Adventure in Baltimore Page #3

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What for, Tom?

Some woman they arrested, Mr Steuben.

What did they arrest her for, Tom?

For causing a riot, Mr Steuben.

How did she do that, Tom?

She was painting, Mr Steuben.

Fainting? Ah, women are always fainting.

No, not fainting. Painting.

She's a painter, Mr Steuben.

METAL CLANGS:

What took you so long getting here?

I don't just go around carrying 50, you know.

I had to go to the bank first.

- Why did they fine you so much?

- They didn't. It's bail.

I won't appear, and the money will be forfeited.

As they don't have my right name, that'll be the end of it.

- 50 bail?

- 10 apiece. For five of us.

Good day, sir.

You bailed THEM out with MY money?

Yes. If it wasn't for my painting, they wouldn't have fought.

I couldn't leave them. That would be selfish.

My deepest gratitude, young lady.

Mighty nice of you to get us out.

- Oh, that's all right.

- Yeah. Glad to do it.

- It was a nice picture just the way it was.

- With a bit more red.

Oh, I wouldn't say that.

You wouldn't?

No, I wouldn't.

I say it was great just the way it was.

I still think it needed more red.

Wait a minute. There was enough red in it.

ALL CLAMOUR AT ONCE

MEN CONTINUE TO ARGUE

Why do you have to act as if you were my keeper?

Because I only have three dollars left.

Let us not inconvenience the law.

I'll pay you back the money, Tom.

- Yeah.

- It may not be right away, but I will.

Oh, sure. I know that.

What are you so worried about, then?

What am I worried about?! Work.

A chain, a crankshaft and a broken axle to fix by tonight.

Plus studying, plus writing a speech for the Forum Society.

And you drag me down to jail.

- I'm sorry.

- Doesn't help.

No.

Tom, that speech you have to write.

- What's it about?

- Equality.

Equality? What kind?

Any old kind of equality.

Oh.

Tom, I have a marvellous idea.

I have a wonderful speech on that, all written,

for a debate we were meant to have at school.

You can use it.

No, Di, I couldn't do that.

Please do. I feel so badly about the trouble I've caused you.

It'll make me feel I've done something to show my gratitude.

Please.

Well...

Well, all right, if it'll make you feel better.

Oh, it will.

If I could have it any time before tomorrow night.

And make it nice and logical. Bye.

Tom, you're going to have a speech people will never forget.

Bye.

Tom!

Thanks so very much for helping me.

Oh, that's all right, Di.

"Members of the Forum Society and other guests,

"equality is that precious state guaranteed to all citizens by the constitution.

"It is what we cherish above all, along with freedom."

Dinah...

Will you come here a minute, please?

Mr Fletcher's just told us about some...

happenings yesterday, that er...sound...fantastic.

He just wanted you to tell us what you can about them.

They're true.

But why didn't you come and tell us?

I just didn't want anybody to know.

Coming on top of all the other troubles I've caused...

..well, I couldn't tell you.

- But you know you can always talk to us about anything.

- I'm so sorry.

Being sorry will not help.

You don't realise what damage you've done to your father.

Just a minute. Now's not the time to mention...

It IS time she got a sense of responsibility.

- She SHOULD know.

- Know what, Momma?

Well, dear, the bishop's retiring.

And your father was mentioned to succeed him.

Before their meeting last night,

George Weil's cousin, who works at the City Clerk's Office...

- Well...

- She saw you and Wade come out of the police station

with several suspicious characters.

Because of something I did, you won't nominate Papa for bishop?

That's not within my powers.

The others feel it's a bad reflection on your father.

They postponed the nominations.

Oh, Papa, I feel so awful.

- You'd make such a wonderful bishop.

- That he would.

I'm very happy just being pastor of St Edmunds.

- I don't know if I'm fitted to be bishop.

- You are.

- SOBBING:

- Oh, you are.

If you ask my opinion, the young lady should be punished.

Aye. Properly punished.

What would you suggest, Dan?

It should not be light. I warn you.

Mm... How about flogging in the public square?

Or ducking in the ducking stool?

Andrew, I counsel ye. Ye cannae take this matter lightly.

I don't, Dan.

But as far as I can see, she hasn't done anything to merit punishment.

The others will take no such-like view of it.

It's your future I'm concerned with, Andrew.

I let the Lord take care of that. He does a better job of it.

Well, if you'll not work for your own advancement, I cannae help you.

Good day, Andrew.

Goodbye, Dan.

Dinah...

She's on the porch.

Oh, Papa, I feel so awful about what I've done to you.

You haven't done anything to me.

Yes, I have. I'm always causing things like this, somehow.

And other people get hurt. And now you.

I heard what Mr Fletcher said.

He's right. I should be punished.

- For what?

- Well, for...

For being eager to paint?

Maybe it was unwise to wander into that particular district,

but then, art has no geography.

But some people think I did wrong.

I'm all mixed up.

Yes, I know you are.

HE CHUCKLES:

It's a curious thing, but something like this happened to me once.

I didn't do anything wrong either, though many thought I did.

- But I learned something from it.

- What happened to you?

Well, when I was quite young, I had an ambition.

It...may sound a little odd to you now, but...

I was very sincere about it.

I wanted to be a...

..ballroom dancer.

- Papa, you didn't?!

- Yes, I did.

And I was pretty good, too, if I do say so.

Of course, your grandpa and grandma were unalterably opposed.

Said it was unbecoming and unconventional

and forbade me to do it.

Grandpa was running for County Recorder, but I didn't know that,

and I ran off to join a touring act.

Only the nicest hotels, of course, and an occasional theatre.

- How old were you?

- 18.

I thought at the time it was my destined vocation.

It seemed to me that anything I wanted that badly was meant to be.

Then you DO understand.

Indeed I do.

Well, what happened then?

Oh, I lasted three weeks.

The act... How do they say it? ..folded up, and I went home.

For weeks, I was overwhelmed with guilt,

because Grandpa lost the election.

And I thought it was due to my...escapade.

But it wasn't.

He had lost it, anyway.

You know...

I don't think even your mother knows about my brief career as a dancer.

I think it was wonderful of you to go out and do what you wanted,

no matter what people thought.

Perhaps it explains where you get some of your...unconventionality.

Now, let's go inside

and have breakfast, shall we?

I only wish I were more like the kind of daughter you deserve.

I've never been quite sure what kind of a daughter I deserve,

but I do know you're exactly the kind of daughter I WANT.

Tom, sorry I'm late.

I just had an idea for another paragraph at the last minute.

I wish I could have read it at least once.

- Well, good evening, Miss Sheldon.

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