Original subtitles

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Whoa.

Out.

Go on, get out.

Out !

Now, let us see what we can do here.

Melmotte.

Melmotte.

Melmotte.

Melmotte.

Melmotte ?

Melmotte.

Well, what about him ?

Only that he's brought his whole business to London.

Office, family, taken a house in Grosvenor Square.

What is his business ?

-Money. -Ah.

Makes it work for him.

Makes it sit up and beg like a circus dog.

Wait a minute, I've heard of this man,

didn't his bank collapse in Vienna ?

I daresay it did,

but Melmotte got out scot free,

with a cool million.

Well, I've heard the man's a Jew,

and a swindler, and a scoundrel,

and I shan't know him.

That's all very well Longestaffe,

but can you afford not to know him ?

I'm damned if I can.

Your five, and another 10.

Apparently there's a daughter.

Is there ? What does she look like ?

That's hardly the point Felix,

she's supposed to be worth 100,000.

I hear it's twice that.

Anyway, don't look at the mantelpiece

when you're stoking the fire, what.

That's caddish, Grendall.

I beg your pardon, Sir Felix.

Come on, are you in or are you out ?

Out.

Out.

I'll see you.

Ah.

Damn, damn, blast.

Perhaps you'd better go and have a look

at Miss Melmotte after all.

Yes, very amusing.

Lord, what a long face.

Who is it Hetta ?

It's Mr. Wakeham, the wine merchant.

At this hour ?

That's quite beyond the pale.

Melissa.

Shh.

He's going away.

Who's that ?

It's Mr. Broune and Mr. Alf.

The two cleverest men in London, Hetta,

here in my poor little salon.

Now, now Lady Carbury,

too kind, too kind.

Not a bit of it, not a bit of it.

Without your great newspapers to tell us,

how should we know what to think ?

But will you be kind to my poor, little book ?

Criminal queens ?

Cleopatra, Mary Queen of Scots, Marie Antoinette,

powerful women as the playthings of love.

Mr. Alf, I quake already in anticipation.

Will you be as cruel to me

as you were to poor Mrs. Effington Stubbs ?

Will you tell me

I'd much better sit at home and darn my stockings ?

I have to speak as I find, Lady Carbury.

Well, no amount of critical severity

will make me receive you otherwise than with a smile,

but do, I beg you,

bear in mind that authorship is my only means

of providing for my poor children.

I don't see how that bears

on the literary merit of the work, Ma'am,

and as for your son,

I'd have thought he'd be providing for himself by now.

I mean he's not cripple or an imbecile, I take it ?

Now, now, Alf.

Well good evening Lady Carbury.

Good night Mr. Alf,

be gentle with my little literary effort,

as gentle as you can be.

Oh dear.

Just wait a moment, my dear friend,

there's something I'd like to consult you about.

I've received an invitation from someone called Melmotte.

Madame Melmotte of Grosvenor Square is holding a ball.

Who is this person, Mr. Broune,

should one accept her invitations ?

I understand that all London has been invited,

and all London intends to go.

The prince will be there.

Shall you be there, Mr. Broune ?

I shall indeed, Lady Carbury.

Then I shall follow your lead.

I value your guidance so much

in this perplexing modern world,

supporting my family single-handedly as I do

with nothing but my pen,

I sometimes feel so very alone and unprotected.

You will never be unprotected

while I am here, Lady Carbury.

Mr. Broune.

Ha, ha, beg your pardon.

How do you do, Mr. Broune ?

Carry on, carry on, don't mind me,

little bit of spooning don't shock me, you know.

Felix.

I'll take my leave, Lady Carbury, I think it's best.

If you think so.

A bien tot, then.

Yes, yes.

Good night.

Must you Felix ?

Yes Hetta, I find I must.

Oh Felix, I wish you'd leave your tobacco behind

when you come in here.

Well for you mother.

Dear boy.

I wonder, mother,

could you let me have 20 pounds ?

Felix, I can't afford to pay the wine merchant,

I'm not giving you 20 pounds

to fritter away at the Beargarden Club.

Who said anything about the Beargarden Club ?

