All Creatures Great And Small (1978) s03e02 Episode Script
Charity Begins At Home
1 Mr.
farnon! Mr.
farnon! Good day to you, Mr.
beresford.
Glad I ran into you.
I've been wanting a word.
We don't see much of you at the bank these days.
No cause for alarm, Mr.
beresford.
I'm merely between secretaries.
- Secretaries? - Yes, another has deserted us.
Mea culpa, I've reverted to the habit of stuffing my ill-gotten gains into a mattress.
It's my wife's coco.
My wife's cocker spaniel.
It behaves badly in the car.
Have you thought of taking it for a walk? A walk? No, it's not that.
When we drive-- when the car is in motion, - he sets up a howling.
- I understand.
Is there anything we can give him for it? There must be.
I'll give it a thought, - and drop something into the bank.
- That's very kind.
Together with the contents of my mattress.
For a moment I thought you were threatening to foreclose.
You must know your credit is good, even in these hard times.
- I hope so, Mr.
beresford.
- Of course.
I'll drop something into the bank the very next time I'm passing.
- Thank you, Mr.
farnon.
- Good day, Mr.
beresford.
Oh, boy Oh, boy.
Never talk to your bank manager.
Mr.
farnon.
I'm sorry to bother you.
It's no bother, no bother at all.
- Could you-- - it's Marjorie, isn't it? Yeah.
Could you come, please? It's a cat, and it's hurt.
It's awful.
- Where? - In the yard.
Here you are, joby.
He'll be right as rain in a few days.
Next please.
Ah, morning.
Morning, Mr.
herriot.
Just get him up on the table, please.
Oh, here.
Let me.
Come on, baby, up we come.
There's a good dog.
Hold tight.
That's it.
- Now then-- - name of Bailey, sir.
Mr.
Bailey, what seems to be the trouble? - Arthritis.
- Arthritis? Nay, nay, that's with me.
With him, it's this cough.
He's always at it.
And then he retches at the end of it.
Uh-huh, I see.
How old is he? He were 10 last month.
It's chronic bronchitis, Mr.
Bailey.
Lots of dogs at that age suffer from it, just as we do.
I'm a bit wheezy myself sometimes.
You're not really so bad, are you? - Nay, nay.
- Neither is your dog.
We'll give him an injection just to help him, and then we'll put him on a course Of tablets.
All right, all right.
There we are.
Excuse me, siegfried.
- Sorry.
- Thank you.
See that he gets two of these, daily, morning and night.
- And keep him warm.
- Oh, I do.
Keep each other warm, don't we, lad? This won't get rid of the cough altogether, but it will make life a lot easier for him.
That's all we ask.
Don't we, lad? Good.
Just see that he gets them regularly.
And bring him back if it gets any worse.
Thank you, sir.
What do I owe thee? No, that's all right, let's see how it goes.
- Eh? - There is no charge.
That's all right, don't worry about it.
Just see that he gets these tablets, and keep him warm.
I will, sir.
It's very kind of you.
But, I didn't expect you to do it-- no, I know you didn't.
Goodbye for now and bring him back in again if he's not a lot better within a few days.
I will, sir.
Come on, Jack.
- Thank you again.
- It's a pleasure, Mr.
Bailey, goodbye.
Can I help? Horse tooth forceps.
You put them in your desk on Friday.
- Thank you, James.
- Pleasure.
- James? - Yes? Forgive my mentioning it, but aren't you being a trifle rash-- - doing work for nothing? - He's an old-age pensioner.
Pretty hard up from the look of him.
Maybe so, but you simply can't just give your services free.
Surely, occasionally, in a case like this-- no, James! Not even occasionally.
It's just not practical.
- I've seen you do it, time and time again.
- Me? No, I'm far to aware of the harsh realities of life.
And everything's getting so frantically expensive.
Take those m&b tablets, for instance.
Heaven help us, do you know those things cost threepence each?! Threepence! Four for a shilling, it's no good.
You must not work without charging for it.
Damn it, siegfried, you're always doing it.
Only last week-- please get things in proportion.
Never act on impulse.
You mustn't imagine because from time to time I make adjustments, that this practice is any kind of a charitable institution.
I do understand, you acted from the highest of motives and it does you credit.
Don't think for a moment that I'm not tempted sometimes, but it's a temptation that we must resist.
You got to be firm.
Times are hard, you know.
And we have to be hard to survive.
And what about Helen? Helen? Going off happily to her new job? If you work for nothing Isn't it-- forgive me, James, isn't it a sort of betrayal? Charity begins at home, James.
Hello, what have you got? A cat, a stray.
Marjorie Simpson found it.
Well I'm off.
Expect me when you see me.
I'm going to raworth's.
He's got a mare, - quit eating.
- Bye.
- What's wrong? - I don't know, but it's bad.
Oh, good lord.
Run over? No, I don't think so.
It's not crushed, is it? It might have been savaged by a dog.
Or badly kicked.
Some kick.
Some people.
Poor little thing.
Be better off.
Probably wandered Miles from home, he's a skeleton.
Hey, listen to that.
Yes, amazing in that condition.
It's no good, tris, it has got to be done.
Ether.
We'll put some on the blanket.
And he can just sleep away.
I don't fancy this much.
Can't we do something? - What, do you mean put that lot back? - Yes.
Look how damaged the bowels are, tris.
- It's like a sieve in parts.
- We could stitch them, couldn't we? I wouldn't know where to start.
And it's filthy in there.
- Listen to him.
Come on.
We'll put a mask over his head and get this lot cleaned up.
You best have your lads check the feed, colonel.
For a permanent molar to fracture like that, he must have bitten something very hard.
It could have been stone.
There is inflammation of the periosteum.
That should settle down quite quickly.
We'll put him onto sulfapyradine.
There's a new tablet out.
"M&b" they call it.
Mind you, it's expensive, sixpence a tablet.
But it does the trick.
- Well, he's still with us.
- I knew you could do it.
Not without the help of the nimble-fingered farnon but don't speak too soon.
I'd be a lot happier if we could have done a better job of cleaning him up inside.
There's a lot of dirt in there, still, we put him on m&b, and hope for the best.
Going to be all right, you'll see.
- Good lord, you two still at it? - Darling, you're home early.
Poor little thing.
- Is it bad? - Yes, I'm afraid it is.
We've done our best.
- But there's not much hope.
- Come off it.
All that work? What a shame? It's such a pretty thing.
Who's is he? Don't know.
Marjorie found him.
Then what will you do with him? If he gets better? - That's settled then.
- What is? - He'll sleep in our room.
- He will? Yes, he must be kept warm, mustn't he? Come on, sweetheart.
Come on.
There's a good boy.
You are a good boy.
Come on, make you strong and well again.
Oscar, come on try.
Just a little.
Just a little lick.
Come on.
Open your mouth.
Oscar, come on, be a good boy.
Oscar? Morning, darling.
Oscar? - Yes, that's what we're going to call him.
- Are we? - You mean we're going to keep him? - Certainly.
I'm trying to make him eat.
Be a good boy, come on.
You didn't think he'd make it, did you? Frankly, no.
You see? Now, come along.
He's can still be a bit dozy yet, darling.
Come on, Oscar.
Sorry, old thing.
- Here we are.
- Little thing.
Just listen to him purr.
He purred like that all night.
- All night? - Whenever I got up to see how he was.
Come on, Oscar.
Be a good boy.
He won't want any yet.
He is game though.
He's got more sheep gut inside him than his own.
- It's amazing.
- Nothing amazing about it.
You did a very good job, that's all.
That's incredible.
It's down.
With all that he's got inside him, I expected raging peritonitis at least.
He's got more faith in you than that.
Haven't you, Oscar? Why Oscar? I don't know.
This won't do.
I'm a working girl.
You've picked a fine time to be nursemaid.
All taken care of.
We can't have Mrs.
hall traipsing up here all the time.
Nothing to do with Mrs.
hall.
I have a little arrangement.
- With Tristan.
- Have you? I've discovered something new about our tough guy Tristan.
He's absolutely potty about cats.
If it hadn't been for him, Oscar wouldn't be alive today, would he? - Come in.
Heard you were up.
