This Above All Page #10

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Not so good.

They tell me there's a lot of them German

spies come over with our chaps from Dunkirk...

disguised as Tommies.

We got word of a young fellow acting

peculiar around Midhurst yesterday.

But there, all they had against him

was a wounded hand.

Good-bye, sir. Don't forget

the police concert Saturday.

I'll be there.

It's all right.

I'm not a German spy.

- You can search me for weapons if you like.

- What are you doing here?

Hiding.

You look tired.

I'm just going to have my tea.

Would you care to join me?

Thanks.

Don't walk on the graves

please.

It's beautiful. Norman, isn't it?

Really old.

Yes, it's quite old.

The western transept is Norman. The nave

and the tower are thirteenth century.

Excuse me.

They say the villagers themselves

built it in their evenings after work.

They must have believed in those days-

really and truly believed.

- No one has that kind of faith today.

- Are you sure?

Perhaps you're only

speaking for yourself.

If you're not a spy,

may I ask what you're hiding from?

I'm a deserter.

Thank you.

This is the way to the rectory.

- Do you like it strong?

- Yes, please.

You know, it's a funny thing, but I never

thought I'd place such priceless value...

on four walls,

a fire and a cup of tea.

Is that all you really need?

No. I think most of all

I need peace of mind.

Would you be good enough? Over

in that cupboard you'll find the cake jar.

Over there.

- There's some sherry there, if you'd prefer it.

- No, thanks.

You must forgive me if I'm rather

conventional, but did you ever try to pray?

Some people get quite

a lot of help from it, you know.

I've prayed all right.

When you're in a jam,

you pray- even chaps like me.

At Dunkirk I prayed to God and the Pope

and Buddha, Mohammed, to every one of them.

I was too tired to pray later on,

but while I could, I prayed to them all.

No sense in taking any chances when

it doesn't cost you any more, is there?

- Sugar?

- Oh, thank you.

- Try one of these homemade cakes.

- No, I don't think I could eat.

That's because you're tired.

Rest a while and try again.

Where do you intend to go?

Where do I intend to go?

I wish I knew.

Of course, I suppose I could stay here

and cry "sanctuary. "

Then you'd bar the door

and no one could take me away.

Isn't that the ancient right

of your church?

We've no physical sanctuary any longer, but

we do help some people find a greater one-

a spiritual sanctuary.

Peace of mind,

you called it just now.

I'm sorry I was rude.

That doesn't matter.

I see you as a symbol of our age.

An age of reason

that's driven out the age of faith.

How can you have faith in a thing when your

reason tells you that you can't believe it?

Reason deals with

the things we know.

There are a lot of things

we don't know.

Faith is useful

when reason can't go any further.

Faith is simply the quality

of believing beyond reason.

Isn't that perhaps

what troubles you?

You're not running away

because you're a coward.

All the reason in you

calls out against...

going back to fight in a war that seems

warped and ill-defined.

But the faith in you says you must fight,

so that England shall not go down.

There was a girl who said that...

a beautiful girl who believed that.

Your mind and your soul,

deadlocked in a struggle-

Your body, the battleground.

Yes, it's simple, isn't it?

You get so tired, so exhausted.

The time comes when you just

can't go on running anymore.

I'm tired of being a hare

to their hounds.

I loathe being chased, and I hate myself

for hiding every time I see a uniform.

Maybe you're right.

I mean, partly right.

Perhaps I should give myself up...

tell them what I've told you-

Or as much as they'll listen to.

It's their responsibility.

Let them decide.

I wouldn't make any hasty decisions

if I were you. You may regret it.

No. A man must have integrity.

He's not entitled to free thought...

unless he's ready to pay

the price of admitting it.

If I dare not admit what I believe,

then I have no right to believe it.

You may stay here tonight if you wish.

I have a choir practice at 7:00, but-

No. L- I'll go. And thank you.

You've helped me a lot. At least

I know what I'm going to do now.

- Do you feel strong enough?

- Yes.

Whatever you do,

don't think anymore.

Trust your feelings,

not your reason.

If you do that, I believe

your problem may soon be over.

Thank you again. Good-bye.

Left! Left Company, halt!

Left! Left Company, halt!

WAAF Gosley.

Yes? What?

Prudence Cathaway?

Sorry, we can't bring anyone

to the telephone for personal calls.

But this is very important.

I'm talking long-distance.

I said we can't bring anyone

to the phone for personal calls.

Then will you

write this down please?

Mr. Clive Briggs wants Miss Cathaway

to call him back at Merton 734.

Yes, that's right. I'll be

waiting right here. Thank you.

- Finished?

- Not quite.

They're going to call me back.

Do you mind if I wait here?

Oh, no. That's all right.

Oh, that's probably for me.

Hello?

Yes, I'm calling Gosley.

What?

Oh, one and six.

Thank you.

I owe you one and six.

Oh, that's all right.

Pay me when you leave.

- Hello?

- Is that Merton 7734?

Prudence? Oh, Prudence.

Is that you, Clive?

What's happened?

- Are you ill?

- No, no, no, no. It's just-

Darling, what're you doing?

Where are you?

Near London.

Oh, Prue, I must see you.

No, no. I didn't write before because-

Well, because I couldn't. But now-

No, no. No, it wasn't that.

It's because

I'm going to give myself up.

Clive, don't do anything.

Don't do anything

until I see you. Promise?

Of course. Prue, do you think

you can come here?

We'll get married.

Can you get away? Get leave?

Of course I can, darling.

Only don't give yourself up.

Don't do anything until I see you.

I promise, darling.

After all, if I gave myself up now,

heaven knows when we'd see each other again.

Oh, Prue, you're so beautiful.

And I love you so very much.

You do believe me, don't you?

I believe you because- because

you've never said you loved me before.

Dearest, I didn't know, but I do now.

It's suddenly so clear and-

But you do want to marry me, don't you?

You know I do, darling.

- What time can you be here?

- I can catch a train about 7:00.

L- I'll be in London

a little after 9:00.

I'll be waiting at Charing Cross Station

under the big clock.

You better go now.

You don't want to miss your train.

No, no. There's plenty of time.

Please talk to me.

When a girl's been proposed to,

she's got to talk to somebody about it.

- And you're the only one.

- Prue, I love you so.

There aren't many girls who've

been proposed to by telephone...

and there're probably hundreds

of people listening in.

Until tonight- a little after 9:00.

At Charing Cross, under

the big clock. Bless you!

Here's your one and sixpence.

Is there an underground nearby?

Down the street, round the corner,

take you right to Leicester Square.

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