"Hello, Herbert!" "Nora!" "Hello, Herbert." "Johnny!" "How are you?" "Why, you're a sorry sight, my friend." "Well, we got awful cold on that boat." "We wallowed around for 3 days while the captain tried to dodge Nazis." "Well, come along." "I got a cab waiting." "Where to, children- The Nottingham hotel?" "No." "We've written to reserve the flat we had last year." "We've made up our minds we're going to have a home for a few months." "It takes more than a war to upset Nora's homing instinct." "That's obvious." "You're a brave girl to have a baby" "At a time like this." "If Nora had been with Custer at little bighorn," "Everything would have been homey, up to and including the last stand." "What was the number of that flat?" "338 Littletown square." "It's a lovely place." "Such gay wallpaper in the bedroom." "They say it's important what a baby first sees." "338 Littletown square?" "But that entire square was bombed out last week." "Oh." "We'll try the paper at the Nottingham." "Well, you make yourself a home on that bed." "Not till I've wound the clock." "Wait a minute." "I'll get it." "Home is wherever Nora winds that clock." "She's wound it in a lot of peculiar places, too." "You should have seen the bamboo shack she put together in Ethiopia" "New England colonial with mud shutters." "Meet you downstairs, Johnny, in about 10 minutes," "And we'll go over to the office together." "All right." "And don't forget your gas mask." "Nora: good-Bye, Herbert." "Good-Bye, my dear." "You're going to stay in bed till dinnertime." "12 hours." "You're not even to get up for lunch." "Here." "Try yours on." "I want to see if it fits." "You know, the farther west we retreat," "The better the gas masks get." "The next generation will probably grow to look like this." "Hey, what are you mad at?" "I'm mad at 1940." "Darling, will you do something for me?" "For us?" "You go up to New York and have our baby there." "No, John." "Please go home." "The war's got you down already," "And it's only started." "You saw what they did to..." "Rotterdam." "You were in France." "They'll do it here, too." "They might do it in America." "I'm staying with you." "That's home for me." "They're still having babies in London" "Even in Rotterdam." "I can't run away from life, John." "Neither can you." "All right, Nora." "I guess I knew you wouldn't go." "It's probably only reconnaissance." "Well, what do you know?" "That's the all-Clear signal." "We've been on the alert ever since we got here," "And we didn't even know it." "Ha ha!" "Where's the war?" "Go on." "Cable New York your thrilling adventures in your first London air raid." "You're to stay in bed 12 hours, remember?" "12." "John: oh, what a lot of tripe." "Oh, dear." "Enjoying the collected but unbound works of John Davis?" "Every newspaper should be burned one hour after it's printed." "There's nothing like reading your old columns" "To make you feel foolish, eh, Johnny?" "Foolish is hardly the word." ""Loyalists will hold out, says John Davis. "" ""John Davis says England will not tolerate Italian aggression in Ethiopia. "" ""John Davis says allies will protect Czechoslovakia. "" "That's the way it goes from there on." "No hits, no runs." "Oh, but here's the topper." "If anything guaranteed me a place in history, this is it." ""Maginot line invincible, says John Davis. "" "A lot of people agreed with you, Johnny." "Well, it's nice to have company." "Well... there goes my book." "No, no, no, you don't." "What you need's a drink." "You can start working tomorrow." "Well, that's not a bad thought." "Will you join me?" "I've got to stay here and wait for some late cables." "Well, that's that." "Where do we go from here?" "I don't know." "Let's take a look." "I got to write a story anyway." "Amazing the way you can hear those heinkles clear down here." "How do you know they're heinkles?" "Listen." "Hear the way the motors don't quite work together?" "First loud and then soft." "It's ok." "Where can we sleep?" "Why, the corridors are the best, sir." "The third floor, I'd say." "It puts the most walls between you and the bomb." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "Girl: now I lay me down to sleep," "I pray the lord my soul to keep." "If I die before I wake," "I pray the lord my soul to take." "All I have to show for my month in England" "Is a few brilliant paragraphs ending with "3 sentences deleted here. "" "You'll find we are perfectly willing to sacrifice your chance to win a Pulitzer prize" "For our chance to win the war." "Ahem." "Think of the brilliant book you'll be able to write" "When you get back to America." "Well..." "I'll tell you what" " You smile and I'll smile." "Ahem." "Uh, I think we ought to be off." "Well, got to run along, old man." "We've got- Pleased to-Get going." "At least they can't censor what I'm thinking." "The boys at the dispersion fields" "Think it's going to be hot tonight." "If the stuff really starts popping," "Maybe you'd better get out in the streets." "It looks lovable." "Well, I think I'll go home and tuck Nora in first." "Still sleeping in the corridor on the third floor, aren't you?" "Our home away from home." "Good-Bye." "Good-Bye." "John: when I think of the pictures in the catalog that went with this thing... pine woods, running stream, fresh trout." "John, you wouldn't consider staying in tonight, would you?" "Here by our trout stream." "What are you worried about suddenly?" "You know very well I'm the best doorway ducker-Inner in all Europe." "I'm still bent like a Dutch door from Rotterdam." "Oh, I'm not worried about the raid." "I read all your columns for the month this afternoon." "Oh, you did?" "And if I didn't go out tonight, what would I write about tomorrow?" "What would you write about anyway?" "Oh, John, this stuff is terrible." "It's straight out of the icebox." "I don't think you realize what the censor does." "Oh, the censor wouldn't cut the stuff I want to read." "Sit down, darling." "It-It just isn't the way you used to write." "If you don't believe me," "Look at the stuff you sent from Madrid." "Why, when you filed those stories... even the telegraph girls used to cry." "Well, that was before Munich." "Before Czechoslovakia." "Before France." "I wouldn't make such a fuss if it was just your writing," "But it's you who's changed." "A man can't go on feeling week after week." "There's a limit!" "By and by, pretty soon, he finds himself dead." "Darling, I wouldn't care if you never wrote another word," "If only you'd get... mad, the way you used to." "There's no use lecturing me, darling." "If I'm falling apart, all the king's horses can't put me back together again." "But I don't think it's me that's falling apart." "I think it's the world." "Well, it doesn't make much sense, but I do." "All right." "I don't know what I can do about it, if anything." "But one thing I do know... you wouldn't be so down on me if you didn't love me, would you?" "Be careful..." "awfully careful." "Sure." "And when you come home, you'll find your coffee on your bed." "Ha ha!" "A place for everything, and everything in its place." "Good night, darling." "Good night, fellas." "Come in, will you?" "Can't shut you out there" "You with no gas mask." "Here, you!" "It's all right." "Press." "Well, you'd better take care, sir." "There's a lot of shrapnel started falling tonight." "There's nothing worse." "House number 322!" "322!" "Woman: yes?" "Tell operator gas and water mains bombed." "Number 313 wrecked." "Both occupants buried." "Quickly, please!" "At once." "Can you help me at 313?" "Yeah." "Come along." "Humphreys, mother, 41." "Son, 4." "They'd be in the cellar." "Hello there!" "Anyone there?" "Here, come on." "Wait a minute." "Listen." "That'll be the little nip peter." "Well, it caught on fire." "I brought a hacksaw." "Anything hurt you?" "No." "Your arms?" "No." "Don't hurt." "Just let me look at that lovely lamb." "No!" "Let me hold him for you, huh?" "Can't find anything there." "That's not his blood." "All right, ambulance." "You can go on." "You won't be needed for the other case." "Come along, soldier." "You're just going to be fine." "Can you handle him?" "Yeah, sure." "Well, I guess it's all clear now, huh?" "That's what you think." "Take a look down here." "I'd like to get my hands on you, you dirty Nazi swine!" "That's what I'd like." "Everything all right?" "All clear." "I think everyone's accounted for now, sir." "Was it bad?" "Yes, sir." "I believe you're on the seventh floor." "You'll find everything all right." "A demolition bomb at a sharp angle" "Hit about the fourth floor, sir." "Can I see you, Mr. Davis?" "Where is she?" "St. Madeline hospital, sir." "On the valse lower road, sir." "414?" "First door to your left." "One moment, please." "Where are you going?" "Mrs. Davis, 414." "You can't go in." "Doctor's orders." "Here." "Sit down." "I'll call the doctor." "Mr. Davis is here." "Mr. Davis?" "Yes?" "Your wife is out of danger now." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "You may see her for a few minutes." "She won't be conscious long." "I gave her a hypodermic." "Uh... one moment." "I have something to tell you." "I had to operate." "Why?" "In wartime, we can't wait for permission in such matters." "There was a lesion from bomb percussion." "As I told you, she'll be all right." "Thank you, doctor." "May I go in now?" "One other thing." "She won't be having another baby." "You mean, for a long time?" "Ever." "You mustn't let her know that yet." "Wait 2 or 3 months to tell her." "After an operation of this sort," "There's a psychological shock." "The full truth would make it considerably worse." "Do you understand?" "Hello, cookie." "Nora." "I want to touch your face." "There." "Will that do?" "For now." "They gave me something." "To make me sleep, they said." "It's coming fast... only it doesn't feel like sleep." "It feels like dying." "Well... dope always acts like that." "They've killed our baby... all our babies." "All our babies, forever dead." "Oh... who told you such nonsense?" "No one told me." "It's true." "Please, darling, go to sleep now." "What did I want babies for?" "I've been a bad wife." "Trying to hang on when there wasn't any use trying." "Making snug little homes in the midst of hell." "I've been a bad wife because I've been a good wife." "Oh, darling, please." "Try to go to sleep now." "Think about going home to Connecticut." "The leaves will be turning, and snow on the ground." "Think about that, and" "Oh, no!" "That's not my life!" "Darling, please." "Let go." "Go to sleep." "I'll be a ghost." "You'll be a ghost." "The whole world... crawling with ghosts." "Don't fight it, darling." "Let go." "Let go, honey." "* you take the high road * and I'll take the low road * * and I'll be in Scotland before ye * * for me and my true love will never meet again * * on the bonny, bonny banks of loch Lomond *" "That's the, um, Scottish national anthem." "Well, now you've got me all mixed up." "Which is the better, the high road or the low road?" "Man: both of them." "You know, you're jolly lucky only to wait 6 months" "For your plane's reservation." "Our countryside's made you beautiful." "Well, thank you... in a backhanded sort of way." "You know, Johnny, I resent your age." "How about taking 3 minutes out for another snifter for me?" "No, no, no." "No time out for anyone." "Well, you're in an awful hurry to get me on that plane," "Herbert v. Allison." "On the contrary, I'm the one who's begging you to stay." "What are you writing, cookie?" "My cable to you from Lisbon" "While I can still write." "Why don't I give it to you now?" ""Here I am in Lisbon after wondrous ride on great gray goose. "" "Hey, give me that drink!" "You know, there's something disgusting about elderly sots." "Look, it didn't matter about the other assignments," "But I am not sending a drunken leprechaun" "To interview those children at the Riswick home." "Do I have to do some sentimental drip about kids?" "There's nothing drippy about Trudy Strauss or her Riswick home." "The place is a sort of clearing station for shock cases." "Ha!" "What place isn't?" "We'd like to weigh in your luggage now, Mrs. Davis." "Oh!" "Let me do it." "Whooee!" "Something tells me this is a two-Man job." "Here, catch." "* oh, you take the low road *" "Mayday." "John: * I'll take the big bag * * and you take the little one * * and I'll... don't go, Nora." "Hmm?" "Don't leave Johnny." "I can't say this strongly enough." "I've been watching you all day." "You just don't understand at all what's happened to you." "You're just not being Nora." "Oh, well, wait a minute." "Let's clear all wires and start all over again." "Nora, listen to me." "I have known soldiers after they left hospital with a bad wound" "They're so dazed, they can't even sign their names the way they used to." "Perhaps it's nature's way of escaping pain." "They think some other fellow got hit, not them." "Oh!" "You think I'm, uh," "I'm some other fellow." "Listen to me, Nora." "I can't make Johnny see that you mustn't go," "So I've got to make you see it." "Stay here, Nora." "Stay here and face what's happened to you." "Don't go." "Man: all aboard ship!" "You know something, grandpa?" "I'm not drunk- You are." "* on the bonny, bonny banks * * of loch Lomond" "Ha ha ha!" "Good-Bye, rugged." "Good-Bye, Herbert." "Good-Bye, Nora." "Don't forget this." "Oh, thanks." "Good-Bye, darling." "See you soon." "You bet, darling." "Sooner than soon." "* I'll take the high road to Connecticut *" "* I'll be in Winstock before ye *" "Ha ha ha!" "Good-Bye!" "So long." "Good-Bye!" "She's a marvelous girl, Johnny." "Excuse me." "She acts as if she hasn't a care in the world." "She hasn't." "Nora?" "Nora." "Plenty of good stuff here." "Plenty of articles in these case histories." "And dull, too." "Yes." "You won't get much out of sitting in my office." "Hadn't I better show you the children?" "If I were half a newspaperman, I'd have seen them an hour ago." "Those are the older children." "Looks like any schoolyard anyplace." "That's what we want it to look like." "Now I'll show you the playroom." "Hello, Miss Weber." "Miss Weber-Another refugee like myself." "Mr. Davis." "How do you do, Miss Weber?" "They've all lost their homes, the people who love them." "We just try to make them feel secure again," "To drive out all the frightful little ghosts that haunt them." "And now I will show you the nursery" "What you Americans call small fry." "Did I do anything?" "A bomb killed her mother at her side," "But she only remembers the man who pulled her out," "So now all men bring back the whole thing to her." "Well..." "let's go on to the nursery." "No." "If you don't mind," "I would like you to stay here a moment." "It is best she see men as often as possible." "It is not always easy to be scientific." "Thank you, Mr. Davis." "That little boy, has he been here long?" "No, only a week." "Do you know him?" "Well, I'm not sure." "Who is he?" "His mother was killed." "He was with some foster parents for several months." "They brought him here because he could not adjust himself." "His name is Peter Humphreys." "Yes, Humphreys." "That's it!" "May I use your telephone?" "He was just where you thought, sir" " On the cupboard shelf." "Thank you." "Thank you, sir." "He's a little on the depressing side." "It doesn't matter." "It will be a link with his past," "With those who loved him." "It's what we're always looking for" "Links for these little chains." "Trudy: why, peter." "I didn't mean for you to dress to go out." "You're not going away." "I want you to meet John Davis." "I'm very glad to see you again, peter." "Mr. Davis came to your house once a long time ago." "He brought you something that belonged to you" "A nice, woolly lamb." "No." "But this lamb is a very old friend of yours, peter." "Lamb, you ran away, lamb!" "He ran away." "You stay now, lamb." "Oh, lamb." "He is an awful lamb, awful." "He spills his soup and throws his spoon down the pipe" "And wets his knickers." "He is awful." "Oh, lamb." "Now, take your lamb upstairs" "And get ready for tea." "Yes." "Here we go." "Come along." "Ha ha!" "I'll see you soon, peter." "Are you sure?" "You promise?" "Yes, I promise." "Tilly." "Time for tea." "You know..." "You seem to have become something of a link yourself, Mr. Davis." "Mrs. Harris to see you." "Mrs. Harris?" "Oh." "Oh, I'm Mrs. Harris," "This child's foster mother." "That is, her latest foster mother." "I was told to see Miss Strauss." "I am Miss Strauss." "Oh, Miss Strauss, little Margaret here" "Has had 3 other foster mothers," "And we all had a meeting last night at my home," "And we decided that she should come to you." "You see, we all found her rather hard to control." "S" " U-L-K-Y, you know." "I would rather we discussed this alone." "Oh, but little Margaret and I have no secrets." "We just don't know what to make of the little girl." "Won't eat her f-Double-O-D," "And nobody's been able to pry her loose from that incendiary b-O-M-B." "Ha ha!" "She takes it to bed with her, she does." "I'm sure if you will leave her here" "For a day or two to become acquainted," "We can talk about this much more intelligently." "She does that curious thing all day long." "If you will give me your card, Mrs. Harris." "Oh, yes." "My husband and I felt it was not just a duty," "But a privilege to take a child into our home," "But what with rolling bandages and knitting, don't you know" "Good day, Mrs. Harris." "Yes." "Uh, good-Bye, darling." "Oh." "Good-Bye, darling." "Good-Bye." "Well, good-Bye." "We will keep our thumbs up for little Margaret." "May I help you?" "Oh, thank you." "Good-Bye." "Thank you very much." "Do you want to cry, Margaret?" "Do you want to cry, dear?" "Because if you do... why don't you?" "You won't smack me?" "No." "You won't smack me if I bellow?" "Why, Margaret, no." "We never spank little girls." "If you feel like crying, you can cry." "Of course you can cry, dear." "Who is she looking for?" "Her mother, of course." "Imagine punishing a child for crying." "Surely little children who have to change worlds" "Must be allowed to cry" "For all the things they've lost." "Do you know how to take off your coat yourself?" "Oh, no." "That's my imogesium bomb," "My very own." "It came from a German plane." "Oh, I wouldn't dream of taking it away from you." "Take your coat off, darling," "And then we'll have tea." "Come." "Let's have our tea." "Miss Weber." "Please?" "Thank you." "Shall we go to tea?" "No." "I have to get back and do my story." "You do look a little bit shaken." "Well, uh..." "I had quite a day before I came here." "You promised peter you'd have tea with him," "And of course, we never break our promises to the children." "But I just told- Um... well, you got me." "As long as you put it that way," "I suppose there's nothing I can do about it." "Will you have some cake?" "No, thanks." "Eat your bread." "It's good for you." "Uh... why does he keep staring at me like that?" "Maybe he just likes you, Mr. Davis." "Trudy: you brought him his lamb." "Strange that a little stuffed lamb can make him speak to other children" "For the first time since he's been here." "Yes, and already he works for us." "See?" "He's making Margaret eat." "6 foster mothers couldn't make her eat, but peter can." "That little boy isn't English, is he?" "No." "Austrian." "My son Hans." "He runs this place." "Miss Trudy, why does this mother kangy carry the baby kangy?" "Because that's the way the mother kangaroo" "Protects her child, Isabel." "Why?" "Why?" "Well, because when... well... ha ha!" "When the mother's running through the forest" "And sees trouble coming," "She has the baby come and jump into the pouch." "Why?" "Well, because the mother can run faster than the baby" "When trouble is coming." "Oh." "Why?" "Uh... oh, why did I come here?" "Come on, Isabel." "Finish your supper." "It's almost time for your bath." "Mr. Davis, I hope you get a good story out of all this" "Because you're certainly trapped for the evening." "Here, peter." "I think we better dispose of the lamb for the time" "It'll get all cold-Wet, you know, and catch cold." "There." "It'll be right here." "Here." "You can't take a bath with that thing" "No!" "Come on, honey." "Look" "Where's my fwenoo?" "Your what?" "My fwenoo." "Fwenoo?" "That's what I thought you said." "What's a fwenoo?" "He means his flannels." "Here's one for each of them." "Their names are on them." "Oh." "There you are, peter." "There." "There's Margaret's." "Where's my ducky?" "!" "Why isn't there a ducky?" "Hans!" "You know anything about ducks?" "Yes, sir." "Right here." "Oh, I see." "Those things." "Is that what you want?" "Here." "Where's your rag?" "Oh!" "Now, peter!" "Here." "I'll have to wipe him dry for you." "Thank you, my Mr. Davis." "He is not your Mr. Davis!" "He's my