Where Angels Fear to Tread Page #3

- Let me be.

So you look. Quite dusty.

You are a crazy English woman.

As your hair looks.

As your husband I forbid you

to go out. The woman must obey.

There is no marriage

if the man is permanently gone.

If you wanted an obedient woman

sitting at home you would have chosen it.

But you married me...

...Because I'm rich.

As they laugh at me

when you are with your other woman?

What do you say?

You're not particularly crafty, Gino,

not even clever enough to deceive me.

Are you laughing?

- I can't help it, I thought you knew nothing.

I give in.

Let's neverspeak of this again.

I am as miserable now as I

have ever been in my life.

' Irma, darling Irma.

this letter is for you.'

'It will make you unhappy, but

I want you to know everything.

And you cannot learn things too soon '

'God bless you, my dear,

and God bless your miserable mother.'

How terrible.

- It was inevitableit would end like this.

A lack of resources has always

been Lilia's shortcoming.

She did'nt like music,

she didn't like reading...

...and she certainly did'nt like work.

What can she do but be miserable.

Poor Lilia. - There's one consolation,

that I seized the letter when I did.

Another moment and Irma's childhood

could have been destroyed forever.

My love, my dearest Lilia. Be calm.

I have never loved anyone but you.

We light candles every day

to Santa Deodata.

With my family, that is many candles.

I have prayed all night for a boy.

You're a boy yourself, Gino.

- Then we shall be brothers.

Wake up.

Wake up and join us. He was born.

It's a beautiful boy.

Grazie. Thank you.

Congratulations. What a handsome father.

What a wonderful family.

He is wonderful.

No....

Are we to go into mourning?

- Yes. After all she suffered.

And we must tell Irma.

Of course, we must tell Irma.

But I think we can still not

tell her about Lilias marriage.

Little girls of nine don't reason very clearly,

and she looks on it as a long visit.

It is important, very important,

that she should not receive a shock.

A child's life depends on the

ideas it has of its parents.

Destroy that and everything goes

- morals, behaviour, everything.

I must say it's rather hard luck.

- On Irma? Why?

No, on us. We have the

morals and behaviour also...

...and I don't think this

continual secrecy improves them.

There's no need to twist thins round, Philip.

- Of course there isn't.

But you're forgetting the baby.

The solicitor is right, there's a baby.

Let's keep to the main issue. The

baby is quite beside the point.

It will make a difference

to your money, surely?

Only a little. Your brother provided

for every contingency in his will.

The money will come to you and Harriet

as Irma's guardians.

Good -Does the Italian get anything?

He'll get all hers. -But

you know what that is.

Good. So those are our tactics,

to tell no one about the baby,

not even Miss Abbott.

Most certainly that is the

proper course - Harriet?

Here beginneth the new life

then. Do you remember Mother?

That's what we said when we saw Lilia off.

Yes, Dear, but now it really is a new

life, because we are all in accord.

Then you were still infatuated with Italy.

It may be full of beautiful

churches and pictures...

...but you can only judge

a country by its men.

Irma, what's that,?

- From Italy.

Give it to me.

'The beautiful Monteriano...' Giveit to me.

'... From your little brother.'

- Give it to me, at once, do as I say.

Ow.

- Irma.

Come with me, baby.

Which team are you on this week?

Now she wants to teach him

The Ten Commandments.

His 'little brother', its too tiresome.

- Though she forgot Lilia fast enough.

I suppose a 'living brother' is

more to her than a 'dead mother'.

She can give him socks for Christmas.

She's bringing him in

everywhere. The other night...

...she asked to include him in her prayers.

What did you say? - I allowed it of course.

She has the right to

mention anyone she chooses.

But I was mad at her this

morning, though I say it.

Why?

She wants to pray for her new father -

the Italian.

Do you remember when I used

to pray for the Devil?

He is the Devil. -No, Harriet, he's too vulgar.

I'll thank you not to scoff against religion.

Think of that poor baby. -Irma

is quite right to pray for him.

What an entry to life for an English child.

- Firstly, the baby is Italian.

Secondly, it was promptly

christened at Santa Deodata...

...with a powerful combination

of saints to watch over it.

Philip, don't.

We must watch Irma carefully.

She may not be able to

resist the temptation...

...to talk about her 'new family'.

Yes the baby is a little bit difficult, Mr.

Abbott. Especially as we are so far away.

It was thoughtful of Caroline

to take such an interest.

No it was Irma who mentioned it to

me, last week at Sunday school.

We said a prayer for the child.

- How very kind of you.

Irma. Button up your coat

properly, or you'll catch cold.

I'm sorry, but Mrs. Herriton,

may I speak to you for a minute?

Philip, bring Irma home,

will you. - Harriet, tell...

...cook that I expect luncheon to

be served at one o'clock precisely.

I wonder what she wants?

I don't suppose Mother

will keep us in suspense.

The impudence. The cursed impudence.

Oh. I'm swearing - I don't care.

That beastly girl, how dare she interfere?

- Miss Abbott?

Yes. She wants the child

to live with her, if you please.

To be brought up by her and

her father, at our very gate,

to go to school like a gentleman and

she's going to pay for everything.

Oh. You're a man. It doesn't matter to you

You can laugh.

Where is Harriet?

- Let it go.

Let her mess with this herself...

...let her meddle inthings

she does not understand.

She will come to grief. That man...

...will either marry her, or

murder her, or do for her somehow.

Philip, quiet. I am wondering

whether I ought not...

...adopt the child myself.

Just because a few idiotic

remarks of Miss Abbott's?

Ethel.

Take my coat. And get Mr. Philip's

Gladstone from the attic. Hurry up girl.

You are goingl to Monteriano.

- Don't be ridiculous.

I'm fed up with that beastly baby.

If you don't go she will.

We must pay all we've got for it.

And Harriet must go too.

Harriet is unfailing. - Harriet?

Single or return?

- Single for me, I will not come back alive.

Sweet creature, you will be very

helpful when we get to Signor Carella's.

You don't think I am going to

enter that man's house, do you?

What are you coming for?

To see you do your duty.

- Thank you, thank you.

For goodness sake buy the tickets now.

Foreigners are a filthy nation.

Those coloured patches on your blouse,

do they have any special significance?

I was in such a hurry

I poured ammonia all over my Bible.

It will keep the flies away.

- and I forgot my wash bag in Bologna.

Its so hot. Open the window.

I'm going to buy tickets.

- Open the window.

Oh....I'm blinded....

.. I can't see.

Oh. It's hot, isn't it.

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