"tell me if you feel anything at all." " Here?" " No." " How about there?" " No." "Here?" "No." "I think we ought to lose a little weight." "Why do doctors always say "we"?" "As if it were your pain?" "No." "How about here?" "That's it." "My appendix side." "You shouldn't read those medical journals." "It's probably the worry that's hurting you." "You thought you had a brain tumor once and it was your bowler hat." " This does hurt." " Yes." "I think perhaps it's a good idea if we got you in for a few tests." "Tests?" "There's something critical?" "There's nothing critical." "There's no question of that." "It's just in case there is colitis." "You are hiding something from me." "I'm not hiding anything from you." "This may be nothing at all." "Give me a moment, will you?" "I've got to be sure, OK?" "Sorry." "No, I can't." "I'm with a patient." " Do you want me to leave?" " No, of course not." "Can I ring you back?" "It shouldn't be long but I can't now." "Just try and stay in for a few moments." "Can't you stay there for a few moments?" " I'm in a terrible hurry." " Right." " Can we arrange tests for next week?" " I can't next week." " I've got to go to brussels." " The week after, then." "I think I'm going to Frankfurt." "Which is more important - the pain or Frankfurt?" "I'd rather you told me now, at this stage." "I mean..." "Listen, old friend." "It's not cancer." " How do you know?" " Because I'm telling you." "My secretary will be in touch with you on Monday." "pool hotel?" "Message desk." " What was the name?" " Dr. daniel Hirsh." " Oh!" "Dr. Hearsh!" " What were those calls?" "Just a minute." "There was a call from Dr. Simon, a call from Mrs. Burke, you have the number, and one from Mr. EIgin." "Did Mr. EIkin say how long he'd be in?" "He was going straight out." "He must have changed his mind." "He's in." "It's engaged." "It might be someone else ringing him." "I know, but he needs to talk to me before he goes away for the weekend." "Oh, never mind." "In future, try and get his name roughly right." "It adds a personal touch." "It's EIkin, not EIgin or AIvin or AIcott or Higgins." "You've been taking it long enough." "will you be picking up now?" "No, I'm going out." "Thank you." "Goodbye." "Christ." " hello?" " Answering service?" "I'm late." "This is alex GreviIIe." "What's the time?" "My watch stopped." " It's five to six." " Oh, no." "If Mr. EIkin should ring, tell him I'm on my way but I had to booze with a client who's had the push." "I tried to ring him but he must have left." " Is the traffic bad?" " It's always bad here." "It would be different round you." "Worse, of course, Iike your weather." "Bye." "Sod it!" " It's not there at all." " Babstock Passage." " It's probably upstairs anyway." " Excuse me." " Is there a hat shop in here?" " I'm sorry, I don't know." "I'm in a hurry." "I thought there was, dear." "Now, with the time exactly on the haIf-hour, Iet's go to the news room." "With Britain in the throes of its most serious economic crisis since the war, the cabinet will be in continuous session over the weekend." "So will trade union leaders faced with the threat of mass unemployment and militant unofficial strike action." "The sharp increase in the bank rate and the tough new restrictions on bank loans were attacked today by the TUC, who said that hundreds..." "Let me come alone." "I can look after the kids." "alex, bring Bob." "It'II be good for you both." " Trust me." " AIva, AIva... ..the duty on a wide range of products." "One car manufacturer said... 283 0811." "hello?" "hello!" "hello!" "hello!" "hello!" "darling, are you stuck somewhere?" "What's the matter?" "I shouldn't have said yes to this weekend." "Can Bob hear you?" "I shouldn't think so, with all this going on!" "Timothy, you've started John Stuart off." "It will go fine." "Look, talk to Bob." "No, I don't want to talk to him." "I'm sorry I've held you up." "I was going to put the kids to bed." "They always go to bed at this time." "You'II have a Iie-in." "Mummy says it's nice for them if they put us to bed together." "Bob and alex." "alex, don't worry, darling." "Trust me." "Lucy, don't forget to turn the shepherd's pie down." "Have you got the other one?" "AIva." "I'm so sorry." "The traffic!" " I'm so sorry." " It really doesn't matter." "You won't be there till midnight." "It's better to be there late." " You know Professor Johns." " How do you do?" "I'm terribly sorry." " And how are you?" " Two bleeding hours late, miss." "Don't." "He recognizes you!" "Lucy, tell carl not to eat all the monkey's bananas." "Bye, the late Miss GreviIIe." " Papa made a joke!" " What?" "Papa made a joke!" "He said to alex, "the late Miss GreviIIe."" " She is terrifically late." " No, darling..." "You're never late." "What happened?" " Just