All language subtitles for Jefferson.in.Paris.1995

Mrs. Jefferson.
I'm Owen lettinger

from the pike
county republican.

Come in, sir.
Mrs. hemings.

I'll do some water for tea.

My wife, Mary hemings,
was Mary McCoy.

We never took the name
Jefferson, sir.

We's all hemingses.

I trust you had no trouble
finding our place?

We are a bit out of the way.

Yes, well, we journalists

will always find
our destination

if there's a good story
at the end of it.

Sit, please.
Oh, well, thank you.

Ah.

It's like this, sir.

When my father died,
he was what they calls bankrupt.

Your father being...
President Thomas Jefferson?

Yes, sir. That is
true and correct.

He was the third president
of the United States.

You write mighty fast, sir.

Ah! We call
this shorthand.

See?

Mary don't read
or write nothin'.

I learned on my own self.

Got the white children
to learn me in secret.

Mr. lettinger, has
anybody ever told you
it was against the law

to learn a negro how to read
and write during slavery?

They did tell about some
owners that cut off a finger

every time they catch a slave
tryin' to get learnin'.

They was afraid, you see,

of the negro readin' and
getting to know too much.

Getting ideas in his head.

Mary, take my key
and bring them things out.

There was four of us
living at monticello.

The children of Thomas Jefferson
and Sally hemings.

There was three of us boys:
Beverly, eston and myself,
Madison.

We had one sister, Harriet.

Um...

Did Mr. Jefferson have children
with any other slave woman
besides your mother?

No. Only our mother.
We was the only ones.

Did Mr. Jefferson ever
show you any partiality

or fatherly affection?

He didn't favor us

like he did his white children
and grandchildren,

but we was well-treated.

Didn't have to do any field work
or any other hard labor.

My sister Harriet was put to
weavin' and spinnin' and such,

in a little factory
on the home plantation.

And I was put to
the carpenter trade.

My brother eston and me
was more of the African blood.

But my brother Beverly,
you couldn't hardly
tell him from white.

He so took after my father

that they tell the story
of a French gentleman

dining with Mr. Jefferson
and seeing Beverly.
He did give a mighty jump

to see the spittin' image
of Thomas Jefferson
serving his soup.

They were given by my
father to my mother.

And when she dies,
she give 'em to me.

So these are your
sole and only...

May I?
Sure.

Sole and only legacy
from Thomas Jefferson?

Oh, no, sir.

Our legacy was our freedom,
long before emancipation.

By the age of 21,
we could pick up and leave.

Wasn't slaves no more.

This was written in
the will of our father

and his solemn promise
to our mother:

"All our children will be free.

I will set them free."

And so it was done.

It was mighty sweet
to be free, sir.

They used to sing a song...

¶ Free at last, free at last

¶ thank God almighty
I's free at last

¶ once was a moaner

¶ just like you

¶ thank God almighty
I's free at last ¶

lord, lord, lord, them
days was the days. Mm?

¶ Thank God almighty
I's free at last

¶ sure did fast and I did pray

(hums)

(Drumbeat)

Thomas Jefferson,

minister plenipotentiary
of the United States of America.

"In the name of
the United States of America,

"I have the great honor of
paying homage to your majesty,

as well as to all members
of the royal family."

"Au nom des
états-useptentrionale,

j'ai l'insigne honneur
de présenter mes hommages
à votre majesté,

ainsi qu'à toute
LA famille royale."

"It is in obedience
to the express commands

"of the congress of
the United States of America

that I have the honor of
assuring your majesty..."

"C'est sur l'ordre exprès
des membres du congrès
des états-unis d'amérique

que j'ai le privilège
d'assurer votre majesté...

"..Of their unanimous
disposition and desire
to cultivate

"the most friendly
and liberal intercourse
between your majesty's subjects

and their citizens."

"...de leur désir
empressé de tous ses membres

"de nouer les liens les plus
amicaux et les plus riches

"entre les sujets
de votre majesté et
les citoyens de leur pays."

"Another great nation, sire,
is rising in America."

Um... have you
found a good house?

I thank your majesty
for your kind concern.

I have agreed to
the hôtel de langeac,
by the grille de chaillot.

It's very important to have
a decent house in Paris.

Antoine, bon dieu!

Oh hisse. Oh hisse. Oh hisse.

Donne du pied.
Donne du pied, là.

Look over these figures again.
We don't want to be caught out.

All right.
All right.

All right. All right.

I want a bull's-eye opening.

Il veut un oeil-de-boeuf.

(Groans) Mon dieu.

You'd better get used to
getting hit over the head.

Master can't live but
he's pulling something down
and building something up

and pulling that down again.

Step.

Come see.

A new girl.

She's odd-looking, but pretty.
She must come from abroad.

Good day, Mr. Jefferson,
mademoiselle.

Please follow me.
I'll take you to
mother superior.

Par ici, je vous prie.

Your father will see
you before he leaves.

A fine, tall girl.

She has inherited
your height, monsieur.

Yes, and that's no trifle
for a girl to inherit.

I'm relieved that your English
is so greatly superior to my
French, madame l'abbesse,

because what I wish to say

is not altogether easy
to express in any language.

Perhaps I may even venture
to express it for you, monsieur.

We have 55 girls
studying in the convent.

Of these, 15 are not catholic,

but, like your daughter,
of various protestant
persuasions.

These girls are completely free

to pursue their
own religious faith

and no attempt is ever made
to convert them to ours.

I assure you,

they emerge quite as
good protestants
as when they entered.

You will forgive my, perhaps,
somewhat exaggerated anxiety.

For an American, freedom
of religious conscience
is one of our great principles.

I believe, monsieur,

you have to fulfill the part
of both father and mother
to your daughter?

My wife died three years ago.

Well, patsy,

this is not any
kind of parting.

James will be coming to fetch
you home on Saturday afternoon

and every Saturday after that.

If only Polly and Lucy
were with me.

One day soon both your
sisters will join us here,

and our little family
will be reunited.

I promise you.

You know that I live
only for that day.

And I live only for Saturday.

There's something in my eye.

Mademoiselle.

Mm.

Just the right amount of nutmeg.
The sauce is well-seasoned.

It could be reduced more
for finicky palates.

Get the glasses.

This dish could be served
at the best French tables.

Come have a drink with us
at the tavern tonight.

Pas de monnaie.
No money.

People here get
paid for working.

Ask the master for wages.
You should be paid like us.

Put more wood on.

Master.
You see how
this works, James?

As the wheel turns,
the distance is recorded
on this meter.

Master...

What is it, James?
I was wanting
to say, master...

This should be most helpful
in recording accurate
boundaries.

Within certain limits.
I was wanting
to say, master...

Wanting to say what, James?

I like finished sentences.

Yes, master, and what it is
I was wanting to finish is...

I wants to get paid.

Master, I want some money.

In our present circumstances,
your request
is not unreasonable.

I shall tell monsieur petit
that on the first of each month,

you are to receive 24 francs
by the way of salary.

You realize that this
arrangement holds good
only in Paris,

and that at monticello
we shall revert to
our own system.

Yes, master. Thank you.

I sure enough
realize 24 francs.
You understand, James?

Yes, sir.
Very well.

(Whispers to himself)

(Hums)

You mock our poor queen.

Indeed.

Out of misguided modesty

she avoids drawn-out,
scandalous affairs..

By saying "yes" at once.
(Laughter)

What would you do if your
husband were sluggish and
impotent to boot?

I'd jump in his brother's bed.

Leaving aside the tapir, we
still have among us the moose.

Nous avons tout de même l'élan.

(Both) L'élan?
L'élan. The moose.

The American moose stands so
tall that a reindeer can walk
with ease under its belly.

(Guffaws)

I'd like to see that!

And so you shall,
monsieur de buffon.

I have the pleasure of
introducing you to a moose.

