Fanny by Gaslight Page #5

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give up all that sort of thing

but you know you much

prefer living in the country.

You could live at Orton with Fanny.

Think how happy you'll be together.

- You'd still have plenty of

money, and you'd... - Still?

I'd have to have a settlement,

or whatever you call it.

Couldn't Manderstoke support you?

Poor boy, he hasn't a penny.

Please, Clive.

I see.

Let me get this quite clear.

You want me to let myself be divorced

so that you can marry Manderstoke.

Yes.

You want me to make a

money settlement on you,

so that he can support you in what is called, I

believe, the style to which you are accustomed.

Yes.

You want me to betray my

colleagues and country.

- Oh.

- Yes, Alicia, my country.

So that you can still

have your box at the opera,

and go to tea with the

Duchess of Devonshire.

No, Alicia, I will not.

Very well, then, defend my suit.

Prove Fanny is your

daughter. If you can.

I can.

I don't think she'll be very grateful

to you by the time the case is over.

I don't envy her her

place in the witness box.

"I believe, Miss Hooper, your father -

I beg your pardon, your foster father

- was killed in a street brawl.

Was not that so, Miss Hooper?

And I understand that he was

the keeper of a disgraceful house

which was afterwards

closed by the police.

Was not that so, Miss Hooper?

And I believe that you

yourself were brought up... "

Alicia!

Yes. I'm not sure that your

country and your colleagues,

to whom you show such touching

loyalty, will be grateful to you.

And I'm not sure the Queen will relish a

cabinet minister with an illegitimate daughter.

Let me know what you decide.

"I need not tell you why I am leaving.

It will be better for both of us. "

Better for both of us.

Better for both of us.

Fatal accident for cabinet minister.

Mr Clive Seymore falls under

train. Read all about it.

I'll arrange for his

solicitors to collect this.

These two will go to his bankers.

Perhaps you'd hand these

to... Masters, Emily Thorpe,

and, lastly, yourself.

Why did he do it?

So you didn't believe it

was an accident, either?

He should have let her divorce

him. He could have lived it down.

Cabinet minister? No.

The scandal might have brought

down the government too.

Can't you imagine the headlines?

Anything he wanted to keep hidden.

He'd got nothing to be ashamed of.

He was only thinking of others.

Then there was something.

This girl... Fanny Hooper,

wasn't she at Orton with him?

She was.

Look, wouldn't it be as well for

you to tell me what she was to him?

You'd better ask her that, sir.

She'll tell you if she wants to.

Where can I find her?

At the Jolly Bargee,

River Row, Islington.

It's a public house, sir.

Oh.

Wait here will you, please?

Oi, Tom. A toff.

Good evening. I wish to see Miss Hooper.

Miss Hooper? Oh, what name shall I say?

Somerford. Harry Somerford.

I'll see if Miss Hooper's at 'ome.

Chunks? There's a toff

outside wants to see our Fan.

What might you want with Miss Fanny?

I have a letter for her.

- Oh.

- I wish to give it to her personally.

This way.

Here, what's he after?

It's all right, Chunks.

My name is Somerford. Mr

Seymore's private secretary.

It's no use pretending

we haven't met before.

Mr Seymore left this envelope.

I thought it better to deliver it in case there

were some technical details you don't understand.

Technical details?

- What is it?

- Why don't you open it and see?

Share certificates. I'm afraid

I don't understand these things.

I could arrange for them to be looked after

for you. I'm also Mr Seymore's trustee.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

- Mr Somerford?

- Mm?

There's something in this letter

my father wanted you to know.

Your father?

Yes. My father.

"Harry Somerford will send you this.

When you write to acknowledge it,

I want you to tell him who you are.

Tell him, too, that I love and

trust him as I would my own son. "

Your father?

I'm so very sorry.

If there's anything I could ever do...

Thank you.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

"I have had two weeks of

perfect happiness in my life,

and one of them I owe to you,

my beloved child.

God bless and keep you.

Your father. "

Good King Wenceslas looked out

On the feast of Stephen

When the snow lay round about

Deep and crisp and even

Brightly shone the moon that night...

Come on, Ma.

Gathering winter fuel...

The gutter O, the gutter O

Right in the middle of the

gutter O Meow, meow, meow

Upon the tiles we meet each night

And don't disperse till broad daylight

Meow, here we are again

Here we are again, here we are again

Meow, here we are again

Jolly, jolly cats are we

Here, Fanny, I've brought

the missus along to see you.

A bit of all right, ain't she?

I was wondering why the old Bargee was

getting all the custom these past few months.

Happy Christmas, Mrs

Joe. Happy Christmas.

What are you drinking?

- Just a drop of stout.

- Me too.

- Pints?

- Not half!

Right in the middle of the gutter O

The gutter O, the gutter O

Right in the middle of the gutter O

Meow, meow, meow

But soon a batch of she-cats came

Who quickly stopped the strife

Each tomcat left off fighting

and began to choose his wife

Right in the middle... Oh!

The gutter O, the gutter O

Right in the middle of the gutter O

Meow, meow, meow

Upon the tiles we meet each night

And don't disperse till broad daylight

Meow, here we are again

Here we are again, here we are again

Meow, here we are again

Jolly, jolly cats are we

Here. Stick your face in that.

Your very good health.

- And yours.

- Thank you.

And yours, ladies and gentlemen.

- Your order, sir?

- That you come out from behind that bar.

- I'm sorry. I have my customers

to attend to. - Very well.

Well, what are your

orders? Drinks are on me.

- Mine's a pint, Harry.

- A pint for Herbert.

- I thought you were having a party at home.

- I was but I escaped.

- Port for you, Polly?

- Here's to you, Harry.

Come on, George, give us a tune.

Right.

Come on, young Fanny. Come and

have a dance. We'll take over.

- I've got my glasses to wash.

- It's Christmas, ain't it?

Miss Hooper, may I have

the honour of this dance?

That is, if your programme isn't full.

I think I can spare

this one for you, sir.

- What's the matter?

- Nothing. Just you.

- Look.

- What of it?

It's Christmas, ain't it?

Go on! Hop it! Hop it!

Look, she's going into the pub.

Miss, they ain't open.

I... I want to see Miss Fanny Hooper.

I'm Fanny Hooper.

Really?

My name is Somerford. I'm

Harry Somerford's sister.

I'm sorry you've found me like

this. It's Polly's day out.

You said I could mind your

horse, didn't you, miss?

- It was me, lady.

- It was me!

Is there anywhere we could talk?

This way, please.

Won't you sit down?

Thank you, I prefer to stand.

I suppose you know why I've come.

- Because of my friendship with Harry.

- Your...

Call it that if you like.

Miss Hooper, for some months Harry has

been causing his mother and me anxiety.

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