

- Don't let them catch you.

All right. I'll never forget you

for doing this for me.

- Which way do I go?

- I'll show you.

Aye. I might have known.

Making love behind my back.

- Get out. You too.

- Just a minute...

- Get out of my house before I...

- Aye. Go.

- And leave you like this?

- It's your chance at liberty.

You don't understand.

You're all wrong about this.

She was only trying to help me.

Aye, to bring shame and disgrace

upon my house.

She was helping me to escape

from the police.

- The police?

- Yes, they're after me for murder.

- What?

- They're here.

She was only warning me.

I had to tell her last night.

Don't let them in. Say I'm not here.

I'll make it worth your while.

- How much?

- Five pounds.

Have you got that much?

Give it to me.

After they've gone.

Get back into bed.

Shut him in. Hide him.

- Not there. I do not trust him.

- But he took the money.

He could not resist it.

Here.

Have you seen a stranger

about here?

What kind of a stranger?

I was right.

He's asking if there's a reward

if you get catched.

He'll argue about it for a moment longer

before he lets them in.

Now's your time.

Your jacket's terrible light-colored.

I'm a-feared they'll see you.

- You best take this one.

- Is this your husband's coat?

His son's, but never mind.

They must not see you.

- What will happen to you?

- I'll say I couldn't stop you.

- He'll not ill treat you?

- He'll pray at me, but no more.

- What's your name?

- Margaret.

Good-bye, Margaret.

I'll never forget you for this.

There he goes!

Spread out in a line.

- Is the master in?

- What name should I say, sir?

He wouldn't know my name.

Ask if he knows Miss Annabella Smith.

- Would you wait here while I inquire?

- Yes. Go on.

We'd better make inquiries here.

Somebody may have seen him

through the windows.

- There's been a couple motorcars here.

- Aye.

Murderers do not make calls

in motorcars.

- Good day, dear.

- The same to you.

Have you seen any strangers

this morning?

There's a few callers upstairs now,

but they're not strangers.

You haven't seen any suspicious-looking

bodies outside the windows...

- or calling at the house?

- No, sir.

There hasn't been anybody near here

for the last half hour.

- You're from Annabella Smith?

- Yes.

We're just having a few drinks

to celebrate my daughter's birthday.

Give me five minutes,

then we can talk.

- Of course.

- Come meet my wife. Louisa, my dear.

I've another guest for you.

This is Mr...

- I forgot to ask your name.

- Hammond.

He's come to see me on business,

all the way from London.

There's a police inspector at the door.

He wants to speak to you.

At the door?

All right.

I'll deal with it.

- Take him in, my dear.

- Come and meet my daughters.

- This is Patricia.

- How do you do?

Mrs. Bailey. Mrs. Hutchins.

Hilary, my dear,

this is Mr. Hammond.

- He just arrived from London.

- How do you do?

Forgive the orgy. We've been to church

and the sermon lasted 45 minutes.

- This is Captain and Mrs. Ogilvey.

- How do you do?

- Have a drink?

- Thank you.

This is Derek Stewart.

And this is Sheriff Watson.

You've got to be polite to him.

He's our Sheriff Substitute.

Scotch for a local beak.

He'll give you six months hard

as soon as look at you.

It's all right. Don't worry.

I've sent them away.

Come and look at the view

from this window.

We're rather proud of it.

- When will you catch that murderer?

- What murderer?

The man that stuck a carving knife

into that woman last week.

- He's here in the district.

- How exciting. Where?

Somewhere about.

He's been on the moors.

Sheriff Ames, why don't you catch him?

You wouldn't like me to be stuck

in the back with a carving knife.

It's no business of mine to catch him.

You catch him, and I'll convict him.

- Is there a reward?

- It's nearly 1:
00. We must leave.

- The professor wants his lunch.

- There's no hurry, my dear.

Still, if you must go...

Pat, ring for Captain Ogilvey's car.

Yes, sir.

Are you coming out?

Come show us your new car.

- Come again another time.

- Good-bye. We'd love to.

Whenever you catch him, you'll find me

at the Sherif Court every morning.

- Bring him along.

- Good-bye.

Louisa, if you'll excuse us...

Mr. Hammond and I want

to have a chat before lunch.

Now, Mr. Hannay... I suppose it's safe

to call you by your real name now.

What about our mutual friend,

Annabella?

- She's been murdered.

- "Murdered"?

The Portland Mansions affair.

Why our friends outside

are looking for you.

- I didn't do it.

- Of course you didn't.

But why come all this way

to Scotland to tell me?

I believe she was coming to see you

about some Air Ministry secret.

She was killed by a foreign agent

who was interested too.

- Did she tell you what he looked like?

- There wasn't time.

One thing:

Part of his little finger was missing.

- Which one?

- This one, I think.

Sure it wasn't this one?

- Lunch is ready, dear.

- I'm coming right away.

I've been guilty of leading you

down the garden path.

Or should it be up?

I never can remember.

It seems to be the wrong garden,

all right.

Well.

- What are we going to do?

- That's just the point.

What are we going

to do about it?

I live here

as a respectable citizen.

You must realize that my whole existence

would be jeopardized...

if it became known

that I'm not what I seem.

Mr. Hannay,

why have you come here?

Why have you forced me

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote