Christine Falls Quirke

So ladies and gentlemen - to Brenda,

who is leaving the hospital to go to America.

Well, Boston's gain is Dublin's loss. And good luck to you, Brenda.

-EVERYONE:

-Brenda.

# For she's a jolly good fellow... #

Quirke! What are you doing here?

Oh, no - the other way around, Mal. This is my office.

I'm Pathology. You're Obstetrics.

What are YOU doing down here, among the dead men?

I had a thing to check.

Ah.

Christine Falls?

It's late, Quirke. You should go home.

I was just having a few drinks upstairs with the nurses.

Brenda Ruttledge, you know her?

She was having a bit of a going-away party.

Going to America to try her luck.

Ah.

How's Sarah?

She's well.

Why the er, the glad rags?

We were at a dinner. The Knights of Saint Brendan.

-Good night.

-Good night, Mal.

Dr Quirke?

Brenda!

I've always wanted to do that! Good night!

Good luck, Brenda.

Morning, Sinclair.

Dr Quirke.

Sinclair? Did you do Christine Falls this morning?

Who?

Falls. Christine. Young. Blonde.

She was here last night, now she's gone.

This is how it was when I came in.

Well, get her back, will you?

I want to do a proper PM on her.

Sarah?

-Can you give me a hand to do this blessed thing up?

-Of course.

Is Phoebe home?

She won't be late.

She'd better not be, on this of all nights.

You're too hard on her, Mal.

Did you invite Quirke, by the way?

I did, but he won't come.

He'd rather be propping up the bar in McGonagle's than

celebrating his father's honour and after all he's done for him.

Well, I'm not sorry he won't be here.

The man puts everybody's back up.

Not mine.

No, not yours.

DOORBELL

It's OK, Maggie.

Garret. Come in.

-Am I the first again?

-Ah...

I'm always too early.

We'll have time to chat before the others come and monopolise you.

There we are.

Good evening, father.

And er, congratulations.

Ah, there you are.

Do you call this a low dive?

Low enough. What would you like to drink, Phoebe?

Gin. I want gin.

Gin and tonic, Dave. More tonic than gin.

They're trying to make me give him up. Even Grandad.

They say he's "not our sort".

And a Protestant to boot!

They're such snobs.

So what does er, what does your mother say?

"Now, Phoebe, you must think of the family.

"Think of your father's reputation!"

Your face! You won't hear a word said against her, will you?

Was she always like that?

Sarah the good girl and Delia the bad one?

So what do you want me to do?

Talk to them. Talk to Grandad. You're his blue-eyed boy, after all.

And Daddy will do whatever Grandad tells him.

So are you er, are you in love with this boy?

God, no!

You're not thinking of running away again, are you?

Maybe I'll elope with you.

Ha! No, thanks.

It wouldn't be incest. You and daddy aren't real brothers, after all.

And we could go to Boston together!

I hate Boston.

Why? You all loved it when you lived there.

Jesus Christ in gaiters - if it isn't Doctor Death!

Oh, no. Hello, Brendan.

And who's this?

My niece, Phoebe Griffin.

By God, Doc, they're making nieces nicer every day! Griffin, though.

No relation to the great judge Garret Griffin, I suppose?

No, no. Completely different family, Brendan.

-He's my grandad.

-Come on.

Grandad, is it?

Do you know he's the one that sent me down in '45

for setting off a couple of firebombs?

Three years in the boys' jail your grandad gave me, the old sod!

A boy of 16! What do you think of that?

We're just going, Brendan. All the best.

And now he's after being made Papal Count!

If Count's the right word exactly.

Phoebe, where have you been? Your father has been...

Oh. Quirke.

I'm just bringing the black sheep home.

It's all right, Mal, I'm not staying.

Oh, but you must.

The Judge would never forgive me if I let you go without seeing him.

-Sure?

-Come on in.

I thought you weren't coming, you rascal!

Phoebe insisted. And congratulations.

Count Garret Griffin. That has a ring to it.

Actually it's Garret, Count Griffin.

That's the proper form of address.

Malachy, my boy, would you ever go and get your thirsty brother a drink?

What do you think you are doing? Phoebe?

She looks as if she's had a couple already.

-Is this true?

-It was my fault, Mal. I took her to McGonagle's.

Do you think it's funny to take a girl of her age

to a place like that?

Why don't we all step into the dining room?

McGonagle's, is it? Lord, I haven't set foot in that den of iniquity

for I don't know when!

Let's go in. I'm hungry - if no-one else is!

-What the hell are you playing at, Quirke?

-Nothing, Mal.

You come to my house drunk,

you get my daughter drunk on the night when our father...

I'm sorry.

You've no place here.

All right, what was Christine Falls about?

-Was she your patient, Mal?

-Don't you think you've caused enough trouble tonight?

Is that why you came to my office last night?

How did she die, Mal?

Negligence cases...

It wasn't negligence!

I think this might be yours.

You left it behind in the office yesterday.

Just stay out of it.

It's nothing to do with you.

Pulmonary embolism, my foot.

I can't make out the doctor's signature.

Well, I suppose whoever it was must have done it out of delicacy,

to preserve the poor girl's character.

I don't want anything.

It's about Christine Falls, Miss Moran.

RADIO PLAYS: "Memories Are Made Of This"

SHE SWITCHES RADIO OFF

I know who you are, you know.

I used to work for the Griffins.

I didn't know that.

Oh, yes, when Dr and Mrs Mal first came back from Boston,

I used to look after their little girl. Phoebe her name was.

Sorry, I don't...I don't remember.

Ah, well. After your wife died, you weren't around much.

I did the postmortem on Christine. I know how she died.

Chrissie. Never called her Christine. Chrissie, her name was.

Would you like to tell me what happened?

Ah, it was terrible.

Something went wrong.

She was bleeding - the sheets were soaked.

By the time the ambulance came, it was too late.

Maybe it was for the best.

What kind of life would she have had, her or the child?

I knew a girl had a baby like that.

They took it off her, put it in an orphanage.

And you know what it's like to grow up in a place like that.

Why did you call a consultant?

Why didn't you telephone for the ambulance yourself?

God love you. I called Dr Mal because Chrissie wanted him.

Sure she used to work up at the house too.

Or do you not remember that either?

What happened to the child?

A little girl it was.

And what happened to her?

Forget about her.

I've said more than I should have already.

Is she alive?

Did she live?

Um...

Here's my card. You can telephone me any time you want.

And thank you.

I've it all written down, you know.

And I know where to send it, if anything should happen.

And that's all I'm saying.

No, no, thank you.

Oh, come on, Mal, have a drink with me for once.

No. Thank you.

I wanted to apologise.

For what?

Last night. I was out of order.

You were.

This girl, Christine Falls.

I got her back from the morgue and I did a PM on her.

You lied to me, Mal. Pulmonary embolism?

You could've come up with something better than that.

And you weren't looking up her file,

you were signing her death certificate with your left hand,

to disguise it. Now what the hell were you up to?

You've er...kept this to yourself?

Yes, I have.

I'm not your enemy, Mal.

Now what about the girl?

I know she worked at the house, I have that from Dolly Moran.

What else did she tell you?

Not much. But she has it all written down.

She told me that.

Chrissie was going out with some fellow and er - the usual.

We had to let her go, of course.

I arranged for the Moran woman to look after her.

I got a call that night. I sent an ambulance.

It was too late.

But why would you go to all that trouble?

Why would you risk your career?

Look - I did it for the family.

-Whose family?

-The girl's, of course.

What about the father?

I tell you, it was just some fellow. We didn't even know his name.

Should I believe you, Mal?

I don't care whether you believe me or not.

What about the child?

What about her?

Where is she, Mal?

Gone.

Stillborn.

Sad business.

Very. But these things happen, you know.

Well, if you'll excuse me, Quirke, I have to make a phone call.

I have to work this afternoon, even if you don't.

Thanks for the lunch.

HE SIGHS

BELL TOLLS

DOOR OPENS

Miss Ruttledge, is it?

Brenda.

Welcome to Boston and to St Madeleine's.

I'm very glad to be here, sister.

And the journey went well, all according to plan?

Oh, yes, sister.

And this must be the baby.

Yes. Little Christine, we call her.

Sarah?

I'm sorry, this is not a good time for you.

Is everything all right?

I've been awake half the night worrying about Phoebe.

What, the boyfriend?

I don't want her to...get herself tied up in an early marriage.

She's so young.

Weren't we all once?

If she's in love with this boy and she wants to marry him,

then there's nothing you or I can do about that.

But I don't believe that she is.

I think it's just her way of rebelling.

How do you know that?

Just things she tells me.

Why does she confide in you and not in Mal or me?

Oh, you know the way these things go in families.

All right, I'll talk to her. Oh...I'm late.

Will you walk with me?

No. No, you go ahead.

Evening, Dolly.

Nasty business tonight, Dr Quirke.

Dr Quirke! Is it yourself now?

Fine bit of work for us both here.

Oh, God.

Are you all right, Dr Quirke?

Yeah.

No surprises, Dr Quirke.

Inter-cranial haematoma.

Fell over sideways, knocked her head on the floor.

But she has cigarette burns all up her arms

and her fingernails are all mashed up.

I suppose whoever it was,

was torturing her to find out where her money was hidden.