(Gasps)

Stupéfiant.

Majestueux.

(Cheering)

(Shouting)

The fan.

Vous connaissez adrienne.
Je suis ravie, vraiment.

Cher monsieur, bonsoir.

Adrienne.

What an adventure, my dear.
We're lucky to be here at all.

They lit an enormous bonfire and
they're throwing on all they can
lay their hands on.

I was certain they were going to
drag us out of our coach and
throw us on top too.

I told them I was quite prepared
to sacrifice Maria, of course.

I said "take her. She's much
more inflammable than I am."

Mr. cosway.
You are. You know you are.

Now, let me introduce you
to Mr. Thomas Jefferson
and his daughter, patsy.

Mrs. and Mr. Richard cosway,
one of the greatest English
painters of the day.

What am I saying?
The greatest English painter.

Vous exagérez, my dear
Lafayette. Comme toujours.

So I said to the coachman
"who is this they're burning?"

"The biggest rascal on earth,"
he said, "and burning's
too good for him."

Calonne? Was that his name?
Minister of finance.

I should not like to fall into
the hands of your Paris mob.

People of Paris need only one
little spark and boom! They
explode.

The tables are laid and waiting.

Sit wherever you like.

We can't eat now.
We want to perform first.

Come, friends.
We've rehearsed for hours.

You'll be even more entertaining
after dinner.

Allez.

Au revoir, my dear.

I will rejoin you
afterwards, my dear.

Your secretary appears
to admire the duchess.

We should be happy for her.

She is married to her Uncle,
who is 40 years older than she.

(Clears throat)

Is your daughter here to learn
French manners and morals?

Manners to some extent,
but when it comes to morals,

we should keep to our own.

Why? Are yours
better than ours?
They are better for us.

That is, for us Americans.

And are they
difficult to learn?

Certainly not difficult
to unlearn.

(Sings)

Pourquoi pas?

¶ Les plus forts
ont fait LA loi

¶ les plus forts
ont fait LA loi

¶ les plus forts
ont fait LA loi

tell me about America.

Madam, the subject is
as large as the land itself.

England is so small.

Even the sky is small.

In Italy, it is
a vast cerulean blue.

It is not so much sky
as heaven.

You are Italian?

Mr. Jefferson!
Mr. Jefferson, can you tell me?

Is it true what my
young friends are telling me,

that the revolt of
our American colonies

was really against
trade restrictions?

All you wanted, you Americans,
was the liberty to
drink French wine.

(Laughter)

Instead of English beer,

one might say that exchange
alone was worth our trouble.
(Chuckles)

"We hold these truths
to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal,

that they are endowed by
their creator with certain
unalienable rights."

Tous les hommes naissent-ils
vraiment égaux, Mr. Jefferson?

Are all men created
equal, Mr. Jefferson?

Ou serait-il plus légitime
de dire "tous les blancs
naissent-ils égaux"?

Or should this read, "all
white men are created equal"?

We allowed for certain
differences that are not
caused by the laws of men,

but by those of nature.

And though the negro
may not be inferior,

his status in no way
alters the wrongness of slavery.

It is evil.

Yet your first draft, I believe,
contained a clause on
the abolition of slavery.

I considered it essential,

but congress struck it out
of the final declaration
as being too particular.

LA question de l'esclavage
reste donc ouverte
et non résolue Chez vous.

So the question remains
open with you, and unsolved.

Votre révolution,
Mr. Jefferson,

nous apparaît comme incomplète.

Your revolution, Mr. Jefferson,
appears to be incomplete.

Why did you omit
the notion of property

as one of those rights?

Well, while I hold the right
of the individual to
possess property as basic,

I consider it as a means
to human happiness...

(¶ Harp)

but not as an end in itself.

It is madame cosway.

¶ Mormora il fiumicello

¶ per LA fiorita riva

¶ e sussurra
il venticello tra I rami

¶ e l'uno e l'altro
a sospirar m'invita

¶ piangendo, il rosignolo

¶ perché mi chiami
a pianger solo?

¶ E, o solitario amico ¶

Elle est exquise

¶ perché, compagna,

¶ a suoi dolor mi brami? ¶

(man murmurs in French)

(Woman laughs)

It is only monsieur
d'hancarville
declaring that he loves me.

He thinks I don't take him
seriously. But how can I?

A man of society has to be
in love, preferably with
a married woman.

And monsieur d'hancarville
has done me the honor
of choosing me.

(Woman) Monsieur d'hancarville!

Oh, do go, my dear,
and see if we are wanted.

Please, do go.

Are you always cruel
to those who love you?

It's just a game we both play.

That's how it is here.

People play at love.
It's not serious.

It is different in Italy.
There, we kill for it.

Well, that is going too far.

Why? How far do
you go in America?

Oh, in America.

In America we stay at home

and are happy and contented

with the wives we have chosen.

Ah, if you can choose.
And are you happy and contented?

Oh, forgive me.

I have been told
that your wife died

in giving birth to your son.

My daughter, Lucy.

And the child?
The child survived.

So you have two daughters?
I have three
daughters living.

We lost our first child
when she was 18 months old.

Do you have no son?

He did not survive
beyond 17 days.

The perfect place for it.
Come on.

Quick, if we're going
to play this game.

Heads and hearts. Now,
let's divide up a little bit.

Hearts should be on
this side. That's right.

So you have to
stay there, Mr. short.

Heads on this side.
Monsieur d'hancarville.

Mr. Jefferson, I think
you belong over there
with the heads.

And that's right, Maria.
Definitely with the hearts.

(Laughter)

I know to my cost
that she has no heart.

And I, to mine,
that she has no head.

You would know too, if you
had to pay her bills as I do.

(Cosway) So, I shall start.
For the head,

friendship is but another
word for an alliance with
the misfortunes of others.

Our own share of
miseries is sufficient.

Why take on those of another?

Quand le malheur
nous arrache des larmes,

n'est-il pas bon d'avoir un ami
pour essuyer nos pleurs?

When sorrow makes us weep,
how sweet it is

to have a friend to
wipe away our tears.

With such a comfort,
our very grief may turn to joy.

Come, come, Mr. short.

Take a man's part and
speak up for the head.

Well, sir, when
my heart speaks,

the rest of me
must needs be silent.

What rubbish.

Nothing is in our power
except intellectual pleasure.

In contemplating truth and
nature, matter and motion,

we ride, serene and sublime,

above the concerns
of the mortal world.

Listen to me! All the frigid
speculations of the head

are not worth one generous
spasm of the heart.

The best way of being secure
against pain is to retire
within ourselves

and to suffice for
our own happiness.

Nobody cares for him
who cares for nobody.

A wise man will only
depend on himself.

It's not your turn, madam,
nor is it your turn, sir.

I believe it's the heads' turn.
It's the heads' turn.

He's lost his head,
and she's lost her heart.

Yes, you, Mrs. cosway,
must speak only from
your tender heart.

Now, answer me. Is it not
in the company of a friend

that nature wears
her liveliest hue?

Whence did she borrow it?

From our charming companion.

Speak only from your
head, Mr. Jefferson.

Our heart is pleased
because she is pleased.

(Cosway) No one
is pleased at all.

You've ruined the game
and lost everything.

Monsieur, monsieur.
Assez, assez.

Laisse-nous.

This place makes me shudder.

Ill-formed, overloaded
monstrosities.

When I was 17,
I wanted to take my vows,

as a nun.

I see you're amused.

This is only because you are
the opposite of everything
gloomy and ascetic.

To me you appear
all clarity and light.

Of this world, not the next.

It's true.

I was born in the sun
and I can't live without it.

But when my father died,

we had to leave Florence
and go to London.

We were poor, but I had
a little talent for painting

and ambition to
become an artist.

But instead...

You were married.

Mr. cosway
encourages me to paint,

but not to exhibit my work.

I tell you freely about
myself and my life,

but about yourself you keep
everything hidden and closed.

When my wife died,

I destroyed every letter
that had ever passed between us.

I wanted no one to find the
least trace of our happiness.

It was hers and mine.

And then only mine.

To be shared with no one.

Miss Jefferson,
please sit still.

Enough now.
It looks fine as it is.

I've been sitting here
for hours!

Stay calma.

This is unbearable!

(Man) Voilà. Vas-y. Doucement,
doucement. Voilà, voilà.

Cara, I see signor Leonardo's
been with you.

Let me look.

I would be proud, Mr. Jefferson,
to have such a pretty daughter.

Mrs. cosway plays well.

On Sunday last, I went
as a private citizen, and
accompanied by my daughter,

to the palace of versailles.

(Usher) Le roi!

We joined the crowd

admitted according to
some ancient custom

to view the king and queen
on their way to mass.

I meant to impress upon
my daughter the vainglory
of these spectacles.

May we Americans
never emulate them,

nor burden our taxpayers
with such useless splendors.

Quelle joie de vous
avoir parmi nous.

(Jefferson) The royal
procession showed
an unexpected informality

and animation of spirits.

It is said that this is due
to Marie antoinette,

who tries to make
such occasions agreeable
to her husband,

who is often awkward
and unsociable.

Mademoiselle,

no other American ambassador
gave us the pleasure of
meeting his family.

You should have come earlier.
What is your name?

Martha Jefferson.
Monsieur l'ambassadeur.

Madam.

There's nothing to fear, patsy.
She was only asking your name,

and quite charmingly.

Daily life at court is still
ruled by an etiquette so rigid

that the most private pursuits
of the king and queen

are converted into
public ceremony.

It is like watching actors,
fantastically painted,
bewigged and bejeweled,

disporting themselves
on a stage.

The leading actress,
though never a popular one,
is the queen,

whose extravagance is blamed
for the desperate financial
situation of France.

But the king loves her
very much, and she
rules him completely.

As a foreigner and Austrian,
she feels lonely and isolated
at the French court,

and has surrounded herself
with her own little
band of favorites.

They love to play at
being simple shepherdesses,

a game that is said
to cost the exchequer
one million livres a year.

But the friendship of
the shepherdesses is based
on their ferocious greed.

The queen's favorites
take advantage of her
lonely craving for affection,

threatening to leave her
whenever she fails to accede

to their insatiable demands.

Bon, d'accord.
Oh, allez.

Allons-y.

¶ LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA, LA ¶

(Jefferson) The French royal
family are the butt of
salacious skits and slanders

unimaginable in any other
Christian kingdom.

The queen is depicted with
the appetites of a messalina
or a sappho,

or engaged in incestuous
monstrosities
with the count d'artois,

the king's debauched brother.

The surrender at yorktown.

Well done, trumbull.
It's very lifelike.

And that is you, sir, here, on
the left of my little sketch.
And hard to see.

I assure you that in
the finished painting

no one will ask,
"where is general Lafayette?"

And here is lord cornwallis,
surrendering.

Ah, no, a mistake, sir.
It was not cornwallis.

Milord feigned sickness
to escape sharing his
men's humiliation.

Then I'm very sorry. I must
have been misinformed in London.

Probably on purpose.

You really rubbed their noses
in it, playing yankee doodle.

¶ Yankee doodle went to town
riding on a pony ¶

I was shaking like a leaf

with the malaria I'd caught
in your confounded swamps.

And this is monsieur...
Ah, de viomesnil.

Is that you, viomesnil?

I didn't recognize you
with two legs on!

Inform Mr. Jefferson.

We're asking no more
than our due.

The eye I've given them
deserves a pension.

My dear friend.
My dearest friend and comrade,

we are all here comrades,

and so perhaps it is not
too greatly indelicate

to mention what weighs
on these gentlemen.

Although a considerable
amount is due

for their services
rendered in the American war,

the states have not yet
paid their debts to them.

Promises must be kept.

I'd never have thought
we'd have to beg.

Not even the interest.

Sir, we put our lives
in danger.

We sacrificed arms and legs.

We offered them willingly
for your cause.

Many of these gallant officers
have lost limbs...

Or have been disabled
in other ways...

Fighting for our cause.

Yet all requests

for moneys justly due
to them have been ignored.

The fact is, Mr. short,
there is no money.

Our congress is insolvent.

I know that your own salary
hasn't been paid yet.

Let alone my salary.
I haven't been reimbursed

for the outlay I've made on
my domestic establishment.

Well, that is a personal matter.

But all this financial business

presses on my mind
like a Mountain.

(Jefferson) This is to
inform the congress
that our crushing debts

compel me forthwith
to journey to the hague.

I intend to appeal to
some private Dutch bankers,

who are justly famous
for their financial wizardry.

These shrewd moneymen
have devised a loan

to cover our interest
on another loan.

A bit of juggling
to restore our credit

and honor our debt to those
gallant French officers.

Bouge pas.

Mr. short.

Mrs. cosway.

It was unexpected
and most urgent.

Evidently.

He was promised for
the fête on Friday.

I trust we will have the honor
of your presence, Mr. short.

You keep faith with
your friends, I hope.

Alas, madam, I leave
for Rome tomorrow.

Also on urgent business.

Ah.

I've heard that you Americans
are always on urgent business.

Your friends miss you,
and none more than myself.

And Mr. cosway, who, however,
has much to fill his time
within this place.

I pass my more solitary hours

in great hopes of a continuance
of our happy days together.

I imagine I see you
smiling down at me once more.

Absence from a friend
grown dear...

Is harder than I'd imagined.

My dear Mrs. cosway...

(Whispers) Nor had
I imagined how dear this
friend had grown to me.

My dear friend...

(Whispers) How
close to my heart.

My dear, dear friend.

Absence from a friend grown
dear is harder than I imagined.

I observe the hog of this land,

of which the celebrated
ham is made,

is tall, gaunt
and with heavy lop ears.

People here pride themselves
on their unique smokehouses

that have no chimney.

But I had the pleasure of
informing them that in Virginia

we use the same method
of smoking our bacon.

Accipe, carissima soror,
lumen christi.

Accipe, carissima soror,
lumen christi.

(¶ Nuns sing)

When they rise,
it's called the resurrection

after having been
dead to the world.

But why are you crying?

It's with joy.

Patsy.

Wait, dear.

I wanted to see you.

And I hoped you
might want to see me.

You must miss your father
so very much in his absence.

He'll be back soon.
Oh? When?
Have you had word?

I had hoped to know you better.

And even, if you will
let me, to be your friend.

Thank you, madam.

You see, I know how it
is to be a foreigner
in a foreign country.

I was born in that condition,

for in Italy I am English
and in england I'm Italian.

But I'm American everywhere.

Yes. There you are
like your father.

Wherever he is,
he is what he is.

There is another reason why
I feel such a sympathy for
you and your family.

Because you have suffered
tragedy in the loss of
your mother

and so many little
brothers and sisters.

My childhood was also made
tragic for my poor parents,

and in a most horrible
and unnatural way.

May I tell you?

May I tell you my story?

I had three little sisters
and a brother, all of whom
died very suddenly.

And only I and one
little brother were left.

One day, someone overheard
my Italian nurse singing to me:

"I have sent four
to heaven before you,

and now I will send you too,
and save your eternal soul."

It was she who had
poisoned the little babies,

for what, in her madness,

she thought was
their salvation.

Imagine the state of mind
and heart of my poor parents.

You will understand better
than anyone that I have to
stay with papa always,

that he needs me.

He will never marry again,
because that is what he vowed
to my mama on her deathbed.

Look! Look who it is.

We are so glad to see you,
Mr. Jefferson.
We're enchanted to see you.

We thought you'd
completely forgotten us.

I arrived from my travels
only one hour ago.