Mr. Davis!" "Now, Margaret" " He is not!" "He's my Mr. Davis!" "He's my Mr. Davis!" "Here, Margaret, don't do that." "Now, peter, stop." "Here." "He's my Mr. Davis!" "Margaret, that's not- Don't do that, now!" "Margaret, stop that, will you?" "Now, now, Margaret." "That isn't nice." "Stop, peter!" "Stop it!" "What difference does it make whose he is?" "I'll cut myself in half!" "Stop that, peter, will you?" "Hans!" "Good night, Mr. Davis." "Good night." "My Mr. Davis." "John: why aren't you asleep?" "You're not asleep." "Well... 6:30 isn't my usual bedtime." "Now, go to sleep." "Roll over and face the wall." "You, too." "Will you have supper with us?" "No, thanks." "I'll go as soon as they go to sleep." "All right." "A bomber." "No, dear." "It's only our guns chasing the bombers away." "Sounds like a bomber to me." "* la la la la la * * la la la la" "Look." "Trouble is coming." "Trouble is coming." "Trouble is coming." "Come along, sweetheart." "Oh, Mr. Davis, Mr. Davis." "Yes, honey?" "Aww." "Is it a German plane?" "No, no, no." "I don't like German planes." "Will it go away?" "I think it's one of our planes, honey," "Sent to chase the Germans away." "Is it dropping bombs now?" "No, no." "It's going away." "Now?" "Count with me, Margaret. 1, 2, 3... both: 4, 5, 6, 7" "Listen." "See?" "See?" "It's going away now." "Now..." "Now we can get some sleep." "There." "Tuck me in." "There you are." "Where's my imogesium bomb?" "Hmm?" "Oh." "Oh, here." "Ha ha ha!" "There." "Good night, Margaret." "Good night, our Mr. Davis." "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10." ""Not without lighter side. "" "So Nora's making money for the family, eh?" "Mr. Davis, there's a man to see if there's any chance" "Of you canceling your reservation to Lisbon on the 15th." "Ask him to leave his name." "I don't know." "What's that?" "Here." "Wait a minute." "Tell him that Mr. Davis will be on that plane." "Yes, sir." "Hey, don't you want to go back to America?" "You're afraid, Johnny," "And it isn't flying the ocean that frightens you." "On your toes, lads." "On your toes, lads." "Incendiaries in the old city." "Come on, Johnny." "That's us." "Hold it!" "This wind- Where'd it come from?" "Fire makes its own wind, its own draft." "Look!" "Wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "Come on!" "Fill in human interest later!" "All right." "Watch out for falling bricks." "Wouldn't go." "It's dangerous." "You could have stepped in that doorway over there." "It's on occasions like this that I realize I'm no longer a young man." "You better go on back, grandpa." "I'll muddle through for both of us." "Thanks, but don't do any dying" "For the dear old north American press service." "Don't worry." "I won't." "I hate those delayed-Action bombs." "Say, uh... by the way, grandpa," "What were you sore about up in the office?" "I wasn't sore." "I just said that you were afraid to go back." "You know as well as I do that Nora isn't herself." "There's no one but you can pull her out of that shell," "And you're so afraid you'll fail, you won't even try." "Who am I to pull her out?" "She's always been the one to pull me out." "How can I give her hope?" "I can't lie to Nora." "I never could." "Can I help you?" "My poor baby." "She's so tired." "She's asleep... isn't she?" "I'll take her." "Yes, she's asleep." "I'll take care of her." "Yes... she's asleep." "All right." "You're mad now... mad at stink..." "mad at smoke... mad at Nazi bombs that murder little children." "Oh, god, let me stay mad." "Give me the wisdom... give me the strength to stay mad." "Trudy:" "Mr. Davis?" "Oh, hello, Miss Strauss." "Uh, are the children all right?" "It was a big fire, you know." "Yes, I know." "I didn't expect you to find me here." "It's awfully early, isn't it?" "Won't you come in and have a cup of coffee?" "No, no, thanks." "I just came by to see if the children are all right." "The fire was 11 miles away." "Look, uh... you're a psychologist." "Do you think I'm crazy?" "Who isn't?" "How about that coffee?" "No, thanks, but I would like" "To come back at noon and see the children." "May I?" "Why, certainly, Mr. Davis." "Good-Bye." "Hello!" "Hello, Margaret." "How are you?" "Hello, peter." "How are you?" "I'm fine, darling." "Here." "Look what I have for you" " A nice present." "What kind of a present?" "One for each of you." "A book." "I love books." "Aunt Trudy can read them to you." "All about the life of an elephant." "See?" "Peter, where's your woolly lamb?" "No." "I've got a teddy now." "Oh, I see." "A teddy bear." "Good morning." "Oh, good morning." "By the way, Mr. Davis, I have work for you to do." "No." "No, no." "No baths this time." "Worse." "What could be worse?" "Perhaps I told you that peter" "Was with some foster parents named Barrie." "They brought him here because" "He was not able to shake off a dazed, dreamy condition." "But now that he is better," "We're sending him back there," "And Margaret is going, too." "Today?" "Today is just a preliminary visit to break them in." "Luncheon... if you would take them." "Oh, I see." "I'm still Davis," "The, uh, link." "Is it the truth you'll bring us back?" "Yes, dear, it's the truth." "Will I see?" "Yes, you'll see." "A