Good. Thanks, Sinclair.

Do you want me to write up the report?

If you would, thank you.

Doctor.

Inspector Hackett.

Oh, what's the story on Dolly Moran then?

I'd say that she died accidently.

Whoever it was meant to hurt her, not to kill her.

Manslaughter, I'd say.

Do you think so?

Perhaps we should leave the legal verdict to the judge

after we catch the boys that did it.

I was wondering what they were after. Would you have any idea?

No.

We found this at the scene.

Under the clock on the mantelpiece.

It's your card, Dr Quirke.

What was Dolly doing with your card?

There was a girl who died. I did the postmortem.

Dolly knew her.

She just...she wanted to know the cause of death, that's all.

Name of this girl?

Christine Falls.

And what was her connection with Dolly?

She, er, she didn't say.

And what did she die of, this girl?

Pulmonary embolism.

Oh. How old was she?

Young. It happens.

Does it now? Right. I'll be off.

Thanks for the drink.

If you er, find out anything, you'll...you'll let me know?

Oh, I'm sure we'll find out plenty of things, I'm sure.

Christine Falls you say?

Yes.

Good luck.

What are you doing here?

You don't believe in all this, do you?

I try to. What do you want, Quirke?

I want to know what happened to Dolly Moran.

I should imagine I know less about it than you.

I'm not the one going round poking my nose into places where

it's liable to get cut off.

Are you threatening your own brother now?

You're not my brother.

Look, all I know is that I told you that Dolly Moran kept

a written record of all the things with Christine Falls, and the

next night she's been tortured, and her skull has been smashed in.

Now tell me these things are not connected

and that you're not up to your neck in it.

I know nothing about it.

And if you're not prepared to go to the police and tell the truth, then I will.

THUNDER

So what's this delicate matter you need to discuss?

You're not in trouble, are you?

Well, not exactly.

Come on, spit it out.

-There was a girl....

-Uh! No!

No, no, no. It wasn't anything like that.

There's this girl called Christine Falls.

She died giving birth

and I did the postmortem.

Yours is a strange profession.

Always coming in at the end of things.

Mal wrote up a file on her.

How do you mean, wrote up a file?

So that there would be no mention of a child.

So what are you saying - that he falsified it?

He says that he rewrote the file

so that the family wouldn't have to deal with the mention of a child.

Bloody fool. He was always a bloody fool.

What connection did he have with this girl?

Was she his patient, or was she something else?

I don't know.

All I know is that she worked at the house as a maid and then she...

she got into trouble.

She was being looked after by a woman in Crimea Street.

She died in this woman's house, is that so?

And did Mal know her as well?

He was paying her to look after the girl.

Oh. Fine set of acquaintances my son has.

And now she's dead, too. She was killed a few days ago.

You knew her - Dolly Moran. Do you remember her?

She used to work at the house for you and Nana,

before she went to Mal and Sarah's.

Dolores? Not Dolores! Oh, merciful God - no, no.

Why ever would anyone want to kill her?

Because of what she might know.

What would she know?

She might know who the father was.

And what happened to the baby.

And you think Malachy might have been involved in her death?

Your own brother?

I don't know what to think, Garret.

All I know is that he falsified the death certificate.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

No. That's not Mal.

That's not Mal! There must be an innocent explanation.

I'll have a word with him.

I'll tell him he's been a bloody fool.

I'm glad you told me this. You did the right thing.

You were always a good boy.

In spite of appearances to the contrary!

Quirke!

Oh, God! Phoebe! No!

-Let me in!

-Come in!

-I'm all wet.

THEY LAUGH

I've been to a party.

Uh-huh.

I'm a bit drunk.

Really(?)

OK, sit down.

Sit down!

I'm going to get a towel to dry your hair.

Get out of that dress. You're soaked.

Drink this, and then I'm going to call you a taxi.

Oh, don't do that. Let me stay with you.

Are you mad? Your father and mother would kill me.

I'd tell them I insisted.

So was it boyfriend trouble tonight?

You could say that. I think it's over.

Are you upset?

Not as much as I thought I might be.

Were you...involved...deeply with him?

Do you mean were we having sex?

"Anticipating marriage", as the nuns say? No, we weren't.

I've been saving that for you, Quirke.

Oh, for God's sake, don't say things like that, Phoebe - even if you don't mean them.

What if I do?

Mummy wants me to go out to Boston.

She thinks I'd be safer there with her stuck-up family.

Really? I think that's a good idea.

Well, I'll go if you come with me.

-Will you?

-No.

You're so mean to me, Quirke.

Now, Claire and Andy,

you do understand, don't you?

This is not an adoption in the official sense.

St Madeleine's has its own arrangements.

The Lord is our legislator.

