"In the name of our Lord, amen." ""I, Sebastian Girard, declare my will as follows:" ""An annuity of $5,000 to my widow, Agnes Girard, during her life." ""My cotton mills, plantations..." ""and all my cash and securities I leave to my sons..." ""Richard, Carlos and John, as common property." ""And I direct them to enter into a most solemn compact..." ""to act together for the advantage of the family." ""I appoint my son Richard and my friend Gabriel Warburton, of Manchester, England..." ""to be my executors..." ""and direct that branches of our business shall be established in France and Prussia..." ""by my sons, Carlos and John, respectively." ""All interests of the firm in the United States of America..." ""shall be in the charge of my son, Richard." ""And I direct that the partnership already arranged..." ""between Gabriel Warburton and myself is to be completed..." ""thus establishing the firm of Girard and Warburton..." ""in the four principal countries of the world." ""If my will is not carried out in every particular..." ""the whole inheritance is forfeit." ""Fourth day of August, 1825." "Sebastian Girard."" "Are the terms of the will clear, Mr. Richard?" "Almost pointedly clear." "Your father always knew what he wanted." "I've done business with him since before the war... and I don't remember when he didn't." "Sorry I am to have missed him." "Let us get back to business." "This partnership" "I'm sure my brothers and I welcome any association... which will bring us into closer relationship with Mr. Warburton." "What's his idea, tying everything up in the family like this?" "Security." "Cotton's a necessity of life, thou knowest." "Why in all these different countries?" "Ah!" "Look at the situation in Europe." "See how unstable it is." "And this mess-up over that treaty of peace." "Might blow up any moment." "Why, surely people aren't so foolish as to be thinking of another war." "Trouble is, wars come without thinking." "Well, they oughtn't to, according to the Bible." "But there's a lot of money to be made out of war." "A merchant's got to be practical." "And what does the merchant's wife say to that?" "The merchant's wife lost her father at Waterloo... and her brother was crippled for life in the fighting outside New Orleans." "She hates war." "You had a brother at the Battle of New Orleans, ma'am?" "I was a corporal in the New Orleans militia." "I counted the British dead after the battle- over a thousand of them." "I hate war too." "There is no challenge to the terms of the will?" "Are the executors prepared to undertake their duties?" " Certainly." " Yes." "The partnership is to proceed?" "And the establishment of the branches in France?" " And Prussia?" " Yes." "It is a solemn thing you are all undertaking... this family compact." "It has all the moral force of an oath." "Ah, that part don't affect Warburtons." "Oh, yes, Gabriel, we're in this too." "We blend the two families into one family." "We all solemnly swear... to safeguard the family... to deny ourselves for the family... and, in all circumstances, to put the needs of the family first." "And this shall be binding on our children... and on our childrens' children." "The family." "The family." "So it's all settled, and you're off for England tomorrow?" "That's right." "And glad I'll be to get back to business too." "Though it's been a grand holiday at that, thou knowest." "We shall be sorry to lose you." "I'll be sorry to go, lad." "Hearts is trumps." "Shall I be very brave, madam?" "If you must." "Your husband, Mr., uh, Warburton, has been boasting about you." "Oh, you mustn't believe all he says." "Oh, I do not." "He says that you are the soul, the- the very pearl of virtue." " But I say, how can anyone so lovely, so beautiful" " Is this a joke?" " May I tell you in my own" " Where's my husband?" "Allow me to act for him." "My dear Girard, we can't both do that." "Charming." "Now I shall go and talk with some friends... and, uh, perhaps they will talk with you." "We must find my husband." "Oh, the matter's finished." "And I'm so ashamed it happened in my house." "Please say nothing to your husband about it." "Let me take you to my mother." "John." "Carlo." "Let the Englishman fight his own quarrel." "It's not his quarrel." "They're our guests." "She was insulted here in our house." "It's our quarrel." "Gentlemen, I shall say, "Take aim." "Fire."" "When I say "fire," you'll fire at once." "Ready." "Take aim." "Fire." "What's that?" "You look almost like a conspirator." "I thought I'd come back and make sure you were all right." "Of course I am." "Don't you think you might find my husband?" "He's playing whist." "Must we disturb him?" " No, but- - l" "I was so anxious he shouldn't be disturbed about that little affair." "You're leaving in the morning." "He needn't be told, need he?" "I suppose not." "I don't like mysteries, but if you'd prefer" "It's very hard to tell you how sorry I am you're going." "It's been a great privilege to know you, ma'am." "That sounds very formal... and very final." "Aren't you coming to visit us in England?" "I don't think so." "But it was all arranged, wasn't it?" "All the same, I think it's better not." "Don't you?" "I can't imagine why." "My mistake, ma'am." "I beg your pardon." " What is that song?" " It's something my brother Carlos made up." "He's very romantic." "Runs in the family, doesn't it?" "Perhaps." "Is there any more of this song?" "Don't you like it?" "Mr. Girard, I really