"Poor old Willie Dalby." "I liked him." "I admired him." "As I was saying the other day," "I admire them all for their sheer spirit." "The awful thing is that providence doesn't allow their bodies to be as indomitable as their wills." "Yes." "He just faded away in a few weeks." "I wonder how she'll manage." "I don't see how she can, not with three young children." "It's a hell of a pity." "They worked so hard to build that place up." "Well, I thought I'd call, just to see how she's coping." "Yes, of course, James." "Of course." "Car coming, Mum." " Oh?" "Vet, I think." "Don't just stand there, William." "Show him in." "Hello, Willie." "Thanks." "Mrs Dalby." "How are you, Mr Herriot?" " Fine." "You?" "Fine." "I'm sorry about Billy." " Yes." "I was just passing." "Thought I'd see how things were." "Well, that's nice." " Is there anything at all I can do?" "I think we're just about coping, thanks." "You'll be selling the farm?" " Good Lord, no!" "No?" "How will you manage?" "Reckon we'll just take every day as it comes." "There's Charlie outside, of course." "He'll come full-time." "And there's William." "He'll have to grow up quicker than planned." "Man of the house now, then, Willie." "If there is anything we can do, don't hesitate to ask." "I'll remember that." "Take a mug of tea and a custard tart with us?" "No, I won't thanks, Mrs Dalby." "I must be off." "All the best." " Thank you." "Clancy, sir." " Pardon?" "After me brother-in-law." " Oh, the dog's called Clancy?" "Now, he were a big bugger, sir." "Only All-Ireland champion at wrestling, sir, till the day he got his eye poked out." "And never received no compensation " "What exactly can we do for you, Mr Clancy?" "Er..." "Mr Mulligan." "Pardon?" " What do you want?" "Oh, medicine, sir, for me dog." "What seems to be the trouble?" " You won't have to mumble, sir." "I'm a bit hard of hearing." "What's the matter with him?" "Womiting, sir." " Pardon?" "What's that?" "Womiting?" " That's it." "Womiting bad." "Oh, vomiting!" "How soon after eating does he vomit?" "What's that?" " When does he womit... vomit?" "Oh, he's womiting all right, sir." "Womiting bad." "Bismuth and mag-carb, James." "There should be some about." "Tristan mixed a new batch yesterday." "Ah, these?" " Yes, that's it." "Nothing wrong with the brute except he eats rubbish." "Caninus omnivorous." " Oh, I see!" "Been womiting again have we, Mr Mulligan?" "It is, sir, but I'm thinking it'll brighten up later." "Perfectly possible." "See you later." "Right." "Mr Mulligan." "Oh, thank you, sir." "Thank you very much." "All right." "Come on, Clancy." "Come on." "That's a good boy." "Oh, hello!" "Hello, James." "Hello." " Hello." "Do I hear Siegfried calling you?" "Didn't you see him?" "He just went out." "Am I by any chance in the way?" " Distinctly." "If you're sure I'm not wanted." " No, you aren't." "How are you?" " Fine." "You?" " Oh, fine." "What can I do for you?" "I was in town." "I thought I'd call by." "I was wondering if you'd like to come up for tea on Sunday." "Tea?" " Sunday." "Oh, that'd be marvellous!" "I mean, yes." "Yes, I'd love to." " Good." "Well... see you Sunday, then." "Right." " Bye for now." "Bye, Helen." "You been eavesdropping?" " I am your tactical advisor." "Ah." "I'm invited to tea." " It's a good sign that, James." "I should say so." "Always provided that you don't read too much into it." "What do you mean?" " You're not home and dry yet." "He's still lurking about in the undergrowth." "He who?" " Richard Edmundson." "Still, I don't suppose he'll be there on Sunday." "You don't think there's a chance he might be?" "Probably not." "Although he is an old friend of the family." "Never away from the place." " Oh?" "And old Alderson does fancy him for a son-in-law." "Where did you hear that?" " Down the pub." "I'm not putting you off, am I?" " Of course not." "That's the last thing I want." " Of course it is." "And she invited you to tea." " Yes." "Unless it's just being polite." " Polite?" "Returning my hospitality." "I mean, why should she invite me to tea?" "I haven't exactly covered myself in glory." "It wasn't your fault the dinner dance wasn't on." "What about the pictures?" "So they changed the film and Gobber Newhouse came snoring next to you." "Then you put the tin hat on it." " I did?" "That date with those nurses, getting me blotto." "Come on, now, James, be fair." "I certainly didn't prise your jaws open and force it down you." "I wake up at night and relive the whole ghastly scene." "I'm there, legless, and Connie's at my elbow, not much better." "Then she goes green, drops her trifle and passes out." "And there they are." "Helen and him." "That pink, scrubbed face staring at me down yards of nose." "My dear James, don't be so gloomy." "Nothing will go wrong this time." " I wish I shared your confidence." "Have you seen Siegfried's new Rover?" "Yes." "He's given me the old car." "Did you tell him the brakes were wonky?" "Yes." "He said a good driver doesn't need brakes." "I asked him if I could take the Rover for a spin." "What did he say?" " He went puce and said he's not mad." "You did write the Austin off last week, your arm round a nurse at the time." "Yes, there is that." "Do remember to close it behind you." "There's a good chap." "More tea, James?" " Oh, thank you." "James has had a busy time since we last saw him." "With the sheep." " Oh, yes?" "Did you have much twin lamb disease this time?" "Yes, quite a bit." "Quite a bit." "But I dosed the ewes with glucose and it did a lot of good." "I reckon nowt to glucose." "I tried it and I reckon nowt to it." "That is interesting." "Yes, that's quite interesting." "There's been a lot of pulpy kidney about." "Pardon?" " Pulpy kidney amongst the lambs." "Oh, fancy." "That's interesting." " Yes." "Yes, isn't it?" "It's a good job we've got a vaccine against it." "I reckon nowt to vaccines." " Oh?" "No." "Wool ball." " I beg your pardon?" "Wool ball on t'stomach is causing what you're on about." "Nowt to do with kidneys at all." "Wool ball." " Aye." "You were, er..." " I was going to..." "Store cattle were down on Monday." "Oh, really?" " Aye." "What a pity." " Hm." "Pig trade was good, though." " Oh, aye, lot of selling." "Dad?" " Hm?" "Stan's here." "Our cow man." "One of the herd's gone down with the staggers." "Has she, by gum?" "Where is she?" " Up on top field." "I've got my stuff in the car." "I'll get it." "I'll get me boots on." " Lucky James was here." "Seems like it." "I'm sorry." "I'm afraid she's dead." " How?" "Her heart gave out before the magnesium had a chance to work." "Oh, well." "These things happen." "It wasn't your fault, James." " No, of course not." "You mustn't blame yourself, then." " No, I don't." "Well, thanks for the tea." "It was lovely." "Let's see now." "Barnett, Gill, Sonter, Dent..." "I'd better look at Scruton's calf." "You've been treating it but I'm going past." "Tell me about it." "It's breathing a bit fast and it's running a temperature." "Yes?" " I don't think it's pneumonia but it may be developing diphtheria." "Give me that book, would you, Tristan, please?" "Thank you." "Yes, James, go on." "There's swelling on the jaw and the throat glands are up." "Aha..." "Pneumonia, eh?" "No, I said I didn't think it was pneumonia." "How have you been treating it?" "I'm injecting Prontosil and left liniment to rub into the throat." "Right, then." "Liniment for the chest." "Not the chest, Siegfried, the throat." "Why would you rub liniment into the throat?" "To relieve the inflammation." " Wouldn't the chest be better?" "Not for calf diphtheria." "Diphtheria!" "Let's start again from the beginning, shall we?" "You are one of the best fellows alive but you lack the gift of clear communication." "Take all the time in the world." "You said you're treating Scruton's calf for pneumonia." "No, I didn't." " But I distinctly heard you." "Diphtheria, not pneumonia." "He's running a temperature of 105." "105?" "Good Lord." "The last thing I want to do is interfere but wouldn't you say the situation calls for Prontosil?" "I am using Prontosil." "I have just told you that." "I am not treating it for pneumonia but for diphtheria." "What is the point of telling you things if you never listen?" "My word." "Aye." "Would you say that our James has had something on his mind lately?" "Her name's Helen." "Oh!" "James, don't mind my asking, but why am I sitting out here?" "Do you know what I can't stand most about your brother?" "What?" " Everything else I like, except for this one thing." " What?" "It's when he gets patient with you." "When that saintly look comes on his face and you know he's about to forgive you... for something he's just done." " I know." "I just can't stand it." " I know." "Still, life could be worse, James." "Good Lord, no." "She was right, you know." "It wasn't your fault." "You try telling her father that." "Have another beer, old son." "Drown your sorrows." "Ooh." "Thanks." "My God!" "She's off!" "Oh, no!" "Please, no!" "It's the damnedest thing!" " What?" "Someone's flattened the new club hut on the golf course." "Good Lord, really?" "The police haven't a clue how they did it." "Students, I expect." "Don't care what they do these days." "You two were near there yesterday." " Yes." "I'll get it!" "Oh, hello, Mrs Dalby." "Oh, I see." "What are the symptoms?" "Yes, all right." "I'll get out as quickly as I can." "Yes." "Goodbye." "That was Mrs Dalby." " Oh, yes?" "All those stirks she bought - they're sick." "James, you'd better get up there straightaway." "Yes." "Yes, I'll go now." "Come on, Tristan, tell me exactly how this head lamp got broken." "Well... we were coming up to this gate, you see, up at Harrison's farm." " Yes." "We braked and nothing happened." "The car went into the gate." "I see." "I must say it wasn't James's fault he rammed the gate." "Be fair." "He has been complaining about those brakes for weeks." "They've got husk, Charlie." "Aye, that's what I thought." "Touch of husk." "You be giving them a throat injection?" "Yes, of course." "That'll soon put 'em right." "Let's get them off this grass and into a building." "Come on." "Cush." "Husk?" " It's a parasite." "It infects the cow's bronchial tubes and sets up bronchitis." "They're bad." "I wish you'd called sooner." "There's been that much to see to." "Of course." "Sorry." " Is there something you can do?" "I've given them an injection and I'll leave you some medicine." "And they need good hay and high-protein cake." "That'll cost a bit." " Yes, I know." "I'm sorry but it's the only treatment." "I can't risk them picking up more worms from the pasture." "Are we going to lose any?" "It'd be wrong of me to make light of this." "Some will certainly die." "Many?" " Very possibly." "I see." "Well..." "You sit yourself down." "I'll get you that mug of tea." "You gave them all the injection, did you?" "For what it's worth." "All the books speak very well of it." "Chloroform to stupefy the worms, turpentine to kill them, creosote to cause a cough to expel them." "Do you go along with all that?" " Not for a moment, no." "Any effects are from getting the cattle off the infected pasture." "Still, it always impresses the farmers very greatly." "How did she take the news?" "Like she always does." "On the chin." "As Charlie says, she does her crying in private." "She's an indomitable woman." "Oh, well, James." "You've done all you can." "We all do every damn thing we can." "We can't do more." "Night, James." " Good night, Siegfried." "I'll get it!" " Thank you!" "Hello." "Yes?" " Hello, Mr Herriot." "Mr Worley here up at t'pub." "I'm having trouble with me sow, Marigold." "She pigged today and I don't think she's got much milk." "Little pigs look hungry." "Can you come?" "Yes, all right, Mr Worley." "Yes, I'll come." "Bye." "I took a look at this lass." "And I said..." "Hey, Worley, old love." "If that's the wife, tell her I've emigrated." "Anyway, she says to me, she says," ""Were you on the bus on the way down?"" "Good of you to come out." " Not at all, Mr Worley." "She's out back, as you know." "She said, "I don't recognise you." "Are you with our crowd?"" "I took a look at her and I thought," ""And I don't know you, love, either."" "No homes to go to, some of them." "Right." "Thank you." "Up you come." "Do you see what I mean?" "There's just no milk." "It isn't that, Mr Worley." "It's there all