How's the patient? Great scot! It's a bit early for you, isn't it? Oh, James - Oscar, there you are.
- I just let him in.
- Come on, upstairs.
- No, let him stay.
I think he enjoys the company.
I'm just off, siegfried.
Would you be kind and look in on raworth for me? Yes, yes, all right.
A client.
We are going through this m&b like sweets.
Speak for yourself, James.
I will.
I think we should use it with more caution.
You're throwing it around like confetti.
Really, James! I can forgive hyperbole, - but obscurantism never! - What? James, you're a fuddy-duddy.
This tablet is the biggest breakthrough since antiseptics.
It's already revolutionized the treatment of streptococcal septicemia.
Take my word for it, it heralds the age of chemical therapeutics.
All right.
But it can sometimes be very toxic.
Undeniably.
We haven't killed anything yet.
Or anybody.
Confetti! Come on, osc.
Don't want to get you infected with something.
There you go.
- It's Mr.
Bailey, isn't it? - That's right.
Come in, Mr.
Bailey.
Bad again, is he? Right bad again, sir, or I wouldn't have come.
Well, let's have a look at him.
Looks to me as if you'd do with a bit of help yourself.
It's this damned arthritis.
Come on, come on.
I've gone a long way in a long time.
Please, do sit down.
Nay! Nay! Do as I say.
Make yourself comfortable.
Nay, it's all right.
Sit you down, Mr.
Bailey.
Thank you.
Let's put the rubber over you, shall we? I'm afraid it's Anno domini, Mr.
Bailey.
Comes to us all.
Aye, I suppose we mustn't complain.
I had fair innings, I reckon, but I don't like the idea of losing him yet.
We can keep him going for a bit.
He won't be having pain, will he? He'll be in a bit of discomfort, but we can do something about that.
You giving him the pills, are you? Aye, but he went through them long since.
Never mind, we can give you some more of those.
You keep him nice and warm? He's got his blanket, but he doesn't get the benefit of it when I take him out.
You could get him a nice little coat.
Hmm, aye.
Would that cost much? I don't see why it should.
Couldn't your wife run him one up? She might, if I had one.
- She passed on two years since.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
There you are, old fella.
That should give you the right sort of bark for a bit.
There now.
All right.
Keep on the same pills as before.
Thank you, very much.
You give him one, three times a day.
It were twice, before.
We'll try him on three, see how he does.
Right, Mr.
farnon.
I'll give you a good supply.
There now.
Very good, sir.
Now what do I owe thee? - Beg your pardon? - The charge.
That's all right, Mr.
Bailey.
Sorry? There's no charge.
Oh, Mr.
farnon, I couldn't.
Not another word.
I don't want to hear any more about it.
- I don't know.
- Off you go.
It's second time.
I'll get the door for you.
Hang on a minute.
Get him that overcoat.
- Oh no, Mr.
farnon, I couldn't.
- Mr.
Bailey, he's my patient.
I don't want to see him go before his time anymore than you do.
Where do you live? Over blimgate way? Charlton Greene, the council houses.
I'm gonna pass there so I'll give you a lift if you'll hang on.
I don't know how to thank thee, Mr.
farnon-- just make yourself comfortable for a moment.
Hello, darling, had a good day? Hey! What's all this? - Oh, James! - What? - It's Oscar! - What about Oscar? - He's gone! - I saw him this morning, and before I went out.
He's not been here all evening! He's bound to be somewhere.
He does have to go out.
I've around the garden and the yard-- three times! I've even been around the square.
He's gone! That's silly.
He can't have gone.
- He did before, didn't he? - Cats are like that.
They've been known to go for days on end.
No.
I think he's run away! Why on earth should he do that? Cat's know when they're well off.
That's just it.
He might have been better off before.
The way you spoil him, that's ridiculous! Sit down, sit down.
- Do you know what Mrs.
bond told me? - What? - She said-- - who's Mrs.
bond? - The cat lady.
- Oh, yes.
One of hers was away for two months.
- Really? - That's what she said.
He came back acting as if he'd been away two hours.
Oh, James.
Thanks for trying.
No, that's what she said.
And I believe her.
- Mrs.
herriot? - Oh, now what? Ah.
I knew you were worried so I brought him straight up.
Oh, Mrs.
hall.
I'll say this, you don't starve him.
You shouldn't have dragged all the way up.
Where was he, Mrs.
hall? Mothers' union meeting at church house.
Vicar's wife brought him back.
Oscar, you silly.
What were you doing there? - Listening.
- What? Aye, he listened.
Then he went 'round and had a bit of a chat.
"Bit of a chat"? Her words, not mine.
Even had a cup of tea with them.
- That's what she said.
- And the vicar's wife is not one for romancing.
Oscar, you silly.
Fancy.
Mr.
farnon? Marjorie, good morning.
Mr.
farnon, I just had to thank you for what you did to that cat.
That's all right.
It's a pleasure.
How clever you are.
Not at all.
He was so bad, I thought you'd just put him to sleep.
He's a brave little chap, it was well worth a try.
I couldn't believe me eyes.
There he was in the yard watching the men working.
I thought it was another cat at first.
Mr.
farnon, you are clever.
Tristan.
Pardon? - Call me Tristan.
- Oh! I wish I was as clever as that.
- Clever at something.
- Oh, perhaps you are.
Oh, no, Mr.
farnon.
- Tristan.
- Tristan, I mean.
We could always find out.
Find out what? - How clever you are.
- How? - Simply by talking.
- Oh.
How does one know anything except by talking? And listening, of course.
Well, yes.
Talking to you for what, a few seconds? I already know that you're very good at something.
- What? - Thanking people.
Oh.
All you did was come up to me and thank me so beautifully that, well I just want to go on and on talking to you.
Oh, Mr.
farnon.
- Tristan.
- Tristan.
What are you doing this evening? - This evening? - Hmm, this evening.
Thursday afternoon.
Good afternoon.
What a good looker.
Yes, he is, isn't he? Nicely proportioned.
- Yes.
- Do you hunt him? Yes.
There's a good deal of arab in him, isn't there? He's a first cross.
That's what I thought.
What a good sort.
You're new here, aren't you? No, I just come and go a lot.
I'm Sarah raworth.
Oh, I see.
I'm siegfried farnon.
How do you do? How do you do.
Arthur? Put him in his box, would you? Very, very nice.
I believe you know Diana brompton? - Yes, I do, indeed I do.
- We were at school together.
How could any institution deserve two such lovely creatures? No wonder Diana keeps you all to herself.
Have you just been to see Jasper? Yes, I have.
The periostitis cleared up wonderfully.
How clever of you.
Absolutely not.
Mere familiarity.
Isn't that supposed to breed contempt? Not with horses.
Only men and women? Now there I think we have a choice, because when Eve was disposed to be familiar, only Adam was contemptible.
- I could kill that Diana.
- Are you here for long this time? Depends on daddy.
I get on his nerves, rather.
- Oh? - How about you? Nerves of steel.
I mean, shall we be seeing you again? Without a doubt.
Even though the periostitis has cleared up? Yes, I believe in diligent after care.
Diana said you were a very good vet.
Goodbye, Mr.
farnon.
Goodbye, miss raworth.
- Hi, Mr.
herriot.
- Hello, Ted.
- You been working.
- How did you know? Well, that's not your Sunday suit.
There's blood on your nose and something on your ear your missus will wrinkle her nose at.
Funny how you want to scratch at a time like that.
I reckon old Mick's still rounding up them sheep.
Or counting them.
- Have you seen that dog's eyes? - No, what about them? Something terrible, and getting worse, I reckon.
Doesn't bother Albert, but it looks like a disease to me.
That's Albert close, isn't it? Aye, Shepherd over at lambs' top.
- Excuse me, Ted.
- Aye.
Evening, Mr.
close.
- Eh? - How are you, Mr.
close? Aye.
And how is Mick? How long has he been like this? - Eh? - It's his eyes, Mr.
close.
They're in a bad state.
Aye.
He's got a bit of cold in them.
He's been subject to it ever since he was a pup.
- It's worse than a cold.
It's his eyelids.
- Eh? He's got turned in eyelids.
It's very serious.
Aye.
He lays down with his head at front of door.
- It's drafty there.
- No, that's got nothing to do with it.