must go now." "You've been much, much too kind to us both and" "What's the matter with your hand?" "You're hurt." " It's nothing." " Those shots." "Richard." "Oh, my dear." " It's nothing, Mary." "Nothing at all." " You-You fought that man." "Let me fix your bandage for you." "We all solemnly swear to safeguard the family... to deny ourselves for the family." "Oh, Richard." "Why were we born out of our time?" "My dear." "My dear." "That's good." "There's nothing left but to say good-bye." "Shall we never meet again?" "No one can foretell the future." "Come, Mary, my lass." "Time you were abed." "You've all your packages to make up for tomorrow, you know." "Good night, Richard, my lad." "Come." "Bustle, my dear." "Bustle." "We have to be aboard by 6:00, thou knowest." "Good-bye." "I shall see you in the morning." "Please don't." "It" " It's much too early." "Good-bye." "I am your humble, obedient servant, ma'am." "Hey, turn tother way, lass." "That's direction to home." "Oh, come here." "Come here." " What is it?" " Look, the Statue of Liberty." "Turn this way, Mary." "Turn this way and look at America." " Why, Daddy?" " Because I jolly well tell you to." "Oh, orders." "Columbus discovered America." "Did he?" "Do you know any more?" "Wunderbar." "They tell me the population is mostly foreigners." " Well, so are we, aren't we?" " Ja, Papa." "Wait till you all get to New Orleans." "Dad!" "Where is everybody?" "I beg your" "Who are you?" "Mary Warburton." "Who are you?" "Richard Girard." "Say, haven't we met somewhere?" "Well, I was wondering that." "Have you ever been in England?" "I've never been anywhere but America." "And I've never been out of England." "Well, I give it up." "I'd swear I've seen you somewhere before." "This is fun, because I feel the same." "Well, you're here for the great family reunion of course." "Yes." "Say, tell me, what are they like- the others- the foreigners?" "Don't you consider English as foreigners?" "No." "Do you think Americans are?" " No." " Good." "Well, who's here, anyway?" "I just got back from a vacation." "My train got in an hour ago." "I don't know a thing about them." "My father, for one." "I met him when I was a kid." "He was over here about 10 years ago, in 1904." "Oh, he's not a foreigner anyway." "Who else?" "Um, Erik von Gerhardt." "He's one of your German cousins." "They changed their name from Girard to von Gerhardt... you know, when they got their title." "And Erik's father, the Herr Baron von Gerhardt." "And his mother, the Hochwohlgeboren Baronin von Gerhardt." "Anybody else?" "Uh, Henri Girard." "He's French." "He's one of your other cousins." "The immortal Mr. Manning" " Did they all come on the boat with you?" " Yes." "Just my luck." "They know you already." "You don't like them, do you?" "Do you usually ask as many questions as this?" "When I'm-When I'm interested." "Well, never mind about them anyway." " What'll we talk about?" "Do you like this room?" " Mm-hmm." "They call it the family room." "It's where the firm was founded." "You know, 90 years ago." "I've, uh- I've appropriated it for mine." "Yes, it looks a little as if it might have been appropriated." " Except for the piano." " Well, that's mine too." "Do you like music?" "I do." "Mmm." "Go ahead, play something." "This is the room where the firm was founded" "Over 90 years ago" " Go on." "Have you ever heard this tune before?" "Yes." "Now don't say you wrote it, because I have." "No, you haven't, all the same." "It's an old tune." "I dug up the manuscript in this house." "I can't help that." "I have." "It's a song." "There are words." "What are the words?" "I can't remember, but I think I'd recognize them if I heard them." "No, I guess you wouldn't." "They've never been published." "Listen." "Once on a summer's day" "A shepherd and" "Those aren't the words." "You're right, but how the dickens did you know?" "I don't know." "I must've heard it before." " Should she desire me not" " Go on." "And all my dreams be vain... gladly I'd take the part... to hold her in my heart." "Go on." "Since in my arms to lie... she doth disdain." "Since in my arms to lie... she doth... disdain." "My son, Richard." " You know Sir John Warburton." " How are you, Sir John?" "How are you, Richard?" "Ooh, you've grown, my boy." "A fellow does grow in 10 years, sir." "True, true." "I might have expected it." "The, uh-The Baron and Baroness von Gerhardt." " Hello, Richard." " How are you, sir?" " Madame Girard." " Your cousin, Henri Girard." " Hello, Richard." " Hello, Henri." " And little Jacques." " Bonjour, cousin." " Bonjour, Jacques." "Mr. Manning." "Very delighted to make your acquaintance, I'm sure." "You've met Mary, I see." "This is Erik." " Hello, Richard." " Hello, Erik." "More or less engaged, you know." "Oh, nothing public, but of course, in the family we" "This is the family room." "Richard uses it as a sort of den." "He'll have to move out for the ceremony." "Quaint." "A very moving experience." "I remember, 40 years ago..." "I was called on, in this very room... to pronounce the words of our family compact." "It was the greatest moment of my life... until now... when I call upon my son Richard... to repeat our time-honored pledge." "We all solemnly swear to safeguard the family... to deny ourselves for the family... and, in all circumstances, to put the needs of the family first." " The family." " The family." "Last year, 1913... was undoubtedly the most prosperous... this great