"Cripes!" "It's old lady Rowe!" "Come on." "Holland?" " Holland!" " Keep watch." "It's okay." "Go ahead." "Cripe's sake!" "Hurry up!" " Aha!" "I finally caught you, Holland Perry!" " I'm Niles!" "I don't care if you're Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the dirty Democrat!" "You stay out of my piccalilli farrago!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "No sass, boy." "No sass!" "You're gonna go in there and clean up that mess." "Hear me?" "Rats!" "Rats!" "Rats!" "Hundreds of rats!" "My God!" "We'll all be down with bubonic plague!" "Holland Perry, I'm going to tell your father on you!" "Set your foot on my farm, Holland Perry, and I'll do more than take my rug beater to ya!" "Do you hear?" "I'm going to tell your father on you!" "Geez, someone oughta tell her Father's dead." "Let's go." "Apple cellar!" "Wait!" "Cousin Piggy's out there." "Hey, Winnie!" "There's Niles!" "Niles!" "Niles!" "Niles Perry,!" "You know your grandmother doesn't want you boys playing in that barn!" "Niles, do you hear me?" "You'll miss lunch." "Get on up here right now." "Niles, files, run 20 miles!" "Tee-legged, tie-legged, bow-legged Niles!" "Little pitchers has got big lips." " Where you been?" " Around." "Hi, Uncle George." "What say, skipper?" "Great day for the race, isn't it?" " What race?" " The human race!" "What's got into Mrs. Rowe?" "I never heard such a caterwauling'." "Thank God I don't have to work for that crazy old thing." "There's one of my sunshine boys now." "Hi, Aunt Vee." "Why don't you boys set up the card table in the parlor, where it's cool... and play mah-jongg?" "Christ, Valeria, kids don't wanna play mah-jongg." "It's summertime." "They wanna go ride old lady Rowe's cow." "Or is that udder nonsense?" " Yowsah, yowsah!" " Oh!" "George!" "Russell, you'd better go hose off... or you're gonna catch flies." "Hey, Rider!" "Toonerville Trolley's leaving!" "Niles, go tell that brother-in-law of yours to get out here." " We're both gonna get fired." " Yowsah!" "Yowsah!" "Yowsah!" "Yowsah!" "Yowsah!" "Yowsah!" "Yowsah!" "Hi, Rider." "Hi, Sis." "Hey, kiddo." "Eat!" "I swear, you kids must think I'm runnin' a restaurant around here." " What's playing at the movies?" " Bet we saw it." "I'll bet we didn't." "We saw it" " Naughty Marietta and Murder in the Blue Room." " Come on, Rider!" " Comin'!" "You take care of the son and heir." "It's not gonna be a boy." "It's gonna be a girl." "I told ya!" "I know you told me, but you don't say how you know." "He knows." "Last year, on Mother's birthday, he predicted a storm." " And what did we get?" " Hail!" "Hail Columbia is what somebody's gonna get if they don't eat." "Eat!" " Rider!" " Oh, honey, bring home some sarsaparilla." " I have a craving." " God." "Pregnant women." "Can I tune in?" "Sure." "Yowsah." "It's gonna be a girl." "You witch." "What's in the oven?" "Ah!" "Them is your grandmother's surprise." "Eat!" "Alexandra is ready for lunch." "Yes, ma'am." "I know." "Let me take it up." "You're gonna have to sit with Mrs. Alexander." "Make her eat." "Otherwise she won't touch a thing." "Niles, put the paper under my arm." "Mmm!" "That'll only upset her." " Tell Mother I'll read to her later." " All right." "Ouch!" "Oh!" "Did ya eat?" "Did ya eat?" "Holland." "Holland." "You in here?" "Damn you." "What are you doing in the dark anyway?" "I'm thinking." "Close the door." "Thinking?" "About what?" "Old lady Rowe." "Damned old bitch!" "What is it?" "A snowman." "Ada made it." "People always call it a hawk." "It's really a peregrine falcon." "Peregrine for Perry." "It is my ring, isn't it?" "You gave it to me, didn't you?" "Cripe's sake, yes." "I gave it to ya." "Now, will you forget about the ring." "Just wanted to make sure." "Look, the ring was granddaddy's." "When he died, it went to Father, 'cause he was the oldest." "Then when Father got killed I got it... because I was the oldest." "Only by 20 minutes." "I'm still the oldest." "So I can do