right." "Just not getting through." "Oh?" "Can you do owt about it?" " Yes, actually." "You're taking a bit of a risk, aren't you?" "1:00 in the morning?" "No sweat." "Local constable PC Dalloway is a mucker of mine." "Larked together many a time when we were kids." "Has a very elastic attitude, he has, to the licensing laws." "Oh, I see." "He'll be in there with us in half an hour." "How very civilized of him." "All right, Mr Worley." "That's better, isn't it?" "Nay!" "It's never cleared up already, has it?" "See for yourself." "It's a miracle, is that." "I've never seen owt like it." "Well, go to Heligoland!" "Course, I can see you like pigs, you know." "Can you really, Mr Worley?" " Oh, yes, I'm never wrong." "The minute I saw how you got down to her first time you come," "I said, "There's a man who likes pigs."" "Really?" " Mr Farnon's the same." "Oh, really?" " What?" "That man loves pigs." "I never realised that." " And young Mr Farnon." "He's very fond of pigs." " He's had a lot of experience." "I know." "The minute I saw that lad I could tell." "He's got pig written all over him." "Yes, well, I'll, er..." "I'll tell him you said that." "You do that." "Old Worley's gonna have to change his brewery." "I'm sick to death of this beer." "Now, then..." "My God!" "It's not Mr Herriot, is it?" "How are you, Mr Newhouse?" " Lad, don't mister me." "Call me Gobber like everybody else." "'Ey, you're not going without having one?" "It is a bad late, actually." "'Ey, lad, I haven't been home for me tea yet." "Join t'party." "Thank you." " 'Ey, you lot. 'Ey, I say." "Look who I've found here." "Six pints of bitter, Worley, old love." "Six pints of bitter coming up." "Now, er... now, Mr Herriot." "How's the dog trade, then?" "It's all right." " It keeping you busy, 'ey?" "Quite!" " Not too busy, 'ey?" "Pardon?" " 'Ey, I say." "I saw him t'other night with his young lady in t'cuddling seats!" "Come on, then." "Get your chops round this lot." "Good health." " Get your hands off that pint." "Cheers, Mr Herriot, then." "Cheers." " Careful, you're spilling it." "I wish you all the very best." " Thank you." "Now, then..." "That'll be just six shillings, please, Mr Herriot." "Six shillings?" " With yours." "Sorry I can't make it any less." "♪ Get up, get out of bed" "♪ Cheer up, cheer up, the sun is red" "♪ Live, love, laugh and be happy... ♪" "Thank you." "Now, that Gobber Newhouse, he hates pigs." "That'll be old Dallows now." "OK, Mr Worley, I'll let him in." "Good night." " Good night to you, Mr Herriot." "Good evening, sir." "Evening, Officer." "Or should I say morning?" "Your car outside, sir?" "Yes." " You've had a bit of a bump." "Ran into a wall." "Brakes, you know." "Brakes, sir?" " They don't work very well." "You do realise it's an offence, sir, having defective brakes?" "I'm having them seen to." " Very wise, sir." "Having a late night?" " I've seen to Mr Worley's pig." "Oh, yes, sir?" " I'm a vet." "Ah." "Well, tell me, sir." "Do you make it 1:00 in the morning?" "Yes, I do. 1:00, just." "Yes." "That's just what I make it." "You aren't PC Dalloway, our regular local man?" "On holiday, sir." "Skegness." "Oh, really?" "Good night, Officer." "Good morning, sir." "15 quid!" "And a warning that next time it would cost his licence." "What about the rest of them?" " £2 each." ""..despite protestations from Gobber Newhouse" ""that his beer had been purchased four hours earlier."" "Magistrates are heartless." " Not a pig-lover amongst them." "How are you feeling now?" " Worse than ever." "It's flu." "You should be in bed." "I know." "You'll manage all right, will you?" "Leave everything to us, Siegfried, and don't worry." "Give me a reason." "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't worry leaving everything to you." "Dear God!" "Do you get the feeling Siegfried doesn't entirely trust us?" "Yes." " Yes, I do." "What's wrong with your hand?" " It was that calving last week." "I got an infection." " You should see the doctor." "I intend to as soon as I've been to the Dalbys'." "Just about everything seems to be going wrong at the moment." "How many have died so