Iutoriem
Eonliar Version
GENES


THE INTERCOM
A Comedy
Maurice Rowdon


CHARACTERS
ARTHUR CUTLASS
PEGGY CUTLASS
PAMELA
NORMAN PILLINGER.
MARTIN EYFFE
DAN SUTTON
NANCY.
TWO CHILDREN (BARRY AND RACHEL), 9.
A SECRETARY (MISS WILLIAMS), AN
OFFICE. BOY (TOM),. A CHAUFFEUR ETC.


THE INTERCOM
MS OF A WEALTHY, DETACHED AND NOT
HANDSOME MANSION ON THE OUTSKIRTS
OF A NORTHERN TOWN, PERHAPS HARR-
OGATE.
PUSH IN VERY SLOWLY AS
THE TITLES ROLL UP SO THAT WHEN
THEY ARE FINISHED NORMAN PILLINGER
IS JUST TURNING INTO THE FRONT
GARDEN.
HE WALKS UP THE OVER-
GRAND STEPS.
TRACK AFTER HIM INTO
THE HALL WITH ITS FITTED CARPET,
CONCEALED LIGHTING AND ABSTRACTS
ON THE WALL.
THERE IS A PLACE
FOR UMBRELLAS AND COATS IN THE
CORNER NOT UNLIKE THE CLOAKROOM
OF A THEATRE FOYER.
HE GOES
THERE AND TAKES OFF HIS COAT,
PUTS ON A DIRTY LABORATORY SMOCK
WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY COLOURED
WHITE.
AND THEN HE WALKS UP
THE---AGAIN OVER-GRAND---STAIR-
CASE.
CUT TO HIM ENTERING THE DRAWING
ROOM ON THE FIRST FLOOR WHICH
GIVES MUCH THE SAME EFFECT OF
DELIBERATE AIMLESSLY SPACIOUS
MODERNITY AS THE HALL DOWNSTAIRS.
TRACK BEHIND. HIM AS HE WALKS
ACROSS THE ROOM.
SUDDENLY THERE IS A SOUND---A
SQUEAK OR PERHAPS A SQUEAL--
WHICH MAKES HIM START AND STOP.
HE LOOKS ROUND WITH TIRED, WORRIED
EYES. THEN HE NOTICES SOMETHING
ON THE WALL WHICH WAS EVIDENTLY
NOT THERE BEFORE: THE INTERCOM
APPARATUS-- --A SET OF THREE
SWITCHES, MARKED 'RELAY', 'RECEIVE'
AND 'OFF.
A SHOT OF THIS AND
THEN PULL. BACK OVER HIS SHOULDERS
AS HIS HAND GOES UP TO TOUCH
THE SWITEH LIGHTLY.
AGAIN THERE
IS. THE SQUEAK OR SQUEAL AND AGAIN
HE LOOKS ROUND. THEN HE SEEMS
TO MAKE A DECISION, GOES MARCHING
OFF TO THE FARTHER DOOR. AND THERE
COLLIDES WITH PAMELA HIS WIFE.
NORMAN:
Do you see allt this?
PAMELA: What?


HE POINTS TO THE INTERSOM.
PAMELA:
NORMAN:. Is that your mother's
latest damn-fool idea?
PAMELA: I. think so yes. It's:
to link us all together. If. the
children cry we can hear them in
every room.
NORMAN: So that's what it is!
I. thought one of my rats was. loose.
And how does she know we want the
kids screaming in our ears all day?
PAMELA:: Oh it's. too much bother
trying to stop her.
You look tired.
NORMAN: : I was up all night.
PAMELA:. I know.
NORMAN: I know you know.
But
you don't know this: I've lost my
PAMELA: What?
NORMAN:
Somebody tipped me off
at the lab.
We were discussing it
all night.
PAMELA. (ALMOST TO HERSELF)
Thank
God then.
NORMAN: Thank God?
PAMELA: I thought you might be
with her---I
NORMAN: Oh go to hell, why do you
always have to be so personal about
everything? I tell you one thing,
I'm not going back to the old life,
with your father cutting off the
month's allowance every time I say
something true.
I remember the time
I said saccherine was a cancer agent
and he slammed the door in my face
and then the money didn't come
through for ten days, we couldn't
even feed the kids. Oh! (SUBSIDING
INTO AN ABSTRACT LOOKING CHAIR)
I felt so good having a job.
PAMELA:. So good you spent two
months with another woman.
NORMAN: Yes, all right.


PAMELA: So it starts all over
again. Me going to the bank to
see if the money's come, and always
being frightened, and trying to
bring them round again after you've
said something awful.
NORMAN:. Something true.
ANOTHER SQUEAK OR SQUEAL.
NORMAN:
There, you heard it.
Isn't it my rats?
PAMELA:
It's the children!
She's put microphones just by their
pillows!
NORMAN:
Listen, whatever else you
do don' 't tell her I've lost my job.
You know how success-mad she is.
Let me get another one first and
we' 'll say I needed. a change of air.
Not that I've got the money to get
to the interviews.
When you're in
debt you're like a man limping,
you can't even reach the startline.
By the way, they wouldn't even give
me a reference.
PAMELA:
And why not for God's
sake?
NORMAN: She was fired too, you'll
be glad to hear.
PAMELA: Your girlfriend?
NORMAN: Oh. don't always call her
that. She's got her name. Any-
way, I told you before, it's just
gone dead on me, I mean the marriage,
I've had ten years of it afterall.
PAMELA: It's because you've gone
dead, not the marriage.
NORMAN: I suppose so.
PAMELA:
And I have: to keep the
children alive.
NORMAN: Yes you do, because I
can't. There's something fishy
about me getting the sack like
that,, I wouldn't mind betting your
father's behind it, he found out
about the girlfriend--
PAMELA: Sssh!
(RUSHING TO THE
INTERCOM SWITCHES) It might be on
Relay!
(CLOSING HER EYES WITH
RELIEF) Thank God.
NORMAN:
Off?
PAMELA: Yes. So it's started
already. Me playing the diplomat


and you hiding behind me.
NORMAN: They're queer cusses
aren't they? When I've got a job
they slip fifty a month into our
account, and when I don't it's hell
to get twenty-five. Or are all
rich people like that?
PAMELA:
Norman---they must have
given you a month's notice. You're
not lying are you? You're quite
capable of having me on, just to see
what it looks like.
What about
your contract, how did they get
round that?
NORMAN: I. never. had a contract.
PAMELA:
You told me you signed
one!
NORMAN:
Of course I did, your
mother was in the room.
It worked
too.
She coughed up a washing
machine and a trip to Majorca.
That was an awful trip, by the way.
PAMELA:
Because you were alone
with me.
NORMAN: Well you don't think there
was any other reason do you?
PAMELA: Apyway I'm going shopping,
with the last of the money.
NORMAN (AS SHE GOES TO THE DOOR)
They wouldn't even give me back my
rats. I contributed a dozen when
I took the job. I'm particularly
sorry to have lost Murphy and Mrs
Gormsby Taylor, or Hilda as she
sometimes let me call her.
PAMELA:
Did you ask for them?
NORMAN: : Well I could hardly bring
them home:: Murphy has cancer of the
tongue and Hilda's womb is several
yards away from her, though technic-
ally still her own of course.
PAMELA:
That's another dreadful
thing you do, day after day---and
you talk about how you're being
tortured!
NORMAN: Oh they're both eating
well.
Murphy might even have a
new tongue by Monday.
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) Pamela,
Pamela, are you anywehere in the
house?.
NORMAN (JUMPING UP) Good God
she s been there all the time!
She-always seems to know when


we're having a row---she goes
round. the house with a Geiger counter,
picking up emotions!
PAMELA:: But it's off!
NORMAN (GOING TO THE INTERCOM
SWITCHES) It's on Receive!
PAMELA:
Does. that mean she heard
NORMAN:
Of course it---!
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Pamela!
Is. there anyone else. in the house
can help me?. I'm looking for my
daughter!
PAMELA (PULLING. THE. SWITCHES UP AND
DOWN) How. do you work it?
NORMAN:: Put it on Relay. Why,
you don't want to talk to her do you?
PAMELA: Come on!
SHE PUTS IT ON RELAY..
PAMEEA: I'm in the second draw-
ing room mummy.
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Pamela,
your voice is so clear! Isn't it
marvellous?
PAMELA:
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) I'll meet
you on the stairs.
NORMAN LOOKS ROUND IN PANIC FOR A
MEANS OF ESCAPE.
PEGGY: (OVER THE INTERCOM) I want
you to see a new dress of minel
HAMELA: Yes mummy.
SHE SWITCHES OFF.
NORMAN: For God's sake take her
one floor up until I've made my
getawayl:
PAMELA (GOING OUT), Oh youf
CUT TO THE STAIRCASE WITH PAMELA
GOING DOWN AND PEGGY COMING IP
IN A GLITTERING. NEW DRESS DOWN TO
HER FEET.
WHEN SHE SEES PAMELA.
SHE. STOPS AND MAKES A. SORT OF
FASHION-MODEL POSE.
PAMELA: It's lovely.
PEGGY: I knew you'd like it.


PAMELA:
Let's go to the drawing
room further up.
PEGGY:
No it's all upside down,
they're still fitting the microphones.
PAMELA: Well. let's go down to the
nursery, Norman s brought home a
few experimental rats and he's still
in the second drawing room.
PEGGY (RETREATING AT ONCE WITH
HORROR ON HER FACE) What? I
wish he wouldn't. But I suppose
that's science! Let's go down to
the kitchen, quick!
SHE RUSHES DOWN,. ALMOST TRIPPING
OVER HER DRESS,. AS IF THE RATS WERE
AFTER HER..
CUT TO THE KITCHEN WHERE EVERYTHING
IS BRIGHT AND STREAMLINED. THE
MOMENT PEGGY AND PAMELA HAVE CLOSED
THE DOOR BEHIND THEM PEGGY TALKS,
IN AN UNDERTONE..
PEGGY: You've been crying.
PAMELA: No I haven't.
PEGGY: Then you've been peeling
onions..
PAMELA: Yes.
PEGGY: The children must never
have onions--
PAMELA:
I had them!
PEGGY:
Raw?
PAMELA: No! (WITH A. GREAT SIGH)
Norman lost his job.
PEGGY:
Then you have been crying.
People. are like open books to me,
my dear. What do you mean he's.
lost his job? Norman!
What?
Do you mean he's got no money?
What's he going to do, I mean what--
A' CHILD CRIES QVER THE INTERCOM.
PEGGY: It's Barry! He must
have those injections, he's got
such a cough and he hasn't been
for two days--
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Peggy
are you upstairs?
PEGGY (ALL GLEE) That's your
father.
Isn't it fun?
SHE HURRIES ROUND THE ROOM LOOKING
FOR THEINTERCOM SWITCHES.


PEGGY: Now where are they?
PAMELA (POINTING) They're over
here.
PEGGY (RUSHING THERE)
Quickly,
switch it to Relay before he goes,
Arthur, Arthur,, Arthur!
ARTHUR. (OVER THE INTERCOM)
All
right there's no need to scream.
PEGGY:
Come down here at once.
I'm in the kitchen with Pam.
You've woken the children by the
way.
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM) Well
what about it, it's teatime!
A RESOUNDING CLICK AS HE SWITCHES OFF.
PEGGY:. Isn't it wonderful? He'd
never have. found me otherwise.
ARTHUR PUSHES OPEN THE KITCHEN DOOR.
ARTHUR: Hullo all.
(WITH A LOOK
AT PEGGY WHO HAS SUDDENLY PUT ON A
DRAMATICALLY WORRIED FACE)
What's
the matter now?.
PEGGY: It couldn't be worse.
ARTHUR: It never can be. Every
time I. come in a room it seems to
touch. off something ghastly. Well
keep this one to your self, I want
my tea--
PEGGY:
Norman!
ARTHUR: I don't want to hear!
Now get that bad cook of ours, what's
her name, Nancy, and tell her to
get my tea! (SUBSIDING INTO A
ROCKING CHAIR BY THE STOVE)
PEGGY:
Jump up! Jump up at
oncel
ARTHUR (AS HE SPRINGS. UP) What the
hell's the matter?
PEGGY: It's new.
You know how
you go through everything. I've
had all the chairs upstairs re-
inforced but I naturally never expect
you to come to the kitchen.
ARTHUR:
You called me here!
PEGGY: Ssshi The children!
ARTHUR: As. for reinfor.cing the
chairs you've taken half of them


PEGGY : Only in the Japanese room!
ARTHUR:
Japanese my arse! Even
they sit down don't they?
PEGGY:
Yes, on the floor.
ARTHUR:
What,, are you going to
put my business. guests. on the floor?
PEGGY:
You can get twice as many
people on the floor than you can on
those four-legged. thrones as Jocelyn
calls them.
ARTHUR:: Blast Jocelyn.
He did
those flick-and-drip things in the
hall didn't he?
PEGGY (QUIETLY)
It. takes time and
patience to break through the nine-
teenth century.
What you don't
realise, Arthur, is that we're not
kings and queens any more, so why
should we sit on thrones?
ARTHUR: Oh do shut upo. I'll never
forget that lavatory pan spraying
itself with eau de: cologne every
time you went. That,got a bit
expensive though didn't it? And
I love: the way the bedroom windows
open and close all night according
to the temperature, except that the
thermostat's gone. wrong and they
won'tbclose. any more.
It cost me
seventy-five quid to fix it last
month,, now they say they'll have to
take: the windows away for a bit,
that'll be cosy.
PEGGY: She's been crying her
eyes out.
ARTHUR : Who has?
PEGGY: Your daughter.
ARTHUR:. Has he gone off with
another woman again?
PEGGY: No.
He' s walked out of
his job. For bringing his rats
home with him!
ARTHUR:
What, bringing them home?
And. those creatures have got every
disease under the sun! I read about
a chap once,. turned a lab full of
experimentai monkeys loose, riddled
with typhus!
PAMELA: Oh!
CRYING. WITH ANGER PAMELA DASHES
OUT OF THE ROOM, SLAMMING. THE DOOR.


PEGGY:
There, now you've done it.
ARTHUR:
What have I done? Norman
did it!
He lost his job!
PEGGY:
Anyway you'd better talk
to her.
ARTHUR:
But what about?
I want
my tea!
PEGGY:
For one thing the hospital
accounts have just arrived and
they're enormous.
ARTHUR:
That's because you take
the kids there all the time, as
private patients!
PEGGY:
It's for the Gynaecolog-
ical department!
I don't take
children to the Gynaecological
department!
ARTHUR:
Well you've taken your-
self then!.
PEGGY: I haven't been near the
Gynaecological department for
months!
And there's only one
other female in this house.
ARTHUR:
What, Pamela you mean?
Why shouldn't she?
PEGGY:
Oh! Because she's been
going once a week, and we only go
once a week if we're having a baby
or trying not to have one!
ARTHUR:
Well what about it!?
She's allowed to have babies isn't
she? She's married!
PEGGY: Ask her about it, that's
all.
We can't go on spending
money like that, without explanations.
A LOUD BUZZ.
ARTHUR: What the hell's. that?
PEGGY: It must be a fuse!
ARTHUR:
A. fuse?
PEGGY (DASHING TO THE OTHER SIDE
OF THE ROOM)
It's the intercom.
(PULLING AT ALL THE SWITCHES HAP-
HAZARDLY UNTIL SHE GETS THE RIGHT
ONE)
Yes, yes?
Hullo hullo
hullo!
ARTHUR: Oh God...
CUT Tot THE NURSERY WHERE NANCY,
LOOKING JUST LIKE HER VOICE, IS
SPEAKING AT THE INTERCOM ON THE


WALL.
NANCY: I. seen your Pamela. mum.
She's. crying.
INTERCUT. PEGGY AND NANCY TALKING
AT THE. INTERCOM.
PEGGY: Don't call me mum and she.
isn't crying, she s: been peeling
onions.
NANCY: They must be very fresh
then because she's streaming.
PEGGY: By the way if you took my
bracelet this morning put it back..
NANCY: I didn't..
PEGGY: I'm not saying you did..
Just put it back, that' s all. And
I. don't. know why you have to call
me mum, it isn't the nineteenth
century. I'll talk to the little
boy, is he there?
NANCY:
Yes mum?.
PEGGY:
Not you---Barry!
NANCY:: He's on his pot.
PEGGY: Oh I'm especially glad
about that, after the trouble he
had last night.
NANCY (MAKING A WRY FACE IN THE
DIRECTION OF BARRY)
He's not
having trouble now, by the looks
of it.
CUT BACK TO HEGGY WHO HAS SWITCHED
NANCY OFF AND IS VERY MUCH ON RELAY.
PEGGY: Pamela! Pamela! Where
are you?
CUT TO PAMELA IN THE SITTING ROOM
AGAIN ANSWERING. THE INTERCOM.
PAMELA (TEARFULLY)
I'm here.
INTERCUT PEGGY AND PAMELA SPEAKING
TO EACH OTHER OVER. THE INTERCOM.
PEGGY:
So Barry went then?
PAMELA: Went where?
PEGGY: Went, went!. I wish you
wouldn't be so dreamy---(AS AN ASIDE
TO ARTHUR, WHO IS BOWED IN A CHAIR)
She's so dreamy. (TO PAMELA:)
That tablet worked then.


PAMELA:
What,
gave him a
tablet?
But hoyou running---!
PEGGY:
He can't be, hewas
PAMELA: He's running I tell you,
and Norman says he was only blocked
because you gave him an opium drug
and it just paralyses the intestines,
he says charcoal is much better.
PEGGY:
I won't have the children
in this house eating coal and that's
that.
Your father's coming up to
see you.
ARTHUR:
Oh God!
PEGGY:
He wants a word.
only glad he can spare you a minute.
He's terribly rushed.
Where are
you?
PAMELA:
In the first sitting room.
PEGGY: He's on his way.
ARTHUR RISES RESIGNEDLY AND, SWEEP-
ING UP THE HOSPITAL BILLS WITH AN
I'LL- GET-YOU GESTURE, WALKS OUT
OF THE KITCHEN THROUGH THE SWINGING
DOOR SO THAT IT SWINGS VIOLENTLY
AFTER HIM.
PEGGY: I say you're not having
another baby are you?
PAMELAA
Oh dear!
PEGGY:
It's funny, I was thinking
of when you were born only this
morning.
There was a pine forest
near the clinic and your father had
a boil on his neck.
Your grand-
father on my side fitted five hun-
dred and seven new watersystems in
four hotels in eastern Rumania that
year, which was why we were there.
They weren't scented of course.
But they flushed.
PEMELA(AS ARTHUR COMES INTO THE
ROOM CARRYING THE HOSPITAL BILLS)
Well daddy's here.
PEGGY:
All right darling, now donT
raise your voices.
SHE BWITCHES TO. RECEIVE AND REMAINS
AT THE WALL LISTENING.
ARTHUR'S VOICE OVER THE INTERCOM:
Well (WITH A SIGH AS HE SITS DOWN)
we're always in trouble it seems.
SHOW PEGGY SETTLING DOWN TO LISTEN.


CUT TO THE SITTING ROOM WITH
ARTHUR AND PAMELA.
ARTHUR: And I'm not getting any
younger.
PAMELA: Oh nonsense, you look
all right.
ARTHUR: I hear you're getting all
the furniture out of the Japanese
room.
As I see it you and Norman
are only two behinds, and you have
plenty of chairs downstairs anyway,
whereas me and Peggy plus our guessts
are sometimes fifty. And she 's
going to park fifty behinds on the
floor!
PAMELA: That's right.
ARTHUR:
When I entered your mother's
little world twenty-eight years ago
I had to accept a lot of things I
thought funny--
CUT TO PEGGY ABOUT TO SHOUT INTO
THE INTERCOM, IN REMONSTRANCE, BUT
SUBSIDING WHEN SHE HEARS ARTHUR'S
NEXT SENTENCE.
ARTHUR (VOICE OVER)
But I bet we 'll
see. sense in having no chairs to. sit
on, in the end.
CUT BACK TO THE SITTING ROOM.
PAMELA (ALL STEEL) I hope so.
ARTHUR: So why did he do it?
PAMELA: Who do what?
ARTHUR:
Your husband, let his
rats loose. Of course they're
going to sack him if he does that.
PAMELA: He didn't let his rats
loose!
ARTHUR:
But you said he did!
PAMELA:
No I didn't!
ARTHUR. (BEYOND THE POINT OF NO
RETURN NOW) Oh yes you did!. I'd
have cleared him out of this house
long ago if it hadn't been for
CUT TO PEGGY GETTING ALARMED IN THE
KITCHEN.
SHE SWITCHES TO RELAY.
PEGGY:
Now then, now then! I.
asked you not to raise your voices!
ARTHUR (VOICE OVER, BELLOWING INTO
THE INTERCOM) And I'm having this


damned broadcasting system torn out
of the walls!
PEGGY: Oh!
CUT TO THE. SITTING ROOM WHERE
ARTHUR IS JUST STORMING OUT,
THE HOSPITAL BILLS STILL IN HIS
HAND.
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Pamela,
Pamela, has your father gone?.
PAMELA. (SHOUTING AT THE WALL) Find
out for yourself!
CUT BACK TO PEGGY IN THE KITCHEN.
PEGGY: Arthur, Arthur! Get Mr
Cutlass, Nancy!. Nancy!
ARTHUR BURSTS. INTO THE: KITCHEN,
REPEATING HIS. VIOLENT SWINENG DOOR
TRICK..
ARTHUR:
Why do we have to have
these blasted speakers all over
the house?
NANCY (OVER. THE INTERCOM)
Yes mgm?
PEGGY (DIVIDED BETWEEN ARTHUR AND:
NANCY) Don't call me mum!
SHE SWITCHES. TO OFF BEFORE NANCY
CAN GET. HER ANSWER IN.
ARTHUR:
She: said he didn't loose
his rats at all!
PEGGY: He did! She told me her-
selft
ARTHUR: That's just what I said!
PEGGY. SWITCHES THE INTERCOM TO
RELAY..
PEGGY.:: Pamela, Pamelal
Do come:
down to the kitchen. Your father
didn't mean to raise his. voice--
ARTHUR. (BACK IN THE. CHAIR, BOWED)
Oh yes he did..
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM)
just outside. the kitchen.
PEGGY: Well. come. in you silly
girl! (TO ARTHUR:) She's just
outside.
ARTHUR: What, have you. put speakers
in. the. corridors as well?
PAMELA. COMES. IN.
PEGGY: Your father wants another


word with you.
(AS SHE LEAVES)
And for goodness sake do shed some
light on how a man deliberately lets
his experimental rats loose on his
own colleagues!
PAMELA: I said---!
BUT PEGGY HAS GONE, WITH THE DOOR
SWINGING AFTER HER.
ARTHUR: You know what your mother's
like. You'd better tell me every-
thing for the sake of peace.
PAMELA: He was sacked.
Now I've
tobd you everything I know.
ARTHUR: Then I've no more to say.
PAMELA: But I don't know any more!
ARTHUR:. What,, a man sets his. rats
loose without a reason!
Don't talk
PAMELA: But he didn't, he didn't!
ARTHUR:
You're just damned obstin-
ate.. Anyway, I'm in a hurry.
(FISHING OUT THE HOSPITAL BILLS)
The accounts came this morning.
Here, perhaps you can throw some
light on that little lot.
PAMELAI:: What little lot?
ARHTUR: A hundred and fourteen
injections ordered by your mother,
that's all right, but what about.
these two fifteen-guinea consult-
ations for you? What's wrong with
you?
PAMELA: Nothing. Ijust feel ai
bit Eunnysometimes that's all.
ARTHUR: Well if there's anything
wrong of that sort you'd better
tell your mother.
PAMELA: I'm having another child.
ARTHUR:
Good God. That's quick
work. HE's only just got back
from slitzerland---you didn't see
him for a year-
PAMELA, (FIXING HIM WITHBHER EYES)
I'm three months gone.
ARTHUR: He wasn't here three
mohths ago.
PAMELA: I. know.
CUT TQ PEGGY LISTENING TO THE.
INTERCOM IN THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE,