family business has ever known." "Whether here in New Orleans... at our great factories in Manchester... at Lille, in France or Düsseldorf, in Germany... the story has been the same- undiluted prosperity." "At Manchester, in England, we've more than trebled our output." "This has been largely thanks to our Mr. Manning..." " the general manager." "It's a great tribute to the wisdom of our founder... that this great family enterprise... should have withstood all shocks and difficulties... and lead, preeminent, in the world." "Baron von Gerhardt." "Of the activities of our business in Düsseldorf..." "I say just this:" "The German dyestuffs and chemical industry... stands acknowledged at the vanguard of the world." "And the Fabrik von Gerhardt... is just as far in the lead from all other German industries." "Last year, 1913... we captured the golden... and both the copper medals... of the Fine Arts Fabriks Exhibition in Vienna." "I say, with a father's pride... that we owe something of this to my son Erik... for his brilliant scientific researches." "I wish to pay tribute to our allied family house in France... because especially of the lamented death... of my dear friend Jean Girard, Henri's father." "You must forgive this "sentimentalish" old German to say... the one thing that consoles me... is the coming marriage of my other boy, Fritz... with Jeanne, the sister of Henri- the marriage to which you will all come, of course, this spring in Düsseldorf." "And I wish to say how welcome you all shall be." "And I wish to say again" "Ach, ja." "I talk too long." "I say it not." "The health of my gallant sailor son..." "Oberleutnant zur See Baron Fritz von Gerhardt... of the Imperial German Navy and his lovely bride, Jeanne." "Their marriage is, for me, a profound symbolism... of the future of Germany and France." "So can the peace of Europe be always secure." " Uh, and- and when I say this I forget not England." " Ah." "So might by some, uh... alliance in our family house be symbolized... the age-long ties and affections... between Germany and England." "And I wish to say again that" "Ach, ja." "I, uh" " I talk too long." "I say it not." "Very good." "I would" "Again." "The health of the bride and the bridegroom." "Oh, magnifique!" "Bravo!" " Oberleutnant!" " Ja, Hans?" "Au revoir, Jeanne." "Marie, c'est pour toi." " Omen!" " Omen!" "Ja!" " Yes, it is an omen." "If I am lucky, we shall all soon be here together again." "Only, I shall be sitting where Fritz has been sitting, and Mary" " Erik, don't." " Oh, I should not speak of it, huh?" "Oh, now I have let the cat out from the bag." "That's all right, my boy." "This is the most wonderful thing." "I, uh" "Mary, liebchen." " Liebchen." "It is a secret" "Aren't you going to dance, Richard?" "I don't think so." "Thanks." "I like this place." "Don't you?" "You'll like it better, I expect, when you're married to Erik and settled down." "Yes, I" " I expect I shall." "When's the, uh, happy event?" "Oh, I don't know." "Sometime." "We're all going down to Munich tomorrow... and then we're going down to the Austrian Tirol." " Won't it be fun?" " Great fun." "What's the matter, Richard?" "Nothing." "I said it'd be great fun." "I see you take your pleasure seriously." "I don't intend to take this pleasure at all." "Aren't you coming?" "Haven't they asked you?" " Yes, they've asked me." " Well?" "I'm going to Paris with Henri." "Tonight." "But why?" "Well, I'm going to take my pleasures seriously." "I'm going to do a little work." "Industrious apprentice." "Not on your life." "He usually ends by marrying the master's daughter." "Doesn't that depend a little on the daughter?" "I'm no good at this epigrammatic stuff." "No, you prefer being a bull in a china shop." "I'm not ashamed of that." "And I don't care two hoots about the master's daughter." "Anyway, I" "I couldn't make her care two hoots about me, could I?" "Of course you couldn't." "So what in the dickens we're talking about, I don't know." "Well, Erik, congratulations." "Have you fixed the happy day?" "You thought of August, didn't you?" "I can't imagine a better time." "Almost anything might happen in August." "Well, what about the first week in August?" "Why not make it the first day in August?" " Yes, why not?" " Why not?" "All right then, the first of August." "Richard, are you coming?" "Yeah, sure, I'm coming." "Good-bye, Erik." "Thanks for a grand time." "I've said good-bye to your father and mother." "Oh, my dear fellow, you're- you're certainly not leaving us." "We'll never get our train if you go into that." "So long, old man." " Good-bye." " Good-bye." " Oh, Erik, why did you do it?" " Do what?" "Why did you make that silly speech and spoil everything?" "Oh, but I thought we" "Oh." "Oh, I've been a fool." "You are in love with Richard." "Is that it?" "I'm not in love..." "with anyone." "We must have made quite a night of it." "I'm darned if I know if it's tomorrow morning or next week." "As a-As a matter of fact, I" " I think it's yesterday." "Well, something's wrong." "It's broad daylight." "Must be the hunting season, I guess." "War?" "I'm goin' home I'm goin' home" "No more to" " Man, where'd y'all get them" " Bonjour monsieur." "Where you get them suits from?" "L-Lookit, I tell you, you know, that's some lodge y'all belong" "I belong to a lodge too in New Orleans." "See, I'm a Noble" " Yeah, I'm the Noble Sons of- of the" " Yeah, New Orleans." "I'm goin' back tomorrow too." "Yeah, see, I'm