anything I want to do with it." "Can't I?" "I told you you can have it." "It's yours, and I don't ever want it back." "What about this?" "Shut up about that." "If you ever tell anybody on me" "Shh!" "Listen!" "I thought so." "You are playing in here." "You know we're not supposed to." "What's that?" "That's Grandpa Perry's ring... and it's supposed to be buried." "I'm gonna tell." "You just wait until my daddy gets home." "You just see if I don't tell." "Holland." "H-He saw the ring." "I know." "Don't worry, little brother." " He's gonna tell Uncle George." " No, he's not." "You can have the ring back." "This too." "Take 'em." "I don't want 'em, Niles." "I gave 'em to you." "Come on, little brother." "Let's get outta here." "Father." " Father." " Hey, Niles!" "What you doin'?" "Now, come on!" "I'm gonna tell!" "Only Piggy Lookadoo would have rats for pets." "Rats for a rat." "Come on, Holland." "Let's get outta here." "You killed it, Holland." "You killed it." "Mother!" "Mother!" "Niles." "Mother, you came down." "So I did." "Are these for me?" "Yes." "Just for you." "How lovely." "From Ada's garden?" "Mm-hmm." "Mother, come and sit." "Please sit and talk." " But I'm not dressed." " No one will see." " Just the two of us." " All right." "It's all right, Mother." "Please!" "No." "I can't." "Not today." "What have you been doing today?" "Oh." "Reading, as usual." "You still reading The Good Earth?" "Forever The Good Earth." "The librarian says she'll get Anthony Adverse." "Maybe Monday." "Monday." "Now, what's today?" "Wednesday." "I hope the ashes went out." "It's Friday- fish night." "And it's summer." "No ashes." "Of course." "How stupid!" "Your birthdays are in March." "I remember." "You and Holland both got those cowboy outfits... with the fancy stitching on the boots and" "What's that?" "Just some stuff." "It was Father's." "Mother, are you okay?" "Yes, of course, darling." "Russell!" "Russell!" "Niles, I need a spool of mercerized cotton." "Can Russell borrow your bicycle and go to town and get it?" "Sure, Aunt Vee, only it's got a flat." " Can he borrow Holland's then?" " Sure, Aunt Vee." "Thank you, dear." "Russell!" "Russell!" "Russell, where are you?" "Answer me!" "I'm king of the mountain!" "I'm king of the mountain!" "Hey, Piggy!" "Your mother wants you to go to the store." "Piggy Lookadoo's gonna ride your bike!" "Dushechka." "Dushechka!" "Baboushka!" "Dobryi dyen, baboushka." "Dobryi dyen." "What are you doing there all by yourself?" "Did you fish?" "Not yet." "Summer sure is long." "Life is long, child." "I hate shad." "I prefer the roe." "Roe!" "Ecch!" "Like polliwog eggs." "Such a face!" "Dushechka, you are a clown." "Why do you boys not play together?" "Holland doesn't like Piggy Lookadoo." "Does he not?" "Perhaps summer is long for Russell too." "Why doesn't Holland like Russell?" "Child?" "Answer me." "Do sunflowers really follow the sun all day?" "A Russian superstition, perhaps." "You miss Russia, don't you?" "Sometimes." "But God does not mean that we should miss too much what he takes from us." "Besides, now..." "I have other sunflowers." "Ada... can I be something else today?" "Bigger than a flower." "Please?" "Let's play the game." "The great game." "The great game, is it?" "Please?" "Please?" "Very well." "The great game it shall be." " Oh, boy!" " Come on." "Look there, child." "Look." "Try to be." "Now think as I have taught you." "Look hard." "Feel inside it... into its head, its heart." "Imagine it, dushechka." "Imagine it." "With all your being... you do feel." "Now." "Now!" "Then fly!" "Away!" "Away!" "Away, child." "It's scary!" "Don't be frightened." "What is it like?" "Tell me!" "Free!" "Mr. Angelini!" "Look!" "Look at me!" "Niles, what is it?" " It hurt." " Where does it hurt?" "Tell me." "It" "It was just sh- pointy, all sharp- pointy." "Here." " Oh." " L-It's all right, Ada." "Honest." "Did I do good?" "Oh, very good." " Good as Holland?" " Better than anyone." "I love