Mother,

I, I am about to recover the family fortunes.

Aren't you always telling me

I've got to find myself a nice rich girl and marry her ?

Well I've found one,

name's Marie Melmotte,

quarter of a million, guaranteed.

Now I intend to try for her,

but I'll need a little something, you know,

to set out my shopfront, shan't I ?

I can't go round to Grosvenor Square

and look like a beggar, can I ?

Felix.

Hm ?

Do you really think you can bring this off ?

I'll try, mother, for you, and Hetta.

You are a good, dear boy.

Yes, Hetta, what is it ?

Mother, don't you know he'll go and lose it at cards

like all the rest ?

You might as well just throw your money out of the window.

Lord, can't a fellow have a game of cards now ?

I'd be happy for you to play night and day

if you won any money at it.

And I'd be happy for you to lose it

if it were your own money, but it isn't.

It's all we have to live on.

Oh lord.

And you should you encourage him

to be such a shameless fortune hunter ?

Shouldn't marriage have something to do with love,

I only ask ?

I married for love, Hetta,

and watched the man I love turn into a heartless brute.

If your brother is generous enough

to put his wishes last

so that you can have the freedom to please yourself,

then I think you should be grateful rather than otherwise.

Well put, Mother.

There's no need to thank me, Hetta.

See you tomorrow morning then.

Where are you going to at this hour ?

Urgent unfinished business.

Don't forget we're going

to the country tomorrow.

I'm back, I'm back.

New blood at the table, look lively lads, deal me in.

Count them.

Well, not too closely,

not too closely.

Oh well, well, well, well,

would you believe it ?

Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.

Looks like a damned fine, clear, cold day.

Fancy a spot of hunting, Felix ?

Oh God.

You sure you're up to it, Longestaffe ?

Three things I can do in any condition:

ride, shoot,

I've forgot the other one.

Anyway, what do you say ?

Sorry Dolly,

promised my cousin today, your neighbour,

a beastly bore, but there we are.

Lord Roger Carbury ?

Finest fellow in England,

I won't hear a word said against him,

heart of oak, and so on.

Bit of a dull dog, for all that.

Exactly.

Mind you, there's some pretty scenery thereabouts.

Well, why didn't you shoot ?

Why didn't you ?

Thank you, Bain.

Sir.

Oh, good lord, only just in time.

I'm so glad you could be here when they came.

Here, we are, you made good time.

The great thing about the railways

is they're so reliable.

Lady Carbury do you know my ward ?

Paul Montague.

Mr. Montague ?

The last time we met you, you were about 12 years old

and getting into fearful scrapes at school, as I recall.

My son, Sir Felix,

How d'you do ?

My daughter, Hetta.

-Hello. -Hello, Roger.

Miss Carbury,

Mr. Montague.

The last time you saw Hetta

she must've been a very small girl.

Do you think she's turned out well ?

Mother.

Yes.

Well, ah, shall we go inside ?

Ah, Carbury,

thought I might borrow a mount off you

and admire the local scenery, is it all right ?

Yes, certainly, if you wish.

Why, Ruby, what a pleasant surprise.

Surprise, my foot.

I've been waiting and waiting for you.

Roger Carbury is the best man I know.

I owe so much to him.

He could see that Oxford and the bar meant nothing to me.

I wanted a different life.

Get into engineering and go west.

Go west ?

Yes,

New York first.

Then the Midwest.

Then California, Texas, New Mexico.

How I should love that.

What did you do there ?

Cattle,

property,

roads and bridges,

stringing the telegraph way up into the Sierras.

But railways are still the biggest thing out there,

I'm convinced of it.

I've put all my inheritance into a partnership

and we're going to build a railroad right down into Mexico.

From Salt Lake City,

2000 miles to Veracruz.

And if it weren't for Roger Carbury

I should probably be cooped up

in some pokey chambers in the City.

Yes, he is a dear, good man.

Why do you smile ?

I don't know.

Because I'm having a good time, I guess.

Why do you ?

The same, I suppose.

I know she has feelings of,

of fondness for me.

Perhaps she's still too young to experience

the kind of passionate attachment I feel in myself.