over there with Colonel Collier." "You know Colonel Collier, the racehorse man?" " Yeah, racehorse." " Yeah!" "Well, man, I tell you." "If I carried one of them suits back, it'll be somethin'." "You know, imagine if I carried- How'd y'all get in" "Why don't you figure so I can join that... and I can carry one of them suits back with me?" " You see?" "Yeah." "I'll buy you a drink of liquor." "I'll buy you some of this cognac over here." "You been over here so long, you talk just like them." "Uh, look" " I tell- Why don't you fix it so I can join that" "Look, man, get me one of these hats." " Bravo!" " Bravo!" "Well, here's a pretty kettle of fish- at war with one of our leading customers." "What are we going to do about it, eh?" "What are we going to do about it?" "I thought I might see about obtaining a territorial commission." "My family's always been associated with the army and" "Obtaining a territorial grandmother." "Do you think they want potbellied old gasbags in the army?" "I beg your pardon, Sir John." "I beg yours, Manning." "I beg yours." "But for heaven's sake, let's talk sense." "The government has declared a moratorium." "We've got shipments of cotton all over the world... likely to be confiscated or sunk at any moment." "Now don't you realize this war is liable to bankrupt everybody?" " Sir John?" " What is it?" "What is it?" " I'm not to be disturbed, Clumber." " A cable, sir." "Oh, thank you." "The stock exchange is closed." "Everything in the world is" "Manning, you'll have to go to France." "Uh, see if the French family want any money or help or any" " Uh" " Now listen, don't argue." "Don't argue." "Mary, do you think you can take this situation calmly?" " I hope so, Daddy." " So do I, my dear." "So do I." "But can you?" "Can you?" "That's the question." "I'm going to make you a partner in the business." "Somebody must take some of this routine off my shoulders." "Do you think that you can face responsibility?" "I'll try." "Daddy... is there any news about Richard?" "If he's got any sense, he'll be on his way back to the States." "Allez!" "Allez!" "Allez!" "Vite!" "Vite!" "Vite!" "Vite!" " Boy, that was a close one." " We shall have to abandon the factory." "The Germans are closing in on the town." "Yes, I'll tell Sir John what the position is." "He's arranged for a credit at your banker's in Paris." "Well, uh, good luck, gentlemen." " Oh, Mr. Manning." " Yes?" "Uh, Miss Warburton, is she all right?" "Well, she's been suffering a little from the hay fever lately." "Heredity, you know." "Unbecoming but quite harmless." " I'll tell her you were asking." " No, don't do that, please." " Well, then I'll use my discretion." " No, Mr. Manning, please." " Monsieur Henri Girard?" " C'est moi." "Merci." "From Uncle Charles in the war office." "My class is called." "I must report at once." "Allez!" "Allez!" "Allez!" " Allons Jacques." " Au revoir mon père." " Au revoir mon fils." " Au revoir cousin." " Au revoir Jacques." " Au revoir." " Hurry, Mother." "The road may be closed any moment now." "Allez!" "Allez!" "What about you?" "I think I'll sort of stick around." "What?" "You don't understand, Richard." "This is war." "I have to go into the army." "Just the same, I think I'll stick around." "Why are you so quiet, Richard?" " What are you thinking about?" " I'm thinking of my father." " He's all burned up because I'm in on this." "Really, Charles, you mustn't be so severe about Richard." "The boy only did what he thought was right." "What he thought was right?" "My son has no quarrel with Germany." "Come and have a drink." "Don't be so intolerant." "A man with Richard's responsibilities has no business running himself into danger." "It's all very unfortunate." "But now we're in it, we've got to go through with it." "You'll realize that when you get to England." "You talk, John, as though the United States were in it." "We're not, and we're going to keep out of it." "I hope you will, Charles." "I hope you will." "Two scotch and sodas, please." " Yes, Sir John." " Here." "I think Europe is insane." "Six months ago, you were all at a wedding in Germany." "Well, here's fun." " What was that?" " Whoa!" "The only thing is work, Miss Mary." "You mustn't give way." "You're head of the business now, you know." "It was always your father's wish that you should take over after his... death." "I'll help you, if you'll let me." "Bless you, Miss Mary, I'll help you any way I can." "I know you will." "Now there's another thing." "We have to try and see Mr. Richard Girard." "Richard?" "He's named in your father's will as cotrustee and executor." "But I" " I thought he was in America." " He's in the French army." " What?" "He joined up in that Foreign Legion." "He's in it... too." "Wait here, will you?" " How are you, my dear Richard?" " How are you?" "I'm delighted to see you." "You're looking splendid, splendid." "Now just a minute." "Wait." "Just a minute." "Now, uh" "Now, whatever you say, don't mention a word about her father." "She can't bear to be reminded of it." "It's not my favorite subject either, Mr. Manning." "Well, then you'll-you'll excuse me for mentioning it, won't you?" " Of course." " I have to think of Miss Mary, you know." " How is she taking it?" " Oh, wonderfully, wonderfully." "She's taken quite a grasp of the business." " Yes, you'd be surprised." " Um" "I couldn't have done it better myself." " You'll remember, won't you?" "Of course." " Yes." "Richard." "I'm so glad