Come on up.
Come on, come on.

What a dwarf!
Is it drafty up there?

Ah, Mr. Jefferson.

You're so attached to the opera

that you would not waste
a moment to come here.

Say rather so attached
to my friends,
whom I hoped to find here.

Well, sir, you have found us.

But it is by no means
certain that my wife is
any longer your friend.

See how angry your
neglect has made her.
Why would I be angry?

Alas, my duties were official or
I would have returned weeks ago.

Women will never
believe any business

could take precedence
over our business with them.

Mr. Jefferson,
take your bow.

Ah, mademoiselle contat.

Such large hats are forbidden
in the theater now.

Throw me in the bastille
then, with the thieves,

the forgers and
the child molesters.

Meanwhile, come join us
as we yawn through the ballets.

Well, Mr. Jefferson, I shall
leave you to make your peace
as best you can.

Come, monsieur d'hancarville.
Be at least as tactful as her
husband.

(Applause)

(Sings in French)

I came back as soon as I could.

I was restless for Paris.

I can't imagine you restless,

or even thinking of
anyone or anything except
what do you call it? -

the business at hand.

I thought of you constantly.
I wrote you constantly.

Yes, about
smoked bacon and hogs.

What an extraordinary
person you are.

I hoped to interest you
in what interested me.

I missed you.
I missed you immensely.

Bravo! Bravo!

I kept having a debate
between my head and my heart.

Which, in your case,
the head always wins.

Not this time.

My poor head was simply whirled
around by my unruly heart.

Oh, your heart.

It kept telling me,
"I love the lady,

and will continue
to love her forever."

"If she were on one side of
the globe and I on the other,

I would Pierce through the whole
mass of the world to reach her."

Dardanus!

Dardanus! Bring
dardanus to me!

I want to kiss him! I want to go
up to heaven with him!

Get him a new wig!

And new legs, too!

Quelle merveille. N'eune
aventure follement exaltante?

(Clapping)

Je meurs d'impatience.

Look.

They seem to have
survived the ordeal.

Oh, le canard.
Il s'est cassé une aile.

Pauvre bête.

Don't you wish
it were possible to
fly off to America?

Yes, if I could
take you with me.

It is not impossible.
We are not on the
other side of the moon.

But what are you saying?
I'm saying,
"come to America."

Come to monticello.

Leave everything?
Leave everything here?
Leave my husband?

I have thought of it sometimes.

Mr. cosway and I
have even spoken of it.

We are good friends,
although he does not...

He cannot love me
the way a man loves a woman.

You must have guessed that.

What I guessed from the
beginning was that you
needed me as I need you.

Within a year or two, my
government will recall me
from my assignment here,

and I shall go home for good.

Which is what you want more
than anything in the world.

I can't deny that
all my wishes end

where I hope my days
will end, at monticello.

But to leave you...

To leave you behind, with
all the ocean between us,

and no... no hope of
ever seeing you again.

But even if I had no vows
to break, what about yours?

You vowed to your wife...

You and I are alive,

and the earth belongs to us,

to the living.

Would you dare?

Would you?

Yes. Yes.

For you... for you,
I would dare anything.

I would fly
in the balloon.
Oh, no, no.

It might carry you
too far away from me.

Then I would Ford a flood.
No, that's too dangerous.

Then I would leap
over these logs.

Thomas!

Mr. Jefferson.
Mr. Jefferson.

What have you done?
What have you done?

(Groans)

(Grunts)

Pardon, monsieur.

(Moans)

But he's going the wrong way
for Mr. Jefferson's house.

Yes, I told him to drive
straight to the ball.

It is fashionable to be late
to a certain degree,

but beyond that limit
it is uncouth.

Not to visit a sick friend for
fear of being late for a ball.

Not a ball, madam,
it is the ball.

Everyone will be there.

Le tout Paris.

Except, of course,
Mr. Jefferson.

Poor Mr. Jefferson.
We must send him some
calf's-foot jelly.

Whatever it is one sends
to invalids who have hurt
their wrist.

Oh, forgive me, madam,
I forgot to tell you.

I have secured passage
for the packet on Thursday.

I have, thank heaven,
finished recording

the entire orléans family
for posterity and we are
now free to go home.

Dear, dull London.
I've grown weary of Paris,
have not you?

There are many amusements,
it's true, but some of them
are of the wrong kind.

I write with pain
and must be short.

Failing a private messenger,
I send this letter
whatever way I can.

I fear it may be opened at
the post office and my words,
meant only for you,

read by spies and strangers.

When you come next,
I shall never let you
part from me again.

But are you coming to Paris?
I dread the answer may be no,

and that all this time,
my fond heart has been
deceiving me.

(Croons indistinctly)

Look into my eyes.

Madame.

A power now pervades you.

My wand... and my fingertips...

Will do the rest.

Nature touches upon the divine.

Je me fais le médium

I have made myself the medium
between this force and you.

Recevez.

Receive.

Receive from my eyes

this heavenly current
which lessens pain

and assuages souls
tormented by every malady.

I tingle all over.

I am reborn.
My body is purified.

I'm overwhelmed.
My senses are abandoning me.

(Gasping)

My body throbs.

(Hysterical cries)

Will you excuse me?

Calm down. Dear friend,
you must give it a chance.
It can cure you.

Sir, this is just trash and
tricks for the weak mind.

The method
is completely scientific.

I myself have been cured of
all sorts of ailments
through animal magnetism.

(Croons)

(Rioting)

Du pain! Du pain!

Du pain!

(Jefferson) The high price
of bread in France
is an old grievance.

But now, the many deprivations
coming all together,

whether these be bread or fuel
and warm clothes for
the dreadful winter,

are judged by the populace
to be insupportable.

Once the French people
get started, they don't
go to it with gloves on.

Their wrath has found an object
in the person of the queen,

who devotes herself
to her amusements,

indulging in every current
fancy and delusion.

She welcomes
fashionable charlatans,
like the dangerous Dr. mesmer,

and allows them intimacies
such as freedom to touch
the royal person

that not so long ago would have
condemned them to the rack.

It's very amusing.

Please do sit down.
You'll see.

While outside the people
starve and freeze to death,

the queen and her ladies
are cozy in warm chambers

scented by blooms
from the royal hothouse,

and dressed as if
it were a different season,

or as if they lived
in a different climate
from the rest of France.

Is it any wonder
that Marie antoinette
is hated by the people?

What a perfect patient.

The doors to healing
are now open.

Here you are, monsieur.
Don't be shy.
Come to mother.

Go on, Dr. mesmer.

Watch this.
It's a fascinating
scientific experiment.

Look at the duchess.
Isn't she funny?

Oh, majesté.

How was your trip?

Yet their sentiments
have not changed toward
the little dauphin,

who is still loved,
as is the king himself,

despite the iniquities
he has come to represent.

The marquis de Lafayette
and other liberal aristocrats

are eager to break down
the monstrous privilege

both of their own quarter
and of the clergy.

They propose to revive
a long-dormant assembly
called the states general,

which has not convened
since 1614.

In this, the common people
will have their own
elected deputies,

to be called the third estate.

But the king, who has
the most to lose, says:

"What does it matter if I give
up some of my own authority,

as long as
my people are happy?"

(Maria) London
is so melancholy.

There is something in this air
which always makes me sad.

How I long for blue skies
and for church bells,

and for your presence.

What am I without seeing
or hearing from you?

Write to me. Write to me.

I live only in your letters,
and in memories of
our "jours heureux,"

our happy days together.

(Woman) It is impossible
to paint the anguish
of my heart.

Confined a week to her bed,
with the whooping cough,

your dear angel Lucy
was thrown into convulsion
and then expired.

She retained
her senses perfectly,

called me a few moments
before she died, and asked
distinctly for water.

You shall always,
always, above everyone,
be first in my life.

I vow to you now,
as you vowed to mama.