bomb!" "Where?" "Show me!" "Another bomb!" "No." "You're wrong, peter." "This time, it's a vacant lot." "It was almost a bomb." "Oh, look." "A bomb." "A proper bomb." "You're right, peter." "A proper bomb." "A proper bomb from Mr. Hitler." "I don't like Mr. Hitler." "Mrs. Barrie?" "Yes, yes." "Of course." "How do you do?" "Thank you." "I'm John Davis." "Miss Strauss suggested that I bring" "Yes." "She telephoned us." "We're very happy" "To have such a distinguished guest." "Thank you, sir." "That's very kind of you." "And how are our children?" "When do we go back?" "Margaret, we'll just take your pixie and your leggings off." "I don't want to." "Margaret, we're in the house now." "Look" "Oh, Mr. Davis, have you hurt yourself?" "No." "I just- No." "Of course not." "Stand up, Margaret." "That's a good girl." "There we are." "I suggest we take the children in" "And show them the presents." "That's a splendid idea." "Come on, children." "When do we go back?" "Mrs. Harris:" "in an hour, dear." "Why don't we go back now?" "Margaret, we haven't seen your beautiful presents yet." "Here." "Let me take your things off." "No." "I don't want them off." "Margaret, I" "You have to take them- You can't have them" "Ha ha ha." "Here, Margaret." "Taste this." "You've never had so many oranges." "I don't want any oranges." "I don't think I've seen" "A dozen oranges in England since I came here." "Father, don't you think it's about time" "That our children had their, um... yes, dear." "I've got something awfully nice here." "This is for peter." "Now, peter." "Set it down." "Oh, a present for peter." "Look, Margaret." "Don't you want to see what peter got?" "I wonder what it could be." "Oh!" "Beautiful building blocks." "And here we have something else." "Here, Margaret, dear." "Your present." "Another present, for Margaret." "Don't you want to unwrap it?" "You." "Well, I wonder what this can be." "My, such a big box." "Ohh!" "A beautiful dolly... with brown hair just like Margaret's." "Look, Margaret." "What do you say, Margaret?" "Thank you." "What do you say, peter?" "Thank... when do we go back?" "Well, I" "Peter: will we go back soon?" "As soon as you've eaten you cake!" "I don't like cake." "Oh, what is it now?" "You won't leave me?" "No." "I said I'd take you back." "To Trudy?" "Yes, to Trudy." "Is that the truth?" "Will I see?" "Yes, you'll see." "You won't leave me with her?" "I don't know what's gotten into these children." "They never acted like this before." "Oh, I understand, Mr. Davis." "Don't you think perhaps we'd better let them go back now?" "It seems such a shame" "Please say no more about it, Mr. Davis." "Well, all right." "Margaret." "All right." "I'm coming, I'm coming." "Let go." "Look out." "I'm awfully sorry." "You've been so kind and every" "I'm awfully sorry." "Thank you." "Yes." "I'll need those." "Mr. Barrie: it's been a great honor" "To have had such a distinguished guest at our table." "Well, I'm very welcome." "I mean, you're very welcome, indeed." "Come on." "Thank you." "Thank you again." "Good-Bye." "Good-Bye." "Is it the truth?" "I want to send a cablegram." "Nora Davis," "Winstock, Connecticut," "U.S.A." "Leaving here 15th." "Would you... would you consider adopting two children" "Been writing about in column?" "Be honest." "Love, John." "That's right." "Cablegram for you, sir." "Oh." "Thank you, sir." "Yes." "Oh..." "Nora." "Nora." "Any more mail today?" "No." "Don't look like that, Mr. Davis." "You've been breaking my heart all day." "I'm sorry." "Hello, bill." "This is John Davis." "I want to call the states." "Connecticut." "Winstock 4-6-0." "I'll wait." "Yes, no matter how long it takes." "Express letter for you, sir." "Hmm?" "Sign here, please." "Sign" "Oh." "Nora, voice-Over:" "John, my darling... mother brought your cable out to me" "While I was playing badminton with the Andrews'." "The first thing that went through my poor empty brain was just," ""What a swell idea." "I'll cable him tonight. "" "But it wasn't going to be that easy." "There was a voice inside me yelling, "that's John, John Davis," ""And he's coming back with children." ""John Davis, the way you wanted him," ""In a home with children." ""Whatever became of that girl he married?" ""A pretty girl." ""Nora, I think her name was." "Did she die or something?"" "When I came to," "I was in a hospital bed, absolutely wacky." "Mother and the doctor couldn't understand what had happened to me," "But I could understand, and I think you will." "All those months of playacting hadn't been me at all." "I wasn't in a Connecticut hospital." "I was back on that high bed in London," "And this time, I wasn't trying" "To escape what happened to us." "I was facing it." "I was the woman I'd always been," "Who wanted you and a home and children." "10 months out of our lives." "John, it's incredible." "But what's 10 months to us, my John?" "Of course I want the children." "Yes. 2, 4, 10!" "Bring them." "Look, Miss Fleming," "It can't be that hopeless." "My passage is set to Lisbon," "And I'm sure I can get the children on a boat from there to New York." "Yes, but how are you going to get the children to Lisbon?" "Our only link is imperial airways," "And each plane is booked