The White Cliffs of Dover Page #2

To spend two weeks in the bedroom

Of a Bloomsbury boarding house?

Well, Im afraid so.

My dear child, you must stay over.

You must see something of England.

I've seen a good deal of London.

I've seen the British museum and

the national portrait gallery.

Great heavens! Ha ha ha!

No, thank you.

No, thank you!

British museum, eh?

You saw the mummies, eh?

Been to any shows, any dances?

No.

Speaking of dances, Im afraid

I can't play cards tonight.

It's the night of Millicent

Waverlys ball, and, uh...

I thought Id like to go this time.

I hear the king and queen are going.

Have you received your

invitation, colonel?

No, by Jove, I haven't.

Oh, I must give Millicent a ring.

Do you care to come to that

shindig with me tonight?

I don't know whether that

sort of thing interests you,

But everybody will be

there from the king down.

Oh, Id adore it...

if father doesn't mind.

Shall I ask him?

Would you? He'd love to see

someone. He's been so lonesome.

Is that so?

Does he play cards?

No, not much, but he loves chess.

Does he? Ha ha! I used

to be pretty good at that,

And Ive got some chessmen here, too.

You have?

A sort of heirloom. Very

well, then, Ill venture in.

May I be excused?

Certainly.

Isn't that wonderful? A real ball.

Oh, it's so different, so English.

It's like a Victorian

novel come to life.

Oh, and I won't mind going home now.

I shall really have seen something.

I wouldn't count on it too much.

I don't understand.

Well, he's a very old

man. He has his fancies.

He's been with me for 8 years,

And every year he tells

me he's going to this ball.

Perhaps you don't know, dear,

But the duchess of Waverly is the

most exclusive hostess in London.

Oh, I hope you're not disappointed.

I'm dreadfully disappointed.

If you'll excuse me,

I'll see if my father wants anything.

Of course, my dear,

And you'll be busy with your packing.

Too bad, isn't it? Such

a nice little thing.

Not a bit like an American.

No.

Not entirely new.

Oh?

If Im not mistaken, Blackburn

introduced that variation

In the Hastings tournament in '95.

Blackburn?

The British chess master.

Oh, you're wrong there, colonel.

Pillsbury introduced that move.

Are you sure? Pillsbury?

Positive. Paris, 1900.

Oh, Pillsbury in Paris?

That's right. You can bet

your bottom dollar on it.

Father, don't be so cocksure.

It's hardly raining now.

I think Ill go out

and look at the shops.

Yeah, do that, dear.

Good idea. Get yourself a new bonnet.

Have a nice time, you two,

And don't get into any arguments.

Charming girl. Yes.

It's refreshing to see

someone young around.

These-These are very

interesting pieces, colonel.

Where did you pick them up?

Oh, well, a family heirloom.

Oh.

Yes, these pieces are

over 100 years old.

Really?

Well, now, to follow up

the Blackburn variation.

Pillsbury-

The American master

Pillsbury in Paris, 1900.

I...

your daughter said we were not to argue.

Otherwise

- Otherwise what?

I should point out

That this surprise move of a

pawn is typically Blackburn.

Blackburn is not the only chess

player who can push a pawn around.

Well, perhaps we'd better

get on with the game.

Yes, perhaps we had...

though your position

doesn't look any too good.

Huh! That remains to be seen.

Well, it's your move.

I'll prove it to you later.

Prove what?

That this variation was introduced

By Pillsbury in Paris.

Oh, to the devil with

Pillsbury in Paris.

Well, credit where

credit is due, that's all.

Exactly, and Im quite positive

The move originated in the

Hastings tournament in '95.

By Blackburn, eh?

By Blackburn, certainly.

The British chess master?

Quite.

Pillsbury was the

chess master of America.

I'm quite aware of that, Mr. Dunn.

You're darn tooting you're aware of it.

What do you mean?

You're saying that the

British master was superior

To the American master,

that's what you're saying.

Nothing of the sort.

It's a question of fact.

Harry nelson Pillsbury

Could play rings around

any English master anytime!

The English haven't the knack for chess.

But the Americans have, you mean?

That's right. Chess calls for

ingenuity, enterprise, and skill.

Qualities which the English

do not possess, you mean!

Well-

You go too far, sir!

No, no. Now, hold your horses!

It might interest you to have a look

At this board on which we're playing.

Dolly Madison!

President Madisons wife.

Where did you get this?

My grandfather picked it up in 1812.

1812?

When 6,000 British soldiers

Lacking in skill and enterprise

Captured the city of Washington,

The capital of the united states!

How did your grandfather

get hold of this chess set?

By the simple act of taking it.

He was dining in the mansion

From which your president

had fled in some haste.

You mean he stole it?

My grandfather was flag

lieutenant under admiral Cockburn.

The president's dinner was

cooked and ready to serve.

The admiral and my grandfather ate it.

This-This is stolen property!

They're spoils of victory, sir!

Father! Father! Father, please!

Why didn't you stay to

protect your property?

Didn't figure you fellas would steal it.

Father, the colonel's your guest.

You ran like hares

- Like hares, sir!

The roads were littered with the guns

Your men dropped as they ran.

Well, now, colonel,

probably we were just

Hurrying ourselves down to New Orleans.

Bah! A deucedly disorderly rout, sir!

It seems to me, colonel,

that we won that war

Somewhere down around New Orleans.

I think Ill just take this board

In the name of the

united states government.

Keep your hands off my

property, you Yankee rebel!

Yankee rebel! Do you hear that, sue?

Why, for two cents, Id-

You are a receiver of stolen property!

Ruffian!

Robber!

Barbarian!

Thief!

Father, you must apologize.

Well, I, uh...

oh...

oh, father.

Oh, Im sorry, sue.

Gwennie, what the devil are you doing?

You've been racing up and down

those stairs for the last hour.

I'm sorry, ma'am. The colonel rang.

What does he want?

He wanted me to take a message to

Mr. Dunn. They've had a quarrel.

Then Mr. Dunn rang for me to

carry an answer to the colonel.

He said he wouldn't take back a word to

him, but as long as the colonel apologized-

That will do, Gwennie.

We don't discuss our guests.

And then I was helping miss Dunn to

dress, ma'am. She looks ever so pretty.

The colonel's taking her to the ball.

The ball?

You don't mean to say so.

Gwennie, wait. Is the colonel dressing?

Oh, yes, ma'am. I had to take

his shoes up, cleaned special,

White tie and tails, ma'am,

and a ribbon around his neck.

Can it be true?

The duchess of Waverly?

The duchess of Waverlys motor

For colonel Forsythe.

Yes, sir. I'll tell him.

Well, don't stand there gaping, girl.

Run up and tell the colonel.

Yes.

Here they come now.

The duchess has sent her motorcar.

She said she would.

Oh, my dear, you look charming.

Thank you.

Indeed she does. Ha ha!

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