No one shall ever
come between us.

I shall write to your
aunt Elizabeth that Polly
must come to France

on the next available ship
before winter sets in.

Her nurse may accompany her.

I will be her nurse
and her mother and her
sister and her everything

and your everything,
dearest papa.

(Both gasp)
Oh, your poor wrist.

The surgeon has made
a bad thing of setting it.

I may have to carry it
as a reminder of foolishness

the rest of my life.

Polly, dearest.

You may imagine,
my dear Mrs. eppes,

how greatly we desire
to have Polly with us

and never to be parted
from her again.

The voyage and the change
of domicile

would be greatly eased for her

by the company
of any one servant

to whom she is
particularly attached.

Oh, I's goin' with you.

We two, we be laughing and
jokin' each other all the way.

We's gonna ride
on a big old ship.

Oh, and we be rockin'
on the water.

Ain't that gay, Polly? Huh?

Ain't that gay?

My grandmother, Betty hemings,
was the daughter

of a full-blooded
African slave woman

and an English sea captain,
name of hemings.

She was the property
of Mr. John wayles.

Mr. Jefferson, having married
Mr. wayles' daughter,

my grandmother and all
of her kin came to live
at monticello.

That is, Thomas Jefferson
inherited your family

from his wife's father,
John wayles.

Yes, sir.

Mr. wayles was the father
of Mrs. Thomas Jefferson.

He was also the father of
my mother, Sally hemings

and her brother, James hemings,

and four other offspring that
he had with my grandmother,

who he took as concubine.

So Mrs. Thomas Jefferson
and Sally hemings...

Were half-sisters.

Ain't no use in asking
who is sister with who

and who the father
and who the brother.

They don't speak of it now,
and they didn't speak of it
then.

No matter whose blood
flows in your veins,

you're either master
or you're slave.

You're white or you're black.
There no in-between.

Occupez-vous des bagages.

Welcome, miss Polly.

(Patsy) There she is!

Polly!

Hello, Sally.

Oh, what is it? Have you
forgotten your own sister,
patsy, and your papa?

Sally, Polly, we missed you.

You let her be away
from us too long.
Sally...

Help me up with her.
Your wrist.

It'll be all right.
Oh, we missed you.

Sally...

Welcome to France,
mademoiselle Jefferson.

To the land of liberty
and equality,
or soon it will be.

Polly, come on inside.
It's all right.

Come with papa.
It's all right.

(Polly) Sally!

So, granny's gone?

Uh-huh.
She was sick a while.

You see her there,
layin' in bed,

and she couldn't
take nothin' to eat.

Little Isaac, he tried givin'
her a piece o' his crust.

But she said, "uh-uh.
Granny don't want bread
no more."

They done bury her over
by Weaver's cottage.

Sit down, mademoiselle.

He said "sit."

Ah.

This is my sister. Sally.

Get to work.

Let's celebrate Sally's arrival.

Welcome.
You have a beautiful sister.

Eh bien, nous allons examiner
ce poignet.

J'espère qu'il n'est pas
trop douloureux.

It is still very swollen.

This will take longer
to heal than you thought.

You wants a poultice
on that, master.

With hot ashes and mustard.

My old nurse at tuckahoe
had all kinds of roots
and herbs

for the mumps
and the whooping cough

and every sort
of ache and pain.

And no medicine ever suited me
as well or tasted better.

Um, I have some letters
for you, sir.

(Clears throat)

Letters from a lady.

Ah, and how is the lady?
She sends her regards.

Thank you.

(Plays)

My French harpsichord is easier.

(Maria) Did you receive
my last two letters?

What does this silence mean,
inconstant friend?

I live in misery,
waiting for a letter from you.

Unable to bear this anxiety,

I have taken a passage
for calais on Thursday next.

I am in a million fears
about you.

I long to be with you.

(Clears throat)

(Bell tolling)

(Whimpering)

Polly, Polly.
Lucy. Lucy.

Polly...

What if little Lucy
wasn't dead,

but was sittin' up
in her coffin

in the cold, wet ground?

Oh...
Patsy.

Hush.

You hush.

Our little Lucy is an angel now,
in heaven with mama.

Where have you been?

This is for master's poor hand.

When miss Polly is home
from the convent,

you were to sleep with her.
I told you.

Go on.

Papa?

Try some of this.

It might do you some good.

Did Sally make it?

Well, I'll try anything.

¶ Walk like ladies

¶ the cake's all dough

¶ you needn't mind the weather

¶ if the wind don't blow ¶

(humming)

While it is true
that under French law

slavery is considered illegal,

I don't think that
American citizens need
to be too concerned.

My advice to you would be
to keep your boy here

and say nothing about him.

Where are you from?
Byrd's nest,
gooseland county.

Mr. James byrd is my master.

Would you be knowin' Suzie
melton what was cook there
one time?

Married Israel Jefferson
of monticello?

She be my mother's
own sister.
Lordy.

Ain't it a small world
to turn around in?

Mm-hmm.
Mm-mm.

What sort of place would
that be, byrd's nest?

Oh, we's getting on most fine.
Plenty to eat.

New clothes for the summer
and winter.

Saturday night,
master don't care how much
we dance and carry on

so long we don't do it
on a Sunday.

Mm-mm, some fares good,
some fares common.

Oh, he fare pretty good.
Yes, sir.

Master's so fond of me
I's like his own child almost.

Company coming.

What's your name?
Horatius.
Horatius byrd.

My own master's name.

Afternoon, miss cosway.
James.

Perbacco.

What a pretty girl that was.

That's Sally.
She my baby sister.

Oh?

James? She come
to see old master?

Mm-hm. That miss cosway.
Oh.

She go away and now she back.

If slavery's illegal in France,
the boy could claim he was free

and refuse to go
back home with us.

Master, miss cosway is waiting
for you in the music room.

Inform the lady I'll be
with her presently.

Strictly speaking the answer
to your question is "yes,"

but I don't think your boy
would know enough
to claim that right.

Didn't you yourself,
Mr. Jefferson,

bring over two of your servants
from Virginia?

A male and a female, I believe.

You see, I've come back.

Although with very little
encouragement.

Why did you not write?

I had always to wait
for a suitable messenger.

How could I run the risk of
exposing my tender sentiments

to the officials?

Ah, excuses, vain excuses.

Mr. trumbull could have
brought letters,

but you entrusted
none even to him.

Did you have nothing then
to say to me?

I had too much to say.

And have you come back only
to load me with reproaches?

And how is your poor wrist?

It is better, no thanks
to the French surgeons.

But I've been trying out
some American witchcraft.

Oh, I hope it works,
so that soon you can play
your violin for me again.

Our beautiful duets,
our happy day,

our jour heureux.

¶ Jour heureux

¶ espoir enchanteur

¶ prix charmant d'un amour
si tendre

¶ je vais l'avoir,
je vais l'entendre

I'm alone here.
Mr. cosway's in London.

He wished me to...
To find my own way.

Did you lose it?

Yes, but the moment I saw you
I found it again.

Montrez-nous votre point
de percale, monsieur.

Celui-là, le garance.

Trust me. I know what girls
like better than you.

But American girls?
American girls?

And how, pray, are your
American girls so different

to the rest of the world?

Their expectations
are different.

Oh, you mean they expect
to make corn puddings

and to knit woolen stockings
for their lord and master?

I could think of worse
occupations for a woman.

What a tyrant you'd be.

The turquoise.
Farther down.

Oui, celui-là.
Bleu vert.

Bleu vert.

Pardon, monsieur, vous
pourriez venir un moment?

Excusez-moi.

Are you sure? I'm afraid
it won't suit patsy.

It's not for patsy.
Oh, Polly would like it
even less.

It's for a servant girl
who needs to be outfitted.

The little negro nurse.
She's very pretty.

How old is she?