to see you." "You're looking wonderfully well." "It's quite a sanitarium where I'm living." "Come and sit down." "L" " I've got just millions of things to ask you." " Do take off that funny hat." " Well, l-l-l" " Oh, Mr. Manning." " Huh?" "Uh, please don't go." "Oh, uh, well-well, very well." "We, uh-We have to have a little talk, haven't we?" "Well?" "As you know, Richard, we have to consult you about factory policy." "Of course, Miss Mary has complete discretion." "Consult away." "What's it all about?" "Well, it's about munitions." "The government wants us to make high explosives." "Oh." "I can't make munitions, Richard." "I can't do it." "But you ought to, Mary." "After all, we've got to have them." "That's what I tell her." "L-It's a patriotic duty." "Incidentally, it's a- it's a duty to the stockholders." "You can leave the stockholders out of it." "They can do without their blood money." "Oh, now, Mary, dear, isn't that a little bit far-fetched?" "Is it, Richard?" "Do you think I'm being unreasonable?" " I do, rather." " But I'll do anything constructive." " What, for example?" " Well, make bandages, surgical dressings, sheets." "Gun cotton isn't the only cotton product." "Why not let her take over some of the looms, make her surgical dressings?" "Well, the trouble is... the government may want to take over the factory." "I can't help it if they do." "Well, I think you ought to do what your government wants you to." "I think I must decide for myself between right and wrong." "Of course, but" "I will not make munitions." "Well, that's that." "I think you better count me out as far as that will's concerned." "I wish you understood, Richard." "I wish I did too." " I've gotta be getting back up the lines again." " Not already?" "My permission expires in two hours." "But won't you- won't you just stay and have dinner with us?" "I can't, really." "I got to make the better part of 20 kilometers jumping trucks." "Well, if- if ever you're in England... will you come and- and see us all?" "You bet I will." "Sure." "Good-bye, Mary." "Good-bye, Richard." "Good-bye, Mr. Manning." "Oh, Richard, why do we always quarrel?" "You know, I can't understand a word that man says." "Oh, that's what it is?" "I can go make that now." "Hey, get back here." "Needs washing'." "Is this what he's talkin' about?" "I didn't know he wanted that razor down in there." "Can't you find no better place than this to hide?" " I" "I gonna find a place of my own, man." "Miss Warburton, I'm sure you'll understand that it's not my wish to disturb you... in the fine work you're doing." "Suppose we run over to Chilton now, Colonel?" "Mmm, yes." "L-I'll do that." "L-I assure you, Miss Warburton..." "I only want to carry out the wishes of the ministry with the least possible friction." " Good-bye." " Good-bye, Colonel Braithwaite." " Yes, Clumber?" " Beg pardon, miss." "There's a sort of a Tommy out here." "You know, private soldier." " Give him a pass to the canteen." " He's not that sort of a Tommy, miss." "He's a sort of a, you know, French soldier." "He's asking to see you." " Ask him to come up then." " Very well, miss." "Richard!" "How on earth did you get here?" "How did you manage it?" "I'm so glad to see you." "I can hardly believe that you're here." "How did you get leave?" "I'm convalescent." "Henri's mother worked it." "Convalescent?" "You're wounded." "I've got some special bandages here." "Some elastic bandages." "They're-They're simply wonderful." "Let me re-bandage your arm for you." "Mary, please listen." "I'm in love with you." "I've always" " Darling, if I get a special license... will you marry me right away before I go back?" "With this ring, I thee wed." "With this ring, I thee wed." "And with all my worldly goods, I thee endow." "With all my worldly goods, I thee endow." "May I help with your dress?" "It belonged to my great-great-grandmother." "Somehow I seem to recognize it." "Yes, I feel I've worn it before." "Did I do that that other time you wore it?" "It's a strange thing." "I don't believe you did." "Did you dream it all too?" "Only, sometimes, I couldn't believe it." " And now" " What?" "Now I'm so afraid I may lose you." "I have a queer feeling that... we lost each other before." "Must you go back?" "Be a sad ending to my convalescent leave to be shot at dawn." "I have to report back to the regiment in three days." "Of course you must." "Let's" " Let's just remember that other time when we met first." "Where did we meet that time?" "In the room at New Orleans, where we met this time." "I thought that too." "I knew it as soon as I went into it." "Did we love each other as much then as we love each other now?" "Nobody could love anyone as much as I love you." "Richard, can't I help you?" "Darling, the woman just doesn't exist that can fit all these gadgets into a musette bag." "I won't need that over there." "Let me keep it." "Gosh, it's five to!" "I'll miss that train." " Come on." "You ready?" " I've been ready for nearly an hour, darling." "You'll look after yourself, won't you, darling?" "And keep your feet dry and don't stand about in wet clothes." "Sure." "That's in regimental orders." "Our nurse is very strict." "You'll write me every day, won't you?" "And sometimes twice and three times a day." "Sure." "They're very particular about the boys writing home." "Don't let the other soldiers coax you to take whiskey." "And keep away from the lassies." "You'll mind and say your prayers, son." "I'm