IN ASTONISHMENT.
CUT BACK TO THE KITCHEN.
ARTHUR:
Of course he was here--
wasn't he?
I mean, otherwise
how could he---? He was here,
surely?
PAMELA: No.
ARTHUR: He slipped over for a
week or So-
PAMELA: He was. living in Switzer-
land with another woman for a whole
year,. I thought you knew that.
ARTHUR. (DESPARATELY) But he paid
you a visit!!
PAMELA:. He didn't!
ARTHUR:
But say he did! At least
say it! Good God, do you mean---?
You're not saying---is. this some-
body else's child?
PAMELA:. Yes, yes! And I don't
care if it is!
ARTHUR:
What? Oh no! PEGGY,
PEGGY!!
PEGGY SWINGS HER WAY THROUGH THE
KITCHEN AT ONCE.
PEGGY:
I'm here. There's no
reason to shout.
(TO PAMELA:)
I thought you looked pale. How
far gone are you?
PAMELA: Three months, didn't. you
hear that as well?
ARTHUR:
I only hope to God Nancy
didn't get all this (PEERING AT
THE INTERCOM APPARATUS) Well
well well! we live and learn!
PEGGY (TO PAMELA) When did Norman
Leave? for Switzerland?
PAMELA:
Oh about a year ago.
And he hasn't been back a month.
PEGGY: Well I think it's very
foolish of you.
PAMELA: I thought you'd say that!
My husband walks out on me and I'm
supposed to stay indoors knitting!
PEGGY (QUITE DEAF TO HÉR) If we
can bring the birth on a month or
so it might be all right.
ARTHUR: Listen, we 'd better get


a master switch or something for
this damned machine, so we can
switch the whole house off if
necessary.
PEGGY (TO PAMELA)
Does he know?
PAMELA: Who?
PEGGY:
Well Norman of course!
PAMELA:
I expect so. He deals
in wombs and things all day. He
hasn't said anything though.
PEGGY:
I don't think the hardest
creature in the world could deny a
newborn child, though of course it
won't have the advantage, from his
point of view, of being a rat.
ARTHUR:
Still, I should hate to
be Norman now, with another man's
seed on his wife's body.
PEGGY:
Oh don't be sentimental!
He doesn't have to know about it.
ARTHUR:
Oh. well he deserves it.
He did a bunk on her after all.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Hullo!
THEY. ALL JUMP OUT OF THEIR WITS.
ARTHUR GETS CLEAR AWAY FROM THE
SWITCHES AND PEGGY FLURRIES ABOUT
UNTIL FINALLY PAMELA WALKS OVER
TO THE SPEAKER AND SAYS SOMETHING.
PAMELA:
Yes? We're in the
kitchen.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Nancy
said there was trouble.
ARTHUR:
There, I said she'd
heard.
PEGGY (SWOQPING ON TO THE SPEAKER)
Do come down Norman, we're having
such a pleasant chat down here.
CUT TO NORMAN IN THE LABORATORY
TOWNSTAIRS, WHITE RATS IN CAGES:
BEHIND HIM, TALKING INTO A SPEAKER
ON THE WALL.
NORMAN:
OK. I'll beup.
HE TAKES OFF HIS SOILED WHITE
LABORATORY COAT AND PUIS HIS
JACKET ON, THEN LEAVES.
TRACK
AFTER HIM UP THE STAIRS TO THE
GROUND FLOOR.
MIX TO THE KITCHEN
WITH HIM COMING IN..
PEGGY (STAGING CHARM) Do fome in
Norman.


NORMAN (STOPPING, WITH A LOOK AT
PAMELA), Are you ill?
PAMELA:
I'm all right.
NORMAN (TD PEGGY) I. suppose she
told you?
PEGGY: Well---yes, she did.
ARTHUR. (TO PEGGY). He means about
the job!:
NORMAN:
And what's the verdict on
my character?
PAMELA: It wasn't about you at
alll I'm having a child!
ARTHUR: Oh god, why does everybody
have to blurt things out?
NORMAN:
I thought it was some-
thing. awful, from the way, she said
you were having a pleasant chat.
PAMELA: Awful, me having a baby?
NORMAN: Well it looks awful, to
judge from your face.
And why tell
them first? You're having my baby
and you break the news to mummy and
daddy first!
PAMELA:
Because it isn't your
baby!
ARTHUR : Oh no!
NORMAN: And that's just what I
thought!
PEGGY:
It's all a mistake and the
dates have been mixed up!
NORMAN: Yest, trust you to want to
get round the truth!
ARTHUR: You can talk about the
truth!
You haven't even got a job,
you don't even own the shirt you
sweat in!
NORMAN:
What about her (MEANING
PEGGY)- -she never e arned a pénny--
her father made lavatory pans!
PEGGY:
Water systems we called
them, and it was my grandfather.
ARTHUR:
And as I said to Pamela
you can clear out of my house as
soon as you like!
PEGGY:
He's not,leaving this house
while my daughter's. pregnant, and
that s that!.


ARTHUR: He won't leave anyway,
don't worry about that. He only
left last time because he had some
money in his pocket.
PEGGY: You'd better take Norman
to see the furniture from the Jap-
anese room darling.
PAMELA (TO NORMAN:) Come on. (AS
NORMAN IS ABOUT TO ABBWER ARTHUR
WITH SOMETHING RUDE) Oh do come on!
SHE DRAGS NORMAN OUT OF THE KITCHEN.
PEGGY: Of course the baby's his.
You know how vague. they both are.
They make love so much, these young
people, it's like smoking for them:
try fixing down which cigarette you
smoked when!
ARTHUR:
My only worry is the
Fyffes finding out.
PEGGY:
Oh there aren't scandals
nowadays, everybody has one.
ARTHUR:
Are you sure? I mean
there must be some respectability
somewhere. And what about Martin
Fyffes newspapers? They're coveréa
with scandal. He thrives on it:
I mean, it must be unusual for some
people.
And he is our trustee.
PEGGY:
She doesn't show yet.
ARTHUR: She does to people with
eyes. Martin Fyffe was a doctor
once. Anyway, I've got a meeting.
No tea again.
PEGGY:
Well don't talk with your
face.
ARTHUR (STOPPING ON HIS WAY TO THE
DOOR)
What?
PEGGY: I mean don't show you're
worried.
In the meantime. I'll see
what' S true and what isn' 't. I.
think I know. my daughter.
She
wouldn't sleep with anybody. Any-
way, I saw every one of her move-
ments while he was away in Switz-
erland.
She was with the Fyffe
family nearly the whole time.
Otherwise she hardly went out.
ARTHUR:
It might be someone she
met through them. You never know
where these things. lead. I mean,
I do like to keep a clean front.
PEGGY:
Sometimes I wake up at
night and listen in case he's
moving round the house-


ARTHUR:
PEGGY: Norman!
That's really
why I had these loudspeakers fixed
up, I had a nightmare he was exper-
imenting with little Barry and
Rachel--
ARTHUR:
Oh do shut up.
PEGGY: I think we ought to get
him more. rats, to sort of siphen off
his interests, you know. that horr-
ible laboratory of his in the base-
ment is the only thing that interests
him.. Otherwise you never know,, he
might get violent!
ARTHUR (GOING) See. you later.
PEGGY:. I get so frightened some-
times. I knew something was in
the air today!
BUT ALL THE ANSWER. SHE GETS IS THE
DOOR SWINGING AFTER ARTHUR'S EXIT.
FADE: ON THE DOOR..
OPEN AGAIN ON THE FRONT DOORSTEPS
NEXT MORNING.
THE FRONT DOOR OPENS
AND ARTHUR EMERGES DEEP IN CONVER-
SATION WITH MARTIN FYFFE. THEY
ARE IN ALMOST CRUELLY SMART OEFICE:
CLOTHES, WITH HOMBURG HATS. MARTIN
HAS A THICK CANE. BACKTRACK AS
THEY WALK DOWN THE STEPS, STOPPING,
FACING EACH OTHER, OUT OF EARSHOT.
PAN TO TAKE IN A LONG BUT NOT UN-
DEMOCRATICALLY ASSERTIVE CAR WAIT-
ING FOR. THEM AT THE KERB, ITS
CHAUFFEUR---TO WHOM THE SAME DES-
CRIPTION APPLIES---HOLDING OPEN A.
DOOR FOR THEM. IN A CASUAL AND
FRIENDLY WAY.
PULL BACK AS THEY
GET IN. THEN THE CAR DRIVES AWAY
WITH A DEVASTATING SMOOTHNESS. THAT
BELIES ITS UNASSERTIVE APPEARANCE.
CUT TO THEM WALKING THROUGH THE
CORRIDORS OF ARTHUR'S OFFICE BLOCK.
THEY ARE. SALUTED WITH FRIENDLY
SMILES BY PASSERS BY.
CUT TO ARTHUR'S LARGE OFFICE WHICH
MIGHT HAVE BEEN FURNISHED BY PEGGY.
THEY ARE COMING IN. ARTHUR PUTS
HIS HAT AND COAT UP ON A PEG.
BUT
MARTIN REMAINS. STANDING, ON HIS WAY
SOMEWHERE ELSE.
FAXEFE:
WELL. anyway, you sleep
on it.
ARTHUR: Shepley Fine Consols went
down two points yesterday, too.
Nearly had heart failure when I
saw it.


FYFEE (AFTER A GLANCE AT THE DOOR)
You'd make a couple of hundred doing
the transfer alone, crossing two
borders, I reckon.
Still, you
sleep on it Arthur.
ARTHUR (SETTLING INTO THE ARMCHAIR
KEPT FOR CLIENTS)
Remember the
palmy days of 1945 when you could
treble the stake by travelling your
money from Switzerland to the starv-
ing Rhineland and back to Switzer-
land again? We had a little group.
I never learned German so fast in
all my life.
FYFFE: Know what I bought last
week?
ARTHUR:
EYFFE: A haberdasher's.
ARTHUR:
What the hell for?
FYFEE:
In fact, five of them.
I reckon there's never been a slump
yet when women didn't buy knickers
and bras and suspender belts.
In fact you could say that civilisat-
ion's held up by elastic.
That
could save my life. Never did like
investments.
ARTHUR:
I've got my brilliant son
in law to look after me in case of
trouble. I could fetch sixpense
a head for his rats. I suppose you
know he lost his job?
FYEFE:
Who, Pillinger?
ARTHUR:
Yes. They didn't even
give him a reference. For being
a commie.
FYFFE: Crap. They're all commies
in that lab.
You can't get sacked
for that.
This isn't the United
States.
ARTHUR:
I wish to God it was.
(PRESSING A BELL AT THE TABLE) I
get so damned frustrated in that
house. I mean it isn't as if I
don't like him, he's all right,
hé's just round the bend, that's
all.
AN EFFICIENT AND NOT GIRLISH
SECRETARY PUTS HER HEAD ROUND THE
DOOR.
ARTHUR:
Whistle us up a couple
of coffees will you?
FYFFE= Listen Arthur I've got
to push off-


BUT ARTHUR WAVES HER OFF ON HER
MISSION AND SHE DISAPPEARS.
ARTHUR:
Sometimes you know I
envy those American boys in the
Far East: I'd Like to lay my hands
on somebody, that's how I feel
sometimes, to get rid of a sort of
load. Eunny isn't it? I'm the
mildest chap in the world but what
couldn't I do with a Schmeizer.
FYFEE: Bloody frightening rate
of fire, that.
ARTHUR:
You're telling me..
Sloane used one in that book
Midsummer Night's. Scream: where
the hell he got the bullets I
can't imagine, seeing they're not
produced any more. That's the
sort of detail I'd have the author
clear up.
FYFFE:
Mind you, the Americans
have got commies on the brain.
MARTIN:
That's better than having
them on your property, like me.
FYFFE: And how. Oh Dan Sutton
should be flying over in a few: days.
Do you know how much he earns?
Less than eighty thousand dollars
a year.
ARTHUR:
What?
FYFFE: Yes.
ARTHUR:
And he sits on a firm
worth fifty million at the least!
I take my hat off to him.
EYFFE:
I bet you wouldn't mind
him for a son in law.
ARTHUR:
Dan's. got the whole
pharmaceutical industry in the
western hemisphere beat, and he
don't say a word about it. But
this son in law of mine's on the
yap yap yap all the bloody day as:
if he owned the world.
He tried
to tell me saccherine was a carc-
inagent.
FYFFE:
What the hell's that?
ARTHUR: Gives. you cancer.
you take a truck load of it for
about fifty years. I just looked
at him. But don't imagine he
gives a damn if you or I get cancer.
Not a bit of it! This bloke's a
scientist!
He enjoys the idea.
He says it with that little glint
in his eye! I mean, some: young-


sters are. worried about the state
of the world. Not him! He
enjoys it!
THE DOOR OPENS AND. A BOY BRINGS IN
TWO COFFEES OF THE ESPRESSO TYPE
ON A. TRAY.
ARTHUR:: Morning Tom.
TOM:: Morning Mr Cutlass.
TOM: DEPOSITS THE TRAY AND LEAVES
AGAIN.
FYFFE (AS. HE. TAKES. HIS. COFFEE AND
BEGINS SUGARING V.IGOROUSLY)
that what he: does: to his rats--
gives: them cancer?
ARTHUR: That and womb-tranfers.
A. rat under Pillinger never knows if
its kids. are. its own, or even where
its. womb is..
FYFFE: Fascinating though.
ARTHUR:: Yes but I. wish he'd keep
his mouth shut.
Ever since: he: set
foot in my house he's: been talking.
About how. car-fumes: overdevelop
bones: and. bring on sterility and how
an H-bomb. can go off any minute
because: we have two hundred thousand
nuclear flights. overhead every year,.
and how we 're goingto get flu plagues
in the. big cities through tinned
foodstuffs and deep freezes, and
all kinds: of cheerful junk like
that, just to show what a big brain
he's: got. He knows I can't stand
people talking, not when they look
as if they're never going to stop
anyway. And every time he sees
me it seems to switch the gas on.
I suppose I've got a listening face.
Some people have.
If he was earn-
ing eighty thousand doblars a year
it wouldn't be so bad.
FYFFE: DOWNS HIS. COFFEE IN ONE OR TWO
FULLBODIED GULPS..
FYFFE:
Of course your trouble is
you're soft with him.. How much
are you spending on him by the way?
ARTHUR: A thousand a year---oh
don't worry, I. don't let him hurt
me, it comes off tax and it looks.
after his kids, whom I adore.
FYFFE:. Still, he's not adding
to the family glory or fortunes,
is he?.


ARTHUR:
Oh he's not so bad.
He's sincere.
Anyway I make
damned. sure no important contact
of mine meets him or even hears of
his existence.
FYFFE. IS ON HIS WAY TO THE DOOR
BUT STOPS.
FYFFE:
Suppose you give your.
promised. reception for Dan Sutton,
going to throw your son in law out
of the house for that night?
ARTHUR:
Oh well he can stay for
that.
EYFFE: Soft, like I said.. He's
quite capable of taking Dan aside
and telling him you're bankrupt.
He'd be quite sincere too. Remember
the old Arab saying, Arthur---a
friend can turn into a thousand
enemies.
ARTHUR:
Yes you always say that.
FYFFE:. If Dan Sutton thought for
a minute that your morale was low
he might start mistrusting your
judgements, then he'd pull out a
few contracts, which are my bread
and. butter too.
ARTHUR: I could pull out my shares,
see. if he liked that.
FYFFE:
He wouldn't give a damn.
Plenty of buyers for Dutton Phar-
macies.
I'll talk to Peggy about
She usually sees your point
of view before. you do.
ARTHUR (GETTING UP AND STROLLING
OVER. TOWARDS. HIS DESK)
What am
I supposed to do, put a pill in his
tea?
FYFFE: Find him a job.. Get him
out of this damned research stunt,
it's too near our line of business.
ARTHUR:
He'd get himself the
boot just the same, or sleep with
the female staff. But that's
your speciality, isn't it?
FYFFE: If a woman enjoys herself
with me that's. all right. I never
enter a bargain without settling
the terms beforehand.
ARTHUR:: Oh. go home, you're talking
like one of your newspapers.
FYFFE: As I've often said to you
before, Arthur, I've never been a
day under forty in my life.
you wrap up at the end and die,
do you mean to tell me it matters
a tinker's. cuss. how. many women


you've slept with, or whether
you've been good, bad or indiffer-
ent?
ARTHUR: My wife wouldn't like to
hear you say that.
She thinks she's
a liberal.
FYFFE: My wife. has 'em all down
for the week-end---my brilliant
editorial staff, and she thinks it's
their brains she likes.
So she
would if they carried them in their
trousers.
Don't you worry, she
gets some thrills.
ARTHUR (SEEING HIM TO THE DOOR.)
That's how babies are born.
FYFFE:
It keeps her young though.
ARTHUR: My wife keeps young spend-
ing.
Remember the heated floors?
It melted the soles of your boots--
I was w.earing rubber that night,
found I was stuck to the floor.
That cost a couple of thousand,
well night
FYFFE:
Well I'm not staying here
to get dyspepsia---I've told you
the state of your finances and
you'll be eating into your capital
soon my boy.
ARTHUR: OK, OK.
FYFFE LEAVES. AND CLOSES THE DOOR
AFTER HIM.
ARTHUR IS: JUST WANDER-
ING BACK TO HIS DESK WHEN HE REMEM-
BERS. SOMETHING AND RETURNS TO THE
DOOR.
ARTHUR. (CALLING DOWN THE CORRIDOR)
Here---Martini.
SHOT OF MARTIN TURNING IN THE
CORRIDOR.
ARTHUR:
There's a news flash from
the Stock Exchange.
CUT TO MARTIN COMING INTO THE OFFICE
AGAIN AND ARTHUR CLOSING THE DOOR
CAREFULLY.
ARTHUR:
No, I just wanted to show
you that throw.
FYFFE:
All right.
ARTHUR:
Over in two seconds.
HE DOES A JU-JITSU THROW AND
FYFFE LANDS EXPERTLY ON HIS FEET.
AS HE DOES SO THE DOOR PUSHES OPEN
AND THE SECRETARY PRESENTS HERSELF.


ARTHUR. (TO THE SECRETARY)
Half
a minute..
HE HANGS HIS ARMS BEFORE HIM AND
'SHAKES OUT' THE TENSION.
ARTHUR:
New one, that.
(TO FYFFE:)
Not bad eh?
EYFFE: I've seen better.
ARTHUR:: Nothing's good enough
for you.
(TO THE SECRETARY:)
Yes?
SECRETARY: It's your wife sir,
she's on her way up.
ARTHUR: What? It's only ten to
nine, she can't be in trouble yet!
FYFFE. (ON HIS WAY TO THE DOOR)
Here
I'm off.
PEGGY (OUTSIDE IN THE. CORRIDOR)
Arthur! Arthur!
CUT TO THE CORRIDOR. WHERE SHE IS
STRUGGLING TO PUSH OPEN THE DOOR
AS BOTH FYFEE AND THE SECRETARY
TRY TO. GET OUT.
CUT BACK TO THE OFFICE AS SHE GETS
IN, CUTTING OFE THE. ESCAPE OF FYFEE
AND THE SECRETARY.
PEGGY: There you are! I've been
calling on the intercom, I didn't
know you'd left.
Martin you must
come as well,. you used to be a
doctor and you simply must comfort
Pamela.
FYFFE:
Comfort her?
ARTHUR:
What's up now for God's.
sake?
PEGGY: We'll have to call Dr
Blore.
ARTHUR:
We call him every day.
PEGGY:
Barry's up to 104.
And
that idiot won't allow another
injection!
ARTHUR:
What idiot?. Blore?
PEGGY: No, Norman! He wants that
fat doctor with his ears sticking
ARTHUR:
A doctor can't help his
ears-


PEGGY: He's wearing nappies
again, it's sO: bad-
ARTHUR:
Nappies? Who?
PEGGY: Barry, Barry, your grand-
son!
FYFFE:
All right, calm down Peggy.
PEGGY:
And this Pillinger keeps
saying how a quite ordinary anti-
'flu injection caused it all---I'm
frightened and something's got to be
done-- --these injections- are quite
harmless, and he says it widens the
artilleries--
ARTHUR:
The What?
FVFFE:
She means arteries.
PEGGY:
And all sorts of ninettenth.
century superstitions!. And the
nasty way he looks at me!
ARTHUR (TO THE SECRETARY)
You'd
better call the car round.
THE SECRETARY LEAVES.
PEGGY:
Pamela's in tears, and
this. son in law's raging, raging
all over the house---!
ARTHUR (TO FYFFE)
Can you come
too?
FYFFE: I shppose I shall have to.
ARTHUR. (HURRIEDLY GETTING HIS HAT
AND COAT DOWN FROM THE PEG AGAIN)
Now just keep your hat on, that's
all!
PEGGY:
I've haven't got a hat on!
ARTHUR. (AS THEY ALL LEAVE)
Sssh!
MIX TO THE STREET BELOW.
PEGGY
IS RUNNING TO HER BADLY PARKED
SPORTS CAR WHILE ARTHUR AND FYFFE
WALK IN A RELATIVELY CALM WAY
(THAT IS, RELATIVE TO HER) TOWARDS
THE WAITING CAR AND CHAUFFEUR.
CUT TO THE INTERIOR OF THE SALOON
CAR WITH FYFFE AND ARTHUR INSIDE,
AND. THE CHAUFFEUR JUST GETTING IN.
THEY ALL SIT AND WATCH. THE PERFORM-
ANCE IN FRONT OF THEM AS PEGGY'S
CAR LEAPS AWAY FROM THE KERB,
SCREAMS TO A HALT AGAIN AS SHE
SUDDENLY REMEMBERS TO LOOK OUT
FOR PASSING TRAFFIC, WOBBLES IN TOO
HIGH A GEAR TOWARDS THE MIDDLE OF
THE ROAD AS IF UNDER REMOTE CONTROL
AND THEN WITH A KIND OF COMPENSATING


FURY DASHES OFF STILL IN THE
MIDDLE ROARING LIKE AN AEROPLANE.
ARTHUR (SOFTLY, TO THE CHAUFFEUR)
All right George, take her away.
But keep your distance.
THE CAR DRAWS AWAY SOFTLY AND
PEGGY'S VEHICLE IS LOST TO SIGHT.
CUT TO THE INTERIOR OE ARTHUR'S
CAR IN A TRAFFIC JAM, A BACKTRACK-
ING SHOT. ARTHUR AND FYFFE ARE
LOOKING DROWSILY OUT OF THEIR
WINDOWS.
FYFFE:
Here, I saw a gadget the
other day, walking stick with a.
slip-knife and a torch at the end:
zuk (PRESSING AN IMAGINARY BUTTON
ON HIS OWN WALKING STICK), just
like a slip-knife, only it's the
size of a sword.
ARTHUR:
Heavy though.
FYFEE:
Not a bit.
Transistor
torch, light as a feather.
ARTHUR:
We had a scream at the
office the other day, you know old
Charlie Burns, well he lives next
door to a nuclear station, or at
least his week-end place, anyway
he comes in the office and says,
Look, they've developed a pocket-
sized atom bomb, here it is (TAKES:
SMALL OBJECT FROM HIS WAISTCOAT.
POCKET), unscrew the top (UNSCREWS
AN IMAGINARY TOP),, dropthat in
your neighbour's garden and wait
for the bang, and he goes like
this (AS IF TO DROP IT) and he had
us all shouting 'Watch out!'.
Crafty old bugger, Charles.
FYFFE: I. tell you what, there
could have been an impregnable
frontier of H bombs sunk in the
earth all the way from the Baltic
d'own to the Black Sea, only some-
body in Germany spilled it to the:
press, so Dan Sutton was telling me
last year.
Well, I remember I
had to print it myself.
All the
others did anyway.
ARTHUR (AS THE CAR DRAWS AWAY)
Be careful, you might get knighted
one day for printing the truth.
FYFFE:
Well I don't ming. telling
you the idea' s been abroad.
If it
happens I'll-have 'President of the
Fyffe Newspaper Holdings' spread
across our notepaper in bloody
great characters.
I only wish we
could carry swords.


