An Inspector Calls Page #3

- Oh dear. It doesn't suit you at all.

Mother, you always say

that when I choose something!

Surely I'm old enough to know what

I want. - It's quite unsuitable.

Pink ones are very much prettier.

Quite charming when the

assistant had it on just now.

Why is it you girls always like things

that are much too old for you?

You need a hat like that

to suit your baby face.

Still, if you think you know

best, you'll have it dear.

Only hurry up and make up your mind.

You can meet me in the tea lounge.

Miss Francis,

I know it didn't look right

but I don't think I was

wearing it properly.

Can you show me, please?

Yes, Miss Birling. I think it

would look better like this.

Allow me. No, I might

disarrange your charming coiffure.

Eva, put it on, will you?

Yes, I knew it was alright.

Give it to me!

Come along!

Alright I won't have this

hat or any other!

Oh but Miss Birling! - I'm not going to sit

here trying on hats for your amusement!

But I assure you...

- That girl was grinning her head off!

Don't you teach them any manners?

- Eva, you wouldn't!

No. I wasn't, and it isn't my fault.

- I'm going to report you for impertinence!

Well I must say that's unfair!

It's nothing of the sort, you know

perfectly well you were being insolent!

I'm sorry if I made that

impression madam,

and I assure you nothing... - Don't just stand

there Miss Francis, do something!

Miss Birling, do you see anything wrong?

Yes. This girl has been abominably rude!

And if she's still here the next time

I come I'll walk straight out!

Well, Miss Birling, I'm sure

there must be some mistake...

And once more or I'll ask my mother

to close her account with you!

It didn't seem anything

very terrible at the time.

Well of course it wouldn't,

Miss Birling, at the time.

Well how could I know

what it would lead to?

If she'd been some miserable,

plain little creature,

I don't suppose I would've done it.

She was very pretty, and... looked

as if she could take care of herself

In fact in kind of a way, you might

be said to have been jealous of her?

Yes I suppose I was...

But if I could help her now,

believe me I would.

I'm sure you would, Miss Birling.

But you can't. It's a great pity. She's dead.

It's a bit sick when you

come to think of it.

Oh, I know, I know, I never

done anything like that before.

And I'll never do it again to anyone!

Why had this to happen?

That's what I hope to find out

before I leave here, Miss Birling!

So far we've discovered that Eva Smith

lost one job because she was

sacked out of hand by your father.

Then she lost another one because...

Well, for reasons which you've

just described Miss Birling.

Now she had to start again.

She was anxious to dissociate

herself from the past,

so she changed her name to Daisy Renton.

What?

I said she changed her name

to Daisy Renton.

Well, Gerald?

Well what, Sheila?

How did you come to know this girl?

Eva Smith. - I didn't

Or Daisy Renton, and

it's the same thing.

Why should I have known?

Oh dear Gerald, you gave yourself away

as soon as he mentioned her other name.

Alright, I knew her.

Let's leave it at that.

I wish we could leave it at that

- But Darling

No, it's no use! You're not any

newer, you knew her very well.

Otherwise you wouldn't

look so guilty about it.

When did you first get to know her?

Was it after she left Millwood's?

Were you seeing her all

last spring and summer

during that time when you hardly came

near me and said you were busy?

Well were you?

I'm sorry, Sheila.

But the whole thing was over

and done with last summer.

I haven't set eyes on the girl

for at least six months.

We don't come into this business.

Thought I didn't half an hour ago.

You don't. Neither of us does.

For heaven's sake, don't

say anything to the inspector.

About you and this girl?

- Yes.

He doesn't need to know.

- But he knows. Of course he knows.

But I hate to think how much he knows

that we don't know yet. For your sake.

Yes, I agree.

It's a very distressing story.

But I must say, inspector, that it seems an

extraordinary coincidence that my husband,

and as you tell us, Sheila, should

both have come in contact with this girl.

As you say, Missus Birling,

an extraordinary coincidence.

Of course, now we know why you're here,

we should only be too glad to

answer any questions we can.

Thank you. - But the rest of us, of

course have never met the girl

so I very much doubt if we

should be of any great help to you.

No mother, please.

-Why whatever's the matter, Sheila?

I know it sounds silly, but I feel

you're beginning all wrong.

I'm afraid you'll do or say something

you'll be sorry for afterwards.

I don't know what you're talking about.

We all started like that.

So confident,

so pleased with ourselves,

until he began asking us questions.

I don't understand about you.

I don't know much

about police inspectors,

but I never imagined them like you.

You seem to have made a great

impression on this child, inspector.

We often do in the young ones, Missus

Birling. They're more impressionable.

You're looking tired, dear. I

think you ought to go to bed.

I'm staying here until I know why

that girl killed herself.

Morbid curiosity.

In any case, I don't suppose for

a moment we can understand

why she commited suicide.

Girls of that class!

No mother, for your own sake as well as

ours, you mustn't... - Mustn't what?

Really, Sheila!

You musnt't start building up a wall

between us and that girl.

If you do the inspector

will just break it down,

it'll be all the worse when he does.

I don't understand you. Do you? - Yes.

Yes. I'm afraid she's right.

That I consider a trifle

impertitent, inpector!

I realize that you have to

conduct some sort of inquiry,

but I must say that so far you seem

to be conducting it in a rather peculiar,

and offensive manner.

You realize of course

that my husband was

And that he's still a magistrate?

Missus Birling, the

inspector knows all that.

As a magistrate,

Missus Birling, your husband

will want to take a lively

interest in this inquiry.

I'd be grateful for his help. Will he

be returning shortly, do you think?

He's just talking to my son Eric.

He seems to be in a silly,

excitable sort of mood.

What's the Matter with him? -Eric?

I'm afraid he may have had rather

too much to drink tonight.

We were... - Is he used to drinking?

- Of course not! He's only a boy.

We're all boys to our

mothers, Missus Birling.

I'd say he's a young man.

- Some young men drink far too much.

Are you insinuating that

Eric is one of them?

Mother, I'm the last person to say

anything to hurt Eric, you know that

What's the use of blindly

shutting our eyes to the facts?

But you, his own sister...

- Eric drinks too much

It's no help to him merely to pretend

that he doesn't. - But it isn't true!

Gerald, you know him.

You know it isn't true.

Well, Mister Croft?

Well... lately he has been

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