you." "Oh, I love you too." "Come now." "Let us get you some root beer." "I'm gonna catch a shad with lots of roe for you!" "I'm king of the mountain!" "I'm sorry, boy." "I'm just so sorry." "It's all right, Mr. Angelini." "It wasn't your fault." "It was an accident." "Oh." "Are we going to be able to go to the firemen's carnival?" "Geez!" "Why not?" "Ada says we're in mourning again." ""Ada says." "Ada says."" "There's seven years bad luck." "See what Ada says about that." "Hurry, folks!" "Take home a five-pound box of candy!" "Here it is!" "Take home some candy!" "All rides are 10 cents!" "Don't you ever get hungry Get a Coney Island red hot!" "And help yourself to the mustard!" "Big, fat and juicy Coney Island red hots!" "And cold drinks, folks!" "All right, folks, come over!" "Tell you what you're gonna see on this side!" "From the four corners of the world, and at great expense to the management... we have brought together some of the most unusual attractions ever seen under one roof... and all for the price of one admission." "You're going to meet Big Bertha!" "Four hundred and fifty pounds of beauty on the hoof." "Yes, sir, she shimmies, she shakes like a bowl of jelly." "And as an extra added attraction, ladies and gentlemen... we're going to bring to you nature's cruelest trick- the hydrocephalic baby, ladies and gentlemen." "Plus Mr. And Mrs. Katz" "Niles!" "Come on!" " Plus Bo-Jo, the dog-faced boy!" " Come on!" "Plus the two-faced man!" "All on the inside, ladies and gentlemen!" "All for the price of one admission!" " We're gonna get caught!" " Damn it, Niles." "Come on!" "Oh, damn!" "Hurry, hurry, hurry,!" "Fun house!" "More fun than a circus!" "Come in!" "Stay as long as you like!" "Come out when you're ready!" "Come on, Holland." "Let's scram." "Holland!" "Holland!" "Wait!" "Hold on!" " Shh." " What's going on?" "I'm waiting for her to disappear." "Don't be a dumbbell." "No one can do that." "I know!" "I wanna find out how he does it." "It's just a stupid trick." "He ain't even a Chinese." "He's got tape on his eyes." "So?" "Come on." "Let's go." "No, wait!" "I gotta figure it out." " Yeah?" "How?" " I'll play the game on him." "Damn phony." " We saw a magician today." " Oh, did you, now?" "Only it was a dumb fake." "How do you know this?" "I played the game on him and figured out the trick." "Holland didn't believe me." "But I really did." "It was easy." "I mean, sometimes it's so easy... it doesn't seem like I'm doing it at all." "It is a special game for special people." "My baboushka taught me, and I taught you children." "But sometimes I don't know how I do it." "Of course you know." "I've told you." "There is no trick to it." "Just imagination." "But do not play the game too much, dushechka." "Da?" "There are other things in life besides the game." "And children should play with other children." "But I like to play with Holland." "But you should make other friends." "Holland's my friend." "Sing to me, please." "Oh." "Now it is time for all good boys to be in bed." "Butterfly kiss?" "And tomorrow... it will be time for all bad boys... to make apologies to Mrs. Rowe." "I saw her today." "And in the morning... her damaged preserves will be replaced in person... by the one responsible." "I'll tell Holland." "Please be sure he understands." "I'm coming!" "Good afternoon, madam." "What is this?" "Halloween?" " This is for you." " For me?" "What is it?" " For the piccalilli I broke." " Piccalilli?" " And I came to apologize." " Oh, I remember you." " Where's the other one?" " Niles won't come." "He says I broke it, so I had to apologize." "Huh." "I accept it." "May I come in, please?" " You want to come in?" " Yes, please." "Well, all right." "You can come in." "My, my." "You boys have grown so." " Here you are." " Thank you, ma'am." "You're musical!" "I play the piano." " I can do tricks too." " What kind of tricks?" "Shh." "I'll show you." "All right." "What are you doing there, Holland?" "Shh." "It's