The Railway Children Page #6

the children from the Three Chimneys.

I don't care,

not if it was angels from heaven.

We got on all right all these years

and no favours asked.

I'm not having these charity

goings-on at my time of life.

And don't you think it, Nell.

Ssh, Bert, shut your silly tongue,

for goodness sake.

All three ofem is in the other room

a- listening to every word you speaks.

I'll give them something to listen to.

I've spoke my mind to these afore

and I'll do it again. Come out.

Come on out!

Out here, come on.

No, not you lot, you stop in...

Sophie, look put some pants

on Benjamin, we've got company.

Right, you can tell me

what you mean by it.

Have I ever complained of being short

as you starts this charity with me?

We thought you'd be so pleased,

Mr Perks.

I'll never try and be kind to anyone else

as long as I live.

- No, I won't. Not never!

- We didn't mean any harm.

It isn't what you means

so much as what you does.

We thought you'd love it.

We always have things on our birthdays.

Oh ay, from your own relations,

that's different.

No, not just our relations.

They're from all sorts of people

in the village.

- And who put'em up to it, I'd like to know.

- We did.

So you've been telling the neighbours

that we can't make both ends meet.

Now you've disgraced us as deep

as you can in the neighbourhood,

you can take that pack of tricks

back where it came from.

I'm very much obliged, I'm sure.

I don't doubt that you meant it kind

but I'd rather not be acquainted with you

any longer, if it's all the same to you.

Look here.

We'll go if you like

and you needn't be friends with us

any more, but...

We'll always be friends with you,

even though you're nasty to us.

But before we go, let us show you

these labels to put on the things.

I don't want to see no labels

except proper luggage labels

in me own walk of life.

- Please let Bobbie show you the labels.

- All right, go on.

We wrote down everything

everybody said

when they gave us the things

with the people's names on.

Because Mother said

that we ought to be careful because...

Well I wrote down what she said

and you'll see.

That's from Mother.

She thought Mrs Perks might like

some of Phyllis' things.

"I can't do much... "

Well that's all right.

I mean, your ma's a born lady.

We'll keep the little frocks

and what-not, Nell.

Yes, Albert.

Then there's the perambulator

and the gooseberries and sweets.

They're from Mrs Ransome.

I can't send the pram back, Bert,

and I won't so don't ask me.

I'm not asking anything.

Then there's the shovel.

Mr James made that for you himself

and he says...

Oh, where is it?

Oh, yes, here.

- No er, you can read it.

- He says,

"You tell Mr Perks it is a pleasure

to make a little trifle for a man

"as is so much respected. "

He's a good chap, that.

He's a very good chap, that.

He's not bad at all, that chap.

And everybody who gave anything

said they liked you

and thought it was

a very good idea of ours.

And nobody said anything about charity

or anything horrid like that.

We thought that you'd love to know

how fond everybody is of you.

And I've never so unhappy

in all my born days.

Goodbye.

Come on.

Stop!

I take back every word I've said

contrary to what you'd wish.

- Nell?

- Yes, Albert.

Put the kettle on.

We'll take away the things

if you're unhappy with them.

I'm not unhappy aboutem.

I don't know

if I was ever better pleased.

...Not so much with the presents

though frankly they're an A. 1 collection

but the kind respect

of our neighbours.

- That's worth having, eh Nell?

- I think it's all worth having...

And you've made a most ridiculous fuss

about nothing, Bert, if you ask me.

No, I haven't.

If a man didn't respect himself,

no one wouldn't do it for him.

But everyone respects you.

They all said so.

We knew you'd like it

once you understood.

Well you'll stay to tea, I take it?

May the garland of friendship

be ever green.

May our garland of friendship

be ever green, Mr Perks.

Hear, hear!

Oh, well that's all right then, isn't it?

Let's have a look at them buns

you brought in. Where are they?

Who wrote that?

It's Albert.

Holy Mary, Mother of God

pray for us sinners now

and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Now go to sleep all of you

and not another word.

- Good night.

- Good night, Mum.

Yeah they're jolly good

little kids, those Waterburys.

Oh, they're all right,

bless their hearts.

It's you that's the aggravatingest old thing

that ever was.

- I was ashamed of you, I tell you.

- You needn't be.

I climbed down handsome

as soon as I understood it weren't charity.

Charity's one thing I never could abide,

and won't neither.

- Go to sleep, Albert.

- Yes, dear.

I tell you this though,

it isn't what you does

so much as what you means,

that's what I say.

- Now if it had been charity...

- Oh, drat charity, Bert.

Nobody won't offer you charity

however much you was to want it.

That were just friendliness,

that were.

I reckon it's what people call

loving kindness.

- Now go to sleep, Bert.

- Yes dear, good night.

Good night, Bert.

Happy Birthday.

Nell?

Oh, all right, Bert,

as it's your birthday.

Hello, my dears.

Hard at it, are yer?

Yeah. Well, er... Yeah.

One good turn deserves another,

that's what I always say.

Hello, Mr Perks,

how do mean?

Well I found these magazines, you see,

in the waiting room.

I was cleaning up.

They were in a cupboard and well

they're only collecting dust and...

Dust is, as you know, unhygienic.

- Hello.

- Hello.

I thought perhaps

you might like them.

There's a lot of pictures inem.

and that,

and you can colourem up

with chalks and that.

Anyway I don't wantem.

- You're a dear.

- Yes, you are.

- Hear, hear!

- Well, that's all right then.

I must be getting along.

I've got lots to do.

Perks must be about it.

Thank you.

That was very kind of him.

We'd better go inside,

it's going to rain.

Daddy...

- Where's Bobbie?

- I thought I heard her upstairs.

She knows it's tea time.

I wonder if she's all right.

Bobbie?

What is it darling?

Oh, Mummy!

You don't believe Daddy did it?

- No.

- Because it's not true.

They have shut him in prison,

but he's done nothing wrong.

He's good and honourable

and he belongs to us.

Will it make you very unhappy

if you tell me all about it?

I want to understand.

Do you remember the day

those two men took Daddy away?

Yes, I do.

Well they arrested him, charging him

with selling State secrets

with being, in fact,

a spy and a traitor.

How could anyone believe that?

How could anyone do such a thing?

Someone did.

Why didn't you tell someone,

a lawyer?

There wasn't anyone who could

hurt Daddy on purpose, was there?

I don't know.

It's all so complicated.

There was a man in the office

who was very envious of your father.

Daddy always said

he didn't quite trust him.

Why didn't you explain

all that to someone?

No one would listen.

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