ARTHUR:
You should buy that one
you were telling me about.
FYFFE: I did. This is it.
(POINTING HIS STICK INTO ARTHUR'S
TUMMY) If I like to press a lever
under the handle the knife springs
out and slits. your tummy up. Hand
over all your money.
ARTHUR. (GAZING MOODILY OUT OF HIS
WINDOW) I did, long ago.
FYFFE: You can make a man die of
heart failure---no mess---no explos-
ion, with one of those little chem-
ical guns,, did you know that? Tiny
darts, can't hardly see them.
ARTHUR (LEANING FORWARD TO THE DOOR
AS THE CAR DRAWS UP OUTSIDE THE HOUE)
Here it comes. Stand to. Sentries
out.
CUT TO g SHOT OF THE CAR AS THEY
GET OUT.. TRACK AFTER THEM UP THE
STEPS AS PEGGY OPENS THE DOOR AND
THEY ALL. WALK ACROSS THE FOYER.
PEGGY:
God knows I can't help lovr
ing my own daughter, and wanting my
grandchildren happy, but he won't
let me have views about either.
ARTHUR (TAKING OFF HIS HAT AND COAT
AGAIN) Barry'll get the injection
don' 't w.orry. Now just calm down
(AS HE GOES TO ONE OE THE INTERCOM
SPEAKERS),. I'm connecting to Relay.
FYFFE:
What the hell's that?
PEGGY (TO FYFFE)
Isn't it marvell-
ous?
ARTHUR (INTO THE INTERCOM) Is:
Pamela anywhere? Pamela! Pamela!
NANCY (OVER THE INTERCOM, AFTER
SOME ATMOSPHERIC) That you mum?
ARTHUR:
Mum my aunt Fanny, get
me Pamela!
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM) Yes,
did you want me?
ARTHUR:
Is that Pamela?
PAMELA : Yes.
ARTHUR:
I'll see you in the Japan-
ese room in just half a jiffy.
HE CLOSES THE INTERCOM TO OFF BEFOR E
SHE HAS TIME TO REPLY AND TURNS TO
ERFFE.


ARTHUR: Yoygo up to the nursery
and give Barry that injection.
FYFFE:
What about syringe,
cotton wool and all that?
ARTHUR (TO PEGGY)
Is it all ready?
PEGGY:
Of course it is.
ARTHUR. (TO FYFFE) And I'll keep
Pamela occupied in the Japanese
room, which as as far from the nur-
sery as you can get in this house.
FYFFE (MAKING FOR THE STAIRS) It's
as good as done.
ARTHUR. (TO PEGGY AS THEY ALSO MOUNT
THE STAIRS) I've half a mind to
get him arrested, stopping a doctor's
treatment--
A CHILD'S CRYING COMES OVER THE
INTERCOM BRIEFLY.
PEGGY:
Listen!
CUT TO THE JAPANESE ROOMS WHICH HAS
ORIENTAL-TYPE TAPESTRIES ON THE WALL
AND NUMBERLESS MATS ON THE FLOOR,
WITH SLIDING WOOD SECTIONS TO RE-
PLACE THE DOOR. PAMELA IS WAIT-
ING. ARTHUR STRIDES IN WITH PEGGY
BEHIND HIM..
ARTHUR:
He's got to have that
injection!
You. can see your mother!
PAMELA:
But he's had five in
nearly a week!
Norman says--
ARTHUR:
To hell with Norman!
MORE CHILDISH CRYING OVER THE
INTERCOM.
ARTHUR: There,. you hear that!
Are you heartless?
PAMELA:
Norman says the injections
actually give him 'flu, that's why
he's crying, it's terribly dangerous!
FYFEE (OVER THE. INTERCOM)
Pamela,
that's quite untrue-
PAMELA:
Who's. that?
ARTHUR:
It's Martin.
Martin
Fyffe.
FYFFE (OVER THE INTERCOM) I gave
our little girl. half a dozen of
these tubes. at various times and
she didn't even show a rough tongue.
PEGGY:
You see?


PAMELA IS FOR SOME REASON
SPEECHLESS.
FYFEE (OYER THE INTERCOM)
Come
on where S the syringe?
FYFFE MURMURS AWAY FROM THE SPEAKER
AND THERE IS. A CONFUSION OF NANCY'S
AND HIS AND THE CHILDREN'S VOICES.
PEGGY:
Thank God for some body with
sense.
ARTHUR : (TO PAMELA) I won't have
that rat-catcher interfering in our
business: any more!
PEGGY:
Sssh!
ARTHUR (TURNING ON PEGGY)
And
what's S this idea I heard last
night,. giving him three hundred new.
rats for his stink-hole in the
basement?
PEGGY: He.'s on a new discovery--
so she says!
ARTHUR:
Like hell he is. He's
found out they've got tails, I
suppose.. And you go and give him
a whole rat kingdom. He's got
the basement caawling with them-
I can't go down and get a bottle of
burgundy any more-- --they seem to be
squeaking for my blood!
THERE ARE CONTINUING SOUNDS FROM
THE NURSERY.
FYFFE (OVER THE INTERCOM, ADDRESS-
ING NANCY)
Hold him on his tummy
that's right.
A BRIEF MOMENT OF. SILENCE IS FOLL-
OWED BY THE DETERMINED YELL OF A
CHILD IN PAIN.
ARTHUR:
For God's sake! The
clumsy bugger's caught him on a
PAMELA:
CONFUSED SHOUTING. FRANTIC RUNNING
UP THE STAIRS OUTSIDE.
ARTHUR:
What the hell?
NORMAN DASHES IN,. DRESSED IN HIS
LABORATORY COAT.
NORMAN: :
Where is he? Barry!
Barry!


PEGGY:
It's only the injection,
Norman!
ARTHUR:
Caught him on the nerve!
NORMAN (AS IF ABOUT TO WRING PEGGY'S
NECK)
Have you been at it again?
I've told you not to touch my child!
You could cripple him for life with
those 'flu injections, he'll get
pneumonia you bitch (MAKING FOR HER)!
PEGGY:
NORMAN HAS HIS FINGERS ROUND PEGGY'S
THROAT.
ARTHUR:
Look out!
PEGGY:
Stop him!
Stop him!
HER YELLS JOIN THOSE OF THE CHILD
OVER THE INTERCOM..
NANCY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
You all
right mum?.
NORMAN:
I knew you'd do it behind
my back---he 's got no more bacteria--
no resistance,left, you poor fool--
I told you he' s got to be pumped with
lactobacillus for at least a month!
PEGGY:
Norman!
IT GROWS INTO A RATHER PATHETIC
STRUGGLE BETWEEN HIM AND ARTHUR.
PAMELA: Norman!
NORMAN (TURNING ON HER)
You're
letting them kill my child!
PAMELA (ROUSED)
Leave my mother
alone! Leave her alone!
EYFFE (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Anything
wrong up there?
NANCY (OVER. THE INTERCOM)
Are you
all right mum?
PEGGY (TURNING ON THE INTERCOM) Oh
shut up with your mum!
NORMAN (TO PAMELA)
What did you
marry me for? She should wear the
ring-- --that snake!
PAMELA:
I'll have to lie down.
FYFFE (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Well I'll
be pushing off.
Arthur! Arthur!
ARTHUR (ABRUPTLY SWITCHING THE INTER-
COM OFF)
That damned box!


NORMAN (DASHING OUT) I'll. give
him Arthur!
PEGGY (TO PAMELA)
You see what he
did to me I suppose?
PAMELA: I. don't feel well.
ARTHUR: For God's sake stop
crying, both. of you.
PEGGY:. He. put his fingers. round
my throat!
ARTHUR. (TO PAMELA) I don't know:
how you could have. married such. a.
bloke---(SUDDENLY. PEERING AT THE
APPARATUS. ON THE WALL)
Are we really
unplugged, for Relay asxwell. I mean?
PEGGY (TO ARTHUR)
You should have
hit him!
ARTHUR: I was holding him back!
PEGGY: I felt it when I first set
eyes. on him---a strangler!
ARTHUR:
Oh. do come off it.
PEGGY: I. selected those rats so
carefully.. There wasn't a blemish
on any one of them.
(SUDDENLY
TURNING ON PAMELA) All right,
you can have your bastard childl
PAMELAE Oh! Don't you dare say
that!
ARTHUR. (TO PAMELA) And don't you.
shout at your mother! If you want
that child you can get out and find
a hospital on your own account
because I'm not going to help youl
PEGGY:: Don't be silly---of course
you arel
PAMELA. (CRYING)
Please oh please!
ARTHUR: Oh. no,. don't turn the
water taps on again!.
PAMELA:
He's made some big dis-
covery-- (THROUGH HER. TEARS)-
about cyclopic. rats---he 's produced
a whole cyclopic litter. I. know
you hate. him---but he worked all.
night---there was a premature birth
this morning---and nobody to tell
his good newstol
ARTHUR:: Oh all. right, all right.
PEGGY (TO PAMELA) You're as fright-
ened. of him as- his rats.arel
ARTHURE I. see.he. does nothing


about bringing your child off.
That means he s got no elf-respect.
How are you going to face Martin
Fyffe after this? and all the
Fyffe children?
PEGGY:
He'll drag us all down,
our reputations.
ARTHUR:
And that child of yours
is going to grow up knowing he
doesn't belong. His brother and
sister downstairs are going to make
that plain.
Children can be very
cruel.
PAMELA:
All they need is love.
ARTHUR:
You could quite easily go
away for a bit, have the child if
you must but give it away, there's
a routine for these things, you
don't even see the child,. they get
first-class parents, people who
need a bonny baby and can't have one
of their own. Can't he see this,
that husband of yours? What's
the matter with him?
PAMELA:
The child's mine.
ARTHUR:
You'll regret it all your
life, and I'll tell you why,
because decent people like Martin
Fyffe and Dan Sutton--
PAMELA:
Oh please stop talking
about Martin Fyffe!
PEGGY: They're going to look at
you very funny whenever that child
come: S into the room, and you're not
going to love that child because of
it. I know a bit about human
nature!
PAMELA. (ALMOST TO HERSELF) I wishi
he'd hate. me for it. But he
doesn't. I wish he'd beat me up!
ARTHUR: No,; he thinks he's sitting
pretty. But just wait until he's
my age-- --he'll go through the mill-- =
and you'll be the one to put him
through it, like she (MEANING
PEGGY) did with me!
PEGGY:
Arthur!
ARTHUR:
Every time he doesn't
buy you a new dress or his coat
stinks of. rats you'll tell him he's
the father of a bastard--
PAMELA:. No I. won't.
ARTHUR:
He'll live to suspect
that all his children are bastards,


even Barry and Rachel----!
PAMELA:
I. can't bear any more of
this---I'll be sick!
SHE TOQ. DASHES OUT.
ARTHUR:
All this'll play into
Martin Fyffe's hands, I know it
PEGGY:
Oh don't be silly!
ARTHUR:
God knows what I mean
myself. but I know it.
I try to
look on the bright side, always
keep the talk on a certain level
but- (SUDDENLY "TURNING ON HER
AGAIN)
Do you think I couldn't
see what you were up. to twenty-
eight years agoz Did you think
I thought he. was interested in my
stocks?
PEGGY (HURRYING TO SEE THAT THE
INTERCOM IS SWITCHED. OFF) Please!
ARTHUR:
But you didn't just deceive
me- -or your first husband---you
deceived Martin Eyffe as well!
That's why I like him---I knew it
when I married you---when I had him
as best man!
You told him Pamela
was mine.
PEGGY: She was.!
She was!
FYFFE (OUTSIDE IN THE CORRIDOR)
Arthur are you there?
PEGGY:
It's Martin.
ARTHUR (GOING TO THE JAPANESE
ENTRANCE)
Come in Martin.
FYFFE WALKS IN STILL IN HIS
OVERCOAT AND CARRYING HIS STICK.
FYFFE:
Thought I'd break the
glad news.
Phoned my office just
this minute.
Dan Sutton's this
side of the water!
ARTHUR:
Oh, oh!
FYFFE:
Invited us all to dinner.
And then a club.
American ambass-
ador might be there.
PEGGY:
I have nothing to wear,
so that's out.
ARTHUR:
What?. You've got a wall
full of gowns, and forty-nine pairs
of unworn evening shoes!
PEGGY: Not if the ambassador is
going to be there.


ARTHUR:
I suppose I'll have to
fork out a couple of hundred quid
for some thing you'll never wear
after the first night. But I'll
do it. Because I'm going to give
the biggest reception this house
has ever seen. There won't be a
couple of butlers on hire like last
time but a dozen.
FYFFE: He's. got a cool four million
dollars to get rid of in research
grantsm believe it or not.
Well
I'm late.
PEGGY:
Thanks so much for helping
us Martin.
I'm sure the inject-
ion did good.
(ACCOMPANYING HIM
TO THE EXIT)
FYFFE: He's asleep now, poor little
chap.
FYFFE GOES.
ARTHUR:
Just wait until that
reception, I'll show you what I
can do.
Just for once I'm going
to try and present a clean front
to the wortld, a glittering one,
because my front is clean, it really
PEGGY:
Oh please don't go on.
You know how it only eats your
nerves away.
And you're late
for the office.
ARTHUR. (AS HE GOES TOWARDS THE EXIT)
Nerves!
I haven't got any left.
All I get is blows---obe dull blow
after the other-- --sometimes between
the eyes, sometimes at the back,
and that's why I seem lazy in the
HE YAWNS. BACKTRACK IN FRONT OF
THEM AS THEY LEAVE.
PEGGY (STOPPING) I wish we could
be a happy family.
Couldn't we
try? Suppose we made a fuss of
Norman? It's only frustration on
his part, it makes him wild.
Couldn't we buy him a new dinner
jacket?
ARTHUR: A new one? He hasn't
even got an old one.
PEGGY:
And then invite him to
meet Dan.
And put everything on
a proper level.
Our son in law,
sort of thing.
Suppose we all
went up to town this week and did
some shopping, and then a show in
the evening? All four of us?
We can't let things go on like this!


ARTHUR:. Every time I. shout I
feel a strand going.
Some people
get relief that way but it makes.
me feel I'm saying good bye. My
father never raised his voice.
PEGGY: Neitherdid mine.
ARTHUR: What? He never did any-
thing else!. Goodbye.
HE STALKS OFF. FADE ON A CLOSE
UP OE PEGGY DITHERING, WONDERING
AND BLINKINGLY THINKING.
OPEN AGAIN ON PEGGY GOING FROM
ROOM TO ROOM IN THE HOUSE,, PEEP-
ING INSIDE.
SILENCE. TRACK
AFHER HER.. SHE COMES TO A DOOR
ON WHICH SHE KNOCKS LIGHTLY.
REPLY.. SHE OPENS IT GINGERLY
AND PEEPS.
DARKNESS INSIDE.
SHE ADVANCES, PEEPS. AGAIN.
CUT TO THE INSIDE. OF THE ROOM,
THE CURTAINS DRAWN,, FURNITURE.
ONLY VISIBLE IN OUTLINES. THE
LIGHT FROM THE SLOWLY OPENING
DOOR SHOWSI CLEAR. PEGGY IS
SILHOUETTED. A VOICE FROM A DIVAN
IN THE CORNER TURNS OUT TO BE
PAMELA'S.
PAMELA: : Who is it?
PEGGY ENTERS. QUICKLY AND CLOSES
THE DOOR WITHOU A. SOUND.
ARE BACK IN DARKNESS AGAIN.
PEGGY:(IN A WHISPER)
It's only
PAMELA:
Draw the curtains.
I. had a headache.
PEGGY'S FIGURE DIMLY GOING TO
THE CURTAINS.
SHE DRAWS THEM,
WITH SOME. INEVITABLE STICKING AND
STUMBLING.
PAN OVER TO PAMELA
LYING. UNDER A BLANKET ON THE
DIVAN.
PEGGY: Darling,. I want you to
tell me who the father is.
PAMELA: I can't.
PEGGY:
I'll never say a word.
And I'll see everything's: all
right for Norman. I mean, there
won't be any fuss about having it.
I mean you can have it. I mean
you can't expect our cooperation
if you don't give yours.
PAMELA: I can't. I really can't.
PEGGY:
Why not?


PAMELA: It's just impossible---
for everybody.
PEGGY:
Then we know him.
PAMELA:
PEGGY:
It's obvious we do.
And I'll find out. So. you may
as well say.
PAMELA: I wish you'd let me
alone.
PEGGY:
I must know who the father
Otherwise Arthur wants you
out of the house.
PAMELA:
He's. So cruel!
PEGGY: No he isn't.
But he has
to know who his enemies are. He
has a big position to keep up,
you must realise that.
And the
town's very small when it comes to
gossip.
PAMELA: I've got to think of the
other person too!
PEGGY:
Who?
PAMELA:
The father.
He has a.
position too.
PEGGY:
Pamela, tell me who he is.
I'm beginning to guess.
PAMELA:
PEGGY:
Tell me Pamela.
PAMELA: It's Martin Fyffe!
PEGGY: Mar---? Martin Fyffe?
Oh my God!
are you
mad? It isn' 't true! You
couldn't have done! Pamela! Pamela!
PAMELA: It's him!
PEGGY:
But you weren't alone with
PAMELA: I was at their house
nearly every day!!
PEGGY (BACKING OUT OF THE ROOM)
You fool!
You fool! Do you
know what you've done? You've
ruined your father!
You've
ruined him! Arthur! (DASHING
OUT INTO THE CORRIDOR) For God's
sake Arthur!
CUT TO THE STREET BELOW AS PEGGY
DASHES TO HER ILL-PARKED SPORTS
CAR. SHE JUMPS IN AND THE CAR


SKIDS, SWERVES, ROARS ITS WAY
TOWARDS ARTHUR'S OFFICE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
GUT FOR SHOCK TO THE GLITTER OF
A GRAND RECEPTION IN THE JAPANESE
ROOM. THERE ARE GUESTS KNEELING,
LEANING AND HALF-LYING ON THE FLOOR
JAPANESE-STYLE (IF IT IS JAPANESE
STYLE), HOLDING THEIR DRINKS AS
BEST THEY CAN WHILE IN IMMINENT
DANGER OF BEING TRAMPLED ON.
PUSH IN AMONG GUESTS, PAST VEHEMENT-
LY WHITE COLLARS UNDER FLUSHED AND
WELL FED CHEEKS, TAKING IN TALK
WHERE ONLY THE CASUAL TONE IS
RECOGNISED.
BAN DOWN TO A YOUNG
MAN SITTING AMONG CUSHIONS AND
WATCHING A MALE TROUSER LEG CLOSE
TO HIS DRINK WITH APPREHENSION AS
HE TRIES TO MAKE POLITE TALK WITH
A YOUNG WOMAN.
THE LEG DOES A
QUICK BACKSTEP AMID LAUGHTER FROM
ABOVE AND THE DRINK SPILLS, BRING-
ING THE LEG A VENOMOUS GLARE FROM :
THE YOUNG MAN. CONTINUE TRACKING
TO TAKE IN ARTHURM(IN A MALE GROUP),
QUITE A DOZEN BUTLERS AND PEGGY
IN THE MOST. STUPENDOUS FULL-LENGTH
GILT AND BROCADE. AFFAIR THAT SHOWS.
HER TO BE AN ATTRACTIVE---BUT FOR
THE GRACE OF GOD#, BEAUTIFUL--
WOMAN IN HER LATE MATURITY.
JUST
BEYOND HER, WITH ANOTHER GROUP,
IS NORMAN IN A BRAND-NEW SMOKING
JACKET. a PAMELA DRINK IN HAND
SWANS PAST LOOKING FOR A GROUP TO
SETTLE ON.. PUSH IN TO HER IN
CLOSE UP. SHE HAS A LOW DRESS
AND. AS IN THE CASE OF PEGGY THERE
IS ROBUST ATTRACTION THAT FALLS
SHORT OF BEAUTY BECAUSE OF HER
LIMITED EMOTIONAL OBJECTIVES.
AS SHE PASSES BEHIND NORMAN'S
SHOULDER HE NOTICES HER AND ADDRESS-
ES. HER, HIS MOUTH CLOSE TO HER EAR.
NORMAN:
He wants a talk,with me.
PAMELA : Who?
NORMAN:
Your father.
PAMELA: Don't shout at each other
for God's sake---not tonight.
NORMAN:
I'll tell him I want
that child!
PAMELA:
You want Fyffe's child?
You're an idiot, pervert!
NORMAN: The idea excites me. o
PAMELA (PASSING ON) Every idea
excites. you!
NORMAN LEANS TO THE WOMAN STANDING


NEXT TO HIM AND ADDRESSES AN
'EXCUSE ME I HAVE TO SLIP DOWN-
STAIRS' SORT OF REMARK TO HER,
THEN MOVES TOWARDS THE JAPANESE
EXIT.
TAKE IN ARTHUR EYEING HIM.
AFTER SOME JUDICIOUS NODS AND SMILES
TO THE REMARKS HE ISN'T HEARING,
ARTHUR MOIES TOWARDS THE EXIT TOO.
CUT TO ARTHUR AND NORMAN WALKING
DOWN THE STAIRS IN SILENCE.
CUT TO THEM ENTERING THE: SITTING
ROOM DOWNSTAIRS.
ARTHUR GOES
STRAIGHT TO THE SIDEBOARD AND'
POURS TWO DRINKS WHILE NORMAN SITS
DOWN.
ARTHUR (TAKING NORMAN'S DRINK
ACROSS TO HIM)
Here, get this
down you.
Handsome smoking
jacket.
NORMAN (TAKING THE DRINK)
Hand-
some price too.
ARTHUR (ALMOST TO HIMSELF AS HE
PREPARES TO SIT DOWN)
Still you
didn't pay for it.
(SINKING INTO
THE ARMCHAIR) Ah!
Thank God for
chairs. My heart goes out to the
Japanese.
Oo! (NURSING HIS ANKLES)
Standing in the same spot for half
an hour isn't my idea of fun.
NORMAN:
When is he due?
ARTHUR:
Who?
NORMAN:
Well there's only one man
of real substance coming tonight.
Compared with him you're all men of
straw.
ARTHUR (SOURLY) Ha, ha, ha.
You mean Dan Sutton.
NORMAN:
That's right.
The
American pharmaceutical industry.
Generous of you to let me stay and
meet him.
I bet he doesn't even
know you've got a son in law.
ARTHUR:
Well you bet wrong.
He knows Pam's. married.
NORMAN:
That's different.
ARTHUR:
Listen Norman, Peggys
been having sleepless nights over
this child.
NORMAN:
Which child?
ARTHUR:
The one Pamela's having.
I'll. tell you the facts.
We 're
scared of the possible outcome.