It's call entropia, and it affects the-- ever since he was a pup, he's been subject.
- You're out a bit early.
- Or you're late.
You know Marjorie Simpson? - Oh, yes.
Hello.
- Hello.
- Was I right, Mr.
herriot? - Yes, you were, Ted.
It's called entropia.
It's very nasty.
The eyelids are turned in so the lashes rub against the eyeball.
He's probably had it since he was born.
- He's suffering, then.
- Yes, I'm afraid he is.
Poor beggar.
Can you cure it? Yes, there is an operation.
Operation? Expensive is it? It's a bit fiddly and takes a long time.
It'd cost a pound or more.
- Lots of brass.
- Yes.
I'll go talk to the silly old beggar.
- We're off up the zambezi.
- Where's that? Africa.
Lantern lecture at the women's institute.
Lantern lec-- oh, I see.
No, you don't.
Marjorie's in charge of the slides.
Gotta be in the right order or we go down the river instead of up.
Are you sure you won't be bored? Bored? Me? With you there? Shouldn't we be going? - There's time for one more, surely? - I don't think so.
- I'm off to powder my nose.
- Yes.
Poor girl, she'll be lucky.
Lantern lecture? Think you can stand the pace? It's worth it though, isn't it? She's very fetching, a bit young though, tris.
It's the hero worship I can't resist, James.
New experience for me.
- You'll come to a sticky end.
- But a happy one.
Here you are, doctor.
You can explain to some people till you're black in the face.
I think he understands.
It's just he hasn't got brass.
I'm going to put him a drop in here.
- What's a quid? - It's 60 of these.
Three weeks old-age pension, with the average wage at 30 Bob a week, - it's a small fortune.
- Do it for the poor devil.
Do you think I don't want to? I just can't.
It's not like you to be mean.
- It's not a question of meanness.
- What, then? You can't run a practice like that.
Like what?! Every once in a while.
- Look at him, poor old-- - that's just it-- it's not every once in a while.
- Where do you draw the line? - Oh, Jim.
Don't "oh, Jim" me.
The country's full of suffering animals, we can't treat them all.
You bring in a cat that's half-kicked to pieces, we spend four hours putting it together again.
Who pays for that? - We do.
- What do we live on? What about your brother? - What about my wife? - All right, no need to get so steamed up.
Well! - Hello, darling.
- Hello.
- Ugh.
- Ah.
I had a rather long session at saunderson's, you see? Then I looked in at the drover's for one.
Two.
- I made some supper for you.
- Good.
I'm famished.
Thank you.
What's the matter? What's wrong? - Darling! - I know! I'm being silly, but I just can't help it.
How long has he been gone? He's not been here since I came in.
It's over three hours.
- That's not very long! - I know, I know! I keep telling myself that it's silly, but Having looked after him, now that he's fit and well again James, I just couldn't bear to lose him.
I know.
I tell you what, why don't we go for a scout around? I've been.
Go to church house? Go on, clear off.
I'm sorry.
A bit cheeky, wasn't it? - She's all right.
- In that case Hmmm! - Hello, puss.
Well, I'm jiggered.
It can't be! - It is! - The cat? Oscar, what have you been doing in there? Think he's been in there all evening? I suppose he must have been.
- Dark.
- Umm.
If this gets any longer I'll trip over it.
It's not for you.
It's Tristan's birthday present.
I can't compete with that.
His own set of darts at the drover's? He'll love them.
I was going to get him "black's veterinary dictionary.
" - Oh, no! Not for tris.
- Oh, yes.
- Pity we can't give him what he really wants.
- What's that? A guitar.
- Really? - To replace that one that got broken.
- He never said.
- No, not in as many words.
But I've seen him looking in howell's window, eyes out on stalks.
Poor tris.
I think he's saving up.
Oh, to be rich.
- Do you think we ever will be? - No.
Doubt it.
- Do you mind? - Hmm? Sometimes, I suppose.
It would be nice to give-- exotic presents, - not just useful ones.
- Yes, I know how you feel.
- What's that? - Meee-ow.
This is getting to be a habit.
Where was he? - Women's institute.
- Oh, Oscar.
Lantern lecture, "up the zambezi," looking at his big relations.
- Just a minute! - What? - Something about-- - don't be tiresome.
- I'm nearly finished.
- This is becoming a very irritating habit.
- Why don't you read your own disgraceful rag? - Mrs.
hall borrowed it.
- All right, it's all yours.
- Thank you.
What's of such absorbing interest? Air raid shelters.
Home secretary offering to householders for the use of.
Sort of a workman's hutch, you put them up in the garden.
Let's hope we don't have to.
Heavens above! Yeats is dead.
There's a memorial service.
- Headingley? - No, not the cricketer, the poet.
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.
" What? W.
B.
Yeats, "the second coming.
" "And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?" Wonderful stuff.
This isn't going to buy the baby a new bonnet.
James, what's your program for this morning? I've got to finish over saunderson's, then there's Robson, having trouble farrowing.
- It won't take you long, will it? - No.
And I said I'd look in at long back.
- Oh, damn! - "I will arise and go now.
" W.
B.
Yeats.
Before you get to Innisfree, drop in on beresford at the bank.
Helen did it yesterday when she paid him.
Did she? Splendid girl.
How's that job of hers, is she happy? - Yes, seems to be.
- Not doing too much, is she? - You know Helen.
- Yes, I do.
I must say, I miss her cheerfulness in the morning.
She always gave a good start to the day.
You are a lucky fellow.
You think I don't know it? Nobody waiting.
James, since you haven't got very much on, do you think you could do that phlebotomy for me over at darston? All right.
Most grateful, give me a chance to look in on mother.
- At this time of day? - Why not at this time of day? - Bit early, isn't it? - Is it? For her, I mean.
- Matter of fact, she wants to do some shopping.
- Oh, yes.
And she wants to ask my advice about something.
- Oh, yes? - Um-hmm.
- I thought we'd go to lunch in ripon-- - she'd like that.
- On my way to debbington.
- The raworth place! Yes, he's fussing on about glanders, and I said I'd do a test.
Give her my love, won't you? Mother? Of course I will.
Tell her I'll pop over next week.
Right.
Come on, Christina.
He was ejected today from a meeting of the rural district council.
- Who was? - Oscar.
I think I understand him now.
Those nightly outings? He's not running away.
- He's visiting.
- Visiting? Certainly.
He likes to get about, loves people, crowds.
Likes to see what they're doing.
He's a natural mixer.
- You mean a socialite.
- Absolutely.
A high stepper.
A cat about town.
- Oh, by the way - Hmm? I looked in at howell's window today, that guitar is gone.
- He's bought it? - Don't be ridiculous.
Have you any idea how much it costs? Poor tris.
No, but I know roughly the price of catgut.
James! - It's not the only guitar in the world, is it? - No.
Well, then.
Hey there, Mr.
farnon.
Come to play the darts match? No, Ted, we're off to "goodbye, Mr.
chips.
" - Where's he going? - No, the pictures.
"Goodbye, Mr.
chips," Robert donat.
My mother said she couldn't stop crying.
I can't reckon that'd help.
Enough to cry about without going to the pictures for it.
Like over there.
Red lion's giving us a right pasting.
Never mind, Ted.
You'll be all right with a few more pints inside.
Talking of red lions, you see that? It's Oscar! What about that? - He must follow you about.
- He just likes the company.
- You know him? - It's Mrs.
herriot's.
- I'll take him back, she'll be worried.
- We'll be late! - No, it won't take long.
- Yes, it will.
I hate missing the beginning.
He'll be all right.
He often drops in.
I'll take him back.
All right, Ted.
Thanks very much.
It's not catching, is it? - What? - What Mick's got.
Albert's dog.
- Them eyes? - Oh, no! I wish we could get Albert to do something about it, but he won't listen.
Leastwise, he won't hear.
There is a difference.
Lot of brass to cure a cold, he says.
- He be suffering, Mr.
farnon, that dog? - I'm afraid so, Ted.
- All the time? - Every time he opens his eyes, blinks.
Silly bugger.
Here, Albert, listen to me.
You've got to do something about that dog.
Aye.
You can put a drop in there.
No, I can't put a drop in there.