And you understand too, both of you, that when the time comes,

it will be Mr Crawford and his people

who will decide on the child's education.

-We understand, Sister.

-Good.

Now, Mr Crawford has chosen you because you are both trusted

employees of Crawford Transport but it is also very important

that little Christine should remain in the faith she was born into.

You are both practising Catholics?

We go to Mass every Sunday. Don't we, Andy?

Yeah.

All right. Come along.

This is the heart of St Madeleine's and our pride and joy.

And here is your new little daughter.

Christine!

-May I?

-Please.

Hey.

Hey.

So Christine, how do you like your new home?

She says she likes it very much indeed!

Well, ain't that fine and dandy!

You know what, Mrs Stafford?

It's OK!

Baby says she wants to go down for a little shut-eye.

Know what I'm saying?

Oh, Andy - not now.

You want it as much as I do.

Bedroom. Now.

OK.

That's my girl. Come on.

She don't need to see this!

BELL TOLLS

Morning, Dr Quirke.

Just passing. Thought I might catch you.

At eight o'clock in the morning? Just passing?

Ah, sure, I've always been an early riser. Giant lark, that's me.

Will I walk along with you a bit?

So. Any developments in the Dolly Moran case?

No, there is not.

Except that I've been directed to drop the investigation.

Lack of evidence.

That's absurd, isn't it?

Orders from on high.

I was wondering if you might be able to tell me anything.

For the fact is, you seem to me like a man burdened with a secret.

I've told you everything I know.

Have you now? Cos here's the thing.

Before I was called off the case, and maybe, for all I know,

it was the reason I was called off it, I discovered that Dolly Moran

used to work for the family of Chief Justice Garret Griffin himself.

Your family. You didn't mention that, did you, when we had our little chat?

-I suppose it must have just slipped your mind.

-I didn't think it was relevant.

Well, maybe it isn't. None of my concern now.

Oh, by the by, did Dolly

Moran mention anything to you about the Mothers of Mercy Laundry?

Place up in Ringsend.

They take in girls that have got themselves in trouble

and work them till they've - what's the word? Expiated their sin.

That's it.

There was some talk of Dolly Moran being connected with the place.

No, Dolly didn't mention anything about that to me.

Yeah, she was good at keeping secrets, it seems. Poor old Dolly.

Fat lot of good it did her.

-Well, I'll let you get on, Dr Quirke. Good luck.

-Good.

I'm so sorry, Dr Quirke, but I'm afraid

you've had a wasted journey. I can't help you at all.

So the name doesn't mean anything to you...at all?

No. You tell me that she died?

Yes, in childbirth.

How very sad.

-And what became of the child?

-I don't know.

That's one of the things I was hoping to find out.

Well, as I say...

And er, Dolores Moran, she would have been known as er,

Dolly Moran.

I've never heard the name Dolly Moran.

Maisie! Watch where you're going!

Sorry, Sister.

All right, get on now.

Right-oh, Sister.

So let's say Christine Falls HAD been here, what would,

what would have happened to her baby?

The babies go to an orphanage, of course.

Like Carricklea.

Yes, if they're boys.

That's what they did with me.

Ah, so that's why you're so interested?

Only partially.

Carricklea was a...

is a bleak place.

A little bit like this, if you'll allow me to say.

Dr Quirke, the girls who come here find themselves in trouble

with no-one to help.

Their families reject them - that's when they're sent here.

We do the best we can for them.

Oh, I'm sure you're a great comfort to them.

Would you rather we sent them home to be raped by their fathers?

Thank you for your time, Sister.

Maisie! Maisie!

Yeah? Give us a puff of that.

I wanted to know if anyone here knows anything about a woman

called Dolly Moran.

I know, I heard you.

And the old hake said she'd never heard of her.

That's a good one,

with her here every second week collecting babbies.

And where did she take them?

I heard it was for sending them off to America.

They won't get mine, that's for sure.

I'll run away, so I will. I have the money saved.

How did you come to be here?

My Da put me in.

I'm a disgrace to the family.

Maisie? Maisie!

Thanks for the tab, mister.

Dr Quirke?

Costigan. We met at the judge's party.

Oh, yes, so we did.

I was just up on the wards, visiting

and I thought I'd drop down to see you.

Such a lot of suffering in the world, Doctor

and er, well, we're always very glad

when the Knights of St Brendan can do something to help.

Really.

So what can I do for you, Mr Costigan?

Did you never think of joining us, Dr Quirke?

No, not at all. Not my sort of thing.

Pity. And your brother such a great support to us.

We do a lot of good work, you know.

Both here and in Boston.

You're not against us, I hope?

Oh, no, no, no.

I just don't involve myself with any of these so-called

religious organisations.