far, Mrs Dalby?" "Four so far." "Last one died this morning." "I'm sorry." "Only them as has 'em can lose 'em." "How many more can we expect to go, do you think?" "It's hard to say but it could be at least another half dozen." "And even the survivors aren't going to be winning any medals." "Well, you did warn us." "And there's nothing you can give 'em?" "There's nothing a country vet needs more desperately than a husk vaccine." "I see." "Doesn't anything ever get you down, Mrs Dalby?" "Ho-ho, aye." "'Sides, there's a lot worse off than me." "Come on." " Thank you." "There you are." "Courting Helen Alderson, are you?" "Oh, I wouldn't say that." " Oh?" "Chance'd be a fine thing." " What?" "Every time I go near her something terrible happens." "That's a good sign!" " You think so?" "Oh, aye." "With my Billy, when we were courting, he were always breaking things." " Oh, yes?" "First time he come for tea, he brought t'tray through from t'kitchen." "He broke me mam's best teapot!" "Really?" "Come in." "Good morning, brother." " Is it?" "I'd say that was a matter of opinion." "How are you feeling?" " Ghastly." "Must you be so hearty?" "Why is it whenever I'm unwell you manage to become like a generator of vitality?" "Why can't you be your usual somnolent self?" "Put that damned cigarette out." "I'm having enough difficulty breathing." "If you could refrain from burning my bed to the ground" "I'd be eternally grateful." "Morning, Siegfried." "Good Lord, this place looks like a hospital." "What did the doctor say?" " It is infected and I have to wear the sling." "Great." "How on earth are you going to get about?" "It's no problem." "I'll drive him." "Oh!" "God help you, James." "Who was that on the telephone?" "You took your damn time answering it." "Armitage has got a cow down with milk fever." "Armitage." "Well, you'd better get out to him, hadn't you?" "It's a bit of a problem, that." "Huh?" " The old car's off the road." "Have you crashed it again?" " It's the brakes." "I was warned by the police." " Oh." "So it's a bit of a problem." "Of course there is the Rover." "Well, it's either that or that poor cow, Siegfried." "As you've said, if we're called out..." "We must attend." "Give me my trousers." "One scratch, just one scratch, and I'll kill you myself with my bare hands." "What a break, 'ey, Jim?" "Everything happens for the best." "You won't forget what he said?" " My dear Jim, don't worry." "This isn't the way." " Yes, it is." "The scenic route." " It must be ten miles further!" "That as well." "Just take it easy, will you?" " Relax, Jim." "Enjoy yourself." "You know, I really think I missed my way." "I could have raced for a living." "I have an instinctive feeling for cars." "Look out!" "Come in!" "Come in!" "Come in." "Come in!" "How are you feeling now, then?" "Worse." " Oh, dear." "Dear, dear." "How did you get on?" " Fine." "Fine." " We left the cow on her feet." "Where are the keys?" " Yes, of course." "About the car, Siegfried." "There were these sheep, you see." "You've damaged it, haven't you?" "Well... yes." "What have you done to it?" "Front and rear wings pretty badly mangled." "And, er... both nearside doors ripped off." "Sticky." "But things usually turn out better than you'd expect." "Lucky." " What?" "He was too weak to walk." " Yes." "Can't wait to get my hands on little Angela." "You must be a maniac." "Tonight will be a complete disaster." "Tonight will be the most romantic night ever." "See who it is, would you?" "Oh, Mrs Dalby, come in." " Mr Farnon." "Hello." " Mr Herriot." "Are you off duty?" "No." "Why, what's the matter?" " It's the herd." "The new one." "They were fit when I bought 'em but now they seem to be losing ground fast." "Oh?" " They look as if they're giddy." "Some of them are lying down, dazed." "I see." "Just give me a moment, I'll get my bag packed." "I don't think it's husk, anyway." " Thank heaven for that." "But I'll dose them with worm medicine to be sure." "I'll send samples to the lab tonight." "Thanks, Mr Herriot." "I'd better come now." "I'll give you a lift." "Thanks but I'll do the shopping whilst I'm here." "All right, Mrs