The Innocents

* We lay, my love and I *

* Beneath the weeping willow *

* But now alone I lie *

* And weep beside the tree *

* Singing "O Willow Waly" *

* By the tree that weeps with me *

* Singing "O Willow Waly" *

* Till my lover returns to me *

* We lay, my love and I *

* Beneath the weeping willow *

* But now alone I lie *

* O willow, I die *

* O willow, I die **

Oh.

Oh.

All I want to do is save the children...

not destroy them.

More than anything, I love children.

More than anything.

They need affection...

love...

someone who will belong to them...

and to whom they will belong.

Miss Giddens, may I ask you a somewhat personal question?

Do you have an imagination?

Oh!

Oh, yes, I can answer that.

- Yes. - Good.

Truth is very seldom understood by any but imaginative persons...

and I want to be quite truthful.

I'm a bachelor, but not, I might add, a lonely one.

I spend a great deal of time abroad.

And as for my London life, well, it amuses me...

but it's not the sort of amusement that one could suitably share with children.

In brief, Miss Giddens, I am a very selfish fellow...

and the last man alive to be saddled so suddenly and so awkwardly...

with two orphaned infants.

It's most unfortunate, for I have no room for them...

neither mentally nor emotionally.

Does that seem quite heartless?

Honest, but not heartless.

Then the children do not live with you?

No. They are at my country estate in Bly.

A rather large, rather lonely place.

Still, I'm sure you'll agree with me, the country seems the proper thing for children.

I see from your letter that you are, yourself, the daughter of a country parson...

and, um - oh, yes, here it is -

"More than anything, I love children."

- Yes. - How remarkable.

For several years now, little Miles and Flora -

Charming names, don't you think?

Have had only me.

Well, poor brats, they need more than a distant uncle.

Well, of course they need more than a governess.

They need affection and love...

and someone to whom they can belong and who will belong to them.

You, Miss Giddens. I feel that you are that person.

Sir, you -

you do realize that this would be my first position.

What does that signify, if I trust you, if you trust me?

You see, Miss Giddens, the person whom I engage...

must solemnly promise to accept full and complete responsibility.

She must never trouble me.

Never. Never.

Neither complain nor appeal nor write.

Simply take the whole thing over...

and... leave me alone.

What do you say, Miss Giddens?

The children, uh -

- Have they had a governess before? - Unfortunately.

Not that there was anything wrong with Miss Jessel.

She was an excellent governess and a most respectable woman.

The children quite liked her, especially little Flora.

Oh, which reminds me.

Be careful not to broach that subject to Flora.

She was so fond of Miss Jessel...

and... it did come as an appalling shock.

I'm not certain that I understand you, sir.

She died.

Yes, just when I thought I'd got the whole situation settled...

and everything running smoothly...

the confounded woman died.

It was all very odd.

I was in Calcutta when it happened...

and have only now been able to seek a replacement.

Meantime, my nephew had to be sent off to school...

and the little girl, Flora...

is being chaperoned by my housekeeper, Mrs. Grose.

Help me, Miss Giddens, for truly I am helpless.

Give me your hand.

Give me your promise.

Well, sir...

if you are really sure.

Quite sure, and very grateful.

Only remember, you're in supreme authority.

Whatever happens, you must handle it alone.

Yes, I'll try.

I promise you that.

And I'll do everything I can to keep the children happy.

Oh, stop. Please stop!

- Whoa there. - If you don't mind, I think I'd like to walk from here.

As you wish, miss. Whoa.

Thank you.

Flora!

Flora!

Flora!

Didn't you hear? Someone is calling your name.

No, I don't think so. I didn't hear anyone.

Isn't your name Flora?

I'm Miss Giddens.

Yes, I know. You're my new governess.

I've been watching the road, waiting for you.

- Are you afraid of reptiles? - That rather depends. Why?

Because I've got one in my pocket, and he's very eager to meet you.

Well, in that case, by all means.

His name is Rupert.

- Oh, a tortoise. - We love each other.

Yes, I can see that you're very close.

Very.

There, now you've met Miss Giddens.

But Rupert isn't the only one.

I mean, ever since my uncle wrote...

we've all been waiting and waiting for you to come.

Oh, we have been excited.

So have I. I've been very excited indeed.

Not as excited as we have. And not as excited as Mrs. Grose.

She's cleaned and cleaned and had all the windows washed.

Just imagine - 134 windows.

- All that for me? - Yes. And I helped.

- Oh, we will have fun together, won't we? - Yes, we will, dear.

Oh, Mrs. Grose, she's here! She's here! And she isn't afraid of reptiles.

And that's more than can be said of me, isn't it?

I walked from the gate.

I - I wanted to see it all.

I'm glad to see you, Miss Giddens.

Really, I'm glad.

Oh, do please come in.

Thank you. You're very kind.

- Oh! - Now, I expect you'd like a cup of tea.

- Thank you. - But not you, Miss Flora.

Now, you know you're not allowed in the house with that toad or turtle...

or whatever it is.

- Go on. Run along. Off you go. - Oh, all right.

I had no idea.

I never imagined -

Oh, I'm so sorry.

That's all right, miss. It's always happening.

I never imagined it would be so beautiful.

Well, we do our best.

Though half the rooms are empty now - locked and empty.

All the same, it's too big a job to keep clean.

But what I always say is, it's a heaven for children.

Oh, yes, a heaven.

And what an enchanting child she is.

There's not another like her.

Though, mind you, she has her ways. You have your work cut out.

I don't doubt.

But she seems - Well, she certainly looks angelic.

Well, she is too.

But she does like to wander, to go off by herself.

- We're always hunting her. - Oh, yes. I heard you.

Just now, as I was coming through the garden, I heard you call her name.

Oh, not me, miss.

Perhaps it was Anna or Cook.

Well, someone.

Sit down, miss, and have your tea.

Mmm. It'll be dark in here soon. I'll get Anna to bring some lamps.

Miss Giddens?

Miss Giddens!

Has she gone?

Yes, for the moment.

You don't mind Rupert sharing a bit of your cake, now, do you?

You watch out. He'll grow too fat to fit your pocket.

- I have a pony too. - Oh.

He isn't really mine. He belongs to Miles.

Miles is my brother, you know. He's away at school.

You must miss him very much.

Well, he'll be coming home soon.

But not, I should think, until the holidays.

Time you went upstairs and got ready for your bath, Miss Flora.

Promise, now, you won't go away.

I expect to be here for a very long time.

And to think what qualms I had.

I was so afraid.

- Afraid, miss? - I couldn't make up my mind.

Should I accept this post, or shouldn't I?

Well, miss, I'm sure I'm very glad you did.

Well, after all, I didn't have much choice.

Their uncle is most persuasive.

And don't I know it.

Many's the time he's worked his magic on me.

Even when he was a boy, he could twist you around his finger...

and the children are the same way.

He doesn't come down here very often?

Well, he likes the town life.

He always was a very popular gentleman.

And what's the good of being popular down here...

with only the children and the pigeons and me?

- Mrs. Grose? - Yes, miss?

- What was she like? - Who, miss?