to the teeth." "Surely we can squeeze in two kids." "These planes take 8 passengers," "And most of them on government missions." "Well, we'd sit in the aisle or the washroom or" "Why couldn't I take them as my luggage?" "Well, it's certainly irregular, but... maybe I could just arrange it." "But you realize you're allowed only 40 pounds." "Why, that's not enough for two children, maybe not enough for one." "But look, what about this?" "Suppose they're both under 40 pounds?" "I take one, and then I persuade one of the other 7 passengers" "To take the other." "If you can persuade them, Mr. Davis, you're a genius." "Let's look at the file on your plane." "Hmm... 7 passengers besides yourself." "These are automatically out-A government purchasing mission," "Laden down with filing cases." "They've been plaguing me for weeks to give them more baggage allowance." "What about the rest?" "I'll give you the card with their names and addresses." "You can try." "Miss Fleming, I've never seen you before in my life," "Perhaps I'll never see you again, but I love you." "Mrs. Flora art bailey, civilian." "Passage 4 times postponed in the last 4 months." "And I know it's a strange request," "But if you'll help me, and I do need help desperately," "I promise to make up to you everything you have to leave behind." "At most, leaving your luggage behind" "Will only be an inconvenience until we reach Lisbon." "Mr. Davis, I'm going to live with my daughter in Canada." "I have no one left but her." "That isn't said for sympathy," "But to help you to understand what I'm going to say." "It isn't easy to choose one 40-Pound package" "That will represent 50 years of living." "Those few things I can't give up." "I'm truly sorry." "You've been very patient with me." "Thank you." "And I do understand." "3 minutes, Madame Bornholm." "You should see them, Madame Bornholm." "They're very small for their age." "Trying to forget their awful memories." "Mr. Davis, there's nothing in the world I wouldn't do for these little children." "Then I can count on you?" "But on airplanes they never let me take any luggage." "My government has asked me to speak" "At a medical meeting in Baltimore." "My luggage will consist of case histories and charts." "But even so, I'm leaving behind numberless records" "That would aid your country if they enter the war." "Oh, so sorry," "But that would mean leaving my confidential files." "Also, I must be back in Tokyo by early December." "Well, that's that." "I'm glad I don't have to choose." "If one of them is over 40 pounds" "Here we are." "Margaret, we must take the bomb off when we weigh ourselves." "But I don't want to take off my bomb." "Might as well weigh it in- Essential equipment." "I'm glad I ate a great big tea tonight." "I ate an egg." "My goodness, an egg." "An egg and all my porridge and all my toast and all my milk." "Margaret ate it all, Mr. Davis." "I saw the cow in the bottom of her cup." "Well." "Margaret, I had no idea that you" "Peter, take your foot off the scale." "Hey, hey, hey." "Two stone 11." "How much is that?" "39 pounds." "Oh." "Well, we might as well weigh peter, too." "What do I weigh?" "What do I weigh?" "You have to stand still, peter." "I'm fatter than Margaret!" "Hold still, peter." "I'm the fattiest boy there ever was." "I'm a dillion, I'm a gillion stone." "Was I fat enough, Mr. Davis?" "You were fine, dear, fine." "30 pounds." "I'm the fattiest!" "I don't care." "I'm the thinniest!" "Now off to Hans to get your sleepers on." "Mr. Davis will tuck you in." "What am I going to do now, miss Strauss?" "You must choose, peter or Margaret." "Oh, I can't do that!" "You come with me, you stay here." "Here we pick children every day." "If you'd like, I will choose for you." "How are you going to do it?" "I will give them an intelligence test tomorrow morning." "An intelligence test?" "I'm a great guy to pick kids by an intelligence test." "It took me 3 years to finish algebra in high school." "Sorry, Mr. Davis." "It is now my responsibility." "For your wife and yourself, it is the fairest way." "It is settled then." "Tomorrow morning we will know." "Miss Trudy says to tell you it's a girl." "Hello, Mr. Davis." "I want to sit on your knee." "And I want to sit on the other one." "All right." "May I play with your bomb?" "Yes, you can play with it, but I won't take it off." "Did you know that mommy and Mr. Barrie were taking you to the country soon?" "There'll be horses and cows and sheep" "And real live woolly lambs." "Don't you want your new teddy and your book about the elephants?" "Don't want." "Oh, of course you do." "Miss Trudy will bring them to you." "Don't want." "No one's going to take your woolly lamb from you, peter," "No one ever." "Look, peter, a proper bomb." "Oh, and another bigger one." "You'd be wild about this one, peter." "Look, peter, I'm leaving you," "But it's not because I want to." "I like you." "And someday I'll see you again," "Someday real soon." "Oh, lamb." "Here we are, sir." "Oh, hello, Mr. Davis." "How do you do, Mr. Davis?" "Is that Peter's bag?" "Perhaps you'd better say good-Bye to him here." "Will you say good-Bye to me, peter?" "Sorry we're late," "Passport, quota visa." "The