- I've been talking to Mr.
farnon.
- Aye.
You still know who Mr.
farnon is? - Aye.
- He says it's not a cold.
Not here by the fire.
He says you've got to do something.
Aye.
You can put a drop in there.
Same again, Mr.
farnon? Thanks very much, Ted.
That's very kind.
No thanks, we've got to be going.
I knew it couldn't last forever.
Hello? Hello, mother.
Not at all.
Did you? Yes, so did I, very much.
- James? - Hmm? Front door.
Yes, of course I will.
There's no hurry.
It's absolutely the right thing, I promise you.
Take my word for it.
Mr.
herriot, can I have a word? Yes, of course.
Come on.
Siegfried, you remember Ted? Yes, hello, Mr.
dobson.
How are you? - How did the darts match go? - They whitewashed us.
Oh, dear.
You should enlist my brother.
He throws a pretty dart.
He's always busy with someone else when I see him.
Come on, Ted.
Come in here.
Are you private? Nay, nay.
- Come in here, it's warmer.
- Thanks, siegfried.
Come on in.
Can I offer you a drink? - I won't say no, Mr.
farnon.
- Good! Sit, get comfortable.
- You'd like a beer? - Thanks.
- And you, James? - Please.
What can we do for you, Ted? It's about Mick.
- Oh, the drover's.
- Aye.
It's a collie, siegfried.
Belongs to Albert close, the Shepherd.
- Entropian.
- Oh, nasty.
This one is.
Long-standing and neglected.
Not the condition to neglect.
He isn't very bright, Albert.
Mr.
herriot did say there was a treatment.
Of course, there is.
Have you seen the dog, James? Yes, and it's operable.
Trouble is, he can't find brass.
And missus isn't too grand that he can't afford it.
He doesn't need to worry about that, Mr.
dobson.
Just tell him to bring the dog along.
Can't let the animal suffer, can we, James? Thank you, Mr.
farnon, but dart club will fork out.
It was getting on our nerves to see a dog like that.
We all got together and kicked in a Bob or two.
A pound you said, Mr.
herriot.
About that, yes.
We'll not miss that, naught but a few pints.
- There is one thing, Mr.
farnon.
- What's that? - Me and Lance would like to see it.
- See what? The operation.
So you get your money's worth? Nay, more out of interest.
I was pulling your leg, Mr.
dobson.
I don't see why not, do you, James? - How many would you be? - Six, maybe eight, with a full turnout.
That would be a bit of a crush.
I don't see why we shouldn't cope with it.
Yes.
Tell him to bring the dog along.
- There's something else.
- What's that? Albert's a bit independent-- proud like.
He'll think it charity.
That's difficult, isn't it? But if we can get the dog on the quiet, - without him knowing-- - how would we do that? When he goes over to brawton, Saturday, he don't take Mick then.
I see, Saturday.
Well, James, what have we got on? I'm pretty sure it's free.
Consider it done.
God bless you, Mr.
farnon.
Let me give you the other half.
Hello, Helen, my dear.
Come to the end of your working week? Wage slaves don't know how lucky they are.
Saturday afternoon and Sunday off.
"Six days shalt thou labor" But not if you're a veterinary surgeon.
All alone? Yes, your husband and my brother are out about a canine conspiracy.
- I can ice the cake.
Did you get champagne? - Damn, I knew I'd forget.
- I've got to get the present, too.
- You're cutting it fine! The patient's due any moment-- - do you want me to do it? - No, there will be time.
- Here they are! - I'll see you later! - Good afternoon? - Mr.
herriot? - Mr.
herriot's out on a case.
- I'll call back.
I'm his partner.
Can I help you? Come on in.
I think he's got my cat.
Really? What makes you think that? It was something I heard.
I lost my cat a bit since.
I used to live at miston then I got a job at wedderly.
It was then he went missing.
I reckon he's trying to find his way back home.
Wedderly's the other side of brawton, 30 Miles from here.
I know.
Cats is funny things.
Why do you think he's here? Well, I have a cousin who lives here in darrowby.
He heard tell of this cat that goes around to meetings.
My cat was always going out to gatherings.
- Helen? - Siegfried, come in.
- Helen, sorry to bother you-- - don't be so silly, come in.
This is Mr.
Gibbons, Mrs.
herriot.
Helen, it's-- it's Oscar.
Tiger! Hello, old lad.
It's him, Mrs.
herriot.
It's him, all right.
And don't he look well? By gaw, he looks champion! I never thought I'd see thee again, lad.
Wait till I tell them at home.
Is that what you call him? Tiger? Aye! Kids called him that.
My two lads.
They were brokenhearted when we lost him.
Wait till I tell them, tiger.
They'll be right chuffed to hear thou's all right.
I'm beholden to you, Mrs.
herriot, for taking such good care on him.
It'll be a comfort to know he has a good home.
Oh, Mr.
Gibbons.
You must take him with you.
- Nay, Mrs.
herriot.
- Of course, you must.
Now, then are you sure? Quite sure.
- I didn't come here to demand him back.
- I know you didn't.
Well, if you're sure.
I won't deny we'd like him back.
By gaw, lad, thou's put some weight on.
Ain't thou, eh? Well Thanks again, Mrs.
herriot.
It's very good of you.
We'll have to be off if we're going to catch bus.
Bye bye Tiger.
Come on, Gibbons, I'll see you downstairs.
- You'll need a basket for him.
On you go.
- Thank you.
Let's have a look at this.
What a mess.
As you'd expect.
He has conjunctivitis, of course, and the keratitis, has been there some time.
But I think The cornea It's all right.
It's not ulcerated.
He'll be all right then? Yes, there should be no permanent damage.
Gentlemen You gave him to us in time.
But I'll ask you not to crowd, if you will.
We need our elbow room.
Now then, lads, you heard Mr.
farnon.
Plenty of elbow room for them.
This is one match we'll not mind By God, it's hot in here.
Catch him! Too late.
Right, that's it.
We'll put him on drops to relieve the inflammation, but he should settle down soon.
Bring him back in 10 days and we'll have those stitches out.
Here we are, gentlemen, a much needed restorative.
Come on in.
You better hold one of these under his nose, see if that does any good.
There we are.
Try that.
- There you are, sir.
- Thank you.
- James? - Thanks.
One for you.
Up you come.
Is he all right? He's going to be right as rain.
By heck, though it's money Cheap at double price.
Aye, Mr.
dobson.
To relieve an animal of its pain, we'd do the job for nothing if we could, wouldn't we? Where are you taking me? You'll see.
- What's here? - Oscar.
Oh, no, I couldn't.
It's just what you need.
See him with a family.
With the kids.
I can't.
You think I don't understand? For more than three years I've been giving animals back to people who thought they'd lost them.
There's no feeling quite like it.
Come on.
Come on.
Mrs.
herriot! Good evening, Mr.
Gibbons.
This is my husband.
I'm pleased to meet you, Mr.
herriot.
And you, Mr.
Gibbons.
- I don't want to trouble you, but we'd like to see-- - tiger.
With the family.
I'm afraid he's not here at present.
- Oh? - It's Saturday night, thou knows.
He always goes to the pictures Saturday night.
Although I don't know what he'll find around here.
Do you? Come in.
Come in and meet wife and kids.
They want to thank you.
Helen, it's lovely.
Thank you.
Keep me nice and snug when I'm using these.
Here's something else to keep the cold out.
There you are.
Better sit down.
Siegfried, how marvelous! - Don't tell me it's what you've always wanted.
- But it is! It's intended to curb your dionysiac habits.
And something from Mrs.
hall.
for he's a jolly good fellow for he's a jolly good fellow for he's a jolly good fellow and so say all of us! Come on, blow! Puff, little brother, puff! - I'll answer.
- Bellows to men! - Cigarettes taking their toll.
- Siegfried, it's his birthday.
It's only another way of wishing him many happy returns.
- Yes! - Well done! It's for you, Mr.
Tristan.
Thank you, Mrs.
hall.
Now, mind-- you have your dinner first.
Of course, Mrs.
hall.
It's nigh on ready.
- Okay.
- That was mother.