couldn't get going." " You know he's eaten already." " What?" " He only has one meal a day." "Two pounds raw tomorrow." "I think I've got it." "Don't let the economic crisis spoil your weekend." "It is worrying about the cost of living index." " Go away!" " Be a good family." "Bye!" "Bye." "Have a good time!" "Enjoy yourselves!" "Bye!" "Come on, dog." "daniel Hirsh wouldn't just turn up this weekend, would he?" "He knows we're away." "I never minded any of the sacrifices God required of me..." "Except one." "I was terrified he'd make me give up football." "Come here." "When you incur a penalty..." "What have you got that on for?" " I don't know." " well, take it off." "It's this house." "And this room!" "It's so bloody freezing!" "You're like a little fire!" "I do love you." "well, thank you, sir." "Good night." "If you get up, I'II kill you." "Yes, I'm just coming." "It's me, Lucy, just to say I'II look after John Stuart for you." "She sounds like somebody's mother-in-Iaw, Ioitering." "It's all right." "I'II manage." "Do you think AIva and bill had that disgusting octopus they gave to us?" "Perhaps they'II be sick in the middle of the sociologists." " I want some milk." " Oh, my God!" "You're getting more like an American." "I want some wine." " What's this?" " I don't know." "It looks special." "I'II ask Lucy tomorrow." "Oh, I Iove AIva." "Fancy having those posters in here." "But AIva does that sort of thing." "What she would really, really like is for us to get engaged in her bed." "Oh, my God." "She's like a CIA agent for happy families." "And we're her guinea pigs." "Oh, no, we're not." "Are we?" "Oh, why did we come?" "Because you're soft." "No." "Because it's a chance for a whole weekend together." "You locked Kenyatta out of your bedroom." "He sleeps on your bed." " So sorry." " I suppose you didn't mean to." " Is this milk all right for Bob to drink?" " It's Mummy's." " She wouldn't mind, would she?" " It's Mummy's milk for John Stuart." "He isn't weaned yet." "Oh, my God." "Thank you very much." "Shut up." "Come on, then." "There's a good boy." "Come on, then." "Come on." "Serves you right for pinching my breakfast." " Papa paid for it." " There's socialism for you." "What does he mean?" "Thank you so very much for bringing up the tray." "Mummy said you'd Iike a Iie-in in peace." "Did she mention you bringing the tray and staying?" "We always come in here first thing." "Then we watch Mama and Papa have a bath together." "Oh, my God." "There's a most peculiar smell." "It's exactly like p..." "Are you children smoking pot?" "Are you bourgeois?" "I don't mind, but does Mummy know?" "They keep it behind the records so we know where it is." "Behind Tristan and isolde." "I suppose it doesn't matter." " What are you doing?" " Resigning." "From my job at the office." " seriously?" " seriously." "I should have done it ages ago." "What will you do instead?" "It's not because of me, is it?" "No, my duck, it is not because of you." "You turn everything to yourself." "What shall we do with them today?" "What's wrong?" "Do you want to go out?" "Is it so difficult to say that to me?" "No." "Just want to go into town for a bit." "OK, fine." "But you don't have to go to work." "Oh, I see." "could it be... that you are going to see someone whose name begins with D?" " With D-A?" "Am I getting warm?" " Time's up." " Back soon." " Give me a ring." "Oh, no, you won't have time." "Have fun with..." "One of the things is, I can't stand the dirt he brings home." " I'm so sorry." " tell me... how long is it since you've led a... normal married life with him?" "How long is it?" "I can't complain." "You mean he hasn't been near you for a Iong time?" " Or is it that you haven't wanted him to?" " He's never forced himself on me." "Have you ever thought of living apart?" "I couldn't do that." "It would kill him." "Sometimes people survive better apart, even after a Iong time together." "What do you know?" "You're not married, are you?" " No." " well, then." "It's too late to start again." "You see, it was never that sort of thing between us." "Not what you're saying." "Nothing physical." "He just said when he proposed to me, "Do you think we'd make a go of it?"" "I said, "When you've got a house," and there it is." "We've always been good to one another." "Did I speak out of turn?" "Oh, no." "Good of you to see me on a Saturday." "A doctor's always busy, though." "Must be interesting seeing people." " I couId do with a holiday." " It's a calling, isn't it?" " I'm so sorry." " Hang on." " I'II see you next week." " Thank you." "I wish they wouldn't cry." "I didn't expect you this weekend." " You're working on a Saturday." " She said it was a calling." "It always makes me want to be a house painter." "Are you all