a better light for the trick." "Oh." "Shh." "You're very mysterious, aren't you?" "Shh." "You're not going to pull a rabbit out of there, are you?" "No." "Guess again." "I got your pain pills." "Oh, my child, thank you." "Why do people have to die?" "Well, all of life must die." "'Tis nature's way." "Every bird... every tree, every flower... has its time." "They put you in the ground." "As we come from the earth, so we are returned to it." "I don't like to think about that." "When I was very young, like you..." "I was frightened of death too." "So, to set my mind at peace... my baboushka told me when it came time to die I must not be afraid." "I must look for an angel... who would come from paradise." "And this angel would smile... and fold me in her beautiful white wings... and carry me off to heaven." "Baboushka called her" "Which means..." ""the angel of the brighter day."" "And from that time I was no longer afraid of death." "You see?" "And when I came here... and found this church... this angel became for me... the angel of the brighter day." "You see?" "Do you still believe she will come?" "Oh, yes." "Will the angel come for me when I die?" "If you believe... then surely she will." "Thank you, Mr. Clifford." "Thank you, sir." "Alexandra." "Mr. Angelini, can I borrow your clippers?" "Thank you, Mr. Angelini." "Here's the Anthony Adverse at last!" "Thank you." "It's positively gargantuan!" "It'll take me all summer to read this." "I'll read to ya." "When you were younger, I used to read to you two." "Now you read to me." "What was that story you both used to love so?" "The one about the pig that got roasted with an apple in his mouth- poor, greedy thing." "One of Holland's favorites." "That was Piggy Lookadoo." "But Holland's real favorite... was the story of the changeling." "You know, the fairy tale about the elves stealing the baby?" "It's a horrid story." "I don't like things like that." " What about Uncle Tom's Cabin?" " Terrific!" "Eliza crossing the ice carrying her baby... and the dogs chasing her, and then Simon Legree with his whip... and Topsy's eating watermelon... and little Eva dies and goes to heaven." " Remember?" " I remember." "And you said to me, "Mother, what did you do in the Civil War?"" "Are you hoping?" "Yes, darling, I'm hoping." "Everything is going to be all right now." "Everything's going to be all right." " Guess what." " What?" "We're gonna have another show in the barn this summer." "A magic show with a trick." " What kind of a trick?" " I can't tell." "We want it to be a surprise." "Oh!" "I have a present for you." " Another present?" " Close your eyes." "Come on." "Okay." "You can open 'em now." "Guess which one." "Left or right?" " Left." " Wrong." "Open it." "You have to warm them up." "It only takes a second." "They're Mexican jumping beans, Mother." "Don't you think they're cheerful?" "Yes, very." " Niles." " Hmm?" "Do you know what this is?" "Sure." "It's the family crest." "A peregrine falcon." ""Peregrine" for Perry." "Like the weather vane?" "Mm-hmm." "And the ring?" "Mm-hmm." "Here comes the vegetable man!" "Corn and beans!" "Corn and beans!" "Succotash time!" "I gotta get Mr. Pretty his root beer, or he'll have a conniption!" "Don't you dare track dirt in." "I just washed my linoleum." "Here you go, Mr. Pretty!" "Well, thank you, Niles." "That'll sure wet my whistle." " Here." " Thank you, Mr. Pretty!" " Now where you goin'?" " Swimming!" "You know, I been wonderin' all week" "Your neighbor lady, she go away or somethin'?" "Mrs. Rowe?" "That's what we been wonderin'." "Well, usually she boils up a mess of tripe on Fridays... and I bring her some dandelion greens for it." "But I can't raise a soul." "Well, between you and me..." "I don't think Mrs. Rowe's such a good housekeeper." "You wouldn't believe the smell over there." "Let me have a couple of cakes." "Swiss chard's nice today." "Mrs. Alexander don't like Swiss chard." "Going for a dip." "Be back