- At this time of day? Wanted to know if I liked her present? Really? Oh, I say! I say! How clever of her! Wasn't it? Come on, play something.
farnon! Mr.
farnon! Good day to you, Mr.
beresford.
Glad I ran into you.
I've been wanting a word.
We don't see much of you at the bank these days.
No cause for alarm, Mr.
beresford.
I'm merely between secretaries.
- Secretaries? - Yes, another has deserted us.
Mea culpa, I've reverted to the habit of stuffing my ill-gotten gains into a mattress.
It's my wife's coco.
My wife's cocker spaniel.
It behaves badly in the car.
Have you thought of taking it for a walk? A walk? No, it's not that.
When we drive-- when the car is in motion, - he sets up a howling.
- I understand.
Is there anything we can give him for it? There must be.
I'll give it a thought, - and drop something into the bank.
- That's very kind.
Together with the contents of my mattress.
For a moment I thought you were threatening to foreclose.
You must know your credit is good, even in these hard times.
- I hope so, Mr.
beresford.
- Of course.
I'll drop something into the bank the very next time I'm passing.
- Thank you, Mr.
farnon.
- Good day, Mr.
beresford.
Oh, boy Oh, boy.
Never talk to your bank manager.
Mr.
farnon.
I'm sorry to bother you.
It's no bother, no bother at all.
- Could you-- - it's Marjorie, isn't it? Yeah.
Could you come, please? It's a cat, and it's hurt.
It's awful.
- Where? - In the yard.
Here you are, joby.
He'll be right as rain in a few days.
Next please.
Ah, morning.
Morning, Mr.
herriot.
Just get him up on the table, please.
Oh, here.
Let me.
Come on, baby, up we come.
There's a good dog.
Hold tight.
That's it.
- Now then-- - name of Bailey, sir.
Mr.
Bailey, what seems to be the trouble? - Arthritis.
- Arthritis? Nay, nay, that's with me.
With him, it's this cough.
He's always at it.
And then he retches at the end of it.
Uh-huh, I see.
How old is he? He were 10 last month.
It's chronic bronchitis, Mr.
Bailey.
Lots of dogs at that age suffer from it, just as we do.
I'm a bit wheezy myself sometimes.
You're not really so bad, are you? - Nay, nay.
- Neither is your dog.
We'll give him an injection just to help him, and then we'll put him on a course Of tablets.
All right, all right.
There we are.
Excuse me, siegfried.
- Sorry.
- Thank you.
See that he gets two of these, daily, morning and night.
- And keep him warm.
- Oh, I do.
Keep each other warm, don't we, lad? This won't get rid of the cough altogether, but it will make life a lot easier for him.
That's all we ask.
Don't we, lad? Good.
Just see that he gets them regularly.
And bring him back if it gets any worse.
Thank you, sir.
What do I owe thee? No, that's all right, let's see how it goes.
- Eh? - There is no charge.
That's all right, don't worry about it.
Just see that he gets these tablets, and keep him warm.
I will, sir.
It's very kind of you.
But, I didn't expect you to do it-- no, I know you didn't.
Goodbye for now and bring him back in again if he's not a lot better within a few days.
I will, sir.
Come on, Jack.
- Thank you again.
- It's a pleasure, Mr.
Bailey, goodbye.
Can I help? Horse tooth forceps.
You put them in your desk on Friday.
- Thank you, James.
- Pleasure.
- James? - Yes? Forgive my mentioning it, but aren't you being a trifle rash-- - doing work for nothing? - He's an old-age pensioner.
Pretty hard up from the look of him.
Maybe so, but you simply can't just give your services free.
Surely, occasionally, in a case like this-- no, James! Not even occasionally.
It's just not practical.
- I've seen you do it, time and time again.
- Me? No, I'm far to aware of the harsh realities of life.
And everything's getting so frantically expensive.
Take those m&b tablets, for instance.
Heaven help us, do you know those things cost threepence each?! Threepence! Four for a shilling, it's no good.
You must not work without charging for it.
Damn it, siegfried, you're always doing it.
Only last week-- please get things in proportion.
Never act on impulse.
You mustn't imagine because from time to time I make adjustments, that this practice is any kind of a charitable institution.
I do understand, you acted from the highest of motives and it does you credit.
Don't think for a moment that I'm not tempted sometimes, but it's a temptation that we must resist.
You got to be firm.
Times are hard, you know.
And we have to be hard to survive.
And what about Helen? Helen? Going off happily to her new job? If you work for nothing Isn't it-- forgive me, James, isn't it a sort of betrayal? Charity begins at home, James.
Hello, what have you got? A cat, a stray.
Marjorie Simpson found it.
Well I'm off.
Expect me when you see me.
I'm going to raworth's.
He's got a mare, - quit eating.
- Bye.
- What's wrong? - I don't know, but it's bad.
Oh, good lord.
Run over? No, I don't think so.
It's not crushed, is it? It might have been savaged by a dog.
Or badly kicked.
Some kick.
Some people.
Poor little thing.
Be better off.
Probably wandered Miles from home, he's a skeleton.
Hey, listen to that.
Yes, amazing in that condition.
It's no good, tris, it has got to be done.
Ether.
We'll put some on the blanket.
And he can just sleep away.
I don't fancy this much.
Can't we do something? - What, do you mean put that lot back? - Yes.
Look how damaged the bowels are, tris.
- It's like a sieve in parts.
- We could stitch them, couldn't we? I wouldn't know where to start.
And it's filthy in there.
- Listen to him.
Come on.
We'll put a mask over his head and get this lot cleaned up.
You best have your lads check the feed, colonel.
For a permanent molar to fracture like that, he must have bitten something very hard.
It could have been stone.
There is inflammation of the periosteum.
That should settle down quite quickly.
We'll put him onto sulfapyradine.
There's a new tablet out.
"M&b" they call it.
Mind you, it's expensive, sixpence a tablet.
But it does the trick.
- Well, he's still with us.
- I knew you could do it.
Not without the help of the nimble-fingered farnon but don't speak too soon.
I'd be a lot happier if we could have done a better job of cleaning him up inside.
There's a lot of dirt in there, still, we put him on m&b, and hope for the best.
Going to be all right, you'll see.
- Good lord, you two still at it? - Darling, you're home early.
Poor little thing.
- Is it bad? - Yes, I'm afraid it is.
We've done our best.
- But there's not much hope.
- Come off it.
All that work? What a shame? It's such a pretty thing.
Who's is he? Don't know.
Marjorie found him.
Then what will you do with him? If he gets better? - That's settled then.
- What is? - He'll sleep in our room.
- He will? Yes, he must be kept warm, mustn't he? Come on, sweetheart.
Come on.
There's a good boy.
You are a good boy.
Come on, make you strong and well again.
Oscar, come on try.
Just a little.
Just a little lick.
Come on.
Open your mouth.
Oscar, come on, be a good boy.
Oscar? Morning, darling.
Oscar? - Yes, that's what we're going to call him.
- Are we? - You mean we're going to keep him? - Certainly.
I'm trying to make him eat.
Be a good boy, come on.
You didn't think he'd make it, did you? Frankly, no.
You see? Now, come along.
He's can still be a bit dozy yet, darling.
Come on, Oscar.
Sorry, old thing.
- Here we are.
- Little thing.
Just listen to him purr.
He purred like that all night.
- All night? - Whenever I got up to see how he was.
Come on, Oscar.
Be a good boy.
He won't want any yet.
He is game though.
He's got more sheep gut inside him than his own.
- It's amazing.
- Nothing amazing about it.
You did a very good job, that's all.
That's incredible.
It's down.
With all that he's got inside him, I expected raging peritonitis at least.
He's got more faith in you than that.
Haven't you, Oscar? Why Oscar? I don't know.
This won't do.
I'm a working girl.
You've picked a fine time to be nursemaid.
All taken care of.
We can't have Mrs.
hall traipsing up here all the time.
Nothing to do with Mrs.
hall.
I have a little arrangement.
- With Tristan.
- Have you? I've discovered something new about our tough guy Tristan.
He's absolutely potty about cats.
If it hadn't been for him, Oscar wouldn't be alive today, would he? - Come in.
Heard you were up.
How's the patient? Great scot! It's a bit early for you, isn't it? Oh, James - Oscar, there you are.
- I just let him in.
