The Bishop's Wife Page #5

you. What's that cake for?

- What cake?

- That cake behind you.

That cake. Oh, for anybody

who might like cakes, sir.

But neither Mrs Brougham nor

myself like elaborate desserts.

But we've baked you an egg custard, sir.

Hello, dear. I'm sorry

we were late for dinner.

- Good evening.

- We've had a marvellous time.

- I wish you'd been with us.

- Debby told me about the snow fight.

Did she? We went to see Professor

Wutheridge and we had lunch at Michel's.

- Is Debby in bed?

- No. She's waiting to see you.

Good. I'll just go

up and say good night.

I won't be a minute. I just

want to see if she's all right.

- I trust you spent a profitable afternoon?

- Oh, yes.

Did you have a profitable afternoon?

Not very. I'd like to

see you... for a moment.

Certainly.

Excuse me.

Can you prove to me

that you are an angel?

Proof? You mean a document?

Surely you of all people should

know that an angel needs no passport.

I want to see you perform a miracle.

- What kind?

- Well...

Make this desk fly around the room.

Please. I didn't come down here to

do silly tricks. I'm surprised at you.

I don't believe you're an angel.

- I think you're a demon right out of...

- Oh, Henry. Don't say that.

- Well, anyway, you know how I feel.

- Yes.

Wait a minute. There's another thing.

Oh. Dinner is served, Bishop.

Thank you, Dudley.

For what we are about to receive, may

the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen.

Pass the celery, Henry, please.

- Hm?

- The celery.

Thank you.

Thank you.

What's that you're humming?

I don't know, dear. Is it anything?

- It's rather gay.

- Well, I feel gay.

I like to watch you brushing your hair.

Thank you, dear. Is that a compliment?

Yes. You do it so... so capably.

Thank you.

In fact, now I come to think of

it, everything you do is capable.

I pride myself on the fact that we lead

a well-ordered life. The family, I mean.

Of course, the credit for that is

due to you much more than to me.

- I think you're an excellent wife.

- Thank you.

- Do you think I'm an excellent husband?

- Of course.

We're having an early supper so

we get to St Timothy's on time.

- St Timothy's?

- The rehearsal for the benefit.

- Oh, yes.

- You've been looking awfully tired lately.

I hope you're going to take it

easier now that Dudley's here.

- I think that he's very able.

- You do?

- Yes. He knows so many things.

- What, for instance?

You should have seen him

with Professor Wutheridge.

He knows more about

history than the professor.

He's been at it longer.

- Let's do that again.

- No. Tell me a story.

- What, now?

- Don't you know any stories?

- I know hundreds of stories.

- Tell me one. Please.

All right. Let me think. This

happened many, many years ago.

That's not the way to begin.

Stories start "Once upon a time".

Yes, that's true.

Once upon a time there was a little

boy and he lived in a little town.

- What was his name?

- His name was David. He was a shepherd.

The town was called Bethlehem.

I know Bethlehem. That's

where the star was.

That's right. Only David

lived long before the star.

One night, David was out in

the hills tending his sheep.

- He was playing the harp and singing.

- Was he singing "Jingle Bells"?

No, no. "Jingle Bells"

hadn't been written then.

David was singing songs

that he wrote himself.

Suddenly, an angel came

down and spoke to David.

- How did David know it was an angel?

- He didn't know.

And that's the way it always is.

Angels come and put

ideas into people's heads

and people feel very proud of themselves

because they think it was their own idea.

This angel said to David "One

of your lambs has strayed. "

So David put aside his harp and went

into the darkness to find the lamb.

The angel guided him.

And when David found the lamb,

he saw a great big ferocious lion.

Oh!

So David said to the lion

"You get away from that lamb. "

And the lion said "You get away

from me or I'll eat you too. "

- Did David run away?

- No.

You know why? Because the angel

put another idea into his head.

So David took out his

sling and he hurled a stone

and hit the lion right between the eyes.

I bet that lion was surprised!

Yes. And so was David because he

didn't know an angel had helped him.

Well, he picked up the lamb

and took it back to the fold.

Then he felt so happy that he made

up another song. It started out:

"The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want. "

"He maketh me to lie

down in green pastures. "

"He leadeth me besides

the still waters. "

"He restoreth my soul... "

You can tell the rest of this, Henry.

- Some other time.

- Hello, Daddy.

Miss Cassaway, will you get

Mrs Hamilton on the telephone?

- Miss Cassaway? Mrs Hamilton.

- Yes, Bishop.

- Good morning, Julia.

- Dudley.

I'll see you in a few

minutes. I have to see Matilda.

- Bye, Debby.

- Goodbye, Dudley.

- Thank you.

- Oh. Pretty.

Are you expecting a letter?

One never knows. If I should get

one, the stamp will be worth saving.

I'll have Mrs Hamilton in a moment.

- Are you seeing Mrs Hamilton?

- I hope to.

- May I come along? I'd like to meet her.

- Mrs Hamilton? Bishop Brougham.

Hello, Mrs Hamilton. How

are you? I'm glad to hear it.

Mrs Hamilton, I'd like to see you

today. This afternoon, if possible.

Yes, it is. It's very urgent.

- Oh, that's too bad.

- Terrible.

You can? Oh, that's

splendid. Thank you so much.

I'll be there. Five o'clock this

evening. Thank you, Mrs Hamilton.

Henry, you didn't make an

appointment for this afternoon?

Yes. It was the only time.

You can't do this to Reverend

Miller. The rehearsal's just for you.

They'll get along without me. There

are other things more important.

- Mr Miller will be delighted to see you.

- But it's not the same. You're his bishop.

I don't like going alone.

It's the big house at the

end of this street, driver.

Dudley, I take it that... that

you have the money for the taxi.

No. What makes you think I have money?

Oh, I just thought

that you being an a...

Oh, goodness!

- I'm sorry.

- I'm sorry.

That's all right.

Thank you.

- I won't be late. I may even join you.

- Please try.

I'll see you in front of

St Timothy's in one hour.

- Try.

- I will be there.

- Good.

- This is it, driver.

- Good evening, Bishop.

- How are you, Stevens?

- Mrs Hamilton's in the drawing room, sir.

- Thank you.

Well, Bishop Brougham.

My dear Mrs Hamilton,

I've come to tell you...

- You've come to apologise, I trust.

- Exactly.

Upon consideration, my

objections seem petty

compared with the

generosity of your gesture.

I'm very much relieved.

Sit down, Mr Brougham.

What hurt most was to think

that my instinct had betrayed me

in recommending you for your position.

I'm unceasingly grateful.

Now, I'm taking it for granted

that the George B Hamilton

Memorial Chapel shall be located...

Just where you specified.

Rate this script:5.0 / 1 vote