soon." "What's the last thing you'd like to see... before you die?" "The last thing?" "I mean, if there was one very last thing... you could wish to see before you die, what would it be?" "Listen... if I was dying..." "I'd be too busy doing just that, and so would you." "I'd wish to see... her." " See who?" " The angel." "You know." "Ada's angel in the church." "Just before I died... the angel would swoop down... and take me in her wings... and carry me off to heaven." "That's what Ada says." " How do you know she wouldn't take you to hell?" " Angels don't go to hell." "Only bad people do." "Come on, Niles, will ya!" "Wait a minute!" "I'm coming!" "I'm coming!" "That damn Uncle George." "He said he was gonna do it, and he did." "Come on." "Hey, Holland, we get enough of this stuff... we could use it to catch us when we do the magic show." "You know, like a mattress." "Know what I mean?" "There isn't gonna be any magic show." "Not now." "Why not?" "Figure it out, little brother." "Think it all out." "We build the stage over the trap door... you turn the cabinet, I drop down... and then what happens?" "You run out, around the back stairs... and appear in the audience like Chan-Yu did." " Okay, how do I run out?" " Through there." "Through here?" "See what I mean?" "That damn Uncle George." "Well, we're gonna need more cattails anyway." "Lots of'em." "So let's get 'em." "Come on." "Hey!" "Come on, will ya!" "Niles, we will eat soon." "Go wash." "Put on some clothes." "Right now?" " Where are you going?" " To Mrs. Rowe." "She's alone over there and may have taken sick." "Can I come?" "No!" "Child, don't look." "Run." "Go get your Uncle George." "Tell him to call the constable." "She's dead!" " Who?" "Who?" " Who's dead?" "Old lady Rowe- l-I mean, Mrs. Rowe!" " Ada says come!" " Oh, my God." "And call the constable!" " George." "George!" " Get on the phone." "George, come here!" " George, Mrs. Rowe is dead, and Ada's over there alone." " I'll be right there." "Evelyn?" "It's Torrie Gannon." "We've had some more trouble over here." "Can you locate the constable?" "When you find him, have him come to Mrs. Rowe's house... out on Valley Hill Road right away." "It's urgent." "Thank you." "I told ya!" "I told ya!" "I knew someone would find that stuff!" "Goddamn it, Niles!" "I told ya!" "You said she'd never find 'em." "You said put 'em in the desk!" " You said she'd never come in here!" " Never mind what I said." "She found it, and she's got it." "She's got it, little brother... and you'd better get it back." "Get it back." "I mean it." "Tell her you want it." "It's yours." "It doesn't belong to her." "It was Father's ring." "I gave it to you." "It's not hers." "Yeah, but it's supposed to be buried." "She knows that." "What are we gonna do?" "I told you what to do." "Get it back." "Mother." "Mother, come away." "Mother, please." "Please, Mother." "Mother, you hurt your hand." "Oh, Mother." "You found the tobacco tin." "L-I'm sorry." "Niles... what are you doing with Father's ring?" "It was supposed to have been buried." "Yes, Mother." "But" "Tell me, Niles, please." "What are you doing with the ring?" " It's mine." " Yours?" "How can it be yours?" "Holland gave it to me." "H-He did, Mother." "Honest." "When?" "When did Holland give you the ring?" " In March." " March?" "When in March?" "After our birthdays." "After your... birthdays?" "Where, Niles?" "In the name of heaven, where was Holland when he gave you the ring?" "We were in the front parlor." "Did he give you this too?" "Yes, I gave it to him." "Now give it back, Mother." "Ada!" "Ada!" "Ada!" "Mother-she fell!" "What's the matter, little brother?" "Leave me alone." "Mother's gonna be all right." "You'll see." "She can't walk anymore." "She can't even talk." "She's paralyzed." " Who says?" " Everybody." "You heard the doctor." "What does he know?" "She'll get better." "Wait and see." "It was just an accident." "Niles?" "Niles!" "Are you all right, child?" "Yes." "I