In Our Time Page #4

you weren't going

Until the end

of the week.

Mrs. Bromley decided

to leave earlier.

Tomorrow...

Could I see you

in the morning?

I'm afraid I'll be

busy packing, Stephen.

Please, try.

I must see you.

Please.

Where are we going,

Stephen?

You drive?

No, I don't.

Would you like to try?

Come on!

All right.

That's right.

Now be careful,

My life is

in your hands.

I like the polish

countryside.

If you really want

a good view,

There's a hill

over there,

The only one

for miles around.

Shall we stop?

Yes, please.

Jenny:
thank you.

Oh!, it's beautiful!

It reminds me a little

of England.

Stephen, you've given me

The most wonderful week

I've ever known.

I'll never forget it.

Neither will i, Jenny.

I'm glad you saved this

for our last day.

They're breaking

the soil now.

Soon, they'll

be planting.

Fresh soil...

Feel it, Jenny.

It's cool.

Jenny...

I hate to think you won't

be here for the harvest.

Will you stay?

Stay?

I want you to marry me.

Will you, Jenny?

Stephen, I...

Say you will.

Ohhh...

I thought I was never going

to see you again.

La lechka, my la lechka.

Oh, Stephen,

I do love you.

[Thunder]

It's going to rain.

Yes!

We better hurry.

Mrs. Bromley will be wondering

what's happening to me.

We don't worry about

Mrs. Bromley anymore.

I'm going to take you

to my home.

What, Stephen?

It's only

a few minutes away.

I want you

to meet my family.

Oh, but I can't!

Look at the way I'm dressed.

What will they think of me?

They're expecting us.

Oh, Stephen, couldn't we

make it some other time?

I do look so awful.

Oh, you look wonderful!

Oh, Stephen, wait!

You won't tell them

about us today, will you?

Why not?

Well, maybe if they

got to know me

A little bit better,

they wouldn't mind.

Oh, silly darling!

They'll love you

as much as I do.

[Thunder]

Of course, they're still

in the dining room.

Spend their lives there.

I'll tell them

we are here.

Stephen!

Yes?

Nothing.

You're nervous,

aren't you?

A little.

Don't be.

Stephen.

Hello, Janika.

Mother,

it's Stephen.

Stephen!

Mama.

Ohh!

What a day

you've chosen to come!

I'm sure heaven is

going to punish you

for deserting me

this past week.

I'm sorry

we are late, mama.

Who is this? The young

lady you told us about?

Yes, mama. I want you

to meet Miss Whittredge.

You are welcome here.

Thank you,

Countess.

We waited for lunch

as long as possible,

But I have kept it

warm for you.

Thank you, mama. We

had a late breakfast.

Well, we'll have

coffee together.

You and

Janina and--

Stephen!

You forgot to introduce

your sister.

Oh, Janika,

I'm so sorry!

Please forgive me.

Uh, Jennifer,

I want you

to meet Janina.

I'm so happy

to know you.

Thank you.

Shall we sit down?

Over here, Jenny.

Thank you.

Where's

uncle Leopold?

Oh, where would he

be, but with the radio?

He's upset again.

Something about Germany

and Czechoslovakia.

Haven't we met before,

Miss Whittredge?

Well, we didn't

exactly meet,

But I saw

you at the--

Ahh, here's

the coffee.

Ah! Now, careful, careful.

Such cups

are not even

to be bought anymore!

Well...

Now tell me where

you two met--

Where and

at whose home?

Jenny:
well,

it-- It wasn't a--

It was

in an antique shop.

Did you say shop?

Yes, but, uh,

We didn't really meet

until later that evening.

Oh, at a party!

It would be.

My son loves parties

just as I do.

It wasn't

exactly a party--

It was a musical evening.

Everybody was there.

Great aunt jadwiga,

mayor strazinsky,

And, uh, Jennifer.

And Jennifer?

Yes.

Janina:
have you forgotten

that I was there, too, Stephen?

Mama:
you, Janina?

Where?

The ballet.

You were there, too,

mother. Remember?

Perhaps it was

a musical evening, Stephen,

But I should hardly say

that it was music

You carried away with you.

[Door opening]

If you drink, you die.

If you don't drink,

you die anyway.

So, it's better

to drink.

Uncle Leopold...

Oh, Stephen,

you should drink, too.

We all should get drunk.

At least we will

have an excuse

For doing nothing.

Herr hitler's troops

are massed on the border

Of what remains

of Czechoslovakia,

And the world digs its

head deeper into the sand.

Uncle Leopold, I want you

to meet Miss Whittredge.

How do you do?

I tell you, it's

Czechoslovakia today,

Hungary tomorrow,

and the day after,

Herr hitler will finish

what is left in this bottle.

Ah! It is your charming

friend from England.

My mother's brother--

Baron baruta.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Dear lady, forgive

my informal attire.

Before my family

apologizes for me,

I'll apologize

for myself.

I started out

as a great oak,

Now, I'm a mere stump.

Life has

chopped me down.

My brother was a poet in his youth.

And you were a poem,

zosinka.

My sister is lucky.

A poem lives as long

as it is cherished,

But a poet lives

Only as long

as he cherishes life,

And that's not easy now

in time or country.

[Radio playing in background]

How it is possible

for the world

To go on day

after day--

Mama:
Leopold,

please!

You or the radio,

not both.

See, I'm a tree stump

that everyone sits on.

Janina:
but uncle Leopold,

We've been listening to it

all morning.

Very well,

I'll turn it off,

But that won't save you.

You hate the radio

for the same reason

You don't like

listening to me--

Because we both bring

the world too close.

Excuse me, my dear lady,

I'll be right back.

You mustn't take uncle

Leopold too seriously.

He doesn't mean

half he says.

Oh, i--I think he's

very interesting.

Well,

Miss Whittredge,

What good fortune brings you to Poland?

She's here

on a visit, mama.

Oh.

Well, it isn't

exactly a visit.

You see, we're

here on business.

Business?

Yes.

A kind of shopping

tour, mama,

Uh, buying antiques.

Really?

Your house must be full of treasures.

Oh, I'm afraid

you misunderstand.

I'm not buying them

for myself.

In fact, I'm not

even buying them.

It's Mrs. Bromley.

She's an antique dealer

in London.

I work for her.

Oh, you work

for her?

Well, it isn't

quite that, mama.

Uh, she's

kind of a companion.

Mama:
and

your family...

Where are they?

Well, my parents

aren't living.

Her father was

a well-Known composer.

Mama:
oh.

Oh, I'm afraid

Stephen exaggerates.

He did compose one

or two little things.

He was really

a piano teacher.

You're very modest,

Miss Whittredge.

Yes, isn't she?

Modest?

And, of course,

Jenny plays beautifully.

Don't you want

to play for us, Jenny?

Mama loves Chopin.

Well, Stephen,

really, i--

Perhaps Miss Whittredge

would rather talk?

Well, anything you wish.

Mama:
uh, no.

Chopin, please?

I love Chopin.

[Begins playing]

Isn't she a

wonderful person, mama?

So real and honest.

She plays well.

Mama, I've asked her

to marry me.

Stephen:
mama!

Janina:

are you all right?

Mama:
just for

a moment i--

I felt faint.

Oh, oh,

my precious cup.

Don't worry, mama,

it can be repaired.

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