- Come on, upstairs.
- No, let him stay.
I think he enjoys the company.
I'm just off, siegfried.
Would you be kind and look in on raworth for me? Yes, yes, all right.
A client.
We are going through this m&b like sweets.
Speak for yourself, James.
I will.
I think we should use it with more caution.
You're throwing it around like confetti.
Really, James! I can forgive hyperbole, - but obscurantism never! - What? James, you're a fuddy-duddy.
This tablet is the biggest breakthrough since antiseptics.
It's already revolutionized the treatment of streptococcal septicemia.
Take my word for it, it heralds the age of chemical therapeutics.
All right.
But it can sometimes be very toxic.
Undeniably.
We haven't killed anything yet.
Or anybody.
Confetti! Come on, osc.
Don't want to get you infected with something.
There you go.
- It's Mr.
Bailey, isn't it? - That's right.
Come in, Mr.
Bailey.
Bad again, is he? Right bad again, sir, or I wouldn't have come.
Well, let's have a look at him.
Looks to me as if you'd do with a bit of help yourself.
It's this damned arthritis.
Come on, come on.
I've gone a long way in a long time.
Please, do sit down.
Nay! Nay! Do as I say.
Make yourself comfortable.
Nay, it's all right.
Sit you down, Mr.
Bailey.
Thank you.
Let's put the rubber over you, shall we? I'm afraid it's Anno domini, Mr.
Bailey.
Comes to us all.
Aye, I suppose we mustn't complain.
I had fair innings, I reckon, but I don't like the idea of losing him yet.
We can keep him going for a bit.
He won't be having pain, will he? He'll be in a bit of discomfort, but we can do something about that.
You giving him the pills, are you? Aye, but he went through them long since.
Never mind, we can give you some more of those.
You keep him nice and warm? He's got his blanket, but he doesn't get the benefit of it when I take him out.
You could get him a nice little coat.
Hmm, aye.
Would that cost much? I don't see why it should.
Couldn't your wife run him one up? She might, if I had one.
- She passed on two years since.
- Oh, I'm sorry.
There you are, old fella.
That should give you the right sort of bark for a bit.
There now.
All right.
Keep on the same pills as before.
Thank you, very much.
You give him one, three times a day.
It were twice, before.
We'll try him on three, see how he does.
Right, Mr.
farnon.
I'll give you a good supply.
There now.
Very good, sir.
Now what do I owe thee? - Beg your pardon? - The charge.
That's all right, Mr.
Bailey.
Sorry? There's no charge.
Oh, Mr.
farnon, I couldn't.
Not another word.
I don't want to hear any more about it.
- I don't know.
- Off you go.
It's second time.
I'll get the door for you.
Hang on a minute.
Get him that overcoat.
- Oh no, Mr.
farnon, I couldn't.
- Mr.
Bailey, he's my patient.
I don't want to see him go before his time anymore than you do.
Where do you live? Over blimgate way? Charlton Greene, the council houses.
I'm gonna pass there so I'll give you a lift if you'll hang on.
I don't know how to thank thee, Mr.
farnon-- just make yourself comfortable for a moment.
Hello, darling, had a good day? Hey! What's all this? - Oh, James! - What? - It's Oscar! - What about Oscar? - He's gone! - I saw him this morning, and before I went out.
He's not been here all evening! He's bound to be somewhere.
He does have to go out.
I've around the garden and the yard-- three times! I've even been around the square.
He's gone! That's silly.
He can't have gone.
- He did before, didn't he? - Cats are like that.
They've been known to go for days on end.
No.
I think he's run away! Why on earth should he do that? Cat's know when they're well off.
That's just it.
He might have been better off before.
The way you spoil him, that's ridiculous! Sit down, sit down.
- Do you know what Mrs.
bond told me? - What? - She said-- - who's Mrs.
bond? - The cat lady.
- Oh, yes.
One of hers was away for two months.
- Really? - That's what she said.
He came back acting as if he'd been away two hours.
Oh, James.
Thanks for trying.
No, that's what she said.
And I believe her.
- Mrs.
herriot? - Oh, now what? Ah.
I knew you were worried so I brought him straight up.
Oh, Mrs.
hall.
I'll say this, you don't starve him.
You shouldn't have dragged all the way up.
Where was he, Mrs.
hall? Mothers' union meeting at church house.
Vicar's wife brought him back.
Oscar, you silly.
What were you doing there? - Listening.
- What? Aye, he listened.
Then he went 'round and had a bit of a chat.
"Bit of a chat"? Her words, not mine.
Even had a cup of tea with them.
- That's what she said.
- And the vicar's wife is not one for romancing.
Oscar, you silly.
Fancy.
Mr.
farnon? Marjorie, good morning.
Mr.
farnon, I just had to thank you for what you did to that cat.
That's all right.
It's a pleasure.
How clever you are.
Not at all.
He was so bad, I thought you'd just put him to sleep.
He's a brave little chap, it was well worth a try.
I couldn't believe me eyes.
There he was in the yard watching the men working.
I thought it was another cat at first.
Mr.
farnon, you are clever.
Tristan.
Pardon? - Call me Tristan.
- Oh! I wish I was as clever as that.
- Clever at something.
- Oh, perhaps you are.
Oh, no, Mr.
farnon.
- Tristan.
- Tristan, I mean.
We could always find out.
Find out what? - How clever you are.
- How? - Simply by talking.
- Oh.
How does one know anything except by talking? And listening, of course.
Well, yes.
Talking to you for what, a few seconds? I already know that you're very good at something.
- What? - Thanking people.
Oh.
All you did was come up to me and thank me so beautifully that, well I just want to go on and on talking to you.
Oh, Mr.
farnon.
- Tristan.
- Tristan.
What are you doing this evening? - This evening? - Hmm, this evening.
Thursday afternoon.
Good afternoon.
What a good looker.
Yes, he is, isn't he? Nicely proportioned.
- Yes.
- Do you hunt him? Yes.
There's a good deal of arab in him, isn't there? He's a first cross.
That's what I thought.
What a good sort.
You're new here, aren't you? No, I just come and go a lot.
I'm Sarah raworth.
Oh, I see.
I'm siegfried farnon.
How do you do? How do you do.
Arthur? Put him in his box, would you? Very, very nice.
I believe you know Diana brompton? - Yes, I do, indeed I do.
- We were at school together.
How could any institution deserve two such lovely creatures? No wonder Diana keeps you all to herself.
Have you just been to see Jasper? Yes, I have.
The periostitis cleared up wonderfully.
How clever of you.
Absolutely not.
Mere familiarity.
Isn't that supposed to breed contempt? Not with horses.
Only men and women? Now there I think we have a choice, because when Eve was disposed to be familiar, only Adam was contemptible.
- I could kill that Diana.
- Are you here for long this time? Depends on daddy.
I get on his nerves, rather.
- Oh? - How about you? Nerves of steel.
I mean, shall we be seeing you again? Without a doubt.
Even though the periostitis has cleared up? Yes, I believe in diligent after care.
Diana said you were a very good vet.
Goodbye, Mr.
farnon.
Goodbye, miss raworth.
- Hi, Mr.
herriot.
- Hello, Ted.
- You been working.
- How did you know? Well, that's not your Sunday suit.
There's blood on your nose and something on your ear your missus will wrinkle her nose at.
Funny how you want to scratch at a time like that.
I reckon old Mick's still rounding up them sheep.
Or counting them.
- Have you seen that dog's eyes? - No, what about them? Something terrible, and getting worse, I reckon.
Doesn't bother Albert, but it looks like a disease to me.
That's Albert close, isn't it? Aye, Shepherd over at lambs' top.
- Excuse me, Ted.
- Aye.
Evening, Mr.
close.
- Eh? - How are you, Mr.
close? Aye.
And how is Mick? How long has he been like this? - Eh? - It's his eyes, Mr.
close.
They're in a bad state.
Aye.
He's got a bit of cold in them.
He's been subject to it ever since he was a pup.
- It's worse than a cold.
It's his eyelids.
- Eh? He's got turned in eyelids.
It's very serious.
Aye.
He lays down with his head at front of door.
- It's drafty there.
- No, that's got nothing to do with it.