Dalby." " I might see you later, then." "Yes, you might." " Thank you." "Bye." " Bye-bye." "What's the matter, James?" "What?" "Oh, sorry." "It's that poor woman." " Mrs Dalby?" "All the things that have gone wrong for her these past months, it's incredible the way she rises above it all." "But if she loses this herd too..." "Will she lose it?" " I don't know, Tris." "What's the matter with them?" " I won't know till I see them." "But I'm taking no chances." "She's been through enough as it is." "I'll get out there straightaway." "Here we are, then." "Gin and orange for you, Daphne." "Tomato juice for you, little Angela." "And a pint of best bitter for my friend and colleague." "Cheers." " Cheers." "Poor old Siegfried missing all the fun, eh?" "Shall we dance, little Angela?" "Would you like to dance, Daphne?" " It'd be a pleasure." "Thank you, ladies and gentlemen." "There will now be a short break while we retire for a few glasses of medicine." "Our thanks to the gentleman who sent them over." "Hello." " Hello, James." "Daphne Arkwright, Helen Alderson." "Pleased to meet you." " Hello." "Are you enjoying it?" "It's great!" "How are you?" "Fine." "You?" " Fine." "Busy, you know." "Oh, yes." " Excuse me." "Excuse me." "Come along, Helen." "Well, see you later, perhaps." "Yes." " Nice to meet you." "Shall we go and get our drinks?" " What?" "Our drinks." " Oh, sorry." "I insist you enter into the spirit." "What better spirit than a gin and orange?" "Go on, Angela, have a drink." " No." "It won't be much fun for either of us if you're sober at the end of the night." "Just a sip, hm?" " No." "There you are, Jim." " Hello, Tris." "Enjoying yourself?" " Hm, very much." "What's the matter?" " Nothing." "Nothing at all." "Come on, love." "You'll enjoy this." "You could ask her to dance." "I can't." " Why not?" "She's with him." " No." "They've been together all night." " They're in a party." "Are they really?" " Of course." "Don't mess about." "Go to it." "Go imitate the actions of a tiger or whatever animal is appropriate." "Excuse me." "Hello again." " Hello." "Lost your girlfriend?" " She isn't my girlfriend!" "She's a friend of Tristan's." " Oh, I see." "Nice dress." "Thank you." "Can I have this dance?" "I'm afraid you can't." "It's already promised." "Oh, I see." "Ready?" " Yes." "Perhaps later." " Yes." "Excuse me." "Hello?" "Who did you want to speak to?" "Hang on." "I'll see if I can find him." "Have you asked her to dance?" " Any minute now." "Good man." "If you'll take your partners for the tango." "Blast it." " What's the matter now?" "I can't tango." " Oh, of course you can." "Get her out on the floor and pretend you're George Raft." "She's waiting." "Excuse me." "Excuse me." "Thank you." "Mr Herriot." " Oh, hello." "There's a call for you." " Oh, thanks." "He who hesitates..." "Oh, hello, Mr Worley." "What seems to be the trouble?" "Oh, I see." "Yes, well..." "All right." "I'll come out as quickly as I can." "Goodbye." "Where are you going?" " I've been called out." "Oh, hell." " Yes." "Oh, Helen." "We'll have to miss our dance," "I've been called out." " Oh, dear." "I think there must be better ways to earn a living." "I'm sure you don't, not really." "I don't suppose..." " What?" "Come with me." " All right." "I have to pick up some things." " Of course." "She just left... with Mr Herriot." "Oh." "I won't be a minute." " All right." "All right now?" " Oh, yes." "James, is that you?" "Yes." " Is everything all right?" "It's perfect." "What?" "She's what you call a beauty, isn't she, Miss Alderson?" "Hm?" "Very nice." "I bet you like pigs, don't you?" " Oh, yes." "I thought so." "Can always tell, you know." "Right, Mr Worley." "She should start to pick up in a few days." "It's not serious but I'm glad you called me." "And I'll, er..." "I'll call again on..." "Monday." "Very kind of you." "Sorry to drag you away." "Not at all, Mr Worley." "It was a real pleasure." "This is your young lady, then, is it?" "That's right, Mr Worley." "This is my young lady." "We could go back to the ball." " Do you want to?" "No." "Do you?" " No." "I love you." "I know that."