do not think so." "Tell me." "Tell Ada, please." "I get scared sometimes." "What frightens you?" "I don't know." "Sometimes we are frightened of things we do not know." "But when we speak of them... we see there is nothing there to be afraid of." "He's there." "Who?" "Holland." "Holland scares me." "Niles." "This is Holland's harmonica, is it not?" "Yes." "He said he lost it." "Do you know where I found it?" "No." "At Mrs. Rowe's house." "Do you know how Mrs. Rowe died?" "She had a heart attack." "D-Did Holland go to visit her that day?" "He went over, like you said, and a- and apologized." "And?" "And he said Mrs. Rowe gave him cookies and lemonade." "It was an accident." "Honest." "He didn't mean to." "It was just a game." "Go on." "He was mad at her 'cause she told on him." "So he played a trick on her with a rat to scare her." "I told him." "I told him don't." " He doesn't mean to be bad, but sometimes" " Stop it!" "It's true." "It's true." "He's bad, but he doesn't mean to be." " Honest." " Enough now." "I shall not hear anymore." "Come." " Now, child, tell me what you see." " No, no!" " Look there and tell me." " No!" "No." "No." "Very well." "Very well then." "Play the game with me." "Please, child." "Play the game." "I don't want to play the game." "Please!" "You must." "Concentrate." "There." "Now tell me, what is it like?" "Cold." "What else?" "Dark." "Dark?" "How?" "Dark... l-like the apple cellar." "It's a prison." "I can't get out." "It's locked." "I want to get out, but I can't." "Tell me what you see." "I see a box." "Black." "Handles." "The box is wood." "Mahogany." "It's" " It's a" " Go on!" "It's a... coffin." "Go on." "Further." "I see a face." "Whose face?" " I don't want to!" " You shall." "You must!" "Holland!" "Holland!" "Holland, help me, please!" "Say the truth!" "Now!" "Out loud, so we shall both hear it." "Holland is dead!" "Remember?" "On his birthday." "He is dead, Niles!" "Remember?" "Remember?" "Holland!" "Holland!" "Holland!" "Holland!" "Holland!" "Oh." "Oh." "Are you all right, child?" "Da." "Da." "Oh, child, I am so sorry." "But you had to see the truth." "It was only a game." "We were playing a game, you and I... like all the other games we play." "Only the time has come for all the games to stop." "It is wrong, you see?" "Dangerous." "Oh, my dushechka." "I could not bear to see you so unhappy, to watch you all alone... so I pretended with you." "I pretended Holland was alive... because you wanted it so." "I thought in time such fantasies would pass... and you would come to see the real world." "Have I seen the real world yet?" "Da, dushechka." "I know it now." "Your world is very real... for you." "Only I could not see." "Perhaps I could, but I would not see." "It was wrong of me to want you to play the game." "The wrong was mine because I taught you." "Oh, God, I have done this thing." "L" "Oh." "I did not know how far it had gone." "It was only because I loved you." "Do you still love me?" "Child." "I have not loved your mother... more than I have loved you." "There is nothing in my life..." "I have loved more than you- nothing." "But everything is different now." "It is different now." "Nothing can ever be the same." "Not for any of us." "Everything has gone too far." "It must stop now." "Are you going to send me away?" "Away?" "Why?" "Where would you go?" "Away." "No, dushechka." "You shall never be sent away." "We'll be together always?" "Always." "Always!" "But no more games." "Da?" "Da." "Sleep now." "Sleep." "Come on, little brother." "It's all right." "Don't be scared." "Come on." "Come on." "Come on." "Remember?" "Go ahead." "Open it." "Oh, that's sad." "Isn't that sad, little brother?" "Talk to him, little brother." "Holland." "Think." "Concentrate." "Think hard." "Play the game the way she taught you." "You're good at the game." "Go ahead and do it." "He has something for you." "Holland." "Hello, little brother." "Hello." "Are you all right?" "Yes." "And I