Page "Ministry of Fear" Paragraph 1

In wartime England during the Blitz, Stephen Neale ( Ray Milland ) is released from Lembridge Asylum.

While waiting for a train to London, Neale visits a village fête hosted by the Mothers of Free Nations charity.

He guesses the weight of a cake for a shilling, and is urged to go to the palm reader's tent to have his fortune told by Mrs. Bellane ( Aminta Dyne ), an older woman.

He asks her to ignore the past and tell the future, which startles her.

She cryptically tells him to take another guess at the weight of the cake at 4 pounds, 15 1 / 2 ounces.

Neale does so and wins the prize.

Then a young blond man hurries to the fête to see Mrs. Bellane.

Afterward, people try to persuade Neale to give the cake to the blond man, but he refuses.