right?" "Christ, what a morning." "I've had two nervous breakdowns, three cases of the pox, an attack of German measles and quite frankly, I'm fIaked." "I always expect Saturday to be the best day of the week." "A lung." " So you finally bought it." " Yes." "Do you Iike it?" "Possessions, possessions..." "It's getting to be a disease." "They told me it wouId be an investment." " How's it bearing up?" " Fine." "I had it on last night." "I think it's the best thing I've done." "Switch it off." "It's a bit small, this." "I'd Iike to build one on a vast scale, really huge." "Right." "could you switch it on, and the light?" " Do you think they'II like it in America?" " I think they'd lap it up." "You sure they haven't thought of it already?" "Someone seems interested." "Keep telephoning from New York." "Does that mean you might have to go there?" "Yeah, but if I went it wouldn't be for long." "hello?" "Yes, I'm on the line answering." "Oh, Mrs. Hackett." " Johnny's not getting better." " He's taking the pills?" " He doesn't like them." " Yes, but didn't you...?" "Did you try to...?" "He's running a terrible fever." "I gave you the pills to bring the fever down." "That's what they're for." "He's got a very high temperature." "Have you given him the pills I prescribed?" " Why don't you try that?" " I tried giving him a hot drink." " I don't think a hot drink..." " His throat has just closed up." "I've tried painting it." "It doesn't seem to make any difference." "Mrs. Hackett..." "would you try and do exactly what I said, and call me tomorrow only if his fever hasn't gone down?" "Otherwise, ring me on Monday." "Goodbye." "Jesus Christ!" "I need a drink." " I don't know why you put up with it." " How long have you got?" "A while." "Is alex hating it up there?" "I'II bet Lucy's putting her through it." "Why on earth did you go?" "Because she wanted me to." " Because I wanted to." " How the hell did you get away?" "There we are." "What shall we make with this?" "You want to get down?" " No, you don't." " I do." "Off you go, then." "I've come to get the fudge." "You've eaten it!" "It was my idea, me who made it and there's a ton of it left." "Where's Bob gone?" "Out." "When's he coming back?" "Soon." "What have you been doing?" "Why don't you know exactly when he's coming back?" "Oh, do stop it, lovely." "I do know." "I just can't be bothered to tell you." "Has Bob walked out on you?" "I expect that's why you're overeating." "BIudgeoned into feeling something." "Can't see being a fanatic." "Can you?" "I'm not at all sure." "Do you honestly feel Jewish?" "Not particularly." "only at school when there were eight of us amongst 250." "I Iike chopped liver." "When will we make our famous trip to italy?" "I can go at the end of the month." "Can you?" "Yeah." "Three." "Four." "Five." "They're not going to answer." "One moment, I'II take it for you." "Oh, my God." "Christ!" "Get off!" "Get off!" "You swine!" "Oh, turn the main switch off, you'II electrocute yourself." " Do you think I can't to mend a fuse?" " Yes." "Oh, shit." "Now that's gone." "I wish they'd have American fuses here." "Whenever you're stuck, everything is better in America." "How do you know?" " There." " Oh, well done." "How lucky that you're here." "Don't push it." "Just don't push it." "I never mentioned him." " Use his name if you must bring him up." " I didn't bring him up." "No, but I couId hear you thinking it." "Why don't you piss off upstairs and let me know what's working?" "I need the torch." "You can see by the candle." "Christ!" "Bastard." "Does this one work?" "No." " How about that one?" " No." "Yes!" "No!" "Yes." "Is Bob back?" " Is everything all right?" " ShouIdn't you be asleep?" "That hasn't been on since the Crimean War." " I missed you." " What, upstairs?" "Today." "Don't go on at me like some possessive wife." "I feel like a possessive wife, left alone with five children," " one dog, one monkey..." " You've never complained before." "I've never been alone before." "This was supposed to be a proper weekend." "I know you're not getting enough of me but you're getting all there is." "Perhaps you're spreading yourself a little thin." "Drop it." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry." "You are a silly tart." " Oh, God." "The car's parked miles away." " Gumboot time." " bloody english weather." " Better make a dash for it." " Taxi!" "Taxi!" " Taxi!" " Let's run for it." " Anyone got a paper?" " Bye." " Bye." "..the economic crisis." "And the cabinet has been in almost continuous session." "It broke up an hour ago." "At one point, TUC leaders, meeting to discuss the emergency, were called in by the prime minister." "They were there for two hours, and our political editor understands that there were some acrimonious exchanges..." "And the program Saturday Nightride." "hello!" "Hey, I said hello." "You don't remember me?" "No, I don't." "Look, don't pretend that you don't remember me!" "Stop it!" "AII right." "Get in." "Oh, Christ." "He'II have me." " Is everything all right, sir?" " Yes, Officer." "I know him." "I'm a doctor." "He's hurt his hand." "I'II see that he's all right." "I see." "well, how are you keeping?" "Christ, my hand hurts." "Do you think it's broken?" "No." "You can move your fingers." "It's probably just bruised." "You just stop pretending that you don't remember, eh?" "I remember you perfectly well." "You were pissed the Iast time." "Are we going back to your place, then?" "No." "I'm dropping you off." "On the way I'II call up a chemist and get you a painkiller for that." "Look where you're going, will you?" "You're not much of a bleeding driver, are you..." "Doctor?" "Are you in love?" "probably." "Poor old Danny." "Christ." "You even remember my name." "Thank you, madam." "Has the doctor got a relief?" "I can't accept this." "That looks just like an initial." " That's my signature." " Are you a doctor?" " Yes." "Hirsh." " Where did you get this prescription?" "It's the same signature as on my driving license." "Here." "I must have forgotten to sign it." "I'II get my instrument case from the car to identify myself, as you're being so difficult." "..something for Mum and Dad." "I thought it wouId be nice to play for you that lovely tune by MendeIssohn," "On Wings Of Song." " Morning." " Morning." "I've got two Sunday Times." " Thanks." " Your bulbs are flourishing." "Stop!" "You silly dog." "Come on, Timothy!" " She's a lovely little girl, isn't she?" " She's not a girl." "He's a boy." "Come on!" "We'II launch it." "Ready, steady..." "Go!" " Wave!" "Come back, balloons!" " Come back!" "Have a look at that." "Let me see." "Come on." "Come on, Timothy." "I think it's time to go home." "AII righty." "Time to go home." "Come on, Kenyatta." "Oh, stop it." "One, two, three!" "Come on, Kenyatta." "Look at me!" " Come on." " Lucy!" "Be careful!" "You stupid girl!" " Running across the road like that." " Why did you do that?" "Why did you run across the road like that, you naughty girl?" " Is that your dog?" " You took that corner like a maniac!" " It should've been on a lead!" " You can't do that!" "See all this traffic?" "How many times have you been told not to run across a road?" "You might have been killed!" "Do you hear me?" "Stop it." "Stop it." "Do you hear me?" "Stop that screaming." "Stop it." "It's all right." "Now stop it." "Stop it." "AII right." "You're all the same." "You charge around..." "What do mean "charge"?" "Stop crying." "Stay there and look after the children." "AII right?" "Now, stay there." "Look, get the kids home." "I'II cope with this." "Off we go." "Home." "Come on." "Come on, now." "Everything's all right." "Be back soon." "We won't see him anymore." "We won't." "That isn't the doggy." "I'm ready." "Now fold your papers." " One, two, three." "Swap!" " Ready, steady...swap!" "Now we all draw bodies." "shall we turn these into ears?" "Right?" "Big, big ears." "Take care of yourself, alex." "I'II give you a hand with that tonight." "Stop!" "Stop, somebody!" "Stop!" "Stop him!" "My daddy's forgotten his gas mask!" "Stop him, somebody!" "He'II get killed!" "My father's forgotten his gas mask!" "He'II get killed!" "You don't need those." "I keep thinking it could have been Lucy." "well, it wasn't." "Right?" "Come on." "Hi, Tommy?" "Has the thing come back from the workshop yet?" "It has?" "I'd love to see it." "No, I couldn't possibly leave here." "Timothy, bed." "Come on." "Bed." "Bed." "Come on now." "Bed, darling." "Come on, please." "Off to bed, Timothy." " Stop it." " You've been told." "I'm sorry." "I must have been flat out for hours." "We crept up but you looked as if you needed the rest." "Stop it." "You must be exhausted." "Timothy, stop it." "Come away from there, he's trying to concentrate." "Come on." "Bed." "Professor Johns gave such a marvelous lecture." " Didn't he, bill?" " He did indeed." "Off to bed." " He's trying to remember what he said." " AII of you." "I'II take that." " Say good night to alex, darling." " Good night!" " I'm terribly sorry about Kenyatta." " Must have been awful for you." "Anyway, we're buying another for Lucy's birthday." "Good night." "Thank you for looking after us." " Night, Lucy." " Good night, Mama, good night, Papa." "Lucy took it rather hard." "Has she ever seen anyone dead before?" "Oh, yes." "They all saw Granny when she was dead." "We just think it's very important not to pretend." "Where's Bob?" "He's upstairs working with his mates." "darling, there are nine for dinner." "could you look at the meat?" "Oh, my God." "I'm so sorry." " I feel it