I'm not sure. I inherited her.

You inherited her?
Yes.

Yes, as a responsibility.

We are responsible
for these people

as members of
our most intimate family.

They're... it's impossible
to explain to a foreigner.

Even an American not born
in our Southern states

is unable to understand
the special relationship

we have with our negroes.

Ten meters.
Oh, no.
Eight will be enough.

It's a simple dress.
Huit mètres, je vous prie.

(Rioting)

It's only an effigy.

They are burning an effigy of
brienne, the finance minister.

Last time they were burning
another finance minister.

That was monsieur de calonne.
He is now an exile in england.

(Breaking glass)

The people are making
their voice heard.

There's nothing to fear
in the triumph of the people.

Not even you are safe any more.

Come on. Come away.

All they want is their liberty.
Their right to freedom.

I've seen such horrible,
horrible sights in the streets.

It makes me fear that men
are not good, not kind
by nature, but cruel.

No, no.

They've been warped by
generations of tyranny,

but they are naturally good.

If I were not sure of that,
sure of the goodness

inherent in the natural man,

I would no longer
want to be alive.

Loosen up here a bit.
You'll look more graceful.

Let me show you what I've
planned for the ribbons.

I told you I don't
want any trimmings.

Sally!

Sally?

(Door opens)

Sally, have you gone deaf?

Where did you get that?

Old master done gimme
the cloth to sew.

I've been calling
and calling you. Come along.

He's gotta pay you for that.

You's out of your head, James.

Folks get wages for their work,
that's the law of this land.

But we is slaves.

Yeah, you's a slave all right,

right down to the bottom
of your soul.

Yeah, well, I sooner be
a slave to old master

than to that old liquor.

You mind yourself or you'll
end up just like Bob tuffle.

You think on that and what
happened to he on account

of the way he was drinkin'
just like you is drinkin'.

"If that nigger
don't walk the chalk,

y'all put him on the block
and sell him!"

Yeah, but ain't nobody won't
buy a drinking nigger.

He ain't no use for work.

What's I want
with all that money, huh?

I gets me my something to eat.
I gets me my new clothes.

You tell him... you tell him
right this minute:

20 francs a month
for your wages.

You is hurtin' my arm.

I'll hurt you so you knows
if you don't tell him right now.

I just talkin'
to Sally, master.

You are?
What are you talkin' about?

Just talkin', master.

It's a mighty pretty dress,
Sally.

Good night, James.

Come in, Sally.

(Whispers) You did it?
What are you doin'?

You'd better get
back in there...

What are you doing there,
Sally?

What's the matter?

Master, I scared.

Of what?

Ghosts.
Ghosts?

Uh-huh.

Have you ever seen one?

Scare me so bad, my hair riz up

till I couldn't get my hat
back on my head.

Well, you won't see any here

because they're all
left behind in Virginia.

Uh-uh. They come
with us, master.

What? They sailed
with you on the ship?

I thought ghosts
couldn't cross water.

See, they don't need
no ship, no water,

they just... goes on
through the air.

Same as smoke.

I done seen Molly.

She done drown herself
in the millpond.

She's here with us?

Well, doesn't that make you
feel nice and at home

to have Molly come
all the way to Paris

from the bottom
of our old millpond?

You know,
when they bring Molly up,

there weren't nothin'
left to bury,

she was ate up so bad.

All her eyes was gone
and half her face,

her legs and all.

And there weren't a morsel
of brain left in her skull,

what was all swarming
with them water bugs.

Good night, Sally.

And thank you for giving me
a pleasant vision

to lull me to sleep.

Good night.

Master? There's this old fly
sittin' on your face.

Where? I don't see it.
Is it troublin' you?

I just stays here
and fan him right off you.

I do beg your pardon,
Mr. ambassador.

The king began dozing off

five minutes
after the assembly opened.

How could he have
done otherwise?

The finance minister's speech
was a perfect sleeping potion.

And our poor queen,
so sad and exasperated.

Your immediate task now
is practical.

Your three separate orders
of nobles, clergy and commons

must be combined
into one single vote.

But that is our resolve.

We shall vote not by rank,
but with the commons.

Sir, I once knew
a young man who,

having visited countries
where liberty and equality
were the rule,

decided to import
those commodities
into his own country.

Do you know what
happened to him?

Well, sir, he was hanged.

(Laughter)

(Laughter)

Don't laugh.

My invention is the most
humane form of execution
ever conceived.

Mr. guillotin,

for whom did you invent
your charming machine?

Is it only for us?

Can commoners also take
advantage of so noble
a form of execution?

Certainly.

No more wretches swaying
from gallows

or pulled apart by horses.

No more rascally hangings?

No more lowlife drawings
and quarterings?

Oh, what a terrible shame.

(Laughter)

Whoo!

Whatever these learned
French surgeons may say,

our old American remedies
are still the best.

Now, Sally, since the cure
was due to your ministrations,

it's only right that the results
should be to your benefit.

Yes, master?

To Sally hemings,

wages: 24 francs.

You shall receive
the same amount every month.

Of course, it's yours
to do with as you please,

but I would advise you
not to give it to James,

or he will be spending it
in ways that won't do him
any good.

He young and wild.

And you're so old and sage?

Would you want me
to keep it for you?

Sally,

this is your money.

It'll be right here
in the corner.

You'll be rich soon,
and then what will you do
with all your wealth?

I takes it home to Virginia.

Don't you want to spend it
on pretty things here in Paris?

They has no pretty things
like we has in Virginia.

Well, what about this?

Yeah, but I like
the bright colors best.

Pink I likes, and yellow.

Hm.

Now, I wonder...

What you will think of this?

Of course, you may not
care for it at all,

in which case I might
as well give it away
to some other girl...

Uh-uh. What is it?

You show me.
Show me what it is.

It's that one.

It's not that one.

It's this one.

Is that for me?
Mm-hm.

That's plumb pretty.

Sally.

(Giggles)

(Door creaks)

(Door is locked)

Haven't you finished
with patsy yet?

You're so slow, Sally.

What will I say
to soeur thérèse
if we're late again?

You tell her that you
only got one girl,

and she's so unlucky to be
born with only two hands.

You make me so cross.

You make me so cross.

(Gasps)

That's to teach you respect
for your mistress.

You go and lay out
Polly's things.

"He spread her legs
as widely as possible

and knelt down
to enjoy her charms."

Is that how we excite men?

"Toinette abandoned herself
to her pleasure."

I do think in lovemaking

some perversity
is no bad thing.

Listen.

"As she undressed..."

Jeffy? Are you asleep?

Mother superior says
I can write to my parents.

Yes, I may enter my novitiate.

Oh, Julia, you can
take your vows.

Jeffy.

Now I have only one wish left.

Oh, Jeffy. I pray for it.

For you.

That God will allow you
to join the true church.

(Jefferson)
The jealousies of rank

have brought the states general
to an impasse.

The older nobles
and the clergy are determined
to negate any measures

that would lose them
the least of their privileges.

And of course, as usual,
the queen is on their side.

Your credibility is at stake!

Your people respect you.
Their representatives
will listen.

The members of the third estate
are waiting for your answer.

Tell them they're
on the wrong track.

The king!

(Jefferson) The order of
the commons, the third estate,

are equally determined,
so that there is a deadlock,

which only the king
can resolve.

Gentlemen,

we have listened
to your requests

with all the interest
they deserve.

But we feel obliged to
inform you that the state

is ruled by secular laws.

The king cannot allow them

to be changed.

(Murmuring)

Citizens!

There's not a minute to lose!
I've come from versailles.

Our finance minister
has been dismissed!

This will be

a St. Bartholomew's day
massacre for patriots!

We must choose colored cockades
so we know our allies!

(Cheering)

What color do you want?
You choose!

Green, the color of hope?
Or blue...

Blue, the color of American
freedom and democracy?