all-Important fact is that you made it." "Hello, Margaret." "What's the matter?" "Don't you know me when you meet me in railway stations?" "You, you're mean." "You take children away." "Well" "Never mind." "Don't force it." "She guessed about peter." "By the way, miss Strauss, you're to take these." "There's an aluminum typewriter you can use at the house" "And some old clothes you can give away." "But, Mr. Davis, take all you can." "I can get everything I want in Lisbon." "But I meant to tell you," "Margaret weighs 39 pounds, bomb included." "With sleepers and basket, that's another pound." "Well, I hope Margaret doesn't want another egg." "Here's a pencil for you, Margaret, so you can write me a letter." "Mr. Davis will help you." "You can write me from America." "I've been frightened of this moment," "Frightened that I wouldn't be able to say anything" "That could even touch my gratitude to you." "Well, I'm still frightened." "How do you know I am not frightened?" "After all, you've done much for me, too." "Good-Bye, Trudy." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I mean" "Good-Bye, John." "Good-Bye, Margaret." "I'll see you again." "Is that the truth?" "Yes, darling." "Now hurry, hurry." "Come on, Margaret." "Good-Bye, dear." "Good-Bye." "Are you all right, Margaret?" "I wish you wouldn't sit there." "Not there." "Over there." "What are you, Davis, a man or a punching bag?" "Who's running this show?" "Now, you listen to me, Margaret." "What do I care what you like?" "You don't like it, go on over on the other side yourself." "Where are you going?" "!" "Why, darling, what's the matter?" "Did you think I was going to leave you?" "Aww." "No, I won't ever leave you, darling, not ever." "Now, you sit right here, and before we get to the airport," "I'll tell you a nice story." "Once upon a time" "I don't want to listen to stories." "It's all right." "Aah!" "Ha ha ha!" "You were frightened, daddy." "Yeah." "Yes." "Daddy was frightened." "Ha ha ha!" "Daddy, I want to run in the field." "Honey, I'm afraid you're out of luck." "I guess you'll have to wait till you get to America" "Before you can run in the fields." "I want to go to America today." "Come on." "We'll never get to America at this rate." "Wait a minute, daddy." "Look, daddy, look!" "Peter." "Peter!" "Peter!" "Peter!" "Hello there!" "Ha ha ha!" "I'm glad to see you, peter j." "Davis." "Oh, lamb." "I" " I don't know what to say, Mrs. Bailey." "Isn't anything for you to say." "I never felt more alone than after you left." "Then I made the mistake of calling your newspaper" "To find out about the little boy." "And almost instantly," "There was a lady round to the house for the child." "Oh, miss Strauss." "I missed my train, naturally." "And very nearly your passage." "Mrs. Bailey, you're a wonderful woman." "My son was in the R.A.F., you know." "They flew us down here." "Thought I was mad, of course," "But somehow, nothing else mattered." "This war isn't being fought for us any longer, Mr. Davis." "It's being fought for these children." "I want to go to America today." "All right, we'll go... to America." "Oh, so sorry." "Excuse please." "Look at all the stars in 'merica." "It's Christmas!" "It's Christmas!" "Those are the lights of New York city," "The biggest city you ever saw." "But what's it got lights on for?" "Well, they light up the city, just like Lon" "Haven't you children ever seen a city with its lights on?" "But what's it got lights on for?" "Well, because... well, all cities look like that" "When they're not afraid of being bombed," "When they're not right in the war." "Is America right in the war?" "Well, only a few days now." "And besides, the German planes are so far away" "But what's it got lights on for?" "Well, for..." "instance, I... why has the boat stopped, daddy?" "Those are newspapermen like daddy" "To annoy the refugee general aboard," "Only daddy annoyed him first." "Oh, here." "Did you have to swim out, sweetheart?" "I chiseled my way onto the press boat." "Oh, Mr. Davis!" "And Mr. Davis down here." "Hello, peter." "Hello, Margaret." "I'm mommy." "Is this your imogesium bomb?" "I have something for you." "Here's little teddy to play with your lamb, peter... and here's little Peggy to play with you, Margaret." "Don't you like it, dear?" "Mommy?" "Yes, dear?" "Uh, I..." "I... yes?" "May I sit on your lap?" "Of course, darling." "Sirens!" "Sirens!" "What's that, John, a blackout?" "Yes." "They're blacking-Out New York." "That's good" "Because now Margaret and me can show you." "Trudy says we makes the best blackout" "In the whole world." "Are the lights going out?" "John: are you frightened, Margaret?" "Margaret's not frightened." "Why did they put the lights out?" "Are there bombers?" "They put them out- They put them out" "Because all the lights in all the cities of the world" "Have to go out before they can go on again." "Will they go on again?" "Yes, dear, just as soon as the war is over." "They'll go on again." "And when they do," "Not anyone or anything will ever put them out again." "Is that the truth?" "Yes, darling, that's the truth." "Will I see?" "Yes." "Yes, you'll see." "* and crown thy good with brotherhood * * from sea to shining sea *"