Quality Street

Come here. Come here.

The postman.

"And so the day passed, and evening came."

A letter, mum.

Kate chap tan has bought some cake.

Whom can she be expecting to tea?

We'll find out.

If you wish, Mary.

Resume, fannie, dear.

"The village clock verily tolled the hour.

"1...

"2...

"3...

"4...

5."

It's that impertinent recruiting sergeant.

I passed him on the street yesterday.

He closed one of his eyes at me,

then quickly opened it again.

I knew what he meant.

Resume, fannie, dear.

"Suddenly, out of the darkness,

there emerged a man"...

"The unhappy captain of a standing lost in reveling,

"when, without pausing to advertise her misintentions,

"he took both her hands in his.

"Slowly he gathered her in his arms

and rained hot, burning kisses-"

sister!

Miss Susan, I am indeed surprised

you should have brought such an amazing indelicate tale

from the library.

I deeply regret, miss Willoughby.

Oh, fannie...

If you please.

I thank you.

Miss Susan is looking at the end.

Forgive my partiality for romance.

It is, I fear, the Mark of an old maid.

Oh, Susan, that word.

It's what I am, Mary.

And you, too, my dear.

I'm happy Phoebe will not be an old maid.

Oh, Phoebe. I beg your pardon.

With your permission, miss Susan,

I shall put on my wraps.

You have it, Mary, dear.

Miss Susan, do you mean

that Mr. B has proposed to her?

Henrietta, I expect it hourly.

You seem strangely excited, Phoebe.

Susan, I met a certain individual.

Mr. B?

Oh, my dear, you're trembling.

No. Oh. Oh, no.

You put your hand to your heart.

Did I?

My love, has he offered?

Susan!

Not yet.

But I was sitting with an unhappy woman

whose husband had-

how do you do, miss Phoebe?

Susan, I have no wish to alarm you,

but I am of opinion there is a man in the house.

A man?

Tobacco smoke.

The kitchen.

I've been just a little afraid of Patty.

Patty, I hope we may not hurt your feelings, but-

are you implicating, mum, that I am a follower?

Oh, no.

So be it.

Patty, there is a man in the house.

To the door with him.

And if he refuses?

Oh, dear.

If he refuses, send him here to me.

Lionhearted Phoebe.

Sergeant, I'm wishful to scold you,

but would you be so obliging as to stand on that paper

while I do it?

With all the pleasure in life.

A shudder goes through me

when I see you in the streets

enticing those poor young men.

I tell them what they're wishful to hear, mum.

There have been 5 of them all this week

listening to me and showing me their heels,

but by a grand stroke of luck,

I have them at last.

Luck?

The luckiest, mum,

for a gentleman of this town has enlisted.

That gave them the push forward.

A gentleman of this town is enlisted?

Yes.

Sergeant, who?

That'd be a secret, mum.

Be so obliging.

That I cannot do.

Oh, but you must. You must.

Um, sergeant, I've not been saying the things

I meant to say to you.

Would you please excuse my turning you out of this house

somewhat violently?

Oh, bless your heart, mum, I'm used to it.

I won't really hurt you.

Thank you kindly.

Be gone, sir!

I forget, sir,

I shall permit no followers in my house.

Should I discover you in my kitchen again,

I shall pitch you out neck and clasp!

Be gone!

Go.

How sweet.

Phoebe, we could not but admire you.

Yes-i mean, couldn't you?

Come, henrietta.

Congratulations, Phoebe.

Phoebe, dear, I wish you very happy.

Miss Phoebe, I give you joy.

Susan, you've been talking to them about Mr. B.

I couldn't help it.

Oh, Susan!

Phoebe, what is it? You have to tell me.

Well, as you know,

I was sitting with an unhappy woman

whose husband was killed in the war,

and as I came out of the cottage,

he was passing.

And...

He offered me his escort.

At first he was very silent

as he has often been of late.

We know why.

Please not to say that I know why.

Suddenly, he stopped and swung his cane.

You know how gallantly he swings his cane?

Yes indeed.

He said, "I have something"

"I'm wishful to tell you, miss Phoebe.

Perhaps you can guess what it is."

To say I could guess is to would have been unladylike.

I said, "please not to tell me

in the public thoroughfare,"

to which he instantly replied,

"then I shall call and tell you this afternoon."

Phoebe.

Susan, to think that it has all happened

in a single year.

Such a gentile competency as he can offer.

A physician.

And so dashing.

And, Susan, how amusing he is.

Yes, isn't he?

The day he first drank tea in this house.

He smoked his pipe in this room.

Smoking is indeed a dreadful habit.

But there's. - There's something so dashing about it.

Phoebe, I have a wedding gift for you.

Susan, not yet.

It's been ready for a long time.

I meant it for myself.

It was years ago.

I had hoped that he-

His name was William.

But I'm afraid I was too unattractive, my love.

Sweetest, dearest.

He was a naval officer.

But something happened-

a miss cecily pembelton.

And they're quite big boys now.

Susan, what is it?

A wedding gown, my dear.

Even playing with it... We can't help it, Phoebe.

When we are young, we have romantic ideas

just as if we were pretty.

Long before it was finished,

I knew he would not offer...

But I finished it.

And then I put it away.

But of late, I've taken it out, altered it.

Susan, I couldn't wear it.

Oh, how sweet.

How beautiful.

You will wear it, my love, won't you?

The roast beef of old England

and all the old English roast beef.

It is he.

That knock.

So dashing.

So imperious.

Susan, I think he kissed me once.

You think? I know he did.

That evening a week ago

when he was squiring me home from the concert.

It was raining, and my face was wet.

He said that was why he did it.