ought to be more mobile." " More mobile?" "In what way?" " A stand or something." " It has to be rigid." "This'II wobble." "And high to compensate for these pendulums." "We could have a tripod." "Look good in chrome." "Maybe a telescopic tripod." "It'd be like having furniture in the middle of the room." "That's not right." "If you were an American businessman, which would you prefer - something you could push around the office or a permanent fixture up on the wall?" " I think on the wall." "Try it." " That's what we thought." " Stick it on the wall." " Pass it over." "Lift it up." "We won't need all these holes to start with." " It needs a chrome bolt." " Chrome will be a nightmare." "It's the American answer to worry beads." "Why don't we make it in America?" "Drop me off here at the lights." "I'II get a cab." " Aren't you coming home?" " Got to get my eight hours." "See you." "Bye." "Thank you." "Must be New York." "Harry, I've realized a couple of million." "I'm looking for a good home for them." "Any suggestions?" "Such as short-dated treasury bonds." "well, what are they?" "Now, wait, wait, wait!" "I'II just work it out." "She's very well." "How's Cathy?" "I do wish you wouldn't have David to dine here." "Father and I are fond of him." "Yes, well..." "I wish you wouldn't." "He's rather bitter about your taking the books." "They were mine." "They were all I took." " They leave gaps, he says." " Oh, Jesus." "Does being married ever come down to anything but property?" "Sometimes." "He wants you back, you know." "I don't want to hear about that." "You see too little of people." "Enough." "I mean too little of Daddy." "It's not much use to start wanting things of him." "I'm not always very good at stopping myself." "What, you?" " Other line." " It's been a heavy week." "It's always been a heavy week." "Why do you put up with it?" "You're complaining about your father." "Perhaps you're complaining about whoever it is you're seeing." "Who are you seeing now?" " The same person." "On and off." " On and off?" "You don't give it a chance." "Having an affair with someone on and off is no worse than being married for a course or two at meal times." "What sort of man is he?" "I don't think you'd Iike his haircut." "Is he a hippie?" "I Iike hippies." "They hate business and competition." "That's what makes them so attractive." "You keep throwing your hand in because you haven't got the whole thing." "There is no whole thing." "You have to make it work." "I Ieft your father once." "When?" "You were three." "We disagreed about everything." "Everything seemed impossible." "He left me alone." "It was good of him." "But I was mad not to know how much I'd miss him." "You think it's nothing but it's not nothing." " Good night." " Good night, Mr. Brown." " How are you keeping?" " Fine." "And you?" " Very well." " Good." " Message desk." " Any messages for me?" "Nothing for you, Miss GreviIIe." " That's a relief." " will you be picking up now?" "No, I'm going to bed." "I'm only in if Mr. EIkin rings." "would you tell him to ring twice so I'II know it's him?" "Have you tried him at 937-3000?" "He's often there." "I wouldn't want to ring him there." "It's a doctor." "Yes, I know, it's Dr. Hearsh." "Dr. Hearsh also uses this service." "Right." ""Dear Reggie, for some time now, I have felt the need for a change."" "Oh, no." ""I badly need..." No." ""Dear Reggie, this is a letter of resignation." ""please don't be surprised."" "It's too difficult to explain?" ""It's too complicated to explain." ""I'm getting stale and I don't feel I'm really at my best." ""I'd Iike to go as soon as I can." ""I'm sure this is the right decision."" "It's my age, isn't it?" "When you're over 50 in business, you're over the hump." " You shouldn't say that." " You get a golden handshake or a sherry party and you can't find another job." " That's that." " Night, alex." "This place would be all right if it had walls." "You'd have got this job if you hadn't invented a degree." " Why did you do it?" " There's no point going on about it." "You'd been accepted, then you make a muck of it." "Why come here if you won't let us help you?" "You?" "It's firms like you that are putting me out to grass." " Me and all the other 50-year-oIds." " You told me 55." "50." "Hang on to that, then." "would you Iike to have done engineering?" "You're a very attractive girl." "well, you've..." "You've messed this chance up and I..." "I don't think we're going to be able to fix..." "I'm so sorry." "They'II take up references." "Don't you start." "Can you help me or not?" "Are you an expert or not?" "I've been behind a bigger desk for 20 years." "I've had three secretaries at a time." "If it's any comfort to you, I won't be here after next week." "I'm packing it in." "Then