Oh, well - in your case that would probably be very wise.

Best keep yourself to yourself.

Take care, now, Dr Quirke, won't you?

So did you hear about this murder in Crimea Street?

I'd have thought you'd know all about that yourself.

Well, I know how she died but I don't know who killed her.

Was it not a burglary? That's what's going about.

I thought it might have been something to do with er,

Declan Costigan.

-The businessman?

-Mm-hm.

He's a bruiser, all right, the same fella.

Little bit out of your depth here, aren't you, Quirke?

Dolly Moran getting herself killed. Costigan and that lot.

What are you up to?

Same again.

-Good night, Dave.

-Good night, Dr Quirke.

Good evening, Captain.

Evening.

We'll just walk along with you, there's no harm in that, is there?

He's wondering who we are. Are you wondering who we are, Captain?

Not interested.

Well, I'll tell you all the same. We're a caution.

That's what we are. We've seen you hanging around.

Not advisable in this sort of weather.

-You could catch a cold.

-He could catch his death. Couldn't he? And we wouldn't want that.

To be frank, I wouldn't care that much.

Oh!

Oh!

Oh!

Hold on, Captain, we'll give you a hand.

Ah! Oh!

ROCK'N'ROLL MUSIC

So the great Josh Crawford invites us to his big house.

It's very good of him, Andy - like we're part of his family.

Well, the good news is I heard there's going to be a free bar.

Oh, the basket.

Sorry.

That's a lovely baby, can I have a peep?

Oh, sure.

Little Christine we call her.

Oh. That's nice.

-Are you coming?

-Yeah.

# Swing those hips and shoulders

# Heading downtown to the high school hop

# Tonight's the night we're gonna bop till we drop

# Rock all night

# Rock those feet, dig that song

# Hoppin' and boppin' and rockin' all through the night

# Put on your shoes

# Grab your partner

# Tonight we're all gonna have a real good time

# Rock all night

# Rock all night

# Rock all night

# Rock all night

# Hoppin' and boppin' and rockin' all through the night. #

APPLAUSE

Your attention, please, for our host - Mr Josh Crawford!

BABY CRIES

Ssh.

Friends...family...

and all you boys and girls from Crawford Transport.

-ALL:

-Yeah!

-Mr C!

Great pleasure to welcome you here again this year, to share...

To share...

HE WHEEZES

Everything's OK, folks.

Josh wants you all to go on enjoying yourselves - the night is young.

APPLAUSE

BAND PLAYS

BABY CRIES

Ssh...

BABY CRIES

You OK?

I'm going to get another beer.

Hey, McCoy.

-Hmm?

-You see something funny there?

I was just telling the guys about the er, miracle, that's all.

-Meanin'?

-How your old lady, she ends up having a kid

without getting knocked up.

So how was that?

The er, angels come down and done the job for you?

Andy!

BABY CRIES

Ssh!

BABY CRIES

BABY CRIES

THUMP AND BABY STOPS CRYING

BABY COUGHS

Oh!

All right, Quirke?

How are you feeling?

I feel wonderful. Where am I?

You're in hospital. What happened?

Don't you know, Mal?

It was an accident - nobody's fault.

You'll forgive me if I say I've heard that tale before.

Little Christine will be buried here in the convent burial ground.

I think we can manage to keep the police out of it,

but if I were you, I would consider moving away from Boston.

Hey, you don't take that tone with me.

There's something you're trying to hide here.

-I have no idea what you...

-That kid was someone's, wasn't it?

And if you mess with me and Claire

I'll make it my business to find out whose.

Are you threatening us, Mr Stafford?

Not at all, Sister.

All I want is a job up at the big house,

and you won't hear a squeak out of me.

Sister Stephanus?

I've spoken to Mr Crawford about our...situation.

I don't think we'll have any further problems from that quarter.

Thank God.

You are a terrible man, Quirke, making me do this.

You know what a hopeless driver I am.

You're a wonderful driver. I love your driving.

Thanks for this.

I couldn't face the flat just yet.

You should come and stay with us for a bit.

Oh!

Wouldn't Mal just love that, me lying around his house all day

while he's out busy delivering babies.

Oh, I'll be fine. Thanks anyway.

I'll take it slowly.

-So beautiful up here.

-Yes. It's lovely.

Ah!

Come on.

Ah.

You all right?

Oh, I'll live.

How's Phoebe?

I thought she might have come to visit me in the hospital.

Oh, I'm at my wits' end with her.

She's got in with a wild bunch.

She's out drinking almost every night.

I don't know what's the matter with her.

She's young, that's all.

She's out of control.

I'd really like to get her away from that crowd.

I tried to get her to go to Boston.

I know she'd love it out there.

But she says she won't go.