It's call entropia, and it affects the-- ever since he was a pup, he's been subject.
- You're out a bit early.
- Or you're late.
You know Marjorie Simpson? - Oh, yes.
Hello.
- Hello.
- Was I right, Mr.
herriot? - Yes, you were, Ted.
It's called entropia.
It's very nasty.
The eyelids are turned in so the lashes rub against the eyeball.
He's probably had it since he was born.
- He's suffering, then.
- Yes, I'm afraid he is.
Poor beggar.
Can you cure it? Yes, there is an operation.
Operation? Expensive is it? It's a bit fiddly and takes a long time.
It'd cost a pound or more.
- Lots of brass.
- Yes.
I'll go talk to the silly old beggar.
- We're off up the zambezi.
- Where's that? Africa.
Lantern lecture at the women's institute.
Lantern lec-- oh, I see.
No, you don't.
Marjorie's in charge of the slides.
Gotta be in the right order or we go down the river instead of up.
Are you sure you won't be bored? Bored? Me? With you there? Shouldn't we be going? - There's time for one more, surely? - I don't think so.
- I'm off to powder my nose.
- Yes.
Poor girl, she'll be lucky.
Lantern lecture? Think you can stand the pace? It's worth it though, isn't it? She's very fetching, a bit young though, tris.
It's the hero worship I can't resist, James.
New experience for me.
- You'll come to a sticky end.
- But a happy one.
Here you are, doctor.
You can explain to some people till you're black in the face.
I think he understands.
It's just he hasn't got brass.
I'm going to put him a drop in here.
- What's a quid? - It's 60 of these.
Three weeks old-age pension, with the average wage at 30 Bob a week, - it's a small fortune.
- Do it for the poor devil.
Do you think I don't want to? I just can't.
It's not like you to be mean.
- It's not a question of meanness.
- What, then? You can't run a practice like that.
Like what?! Every once in a while.
- Look at him, poor old-- - that's just it-- it's not every once in a while.
- Where do you draw the line? - Oh, Jim.
Don't "oh, Jim" me.
The country's full of suffering animals, we can't treat them all.
You bring in a cat that's half-kicked to pieces, we spend four hours putting it together again.
Who pays for that? - We do.
- What do we live on? What about your brother? - What about my wife? - All right, no need to get so steamed up.
Well! - Hello, darling.
- Hello.
- Ugh.
- Ah.
I had a rather long session at saunderson's, you see? Then I looked in at the drover's for one.
Two.
- I made some supper for you.
- Good.
I'm famished.
Thank you.
What's the matter? What's wrong? - Darling! - I know! I'm being silly, but I just can't help it.
How long has he been gone? He's not been here since I came in.
It's over three hours.
- That's not very long! - I know, I know! I keep telling myself that it's silly, but Having looked after him, now that he's fit and well again James, I just couldn't bear to lose him.
I know.
I tell you what, why don't we go for a scout around? I've been.
Go to church house? Go on, clear off.
I'm sorry.
A bit cheeky, wasn't it? - She's all right.
- In that case Hmmm! - Hello, puss.
Well, I'm jiggered.
It can't be! - It is! - The cat? Oscar, what have you been doing in there? Think he's been in there all evening? I suppose he must have been.
- Dark.
- Umm.
If this gets any longer I'll trip over it.
It's not for you.
It's Tristan's birthday present.
I can't compete with that.
His own set of darts at the drover's? He'll love them.
I was going to get him "black's veterinary dictionary.
" - Oh, no! Not for tris.
- Oh, yes.
- Pity we can't give him what he really wants.
- What's that? A guitar.
- Really? - To replace that one that got broken.
- He never said.
- No, not in as many words.
But I've seen him looking in howell's window, eyes out on stalks.
Poor tris.
I think he's saving up.
Oh, to be rich.
- Do you think we ever will be? - No.
Doubt it.
- Do you mind? - Hmm? Sometimes, I suppose.
It would be nice to give-- exotic presents, - not just useful ones.
- Yes, I know how you feel.
- What's that? - Meee-ow.
This is getting to be a habit.
Where was he? - Women's institute.
- Oh, Oscar.
Lantern lecture, "up the zambezi," looking at his big relations.
- Just a minute! - What? - Something about-- - don't be tiresome.
- I'm nearly finished.
- This is becoming a very irritating habit.
- Why don't you read your own disgraceful rag? - Mrs.
hall borrowed it.
- All right, it's all yours.
- Thank you.
What's of such absorbing interest? Air raid shelters.
Home secretary offering to householders for the use of.
Sort of a workman's hutch, you put them up in the garden.
Let's hope we don't have to.
Heavens above! Yeats is dead.
There's a memorial service.
- Headingley? - No, not the cricketer, the poet.
"The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.
" What? W.
B.
Yeats, "the second coming.
" "And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?" Wonderful stuff.
This isn't going to buy the baby a new bonnet.
James, what's your program for this morning? I've got to finish over saunderson's, then there's Robson, having trouble farrowing.
- It won't take you long, will it? - No.
And I said I'd look in at long back.
- Oh, damn! - "I will arise and go now.
" W.
B.
Yeats.
Before you get to Innisfree, drop in on beresford at the bank.
Helen did it yesterday when she paid him.
Did she? Splendid girl.
How's that job of hers, is she happy? - Yes, seems to be.
- Not doing too much, is she? - You know Helen.
- Yes, I do.
I must say, I miss her cheerfulness in the morning.
She always gave a good start to the day.
You are a lucky fellow.
You think I don't know it? Nobody waiting.
James, since you haven't got very much on, do you think you could do that phlebotomy for me over at darston? All right.
Most grateful, give me a chance to look in on mother.
- At this time of day? - Why not at this time of day? - Bit early, isn't it? - Is it? For her, I mean.
- Matter of fact, she wants to do some shopping.
- Oh, yes.
And she wants to ask my advice about something.
- Oh, yes? - Um-hmm.
- I thought we'd go to lunch in ripon-- - she'd like that.
- On my way to debbington.
- The raworth place! Yes, he's fussing on about glanders, and I said I'd do a test.
Give her my love, won't you? Mother? Of course I will.
Tell her I'll pop over next week.
Right.
Come on, Christina.
He was ejected today from a meeting of the rural district council.
- Who was? - Oscar.
I think I understand him now.
Those nightly outings? He's not running away.
- He's visiting.
- Visiting? Certainly.
He likes to get about, loves people, crowds.
Likes to see what they're doing.
He's a natural mixer.
- You mean a socialite.
- Absolutely.
A high stepper.
A cat about town.
- Oh, by the way - Hmm? I looked in at howell's window today, that guitar is gone.
- He's bought it? - Don't be ridiculous.
Have you any idea how much it costs? Poor tris.
No, but I know roughly the price of catgut.
James! - It's not the only guitar in the world, is it? - No.
Well, then.
Hey there, Mr.
farnon.
Come to play the darts match? No, Ted, we're off to "goodbye, Mr.
chips.
" - Where's he going? - No, the pictures.
"Goodbye, Mr.
chips," Robert donat.
My mother said she couldn't stop crying.
I can't reckon that'd help.
Enough to cry about without going to the pictures for it.
Like over there.
Red lion's giving us a right pasting.
Never mind, Ted.
You'll be all right with a few more pints inside.
Talking of red lions, you see that? It's Oscar! What about that? - He must follow you about.
- He just likes the company.
- You know him? - It's Mrs.
herriot's.
- I'll take him back, she'll be worried.
- We'll be late! - No, it won't take long.
- Yes, it will.
I hate missing the beginning.
He'll be all right.
He often drops in.
I'll take him back.
All right, Ted.
Thanks very much.
It's not catching, is it? - What? - What Mick's got.
Albert's dog.
- Them eyes? - Oh, no! I wish we could get Albert to do something about it, but he won't listen.
Leastwise, he won't hear.
There is a difference.
Lot of brass to cure a cold, he says.
- He be suffering, Mr.
farnon, that dog? - I'm afraid so, Ted.
- All the time? - Every time he opens his eyes, blinks.
Silly bugger.
Here, Albert, listen to me.
You've got to do something about that dog.
Aye.
You can put a drop in there.
No, I can't put a drop in there.
- I've been talking to Mr.
farnon.