who am I supposed to deal with?" "Are you really all right?" "The face-Iift's gone." "That's what you'II see." "You didn't know that, did you?" "We can get our faces done too, you know." "For interviews." "They told me down the corridor." "It lasts two days." "They...stretch the skin." "I surprise myself." "I Iook 42." "I didn't go home." "I thought it might upset my wife." "We're all right, you see." " How am I going to tell her?" " She doesn't know about the sack?" "Yes, that's right." "Like that." "Two words!" "Book?" " First word!" " Hands?" " Peering." " Love?" " Adoration." " glory." " halo?" " Devout." "Devout." "Looking?" "Peering." " butterfly!" " pilgrim's Progress." " Adoration." " Heavens Above." " AII This And Heaven Too." " Lost?" "Paradise." "Oh, Paradise Lost." "Four words." " Love For sale." " Passion." "Pain." " Stomachache." " Appendix!" " My Heart belongs To Daddy." " Haggerty." " My Heart And I!" " I'm Just wild About Harry." " Nobody Knows The trouble I've Seen." " Pack Up Your troubles!" " Dancing." " goldfish." " Touch?" " eel." "Pocket." " The Touch Of Your Lips." " Fear." " Fear." " flesh." ""The poor little thing was so skinny and thin."" " Skin deep." " You." " Skin under?" " I've Got You Under My Skin." "I'm coming!" " Where's my manuscript?" " hello." "Is it over or are we on time?" " On my desk..." " What's going on?" " It's gone on all evening." " AII through dinner." " My desk!" " I'm going in, and you're coming too." " Where's my manuscript?" " It's only a cookbook." "small word." "My God!" "children's games?" "I might have known you'd be in the best seat." "call girls on strike?" "Come on, start the game." "Why go through PeIham Crescent anyway?" "Nobody ever goes that way." "You were thinking about her." "Of course I wasn't." "Sit down and behave." " Don't I get a drink?" " What are we doing?" "The first one is five, a film, and this is the second word." "PIonk?" "Isn't there any vodka left?" "A little for her." "She's had enough already." " muscle." " Expanse." " Not Ioudest, best." " Big one." " Good gracious!" " Thank you." " Big." " Massive!" "Massive!" " Seven pillars Of Wisdom." " The Big Country." "Potemkin?" "Ingrid is the Iast au pair girl we're going to have." " I never laid a finger on her." " Ingrid is the Iast fucking au pair girl we're ever going to have!" "The way you stare at her..." " Listen to me." " Oh, piss off, daniel, you know nothing!" "Don't you walk away from me when I'm talking to you!" " For goodness' sake, you two!" " When I tell you..." "Charming!" " ..he's the best one of them all!" " You fucking bitch." "Get bloody Kenneth to pour you another one..." "You fucking bastard!" "Here come those tired old tits again." "What the hell are you doing?" "AII right." "Go on!" "No, darling!" "No." " Where are you going?" " I'm going." " Thanks for the support." " They're ridiculous." "I don't like them when they're like this." " Why see them?" " I didn't invite them." "You let them in." " Oh, sorry." " Come on." "Don't go now." "Go upstairs." "I'II get rid of them" " and I'II come up in a minute." " I'd rather be on my own." " They're your friends." " typical!" "plain bloody selfish!" " I can't stand people carrying on!" " Right." "OK, out!" "Right!" "AII right, you two." "Get out!" "Now piss off!" "That's enough!" "Christ." " Very well." "I'II tell her that." " hello?" "hello?" " Message desk." " What was that message?" "Mr. EIgin just rang." "I said I thought you were in but not picking up." " What did he say?" " could he come over straightaway?" "Thanks." "It's nice to see you." "George." "Come down." "George, this is Bob EIkin." "George Harding." " How do you do?" " How do you do?" " would you Iike a drink?" " Yeah." "You know where they are." " I think I'd better be going." " Not yet." "I must catch my train." " Thank you for my dinner." " Thank you." "Thanks." "We'II see each other next week." "will you telephone?" " You won't be at the office." " Next week I will." "After that, here." " Goodbye." " Thanks again." " Goodbye." " Goodbye." "Does this thing ever work or is it just for decoration?" "No, it should work." "It is bloody freezing, isn't it?" "Haven't got any logs." "There's some rubbish that might burn." "I am glad you came." "It's so nice to see you." "It looked as if I was interrupting something." " I thought you'd be alone at this hour." " well, we're alone now." "Do stop looking so desolate." "You've had your hair cut." " It doesn't look as bad as I thought." " Thank you." "This won't burn for more than ten minutes." "There's some wood on the roof." "Want to get it?" "bloody heating." "I'm going to have to change it." "Where are you?" "Who was that man last night?" "I told you." "His name's George." "Who is he?" "He's a man from the