I mean, everybody's going to know
it's not yours. I mean you can't
want people to know you'vebeen
fooled.
NORMAN: Why not?
ARTHUR:
You may think SO now but
people are going to---well, I won't
say laugh at you but anyway, that's
not the point, but the chap who gave
her this child, I mean he's always
in the world to tell the story-- -
NORMAN:
Martin Fyffe? He's not
going to breathe a word, surely?
ARTHUR:
Good God, you know who it
Good God! And
who told you about it, in the Lord's.
name?
NORMAN:
Pamela of course.
She
tells me everything. If she kept
anything secret she'd have to solve
her own problems and she couldn't
do that.
ARTHUR:
And aren't you jealous?
NORMAN: No.
ARTHUR:
I mean, you're not even
wild?---you don't want to wring his
neck---you don't hate him because
he's rich and influential and dirt-
ied your bed?
NORMAN: He didn't dirty anything.
He gave her a child.
And I want
the child.
ARTHUR:
You're lying of course.
NORMAN:
Why should I lie?
attitude is let's have everything
in thebpen, let's all know who's
sleeping with who..
ARTHUR: You surely don't think
Martin'd stand for that, do you?
NORMAN: All right then---let's
keep quiet about it: so we're
back where we started---a third
child in the family, and mine.
So where's the worry?
ARTHUR: The worry's him---every
time I look at that child I'm
going to think of Fyffe- --oozing
his way into my family---sleeping
with my daughter when he's nearly
twice her age-- -the dirty, two-
faced slime! And it doesn't worry
you!. Good God, where's your char-
acter?


NORMAN: My character's in my
work!
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY UPSTAIRS
AND PUSH IN TO PEGGY'S GROUP WHO
ARE SMILE- MAKING.
LOUD VOICES
COME OVER THE INTERCOM.
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM) Character
in your work? Your work?
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Yes my
work!
THE PARTY BEGINS TO REGISTER AWARE-
NESS OE THE VOICES -
PEOPLE LOOK
ROUND WHILE CONTINUING TO: TALK TO
EACH OTHER.
CLOSE UP OE PEGGY
WITH CONCERN AND IRRITATION GNAWING
THROUGH HER SMILE.
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
I didn't
know you did any work!
PEGGY BREAKS FREE OF HER GROUP, UP-
SETTING A FEW DRINKS (AND THEIR
OENERS). SHE DASHES THROUGH THE
JAPANESE EXIT AND WE TRACK AFTER
HER TO THE NEAREST INTERCOM APP-
ARATUS IN THE CORRIDOR OUTSIDE.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM) Listen
I've had just about enough- -!
PEGGY (TEARING AT THE SWITCHES AND
SOMEHOW ACHIEAVING RELAY)
Arthur!
Arthur! Are you shouting?
SHOT OF ASTONISHED GUESTS CLUSTERED
IN THE JAPANESE EXIT STARING AT
PEGGY AS SHE TALKS TO THE WALL..
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Damn
that bloody apparatus!
(BAWLING
DOWN IT) What do you want now?
PEGGY: Stop shouting!
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
I'll
unplug if you don't go away, I'll
cut the master cable!
PEGGY: Oh please don't do that.
I'm only thinking of the children.
ARTHUR OVER THE INTERCOM) Oh yes,
I'm sorry.
(AS HE DRIFTS AWAY FROM
THE INTERCOM) We've got to keep
our voices down.
CUT BACK TO THE SITTING ROOM WITH
ARTHUR SITTING DOWN AGAIN.
NORMAN:
It was you who started
shouting not me.
ARTHUR:
Well anyway, what's your
attitude about all this free love
sort of thing.


NORMAN:: My attitude is this:
there are some people who do all
right together in marriage, like
you and Peggy, but the rest of us,
who marry badly, just have to howi.
in the woods like wolves and get
what they can by way of love.
ARTHUR:
We're men not wolves,
though sometimes one wouldn't think so.
NORMAN: I like the danger, the un-
predictability of having someone else's
child---everything, being mixed up i n
a cauldron of impulses---do you see
what I mean?---a hulking great busin-
ess. man getting into my marriage bed
with his boots on---!
ARTHUR:. Boots on?. (HOLDING HIS HEAD)
I only have to talk. to you for a
couple of minutes and I feel off keel.
NORMAN:
Partly it's because I'm so
poor.
ARTHUR:
All right all right, we
don't want that bloody class struggle
stuff, not at cocktail timel Anyway
your dad's s chairman of one of the
biggestfinance companies in the land.
Only he' happens to have disowned you.
NORMAN: What I mean is having no
money prepares you for the worst in
life---no lines of escape---the sheer
emptiness: of poverty paralyses you-
I'm sure that s how a mouse feels
when a snake sucks his head into his
mouth--have you ever seen that?--
ARTHUR:: - Listen, let me enjoy this
drink will. you?
NORMAN: The sucking goes on with
a terrible relentless calm, until
finally hind legs and tail disappear.
ARTHUR: All I ask is don't start
distressing people tonight. That's
all I really wanted to say.
Let's
have a holiday.
Just this once.
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) Arthur!
ARTHUR (GOING TO THE WALL) Yes?
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) Martin's
just arrived.
ARTHUR:: Oh God!. (TO NORMAN:) It:'s
Fyffe! (TO PEGGY:) Give him a
drink, I'll. be up. I'd like to
spit in his facel
CUT TO PEGGY UPSTAIRS AT. THE CORRIDOR
WALL. SHOWING HORROR AT ARTHUR'S


REMARK..
CUT BACK TO ARTHUR AND NORMAN.
ARTHUR (DRIFTING AWAY FROM THE
INTERCOM APPARATUS)
It seems all
my life when I go to bed I pull
back the sheets and find it full
of worms.
I. pull the sheets back
so hopefully and then-.
NORMAN:
Learn to live with them.
You're going to live with them for
thousands, millions of years angway,
when your body has re turned to dust.
ARTHUR:
Trust you to put that
point of view.
NORMAN: Every man makes his own
worms.. In the last war you did a
bunk and found your.self useful war
work in the United States and that's
how you met Dan Sutton and became a
rich man.
Now all that's worms.
And you expect to find a clean bed.
ARTHUR:, You'll talk about my war-
time. appointment once too often--
NORMAN:
You looked down your nose
at Vichy France in the last war but
you've made a Vichy England---you
sold out to the Americans like the
Vichy people did to the Germans---!
ARTHUR:
NORMAN: Look at your guest tonight,
the biggest pharmaceutical bully in
ARTHUR:
I thought you'd want a. go
at him!
NORMAN:
He bolsters up your world,
that's why you love him!
Otherwise
you'd have to think up some new ideas.
I'll tell you something, you don't
want people big on this side of the
Atlantic, it doesn't suit you any
more,, you keep England static, you've
been holding back gifted people for
twenty years---!
ARTHUR (WITH A HAUNTED GLANCE AT
THE INTERCOM)
Now shut up!
CUT BACK TO THE JAPANESE PARTY
WITH REALLY ALARMED GLANCES BEING
THROWN ABOUT, THE CEILING BY ALL
THE GUESTS AS NORMAN'S SPEECH
CONTINUES.
MARTIN FYFFE IS STAND-
ING WITH PEGGY AND IS SCOWLING OPEN-
LY WHILE SHE IS TRYING TO DO A KIND
OF HOPELESS CAMOUFLAGING CHARM.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)


one of the gifted ones so I know!
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
You!
You're good for female lab assist-
ants, getting between their legs!
A GUEST: Oh Lord!.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Why
ARTHUR. (OVER THE INTERCOM) Look
out!
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Ouff!
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Stop
for God's sake!
THUDS AND. ATMOSPHERIC SHOW THAT THEY
ARE HAVING A SCRAP.. PEGGY'S CAM-
OUELAGE FALLS IN A FLASH AND MARTIN
FYFFE WITH A LOOK. OF DETERMINATION
STRIDES BETWEEN THE GUESTS TO THE
JAPANESE EXIT..
CUT BACK TO THE SITTING ROOM WHERE
THE SCRAP IS GOING ON WITH CUSIONS.
THEY ARE BOTH HOPELESS AT PHYSICAL
AGGRESSION.
THEY TAKE LITTLE DABS
AT EACH OTHER WITH THEIR HANDS AND
YELL AT THE LOOK OF THE DAB BEFORE
ANYTHING PHYSICAL HAS REACHED THEM.
IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THIS MARTIN
FYFFE ENTERS.
FYFFE (TO NORMAN)
Put pur hands
down man!
ARTHUR (ALSO TO NORMAN)
And get out
of my house!
NORMAN:
And leave you with this
chap's babies?
FYFFE:
What's that?
What?
HE IS TOO STAGGERED TO OFFER IMMED-
IATE ASSAULT.
PEGGY DASHES IN, HAVING TROUBLE WIT'H
THE TAIL OF HER KIMONO.
PEGGY:
Oh God!
.NORMAN (TURNING ON HER) And thanks
for the dinner jacket! Oh you've
got what money can buy but nothing
esse!
PEGGY (TO MARTIN FYFFE)
I shouldn't
have left them alone!
NORMAN (TEARING. OFF HIS DINNER JACK-
ET AND FLINGING IT HAPHAZARDLY TO-
WARDS THEM) Go to hell the lot of
you!
HE STALKS OUT.


EYFFE: I'd. have. screwed his
neck if he'd gone on.
PEGGY (PICKING UP THE SMOKING.
JACKET) And where's he off to,,
not upstairs I. hope!
ARTHUR:. I threw him out of. the
housel:
PEGGY: Don't be silly!
Dan
Sutton's. just arrived.
ARTHUR: What?. Why the hell.
didn't you say so?
PEGGY: I've just S aid SO.
EYFFE. (HURRYING TO THE SIDEBOARD)
Anyway, slip upatairs and keep him:
in talk Peggy. I'll look after
Arthur.
PEGGY: Don't be long!
SHE LEAVES AND FYFFE. HANDS ARTHUR,
WHO IS SMOOTHING. HIS HAIR AND BRUSH-
ING HIMSELF OFF, A DRINK.
FYFFE: Here. I told you not to
let
son in law: in for this do,
dst.YOUE I? He drinks a lemonade
and his liver runs riot.
ARTHUR: I'd like to take a fist-
full of Dr Blore's red pills and
stuff them down my throat and say
good bye and damn the lot of you!
FYFFE: Oh shut up.
ARTHUR:
Well we're all in it now,
including you. He'll go and shoot
his mouth off.
FYFFE: About what?
ARTHUR: Oh come on, don't try and
look innocent, it makes you ugly.
Listen, I never thought you'd pull
a dirty trick like that. I wouldn't
lay a hand on your wife, you---!
FYFFE: Suppose she laid a hand
on you?
ARTHUR: You're not telling me---!
FYFFE: That's exactly how it was.
And I knew. she wasn't really yours,
not really your daughter---if she'a
been yours in blood I'd have laid.
off, insisted, struggled, that sort
of thing. But I knew she was
Harley Johnson's child.
ARTHUR: Harley---?


FYFFE: And I. never did care for
Harley Johnson. He's like his
supermarkets---all strip lighting,
show. Pam didn't take after him
thank God.
ARTHUR:
Well. You seem to know
more about me than I know myself.
(IN AN OUTBURST) All right, you've
got me by the curlies! You're in-
side. my bed again---!
FYFFE: Again?
ARTHUR: I don't know daughters
from wives---children from children's
children---who's they all are God
alone knows. and I don't care any
more. Perhaps: he's right, that
rat-catcher in the-basement---we've
got to rub our hands in it, have
the gore up to our elbows: and revel
in it like he does! But I can't,
I know. that. I. wish I could stop
caring. I like to settle down by
the fire at night with a book. and
the wife sitting on the other. side---
some. hope!
EYFFE: Listen (GRASPING ARTHUR'S
ARM ROUGHLY.) you use. me to do your
dirty work, I sack. your dud employees
for you,. I break their hearts, I
keep them on a string for months
until they're cringing, all for you
and that money-spending wife of
yours! You'd tear half this town
to make a carpark. if you had your'
way, you even got me to argue the
case with. the local council, while
your wife was. advocating a nice:
little recreation ground in the
same place! You don't give a damn
who's in the way as long as you
aren't there to see him pushed over!
Well that's all right. I don't
give a damn either! But don't be
moral about it. Don't go round
whining for peace all the time,
when you haven't got it inside you.
I: sat up half the night and she
called. for more at dawn, and I crie d
when that second lot was over!
ARTHUR. (GAPING AT HIM) What? I
think you must have a cruel mind. or:
something, to say that to me, about
my own daughter---not just forget
the whole thing and say you're a
swine and leave. it at that!
FYFFE:
You can't face a thing can
you?. And that's S. the kind of man
a woman weaves. her little plots:
round. I'll. tell you some thing
about women--
ARTHUR: I wish to God people'd


stop telling me things and just
get on with the pleasureable
business. of living. I mean, it
is pleasureable. A nice.drink--
there's Dan Sutton upstairs---we've
got a dinner party later this even-
ing---I don't know...I've a con-
stitution meant for another age,
I' suppose.
FYFFE: Yes I don't think!
like to have seen you in the age of
Britain's. commercial empire, with
Victoria and her German prince
setting the pace, you'd have been a
tank of lechery and sloth! Why,
you forget to answer your letters,
you make a deeision one minute and
fail to check it the next---!
ARTHUR (DRIFTING OEF) I'll go
and find Dan, he's normal at feast-
EYFFE: What---Dan Sutton?
ARTHUR (STOPPING) Oh don't
destroy that illusion for me, for
God's sake.
FYFFE (JOINING HIM) Never mind
Arthur,, we all love you.
BACKTRACK IN FRONT OF THEM AS THEY
WALK TOWARDS THE STAIRS.
ARTHUR: I wouldn't mind if a
vertain tone could be kept up, do :
you know what I mean, kidding apart?
He wants your child by his own
wife, he wants it,: says he likes
the variety!
Now. surely to God
that's: affectation isn't it?
EVFFE: No---because he can't
give Pamela what she wants and a
man like me can. He's out to
wreck where he can't build-- she
as good as told me Arthur, it was
pitiful, she said----!
ARTHUR: All right, don't go into
details!
You know, I'll. never be
able to think the same of you
again. I used to like you, I mean
I felt safe with you, I thought you
kept a certain sort of skeleton
order in your life, with your family
and all that, I thought you applied
a sort of French. intelligence on
these subjects and kept your mis-
tresses away from your hearth and
home.
EYFFE: You say that once a year.
The fact is you invent me for your
own purposes and blame me when the
picture doesn't fit. You've Iost
faith in me at least a dozen times


before.
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY WITH THE
GUESTS IN MORE BLEARY AND UNCARING
POSSESSION OF THE FLOOR-SPACE THAN
BEFORE.
PUSH IN TO THE TALL DAN
SUTTON WHO HAS JUST ARRIVED. HAVING
CONCENTRATED FOR FORTY OR FIFTY
YEARS ON THE EXTERNAL MAN,, DAN SUTTON
HAS LEFT HIMSELF WITH VERY LITTLE
ELSE.
HE GLITTERS AND GLEAMS WITH
THE FALSE MAGNANIMITY OF ABSOLUTE
HEARTLESS POWER.. NOTHING HE SAYS
OR DOES FAILS TO SUGGEST TOO MUCH
MONEY. HE IS BEING LED ROUND THE
ROOM BY PEGGY EOR INTRODUCTIONS,
AND HIS EXTERNAL MAN IS WORKING
OVERTIME.
SHE USHERS HIM ROUND LIKE
THE CROWN JEWELS.
PUSH IN SLOWLY
AS HE. SHAKES HANDS MORE FAMILIARLY
WITH PAMELA.
SUTTON:
Why hullo. there Pamela!
À long time eh?
PAMELA:
Would you like to see the
children? They're waiting up
specially.
SUTTON: : Why that's a compliment.
I'd like nothing better.
PEGGY:) Is Arthur around?
PEGGY:
He's on the wire to New
York. He won't be a moment.
SUTTON: Oh yes.
CUT TO THE NURSERY WITH PAMELA.
COMING IN AND DAN SUTTON BEHIND
HER.
BARRY AND RACHEL ARE IN
PYJAMAS AND DRESSING GOWNS, ROMP-
ING ROUND A PLACID CENTRE---NANCY.
NANCY: Hullo. mum.
PAMELA: This is Mr Sutton Nancy.
NANCY (NOT EVEN GETTING UP)
Hullo.
SUTTON:
I remember Nancy.
Well
look there, how are you two charm-
ing people?
BARRY AND RACHEL STAND AND LOOK UP
AT HIM. WITH FLATTERED DELIGHT, WITH
THEIR MOTHER FIXING THEIR SMILES SO
TO SPEAK FROM JUST BEHIND. DAN SUTT-
ON'S SHOULDER.
SUTTON ADVANCES AND
SITS DOWN ON ONE OF THE CHILDREN'S
BEDS: HE CLEARLY HAS CHILDREN OF
HIS OWN AND FOR THE MOMENT THE MEN-
ACE OF POWER HAS SLIPPED FROM HIM.
THE CHILDREN ARE QUITE UNINTIMIDATED
BY HIM AND GO TO HIS KNEES PLAY-
EULLY.
SUTTON (TO PAMELA) Don't you think


it's about time I met the man
responsible for these folk?
PAMELA:
The man----responsible?
SUTTON (SPARRING WITH BARRY) Your
husband.
PAMELA: Oh, yes I'll get him.
I didn't know you hadn't met.
I'll call him on the intercom.
SHE GOES OVER TO THE WALL. WHERE
THE SPEAKER LIES.
SUTTON (WATCHING HER) The what?
PAMELA: The intercom (SWITCHING
TO RELAY).
It connects us up to
all the rooms.
Norman!
Norman!
Can you come. to the lower sitting
room!
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY WITH
GUESTS LOOKING. UP WITH RENEWED
ASTONISHMENT AS PAMELA'S VOICE
ECHOES ABOVE THEIR HEADS: 'Norman!
Where are you? Norman!'
PUSH
IN AS ARTHUR COMES IN WITH MARTIN
FYFEE AND THEY BOTH SCOWLINGLY.
ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF THE
INTERCOM.
PEGGY ZOOMS UP TO THEM
WITH EULL CHARM-POWER WHICH FAILS TO
WORK ON THEM.
CUT BACK TO THE NURSERY WHERE
PAMELA IS STILL AT THE WALL.
PAMELA: Are you in the lab Norman?
SUTTON: You know, a friend of
mine did that, kept him awake all
night---you know, the kids snoring
and that---and he tore the whole
lot out of the walls.
PAMELA:
We find it useful for
calling each other.
SUTTON: It's a big house isn't
PAMELA (TO THE CHILDREN) Now jump
into bed. (TO SUTTON:) He's
probably downstairs with his rats.
SHMDON: Who?
PAMELA: My hasband.
SUTTON (WITH SOME HORROR) You
have rats?
PAMELA (AS SHE AND NANCY TUCK THE
CHILDREN IN) Oh no! He's a
geneticist.
SUTTON:
Your husband? A


geneticist?l Now nobody told me
that.
PAMELA:
I'll find him for you at
once.
SHE RETURNS TO THE WALL.
PAMELA:
Norman, Norman, are
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM) All
right, all right, I heard you the
first time!.
SUTTON REGISTERS ASTONISHMENT.
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY WITH
THE GUESTS, INCLUDING ARTHUR. AND
MARTIN, CRANING UPWARDS AS NORMAN'S
VOICE ECHOES ACROSS THE CEILING.
NORMAN:
I'm down in the rat
kingdom!
CUT BACK TO THE NURSERY.
PAMELA
HAS GONE OFF. NANCY IS SEEING TO
THE CHILDREN.
CLOSE UP OF DAN
SUTTON IN MUSENG CALCULATION.
CUT TO THE DARK STAIRCASE LEADING
DOWN TO THE RAT KINGDOM IN THE
BASEMENT.
PAMELA IS ON HER WAY
DOWN HURRIEDLY.
CUT TOA THE
LABORATORY WITH' HER COMING IN.
NORMAN IS WORKING AT THE BENCH,
WITH THE NUMBERLESS CAGES BEFORE
HIM.
PAMELA:
Oh no!
you haven't gone
back inta that bloodstained out-
fit have you? Why do you always
mess things up? He's asking to
see you!
NORMAN:
I've just had a row with
him!
PAMELA:
What?
He hpasn't met
you!
NORMAN:
What are you talking
about?
PAMELA:
Dan Sutton.
He's in
the nursery!
He's wanting to
meet you.
NORMAN: Oh. oe (TURNING HIS FULL
ATTENTION ON HER) You've got
quite a flush.
Power means such
a lot to you doesn't it? And
what do I want to see him. for?
That's the question.
PAMELA: To speak to somebody.
To be human.


NORMAN: Oh. come off it, are you
really so struck on the human creat-
ure? I. never noticed it!
Dan Sutton was a tramp or even a,
clerk at your father's: office dgyou
think you'd page me all over thé
house: to meet him? You're inter-
ested. in power, power---like your:
mother and father! It sticks out
of your eyes. and ears, it's all you
talkl I. want to meet people, not
pharmaceutical interests! My rats
have more. humanity than you lot.
At least they don't smell. out how
much power a chap's got before they
lick his: hand.
PAMELA:: All right don't see him!
And- I'll be scrounging your coffee:
money tomorrow morning like I always
do, draining my blood!
NORMAN:
What's coffee money got
to do with me meeting Dan Sutton?
(GAZING AT HER. FOR A. MOMENT) Pam-
ela, what's in your mind, your
humanity apart?
PAMELA: He was amazed, to hear you
were a geneticist, that's all.
NORMAN: You told him?
PAMELA:
Yes.
NORMAN:
And he was amazed?
PAMELA:
He said 'Oh nobody told
me!"t He seemed fascinated. He's
got.millions of dollars to dispose
of in research grants (NORMAN SHOWS
QUICKENED ATTENTION).
Norman,
tell him about your cyclopic rats!
NORMAN: The trouble with me is I
can work as long as you like but I.
can't stand talking about it. You
see, Pamela, I see death every-
where---I always have done. And
I can't stand talking as if the
work was life, when I know it's all
death! If I see somebody young I
think of them as old. And that's
why I come down here. That S why
I'm a scientist! The moment-they
plonked a dead rabbit down in front
of me at school I was fascinated:
not because it was a rabbit but
because it was dead. When I saw that
rabbit as a circulation system
governed by a heart and a liver
and a couple of kidneys I was
happy! That' s why I work, to
get to that. happiness all the


PAMELA: Are all these poor rats
dead for you then?
NORMAN: I see. them as their
diseases, yes.
PAMELA:: And what about me, and
your children, we're bodies too--
we have hearta and kidneys and.
NORMAN:: I'm not happy with you.
I. just jog along. I'm happy down
here.
PAMELA:: And it shows: in your eyes.
NORMAN : The death, you mean.
PAMELA:: I shouldn't say it but it
does! As if---you've never really
seen, the light, or: wanted. it! And
what's it got to do with getting a
NORMAN:
That I horrify people
when Italk about my work. Your
father's shocked. My father was.
So what. S. the use?
PAMELA:: But Sutton's in the same
line of business, that's the use!
Isn't he in death, like you---in
torture? And. he S. got millions of:
dollars: to help yôu go on dying and
torturing!
NORMAN:
You're talking almost
intelligently.
PAMELA: All. you do is play with
these. little. animals.. You torture
them and use their love for each
other for your horrible little ex-
periments, just like the nazis used
to do with people! If you can watc h
an animal suffering every day and
plant tumours. in them and cut their
wombs out you could do it to human
beings too!
NORMAN: Oh don't start crying for
God's sake!
PAMELA: If people knew what you.
were. really like they wouldn't
place: you higher than a dog.-
NORMAN: But instead they use mel
And they place me higher: than
business. men and politicians!
Because they see: the death. tool
Yes by God! They need me. as much
as I. need them!i Perhaps more !
HE GETS UP.
PAMELA: Where are you going?


