Secret People

Always something, always something.

Come in, who there?

It's me, Penny.

I'm sorry, Mr. Anselmo, there's someone to see you.

- Well, let them wait. - It's urgent!

Ah, always something, always.

My dear Anselmo.

I write to you in great haste and with some diffidence.

I could not post this letter to you

as all my mail is being censored.

The two bearers of this letter are my daughters,

Maria, whom you will remember as a baby,

and my little Eleanora, whom you have not seen.

You are the only one I can trust to take care of them,

as I have been warned that I shall be arrested

by the new government any day.

An English poet said, "we must love one another or die,"

and in our hearts, we know this to be true.

But the new government is blackening our country

with a cloud of hate of fear.

Pray God I may see you all again when that cloud

has been lifted from our land.

Forgive me for giving you this burden without your knowledge

or consent, there is nothing else for me to do.

Until we meet again, your old friend, Pietro Brentano.

"The two bearers."

The two bearers?

The two bearers!

Bearer, the bearer.

Goodness.

Penny!

Where are you?

Penny! - Corning, Mr. Anselmo.

- Maria? - Mm-hm.

Eleanora?

Yes.

Are you our father's friend, Anselmo?

Yes.

Oh. - Thank you.

Hot, huh?

A little, yes.

Good afternoon.

Nora!

Nora!

Nora. - Nora!

Oh, my darling. - I'll take her.

I'll take her.

Daly, Daly!

For Heaven's sake, come quick, Daly!

Come on!

We have been travelling a long time.

We didn't have so much money to buy food.

She'll be alright in a day or two.

I'll give you both a sedative.

And then a good tonic and plenty of milk.

You need building up.

- Maria? - Hm?

Your boyfriend?

Oh, yes, it's, it's Louis.

But, but if you have Louis,

why did your father travel you alone?

Why doesn't Louis come with you?

Oh, no, Father needs him.

Oh, he's working with father, eh?

Yes.

My father is too well-known.

He knew the police would get him,

so he sent Louis into hiding to carry on the work.

When we left home, Father was waiting.

There's Pietro for you.

Penny, Penny, are you there?

There's something burning!

- She gone on top above! - Huh?

- She's on top to do the bed. - Something burning!

Oh.

I'll do it.

You go back there, I can do it, I can cook.

- Cup of tea, Mr. Frack? - Oh, why not?

You didn't tell me you had a new waitress, Anselmo?

Daughter of an old friend of mine.

- Foreign by the sound of her. - Yeah.

She only come today, you know, she does not work here.

Not work here? I want to work.

You'll have to go to the police first.

- Police, why the police? - Yeah.

Yes, you must register as an alien, otherwise,

you don't get labour permit.

Don't worry, nothing to worry about.

They won't eat you, not in this country.

They're our friends, huh?

As long as you keep out of trouble.

I want to make money for Nora and me.

Maria, forget about making money.

First, you must get permission to stay here.

Alright, I'll get permission until Father is free.

They put her old man in quod?

Ah, Maria, you think governments come and go like,

like leaves on trees?

No, you are young and optimist, but you must face facts.

Your father is not very popular with the new government.

General Galbern... - General Galbern?

He don't touch him.

He don't dare.

Too many people love my father, he works only for peace.

Goodness me, I forgot all about my cakes!

- Oh, I... - Oh, thanks!

- I hope you don't mind. - Oh, no.

Oh, this come a few days ago, it's for you.

For me?

Oh!

My poor child.

You and Nora, you stay with me.

I know nobody can be like your father, but, but I will try.

You cannot go back now, Maria, you can't.

My father...

He hated violence and destruction and...

He used to say, "This is my sword."

They killed him.

Nora, she mustn't know yet.

No, she must not, but how can you, how do you...

I will manage somehow, but Louis, what happened to Louis?

Don't worry, you'll soon hear from Louis, don't worry.

Now, go upstairs to my room and lie down.

I'll take care of this.

Tomorrow we go and we get the permission, huh?

Mm, a girl like you can get on without a permit.

Without work, for that matter.

Now, Mr. Frack, if you talk to her like this once more,

you no longer come to my cafe.

"I, Maria Brent, swear by Almighty God,"

"that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance"

"to His Majesty, King George the Sixth,"

"his heirs and successors according to law."

"I, Eleanora Brent, swear by Almighty God,"

"that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance"

"to His Majesty, King George the Sixth,"

"his heirs and successors according to law."

Don't run away, Nora, wait for Maria, huh?

Now you're British, huh, happy?

I'll say, no more labour permits.

Maria, I'll rush round and tell Mr. Burnett.

- Yes, darling. - What does he care?

He's only an agent.

Well, it will be easier to get her jobs.

He thinks he might get me some cabaret work in the autumn.

- Cab, but what for? - Money!

More classes, more cabaret work!

You don't have to worry about him anymore.

Come, let's have a drink.

No, I have my, I have my baking to do.

Here they are. - Oh!

You've been working overtime!

- Hello, Bob. - Hello.

- Oh, now, now, one at a time! - My word, that kitchen's hot.

- Have an iced lemonade, come. - Let me buy that for her.

No, no, it's on the house.

Smashing cook, you are, Miss Brentano, if I may say so.

No more Brentano, it's Brent now, Brent.

She's British like me. - We can take it!

Well, we've got her for keeps now, eh?

Oh, isn't that nice?

Congratulations. - Congratulations, Maria!

I wouldn't know what to do without her.

- Liver sausage! - Liver sausage, thank you.

- Thick soup twice. - Alright.

There's something on your mind, Maria, why not tell me?

No, it's just everything's behind hand today.

Did that picture of Galbern upset you?

- Another sandwich. - Yep, yes.

- Thank you. - Ham sandwich.

Make it specially for you, one minute, make it.

- That's soups. - Thank you.

You know, I'm very unhappy, you're working too much.

- I look after myself. - No, you don't.

You look after Nora, you look after me,

you look after the business, then you look after Nora again.

No time for yourself.

Oh, Uncle, you've done everything for us.

We owe you so much. - That is not true.

I owe you.

Because you are working and you are paying back.

Look at the business, going up every day, huh?

But I feel very, very guilty, you are working too much.

Now, come on, tell me, what's on your mind?

Has that picture upset you? - One spaghetti, meat sauce.

Huh?

No, it's...

Well, yes, it set me thinking.

- About your father? - Yes.

- Got the spaghetti? - You see, Uncle.

Father, he didn't mean me to do this all my life, and...

Uncle?

Yes?

Uncle, Nora...

Nora will soon be earning her own living.

If I could find someone, I could train her to take my place,

then, then I could do what I really want, I,

I could teach, for instance.

Teach languages or work on a paper or for a writer.

Maria, you have been happy here?