sure you will, every night." "I'm glad we thought of walking, aren't you?" "By the way, something ought to be done about notifying the French authorities... that you're my next of kin." "You're entitled to a penny a day separation allowance." "Don't spend it all at once." "It'll have to be done through the French consulate." "Or maybe you wouldn't want to be bothered about your separation allowance." "I insist on my separation allowance." "I shall keep it in a large money box as an endowment fund... for the Girards of the future." "You let me know quick if there's any chance of that." " Do you want it to happen?" "Very much?" " Very, very much." "Don't you?" "Be sure to write to me." "Well, darling, time to say good-bye, I guess." "Darned nuisance, this war, isn't it?" "Good-bye." "I never told you." "I think you were dead right not to make munitions." " Um, you speak English, I understand." " Ja, Herr Oberst." " Well, let me hear you, please." " English is just the same as German to me, sir." "Very good." "Well, you are attached to my staff... for special duties interrogating prisoners of war." "Uh, uh, please." "Now, uh, we strike tomorrow at the junction of the British and French armies." "Over here on the left is the English Second Brigade of Guards." "On the right is the French Foreign Legion... holding that big cemetery." "Now this operation is being followed very closely in Berlin." "It has a political, as well as a military, significance." "You understand what I've been talking about?" "Only too well, sir." "I have two cousins in the Foreign Legion." "One of them is married to an English cousin..." "who was to marry me." "Well, uh, we can't be sentimental about things like that." "No, Herr Oberst." "A family like ours has no business to exist when there is a war." "We have to forget about families." "We must at all times put the fatherland first." " But, Sergeant, ain't we in a graveyard?" " No, Dixie." " Yes, but" " Cemetery." "Cemetery?" "Cemetery." "I sure ain't gonna try to join no more lodges." "Initiating people like this, they're liable to kill 'em." "Hey, Dixie!" "Dixie!" "Dixie!" "Are you all right?" "Oh, Lord, Sarge, my hand." "Looks like that's the end of the war for you, Dixie." " Sir?" " You can go on back." " I can leave?" " Yes, Dixie." "You'll never be able to use that hand again." "Oh, that's all right." "I ain't no piano player." " Oui." " Here they come." "Hey" "Richard!" "Richard!" "Richard!" "Richard!" "Richard!" "Hail Mary, full of grace." "The Lord is with thee." "Blessed art thou amongst women." "Blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus." "Ri-Richard." "Richard." "Richard." "Richard!" "Richard!" " Richard!" " Come in." "I'm extremely sorry to intrude." "But the fact is, the ministry have turned down that Wilson Hume idea... and insist upon taking over your premises at once." " So?" " I beg your pardon?" "I'm afraid I've got to ask you to hand over today." " But surely, madam, it's plain enough." " Colonel Braithwaite..." " I hardly think this is" " I'm not accustomed to arguing with civilians, sir." "Now, my dear madam, I'm sure you aren't going to make it difficult for me." "Is anything the matter?" "I've just had a telegram from the French War Office." "My husband is missing." " Richard." " Richard, my dear boy." "Would you like to come with us and stay in our house?" "You remember, dear, Erik's house, where you came to the wedding." "And we have letters from Mary." "They came by way of Switzerland." "She's well and happy, and she says you are to get strong quickly." "And she sends you her love." "And she's waiting for you to get well soon." "And I've got an order, so I may take you on my parole to our house." "So you must get very strong very quick." "And we are so glad to see you, my dear boy." "And I wish to say again that" "These are Mary's letters." " Jawohl." "Well, you are down today." "That's better- much better." "Still sort of rocky, I guess." "I don't seem to remember... things." "What happened to me?" "You were blown up by a shell in the big battle in the spring." "What-What spring?" "What year are we in?" "I feel like Rip van Winkle." "It is October, 1918, Richard." "And the war is still going on." "Seems once you start a thing like that, there's no way of stopping it." "Oh, God, it's terrible." "Who wanted such a thing except a few fools?" "You, the Allies, have been nearly smashed." "And now for Germany, it's coming to the finish." "We are trying to make you some soup... but there is nothing- no meat, no butter, no milk." "Only ersatz- substitutes." "Straw for bread, acorns for coffee, ja, and some turnips." "And every house is like this house." "If we are lucky, one egg a week." "Coffee?" "Nein." "Beer?" "Nein." "Fleisch?" "Nein." "Some potatoes, perhaps." "And look in this kitchen." "Everything of rubber, commandeered." "Everything of copper, commandeered." "My copper medals." "I tell you, Richard." "Whoever wins this war, we are all ruined." "There's no longer any family." "There's no longer any Europe." " I know you, don't I?" " Why, your cousin!" "You remember Jeanne, who married Fritz." "Sure." "Sure, I knew it." "What a long way back that seems." "How's Fritz?" " Fritz" "Fritz is dead." "He went down in his ship- a submarine." "So it's over... at last." "Yes, we've won the war." "We've won the war." "And between us all, we've torn down everything that matters- faith, freedom, civilization." "Richard comes back to me in a week." "Just now, nothing else seems to matter to me." " So it's all over." "They look so sad." "So sad." "Armistice Day can't be much fun for the losers." "It is terrible." "There is no longer a Germany." " Erik!" "It is inspiring to meet here tonight... 