HE WALKS. UP THE STAIRS, TOO OCC-
UPIED WITH HIS THOUGHTS TO HEAR.
HER.
TRACK AFTER HIM TO THE
STAIRS AND STOP. HE DISAPPEARS
AT THE TOP.
PAMELA:
Norman, your smoking
jacket!
SHE. APPEARS AT THE SIDE OE: THE
FRAME.
SHE LEANS AGAINST THE
WALL, GAZING AFTER HIM UP THE
STAIRS.
MIX THROUGH TO THE PARTY. ARTHUR
AND MARTIN HAVE NOW MET UP WITH
DAN SUTTON AND THE THREE OF THEM
ARE: STANDING TOGETHER, LAUGHING AND
TOUCHING GLASSES.
MARTIN AND
ARTHUR TEND TO BEHAVE LIKE OVER-
EXCITED SCHOOLBOYS.
PAN ACROSS
THE ROOM TO THE ENTRANCE AND STAY
THERE UNTIL NORMAN COMES IN SLOWLY,
STILL DRESSED IN HIS GORY LAB COAT.
GUESTS TURN, AND PEGGY,. WHO IS STAND-
ING NEAR BY, CATCHES SIGHT OF HIM
AND GOES OVER TO HIM WITH DELIBERAT E
CHARM, MEANING TO OOZE HIM OUT AGAIN.
BUT HE WALKS PAST HER AND DOESN'T
EVEN GLANCE IN HER DIRECTION. HS
EYES ARE FIXED. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE ROOM WHERE DAN SUTTON IS PRACT-
ISING. RATHER BORED BONHOMIE. TRACK
AFTER NORMAN.. MARTIN FYFFE IS THE
EIRST TO SEE HIM AND ADVANCES TOWARRDS
HIM WITH WHAT HE THINKS IS CHARM ON
HIS FACE BUT IT IS AN UNHEALTHILY
SET GRIN.
FYFFE:
Well Norman---!
NORMAN (UNDER HIS BREATH)
Go to
hell!
FYFFE STARES AFTER HIM AS HE
CONTINUES TO ADVANCE TOWARDS SUTTON.
ARTHUR TOO CATCHES SIGHT OF HIM
AND AFTER APPEARING TO LOSE THE
LOWER PART OF HIS FACE FOR A MOM-
ENT HE RECOVERS FOR. WHAT IS TO
HIM, DESPITE HIMSELF, THE REAL
PLEASURE OF INTRODUCING HIS SON IN
LAW TO SUTTON.
HE TAKES SUTTON'S
ARM CONFIDENTIALLY AND WE SEE
NORMAN AND SUTTON SHAKE. HANDS.
CUT, TO A CLOSE UP OF MARTIN FYFFE
ANDPEGGY IN HISSING CONVERSATION.
PEGGY:
You should havetorn that
coat off his back!.
FYFFE:
May I say that of the two.
men you married I can never decide
which is the bigger bloody fool!
HE STALKS OFF BUT RETURNS.
FYFFE: I told him to keep the
bat-catcher-out of here tonight!
HE STALKS OFF AGAIN.


CUT TO THE BASEMENT LABORATORY
WHERE PAMELA STRODLS TO NORMAN'S
WORKBENCH AND SITS DOWN.
SHE
GAZES BEFORE HER IN THOUGHT.
AND APPARENTLY THE THOUGHT IS
PLEASANT..
CUT BACK TO THE JAPANESE PARTY..
PUSH THROUGH TO DAN SUTTON, ARTHUR
AND. NORMAN.
SUTTON AND NORMAN ARE
IN CLOSE AND EARNEST CONVERSATION
WHILE ARTHUR IS RATHER OUT OE IT.
ARTHUR:
Well---I'1l leave you two
to talk shop!
Bit above my head!
AFTER GIVING NORMAN A CONFIDENTIAL
FAMILY TWINKLE HE SLIPS AWAY ALMOST
UNNOTICED. PEGGY CLUTCHES HIM:
AS SOON AS HE IS FREE.
PUSH IN TO
MORE HISSING CONVERSATION.
PEGGY: Don't leave them alone!
ARTHUR:
He's offered him a job!
PEGGY:
What?
Oh I see!
ARTHUR:
It was dead easy. All
Norman had to say was something
about cyclopic rats. Said he'd
invented one! You know that mad'
way he's got of talking.
Well
apparently that's how scmentists
talk, if the look in Dan Sutton's
eye was anything to go by. And
you needn't think a cyclopic rat's
a rat with one eye, it's something
we wouldn't even notice. At least,
they're talking complete gibberish
as far as I'm concerned.
PEGGY:
But don't you see darling,
it means Norman really is a scient-
ist, if Dan talks to him and you
don't understand a word? That's
what science is!
(RADIANTLY TURN-
ING)
Pamela! Pamela!
SHE REELS HER WAY TOWARDS THE OTHER
EXIT.
MIX THROUGH TO THE STAIRCASE LEAD-
ING DOWN TO THE BASEMENT RAT KING-
DOM. MARTIN FYFFE HURRIES DOWN
IT. CUT TO THE LAB BELOW WITH
PAMELA STILL SITTING THERE.
MARTIN
FYFFE COMES IN, CATCHES SIGHT OF HER.
FYFFE: Oh. there you are, I've
been looking for you everywhere.
What the hell does he do that for--
dress like a butcher? He's up
there now, talking to Dan Sutton!
He liooks like a chap just in from
the slaughter yard! You'll have
to come up and stop him!


PAMELA:
Dan Sutton wanted to see
him!
FYFFE:
He did?
Did he by God?
(SUBSIDING ON TO A BENCH)
Let's hope for the best. By the
way Norman wants my child.
PAMELA:
That's right.
FYFFE:
And who the devil told
them it was mine?.
PAMELA:
I did.
EYFFE: Why?.
PAMELA: I can't remember.
We're
always playing sort of chess in this
house; It seemed a good move.
I don' t know why.
FYEFE:
Your father gave me one of
his disappointed-dog looks.
I've
had that look about twenty times in
my life. He'll forget. A man of
pleasure never retains anything, he's
thinking of the toast and caviar
he's going to have when he pops up
to bed, not that it'd be real caviar,
if I know your father's tastes.
PAMELA:
Does he know yours?
EYFFE: Of course not. He doesn't
know I'm in love with you!
thinks it was just a night out!
PAMELA: : Don't talk like that!
FYFFE:
You remember my offer?
PAMELA:
Yes and the answer's no.
FYFFE:
But you need a man like
me! I'g like a rock.
You need
an older man.
You can get right
away from Norman. From all this
whining for pocket money every
day.
Did you get the fifty quid?
PAMELA:
I found it in my purse.
EYFFE:
I thought it might make
you say no, and you have said no.
But just the same. I couldn't stand
the idea of you being without cash.
I know we've hit somet thing off,
you and me, Pam. All the husbands
and wives in the world haven't got
what you and I give each other.
HE GETS UP AND COMES TOWARDS HER.
SHE TOO GETS UP BUT SELF-PROTECTIVE-
PAMELA:
What about the child?


FYFFE:
I told you I'll start a
damned scandal if you like and tell
Jean everything, and then I'll take
PAMELA:
You say 'damned scandal'-
you know it makes you angry, the
thought of the child.
FYFFE:
No it doesn't.
But what's
the good of wrecking my wife and
getting all those wets upstairs
talking---for what exactly? And
apart from that, your father's spend-
ing above his income, or she is--
you'll need every bit of help you
can get.
They're the two most
reckless creatures alive, you know
that.
She'll sign a cheque for
ten quid to save herself a walk up
the road and then spend three hours
substituting sixty-watt bulbs for
a hundred-and-twenty, because it
saves sixpence a week.
PAMELA:
Yes all right!
FYFFE:
They've been swindled out
of thousands while
back was turn-
God knows why TY ever took
their affairs on. This house 'll be
on the market soon if they're not
careful.
I've got my own assets
to think about.
PAMELA: That's their charm, to
bekeckless. Or in your case Peggy's
charm.
FYFFE (SEARCHING HER. FACE)
What do
you mean by that?
PAMELA:
Oh leave me alone please,
I don't w ant to think, I'd like to
try and patch this up, between
Norman and me.
It's hopeless I
know.
Perhaps it's all finished...
FYFFE:
This house is your resp-
onsibility as well.
The cost of
upkeep is getting bigger every
PAMELA (WALKING OFF) Oh please!
FYFFE (PURSUING HER)
And I'm not
going to keep it all together just
PAMELA:
Shut up!.
FYFFE (STOPPING HER ON HER WAY TO
THE STAIRCASE) Look I gave you an
offer, damn you, a flat and an income
in any town you like, and a job--
top executive, where you can throw
weightfabout" -and you look
YOUR your nbse at it!


PAMELA:
I said no, that's all!
FYFFE:
What did you mean just now
about your mother?
PAMELA (BREAKING FREE AS HE TRIED TO
TOUCH HER)
FYFFE:
Pamela!
SHE ESCAPES AND RUNS UP THE STAIRS.
PAMELA:
Norman!
Norman!
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY AND PUSH
IN TO SUTTON AS HE DRAWS ARTHUR.
AWAY FROM ANOTHER GROUP FOR A CON-
FIDENTIAL CHAT.
SUTTON:
Well Arthur I hope some-
thing comes of this., I'm not prom-
ising anything but I d like to see
your son in law fuxed up.
ARTHUR:
Yes, quite, excatly.
SUTTON:
Of course it's a shrewd
plan (DIGGING HIM PLAYFULLY, WITH
A GLANCE ROUND TO SEE IF THEY CAN
BE HEARD) to get you back in the
States. Why, if you and Peg came
over and joined. your son in law----
ARTHUR:
What? you've found him a
job over there?
SUTTON:
Well it's a possibility.
And if you came over we could use
your talents too..
ARTHUR:
That just means you want
to buy me out. All right, I'm not
unwilling but I become somebody's
carpet don't I, to wipe his feet on?
At least I'm independent now but
I won't be when I'm took-over.
SUTTON:
Depends how you look at
You substitute security--
and about twice the income---for
this state of very risky independ-
ence.
ARTHUR:
I'd need a big incentive
to turn myself into a carpet.
SUTTON: We might give you that.
I'll start by fixing up your son in
law with the kind of job even you
wouldn't be ahamed to have.
How's
ARTHUR:
That bit's all right.
But you'll have to.talk the rest
over with Martin Fyffe.
SUTTON: I already have.


Listen Arthur, why don't you do
a quick trip over to the States next
month, it needn't be with Peggy,
anyway I hear she doesn't like fly-
ing. As a matter of fact she was
telling me about a trip she. made
across to New York in 1938---
ARTHUR:
Oh yes?
SUTTON:, On the Queen Mary.
ARTHUR: - On the Queen Mary, in 1938?
SUTTON: That's. right. Listen,
I want to tell you something, Arthur,
every time: your wife talks about the
States her eyes light. up-
ARTHUR: They do?
SUTTON: :
And so do yours!
ARTHUR:. But I feel English Dan!
SUTTON: : Feel English in the States!
Lost of people do.
In fact, as far
as I can see. there are more real
genuine English people like they used
to be in the States than there are
over here.
ARTHUR:
Her eyes. lit up did they?
ARTHUR BEGINS TO MOVE AWAY, WITH
SOMETHING CLEARLY ON HIS MIND.,
SUTTON: What's that?
ARTHUR:
Did you say 1938?
SUL TON:
ARTHUR WALKS OFF WITH THOUGHTFUL
DETERMINATION.
CLOSE UP OF SUTTON
STARING AFTER HIM.
CUT TO PEGGY LOOKING FOR PAMELA ON
THE STAIRS.
SHE HURRIES DOWN AND:
CALLS INTO THE NEAREST INTERCOM.
APPARATUS, SITUATED ON THE WALL AT
THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS.
PEGGY (INTO THE INTERCOM)
Pamela!
Pâmela!.
SHE PEEPS. INTO THE SITTING ROOM.
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Anybody
seen my wife?
CUT TO ARTHUR TALKING INTO THE
INTERCOM APPARATUS IN THE CORRIDOR
OUTSIDE THE JAPANESE ROOM.
ARTHUR:
Ehere's my wife? Peggy!
A SHOT OF SUTTON AT THE ENTRANCE


OF THE JAPANESE ROOM DRINK IN HAND,
WATCHING ARTHUR WITH RAPT ATTENTION.
ARTHUR: - Peggy!
Peggy!
CUT TO PEGGY STUMBLING TOWARDS THE
INTERCOM APPARATUS IN THE SITTING
ROOM AS ARTHUR'S VOICE COMES OVER.
PEGGY: Im here! In the lower
sitting room!
CUT BACK TO THE JAPANESE PARTY.
EVERYONE CRANES UP AS ARTHUR'S VOICE
COMES OVER THE INTERCOM THOUGH THEY
ARE GETTING USED TO THE PRACTISE
NOW.
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM) I'll
give you lower sitting room!
CUT TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM WITH
PEGGY STILL AT THE INTERCOM AND
PAMELA JUST COMING IN.
PAMELA: Daddy's calling for you.
PEGGY:
It's you I want.
I've
been looking for you everywhere!
Isn't it marvellous, the news?
PAMELA: What news?
PEGGY: Norman's got a job! To do
with American rats!
PAMELA: American rats?
PEGGY: And he' stalking gibberish
with Dan Sutton now! It' s so
wonderful!
You see you were right
About his cycling rats!
ARTHUR DASHES IN.
ARTHUR. (TO PAMELA)
Just give me
a few minutes alone with your
mother!
PEGGY:
What's the matter?
PAMELA: I won't be talked to: like
that!
ARTHUR (TO PEGGY) Were you on the
Queen Mary in 1938?
PEGGY:
What? What are you talk-
ing about?
ARTHUR RUSHES TO HER AND GRIPS HER
ARM.
ARTHUR:
Give me an answer!
PEGGY:
Let me go!
I'll scream!
PAMELA: Daddy!


CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY.
THE
VOICES OVER THE INTERCOM ARE NOW
TOO GOOD FOR THE GUESTS TO MISS.
THEY ALL. CRANE UP WITHOUT EMBARR-
ASSMENT. e
CLOSE UP OF SUTTON STAND-
ING ALONE LISTENING TO THE VOICES
WITH. A CERTAIN AWE.
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM) I'll
get an answer first!
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) You're
killing yourself! You're deathly
pale!
CUT BACK. TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.
PEGGY: I've never known a queen
Mary, now shut up!.
ARTHUR: Answer that bloody
question!
PEGGY:. My arm. oh my arm!
ARTHUR: You went to the States. on
the Queen Mary,. didn't you, in 1938?
CUT TO A CLOSE. UP OF SUTTON AT THE
JAPANESE PARTY STILL LISTENING AS
THE WORD '1938' ECHOES AWAY.
ARTHUR. (OVER THEINTERCOM)
That's
what you told Dan Sutton idm't it?
DAN. SUTTON GAPES AS HIS NAME IS
MENTIONED..
CUT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM
WITH FEATHERS NOW REALLY FLYING.
PEGGY: You've spoiled my dress!
Let me go! I've got such a head-
ache!
PAMELA. (TRYING HOPELESS LY TO RE-
STRAIN ARTHUR)
Daddy!
ARTHUR:
Did you go to the States:
PEGGY: I'll scream! I'll call
for Martin. Fyffe!
CUT TO. MARTIN FYFFE AS HE EMERGES
FROM THE LABORATORY STAIRCASE
GAPING AT THE MENTION OF HIS NAME
AND STARING UP AT THE INTERCOM
APPARATUS IN THE HALL. CUT TO SITTING
ROOM.
ARTHUR:
You bloody slut, you've
called for Martin Fyffe enough-
that's his child----you slut!
PEGGY (SCREAMING AS NEAR TO THE
INTERCOM AS POSSIBLE) Ah! Ah!
CUT TO A SHOT OF THE GUESTS SHOWING


REAL ALARM. AS THE SCREECHING
ECHOES OVERHEAD.
CUT TO MARTIN FYFFE IN THE HALL
BELOW LISTENING TO THE SHRIEKS WITH
ALARM AND NOT KNOWING WHERE TO TURN,
UPSTAIRS. OR. DOWNSTAIRS OR SIDEWAYS.
CUT TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.
PAMELA. IS. PUMMELLING ARTHUR'S BACK
WITH HER FISTS.
ARTHUR (ALARMED SUDDENLY FOR HIS
REPUTATION)
For God's sake keep
your voice down!
PAMELA (PUMMELLING): Leave her alone!
ARTHUR (TURNING ON HER WITH SUDDEN
RENEWED. FURY AS THE LITTLE FEMALE
FISTS BEGIN TO HURT) That's right,
you take her part! It's like you,
isn't it? You've got. his face,
Mrs Fyffe, you've got his sort of
bunched-up eyes and his monkey-mouth
and his cabbage ears and his hair
that sprouts like corn-on-the-cob--
I used to joke about it---I used to
pull his leg---called him Mr Maize-
(PULLING PAMELA'S HAIR) it's the
same nasty blonde straggling: lying
CUT TO THE HALL. WHERE FYFFE,, ON HIS
WAY UP, IS. REGISTERING THESE WORDS
WITH IRRITATION.
PAMELA (SCREAMING, OVER. INTERCOM)Ah!
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY WHERE
ALARM IS: BEGINNING TO TAKE THE FORM
OF ACTION AS PAMELA'S SCREAMS COME
ECHOING ACROSS.
CUT TO THE STAIRCASE WHERE FYFFE IS
HALTED BY PAMELA'S SCREAMS AND TURN S
UNDECIDED AGAIN.
CUT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.
PEGGY:
Arthur! Arthur!
NANCY. (OVER THE INTERCOM) Is everything
all right mum? I'm afraid you'll
wake up the little. ones!
PEGGY. (RUSHING TO THE. INTERCOM)
Yes yes, it's all right, we're
playing a game, now go to bed---!
NANCY (AT THE INTERCOM) I'm mixing
drinks, in the kitchen mum.
PEGGY:
Well go one mixing! I only
hope to God he didn't hear!
ARTHUR:
Who's he?. which etthe


of the men- -the one you've
been opening your heart to upstairs
about a trip to the States, which
you never told me about in all the
twenty-eight years we've been to-
gether, or the one you opened your
legs to---old. corn-on-the-cob?
CUT TO MARTIN FYFFE ONTHE STAIRS
SHOWING. ANGER AS WELL AS ALARM AS
THIS REFERENCE TO HIMSELE POURS
OVER THE ETHER..
BHT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.
PAMELA; You pulled my hair!
ARTHUR:
Damn your hair!
PAMELA: And damn you too!
You're
not my father!
CUT TO A CLOSE UP OF SUTTON. AT THE
JAPANESE PARTY GAPING AT THIS LATEST
NEWS.
CUT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.
ARTHUR: I/ianow. I'm. not---I've just
find out who is though! And it's:
not Harley Johnson the supermarket.
king either! My daughter, you
haven't got the. character to be my
daughter, you're a low betraying
whore married. to a rat-catcher-- --!
PAMELA:
PEGGY: : Pamela!
PAMELA:
Get out, get out of the
house!
ARTHUR:
I'll see you damned first,
you breeder of bas stards!
PAMELA IS ABOUT TO FALL AND BOTH
PEGGY AND ARTHUR RUSH TO,CATCH HER.
PEGGY:
Don't you realise she's
four months gone?
ARTHUR:
Oh God!
THEY LAY HER ON ONE OF THE SETTEES.
PEGGY:
Get some. brandy.
ARTHUR:
Where. is it?
PEGGY:
Oh upstairs, where do
you think? Oh do hurry!
GUESTS INCLUDING SUTTON APPEAR AT
THE DOOR AS ARTHUR HURRIES OUT.
SUTTON (AS ARTHUR PASSES)
Everything
OK Arthur?


ARTHUR:
Yes. thanks.
The heat
got her down a bit.
She's always
like that.
SUTTON GAZES AFTER HIM WITH MILD
ADMIRATION AS ARTHUR WALKS PAST THE M
ALL ON HIS WAY UPSTAIRS.
MARTIN
EYFFE APPEARS FROM: THE STAIRS.
FYFFE: I think the best thing we
can all do is to keep the party
going.
Come up and have a drink
Dan.
SUTTON (AS FYFFE TAKES HIS ARM)
Don't mind if I do.'
THE GUESTS DRIFT OFF BACK UPSTAIRS.
SHOT OF THEM DOING SO AS ARTHUR.
WHIZZES DOWN PAST THEM WITH THE:
BRANDY BOTTLE IN HIS HAND.
CUT TO PEGGY AND PAMELA AT THE
SETTEE.
PEGGY:
We'll both leave. I'll
take a degree of philosophy!
FULLY)
That'll show him!
ARTHUR DASHES IN WITH THE BRANDY.
CUT TO THE BASEMENT STAIRCASE WITH
NORMAN WHISTLING PLEASANTLY TO HIM-
SELF AS HE RETURNS TO WORK IN THE
RAT KING DOM.
CUT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.
ARTHUR IS OFFERING PAMELA A DRINK
OF BRANDY.
PAMELA: I don't need it.
ARTHUR:
Oh come on.
PAMELA:
ARTHUR:
Oh for God's sake, haven't
you got a little bit of ma gnanimity?
Qhat an awful family!
PAMELA: I don't want it!
PEGGY: Oh drink it and let's have
some peace and quiet!
PAMELA DRINKS.
ARTHUR:
Dan Sutton said to'me just
now, 'Sounded like a dance going on
downstairs.'
I nearly said to him
'Dance of death'.
PEGGY: You started it!
ARTHUR: I think you started it in
1938, on board the Queen Mary!
PEGGY:
Oh do stop talking about


queens all the time!
PAMELA (TO ARTHUR)
I see what you
mean about corn-on-the-cob now!
And Mr Maize! You mean---you mean---!
SHE GAZES IN FRONT OF HER, ALARMED.
PEGGY: I wish. I knew what he meant!
PAMELA: You mean Martin Fyffe don't
PEGGY: Pamela!
ARTHUR (SENSING IMPLICATIONS HE IS
UNWILLING TO PURSUE.)
What I mean
is my own business, my own unhappin-
ess! Sometimes: I'm scared to wake
up in the morning, I keep my eyes
closed. Especially with her (IN-
DICATING PEGGY) in the bed. She
can never remember what she did a
minute ago,, she loses track, she
never knows what debt she's going
to find herself in-- --debt to life...
She doesn't wake up in the morning
like anybody else---she jumps!
PEGGY: I'm not in debt!
PAMELA: : (LOOKING AT ARTHUR) I was
born in January 1939.
ARTHUR:
She went on the Queen Mary
in April 1938.
PEGGY:
If only I knew what you
were saying!
PAMELA. (TO ARTHUR) And what did
she do?
ARTHUR:
We weren't married then.
PAMELA: She was married to my father.
ARTHUR:
Harley Johnson wasn't on
the boat. He wasn't in the States!
PAMELA: Who was then? CWITH A
SUDDEN VIOLENT GESTURE THROWING THE
BRANDY IN HIS FACE) Don 't say it!
Don't say it!
ARTHUR (SPLUTTERING) You fool!
You could blind me! I'll say it-- !
PAMELA (STOPPING UP HER EARS) Shut.
up! No, no! Shut up!
ARTHUR (REALISING SUDDENLY) Of course!
Good God!
You know what you've
done now,, don't you? You've---!
PAMELA. (SCREAMING AND STRUGGLING UP


FROM THE SETTEE) Norman! I want
Norman!
CUT TO THE JAPANESE PARTY UPSTAIRS
WHERE THE GUESTS LOOK REALLY AGHAST
AT THESE CLEARLY EARNEST SCREAMS.
CUT TO. THE BASEMENT LABORATORT WITH
NORMAN WORKING AT HIS BENCH. AS THE
SCREAMS COME OVER THE WIRE. HE LOOKS
UP, HIS MOUTH OPEN.. THEN SUDDENLY
HE JUMPS UP AND DASHES UPSTAIRS.
CUT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM
WITH PEGGY TRYING TO HOLD PAMELA.
PAMELA:
Norman!
Norman!
ARTHUR (TO PEGGY) I should never
have talked to you in Martin Fyffe's
office in 1939, that's where I met
you W asn't it, just after he was back
from the States!
PAMELA:
NORMAN DASHES IN.
NORMAN:
What the hell's the. trouble?
PAMELA :
Thae me away!
NORMAN:
But what is it, for God's
sake?
PAMELA : It's nothing to do with
them!
I'm unwell (BREAKING DOWN
ON NORMAN), oh I'm unwell, unwell,
Norman, Norman!
NORMAN:
You'd better get to bed.
HE TAKES HER. OUT. PEGGY AND ARTHUR
ARE SUNKEN, QUIET.
THEY SIT DOWN.
ESTABLSTH THE SILENCE.
PEGGY: Get me a drink.
HE DOES NOTHING, JUST LEANS FOR-
WARD WITH HIS ELBOWS ON HIS KNEES,
THINKING.
PEGGY: Get me a drink.
RTHUR:
Oh stop saying that!
PEGGY:
Well get me one!
dying.
HE GETS, UP AND GOES TO THE SIDEBOARD.
HE TALKS TO HER WITH HIS BACK TURNED.
SRTHUR:
I remember standing in his:
office, he talked about you. Alwags
did---in a very objective way. As
if you were potty. Which I suppose
you are. Here (HE TURNS AND HANDS
HER THE DRINK).