office who's lost his job and I'm trying to find him another." " Do you mind about him?" " No." "You really don't mind, do you?" "No, not a bit." "We're free to do what we want." "darling... other people often do what they don't want to do at all." " Just a vaccination for smallpox, please." " Boost?" "When was the Iast time?" "When I was born, I suppose." " Are you right- or Ieft-handed?" " Right-handed." "The left arm." " Where are you off to?" " New York, probably." "You should try San Francisco." "That's a lovely place." "Then from Verona, La Garda down to Ravenna and then..." "Just a minute." "Verona." "Museums, opera, mountains, hotels." " Thank you." " Ravenna." "Churches, beaches, hotels." "Then we were going to motor down from Ravenna through Umbria to Siena." "Siena." "Events, churches, hotels." " would you Iike to see the menu, sir?" " Yes, thank you." " hello, how are you?" " hello." "Fine." " hello, how are you keeping?" " Great." "Excuse me, sir." "I have a message for you." "Mr. EIkin is not able to come." "shall I keep your table, sir?" " No, I'm sorry." "cancel it." " Thank you very much." "Why didn't you say you were sick instead of just not turning up, as usual?" "You're not still on about the other night?" "Of course not." "Open your mouth." "That seems to be all right." "Have you been eating anything strange?" "I don't think it's that." "You've certainly got a temperature." " Now tell me to take aspirins." " Take aspirin." " And fluids?" " Take fluids." "I got some bumf about italy." "How does that grab you?" "Now..." "Come on." "Let's have a listen." "What's the matter?" "Oh, shit." "I might as well tell you." "I had a vaccination for smallpox yesterday." "Why the hell didn't you come to me?" "I just thought..." "I don't know." "It means you are going to America." "I think so." "But it wouldn't be for long." " I always knew italy was a fiction." " Oh, don't." " We'II go when I get back." " pointless." "I want to go." "pointless." " would you Iike a drink?" " No." "Thanks." "You'II be there much longer than you say, won't you?" "I don't know." "Have to play it by ear when I get there." "will you get a Iot of work out of it?" "Maybe." "We shall fight in France." " Do you Iike the people over there?" " I don't know many." "It is a chance." "I don't have to go." "I couId send Tony." "well, you'II have to decide." "I couId never just piss off." "Have you told alex?" " No." " Why not?" "I don't know what to do." "should I go?" "What do you think?" "I told you, it'II have to be your choice." "I know it wouId solve a Iot of problems for you if you went." "But..." " Jonathon." "Good luck." " Thank you." "daniel." "glad you could make it." "hello, Father." "Sorry I'm late." "My dear daniel, now that you are 13, you are a fully fledged member of the community." "Today, daniel, you start to assume responsibility and take your own decisions as you prepare yourself to make your own particular contribution in life." "Jonathon." "congratulations." " You were super." "Wasn't he?" " wonderful." " Have you seen David?" " Yes." "He's over there." "Ruth collins married an ellis." "That's how we're related." " You must know the Hirshes." " David Hirsh married a niece of mine." " daniel!" " Aunt Sophie." "lovely to see you." "Do you remember your cousin Mark?" "Cousin daniel knew you when you were just a baby." "And EIsa!" " It's going well." " SpIendidIy." "My brother daniel, Terry SeIby Lowndes, my new partner." "So nice to meet you." "I am delighted that they've come round to see our way." "Is it daniel?" "You don't remember me, do you?" "I'm EmiI, your third cousin on your mother's side." "We last met at your grandmother's." "She would have loved to be here." " I want to talk to you." " Excuse me." "You're not going to be an old fuddy-duddy?" " Why?" "I put you next to a very nice girl." "She's just got a divorce." "You will be nice to her, won' t you?" "I know you two will get on." "hello, darling!" "lovely to see you." "I was sure you weren't going to make it." " hello, Father." " hello, daniel." " You know all these people?" " No." "Quite a do." "mostly your brother's business associates." "And how are you, son?" "Fine." "Fine." " Aunt Astrid." " How are you?" "You are looking spruce." "Have one of these." "When are you giving us a nice surprise?" " still holding out on us?" " Aunt Astrid, don't..." "It's very selfish of you." "You are going to be very lonely." "I haven't found the right person yet." "Is that straight?" " When are you going?" " In a day or two." "Why did I have to ask you that?" "Why didn't you tell me?" "I'II be back." "You'II be here." " We can ring each other up." " I'm bound to be here." " I can't exactly say when I'II be back." " OK, you have to leave things open." "You should