100 years to the minute... since the founding of our great family business in 1825." "Some people thought the war would break us." "But we're stronger than ever." "And we're a happier family than ever." "Henri today is taking up the life of a priest." "And we all love and respect him the more for that." "He's transferred all his rights and interests to Jacques, his brother." "Jacques has done a fine job... in preparing himself to take over our rebuilt premises in France." "In Germany, thanks to Erik, we lead, as we've always led." "In England, at Mary's wish..." "I, myself, have taken over control with the able help of Mr. Manning." "Manchester seems to be holding its own, in its own peculiar way." "Aye, it is that." "In the United States, we've reached a position of power and prosperity... greater than ever before." "And that's all, I think... except to have our time-honored pledge repeated by our youngest." "We all solemnly swear to safeguard the family... to deny ourselves for the family... and in all circumstances, to put the needs of the family first." " The family." " The family." "All right, now." "Let's get this straight." "In Germany, we buy up Blumenthals, Moyers, and the Allgemeine Chemische Fabrik... and amalgamate as the All-German Dyestuff Combine." " That sets us back how much?" " $48 million." " Fifty million." " Call it 50 million for a round figure." "Then in France, we acquire those seven firms and form the Syndicate d'Initiative." "What's that figure, Jacques?" "Twenty-four million?" " Twenty-five." " Twenty-five million." "The New Orleans figure is big." "$100 million." "But it puts us in absolute control of American raw cotton... and we're solid, because cotton's a necessity of life." "Manchester is hanging back." "I'll fix them." "I'll put in Warburton's." "The rest will follow." "Do you think you should put in Warburton's without consulting Miss Mary?" "Of course I'll talk it over with her." "Say, don't be such a killjoy, Manning." "We're in on the biggest and the safest deal in the history of commerce." "Sometimes I've a feeling that the real Richard isn't there at all." "It's nonsense, of course." "We don't believe that to be nonsense in my faith." "I want it to be nonsense." "It frightens me." "For an outside expenditure of 250 million, we control the world's cotton goods output." "We can write our own prices!" "The banks are with us." "We can get the money tomorrow." "Oh, Mary, I'd like to have a word with you." "Listen, darling, everything's all lined up for the world cotton combine." "It's the biggest thing ever." "We've got everybody important in Germany, France and the United States." "And I'm taking in Warburton's, of course." " What for?" " What for?" "We buy you out with corporation stock... and you sit back and look pretty for the rest of your days." " I don't like it." " Mary, are you crazy?" "The Warburtons can't compete with the combine." "It's not economic." "Mass production- that's one of the lessons of the war." " There's no use arguing about it, darling." " I'm not arguing, dear... but, I was just wondering." "Now, you're not going to pit your business knowledge against mine, are you?" "Warburton's is coming in with us." "And listen, all this is only a beginning." "The Allied Industries Combine is the next step." "Darling, it'll make you just about the richest woman in the world." "You can buy up half of New York, and all you have to do is sit back and draw dividends." "How's it strike you, Henri?" "It reminds me of someone who said..." ""All this is yours if you will fall down and worship me."" "You understand- shell shock." "I'll go and talk to him." "Poor old Henri." " He's right." " Rubbish." "All that old-fashioned nonsense means nothing in the modern machine age." "It means everything." "Oh, for heaven's sake, what's the matter with being rich?" "For us, I mean." "I never see you now." "That means a lot to me." "Darling, I'm so busy." "I never look at another woman." "No, you never look at anything but your bankbook." "Well, I'm making money for you." "No, Richard." "You're making money for the power that it gives you." "I suppose that's because we haven't any children." "Nonsense, darling." "Children are such a responsibility nowadays." "You once said you wanted them more than anything else in the world." "Well, you get over that sort of primitive stuff, I guess." "Does the wonderful romance of our lives mean nothing to you anymore?" "It means everything." "Just you let me get this deal straightened out... and we'll go away for a grand holiday all by ourselves." "Away from all this madness?" "Sure." "We'll head straight back home." "I tell you what we'll do." "We'll get the yacht, fill it up with a good crowd of the boys" "Keep in touch with the markets that way" "Richard!" "Richard!" "We've got Berlin on the phone." "That's my call to the All-German Combine." "I'll tell them Warburton's are in, Mary." "What's it now?" "Here it is." "American Cotton Combine- two and a half, two." "Two dollars a share!" "I bought a block of 100,000 at 60 yesterday morning." "Paris on the wire for Mr. Girard." "Hello." "Yes." " Erik, Paris." "The banks have called our loans." " But they have our