PEGGY:
She'll probably lose that
child after your mauling about.
We're leaving.
I hope you know
ARTHUR:
Wouldn't it be better if
she did lose it?
PEGGY:
I want my grandchild!
ARTHUR:
What a fool you are.
PEGGY:
Is it unnatural to want
one's grandchild?
ARTHUR:
Martin Fyffe---he's
Pamela's. father isn't he? Don't
stare at me like that.
He is,
isn't he?
PEGGY:
I think we should sleep
separately from now on.
ARTHUR: What are you talking about?
You were on the Queen Mary with
Martin Fyffe. You went across to
the States together. You told Dan
Sutton you were on the Queen Mary
and I happened to remember Martin
Fyffe was too.
I was nearly his
best friend at that time.
PEGGY:. He works so hard for you.
ARTHUR: He probably pities me.
In fact I can see now---so often,
his eyes---the way they flicker at
me---with pity you see.
You were
getting a divorce at that time.
PEGGY: I am divorced, yes. I've
always been very frank about that.
Harley Johnson was a good man.
But
he was no husband. He was married
to his supermarkets.
ARTHUR: Oh do shut up.
PEGGY:
As I say, we shouldn't
sleep. together. If that's how you
feel, that I jump awake. I never
knew I jumped.
ARTHUR:
What do younthink of me?
What am I Beggy? Tell me that.
What kind of man am I for you?
PEGGY:
Someone I love.
ARTHUR:
Just someone?
PEGGY: My husband.
You're so
different from. the other one,
he wasn't a husband really, I've
often told you that.
Youhave such
an exciting way of doing things-- !
ARTHUR:
I. don't W ant excitement.


PEGGY= Let's leave the party to
Look after itself, like we always
used to. Do you remember, we often
did that, in the old days, left a.
party in full swing and locked the
bedroom door?
ARTHUR:
We never did.
PEGGY: Let them look after them-
selves.,, we said.
ARTHUR:. Well,. it happened once.
PEGGY: Shall we?
SHE GOES TOWARDS THE DOOR IN HER
VISIONARY SORT OE WAY AND HE RATHER
SHAMBLES BEHIND HER. A SLOW FADE.
OPEN AGAIN ON ARTHUR'S OFFICE..
MARTIN FYFFE, IN HIS OUTDOOR CLOTHES,
HIS HOMBURG HAT ON HIS LAP AND ONE
HAND OVER HIS STICK, SITS WAITING
IN ONE OF THE ARMCHAIRS. HE LOOKS.
AT HIS W.ATCH, TAPS HIS FINGERS ON
THE ARM OF. THE CHAIR.
CUT TO THE STREET BELOW AS. ARTHUR'S
CAR ARRIVES.
HE. GETS. OUT IN A
HARRASSED, PREOCCUPIED WAY.
CUT BACK TO THE OFFICE WITH FYFFE
STILL WAITING.
THE DOOR OPENS AND
ARTHUR COMES IN. HE HANGS UP HIS
COAT,. UNAWARE OF EYFFE. THEN HE
TURNS AND JUMPS OUT OF HIS SKIN WHEN
HE SEES HIM.,
ARTHUR:
Have you been here long?
FYFFE:
Why---anything unusual?
I've been coming at this hour every
morning for the best part of ten
years.
ARTHUR: I thought---
FYFFE:
What the hell's the matter
with you?
ARTHUR (GOING TO HIS DESK)
Like a
drink?
FYFEE:
At this hour? Stop staring
at me like that for God's sake.
ARTHUR:
Nancy's gone.
FYFFE:
Who's Nancy?
ARTHUR:
The maid.
FYFFE: Is that what's troubling
you?


ARTHUR:
It's just that
she s gone. Couldn't. stand any
more scandal.
Don't blame her
really.
EYFFE:
What, that little slut you
had in the nursery? She's just
trying you on! She wants a higher
screw!. Anyway to hell with her.
You've got worse things to worry
about, believe me:
ARTHUR: : You're not going to tell
me something ghastly are you? I've
had ehough blows. I feel like a
rabbit.
What a terrible epoch to
live in.. Do you remember that
feeling we had about a year agter
the war was over, that it hadn't
been worth it? At first when peace
came it seemed like going back to
the old world, where every man's
life was his own.
Then after about
a year it dawned on us: the war
hasn't been any use.
(TAKING A.
BOTTLE AND GLASS OUT OF A NEAT
SLIDING SHELE IN HIS DESK AND
POURING HIMSELF A STIFF ONE)
Do you remember how the sun used to
shine before the war, and all the
butterflies? You don't see many
butterflies any more do you? And
people became less sound.
Before
the war there was a sort of fibre
in people, do you know what I mean?
They were more thrilling.
(DRINKS)
Of course I didn't have a penny in
my pocket, I was.a solicitor's
clerk going up to the Park with
a girlfreign and sitting by the pond
every evening holding her hand,
a dance on Saturdays, lay-in Sunday
mornings, a run out into the country
on somebody's motor-bike.
Then
after the war, we thought it was
coming back, and it didustart, then
after about a year it faded away.
You didn't see butterflies any
more. (HE DRINKS)
CLOSE UP OF FYFFE SHOWING CYNICAL
IRRITATION.
ARTHUR:
You didn't get that sort
of pollen taste in the air.
noticed that.
But my fortunes went
up and up.
I met you and we
clicked.
FYFFE:
That was before the war.
ARTHUR:
Yes but we didn't make
money until after.
We weren't
liberated. before.
FVFFE::
Weren't happy either.
ARTHUR:
I wouldn't be So sure.


EYFFE: I am sure.
ARTHUR: I reckon if you can be
happy in all this heap you've got to
be a rascal--
EYFFE (ALERT) Meaning what?
ARTHUR: All right, all right.
You're not a sergeant major any
more.
FYFFE: No I'd just like: you to
explain.
ARTHUR: I was thinking of Norman
Pillinger as a matter of fact, my
gifted son in Law. He's our
picture of a happy man-- -(AS
FYFFE REMONSTRATES SILENTLY) well
I mean he does seem to thrive on
it all. Liking other people's:
kids by his own wife and all that.
Before the war he'd have heer---
what? Sertainly not what he is
now.
FYEFE:
Teacher.
ARTHUR: That's it. We used to
have teachers like him. at the tech.
Very advanced.
Said they didn't
believe in God.
What a revelation.
Thought they were debauched if they
drank a glass of sherry.
FYEFE: Anyway he: isn't a teacher.
He was. with Dan. Sutton again this
morning.
ARTHUR: What?
FYFFE:
You're jumpy..
ARTHUR:
But where the hell is he?
He's been out since the party. His
rats are dying for want of grub.
Peggy's been feeding them best
underside of beef. They make a
squealing noise. And they stink
to harry because the trays haven't
been changed.
EYFFE: All right, all right.
ARTHUR:
And Pamela's gone too.
FYFFE:
Gone?
ARTHUR:
Your turn to be jumpy.
EYFFE: What about it?
ARTHUR: Why be jumpy about that,
she. 's not your wife?.
FYFFE: Is that what's at the back
of your mind all the time.? You


can't prove it's my child---that's
only her conjecture!
ARTHUR:
Nothing's at the back of
my mind!
FYFFE: Don't shout.
And calm:
down.
ARTHUR:
You can talk.. You're
sweating under the collar.
FYFFE: Well where is she?
ARTHUR:. I don't. know.
FYFFE:: You must!
ARTHUR:: She went with. her husband.
FYEFE:: Wellwhy the hell didn't
you say so? They went to town
together I. suppose. Lunched with
Dan Sutton probably.. He's landed
himself a job in the States by the
way.
ARTHUR: Who, my son in law?. Is
that definitely fixed?
FYFFE: Yes. it is.
Had you for-
gotten?
God am I fed. up with your
family! You're getting just like
Peggy, your mind's: all. over the
shopl
ARTHUR: I get a bit confused
sometimes: that's all. And I. do
have some shocks.
FYFFE:: Well gold tight for another
one then.
The Dow Jones average is
down by several points.
There's no
buying. Blue Chips are down by
ten percent: next week it might be
twenty.
Are: you listening?
ARTHUR: Yes. Yes!
ARTHUR: Oh come on man---this:
concerns. you.
Whatido you think
I'm here for? What happens on
Wall Street happens to you!.
ARTHUR: Are mine all right?
FYFFE: Yours, yours!. I'm talk-
ing about the. state. of the market.
Even the: gilt-edged. stuff is:
wobbly. It's. the American war.


Du Pont was down yesterday by five
and. three-quarters, General Electric
by three. We can't sell. We
don't want to buy.. Nobody does.
So we're stuck.
If you're thinking
of pulling out of the American deal
you can't. On the. other hand will
it get worse?
ARTHUR: Probably.
What does Dan
Sutton say?.
FYFFE: To hell with Dan Sutton!
He'll be a beggar before me, if
the market gets any more ricketty!.
ARTHUR: He's giving Pillinger a
job quite definitely?
EYFFE: He saw. that the chap was
a born scientist in the first five
seconds.
Why the hell did you
let. him loose on that. party?
ARTHUR:
Who?
FYFFE:
Pillinger, your: son in law!
ARTHUR:
Why not? why shouldn't
he get a job like anybody else?
FYFFE:
Because he might blow a
gasket one day and leak a lot of
stuff in Sutton's ears! We are
in business: with him you know,
and he is a presbyterian.
ARTHUR:
You're frightened-for
yourself.
FYFFE: It wasn't my fault, I've
told you that. I never thought
it sould happen: turned nearly
fifty---you don't fall in love at
that age, not a-hard bastard like
me. So I thought.
ARTHUR:
Your affairs are nothing
to do with mel
FYFFE:
Well if my affairs are.
nothing to do with you, your
blasted shares are nothing. to do
with me! But I'm telling you
this---you'd better keep that son in
law of yours over here by hook or
by crook or I'll ditch you and no -
mistake!
ARTHUR:.
Ditch?
FYFFE: There, that's what it feels
like when. people. tell you. your
life's none of their business! We
get tit for tat!


ARTHUR:
All right, all right.
FYFFE:
That'll be the last time
you ever say that sort. of thing to
me---after a friendship lasting-- -
ARTHUR:
Friendship?.
FYFFE:
What else is it? Haven't
I been looking after your private.
ARTHUR:
A. damned sight too mcuch 9
yes! And. I don't mind being ditched
because I can't fall any further
than you've landed me already!
FYFEE: I've landed you!
I come
here to save your life--
ARTHUR:
You know damned well what
you've-
FYFFE:
What? Say it!
ARTHUR:
Oh I don't know.
FYFFE:. I told you before, I can't
help what happened.
It was. some-
thing I.couldn't have predicted,
or wished for, or thought the
smallest possibility, in a thousand
years.
ARTHUR:
Yes yes.
FYFFE:
You aren't crying?
ARTHUR: No.
FYFFE: I know it's rough.
ARTHUR:
Get.on about the shares.
FYFFE: I just came to tell you,
you'll have to sell up your house.
ARTHUR:
Sell it up? You must'be
mad!
FYFFE:
Take it or leave it Anthur.
You know my advice has always worke_d
out. The money tied up in that
house happens to be all.you've got
on thlts side of the water. And it's
producing nothing. You've got to
have a source of income apart from
what comes from across the water.
It might turn out all right over
there, but I don't like it. Of
course Sutton's connected with defence
add all that, but it's - a situation
you can't predict beyond the next
hour. And. I'm thinking of Peggy
too.
ARTHUR: Without money she'd go off
her head. I mean completely, in-
staed of partially.


FYFFE:
And you?
ARTHUR:
So would I.
I take that
for granted.
FYFFE:
Anyway, you've got my
advice (GETTING UP). You spent
your entire English fortune on that
white elephant of a house and you
know what I think about that. It's
more like a factory, except that it
produces no commodities.
Of course
it might convert. very well into
offices---there's your chance.
You've got about fifteen bathrooms.
in the place---just to take care
of Peggy's thing about armpits!
ARTHUR: - Oh shut up..
FYFFE:
Well what else are they for?
I've never seen so many bathrooms i n
my life!
ARTHUR:: We have a lot of guests.
FYEFE:
But they don't all go to
the bathroom at once!
ARTHUR: All right now for God's
sake stop piling it on..
FYFFE:
Is it true she gave a
thousand quid for one of those.
suppurating canvases downstairs in
the hall?
ARTHUR:
Oh I suppose So.
EYFFE:
But you don't know?
ARTHUR:
I'm tired.
And the only
peace I get is in this office.
Unless you pop in.
FYFFE:
You won't even have this
office if you don't do something
pretty quick.
ARTHUR:
But how the hell can I
seel that house Martin?
FYFFE: Hand me the deeds tomorrow
and I'll fetch a decent price: in
fact,. if we do it right away, twice
its value.
(SEEING ARTHUR IN
DOUBT)
Are you going to live in
that bloody quagmire all your life,
slipping down every day, with the
woman you love leading the way?
Your affairs give me a headache.
HE LEAVES AND CLOSES THE OFFICE DOOR
WITH A BANG..
CLOSE UP OF ARTHUR
IN THOUGHT.
MIX THROUGH TO HIM. IN HIS DRESSING
ROOM THAT EVENING FIXING A BLACK


TIE. HIS DINNER JACKET IS ON
A HANGER NEAR BY. A DOOR LEADS
INTO THE MASTER BEDROOM.
PEGGY
PASSES TO AND FRO THERE, FIXING THE
DETAILS OF HER EVENING DRESS.
SHE
STOPS AT THE DOOR.
PEGGY:. Dan Sutton hasn't called
us as he usually does.
ARTHUR:
He has no reason to.
PEGGY:: He always thanks you for
a party, like clockwork, two days
after.
ARTHUR:
He's giveri my son in law
a job. He probably thinks I'm
pleased.
PEGGY: Well so you are. (COMING
INTO THE ROOM AND PLANTING HERSELF
BACK TURNED CLOSE TO HIM FOR HER
ZIP TO BE. FASTENED)
But Arthur,
it's like having a snake weaving
its way among our dearest friends!
ARTHUR (HAVING ZIPPED HER UP, AND
RECOILING FROM HER) Oh to hell
with your anakes!
You've had them
on the brain ever since you got that
idiotic lavatory chain shaped like
a cobra!
PEGGY: He could edgeus out of the
firm.
ARTHUR:
What---take our shares
away?
I'd like to see him!
PEGGY: He'll be over there all
the time, which we: won't. He
could eat away a our reputation
bit by bit. Just a word to Dan
Sutton at the: right time might per-
suade him that you and I are nothing.
ARTHUR:
We are nothing.
PEGGY:
Don't say that!
ARTHUR:
You could have kept him
away from the party easily enough:
you have your methods!
PEGGY: I have no methods.
ARTHUR: Anyway we're sunk..
PEGGY: I can't stand this house
sometimes. Martin's right, we
should setl it, we should!
ARTHUR:
That's right, you take
near on ten years to build it,, put
in God knows how many bathrooms and
spend close on a hundred thousand
quid above the buying price--


PEGGY: I spent fifty!
ARTHUR:
You don't know what you
spent!
You think you spent fifty,
you think, think: that S. all there
is in this house, your thoughts!
You try to make your life a safe
little shell,, and you succeed so
miserably.
You're such a frail
creature Peggy, your little half-
thoughts go round and round the house
all day.
You're such a frail little
sprite.
PEGGY:
Hot baths. take: the top fat
off that's why.
ARTHUR:
And you really/aon't mind
about selling the housel Ido you?
PEGGY:
ARTHUR:
You've no regrets? You've
worked like a black for ten years:
getting every damnfool device on
the market and now you don't mind if
we walk out of xk all these sliding
doors that jam and the plateglass
windows. that always mist over because
they're supposed not to and the three
sets of lights in every room for read-
ing, talking and eating, except that
they fuse each other, and then of
course your famous broadcasting
system that broadcast all our private
affairs to every business contact we
have in the western world on the
night of the party, you can walk. out
of it all and never give it a thought
again! Have I stood these crises
day after day for ten years over
bulbs and locks ahd wires and buttons
that give you electric shocks, for
nothing? Just to keep your little
mind from going into a spin, which
it wouldn't come out of, because
you're mad!
PEGGY:
ARTHUR:
The house is mad!
But
it's mine too now. Every time
I look it in the face I see cme-
in the settee downstairs built to
look like a big black leather bath,
and the table that comes out of the
floor except when you want it to,
and the drinks that pour themselves
out automatically especially when
you haven't got any glasses ready--
it's my own face, ridiculous and
puzzled.
Did you hear what Martin
said about the shares?
They might
be papertomorrow.
PEGGY:
We could live ih hotels
for a bit.
Rent a place by the
sea.


ARTHUR:
There you go again,
thoughts and dreams---!
THEY ARE INTERRUPTED BY PAMELA'S
VOICE OVER THE INTERCOM.
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM) Mummy!
Are you in? We've just got back!
PEGGY (TO ARTHUR IN A WHISPER)
Answer it.
ARTHUR (ALSO IN A WHISPER) You!
PEGGY:
She'll try and put us off
selling this house! You know how
she loves it!
ARTHUR:
Close that door!
PEGGY:
Sssh!
SHE TIPTOES TO THE DOOR OF THE
DRESSINL. ROOM AND CLOSES IT CARE-
FULLY.
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Mummy!
Mymmy!
THEY GET THE REST OF THEIR CLOTHES
QUICKLY, EITH MUCH RUSTLING AND TIP-
TOEING.
ARTHUR:
Let's get out the back. way!
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Mummy,
we're back!
KXEKX CUT TO THE BASEMENT LABORATORY
WHERE NORMAN IN HIS LAB COAT AGAIN
IS FEEDING THE RATS WITH QUICK, SELF-
ABSORBED MOVEMENTS.
PAMELA'S VOICE
CONTINUES TO COME OVER THE INTERCOM.
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Are you
in the house mummy?
CUT TO THE STREET OUTSIDE WITH
ARTHUR'S CAR WAITING AT THE KERB
AND THE CHAUFFEUR STANDING BY THE
BONNET..
ARTHUR AND PEGGY RUN
ALONG THE PAVEMENT LIKE STEALTHY
CHILDREN, IN THEIR. EVENING DRESS,
HAVING COME FROM THE BACK OF THE
HOUSE.
THE CHAUFFEUR SEES THEM
WITH SOME SURPRISE AND RACES ROUND
TO THE REAR DOOR TO OPEN IT FOR
THEM.
IN A MOMENT THAY ARE ALL
IN THE CAR AND IT SKIDS AWAY AND
IS GONE. i
CUT TO THE BASEMENT LABORATORY
WITH NORMAN STILL FEEDING THE RATS.
PAMELA COMES. DOWN THE STAIRS.
PAMELA: I. could swear I heard
them.
And didn't you hear the car?