- Aye.
You still know who Mr.
farnon is? - Aye.
- He says it's not a cold.
Not here by the fire.
He says you've got to do something.
Aye.
You can put a drop in there.
Same again, Mr.
farnon? Thanks very much, Ted.
That's very kind.
No thanks, we've got to be going.
I knew it couldn't last forever.
Hello? Hello, mother.
Not at all.
Did you? Yes, so did I, very much.
- James? - Hmm? Front door.
Yes, of course I will.
There's no hurry.
It's absolutely the right thing, I promise you.
Take my word for it.
Mr.
herriot, can I have a word? Yes, of course.
Come on.
Siegfried, you remember Ted? Yes, hello, Mr.
dobson.
How are you? - How did the darts match go? - They whitewashed us.
Oh, dear.
You should enlist my brother.
He throws a pretty dart.
He's always busy with someone else when I see him.
Come on, Ted.
Come in here.
Are you private? Nay, nay.
- Come in here, it's warmer.
- Thanks, siegfried.
Come on in.
Can I offer you a drink? - I won't say no, Mr.
farnon.
- Good! Sit, get comfortable.
- You'd like a beer? - Thanks.
- And you, James? - Please.
What can we do for you, Ted? It's about Mick.
- Oh, the drover's.
- Aye.
It's a collie, siegfried.
Belongs to Albert close, the Shepherd.
- Entropian.
- Oh, nasty.
This one is.
Long-standing and neglected.
Not the condition to neglect.
He isn't very bright, Albert.
Mr.
herriot did say there was a treatment.
Of course, there is.
Have you seen the dog, James? Yes, and it's operable.
Trouble is, he can't find brass.
And missus isn't too grand that he can't afford it.
He doesn't need to worry about that, Mr.
dobson.
Just tell him to bring the dog along.
Can't let the animal suffer, can we, James? Thank you, Mr.
farnon, but dart club will fork out.
It was getting on our nerves to see a dog like that.
We all got together and kicked in a Bob or two.
A pound you said, Mr.
herriot.
About that, yes.
We'll not miss that, naught but a few pints.
- There is one thing, Mr.
farnon.
- What's that? - Me and Lance would like to see it.
- See what? The operation.
So you get your money's worth? Nay, more out of interest.
I was pulling your leg, Mr.
dobson.
I don't see why not, do you, James? - How many would you be? - Six, maybe eight, with a full turnout.
That would be a bit of a crush.
I don't see why we shouldn't cope with it.
Yes.
Tell him to bring the dog along.
- There's something else.
- What's that? Albert's a bit independent-- proud like.
He'll think it charity.
That's difficult, isn't it? But if we can get the dog on the quiet, - without him knowing-- - how would we do that? When he goes over to brawton, Saturday, he don't take Mick then.
I see, Saturday.
Well, James, what have we got on? I'm pretty sure it's free.
Consider it done.
God bless you, Mr.
farnon.
Let me give you the other half.
Hello, Helen, my dear.
Come to the end of your working week? Wage slaves don't know how lucky they are.
Saturday afternoon and Sunday off.
"Six days shalt thou labor" But not if you're a veterinary surgeon.
All alone? Yes, your husband and my brother are out about a canine conspiracy.
- I can ice the cake.
Did you get champagne? - Damn, I knew I'd forget.
- I've got to get the present, too.
- You're cutting it fine! The patient's due any moment-- - do you want me to do it? - No, there will be time.
- Here they are! - I'll see you later! - Good afternoon? - Mr.
herriot? - Mr.
herriot's out on a case.
- I'll call back.
I'm his partner.
Can I help you? Come on in.
I think he's got my cat.
Really? What makes you think that? It was something I heard.
I lost my cat a bit since.
I used to live at miston then I got a job at wedderly.
It was then he went missing.
I reckon he's trying to find his way back home.
Wedderly's the other side of brawton, 30 Miles from here.
I know.
Cats is funny things.
Why do you think he's here? Well, I have a cousin who lives here in darrowby.
He heard tell of this cat that goes around to meetings.
My cat was always going out to gatherings.
- Helen? - Siegfried, come in.
- Helen, sorry to bother you-- - don't be so silly, come in.
This is Mr.
Gibbons, Mrs.
herriot.
Helen, it's-- it's Oscar.
Tiger! Hello, old lad.
It's him, Mrs.
herriot.
It's him, all right.
And don't he look well? By gaw, he looks champion! I never thought I'd see thee again, lad.
Wait till I tell them at home.
Is that what you call him? Tiger? Aye! Kids called him that.
My two lads.
They were brokenhearted when we lost him.
Wait till I tell them, tiger.
They'll be right chuffed to hear thou's all right.
I'm beholden to you, Mrs.
herriot, for taking such good care on him.
It'll be a comfort to know he has a good home.
Oh, Mr.
Gibbons.
You must take him with you.
- Nay, Mrs.
herriot.
- Of course, you must.
Now, then are you sure? Quite sure.
- I didn't come here to demand him back.
- I know you didn't.
Well, if you're sure.
I won't deny we'd like him back.
By gaw, lad, thou's put some weight on.
Ain't thou, eh? Well Thanks again, Mrs.
herriot.
It's very good of you.
We'll have to be off if we're going to catch bus.
Bye bye Tiger.
Come on, Gibbons, I'll see you downstairs.
- You'll need a basket for him.
On you go.
- Thank you.
Let's have a look at this.
What a mess.
As you'd expect.
He has conjunctivitis, of course, and the keratitis, has been there some time.
But I think The cornea It's all right.
It's not ulcerated.
He'll be all right then? Yes, there should be no permanent damage.
Gentlemen You gave him to us in time.
But I'll ask you not to crowd, if you will.
We need our elbow room.
Now then, lads, you heard Mr.
farnon.
Plenty of elbow room for them.
This is one match we'll not mind By God, it's hot in here.
Catch him! Too late.
Right, that's it.
We'll put him on drops to relieve the inflammation, but he should settle down soon.
Bring him back in 10 days and we'll have those stitches out.
Here we are, gentlemen, a much needed restorative.
Come on in.
You better hold one of these under his nose, see if that does any good.
There we are.
Try that.
- There you are, sir.
- Thank you.
- James? - Thanks.
One for you.
Up you come.
Is he all right? He's going to be right as rain.
By heck, though it's money Cheap at double price.
Aye, Mr.
dobson.
To relieve an animal of its pain, we'd do the job for nothing if we could, wouldn't we? Where are you taking me? You'll see.
- What's here? - Oscar.
Oh, no, I couldn't.
It's just what you need.
See him with a family.
With the kids.
I can't.
You think I don't understand? For more than three years I've been giving animals back to people who thought they'd lost them.
There's no feeling quite like it.
Come on.
Come on.
Mrs.
herriot! Good evening, Mr.
Gibbons.
This is my husband.
I'm pleased to meet you, Mr.
herriot.
And you, Mr.
Gibbons.
- I don't want to trouble you, but we'd like to see-- - tiger.
With the family.
I'm afraid he's not here at present.
- Oh? - It's Saturday night, thou knows.
He always goes to the pictures Saturday night.
Although I don't know what he'll find around here.
Do you? Come in.
Come in and meet wife and kids.
They want to thank you.
Helen, it's lovely.
Thank you.
Keep me nice and snug when I'm using these.
Here's something else to keep the cold out.
There you are.
Better sit down.
Siegfried, how marvelous! - Don't tell me it's what you've always wanted.
- But it is! It's intended to curb your dionysiac habits.
And something from Mrs.
hall.
for he's a jolly good fellow for he's a jolly good fellow for he's a jolly good fellow and so say all of us! Come on, blow! Puff, little brother, puff! - I'll answer.
- Bellows to men! - Cigarettes taking their toll.
- Siegfried, it's his birthday.
It's only another way of wishing him many happy returns.
- Yes! - Well done! It's for you, Mr.
Tristan.
Thank you, Mrs.
hall.
Now, mind-- you have your dinner first.
Of course, Mrs.
hall.
It's nigh on ready.
- Okay.
- That was mother.
- At this time of day? Wanted to know if I liked her present? Really? Oh, I say! I say! How clever of her! Wasn't it? Come on, play something.