Henry Denton: Who is it?
Lottie: Oh, I'm ever so sorry, sir.
Henry Denton: Sorry for what?
Lottie: I'm supposed to get the fire lit without waking you.
Henry Denton: Why does everyone treat me as if I were one of these stupid snobs? I spent half the week downstairs with all of you.
Lottie: You can't be on both teams at once, sir.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Oh, don't worry about him. He's just an American staying with us.
Constance: Has anyone checked her outfit? She's probably in black velvet with a feather in her hair.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: What are you wearing?
Isobel McCordle: Don't you like it? You bought it.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Did I? How extraordinary of me.
Constance, Countess of Trentham: He's still got that vile little dog, I see.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Yes, the ones we hate last forever.
Henry Denton: You Brits really don't have a sense of humor do you?
Elsie (Head Housemaid): We do if something's funny, sir.
Mrs. Croft: He's very full of himself, I must say. Doesn't eat meat. He's coming to a shooting party and he doesn't eat meat.
Mrs. Wilson: Now now Mrs Croft. We don't want to be thought unsophisticated do we? Mr Weissman's an American. They do things differently there.
Constable Dexter: Inspector, there's a broken coffee cup down here.
Inspector Thompson: Dexter, they have people to clear these things up. You get on with your own job.
Elsie: Why do we spend our time living through them? Look at poor old Lewis. If her own mother had a heart attack, she'd think it was less important than one of Lady Sylvia's farts.
Baron Raymond Stockbridge: Do you really have to go back to London?
Anthony Meredith: I am afraid so, Raymond. When you're ruined, there's so much to do.
Sir William McCordle: Yes, there is, isn't there? Moan, moan, moan.
Barnes: Short arse.
Inspector Thompson: Well, you see, this is why we have rules and regulations, isn't it?
Mary Maceachran: Mr. Parks.
Robert Parks: Robert.
Mary Maceachran: Robert. When you said you'd surprise me, you didn't mean anything by it, did you?
Robert Parks: Why? Don't you like surprises?
Mary Maceachran: What will Lady Sylvia do now?
Lewis: If I were her, I'd set up in London as a glamorous widow with all the gentlemen chasin' me for my money.
Lavinia Meredith: I don't care what's changed or not changed as long as our sons are spared what you all went through.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Not all. You never fought, did you, William?
Sir William McCordle: I did my bit.
Louisa Stockbridge: Of course you did.
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Well, you made a lot of money but it's not quite the same as charging into the cannon's mouth, is it?
Lady Sylvia McCordle: Please tell me you haven't come with condolences.
Bertha: I can't stop thinkin' about those girls. The ones that got, you know.
Mrs. Croft: Well, I'm not surprised, the way you carry on. Just see it never happens to you, that's all.
Probert: I'll murder that dog one day. Look at that. All over his waistcoat.
Constance: Do you think he'll be as long as he usually is?
Arthur: George has had his revenge on Mr. Denton - hot coffee in the lap.
Answer: Jennings' drinking problem stems from his having been a World War I conscientious objector, for which he was imprisoned. He has kept this secret and is worried the police investigation will uncover his past and jeopardize his job. The maid, Dorothy, is secretly in love with Jennings and wants to protect him.
raywest ★