The Enchanted Cottage Page #4

There is indeed.

It needs a good cleaning. Right now.

It's a taxi.

I'll go to the door.

They'll want something hot to drink.

I'll make some tea.

Did you get my telegram?

Yes

I like to go right to my room,

if you don't mind.

I'll take that.

Mr. Bradford came alone.

I'll unpack his things.

We've been here exactly

one hour and 14 minutes.

And what good has it done us?

I 'd like to know.

Why, the boy won't even talk to us.

Maybe Mrs. Price

Now, if he won't talk to me,

he wont talk to anybody.

Of course he is pretty badly bashed up.

But I've told him a hundred times,

there's no use becoming

a mental case over a little injury.

He ought to realize there are

thousands of cases worse than his.

Maybe if we let them alone.

We let him think things out.

No, he's always been stubborn.

When he was a little boy,

I can remember,

there were simply no reason for

him to run away from home.

None at all.

No luck, I bet.

I told you so.

Couldn't I fix you some tea?

There's some fresh hot water.

Oh, thank heavens, tea.

I love a cup, dear.

He won't unlock the door.

He told me to go away.

We might just as well go home.

We've done our best. And after all,

when you've done your best,

you've done your best.

Just finding this forsaken hole

was enough.

How in heavens name, Beatrice,

did you ever remember to think of it?

This is where Oliver and I were

going to spend our honeymoon

Honeymoon? Hasn't even got a bar.

Here's your tea.

Oh, you're such a consolation, darling.

What did Oliver say to you

when he did talk to you?

He wasn't he wasn't very nice.

I even cried a little.

I'm afraid he's just like his father.

Beyond all persuasion.

Look here, Vi. I got an idea.

What say we leave him

up here for a bit?

Seems to me, we've got no choice.

A few weeks of living here with himself.

And I'll wager you he'll appreciate

a little friendly society.

Beatrice, what ever happened

between you and Oliver?

Between us?

Yes, something did happen, didn't it?

Did you quarrel?

Is that why he ran away

and came up here?

No, we didn't quarrel.

Then why don't you go

upstairs and talk to him?

If there's anyone who can persuade him

to leave this dreadful place

and come home, it's you.

I couldn't?

But you're our only hope.

I wish you wouldn't ask me.

If you fail, we'll give up and go home.

But first we've got to know

you've got to know.

That you've tried your best.

After all, you and he

were going to be married.

I was getting out of his life

so that you

Oh, please try, Beatrice. Please!

Oh, bless you, darling.

And remember, you must be brave.

That's so important.

We must all be brave.

Oliver.

Please answer. It's Beatrice.

Won't you speak to me?

Won't you, please?

I meant what I said the other day.

We can be married.

We can be married right away.

I'll look after you and

I'll try to make you a good wife.

Oh, why did we have to have

this horrible war?

You see, Oliver, that first

day when you came home

No one had told me.

And would you turned and looked

at me, I wasn't prepared.

That's why you thought I

I can't help it if I'm weak.

Aren't you listening?

Won't you speak to me?

I tried to be brave about it.

Really I did.

I did try.

Oh!

Yes?

I brought you some supper,

Mr. Bradford.

Your mother left this for you.

Thank you.

I'm afraid she was awfully upset

when she left this afternoon.

Will you please mind your own business?

I'm sorry. That was very rude of me.

Don't you understand?

You think I want people

to see me the way I am?

You saw me before?

Doesn't the change shock you?

Isn't it repulsive to you?

No.

Well, you can't know.

You can't realize what it is

to face life like this.

Ugly and

Your supper, Mr. Bradford.

Mrs. Minnett's is a very good cook.

Thank you.

Good morning.

What's that you're doing?

Wood engraving.

It looks as if you're pretty good at it.

I work on them every spare moment

I can get.

I went to an exhibit of block prints

once in Boston.

From Holbein. That's what started me.

I realize they take patience and time.

Well, I have a lot of both.

Of course, I'll never be

any serious competition to Mr. Holbein.

Huh.

Did you ever do anything

with your prints?

I mean, show them to anybody?

Well, I entered some in an exhibit once.

Some seascapes.

And I won a prize.

It wasn't first prize but

It was a prize.

I used to win prices too.

Tennis. Polo.

I once knew a fellow who used to make

ship models in glass bottles.

I always asked him to tell me why.

I never got a satisfactory answer.

Well I do block prints because

Well, I like to do block prints.

Un-huh. It makes sense.

He used to say with him it was because

it had a resemblance to life.

If you look at it largely.

All of us one way or the other

are full master schooners.

Or brigantines. Whaling ships.

Or even canoes.

Ready to sail into life.

Only there we were.

Locked up in glass bottles.

You just like to make them, huh?

I never thought of that.

Bet he never did either.

It's a matter of finding

something you like.

Sure, sure.

You'll find a hobby of your own

one of these days. I hope.

Be careful. You don't want

to sound like Freddie, do you?

Well, from the way you say it,

I'm sure I don't.

And I don't even know who Freddie is.

That's the best thing that

can happen to anybody.

Not to know who Freddie is.

In case you think I'm not making any

sense, that's what I think too.

Well, I know what you mean.

Even if I don't understand

how you're trying to say it.

You know, you are a very kind person.

I didn't know.

You got a lot of sense too.

You'd be amazed to know

how few people have any.

Beg pardon, ma'am.

My uncle and I have come

to call on Mr. Bradford.

It's Mrs. Minnett, isn't it?

I'm visiting in the neighborhood.

And when I heard that

Mr. Bradford was here

Mr. Bradford hasn't

been seeing anyone.

Oh.

I'm leaving in a few days

on a short tour. And I had hoped

I bet you he'd like to see my uncle,

Mrs. Minnett.

He plays the piano. He's very good.

My public.

I'm sorry but Mr. Bradford has told me

he doesn't care to see anyone.

Well, I'd be the last to quarrel with

people who want to be by themselves.

Tell him I called, would you please?

Come along, Danny.

Just a minute.

I'll find out.

Maybe Mr. Bradford will see you.

Come in and wait.

Thank you, Mrs. Minnett.

Wait right here for us, Roger.

Sit down in there, please.

What do you know, Uncle John.

She's got a piano.

People have pianos, Danny.

Yeah. But this one is

so old and funny-looking.

- Gee!

- What's the matter?

It's kind of spooky in here.

See what I mean.

It's only Roger.

You better go out and play with him.

He'll scare everybody.

- Well.

- I'll call you when I want you.

Okay. I'll be down

at the shore, Uncle John.

Yes.

I knew this cottage would have a piano.

- Good morning, Mr. Hillgrove.

- Good morning.

Please, don't get up.

It's Laura Pennington.

Of course. We met outside

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