NORMAN:
PAMELA (SITTING ON ONE OF THE
BENCHES.) I. don't know why we had
to come back.
It was such a nice
hotel.
NORMAN:.
I'm not blowing all. the
money before my contract's confirmed.
PAMELA: There's a safe streak in
you isn't there, for all your talk?
NORMAN:
About money perhaps.
PAMELA:
That means about everything.
CUT TO ARTHUR'S CAR ARRIVING AT A.
PROMINENT HOTEL.
THE CHAUFFEUR
OPENS THE DOOR AND THEY WALK INSIDE.
CUT TO THE LOUNGE OF THE HOTEL--
SHINING WITH NORTH OF ENGLAND PROS-
PERITY---AS MARTIN FYFFE, ALSO IN
EVENING DRESS, CLIMBS OUT OF A DEEP
ARMCHAIR,, PUTTING HIS NEWSPAPER ASIDE,
TO GREET PEGGY AND ARTHUR.
MIX THROUGH. TO THE KITCHEN OF ARTHUR'S
HOUSE WHERE. NANCY IS PUTTING THE LA ST
TOUCHES TO THE ELENING MEAL AND PAM-
ELA. IS HELPING HER.. ONE OF THE CHIL-
DREN CALL OVER THE INTERCOM.
RACHEL. (OVER THE INTERCOM) MUmmy!
Where's granma and grandad?
PAMELA (GOING TO THE APPARATUS)
You'll be seeingthem tomorrow.
Now go to sleep.
RACHEL (OVER THE INTERCOM)
We heard.
them go out the back way.
Grandad
said damn!
PAMELA:
All right now go to sleep.
NANCY= They must be whacked mum.
PAMELA:
Is it ready?
NANCY:
All bar the shouting.
PAMELA (EERPLEXED BY THIS COLLOQUIAL-
ISM) What?
SHE GOES TO THE INTERCOM APPARATUS.
PAMELA (CALLING OVER THE INTERCOM)
Norman can you come up? And please
don't wear that dirty old coat.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Oh come
off it.
CUT TO THE HALL BELOW AS NORMAN
EMERGES FROM THE BASEMENT STAIRCASE
IN HIS LAB COAT. HE GOES TO THE


CLOAKROOM IN THE CORNER AND CHANGES
THE GORY COAT FOR A DARK JACKET.
THEN HE WALKS UP THE STAIRS.
CUT TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM
WHERE PAMELA IS PREPARING TWO
DRINKS,. SNIPPING OFF THE LEMON
PIECLS, AT THE SIDEBOARD. NORMAN
COMES IN.
NORMAN (WATCHING HER). What the
hell's this?
PAMELA:
What's what?.
NORMAN:
The drinks---?
You've
never done that before.
And look
at your dress. We usually eat with
the kids, and usually there's some-
thing spilled. (HE LAUGHS) What
a difference it makes doesn't it,
having a: powerful job?
SHE TAKES HIM HIS DRINK PLACIDLY.
PAMELA:
Rachel said they went out
theback way.
NORMAN:
Probably did a bunk.
Afraid of the new order. Cheers.
PAMELA:
Cheers.
NORMAN (BEFORE HE. DRINKS)
May we
survive.
THEY DRINK.
PAMELA:
What do you mean by that?
NORMAN:
You'l1 see. I've been
marvelling at you all day. A safe
job produces a safe wife I suppose.
Exept that there8s nothing safe about
where we're going.
PAMELA:
All right, don't spoil
if before we start!
NORMAN:
By God I played that hand
well. I suddenly said to myslef,
'Play their game, put yourself n
their level, and they'il buy you at
the price you quote.
In two min-
utes I had old Dan Sutton agog about
my smog rats and my magnetic storms
cage, I could see the astonishment
explode all over his face.
One
doesn't struggle to get to the top,
does one-- --you just walk up! Only
very few people want to go. And
suddenly I did.
I was fed up' with
dirty shirts, and sitting down in
the basement Like a kitchen skivvy,
frightened out of my wits every time
your father gave me a sharp look.
You see, I thought they had power
over me. So they did have power


over me. I can see now it was
always. on the plate for me, like
a new death---!
NORMAN: Do you think you're going
to heaven then? It(s hell, hell!
That's why I chose it! It's an
arms arsenal, the biggest there's
ever been! That means there's a
place for me. There's money for
research.
The bigger the arms
programme. the bigger my chances.
You fool, do you think I just felt
like having a job and buying a
house in Texas with a swimming ppol?
Listen Pamela---!
PAMELA: Oh please don't spoil it
Norman,, I've been so happy today-- !
NORMAN:
Listen you fool! because
you'll be there too! Things are
going to happen in the next ten and
twenty years.
There are going to
be increasing weather disasters all
over the world, things are going to
play into the hands of people like
me more. and more-- --!
PAMELA:
NORMAN:
Do: you realise we shall
have tie lives and happiness of
every creature in the world at our
disposal? just because every major
experiment we start makes itself
felt all over the world? Why do
you think I've been experimenting
with rats and radiation?
People
are the rats.
The rats are the
people! The new diseases-- -the
new viruses that aren't susceptible.
to ordinary chemical disinfectants-
we' 've produced them with our drugs
and gur sprays and our intolerable
techincal conditions-- -and so we
have to undo them, and that puts
us at the cântre of the circle,
don't you realise that? I sudden-
ly saw it, we're the most import-
ant people in. the world, and that's
why Iwalked up the stairs and
talked to Dan Sutton!
I don't give
a damn about jobs and comfort and
swimming pools!
PAMELA:
And now can we have a
quiet dinner?
NORMAN:
Remember what I said
about it being hell.
Your children
are going into it too!
They'll
get the gun-mania like Dan Sutton's:
children.
Did you see his kids?
They've got every sort of rifle
and dagger and cap ammunition and


instrument of torture done up in
PAMELA: But they're children,
children!
NORMAN:
The children of hell!
Scalping instruments from Mexico,
with dry blood on them.
They
imitate men screaming when they
play!
They have ferocious little
tanks with red gleaming eyes that
shoot out live flames-- -they burn
up their plastic soldiers with them!
PAMELA:. Oh God...
NORMAN:
No Pamela, war used to be
accident, even an adventure, but I'm
talking about a destiny!
And I
belong to that destiny!
Why do
you think I went to Dan Sutton?
He works in defence!
That s where
his millions of dollars for research
come from!
Defence made him rich.
And it can make me rich too. I
don't mean in a money way.
I'll
be free.
PAMELA:
To work for war?
NORMAN:
Science is war!
I don't
care about people any more.
used to but people don't seem val-
uable to me now!
Less than rats
in a way, because God has forsaken
them.
HE GAZES IN FRONT OF HIM, QUITER.
NORMAN:
An Indian in the lab
where I used to work told me that
God lay in your heart, and you could
hear him beating there if you lsten-
ed. I didn't laugh at him but I
listened to my heart beating when I
got home, and I realised it was
true, it was like hearing the univ-
erse beating inside me, and there
was nothing I could do about it,
it just beat on and on and I. wanted
to shout, 'Stop! Stop! Don't go
onj beating like that! Can't you see
you're driving us mad?' And now I
feel better.
It's like suddenly
realising that God is a fool.
I believe in the destiny of war now
too.
L feel free.
PAMELA: To make more hell you
mean?
NORMAN: Oh you needn't believe
you're different!
You'll trade
anything, for a house with ten rooms
and two cars in the garage. and
a super highway into twon---!
As long as nobody tells you the


HE IS INTERRUPTED BY THE BREATHLESS
CALLING OF MARTIN FYFFE OVER THE
INTERCOM.
FYFFE (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Pamela!
Are you in the house?!
PAMELA. (JUMPING UP) I can't! I
can't see him!
NORMAN: Who is it?
PYFFE (OVER THE INTERCOM) Pamela!
Can I see. you? Peggy said you were
home I Pam!
NORMAN:
Here's another bit of
PAMELA: I can't see him Norman!
Go down and talk to him!
NORMAN (LEAVING THE ROOM)
Talk to
him yourself, you've got. his baby
after all!
HE HAS GONE. SHE LOOKS ROUND HER,
TERRIFIED. THEN SHE RUNS.
CUT TO MARTIN FYFFE. SPRINTING UP
THE MAIN STAIRCASE, WITHOUT HIS
OVERCOAT, OR STICK, OUT OF BREATH.
HE PEERS IN THE ROOMS, HURRIES ON..
CUT TO PAMELA. RUNNING INTO THE
CORRIDOR OUTSIDE ONE OF THE SITTING
ROOMS.
FYFFE IS JUST LEAPING UP
THE STAURS.
THEY COLLIDE.
PAMELA:
FYFFE:
Pamela!
PAMELA: Please go away!
FYFFE:
It's something urgent.
I've just seen your mother: and
father. I raced all the way.
Listen-- -I'm buying this house.
They're selling up.
They've got
PAMELA:
What!
FYFFE:
I'll put you back here
like a queen---I know you love this
place-- -you can have. it all!
You
can live here alone, with the child-
ren! You can let out a wing if
you find it too big. I'll look
after the rates and taxes.
PAMELA: No!
FYFFE:
It's never happened to me.
before.
For God's sake don't


tell---I mean, your husband either--
or if you should meet my wife. It's
an enormous sum I'm paying! Your
father's asking a staggering price!
PAMELA:
But it's mad!. They can't
sell to you!
FYFFE:
They don't know it's. to
Nobody does.
God knows what
my accountant'a say.
I'll have to
wangle it somehow, out of foreign
investments.
I've been sweating
all the way here, talking to myself.
I've got to do it, that's the madness
of it darling---I shall have grey
hairs in five years but I only have
to pass you and catch your smell and
I go giddy!
I don't care if you
never see me while you're living
here-- --I'll sign the whole place over
to you! I've never done anything
so reckless in my life!
But don't
go away with him. He's going away
isn't he? to the States?
PAMELA:
Yes.
FYFFE:. Don't go with him Pam,
please!
PAMELA:
Don't touch me!
FYFFE:
Dan Sutton phoned me up
last night and asked for a testimonial
for Norman---I gave him one. I
told him he couldn't have a better
man.
Norman's thwarted in this
country, I said.
Because I want
him to leave, I can't stand him any
PAMELA:
I'm going with him.
FYFFE:
But he'll give you a hell
of a life!
He does sn't know how to
look after a woman, he doesn't even
have the sex--!
You told me that
yourself!
PAMELA:
Please!
FYFFE: I know it's hard for you
to say yes to me right away. We'll
let a few months go by while your
parents take a holiday over half the
world---they're going to travel.
I told them about Norman. They've
spoken to Dan Sutton or at lea ast
they're phoning him up now to get
all the details.
They might go to
the States themselves. That's
what they said.
PAMELA:
Don't try and torment me,
please!
FYFFE:
But why should I try to do
that, with my child inside you?


Why, why? Pamela,, my darling!
PAMELA:
EYFFE:
I'll stay away from this
house, I'll only phone to see how
you are. Nothing forced.
Don't
cry! I'm not mad like he is, I'm
not cruel! I'll. do anything for
you,. I've already spent a fortune
on you---I seized the. deeds pf this
house, they're mine, I told your
mother and father. I had a buyer and
I signed the cheque right away, as
if I was somebody else' s agent!
I've done it darling! You must
take this house, I only did it for
you!
PAMELA:
FYFFE:
You can have the children
here. too, you can put mine with
his, they'il be happy---Pamela,
you can't take my child to the
States!
PAMELA:
Don't you see? Don't
you see-- --you're my father!
You're
my father!! Oh for God's sake go,
go please! Let me die!
FYEFE:
HE CLUTCHES THE BANNISTERS TO
STEADY HIMSELF. :
PAMELA (SCREAMING)
Norman!
Norman!
FYFFE FALIS TO HIS KNEES IN A STRANGE
SLOW ÇOLLAPSE. SO THAT HIS HEAD ENDS
ON THE FIRST STEP OF THE STAIRS,
GAZING DOWNWARDS..
PAMELA (RUNNING TO THE INTERCOM
APPARATUS ON THE WALL)
Norman I
Norman!
NANCY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Are you
all right mum?
PAMELA:
NORMAN!
CUT TO THE HALL BELOW AS NORMAN,
WHO HAS RETURNED. TO HIS GORY LAB
COAT, RUSHES UP FROM THE LABORATORY
STAIRCASE.
PAMELA (OVER THE INTERCOM) Norman!
Norman!
CUT TO THE STAIRCASE TWO FLOORS
ABOVE, ACROSS. FYFFE'S. HALF-LYING,
HALF-CROUCHING BODY, AS NORMAN
DASHES UP THE STAIRS.
PAMELA:
He---he fainted!


NORMAN (LIFATING FYFFE)
Come on.
PAMELA GOES TO HELP HIM.
NANCY
APPEARS TOO..
NANCY:
Oh my lord!
NORMAN:
Stop holding your mouth
and help!.
THE THREE OF THEM SOMEHOW RAISE
FYFFE AND GET HIM TOWARDS THE NEAR-
EST BEDROOM.. FADE.
OPEN AGAIN ON THE STREET OUTSIDE
LATER THAT NIGHT.
EVERYTHING IS
QUIET,. DESERTED.. ARTHUR'S CAR
APPEARS, COMES TO À SMOOTH HALT
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AND THE LIGHT IS
SWITCHED ON INSIDE, REVEALING ARTHUR
AND PEGGY, RETURNING FROM THE HOTEL.
THEY GET OUT AND THE CHAUFFEUR NODS
GOOD NIGHT.
TRACK AFTER THEM AS
ARGHUR FIDDLES FOR HIS KEK AND THE
CAR DRIVES OFF.
CUT TO THE HALL WITH THEM COMING IN
VERY QUIETLY.. THEY STAND AND LISTEN.
PEGGY (WHISPERING)
The children
are back. I can smell them!
Nancy
too!
ARTHUR:
Good God, do you mean to
say she took Nancy off---?
PEGGY: Sssh! Remember he's got
an important position in the States,
he's not a ratcatcher any more.
Don't use that word again!
you hear?
ARTHUR (TAKING OFF HIS OVERCOAT)
My God that was a cool sale tonight
eh? I'm always falling but at
least I fall on my feet.
PAMELA COMES DOWN THE STAIRS
QIETLY.
PEGGY (PREPARING TO DO A BIG-CHARM
HULLO)
Darling!
You're back!
PAMELA (STANDING STILL, STILL ON
THE STAIRS) Martin's had a heart
attack.
ARTHUR (WALKING SWIFTLY ACROSS THE
HALL)
What?
Where is he?
PAMELA: He's awake.
You can see
ARTHUR WALKS UPSTAIRS WITH PAMELA,
PEGGY BEHIND THEM IN DOUBT AND
WONDERING.
CUT TO THE BEDROOM WHERE FYFFE


LIES, LEANING AGAINST THE PILLOWS
BLINKING DROWSILY.
HE LOOKS UP
WITH TIRED RECOGNITION AS THE DOOR
OPENS SOFTLY.
SHOT OF ARTHUR AND
PAMELA COMING IN FOLLOWED BY' TREM-
ULOUS PEGGY. ARTHUR. GOES TO THE
BED AND SITS DOW.N CLOSE TO FYFFE.
ARTHUR (SOFTLY)
And what happened
to you for God's sake?
PAMELA: He fainted.
FYFFE: - Ran all the way, broke
the news, good sale---to Pam.
(TOUCHING HIS BREAST)
Ticker I
suppose.
ARTHUR:. Doctor been?
PAMELA:
He won 't have a doctor.
Norman examined him.
ARTHUR (TURNING TO REMONSTRATE
LOUDLY ABOUT THIS BUT THINKING BETTER
OF IT) Oh.
(TO ARTHUR:)
Any
pain?
FYFFE: No..
ARTHUR:
Sight all right?
FYFFE: - Yes.
ARTHUR:
Move your limbs?
FYFFE:
Think so.
ARTHUR (TO. PAMELA) How do you
know it's a heart attack then?
EYFFE (IN ALARM)
PAMELA:
I said he fainted!
ARTHUR:
Oh. yes that's right.
Well you'll stay the night of
course Martin.
(TO PAMELA:) Have
you phoned Jean?
PAMELA:
He didn't want me to.
ARTHUR (TO FYFFE)
What, your own
wife?
EYFFE:
L wanted you to do it.
Tell her. we drank a bit too much
and I'd better sleep it off, you
know how.
ARTHUR:
I'll see to that. Anything
you need? (GUIDING FYFFE'S HAND
TO THE BELL CHORD.)
Your bell's
here.
PEGGY (INDICETING THE. WALL APPARAT-
US). And; the intercom's here-
just shout and we'll be here in a


moment..
ARTHUR:
Shouldn't I really call
Dr Blore?
EYFEE:
If you do I'll kick him
down the stairs, even if it kills me.
ARTHUR (GETTING UP) Oh well.
You'd better sleep.
Good night
Martin.
Don't go running any more.
You're not a.3 young man.
FYFFE (QUIETLY, CLOSING HIS EYES)
Go to hell.
cUThO TRTHUR'S DRESSING ROOM,
ON THE DOOR.
THE ROOM IS EXACTLY
AS THEY LEFT IT A FEW HOURS BEFORE,
WITH CLOTHES STREWN ABOUT.
THE
DOOR OPENS AND ARTHUR COMES IN.
HE CALLS THROUGH TO THE BEDROOM.
ARTHUR:. You there?
PEGGY: (FROM THE BEDROOM)
Yes.
ARTHUR: : Think he needs some
brandy?.
PEGGY (APPEARING AT THE BEDROOM
DOOR). No I don't. He had enough
before dinner.
And why should he
want to break the news to Pam in
such a hurry?
ARTHUR:
Oh God knows.
You can't.
expect straight answers to anything
nowadays.
PEGGY (CONF RONTING HIM WITH HER
BACK AS BEFORE)
Unzip me. please.
HE DOES SO..
PEGGY (THEIR HEADS CLOSE TOGETHER)
He's not on our side any mare, I
hope you realise that.
ARTHUR:
What do you mean?
PEGGY:
He doesn't want Pam to
go to the States and we do!
ARTHUR:
Well what about that?
PEGGY:
It means he's working for
her, not us.
Can't you see it?
It's in his eyes!
ARTHUR:
Oh nonsense!
PEGGY:
You know how he's always
coming out with that Arab saying,
about howxtriend is worth a thousand
enemies. That'd make about a
hundred thousand, what with him and
Norman.
And if we're going to


buy more shares in the pharmacy
business--
ARTHUR:
Who said we are?
PEGGY: We must!
It's obvious.
We can't have less of a voice over
there than Martin Fyffe or Norman.
ARTHUR:
Norman hasn't got any
shares!
PEGGY:
But he's almost on the board!
If we put half the money we got on
this house into shares we'll have
a thirty percent interest, second
only to Dan Sutton's.
ARTHUR:
But we ought to be buying
real estate at a time like this,
instead of which we're selling real
estate!
PEGGY:
And Dan Sutton might need
your help.
ARTHUR:
What as?
PEGGY:
Well on the board, as a
director.
ARTHUR:
But the firm's in the
States!
PEGGY:
Oh don't be silly. We're
going to the States.
We've agreed
on that!
ARTHUR:
What?
PEGGY: Well suppose Norman takes
it into his head to manouevre us
out of the firm? Oh don't keep
staring at me in that idiotic way.
Texas is a lovely state, Dan always
said we should settle there---!
ARTHUR:
Yes. The States might
be a breath of air. Like blowing
the past away!
PEGGY:
Why not phone Dan tonight?
ARTHUR:
I'll. do better than that.
I'll drive to town in the morning
and give him lunch, see what he
says.
SHE GOES INTO THE BEDROOM TO GO ON
WITH HER UNDRESSING.
HE LOOSENS
HIS COLLAR.
ARTHUR (CALLING OUT TO HER) It'lL
be a relief not facing Martin Fyffe
every day.
(THEN ALMOST TO HIMSELF :)
But then of course I'll have to face.
Norman Pillinger every day. I wish
every. face didn't bring me some
ghastly message.


CUT TO FYFFE'S BEDROOM, IN THE
EARLY MORNING, THE OUTLINES DIM
BEFORE THE CURTAINS ARE DRAWN.
FYFFE SNORES.
THE DOOR OPENS
SOFTLY AND PAMELA IS SILHOUETTED
AGAINST THE LIGHT FROM OUTSIDE FOR
A MOMENT.
SHE TIPTOES AÇROSS AND
DRAWS THE CURTAINS.
THESNORING
CEASES.
CLOSE UP OF FYFFE, HIS
EYES FOIGLOWING HER ROUND THE ROOM.
FYFFE: You're going to bring that
child off.
PAMELA: I can't. I've been to
the doctor.
It might kill me.
FYFFE:
Good God.
PAMELA:
Anyway Norman wants to
keep it.
EYFFE:
Because he, doesn't know the
truth!
Suppose it's a freak-- an
imbecile!
PAMELA:
Sssh!
SHE GOES TOWARDS THE DOOR.
FYFFE:
I suppose Peggy started
shooting her mouth off, how nice
it was in bed with me- -!
PAMELA:
She told Dan Sutton she
was on the Queen Mary in 1938, that's
all.
And he told Arthur.
FYFFE:
And he put two and two
together? My God that's amazing!
He has smaller calculating powers tkan
GE any man I've met. Not that I
put two and two together.
It just
never occurred to me!
Not once!
CUT TO THE KITCHEN WHERE PEGGY IS
LAYING PLACES AT TABLE FOR TWO.
NANCY IS HELPING IN HER HAPHAZARD
WAY.
THE SOUNDS OF CHILDREN D RIFT
OVER THE INTERCOM.
PAMELA COMES
IN AND SEES ONLY TWO PLACES.
PAMELA:
Has daddy gone then?
SHE SITS AT HER PLACE.
PEGGY:
Yes.
PAMELA: To the office, already?
PEGGY:
He's gone to town.
He's lunching with Dan Sutton.
You know we're coming to the States,
don't you? To Dallas?
PAMELA:
To Dallas?
PEGGY:
Why? do you hate us so


much then? don't you want us
with you?
PAMELA:
But that was hever the:
idea! It's Norman's. got a job
there,. not you---I
PEGGY:. We've sold up this house!
PAMELA:. But why? why?
PEGGY:
Because the situation's
very tricky.
Our shares are going
down!
PAMELA:
But what about daddy's work
here? the office?
PEGGY: Martin's going to see to
all that, as he's seen to everything
else in our lives!
PAMELA: Oh do be quiet!
PEGGY:
Besides, we have a destiny
in the States. We can't stay here
grovelling any more, and paying tax-
es for it. We were brought up-
at least I was-- ---to expect a little
power, and there we can have it,
we shall have the entire fourteenth
floor of one of the highest build-
ings in Dallas to ourselves. When
we arrive we: shall go straight to
the showrooms and buy a Buick for
the whole family, one of those where
the engine is as big as a double bera,
and we shall do a tour of the whole
state of Texas, and you'll enjoy it
too!
They don't call it a new
world for nothing, oh no!
And really
it was Martin Fyffe who gave us all
this you know. He couldn't bear
to see us---I think these were his
own words-- -crouching down to get
in every doorway, like we do here.
He vanted to see the doors built to
our size. And in the States they
are. When he told us to sell this
house it was an act of God, Martin
was beyond himself, he seemed to me
to hare a beard and a light shone
out of his hair, like a prophet in
the Bible, we rushed to the real
estate office and he told us, 'I
have: a buyer.'
And he signed on
behalf of this mysterious buyer,
who we still don't know-- -that's
another biblical feature- --like
the unknown pilgrim who calls in
the night and bestows a little
happinees. and departs.
All that
money has made a new life possible.
We can buy a splendid home on the
outskirts of Dallas: not ten minntes
Buick ride from the centre, and
Norman can have his. laboratory again
in the basement, I've already look-


ed. into the matter of schools for
Barry and Rachel.... Pamela why are
you crying?
CUT TO THE BASEMENT LABORATORY WHERE
NORMAN IS WORKING QUIETLY AT. HIS
BENCH., PUSH IN TO HIM. THERE IS
A. SOUND ON THE STAIRCASE AND HE
TURNS.
NORMAN (STARING)
You shouldn't
be out of bedl.
SHOT. OF EYFFE. AT THE FOOT OE THE
STAIRCASE,. NEATLY DRESSED.
FYFFE: I. expect you're all keyed
up for the States?
NORMAN: Yes.
EYFFE. SITS DOWN ON A BENCH CALMLY,
WATCHING NORMAN.
FYFFE:: Want some advice? I know
the: States: like: the back of my hand.
And I. know Dan Sutton even better.
Always. follow the lolly.
I mean
go for the highest price, wherever
it lies. Forget your ideas.
They like originality but not the:
sort they can 't use.
NORMAN:. I think I know the black
world I'm working for..
FYFFE:
It's black all right but
you have to. seem white.
Your slate
has: to look clean. And I reckon
that with my. child in your nursery
it can'6 but look dirty!
NORMAN: : Oh for God's: sake---you.
people and. your reputation!
FYFFE: I want that child removed!
If it can't be brought off now' then
it has to.go to an orphanage---I
NORMAN: It won't beremoved!
She can live with her sins, if she
thinks. they are sins! And if she:
doesn't think so, well, it's a child
like any other.
FYFFE:
You're very objective about
it. aren't you?
NORMAN: It's. my job to be object-
ive about everything.
FYFFE::
Then be objective about
this.. I'm your wife's father.
NORMAN: You're my---?
(HE STARES
AT HIM) You're what!?
FYFFE (LEANING: FORWARD) I've had


a child by my own daughter.
Peggy and I were on the Queen Mary
toget ther in 1938. I had overlooked
that little affair.
And last night
she shoots her mouth off to: Dan
Sutton and it gets your father in
law---I mean your apparent father
in law---thinking.
NORMAN:: - You're fairly objective
too. aren't you?
FYFFE:: More: than you are, to judge
by your face.
In fact it's the:
first time I've seen you look app-
alled.
What's. appalling you--
me or your wife, or the: fact that
you're now my son in law?.
NORMAN: My wifel My wife!
EYFFE GETS UP.
FYFFE:
I. think you'll arrange to
have. the birth interrupted in some
way.
(HE GOES. TO THE STAIRCASE)
I've bought this. house by the way.
NORMAN: You?
FYFFE: It's. yours.
I'm signing
it over to my---daughter.
HE LEAVES. CLOSE UP OF NORMAN
STARING AFTER HIM. SOUNDS OF
CHILDREN OVER THE INTERCOM.
CUT TO: THE KITCHEN WHERE PAMELA IS
STILL AT HER PLACE THOUGH ALONE NOW.
SHE IS: GAZING DOWN AT THE TABLE,
PLAYING WITH: BREAD.
THE DOOR: BURSTS
OPEN.
IT IS NORMAN.
NORMAN: I've just heard! Well. you.
can't come! You can't come to the
States! My God even my rats are
more sensible than that!: Fancy
sleeping with-- ---with your own-- -
ALL THEY SEEM ABLE TO DO IS: STARE
AT EACH OTHER IN HORROR.
CUT TO ARTHUR'SNOFFICE. MARTIN
FYFFE. IS WAITING IN HIS OVERCOAT
AT THE. CLIENTS' SETTEE, HOMBURG HAT
ON HIS LAP,, FINGERING HIS STICK.
ARTHUR COMES IN BRISKLY.
ARTHUR:
Hullo. I've got good
news.
FYFFE: You're going to the States.
ARTHUR: + Not just that. Dan's
giving. me a department. Over Norman
Pillinger what is more (HANGING UP
HIS COAT).


