Sabotage

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(HORN HONKING)

MAN:
What's happened here?

(PEOPLE SHOUTING)

(HORNS HONKING)

- Sand.

- Sabotage.

- Wrecking.

- Deliberate.

- What's at the back of it?

- Who did it?

I know how the law stands.

You broke a contract,

therefore you broke the law.

But it's everywhere. Look at the street.

MAN:
I pay my money

to look at the pictures.

(SINGING)

MAN 1:
If I want to sit in the dark,

I can do it at home.

MAN 2:
Yes, free of charge.

MAN 1:
Yes.

I think it's a blinking shame,

robbing the poor people like that.

We've got to have our money back.

It's an act of providence,

like an earthquake or a thunderbolt.

Or a baby.

Will you kindly not interfere?

MAN:
We've got to have our money back.

I'm so sorry I'm late, Mrs. Verloc,

but I had a hell of a time

trying to eat my egg on toast in the dark.

Half of it's in my ear now.

(CROWD MURMURING)

They want their money back,

but we can't afford it.

I do wish Mr. Verloc would come.

WOMAN:
Rotten place.

Can't even see the pictures.

- They're getting nasty.

- Nasty? Leave them to me.

Here you, what's all this about?

Lend me your flashlight, Jack.

Is it our fault if the light fails?

Supposing you were a policeman,

got hit over the nut.

You think the government would

ask for their money back?

I paid for my seat.

Yes. And what about the one

you put your feet on?

Carl, when did you get home?

I haven't been out.

You weren't in 20 minutes ago.

I came and called up the stairs.

I was asleep.

Why are you shining the torch on me?

Can't you switch on the light

or something?

We can't, it's failed.

What, the fuse gone down?

No, it's everywhere,

in the streets and the trams.

And the audience downstairs

wants their money back.

They're making a terrible row about it.

Well, give it back.

- We can't possibly afford it.

- Yes, we can.

You must be crazy. It'll clear us right out.

You're always saying

we don't cover expenses.

That's all right.

Doesn't pay to antagonize the public.

I've got some money coming in. Go on.

Well, it's for you to say.

If we're going to be generous,

let's do it properly.

Come on downstairs

and make a speech about it.

No, no. They're used to you. You do it.

All right. I still think you're crazy.

- It's an act of God, I tell you.

- And what do you call an act of God?

I call your face one, and you won't get

your money back on that.

(CROWD LAUGHING)

If a plane were to come along

and drop a bomb on you,

that would be an unfriendly act

within the meaning of the act.

But if the juice dries up of its own accord,

that's an act of providence

as laid down in the act of William IV

where an act is defined as any activity

actuated by actual action.

WOMAN:
No wonder

the blinking lights went out.

(CROWD LAUGHING)

- It's a moot point.

- I'll moot point them. Make them pay.

MAN:
That's right, ma'am.

WOMAN:
Yes.

- MAN:
We want our money back.

- And how will you get it?

Apply sanctions? Are you familiar

with the details of the covenant?

If you'd studied Article 257,

paragraph 24, line 6, sanction B,

- it says definitely no.

- WOMAN:
Oh.

Yes. You didn't know that, did you?

You're all ignorant.

Now if you take my advice, you'll go off

home because there's nothing doing here.

Now go on, get off.

- What do you think you're doing?

- TED:
Just lending a hand.

I thought I told you not to interfere.

I've been delivering a little counterattack.

Look, they're on the run.

Well, they can come right back.

Listen, ladies and gentlemen,

you're going to get your money back.

(ALL EX CLAIMING)

Don't give in now. I'll stand by you.

I'd prefer you to go

and stand by your apple stall.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I've been speaking to Mr. Verloc,

and since you're all regular patrons

and good friends,

he's going to let you

have your money back.

There'll be no money back, I tell you.

Go on, get off.

Please don't pay any attention to him.

I tell you, you're crazy. I had it all fixed.

- Will you mind your own business?

- Of all the obstinate people...

If you don't go away, I'll call the police.

(CROWD MURMURING)

Renee, start refunding the patrons

their money.

(PEOPLE GASPING)

JACK:
None of that.

You haven't been here before. Hop it.

Thank you for your trouble.

I'm sure you meant well.

Not at all. I like trouble.

(DOOR SLAMS)

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

(MAN CHA TTERING ON SCREEN)

(AUDIENCE LAUGHING)

RENEE:
How many?

WOMAN:
Two seats, please.

RENEE:
Two.

WOMAN:
Right.

RENEE:
Thank you.

- How many?

- MAN:
Two shillings, please.

Two shillings?

Right.

Take your change, please.

- How many?

- One.

- How many?

- None, thanks.

Vegetables is all ready for dishing up.

Please tell Mrs. Verloc, miss.

There you are, ma'am.

I've got to hurry home now

because me husband's having trouble

with his kidneys again,

and I can't leave him for long.

Your young brother's looking after them.

- What, the kidneys?

- No, the vegetables.

Oh, Stevie, have you done

all this by yourself?

Oh, come on, don't be so modest.

Well, we didn't have to pay them back

their money after all.

(MRS. VERLOC CHATTERING)

Always that woman, Mrs. Jones,

manages to make the cabbage brown.

I'm always telling her

you like things green.

I'll make you a salad.

Stevie, run next door

and get a nice big head of lettuce.

Long or round? I like long best.

Whichever's freshest.

Tell them to charge it.

We very nearly wouldn't have been able

to afford lettuce if we'd paid them back.

You didn't seem very interested

when I told you.

I mean, why were you so keen

to pay them back at all?

No, it's not that.

Only anything for quiet.

I don't like attention

being drawn to us like that.

Good evening. Forgive me for butting in

your private affairs,

but this bright specimen didn't

appear to know

whether you wanted long, round, square,

or oblong lettuce. So I brought a selection.

- I distinctly said long ones, you know I did.

- Did you? I thought you said long ones.

I said long ones.

Oh, good evening, Mr. Verloc.

So you came home just in time

to see the trouble, eh?

Me? I've been in all the afternoon.

But I could've sworn

I saw you come in just about...

Well, you were wrong.

I didn't know anything about it

until you woke me, did I?

No. He was lying down upstairs.

I had to call him.

Sorry. My mistake, I suppose.

Well, here we are.

(WOMAN SCREAMING ON SCREEN)

I thought someone

was committing a murder.

Someone probably is. On the screen there.

Stevie, hop on a chair and fix that fanlight.

Look out George Arliss

doesn't bite you, Steve.

Well, good night, all.

(GUN FIRING ON SCREEN)

All right, lady, I'll look around

the market tomorrow.

Thank you.

Mind if I pop off early tonight, guv?

- Okay, Ted.

- Thank you.

Good night, boys.

That fellow seems to get off

whenever he likes.

All right, we'll put someone onto that.

Well, Sergeant, you saw

what happened tonight.

- Yes, sir.

- Anything your end?

I'm not certain, but I could've sworn

I saw Verloc come back

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