The Children's Hour

You girls take the napkins and the plates.

Out of there. Come on, go find your mom.

Aunt Lily!

Aunt Lily!

- Would you help me here, please? - It's not exactly my line, Martha.

- Thank you. - But all right.

There we are.

Grandma!

Grandma!

Darling!

Grandma, I'm so glad you came.

I could hardly sleep last night, waiting to see you today.

- Mrs. Tilford, will you excuse me, please? - Yes, surely.

My!

Your new dress looks lovely on you, Mary.

- And I must say, you look nice and healthy. - Healthy?

The way they make you slave around here, I'm lucky I don't have gray hair and rickets!

- It's all for your own good. - Everything I hate always is.

Anyway, I'm glad you're here.

- How do you do, Miss Dobie? - Fine, Miss Wright.

- What do you think of our school? - I rather like it. And you?

I may be hasty, but I think it's here to stay.

I think we'll have two or three new pupils next term.

Martha, it's almost too good to believe.

Let's not stand here and gloat.

You should have a kitchen helper.

It's just too much to teach all day, then cook, wash the dishes.

Aunt Lily, 10 minutes is a long time for one glass.

I do not aim for speed, Martha. I aim for perfection in life.

Will you try to perfect a few more?

If you'll excuse me, I have one of my headaches.

I think I'd better go to my room and prepare for tomorrow's classes.

- Good night. - Good night.

Sleep well, Aunt Lily, and knit up the raveled sleeve of care.

Karen...

You know that if I could support her in any other way, I wouldn't have her here.

She worries you too much. One day, we'll have enough money to...

Money! I forgot to tell you.

I did the bills, and we're $90 ahead this month!

- Ahead? I can't believe it! - It's not much, but it's the first time.

Out of the red, into the black.

- Finally! - What'll we do with it?

- Save it. - You need clothes.

- What about you? - I'm a skirt-and-blouse character.

We're always in style. But you're not.

You're Fifth Avenue. Rue de la Paix.

- You need to be kept up. - Yes, like an old battle monument.

I'm serious.

I remember how you used to dress in college.

The first time I ever saw you, running across the quadrangle,

your hair flying.

At the time, I was running from a chemistry professor.

I remember thinking, "What a pretty girl."

Time for lights out.

Your turn to crack the whip. I'll finish up here.

- Hurry back, and we'll take a walk. - All right, I'd like that.

- All right, girls. - Already?

Miss Wright, my new ring, it's gone. I can't find it anywhere.

Don't worry about it. We'll look for it tomorrow.

All right, bedtime.

Lights out, everyone.

Go ahead and sing.

A woman who sings while she works is a happy woman.

Who said that?

Joseph Cardin, M.D. You ever hear of him?

No. Ethical doctors don't advertise.

Ethical doctors starve.

I thought you were at the hospital Sunday nights.

I was. I traded with Dr. Mallory.

Sunday for Wednesday?

It's an even swap. They both have 24 hours.

Why don't you just crawl in and browse around?

- You know what I did this morning? - What?

I delivered my 100th baby.

Congratulations.

- How many children do you want, Martha? - I already have 20.

Upstairs.

- Where's Karen? - Putting them to bed.

That's good practice.

Why don't you pay tuition? Then you could eat three meals a day here.

Martha, you've been a little sharp with me lately.

Have I?

Maybe it's me.

Maybe it is.

Wait.

- Where did you get this book, Mary? - Hurry up. I've read this page twice!

Okay, turn it.

Wow!

Double wow!

She's headed this way.

How peaceful.

Everybody's studying.

Where's Catherine?

That'll be all for today, Catherine.

That's last year's history book, Mary.

I feel funny inside. I don't know what I'm doing.

- I've got pains. - Pains?

- I've had them all day. - Where?

Around.

- Anything I can get you for pains "around"? - I think I'd better call my grandmother.

Perhaps sleep is the best thing tonight, Mary.

Tomorrow I'll call Dr. Cardin and ask him about your pains.

All right?

Catherine, your harness.

Off to sleep, everybody. Good night.

- Good night, Miss Wright. - Good night.

"Dr. Cardin" this, "Dr. Cardin" that.

She always drags him into the conversation.

After all, she's in love with him.

Then why doesn't she marry him?

I heard him ask her that same thing once. Downstairs.

I brought your coat. Are you ready?

Look who's here.

- Look who's here! - Who's here?

You! It's Sunday. What happened?

I killed all the patients and emptied the joint just for kicks.

Come on.

- But... - Come on, Martha.

- I'm too tired for two girls. - Martha and I were going for a walk.

Then go.

You go, Karen. I'm tired. I have papers to correct.

See you later, Martha.

- Want to go to a movie? - Nope.

- Walk by the lake? - Nope.

Have a beer?

Hate beer.

What do you want to do?

Let's try something we've never done before,

like getting married.

Even after we're married we'll be saying the same things every night.

- Movies, a walk by the lake... - I wouldn't like to think that.

No, I wouldn't.

It'd be nice to sit by ourselves in our own room and...

Read a book.

Read a book?

"Miss Wright, is that what you'll be doing after you're married?

"Reading books?"

What's the matter with you, Joe?

Same thing that was the matter with me last week, last month, last year.

You know why we had to wait. I couldn't leave Martha until...

"...until the school was on its feet." Yes, I know.

I've never heard you talk this way before.

Why are you angry tonight?

I don't know.

Why don't you know?

Why don't you know?

People feel the way they feel, that's all.

I feel lonely, and I feel tired

and I'm sick of plans for the future.

- Do you feel in love? - Other people's children.

- I asked you, do you feel in love? - Don't be cute.

What I'm trying to ask you, only you talk so much, is...

Can we have a baby 12 months from now?

All right, kid. You got a date.

How I love you.

Love you. Love you. Love you.

Martha,

Joe and I decided tonight.

We're going to be married two weeks after school lets out.

So soon!

It doesn't seem so soon to Joe.

No, I suppose it doesn't.

Congratulations.

Wouldn't it be nice to have the wedding right here at the school?

The garden will be in full bloom and the roses out.

We could put up a candstriped awning.

And then good-bye, Wright-Dobie school.

My marriage isn't going to make any difference to the school.

It will, Karen. You know it will. It can't help it.

You keep saying things like that. We've talked about all this before.

You know Joe isn't asking me to give it up, and I'm not going to leave.

No, of course not. I don't know what I could be thinking of.

I don't understand you!

It's been so hard building this place up.

Just when we're getting on our feet you're ready to let it all go right to hell!

Martha, for God's sake, do you expect me to give up my marriage?

No.

No, of course not. I'm sorry, Karen.

I don't know how I could be so selfish.

Please, forgive me.

I already have.

It's been a long day. We both need some sleep.

Yes, you're right.

Who has the cooking detail for breakfast?

I do.

Karen...

you know, don't you, that I only want the best for you?

I know.

"This proves me base,

"if she first meet the curled Antony

"he'll make demands of her, and spend that kiss

- "which is my heaven..." - Evelyn. Evelyn.

Can't you imagine yourself as Cleopatra talking to an asp?

"This knot intrinsicate

"of life at once untie.

"Poor venomous fool.

- "Be angry, and dispatch..." - Mary!

Why, Mary, are you just arriving for your elocution class?

If you take no interest in your work, then...

I went to get these flowers for you, Mrs. Mortar.