Green! Green!

Comrades, the word is out!

Police spies and informers
watch my every move.

But they won't get me,
at least not alive!

Citizens, follow me!

To arms!

(Jefferson) The spirit
of liberty is canteri

from one end of France
to the other,

and through all ranks
of society.

There are some incidents
of violence,

due to the continued
shortage of bread,

so that grain speculators
are frequent victims.

Yet I will agree to be stoned
as a false prophet

if all does not end well
in this country.

(Shouting)

(Singing)

Hallali, mes beaux.

Majesté.

Is it a revolt?
No, sire.

It's a revolution.

(Sobs)

¶ Liberty, blessed liberty

¶ goddess of
an enlightened people

¶ rule today in this holy place

¶ through you,
our temple is purified

voilà.

¶ Liberty, because of you

¶ reason dispels falsehood

¶ error flees,
fanaticism is overcome

¶ our gospel is nature

¶ and we are of
the cult of virtue ¶

I fear it is what in england
you would call rather silly,

but for us
it's a beautiful new thought,

that the flower
of the poor potato

is more valuable
than our finest jewelry.

Thank you, adrienne.

Celle-là, c'est pour vous.
Ah, merci.

Très gentille.

Perhaps you don't understand
the deep affinity

between us and the people.

We are, all of us,
commoners now.

And they are all noble.

Some of the faces I have seen
in the streets of Paris

did not look noble.

What I don't understand is
what you are all waiting for.

Why don't you go? Get out?

Run for your lives?

It is not easy to leave
everything behind.

Go to a strange country,

an émigré, a refugee,

without money
or connections or friends.

So one persuades oneself

that everything
will turn out well.

On Tuesday last,
a crowd of women,

in a direct approach
to the king and queen

to help them feed
their children,

marched to versailles
and forced the royal family

to return with them to Paris.

The marquis de Lafayette,

as commander
of the new national guard,

had the duty of escort.

The people hope that
the presence of the king
in their midst

will help relieve their
desperate situation.

Waving loaves in the air
on spikes,

they jest that surely now
they will have bread,

when they had brought
the Baker himself,
that is the king,

and the Baker's wife
and his little apprentice.

Vive le roi! Vive le roi!

I came to give you this.

A memento of my small art
and its great subject.

Papa has always taught us
that in matters of religion

everyone must be free
to follow their own conscience.

So you've not told him yet?

I shall have to soon.

I am so happy for you.

When I was your age,
I, too, desired -

oh, so ardently
to take my vows.

But it was not to be.

You will be more fortunate
than I.

But what will you do
when he returns to America?

I shall stay here
in the convent
and take my vows.

And not see your
beautiful monticello?

No.
Patsy.

I don't ever want to go
back to monticello.

Dear patsy,
it's your sweet home

and your father's
most cherished place.

You don't know.

What? What is it,
my dear child?

You don't know
how we live in monticello.

Why, it is a paradise on earth.

Your father has told me
so much, so much.

And he has made me
love the place and...

Made me long to go there too.

And has he told you about
our negroes and how they live?

I'm sure he's very good
to them.

He's the best master
in all of Virginia.

But he is the master,
and they are the servants.

Slaves.

And I'm certain that they
hate us. Yes, I know they do.

I can see it in their faces
even when they smile

and say "yes, master."

And they're always there,
watching everything we do,

and listening to everything
we say and hating us.

And I hate them.

And yet I pity them
for the misery of their lives.

And I wish
from the bottom of my heart

that all the negroes
could be free forever.

But they have us
and we have them.

Your father has explained to me

how it is in the nature
of a family relationship.

And I've seen how kind he is.

For instance, to the little
negro nurse, Sally.

He has bought her pretty
clothes, just as he has for you.

Can't you speak to me?

Please. Tell me.

No, Mrs. cosway,
don't ask me, don't force me.

Who would force you?

Only to relieve your heart
by speaking to a friend.

I can't speak, Mrs. cosway.
I can't speak because...

Because?

Because it's unspeakable.

I can't possibly guess.

It's late, master.

Master's expecting you
in the garden.

(Sings quietly to herself)

What are you doing here?

Missus, you scared me
out of my skin.

I's picking corn for dinner.

Old master, he's so proud
of his corn,

but I see his frenchie guests -
they can't abide it.

They don't even know how
to eat it like it should be ate.

Why? How do you eat it?

You roast it, then you
eats it on the cob.

And it's the sweetest stuff
you ever eat in your life.

Except for cush-cush
and ashcake.

Since you are never
to be found,
I have boldly come to you.

Ah, but it is you
who are never to be found,

except among a crowd
of friends and admirers

who hide you from view.

At least my view.

I've planted an American garden.
I had seeds sent from Virginia,

but only our harmony corn
has prospered.

Everything else has
been a dismal failure.

Our watermelons, cantaloupes,
sweet potatoes.

You see, it hasn't rooted.

If only I could give you a taste
of our marvelous sweet potatoes.

You sound homesick,
Mr. Jefferson.

It is hard to leave.

I shall miss my friends,
and so much else.

Who would not want
to be in France
at such a glorious time?

Ah, yes,
the glorious revolution.

Sally hemings!

I, too, shall have
to return soon.

I have overstayed both
my leave from London

and my welcome in Paris.

Your welcome from whom?
From you, sir.

My affections have not altered.

There has been no change
in the friendship

that has been between us
from the first moment.

You are becoming
the perfect diplomat.

Courteous and amiable always,
and always on your guard.

Well, I confess
I fear unguarded moments.

As when you fell
and hurt your wrist?

I do feel most horribly
responsible for that,

as though it were I
who led you
into recklessness.

No, no.

It was my own middle-aged vanity

that made me attempt
what only a youth can do.

Master.

Our corn.
You must try our corn.

Yes. Pick it up
and eat it with your hands.

It's like with all
your frenchie guests, master,
when we cook it for 'em.

They love our corn.
They loves it when you're
lookin' at 'em,

but when you ain't,
they just spits it out.

Nonsense, Sally.
That's nonsense.

I seen it with my own eyes.
They just spit.

Excuse me.

What is it? What's wrong?

You told me yourself
I could never hope to
understand.

If I have erred in some way,
if I have offended you,

I beg you to be
as Frank with me

as I've always tried
to be with you.

On all subjects?

Or are there some that are
best left unexplained?

Let me call on you tomorrow.

I've so missed you.

Let us resume our jours heureux,
our happy days together.

Ah...

I wish we could.

Is someone leaving?

Yes, sir. Madame cosway.

I wish you both
success and joy.

May God protect you
and keep you from harm.

And without a word
for those who love you?

Not even our American friend?

My dear Mrs. cosway,
this is all very hard on me.

How will I justify myself
when he reproaches me
for your absence?

He will be heartbroken.

I don't think we need fear
for Mr. Jefferson's heart.

But he has one. Believe me,
a great and tender heart.

Only he wears it
under a suit of armor.

Well, then he is safe,
for it will never break

or hurt him very much.

We have failed you.
No, not you.

You have been kindness
and hospitality itself.

In France, we boast
how fertile is our soil

for love and lovers.

But if the soil is American,

then nothing will grow
but corn and - what is it? -

sweet potatoes.

(Scratching at door)

Come in.

You sad, master?

You cryin'?

You want me to sing for you?

I could sing you something sad,
something merry.

Let it be sad, then, Sally,

since that's my mood.

(Humming)

(Laughs)

I can't bear it.

It'll make me sink
into my grave with sadness.

You want me to show you
how to cut the pigeon wing?

How to what?

We calls it cuttin'
the pigeon wings

'cause you hold
your neck up real stiff,

just like a pigeon do,

and you're there flappin'
your arms

and your legs.

I show you.

¶ Who's going to the ball?

¶ Dee-Dee-Dee-Dee-Dee-diddle

¶ Dee-Dee-Dee-diddle

but first a couple
has to set the floor.

