Bringing Up Baby Page #8

You can't quit. Call them back.

- But you said...

- Everything's changed.

- That leopard belongs to Aunt Elizabeth.

- Aunt Elizabeth?

Just call back and say you were mistaken.

I've just managed to convince them

that I did see a leopard.

- They'll never believe me.

- I'll fix that. I'll say you're a drug addict.

- You're always seeing things.

- Never mind. Give me that phone.

- Hello, operator?

- Not so loud.

Get me Westlake-284.

- I don't know...

- Never mind, David.

Hello. Is that zoo?

Nobody's talking baby talk.

I'm the man that called up

about the leopard.

You don't have to do anything.

It's all been a mistake.

- Stop them!

- What's the matter?

- What did he say?

- It's too late. It was the night watchman.

- He said everybody's out leopard hunting.

- Jeepers!

You've gotten us into a wonderful mess.

Let's think before we act.

- You think. You think faster than me.

- What do you take to catch a leopard?

- How big a leopard?

- We've got to catch him before they do.

- I've got to watch George.

- We'll take George with us.

Aunty, we're taking George for a walk.

- Where's the leash?

- My goodness!

- Where's George?

- Where's George?

- Why this morbid interest?

- I've got to find him.

What for?

He knows where my intercostal clavicle is.

Your what?

Major Appletree,

you promised to watch George.

- I did.

- But you didn't.

Where is he?

- He's gone.

- Gone where?

- Out that door.

- Why didn't you say so?

No, not that door. That door.

- Thank you.

- That's right.

I can't stand this another moment.

Come along. Let's get some fresh air.

- Yes. Shall we run?

- Yes.

I can't understand why a loon

would answer a leopard's cry.

There's something wrong.

- They both sound exactly alike to me.

- No, pardon me, Elizabeth.

Please, the leopard's cry is

entirely different.

As I explained to you in there,

the leopard's cry goes like this.

What a terrible noise.

I don't see how you do it.

It's done largely with the palate.

The hands play an important part

in the resonance and carrying power.

- Why do you put your thumbs together?

- You see, the thumbs...

it's very necessary that the base

of the thumbs are close together like that.

That brings out a sort of pear-shaped tone,

you see?

Having done this, you take a deep breath,

keep the throat well open...

and out comes...

My. That's fine, Elizabeth...

for one who hasn't had any practice.

Really, it is. You've got something there.

- Got what?

- The mating cry.

- Now, don't be rude, Horace.

- I'm not rude.

I was merely alluding to the scream

you did just now.

- I didn't scream.

- You didn't scream?

- I certainly did not.

- You didn't scream?

No. I ought to know if I screamed.

Then there must be

something wrong here.

I should say so.

I've never known anything like it.

Ever since I came into the house

there's been something wrong.

- Elizabeth...

- It's been bedlam!

- Don't you think it's time we went inside?

- No. We've only just left it.

But don't you think

it's a good idea to go back?

No, I think it's a good idea

to continue our walk.

But don't you find it a bit chilly

without a gun?

- Why don't you sing, David?

- I can't.

- You can. You have a fine strong voice.

- But not for singing.

It's not fair. You're just being stubborn.

- That's a dog.

- George.

- What's the matter?

- Something moved in that bush.

Let me go first.

Don't you think it would be better

if I went first?

No. You might get hurt.

Thank you, David.

- I can't see a thing.

- Neither can I.

Are you sure you saw something moving

in here, because I can't...

Susan, where are you?

- Here I am.

- This is no time to be playing squat tag.

I'm not playing.

I'm caught on something.

Help me, will you?

- Help me, will you?

- No. That's poison ivy.

I bet you wouldn't treat Miss Swallow

this way.

I'll bet she knows poison ivy

when she sees it.

Yes, I bet poison ivy runs when it sees her.

I'm not here to discuss Miss Swallow.

I'm looking for George. I'll find him if...

David, are you all right?

- Don't laugh.

- I can't help it.

You look so silly.

Did you hear that? That's Baby.

- It's George, too.

- You don't suppose...

Shut up.

Look!

Look, David, they like each other.

But goodness knows

how long that's going to last.

In another minute, my intercostal clavicle

will be gone forever.

Here, George. Come here.

No. Susan, be quiet.

Is there any way to cross this stream?

- Surely it's shallow. We can wade across.

- Good.

The riverbed's changed.

Did we get across?

No, we're right back where we started,

only we're wet.

Now George and Baby have disappeared.

While you were at it, you might

as well have gone to the other side.

While I'm wet I'm gonna go

to the other side!

Don't leave me!

If we'd had a bathhouse,

this wouldn't have been so complicated.

Next time I'll try and arrange one.

Or perhaps there are portable bathhouses

for people like you. There must be.

Don't be so grouchy.

We could have such fun. There's moonlight

and everything is so lovely.

- And I do so like being with you.

- You do?

Well, I like peace and quiet.

But it's peaceful and quiet here.

Let's just stay here and let George

and Baby look for us.

Your sock's on fire.

That's all right. I don't care anymore.

- That's fine. Throw the other one in.

- That's true. You could have...

Don't be upset, David.

Well, who wouldn't be?

Here I am, trying to help you

find a leopard...

so that your Aunt Elizabeth

won't be angry at you.

And then she'll probably give you

the $1 million I need for my museum.

If you'd planned it, you couldn't have

ruined my chances more completely.

You told your aunt I was crazy, didn't you?

You told her my name was Bone

and you didn't tell me.

You told her I was a big-game hunter

and didn't tell me.

You tell anybody anything

that comes into your head...

and you don't tell me.

- Here's something else I didn't tell you.

- What now?

Mr. Peabody's coming

to see Aunt Elizabeth tonight.

Oh, dear. That's the end, that's all.

Peabody's sure to tell your aunt who I am.

He'll never remember

those four years' hard work...

I put in on that brontosaurus. No.

All he'll remember is that I conked him

on the head with a rock last night.

Where's that music coming from, David?

Westlake. There's a circus there. A...

Come and see the Harem Nights, boys.

Sheena and Neema. They've just escaped

from the palace of a sheik.

The owner's got a job for you.

He wants you to take his leopard

to Bridgeport.

- What happened?

- Just gave his new trainer a going-over.

Hurt him bad?

Bad? You think three minutes alone

with that cat did him any good?

Should've shot him last summer,

when he ripped up Calhouney.

What do we do with him?

Deliver him to this address.

They've got a gas chamber.

- I've phoned over. You go along, too, Mac.

- Who, me?

- You heard what I said.

- Where is Bridgeport?

How should I know?

Somewhere on the state highway.

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