have something for you." "You do?" "Take it." "Take it." " It's stuck." " Take it." "I can't." "It won't come." "Your finger's all swollen." "I know, I know." "Take it." "I'd better not." "Ada would get mad." "She said to bury it." "Ada says the ring is cursed." ""Ada says." "Ada says."" "Take it." "Holland, it won't come off." "It won't." "Hey, wait." "I've got an idea." "Come closer." "In the garden by the gate" "You're good at the game." "Go ahead and do it." "Concentrate." "No!" "Yes." "Do it, little brother." "It's easy." "Do it, Niles." "Come on." "Do it." "Do it now." "Now." "Holland." "Holland." "Hi." "What are you looking so worried for, little brother?" "I thought maybe you wouldn't come." "Of course I came." "What do you think?" "Ada says we can't play the game anymore." "No more game?" "Why?" "Ada says it's wrong." ""Ada says."" "What's wrong with playing the game, for cripe's sake?" "She says it's dangerous." "Dangerous." "Yeah." "And I'm getting scared, Holland." "What are you scared of?" "I don't know." "But Ada's right." "Something awful could happen." "We can still play the game." "She doesn't have to know." "We could play it in secret." " She'll know." " How?" "Ada knows everything." "She can tell what you're thinking about if she wants." "If she finds out, it's gonna make her unhappy." "I don't want to make her cry again." "You didn't see her upstairs." "She was crying." "I'm scared for her too, Holland." "Look, little brother." "Getting scared isn't gonna do any good." "Besides, if you get scared... you're not gonna be able to play the game at all." "And I won't be around then." "Don't say that, Holland." "We can be together." "We can always be together." "But don't say that." "Cripes!" "Don't ever say that." "No." "Well... sure." "If you want me to." "But don't say that, Holland." "I can't help it." "I'm just scared, that's all." "I'm scared." "I'm really scared." "Okay." "I'll try," "I will." "Honest." "But we better be careful." "They're coming!" "They're coming!" "Ta-da!" "Mother of the year." "Hi, Torrie." "Oh!" "Let me see the baby." "Oh, isn't she beautiful?" "Oh, what a lovely- Let me hold her." "Oh, she's my dear child." "She'll have a lot of mothers around here." "Look at that little face." " Look, look!" " She's smiling!" "Oh!" "She has to eat in an hour." "Mother." "I brought you some lunch." "And after you have your soup..." "I'll read to you." "Won't that be nice?" "I had to take Anthony Adverse back." "It was overdue." "I've been working on the magic show." "I'm trying to make it work." "Ada says it's a puzzle, but I'll get it." "Oh!" "The baby's home." "It's a girl, just like I said." "And she's beautiful." "Mother... please don't cry." "I don't like to see you cry." "Everything is going to be all right." "Once you used to read to us." "Now it's the other way around." ""Once upon a time"" "Fairy tales always seem to begin like that, don't they?" ""Once upon a time, there were some elves..." ""who happened upon a cottage in a wood..." ""where they spied a baby in a cradle." ""The mother was nowhere to be seen." ""And the elves, being bad and mischievous creatures..." ""who loved nothing so much as doing harm to others..." ""stole the child and left in his place a changeling..." ""an ugly creature of impish countenance... that no mother could possibly love."" "I'm sorry, boy." "Leno, he's..." "It's broke." "Leno fix." "Leno" " Leno fix." "Leno fix." "It's broke." "Leno fix." "It's broke." "Broke." "If the baby cries, just let her." "Don't go spoiling her now." "We'll bring some ice cream home after the show, Aunt Vee." "Thank you." "Yankees are playing tonight, and I'm" " Winnie, you sit up front." " Oh, thank you, Rider." "Oh, close that door!" "The wind is fierce." "Have you seen Niles?" " No." "Isn't he in his room?" " No." "Niles!" "Niles?" "Child, what are you doing down there?" "Playing." "Come up, please." "Bring your things." " Niles." " Hmm?" "Were you playing the