A Canterbury Tale Page #2

What is this,

an old Chillingbourne custom?

- He's in the town hall, Sergeant.

- Who is?

Your Glue Man. We chased him

down the street, and he's in this building.

- Door there!

What's up, Ernie?

- It's him, the Glue Man.

- Where?

I heard the whistle,

up on the church tower.

I ran all the way.

I ran - I - I dropped - bumped

into a soldier running across the square.

- He caught the Chartham bus.

- Nuts! That was Peter Gibbs.

- And who may he be?

- The soldier who was with us when it happened.

Well, why don't you

search the building?

You leave that to us, miss. We may be slow

in Chillingbourne compared with London ways...

and we ain't no G-men neither,

but we know our duty and we have our methods.

Ernie Brooks, you get back

to your fire-watching.

If you hear anything,

blow your whistle, as arranged.

- All right, Bertie.

- Sergeant Bassett when on duty, if you please.

Constable Ovenden, you will accompany me

on a tour of the building.

You will kindly stay here with the young lady.

Uh, sergeant, is it?

Yeah. Sergeant Johnson.

Say, can't I come too?

This guy may be dangerous.

Have you got a gun?

This is Chillingbourne, Sergeant Johnson,

not Chicago.

- Better use your torch.

- Say, what kind of a crack is that?

I come from Oregon.

Getting tired

of this old Glue Man spoiling our games.

You shouldn't be.

It saves you money the way you play.

I wonder when they're gonna

give us our electric light.

Oi. There's a light in the courtroom.

- There's someone in there.

- Yeah.

- Ready?

- Yes.

Come on.

Let's take him by surprise.

- Anything wrong, Bassett?

- Sorry, Mr. Colpeper.

We didn't know you were still up here.

I see. All right. Can you make me a cup of tea?

I'm sure you've got a kettle on downstairs.

- Here's my cup.

- Yes, sir.

- Sir, the Glue Man's out again.

- How do you know?

An American soldier

and a girl chased him here, sir.

What girl? What American?

Well, the girl who was the incident, sir.

Isn't that right?

Yes, Sergeant.

She's come to work for you, sir.

On your farm.

She's a land girl.

There must be some mistake.

You say they chased the Glue Man here?

Yes, sir. They insist he's somewhere

inside this building.

Well, what are you standing

talking for, Bassett? Get on and search it.

Yes, sir.

- Gee, what a job.

- Is it coming out?

- Beg your pardon, ma'am?

- Any better?

Well, I've got considerable on me,

so there must be less on you...

but there's still plenty on you.

Here you are, miss.

What on earth am I to do?

Soap's no good.

Hot water's the only thing.

- Miss Grainger's boiling a kettle.

- You seem to be an expert.

- She's the 11th incident.

- What about this glue-throwing character?

Captain, you don't mean to say

you let him get away from you?

He got away- if ever he were inside.

- Now we shan't be long, deary.

- Nice work.

Put another kettle on, Miss Grainger,

and make some tea.

Mr. Colpeper's fire-watching.

Oi. Here's his cup.

- Who's Mr. Colpeper?

- Magistrate. Wants to see you.

Oh, he does?

Okay, ma'am?

- Mmm.

- Let's give it another whirl with the hot water.

I guess Mr. Colpeper can wait a while.

Here. We know how to handle this.

Still a bit sticky, sir.

Glad to meet you.

Welcome to Chillingbourne.

You're the first American soldier we've seen.

- Bad luck missing your train, Sergeant, uh -

- Johnson, sir.

Johnson.

- Say, what's that?

- That's the old ducking stool.

Very sensibly used

for silencing talkative women.

Hi! Hi!

Are you there, Mr. Colpeper?

Excuse me.

- That you, Brooks?

- You're showing a light, sir.

Sorry, Brooks.

Very careless of me.

We take our blackout seriously in East Kent.

This your first time in England?

- Yes, sir.

- Do you like it?

Sure, but I haven't seen

much else but Salisbury.

You've seen something if you've seen Salisbury.

It's a fine town.

Yeah. It's got some swell movies.

Really? You're a great moviegoer,

Sergeant Johnson?

You bet. It's a great thing

to sit back in an armchair...

and watch the world go by

in front of you.

The drawback is, Sergeant Johnson...

that people may get used to looking

at the world from the sitting position.

I don't quite get you.

Then when they really do pass through it,

they don't see anything.

Shall you be

going to a movie in Canterbury?

Is there anything good on?

This voucher will get you a room

in the Hand of Glory. That's the inn.

One of the men will take you over.

There's nothing to pay.

- Thanks. That's swell of you, but I can pay.

- No, no. You're our guest for tonight.

Okay. Thanks a lot.

That's all right.

- Pity.

- Pity?

Pity when you get home and people ask you

what you've seen in England, you'll say...

"Well, I saw a movie in Salisbury...

and I made a pilgrimage to Canterbury

and saw another one."

You've got me all wrong.

I know that in Canterbury

I have to look out for a cathedral.

Do look out for it. It's just behind

the movie theater. You can't miss it.

- Oh, take the sergeant over to Mrs. Foster.

- Yes, Mr. Colpeper.

And ask the young lady to come in.

Good luck, Sergeant.

Good night, sir.

Colpeper.

Colpeper.

- Up here, miss.

- Thank you.

I'm sorry about the incident, miss, uh -

- Alison Smith.

- Miss Smith.

I've been sent by

the War Agricultural Committee.

I wish they'd telephone

before they send people.

You wrote. They sent me.

I want a farm laborer.

You have to take

what you can get these days.

You've got me.

I can do the work.

I'm sorry, Miss Smith.

You refuse to employ me

because I'm a girl?

Miss Smith, there's a camp

near this village full of soldiers.

- I know.

- Oh, you know?

I'm not interested in soldiers.

- Perhaps they're interested in you.

- Let them. They mean nothing to me.

Aren't you afraid to stay here?

Why should I be afraid?

After what's happened to you.

- Didn't you hear it?

- What?

Somebody moved. In there.

Nonsense.

It isn't nonsense.

- Somebody's there.

- How could there be?

I've been here the whole time.

Why don't you want to open it then?

Here's some more.

Uh, Mrs. Foster

won't be long now, miss.

Can I help you?

Well, I've seen some topsy-turvy things

in this war- and the last -

but to see guests

doing real work for me...

no, miss.

Uh -

Do you know Mr. Thomas Colpeper?

Do I know Mr. Colpeper?

- You a Londoner, miss?

- Mmm.

Well, what would you say if I was to ask you,

do you know who's the lord mayor of London?

- But I don't.

- Ye -

- You don't?

- No.

- Well, aren't you ashamed?

- Not a bit.

I see.

That stone interest you, miss?

It comes from the old road...

what some folks call the Pilgrims' Road.

Yes. From the bend.

Up there on the hill.

What do you know about our bend?

- I've seen it.

- When?

Three years ago.

Ah. Then it weren't our bend you saw.

It weren't uncobbled then.

No, but the bend was there all the same.

- Is it excavated now?

- Yeah. The whole bend.

- Who gave the money?

- Council.

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