Unless you go with her.

Ah, I don't know what she wants with me.

She loves you, Quirke.

Why don't you go? You could recuperate there.

Oh, I don't know.

All right.

I'll go.

-Really?

-Why not?

And when you're there, Quirke,

-you have to tell her.

-Tell her what?

You know what.

It'll be easier for her to deal with it...there, away from me and Mal.

God knows we should have told her years ago.

I blame myself as much as you.

But she has to know, Quirke.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing myself.

So will you tell her?

All right.

I'll tell her in Boston.

First time in Boston, Miss?

No. I lived here until I was seven.

I haven't been back in such a long time, though.

Well, I'm sure Mr Crawford will be happy to see you.

What's the matter?

You've been in a sulk since we left Dublin.

I'm not sulking.

Well, you're different.

-Does your head still hurt?

-Mm-hm.

Welcome, voyagers.

My! Look at you! All grown-up and pretty as a picture.

Do you have a kiss for your wicked step-grandmother?

What am I to call you?

Why, you charming child. Well, you must call me Rose!

And I probably shouldn't call you a child, now you're all grown-up.

I don't mind.

And you must be the famous Dr Quirke.

I've heard a great deal about you.

All good things, I hope.

I'm afraid not.

You must be exhausted. Deirdre will show you to your rooms.

Thank you.

When you're ready, please come down. We'll have drinks before dinner.

Josh can't wait to see you.

How is Grandpa?

Oh, dying, I'm afraid, dear.

This'll be yours, Dr Quirke.

Is everything all right, Dr Quirke?

Yes, yeah.

This used to be my wife's room, when she lived here.

I'm fine. Thank you.

COUGHING

Well, well, if it isn't the bad penny.

Hello, Josh.

So, you've come to watch me die, have you, hmm?

You afraid of death, Quirke?

Isn't everybody?

I'm not. Not any more.

I've done some bad things in my time.

But I've done a lot of good as well.

I think I'll be able to face up to the Lord on Judgment Day.

Will you?

Well, see, I don't believe in any of that stuff, Josh.

You say that now.

I hear you've been interfering with our work.

Erm, have I?

What work would that be, Josh?

I'm a planter now, Quirke.

Some men plant trees. I plant souls.

And I don't like it when ignorant meddlers stick their noses in.

Don't you think you've done enough harm to our family,

you godless piece of shite?

-KNOCK ON DOOR

-Knock, knock.

Oh, here she is.

My favourite grand-daughter.

Grandad!

Look at you - a woman already.

-Brenda?

-Dr Quirke.

What are you doing here?

You two know each other?

We used to work at the same hospital.

Small world.

Shall we eat?

Good night, Dr Quirke. Sleep well.

Good night, Rose.

'This isn't right.

'Oh, Quirke. You're such a silly old bear.

'You think you want Sarah, but you don't. Come on, Quirke.

'Show me what you can do.'

-Brenda!

-Oh, Dr Quirke! You gave me an awful fright.

You gave ME a fright. I thought you were a corpse.

I would have thought YOU could tell the difference.

Thanks. You won't tell, will you?

They don't like the staff to use the pool.

I won't tell.

What are you doing, anyway, up at this hour?

I couldn't sleep.

No, thanks.

So Brenda, what do you know about the er,

charity work that Josh is doing here?

You mean the orphanage?

What orphanage would that be?

St Madeleine's. It's out in Brookline.

He gives a lot of money to it.

You brought the baby over, didn't you Brenda?

Did they make you do it?

I can't tell you.

-Did they tell you who the father was?

-No.

Did you think it might be Dr Griffin?

You mustn't ask me that.

I've got to go.

Brenda!

-SHE LAUGHS

-Come on!

Come on!

We used to come up here, Delia and me, in the old days.

What was she like? I want to know now that I'm here.

The house seems full of her, somehow.

Delia was wild - she had the imp of perversity in her.

How did the four of you meet?

Well, your grandfather arranged for myself and Mal to come to the

hospital to work and then we, we just started going out together.

First it was me and Sarah, then it was Mal and Sarah

and then Delia and me.

How did that happen?

How does anything like that happen?

Phoebe...

There's...there's something that you don't know about

Mal and Sarah, er...

and me.

What's there to know about you?

Listen - I don't think I'll go back to the house just yet from here.

There's a bar in town I used to drink in

and I'm just going to check and see if it's still the same.

-Shall I go with you?

-No, no, no, no, no. I've already gotten you into enough trouble.

I'll get a cab back, Andy. Thanks.

OK, Dr Quirke.

Do you have to drive so slowly?

I mean, is it the law here?

Ah, it's the way Mr Crawford likes it.

I don't always stick to it when he's not on board.

What are those, Irish cigarettes?