stock." " $8 million in gold, or we're out." " Erik, get Berlin on the phone." "Tell the bankers to transfer" " I'm sorry, Richard." "But, Erik, you've got to!" "We must stand together." "That's the point of the will, to protect the family when one branch fails." "But we've all failed." "The German banks are closed." "There's no money anywhere and no credit." "Well, I've still got credit- the best in New York." " I'll stem this tide." " But you're $6 million in the red, Richard!" "I've just come from the floor of the exchange." "The richest men in the world were there, ready with billions of dollars to stem the tide." "They saw what was happening and walked out." "Well, they've got 'em scared." "They've got everybody scared." "What is it, darling?" "What's the matter?" "Something pretty bad." "What is it, Richard?" "What's happened?" "We're ruined, I'm afraid." "Bankrupt." "It's all my fault." " Warburton's?" " Warburton's may just pull through." "Old Manning's moved pretty fast." "The rest is... finished." "The French firm's gone out on us." "The All-German Combine's closing down." "And the banks have taken over in New Orleans." "There isn't anything illegal about it, is there?" "I haven't forged or stolen anything, if that's what you mean." "Don't talk like that, darling." "I seem to have been such a prize hellhound to you all the time." "That doesn't matter." "Nothing matters as long as we've got each other." "Try and get some sleep." "You look so tired and wretched." "I can't." "I haven't slept in a week." "This crack-up, it's terrifying." "It all seems to have happened in a single night." "Where's the world heading, Mary?" "Somewhere beyond our wisdom, darling." "Don't fret yourself." "Come in here." "And you're so very sweet to me." "Do you really care about me still?" "You know I couldn't care about anybody else." "Well, about the last time we'll ever meet together as a family." "It's each one for himself now." "This family idea's worked out, old-fashioned." " What is a family anyway?" " The basis of our present civilization." "Hmm." "That's pretty well finished too, isn't it?" "Oh, come." "There's life in the old girl yet." "Is there anything further before I close the meeting?" "Has anyone anything to propose?" "Well, speaking for myself, I'm going to have a holiday- the first I've had since 1914." "After that, I'll" " I'll see." "Cheer up, Manning." "Things will come right again." " What's to make them?" " Faith." "In what?" "What is there to believe in?" "Look at the situation in Europe, in the east, everywhere." "There's hardly a country in the world that isn't drunk with nationalism." "All building armaments, all attacking each other's trade and destroying it." "Faith is not a matter of argument." "It's whether you believe or don't believe." "Hear, hear." " Hello, darling." " Mary." "All the same, it's nationalism that's smashed us." "Why, we couldn't even trade with each other... between the very branches of the same firm." "A lot of humbug, I calls it." "I've had the furniture and the heavy luggage taken over by the shipping agents." "They're sending it direct to New Orleans." "Is that all right?" "Absolutely right, darling." "Yes." "The fact is, there's no way out except another war." "It's beginning to look like that." " What did you say?" " I said we're heading for another war." "You must be mad, Jacques." "Everything our family has labored to build for 100 years... has been crashed to bits by the last war." "How can you even think of another one?" "Things sometimes get so knotted, that we have to cut our way out." "War is nature's way of eliminating surplus people." "Then what a pity to interfere with nature's other ways of eliminating surplus people." "Why not shut the hospitals and let disease have a free hand?" "Why spend millions on child welfare?" "So that the guns shan't go hungry?" "Is that the idea?" "Oh, but disease has nothing to do with it." "Disease has everything to do with it." "War is a disease- homicidal mania on the grand scale... brought on by fear and jealousy." "We know all that, but can't you understand?" "Has it ever occurred to you that there are women in the world about to become mothers?" "That's just sentiment." "Why generalize?" "Because I happen to be one of them." "And you dare to tell me that the world is preparing for another war." " Home." " A bit dilapidated, but it belongs to us anyway." "Wait until we get the furniture in." "Oh, isn't it thrilling to be here?" "I have a curious sense that- that we're beginning all over again... as though we were still boy and girl." "As though we just found out we care about each other." "Y'all hurry up and grow up around there... so you can do some of this heavy work." "Don't you think I never get tired." " Hiya, Mrs." "Welcome home, Mr. Girard." " Hello, Dixie." "All the stuff done come." "The box stuff and the furniture" "Course, I didn't have time to do much." "You've done plenty." "Yes, sir." "I did the best I could." "Say, "Welcome home" to Mr. Girard, y'all." "Welcome home, Mr. Girard." "Say, "Welcome home, Mr. Girard."" " Welcome home." " And smile." "That boy gonna be just like me." "Say, "Welcome home."" "We're going to be so happy in this place, darling." "And here's where we'll put the nursery." "How strange it looks." "Everything's gone." "Not everything." "Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, oh Lord." "And by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night."