The House on Telegraph Hill Page #2

It is true that the law,

as you say, is on your side.

I am in a strange country,

and I'm alone.

But I have a feeling that here,

in some way, I will find justice.

I don't care how long it takes.

I will fight for what belongs to me.

And I will never

let you keep my son from me!

I, uh, think

you're being hasty.

We might be prepared to settle this

on some reasonable basis.

Just a minute, Callahan.

- Mrs. Dernakova?

- Yes?

I'm sorry to have

put you through this ordeal...

but, you see,

I had to be positive.

I'm sure you'll agree

there's Chris to consider too.

And if we both started there,

unselfishly...

we might find some solution

to this problem...

without lawyers.

What's the matter?

Don't you like our food?

Oh, yes.

But I'm still upset.

Your lawyer's so very efficient.

Oh, forget about him.

Let's talk about you.

I didn't know I had

such a beautiful relative in Poland.

What?

Don't look so surprised. Aunt Sophie

was related to me, too, by marriage.

Oh.

If she were alive,

I would have been with her long ago.

- I sent her a cable.

- Yes, I know.

You know?

Well, look.

Let me explain.

You and your husband

had been reported dead years before.

My lawyer was convinced

we were dealing with an impostor.

We never heard from you again,

and that only served to confirm

our original suspicions.

If only you'd tried again-

written or wired or anything.

Well, I-I didn't know what to do,

where to turn.

I-I felt so lost.

Well, you've gotta

forget all that now...

and think of the future...

and Chris.

- You'll be proud of him.

- Tell me about him.

What does he look like?

- You'll be proud of him.

- Tell me about him.

What does he look like?

Well, he's a very

good-looking boy, I think.

He- He resembles you

in some ways.

He has your eyes,

and that same stubborn chin.

When he was a baby, everybody said

he'd look more like his father.

- When am I going to see him?

- He won't be back from school

for two weeks...

and I plan to stay

in New York on business.

Look, why don't you wait

and come to San Francisco with me?

I'm sure you could use the time yourself.

Shopping, for example.

Shopping?

But I have no money.

You have now.

This is what I had dreamed about-

like the days back home

in Poland before the war.

The feel of silk

on my skin again.

- What do you think?

- It's lovely.

Yes, but I'm afraid

it's also very expensive.

Don't worry about that.

After all, I'm still Chris's guardian.

I'm sure he'd want his mother

to look her best.

All right, then.

- Do you like it?

- It's beautiful.

I-I just have to put my shoe on,

and I'm ready.

May I help you?

I make no excuse.

I felt Alan was attracted to me, and I

was prepared to take advantage of it.

Was I in love with him?

I don't know.

But I did know that the best way

for me to be safe...

was to be married

to an American.

A penny for them, Karin.

A penny for what?

Your thoughts.

It's an expression we have.

Oh, Alan, I-

I couldn't begin to tell you

all my thoughts.

You've been

so wonderful to me.

I don't know

if I ever can, Karin, but...

I'd like to spend the rest of my life

trying to make up to you...

for all those lost years.

I want you to know, I'm no bargain.

I'm a very stubborn man...

set in my ways

and hard to live with.

And maybe

I'm too old to change.

I don't want you

to change, Alan, ever.

Three days later,

we were married in Connecticut.

And now Alan was bringing me

home to San Francisco.

There they are!

- Hello!

- Hello, Chris.

Chris, this is your mother.

- Well, what do you think?

Shall we keep her?

- Hello.

Hello, Chris.

- Hello, Margaret.

- Hello, Mr. Spender.

Darling?

This is Margaret.

- How do you do?

- Welcome home, Mrs. Spender.

Thank you. I've heard how much

you've done for Chris.

- I'm very grateful.

- May I offer my congratulations?

Well, thank you, Margaret.

Well, let's go get the taste of the train

out of our mouths, huh?

And so, at last,

I came to the house on Telegraph Hill.

Wait till you see

the view in the daytime.

Come on, now, Chris.

It's way past your bedtime.

- Remember, now, you promised.

- Okay.

- Can I help you carry it?

- Thank you, dear.

If there's anything

that doesn't please you, just holler.

- We'll change it any way you like it.

- Oh, no.

I like it just as it is.

It's so old and beautiful.

It's getting pretty late, dear.

You must be tired.

- You can see the house tomorrow.

- All right.

Such a beautiful portrait

of Aunt Sophie.

I wish I had

known her better.

I never realized

you knew her at all.

Oh, yes. Once, when I was very little,

she visited us in Poland.

She looked so kind and wise.

She was that.

She was a wonderful woman.

I put your bags in your room.

- Well, thank you, dear.

- This is my room. You wanna see it?

Tomorrow, Chris.

Your mother's tired,

and it's way past your bedtime.

Yes, Chris,

I am a little tired.

I'll show you the whole place tomorrow,

if you want.

I know a place where you can see

Point Lobos. That's where they

used to send signals from.

- That would be very nice.

- Good night, Chris.

- Sleep well, darling.

I'll see you in the morning.

- Okay. Good night.

I, uh- I didn't know what arrangements

you'd want to make...

so I had the guest room

made up for the night.

- Thank you, Margaret.

- Good night, Mrs. Spender.

Good night, Margaret. There are

so many things you'll have to teach me.

I'll be glad to do what I can.

Here we are, right down here.

- This is lovely.

- I'm glad you like it.

Some people thought I was crazy to stay

on in the house after Aunt Sophie died...

but I-

I've always loved the old place.

You take that chair, for instance.

It's a monstrosity, isn't it?

I wouldn't give that up

for anything in the world.

When I was a kid, my mother and I

used to come out to the house...

on special occasions, you know:

Thanksgiving, Christmas,

Aunt Sophie's birthdays.

You see, we weren't immediate family.

More like poor relations.

But Aunt Sophie'd always have us up

for those family days...

and I always loved that chair.

I sat in it every time.

Came to think of it as my chair.

It was a symbol to me then of this house,

the life that was lived in it.

It still is.

Come in.

- Thank you, Cai.

- Good night, sir.

Good night.

I always have a glass of orange juice...

just before going to bed.

- Oh.

- Now, don't forget.

I'm a native Californian.

Mmm. Good idea.

Why did Margaret have

the guest room made up?

Oh, I suppose I should've sent her

some instructions...

but I wanted to leave

everything to you.

I think this room

is big enough for both of us.

I hope so.

But I do think you'll be

more comfortable here if I take

the guest room for the night.

And then tomorrow, we can go

downtown and pick out everything we need.

Alan, I love you.

I had come halfway across the world.

And, now, suddenly,

in this pleasant room...

a little of the fear I had once felt

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