No. English.

Oh.

OK, let's rock'n'roll.

Stop!

What did you think you were doing? You could have got us killed!

Think I could have one of those English cigarettes?

Now why don't you come up front and sit with me?

Or maybe I could climb in the back with you?

I think you should take me back to the house, right now.

OK.

Dr Quirke. I'm Father Harkins, Chaplain here at St Madeleine's.

This is Sister Stephanus.

You're Mr Crawford's son-in-law, I understand?

Mr Crawford is a great friend of St Madeleine's.

What can we do for you, Dr Quirke?

Well, I wanted to find out something about a child, a little girl,

who I believe may have been brought here from Ireland.

Her first name was probably Christine,

and if she has a surname, it might be Falls.

Why should you want to know about this child, Dr Quirke?

It's a personal matter.

Personal?

You are not saying you are related to this child in any way?

Actually I'm a doctor and I saw a woman called Christine Falls

who died in childbirth but I believed the little girl lived.

I'm simply asking you if she came here,

and if so, what became of her, that's all.

Oh, now, Dr Quirke!

We couldn't be giving out information of that nature.

Really.

She was just one among many, wasn't she?

A regular traffic of babies taken from their mothers in Ireland

for what?

What happens to them?

This is just fantasy, Dr Quirke.

All these children are certified American citizens.

They have birth certificates.

I happen to know the nurse who brought little Christine over.

And I've seen the girls in the laundry

waiting for their babies to be taken from them.

But you have no proof, or you would not be here making accusations.

Allow me to reassure you, Dr Quirke,

that all the little orphans who come to us are treated with loving care.

It's God's work we're doing here. Our consciences are clear.

Can you tell me where Miss Ruttledge is?

-Sorry?

-Mr Crawford's nurse, do you know where is she?

She's upstairs with Mr Crawford. He's very poorly.

In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sanctii.

Per istam sanctan unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam,

indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid per gressum deliquisti.

Pater noster, qui es in caelis, sanctificetur Nomen Tuum.

Can't be easy for you, waiting for the end.

Phoebe's been very good with him. She's in his will, you know.

He's leaving her a lot of money.

How do you feel about that?

I feel fine about it.

Don't worry, there's plenty left for me.

But she'll be rich - very rich.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Why is that?

Because I want her to have an ordinary life.

Is there such a thing?

I think there could be, for her, yes.

Phoebe will do what she wants to do.

And the idea of you looking after her...

You can't even look after yourself, can you?

Mrs Crawford, I think you should come.

It was good to see you, Rose, even on such a sad occasion.

I guess you could say we did him proud.

Aye, yes indeed. He was a great man and a dear friend.

I know about the child, Mal.

-Oh?

-She's here, isn't she? Brenda Ruttledge brought her over.

Oh, just leave it, Quirke.

She's yours, isn't she? The child.

If you carry on, you'll bring nothing but harm to everyone.

Take my advice.

Just let it go.

Well, it won't let me go.

I'd forgotten how beautiful it could be here.

I often think we should have stayed.

We?

Mal and I.

Things might have been different.

We were happy here, weren't we, in those days?

Mal...

..you and me?

And Delia.

She would sleep with you. That's all it was, wasn't it?

She would sleep with you and I wouldn't.

And then Mal saw his chance with me.

I think there was a bit more to it than that.

But not much maybe.

God, what a mess we've made of our lives.

It's not all that bad, is it?

Well, there's Phoebe.

Why haven't you told her, Quirke? You promised you would.

I started but...it's not so easy.

She seems so much happier here.

-Does she really have to know?

-Yes, she does.

You have to tell her she's your child, Quirke.

You owe it to her.

All right.

-I'll do it now.

-Quirke?

Yours and Delia's?

What do you mean? Delia died.

She died having you, Phoebe.

It was an awful time for us.

We were quarrelling, and I was hitting the bottle pretty hard.

And the night that you were born,

we'd had this fight.

I can't remember what... what she said to set me off but...

..I went on a bender.

Mal found me in this bar and I was off my head,

couldn't even understand what he was saying.

Next thing I remember, I was in the hospital...

..holding her hand.

And she was dead.

And I was drunk.

You gave me away.

I couldn't have looked after you myself.

I was destroyed when Delia died.

Phoebe - it wasn't because I didn't care about you,

because I didn't love you - you have to understand.

You never told me.

-Phoebe...

-All these years!

Phoebe!

Phoebe!

What's the matter with Phoebe?

I just saw her running by the house, she looked in a state.

Quirke's told her, Mal.

Told her what?

The truth. About who she is.

And he told her that today - of all days?

Don't blame Quirke. I made him do it.

YOU made him do it? And you never thought to consult me?