game?" "No." "Ashford One, calling Indianapolis ground." "Ashford One calling Indianapolis ground." "Come in, please." "We're here, Ashford One." "Over." "My windscreen's iced over." "Going to have to come in blind." "Can you head me?" "We can head you, Ashford One." "Is Mary there with you?" "Yes, I'm here, Jack." "It's me, Mary." "We're all rooting for you." "That-a-girl, Mary, Chin up." "Buster's here too." "And I'm gonna put you right down... and you're gonna go to sleep, yes, you are." "Wait just a minute." "You'll soon be in your bed." "Yes, sweetheart." "Ooh, what a pretty girl." "Ooh." "Ooh, you're so pretty." "You're so pretty." "Yes, you are." "What is that?" "What are you doing there?" "Go away!" "Get away, you crazy old man." "Get away." "Get away, you damn fool!" "Get away!" "Go on!" "Get out." " All right." " What is it?" "It was that damned Angelini." "He scared me half to death." "Right there at that window." "Oh, honey, shush." "Oh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh, shh." "You run along." "I will sit with the baby." "Well, he scared her half to death too." "Damned idiot." "Thank you, child." "These hands told me this weather was coming." "I will go sit with your mother." " Put down the netting, please." " Okay." "Ada!" "Ada!" "Ada, Ada, Ada!" "Anything under there?" "Get some light over here." "You see what I mean?" "There's Angelini's ladder right where he left it." "Christ." "It's the Lindbergh thing all over again." " Fowler." "This way." " George." "Uncle George!" "Uncle George!" "You there!" "No!" "More cars comin'." "Where's Charlie with those other dogs?" "There's Charlie's truck now." "It's about time!" "Has anybody found her, Bob?" "Nothin'in here." "Child, have you seen Rider?" " Come on!" " Niles?" "Oh, go inside, please." "Get up on there." "Let me up the ladder." "Rider!" "Rider!" "The Italian took the kid." "Could be miles away by now." " Rider!" " Ada?" "What's the matter?" "What are you doing out here?" "Where is Rider?" "Torrie needs him." "I think I saw him down by the pond." "Rider!" "Rider!" "Come on up here." " Where are ya?" " Here!" "Come on!" "Rider, Torrie is calling for you." "The doctor is trying to get her to sleep." "Niles!" "Niles!" "Come on!" "Be careful!" "Come on." "Get a move on!" "Holland!" "Where are you?" "Holland, where is the baby?" "I know you've got the baby." "Holland." "Damn you!" "Where are you?" " Holland!" " Niles." "Where is the baby?" "Holland's got the baby." "He put some pain pills in your tea." "He stole the baby." "He's bad." "He'll never go to heaven." "Holland killed Russell." "He stuck the pitchfork in the hay." "He was mad 'cause Russell saw the ring." "The ring was mine." "Holland gave it to me." "He told me to take it." "He made me do it with the rose shears." "Poor Mother." "But she found it." "Holland pushed her down the stairs." "Oh, my God." "Oh, God, Niles!" "Holland wanted the ring." "He always did." "He killed Father." "He pushed the door down on him." "Holland!" "Holland!" "Where is the baby?" "Please, Holland!" "Niles, listen to me." "Say it now." "Holland is dead!" " Holland did not take the baby!" " No!" "No!" " Niles did it!" " No!" "No!" "No, no, no!" "Put that son of a bitch on the truck!" "All right, now." "Goddamn it, talk!" " Where's the baby?" " We're gonna ask you one more time." "We got Angelini over here at the barn!" "Oh, my God." " My God." " George, what is it?" "What is it?" "What's happ- George, what is it?" "Oh, my God!" "No!" "That poor little baby." "Oh, Jesus." "That little baby." "No, no, no, no!" "No, no, no, no." "Oh, no!" "You're gonna get the chair, you bastard!" "The chair's too good for him!" "Holland!" "Holland." "Damn you, answer me." "Holland, please!" "Who are you?" "Me?" "I'm me." "Niles Perry." "Are you?" "Are you sure?" "Somebody's up there." "Who is it?" "I know." "I know." "I know who it is." "It must be." "It must be." "No!" "No!" "Niles, wash up now." "Time for lunch."