They comes up, bends over
to each other at the waist,

and the woman, she puts
her hands on her hips,

and the man roll his eyes
all around.

And he's grinning.

¶ Gonna wear a red gown

¶ Dee-Dee-Dee-diddle

¶ gonna wear a velvet coat

¶ Dee-Dee-Dee-diddle

¶ goin' to the ball,
Dee-Dee... ¶

but it's better if you're
on a dirt floor,

'cause then your feet
can slap down real hard.

Or you get a glass of water...

And you put it on your head,
and you see how many steps
you can do

without spilling the water.

¶ Goin' to the ball, Dee-Dee
goin' to the ball, Dee-Dee

¶ goin' to the ball, Dee-Dee
goin' to the ball

(laughs)

Let me show you
how to do buck dancing.

You hold hands,
you jumps up and down...

You still scared of me, Sally?

I ain't scared of you, master.

I respect your decision,
monsieur,

but I regret it.

We have become fond
of both your daughters.

And I have reason to believe

that your elder daughter is not
altogether willing to depart.

But I am confident
that she will be glad of it

in her future years.

We have our own ways,
madame l'abbesse,

which we must follow
if we are to be true
to ourselves.

I believe freedom of worship

is written
into your constitution.

Yes, madam.
I am proud to say it is.

But we allow each man
to choose his religion

according to his own conscience.

In spite of promises
made to me,

my daughter was
unduly influenced.

On the contrary, monsieur,

your daughter,
exercising the freedom

on which your country
prides itself,

made the choice
which she judged to be right.

My daughter is too young
to make such a judgment.

Independence is not a toy
for children to play with,

but the privilege
of a fully matured mind.

Patsy?

Not yet asleep?

It's very late.
What's the time?

It's past midnight.
Didn't you hear it strike?

I thought I counted eleven.

General Washington has written
to ask me to return home

and become
his secretary of state.

You know my feelings
about public office:

That I'd rather eat my soup
at home with you and Polly

than have all the honors
and position

my country can heap on me.

But, patsy, you have
to be at home,

and learn what, after all,
you can only learn in America -

to be a woman of your own
country, a lady of Virginia.

Have you so fallen
in love with France?

Or is it the dislike
of your own country?

Surely not.

Remember what you promised me
when you were only
ten years old.

You said then,
in your sweet way,

that you were there for me
and would do everything for me

and would forever be
the lady of my household.

Who can be the mistress
of monticello but you?

Don't you want to be that?

More than anything else
in the world.

If only it could be.

Monticello is yours,

as I am.

Listen, dearest patsy,

and believe me,

you are my true life
and my true love.

And everything that is
best in me belongs to you.

I need some of your money, sal.

I ain't got it.

Old master done keep it for me.

You let him keep your money?
Uh-huh.

You do beat all
for natural stupidness.

I don't needs.
I needs it.

Is you in trouble?

I just go tell old master
that I wants my money.

And if he says "what for?"

I say that it's for me

and the little one
that's coming.

Who's been at you?
Is it one of them down there?

I'll kill him
with my bare hands.
Them frenchies?

They as much as look at me
and I bop 'em in his face.

Who is it, then? Hm?

You think you know somethin'
and you don't know nothin'.

So it's him, is it?

Whole lot better if it was
one of them frenchies.

And you's scarcely 14.

I's 15 and you knows it.
I's almost 16.

You's glad.

You's glad to breed
more little niggers

to work in your master's fields.

It won't be no field nigger
if it's his own child
I's carryin'.

Oh, yeah. He let it sit
in his parlor,
drinkin' his port.

Like my white father
and yours done for us.

Don't you shush me.

You know blamed well what
our white father done for us.

Give us away
for her weddin' present

when his white daughter,
our white sister,

married Mr. Jefferson
and he serve you the same

when miss patsy get married.

You see. You and all
your little half-niggers,

y'all gets throwed in
with the pots and pans

she be takin' away
from monticello.

Or he gets married hisself,

and this new Mrs. Jefferson,
she come and say,

"who are all these brat niggers
runnin' around my house?"

That don't look good.
You go sell 'em someplace else."

You don't know nothin'.

Old master, he never
gonna marry again.

I is there when he do promise
miss Jefferson on her deathbed.

Oh. White folks' promises.

Yeah, well, they keep 'em
when they make 'em
to other white folk.

If the angels was to
come down from heaven,

then they'd cheat them
the same as they do us.

It's pitiful.

Pitiful times we's in.

But you listen here.

Sal, if we stays
in Paris, we's free.

Yeah. Plumb free
to starve to death.

I can get wages any day I wants

with makin' the pastries
and all them things I learns.

But he learns you
so you can cook good things
to eat at monticello.

It's lucky for us I got
more sense in my little toe

than you has
in your entire body.

I misses my mammy
and they all somethin' awful.

I wants to go home.

Home? Home? What home?

Your little old slave cabin
where they keeps you
like the animals they breeds?

God almighty never meant
for human beings
to be like animals.

We has a soul
and a head and a mind.

We ain't like a dog or a horse.

Now, you listen to me.

You do what I says
and you and me is free.

And that little one
in there - free.

Don't you want to see what it's
like to own your own body?

You's crazy, James hemings.

You's crazy.

Master, we stayin' in Paris.
Sally and I are stayin'.

You consider yourself free,
then, to go or stay
as you please?

We is free here, master.

Ain't nobody is a slave
in France.

Does your sister also wish to
follow the law prevailing here

rather than the American law
under which she was born?

She don't understand nothing.

She do what I say.

With no regard for what I say?

She be wantin'
her freedom, master,

for her own self

and the little one
what's comin'.

So you, James, will provide
for Sally and her child?

I'll be gettin' work and wages.

And remember, once I have left
and you are here on your own,

there's nothin' more
I shall be able to do for you.

You will be livin'
among strangers
in a strange land

of which you do not even
know the language.

I know some.

More than you, master.

Yes, well, that is true.

But if, James...

James, listen to me.

If I say,
"come home to Virginia

and I shall give you
your freedom"?

You'd give me my freedom?
That is what I'm proposing.

My papers and all?

Everything that is legally
required to release you
from my ownership.

And her and the little one?

What do you say, Sally?

Now, think very carefully.

You and your child will
be free to leave monticello

and earn your living elsewhere
as a free woman.

Where's I goin'?
Wherever you wish.

Where do I go?

Let me make another proposal.

While you, James,
may claim your freedom

whenever you wish
after our return home,

Sally and her child...

Will remain at monticello

under my care,

but upon my death
to be given her freedom.

How will we know it'll happen
like that when we get
back to monticello?

You have my word.

You wish me to swear
an oath on the Bible?

Patsy.

Patsy, will you step inside,
please?

Close the door.

Now, here's a strange to-do,
patsy.

I'm about to swear an oath
that on our return to Virginia

James shall have his freedom.

But should anything
happen to me, patsy,

it will be you who have
to fulfill that promise.

Do you understand me?

And further, there's an oath
to Sally, that she, too,

upon my death, shall be free.

Her and the little one
what's comin'.

Yes, Sally and the child
she's expecting.

And all other children
that may be born to her
in the future.

Do you bind yourself to that?

I swear by almighty God
that upon my return
to the state of Virginia

I shall, within a period
of not more than two years,

give his freedom
to James hemings.

Since, however,
James was brought to Paris,
at great expense to me,

for the purpose of learning
the art of French cookery,

he shall continue to reside
at monticello, in my service,

until he shall have
taught the same art

to such persons
as I shall place under him.

Do you swear?

I swear.

I also hereby promise
and declare

that Sally hemings,
sister of James,

shall be freed upon my death.

Likewise, all children
born to her

shall be freed
from my ownership,

or that of my heirs,
upon reaching the age of 21.

Do you swear, patsy?

I swear.