never have decided to quit that job." "You need something to occupy that piercing mind of yours." "No." "That's absolutely not it." "I don't get you Iike this." "You could come over." "could you come over?" " Nothing's changed." " I've changed." "AII this fitting in and making do and shutting up." "I won't be here when you get back." "I can't come over." "Don't ring." "We've got to pack this in and I... don't know what else to say." "Me being careful not to ask you about daniel," "daniel not getting answers from you because you're here." "My old mum not making demands for umpteen years and my fucking office!" "I don't want us to live like this." "shall we try living together?" "shall we try that?" "I don't want to lose you." "darling, you..." "You couldn't do it." "Whenever there's any trouble, you always..." "Oh, damn." "I'm not angry with you." "I bought it because I Iove you." "Your terms were rotten and I shouldn't have done it." "My fault." " You keep asking too much." " For God's sake!" "Caring a Iot about someone, is that too much?" "people who have some time for each other, is that too much?" "I've had this "Anything is better than nothing."" "Sometimes nothing has to be better than anything." "If you look back on this, which you won't, you'II think it has something to do with daniel." "well, it hasn't." "New York for you." "WouIdn't you know?" "Put him on, please." "What's the joke?" "I was thinking of someone else." "Yeah, hi!" "could you speak up a bit?" "Sorry, I can't..." "My old mum, actually..." " Yeah?" " ..and that I Iove you a Iot." " What?" "Yeah!" " I don't want you to go." "Yeah!" "Tuesday." "lovely!" "Yeah!" "What sort of time?" "When?" "Fantastic!" "Bar Mitzvah host and hostess," "ladies and gentlemen, pray silence for grace by the Rabbi Eisenberg." " You're a doctor, aren't you?" " Yes." "Dr. Hearsh, I'm sorry to drag you from your party, but there's an urgent call for you to ring the R.M.O. at St. Stephen's hospital." " Anything else?" "Did Mr. EIkin ring?" " No, he didn't." "Thank you." "Yes." "well..." "I think we might have a chance." "That doctor in the white coat said to us, "The race is run."" "He didn't say the same as you." "That was earlier in the night." "She's hanging on." "You're not thinking she'd be better gone, Doctor?" "No, I'm not." "I'm certainly not." "Doctors often say that, don't they?" "She might pull through." "surely, that would be best." "But if she couldn't move?" "people can manage on very little." "There's a chance." "That's what he's saying." "I think I'd give her 100 milligrams of pethidine." "AII right." "OK." "It's late." "Poor old daniel." "I've been at hospital." " Be all right, will he?" " She." "She might just pull through." "It's much better now you're awake." "How was the Bar Mitzvah?" "OK." "You take a Iot of trouble with your family, don't you?" "You know, we should have seen italy together." "I shall miss you." "I wonder if you'II miss either of us." "I'II be back." "Sometime." "1,500 lira to the pound." "Sign here, please." "Where is the nearest post office?" "Turn left." "And take the..." " When are you off to italy?" " On the 21st, God willing." " You going with Bob?" " I don't think so." "We always thought we should try to be a bit more grown-up about having holidays on our own." "separately, I mean." "Have you ever thought of one of those scholars' cruises?" "AIva nearly went on one." "It isn't what I'd have chosen." "I'm terribly sorry." "No need." "Eat your meat." " Bye, daniel." " Bye." "I didn't know you would be here today." "I'm sorry." "Thank you for not coming in." "You must have been out here for..." "You had lunch?" "No." "I'm ravenous." " He's all right, is he?" " I think so." "This isn't very easy, is it?" "I thought he'd be with you today." "He's gone away, yes?" "I'm sorry." "I only heard it from the answering service." " You're welcome to them today." " Thank you." "I said that I preferred my scampi without garlic and my wife would have liked a steak, provided that the meat was first-cIass." "No." "Bugger the conditional." "When you're at school and you want to quit, people say, "You're going to hate it out in the world."" "I didn't believe them and I was right." "When I was a kid, I couldn't wait to be grown-up." "They said childhood is the best time of your life but it wasn't." "And now I want his company and they say," ""What's half a loaf?" "You're well shot of him."" "And I say, "I know that." ""But I miss him, that's all."" "And they say, "He never made you happy,"" "and I say, "But I am happy, apart from missing him."" "You might throw me a pill or two for my cough." "AII my Iife I've been looking for somebody courageous, resourceful." "He's not it." "But something." "We were something." "I only came about my cough."