EYFFE:: Norman Pillinger isn't
going.
Not unless he changes. his
mind pretty quick..
ARTHUR: What? Tisten---is there
more trouble?. Here,, let me get to
my desk first.. (HE SITS DOWN AT
HIS DESK) I. won' 't ask you if the
news: is bad---it always is after
good---but just how bad is it?
EYFFE: All. right for you, like.
it always is.
ARTHUR: Ah.
FYEFE:: Rotten,for your daughter.
Except that. she's. inherited a house.
ARTHUR: A- house?
FYFFE: Don't look so damned. at seal
I'm leaving it to my daughter! Your
housel
ARTHUR:
house,, to your daughter?
FYFFE: I bought your house, and
Pamela' ' S. my daughter!
ARTHUR:: You bought---? What's
Peggy going. to say about all. this?
FYFFE: Damn Peggy! You've got
your money, now get. out of that
house quick! And out of my office
too,, which. is here!
ARTHUR: All. right all right!
But. who the. hell are we going to
the States with? The whole idea:
was to keep an eyev on Norman Pillinger
and stop him. shooting his mouth.
FYFFE:: You're going alone. And
he's lost his job. (GETTING UP)
Anyway what are you worrying about?.
You'li be in comfort for the rest
of your life, which is all you've
ever W anted,; all you've dreamed about!
ARTHUR: Oh shut up for God's sake.
You know I can't stand that high-
flown sort of talk.
EYFFE (GOING. TO THE DOOR) I'm
seeing your: son in law or rather:
mine: at your house or rather mine
this evening. So keep out of the
way. Of the lower sitting room.
as you call it.
ARTHUR: Listen Martin I haven't
even booked. our passage yet!
EYFFE:: Well do so! And don't forget
we' 're. having a farewell. dinner tonight!
THE DOOR IS SLAMMED.


BUT FYFFE SUDDENLY COMES IN AGAIN.
FYFFE: Listen ring Dan Sutton
and tell him your son in law isn't
mentally reliable.
Just those:
words.
Tell him it's been on your
mind a long time, and now (WITH AN.
IRONICAL SMILE),, like the responsible
man you are, you feel you must speak
out. And since: Dan Sutton's idea.
was only to get you over there as a:
dumb partner: he'll get rid of Norman
Pillinger like a shot.
ARTHUR: But Martin--
FYFFE: And should you not ring
him I'll see: that you don't get to
the States eigher!
ANOTHER SLAM AND FYFFE HAS GONE.
ARTHUR. STARES, ANNOYED. THEN HE
SITS BACK, YAWNS, GAZING BEFORE. HIM.
THEN HE. TAKES UP THE. RHONE.
ARTHUR:
Miss: Williams... Two one-
way fares to New York, me and my.
wife, about Thursday next...That's
right... Oh---first class.
HE: PUTS THE PHONE DOWN AGAIN AND
GIVES. HIMSELF UP TO PLEASANT THOUGHTS.
THEN HE. PICKS IT UP AGAIN.
ARTHUR: Miss Williams, get me Mr
That's: right.
At his
club.
HE: WHISTLES. TO HIMSELF, DRUMS HIS
FINGERS, WAITING.
CUT TO THE LOWER. SITTING ROOM AT
ARTHUR'S HOUSE, THAT EVENING, ON
EYFFE, WHO IS STILL IN HIS OUTDOOR
CLOTHES AND IS ADDRESSING NORMAN.
NORMAN: But isn't she entitled.
to a little of God's mercy man?
I've: done a lot of awful things in
my life and I. look forward to for-
giveness---I hope fob it every time---
so do we all---we 're in the same
boat and by God you're going to stay
in the little boat you've made for
NORMAN: You made it!
FYFFE:
And now I'm undoing it,
by ordering you. to take her to the
States, and to remove that child
before you go therel
NORMAN: I won't do it!
I. won't
do either! It(s all your dirty
work!
And you. can clear it up!
I've got a job and I'm going to do
it, I'm going all alone and that's


thatl
FYFFE: You'll. go if I say so!
Not if I. don't!
NORMAN: What?
EYFFE: You haven't signed the
contract yet! Nor has: Dan Sutton!
NORMAN: You swine!
FYFFE:: Are you taking Pamela?
NORMAN:
Nol No I can't!
something I can't bear to think
of, I've. tried to think of it
another way and see it as some thing
ordinary, just a mistake, but I
can't! The fact is I'm a scientist.
and this is. the kind of mistake I
can't excuse!
Even a rat wouldn't
sleep with. its own father, don't
you see that? She's: committed a
genetical. crimel Suppose she: gives
tirth to a monster---2
FYFFE:
Just what I said!
Now:
get it. removed!
And go to the
States with. a clean state!
Dkn' 't
you see: it's for your good?
NORMAN:: I'm going there alone.
I'm not living with. her genetical.
mistakes and. that's: thatl
FYFFE:
Is: that your last word?
NORMAN: : Yes.
FYFFE:: Then you're a damned fool.
And a prig!.
NORMAN: But I can't face her any
more, I can't!
FYFFE: You know what I'm going to
do don't. you?
NORMAN: Let my job alone, that's:
all I ask! You must let me
I gon't be any good for Pamela Eoir
she comes' with me---!
FYFFE: I've already done the
necessary. I. just wanted to give
you another chance.
I'm going to
put you on the straight and narrow
path Norman.
You're my son in.
law now, horrifying though it may
be. And you're going to. look after
my daughter.
NORMAN:: So what have you done?
FYFFE: I've torn up my testim-
onial. I phoned Dan Sutton this
morning, said. you were mentally


unreliable.
And Arthur's. done the
same.. You're out of a job again.
NORMAN: And what about you! Do
you ever pay for your mistakes?
FYFFE: I've always. been Pamela's
guardian angel. I got you back here
away from your girlfriend. You didn't
know that did you?. She pleaded with
me to try and get you back to England,
asked. me to write you letters, but I
knew a better way.. I got your firm
to bring you back. And to keep. you
in this house I---got you sacked!
NORMAN STARES AT HIM WITH HORROR
AND ALMOST ADMIRATION.
NORMAN:: I almost knew that too.
FYFFE:: It was no great advantage
to me having you back here as I was
then in love with. her, foolishly and
against all natural laws. as it turned
out.
But I wanted to see her happy.
And I've always, cynically enough,
preferred young women with husbands
and no problems to young women with
problems and no husbands. So I got
you back.
And now I'm thinking of
her happiness again.. I'm forgiving
her the genetical mistake she made.
And I'm getting you sacked a second
CUT TO ARTHUR'S DRESSING ROOM WHERE
HE IS: SITTING. BEFORE THE MIRROR FIX-
ING HIS BLACK TIE FOR THE EVENING,
IN SHIRT SLEEVES, WHILE PEGGY PASSES
TO AND FRO ACROSS THE DOORWAY IN
EVENING DRESS. CUT TO HER IN THE
MASTER. BEDROOM FIXING A NECKLACE.
THERE ARE: THREE LARGE SUITCASES ON
THE FLOOR. IN A STATE OF NEAR READINESS
FOR A. LONG AND FINAL JOURNEY.
CUT BACK TO THE DRESSING ROOM.
PEGGY APPEARS IN THE DOORWAY.
PEGGY: He must have switched the
intercom off. I can't hear a thing.
ARTHUR:: Who?
PEGGY: Martin.
And. I was so
looking forward. to hearing it.
ARTHUR:
Somebody else's private
conversation? You can't catch old
Martin. He asked. me where the off
switch was.
PEGGY: And. like a fool you tell. him!
CUT BACK TO THE LOWER SITTING ROOM.


FYFFE: : You're trembling man!
NORMAN:
Because I can't go back
to that lifel down in that labor-
atory with her coming in and out
in evening dress and calling every-
body on the intercom----I
FYFFE: Who?
NORMAN: Peggy!
FYFFE:: Peggy's going to the
States! With Arthur! They've
got a job in Dallas---
NORMAN: They've got a job---
EYFFE:
And. Il've bought this house.
I'm signing it over to your wife.
NORMAN:
This house?
FYFFE:: You'll. have a wonderful
life! You can keep your squealing,
halfstarved rats. You can work
day and night in your dirty white
coat and dismantle the intercom:
network.
And' you'll. have Nancy to
look after you. You'll. have the
income. I'm going to give you!
NORMAN: The income? to live with
her? with a wife: I can't stand?
FYFFE: You'll let about a year
go by and. then you'll have another
child, one of your.own if you don't
mind', that is after you've put the
present one in an orphanage, since
I understand from Pamela it might
kill. her to bring it off at this
stage.
NORMAN: : But I. can't!
a prisoner,: a prisoner!
FYFFE:
And when she's had your
child we '11 review the situation,
there might be a. job for you in the
States.
Perhaps you'11. be recon-
ciled to your wife by that time.
A third child will have hidden my
face a little, removed it so to
speak. from your marriage bed---!
NORMAN: There is no marriage bed!
EYFFE:
And if you: leave this house,
if. you shouldi happen to get yourself
a. job,. I'll. search every lab in the
country for you, I'll have. the police
on to it, I'il. get you sacked even
if I have to buy up this country's
entire. bloody pharmaceutical in-
dustry!


NORMAN (DASHING OFF FRANTICALLY)
I'll leave this: house---I'11 leave
it tonight!:
FYFFE (CALLING AFTER HIM)
Your:
rats'll bring you back! I know you
better than you know yourself!
(TRACK. AFTER HIM AS HE RUNS TO: THE
STAIRS, CALLING DOWN) You've got
how much money?. Enough to buy
yourself dinner at the station
buffetl You'll be back!
And
when you're back you'll stay!
CUT TO NORMAN RACING DOWN THE
STAIRS TO THE LABORATORY STILL
IN FRENZY..
CUT. TO THE DRESSING ROOM AGAIN
WITH. ARTHUR PUTTING ON HIS EVENING
JACKET.
ARTHUR:
Caviar and. Veuve Cliquot
tonight, you'll. see.
I love it
when Martin orders.
It makes me
feel, young again.
PEGGY, COMES IN AND PRESENTS HIM
HER BACK..
PEGGY:: Could. you zip me up?
CUT TO THE LABORATORY WITH NORMAN
DASHING IN.
NORMAN: I'll give. you rats!
HE RUSHES. TO THE. CAGES AND. BEGINS.
TEARING OPEN THE: DOORS WITH THE
RESULT THAT THE RATS LOOK BEWILD-
ERED. AND EMBARRASSED AT THIS SUDDEN
AND UNSOLICITED OFFER. OF FREEDOM.
NORMAN:
Rats!
Rats!
CUT TO FYFFE WALKING ACROSS THE
HALL. TO THE. STREET DOOR, PUTTING
HIS HAT ON AND TIGHTENING HIS
SCARF.. THE STREET DOOR CLOSES
BEHIND. HIM.
CUT TO NORMAN IN THE LABORATORY.
HAVING DONE HIS WORK OF LIBERATION
HE IS DASHING TO THE INTERCOM APP-
ARATUS ON THE WORLL, FRANTICALLY
TEARING AT THE SWITCHES UNTIL HE
GETS THE ON SOUND OF ATMOSPHERIC.
NORNAN (SCREAMING DOWN: THE INTER-
COM) I'll give you rats!
You
can have them for keeps!
CUT TO THE DRESSING. ROOM WHERE
ARTHUR AND PEGGY ARE STANDING
IN FIXED ASTONISHMENT JUST AFTER
THE ZIPPING. UP OPERATION, AS THE
VOICE. BELLOWS OVER THE INTERCOM.


NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
But.
I'll get there just the same !
I won't be kept a prisoner, I won't
be. watched!
You can have your
rats! They're the finest in the
land but you can have them back---!
CUT. TO THE HALL. WHERE ONE OR TWO
WHITE RATS. ARE. MAKING THEIR. APPEAR-
ANCE, TASTING THEIR FIRST FREEDOM.
FROM SCIENCE.
CUT BACK TO. THE. DRESSING ROOM WHERE
ARTHUR AND PEGGY ARE STILL LISTEN-
ING. IN RAPT WONDER.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
They're
white, and pure---their diseases were
going---I was. nearly there---after
two years: research---I
CUT TO. THE KITCHEN WHERE NANCY IS
WORKING QUITE: UNDISTURBED BY. THE
SCREAMING VOICE.
PAMELA DASHES
PAMELA. (SHOUTING ABOVE. THE VOICE)
Where is he2
SHOT: OF: NANCY ABOUT TO ANSWER BUT:
THEN LOOKING TOWARDS PAMELA'S FEET
WITH: WIDE-EYED HORROR.
SHE LETS
OUT A. QUITE UNEARTHLY SCREAM.
NANCY:
Mum!. Mum!
PAMELA. LOOKS DOWN AT. HER. OWN FEET
AND. SEES THE. PURE WHITE RAT. CLOSE
TO THEM,, WHEREUPON SHE ALSO GIVES
VOICE.,
CUT TO THE. DRESSING ROOM WHERE.
ARTHUR AND PEGGY ARE CLUICHING
EACH OTHER. WITH FEAR AS THE TWO
SCREAMS FORM A BACKGROUND TO
NORMAN'S CONTINUING SPEECH.
NORMAN (OVER THE INTERCOM)
the end we'll rule the worldl
We're going to upset the weather
more and more! You people don't
count any more! You're just
spectators! We're going to send.
our rockets up and explode our
bombs and you're going to feel the
temperature drop, you'll have floods
all over the world and there's
going to be terrible winds and.
summer at Christmas---I
CUT TO NORMAN YELLING. INTO THE
LABORITORY INTERCOM WITH. TEARS OF
INDIGNATION POURING. DOWN HIS FACE.
NORMAN: Everybody's. at our beck
and call!: We'll. make you radio-


CUT TO THE KITCHEN WHERE PAMELA
AND NANCY ARE NOW CLUTCHING PARTLY
EACH OTHER AND PARTLY THEIR: SKIRTS
STANDING ON THE KITCHEN TABLE AMONG
THE PLATES GIVING FULL. VENT.
CUT BACK TO: THE DRESSING ROOM WHERE
ARTHUR AND PEGGY ARE NOW LIKE ONE
COMPOSITE POCTURE. OF THE FIRST DAWN
OF ASTONISHMENT ON THE HUMAN FACE.
NORMAN (OVER. THE INTERCOM) You
think you have lives: of your own
but all we have. to do is press. our
buttons and all. your silly summer:
holidays. and your pretty gardens
go up in smoke, and you planned
them so cosily didn't you, a holiday
in the sun,, you think the world's
still. turned by God but we do the
turning, we're twisting God's: taill
CUT TO A CLOSE-UD OF A RAT'S TAIL
AS IT. SUSPICIOUSLY EXPLORES THE
KITCHEN FLOOR. PAN UP TO FOUR
FEMALE LEGS ON THE: TABLE.
RACHEL: (OVER THE INTERCOM) Mummy,
mgmmy, we've got one of daddy's.
ratst It's ever so nice!
CUT BACK TO THE DRESSING ROOM
AS PEGGY SEPARATES HERSELF FROM
ARTHUR. SHE GOES INTO THE BEDROOM.
PEGGY: Has he gone mad? has he--- ?
HER OWN UNEARTHLY SCREAM SEIZES
THE WORDS FROM: HER OWN MOUTH.
ARTHUR STARTS, LOOKS FORLORN,
SEEMS, TO SWAY.
PEGGY: Arthur, Arthur!
Arthur!
ARTHUR DASHES TO THE BEDROOM.
CUT TO PEGGY'S WIDE-EYED FACE OF
HORROR.
CUT TO WHITE RAT FINDING
THE. CONTENTS OF ONE OF THE SUITCASE s
ON. THE FLOOR INTERESTING.
ARTHUR:
Come in here, quick!
Close the suitcase! Close the
case go on!
PEGGY, (RUNNING)
You!
ARTHUR. (CLUTCHING HIS TROUSERS)
Leok outl (DANCING. UP AND DOWN
ON THE. SAME SPOT)
Close the lid!
Close, the lid!
BUT HE MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO GO NEAR
THE SUITCASE.. PEGGY SLAMS THE
DRESSING ROOM. DOOR WITH HERSELF ON
THE OTHER SIDE.
ARTHUR (FRANTICALLY)
Peggy!
Peggy!


HE BANGS ON THE DRESSING ROOM.
DOOR.. SHE SUDDENLY OPENS IT AND
HE FALLS INTO THE ROOM IN PANIC.
ARTHUR: Shut it! Shut it quick!
There are legions of them!
CUT TO THE DRESSING ROOM WHERE THEY
FRANTICALLY LOCK BOTH DOORS, LOOK
UNDER, THE BED AND DRESSING TABLE,
CLUTCHING SKIRTS AND TROUSERS.
CUT TO THE NURSERY WHERE RACHEL AND
BARRY ARE SITTING QUIETLY SIDE BY
SIDE. FONDLING ONE OF THE RATS,,
WHILE. OTHER. RATS ARE ON THE BED..
CUT TO THE. DRESSING ROOM WHERE
ARTHUR AND PEGGY ARE. NOW. STUFFING
SHIRTS ETC UNDER THE TWO DOORS,
AGAINST ANY RODENT INCURSIONS. THE
SCREAMS OF THE TWO WOMEN IN THE KIT-
CHEN CONTINUE. OVER THE INTERCOM.
ARTHUR: He's. mad!
Get him on the
intercom! Tell. him. we're dnning tith
Martin Fyffe.
PEGGY: Martin Fyffe? He's the
reason we've got rats. next door!
ARTHUR (CRAMMING. HARD) Fine thing!
Besieged in your own dressing room,
no food or drink!! And I was so
looking forward. to that caviar!
PEGGY: Oh do be quiet about caviar!
I'd. just like. to be free of rats!
I've always hated and. feared them!
ARTHUR: Well why did you give him
three hundred then?
CUT TO THE STAIRCASE AND NORMAN
COMING UP FUMING.
NORMAN (UNDER HIS BREATH) I'll.
give you rats!
AS HE REACHED THE TOP OF THE STAIRS
A WHITE RAT COMES INTO VIEW ON THE
BANNISTER, QUITE HAPPY.
CUT TO THE NURSERY WHERE RACHEL AND
BARRY ARE STILL FONDLING THE RAT.
THE DOOR BURSTS OPEN.. THEY LOOK UP
BARRY:
Hullo daddy!
NORMAN: Where's your mother?
(STOPPING) What have you got there?
HE ADVANCES INTO THE ROOM.
RACHEL: Why are mummy and Nancy
screaming daddy?
BARRY (CPNEIDENTIALLY) They don't


lol
like rats!
NORMAN (PEERING AT THE RAT.)
It's
MurphyE You've got Murphy! Do
you realise---2 Here, can he walk?
RACHEL:
Yes he's. lovely!
NORMAN:
Good God!
He had. cancer of the tongue. not
a. week ago, or so I thought! Here,
give him here. Good God---do you.
realise, he's cured? And I don't
know how!
Or of what! I. just
don't know!
RACHEL: Can we keep these other
two daddy?
NORMAN (ON HIS WAY TO THE DOOR WITH
MURPHY)
I just don't. know...
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Norman!
Norman!
CUT TO THE STAIRS FROM BELOW, WITH
NORMAN COMING. DOWN, RAT IN HAND,
STILL ABSORBED IN THOUGHT.
PEGGY. (OVER THE INTERCOM) Norman
please help! There's a rat in my
suitcase! We can't. take: it to the
States,. we simply can't!
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
don't talk. rubbish.
Tell him to
put. them all back!
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
What,
three hundred. of them?
BACKTRACK. IN F1 RONT OF NORMAN DURING
THIS. EXCHANGE, AS HE MAKES HIS WAY
TOWARDS THE. LABORATORY STAIRCASE,
STILL IN THOUGHT. THE SCREAMS FROM
THE: KITCHEN HAVE CEASED.
CUT TO THE KITCHEN WHERE PAMELA.
AND NANCY HAVE FLOWN.. PAN TO THE
WINDOW WHICH.IS OPEN AT THE BOTTOM.
A WHITE RAT AMBLES. ALONG THE SILL.
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) Norman!
We're having dinner in half an hour
with Mar---I
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Slut
you fooll Tell. him some sort
of scientist---a famous geneticist--
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
With a.
famous geneside. man--
ARTHUR (OVER THE INTERCOM) Who might
have a job in the States: for him---
PEGGY (OVER. THE INTERCOM) He
has a job. for you I. think, in


lo2
Dallas.
ARTHUR (GROANING, OVER. THE INTERCOM)
Not dallas! We're going there, and
he hates. our! guts!
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) Not. Dallas.
CUT TO: THE. BASEMENT. LABORATORY.
THERE. IS. NOT A RAT TO BE SEEN.
THE
CAGE. DOORS. HANG OPEN. PAN TO THE
STAIRCASE. AS. NORMAN COMES DOWN STILL
WITH MURPHY.,
ARTHUR. (OVER THE. INTERCOM)
We'll
have: to do something, I'm getting
hungry.
NORMAN. POPS MURPHY INTO. A. CAGE AND
CLOSES THE CAGE-DOOR.
HE SETTLES
DOWN AT HIS BENCH. AND TAKES DOWN
HIS NOTEBOOKS AND CHAI RTS.
IN A
MOMENT HE IS STUDYING MURPHY.
THEY ARE: ON MUCH. THE SAME LEVEL.
PENCIL IN MOUTH,. NORMAN IS. IN DEEP
THOUGHT.
PEGGY. (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Norman
please! Remember all the nice
things we 've done for you, notthe
nasty ones!. These rats have typhus,
the one in the suitcase limps---!
Oh deart
ARTHUR. (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Norman ft
CUT TO THE DRESSING ROOM WHERE ARTHUR
IS. STANDING BEFORE THE INTERCOM APP-
ARATUS IN. A MARTIAL WAY WHILE PEGGY
IS. WEEPING. IN A. CHAIR.
ARTHUR. (OVER THE INTERCOM) Norman,
Peggy's crying, I can't have this!
PEGGY (to herself)
Three hundred
rats! Loose!
ARTHUR. (TURNING TO HER) What, he
let the whole lot out?
PEGGY:
Well you don't think he
let out just. one or two do you,
being the man he is?
ARTHUR (SUBSIDING INTO A CHAIR
AGAIN)
The: only comfort is it's
somebody else s house.
PEGGY: Exactly!
It's his!
ARTHUR:
PEGGY:
Oh do stop saying what!
CUT TO THE LABORATORY WHERE NORMAN
CONTINUES IN THOUGHT.
BARRY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Daddy,
we.'ve got fifteen now!


PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM)
Are
you there Pamela? Where are you
Pamela?There are one or two rats
loose.
CUT TO A. SHOT OF THE. OPEN KITCHEN
WINDOW, THE CURTAINS STIRRED BY
A. NORTHERN WIND FROM OUTSIDE.
CUT TO THE. LABORATORY. NORMAN
BEGINS TO WRITE..
PEGGY (OVER THE INTERCOM) Norman!
Norman! You mustn't believe every-
thing Martin Fyffe says! Norman,
Norman!
NORMAN WRITES AND WRITES AS THE
CREDIT TITLES COME UP.
THE END o