She had to know sometime, Mal.

Well, I hope you're prepared for the consequences.

Hell, I didn't figure on company.

But since you're there...

Take me somewhere.

Your wish is my command, baby. Where do you want to go?

I don't care. Somewhere.

Dr Quirke?

Ah, Brenda.

So, what will you do now that Josh has gone?

I don't know. Find another job, I suppose.

-Will you go back to Dublin?

-No.

Tell me about baby Christine.

You have nothing left to lose now.

Come on.

There's someone who can tell you more than I ever could.

Ain't going to be no soft job for me now the old man's gone.

She's going to sell up and cut out. She don't care about the likes of you and me.

But hey, let's look on the bright side, huh?

I got a Buick, I got a whisky.

And baby, I got you.

All I ever wanted was a little baby of my own.

And the nuns helped you, didn't they, Claire?

They helped us.

They helped me and Andy.

He wanted a baby too, he really did.

And so you were given little Christine to look after.

Yes.

She was never meant to stay for very long.

the nuns would take her back as soon as she was old enough to go

to school, train her up to be a nun herself.

So where's baby Christine now, Claire?

He didn't mean to do it. I know he didn't.

It was an accident.

Didn't mean to do what, Claire?

He was trying to make her stop crying.

He hated it when she cried.

He just shook her, that's all.

I came in...

..and he was just holding her...

..and he held her out to me...

..and I took her.

Her head was so heavy. Warm.

Hot, almost.

So heavy.

What did you do then?

Father Harkins came. Took Christine away.

I didn't want to see her any more.

Did he call the police?

Oh, no - why would he?

It was an accident.

Boy, we had this coming.

All those little glances in the mirror.

You want the same thing as I do.

-No!

-Hey, come on, let me in!

-Get off!

-Hey!

-Ah!

-You'll be sorry!

-What are you doin'? What are you doin'?

-Let me out!

Hey!

-What are you doin'? Come on!

-Let me out, or I'll jump!

-No, you won't.

-I want to see the baby's grave.

-The grave?

Christine Falls's baby. I know she's buried here.

I could call the police, you know.

Oh, I bet you could.

Listen. Mr Griffin is there, visiting, before he leaves.

I don't care if the Pope is there.

I want to see that grave.

The baby is yours...

Jesus!

All Mal did was try to help, and he made a mess of that.

I'm going to get her out of this place, little Christine.

I'm going to get her to a proper cemetery.

That girl was young enough to be your daughter -

young enough to be your granddaughter!

Yes, I've sinned and God will punish me for it.

Has already - taken Chrissie from me.

I suppose you're going to tell me that you couldn't help yourself.

Ah, Quirke. You're a young man still.

You don't know what it's like to be...

to watch your powers failing.

Then a girl like Chrissie comes along

and you feel like you're 20 years old again.

The orphans...

Were you running the whole thing? You and Josh?

And Dolly Moran - what about her?

That was Costigan.

He sent those fellows to look for something she had.

They weren't supposed to hurt her.

And who sent them after me?

Have a heart, Quirke - would I want to see you hurt?

You who were a son to me.

And I revered you.

Has it crossed your mind yet that your Phoebe

was the start of it all?

She was the first baby to be sent over to Boston,

because you were too destroyed by drink and grief to look after her?

It was Phoebe gave Josh Crawford the idea.

So you see, you have something to be proud of.

What, this?

Those are only the ones who died.

There are hundreds and thousands more, doing God's work,

all over the world!

You took their babies from their mother.

Some people are not meant to have children.

And who decides that, Garret?

We do! We decide!

Women in the tenements of Dublin and Cork,

bearing 17, 18 children in as many years.

What sort of a life would those youngsters face?

Aren't they better off here with families to take care of them?

Weren't you better off with me than Carricklea?

Do you know the kinds of things that went on in that place?

I got you out.

This racket with the babies...

-It is not a racket!

-Is it going to continue?

-Why not?

-Because if it is, I'm going to go to the police.

And tell them what, huh?

That Judge Griffin found loving homes

for hundreds of unwanted children?

They'd laugh in your face! Come on, Quirke.

When are you going to grow up and start behaving like a man?

I will bring you down, Garret!

You can try.

Phoebe?

I'm sorry.

All right.

You all lied to me. All of you.

And you were the worst.

Couldn't you see I was in love with you?

I adore convent girls.

They have such a well developed sense of sin.

What would I say to Mal?

You can tell him you're going to Verona with me.

The blood from the left ventricle is more diluted than the blood from the right.

You're going to have to spell it out for me, Dr Sinclair.

-Blackmail.

-I've a position in this city.

-Are you meddling again?

-Possibly.

If I do it, you may never, ever judge me again.

Is somebody there?