No, Roger, I don't think she's too young.

In fact, if I were you I'd make my bid as soon as possible,

before anyone else does.

You must take your courage in both hands, my dear friend.

Faint heart never won fair lady.

Yes.

What are you doing in England now

if your business is in Mexico ?

Oh, we're here to meet Melmotte,

hear he's a great man for raising money.

Melmotte, how strange

that everything should revolve around him.

Shall you be at Madame Melmotte's ball ?

Yes, I guess so.

Shall you ?

Yes, I shall.

Well, I look forward to seeing you there.

Longestaffe, yes.

Father and son.

Grendall, yes.

Nidderdale, yes.

Ah, prime minister's declined,

well, he'll regret that.

But we've got two cabinet ministers

and a couple of ambassadors.

Here, you make sure you dance with young Nidderdale,

Do you hear ?

I don't like young Nidderdale, Pa.

He's got nothing to say, and he's got a funny neck.

You'll like who I tell you to like.

His father owns half Scotland, he's land rich, cash poor.

Like all the rest of these dukes and lords.

They'll come cap-in-hand to Melmotte.

Well, I won't like him, whatever you say.

You stupid woman.

Cannot you get one simple thing right ?

And as for you, you'll do as I say, do you hear ?

And you'll like who I tell you to like, do you hear ?

Not listening.

Do you hear ?

Not listening.

Not listening.

It will be magnificent.

They will come.

They will.

You're welcome.

Good evening.

You're very welcome.

Good evening, Mr. Melmotte.

Mr. Melmotte.

Enchante, madame.

Melmotte.

This is my daughter.

Thrilled to meet you, sir.

Thrilled to meet you.

Yes, it's lovely to meet you.

Oh, no, no, no, really.

No it's.

-Andrew. -Good evening.

I hardly know a soul.

You're very welcome.

You're very welcome.

Please.

Good evening.

You're very welcome.

My daughter.

You're very welcome.

Miss Carbury.

Mr. Montague.

May I request the pleasure of this dance ?

Don't think I know this one.

I'll gladly teach you if you like.

Round.

One,

two,

three,

round.

You're a very quick study, Mr. Montague.

Easy to learn with such a good teacher.

You're good.

So tell me, what are the balls like in California and Texas ?

Hm, not quite so formal.

In Texas they often end in fisticuffs and gun play.

Lady Carbury, ain't it ?

The well-known authoress, am I right ?

Mr. Melmotte,

you flatter me.

Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Not at all.

I just make it my business to know who's who

and what's what, ma'am.

Very happy to see you here at Grosvenor Square, Madam,

happy indeed.

Go, go, go, go.

Shadow on the bed sheet, which looks exactly like...

Can you see ?

These figures here are the teeth,

and they go like, look I can make it chew.

Do you see ?

I can make them open and shut.

Woof, woof.

That's awfully good.

What a strange creature Marie Melmotte is.

She seems to have plenty of admirers.

Should you like to have so many ?

One that I truly liked would be quite enough.

Shall we dance again ?

I've already danced with you twice.

Is there a law around here about dancing three times ?

Not that I know of.

Is there in Texas ?

There aren't very many laws of any kind in Texas.

Even less in Mexico.

I think I'd like Texas and Mexico.

And I think they'd like you.

And Carbury goes into an early lead.

Nidderdale lengthens to seven to two,

Grendel 20s, Longestaffe nowhere.

Well, good luck to him.

Melmotte won't come up to my guv'nor's price.

She's a queer little thing, ain't she ?

Thought we'd get a little fresh air.

How well you dance.

Do I ?

No-one ever told me that before.

No-one ever tells me anything.

Anything nice, I mean.

Well, let me see.

I'll tell you what you would like best in all the world.

And what is that ?

Someone who liked you best in all the world.

But who would like me best in all the world ?

No-one, I think.

Oh yes, there is someone.

Don't you know ?

Can't you tell ?

Don't tease me, Sir Felix,

nobody will ever like me best in all the world.

Oh, but you're wrong.

You're wrong.

I do.

Ah, Felix.

Felix.

Lady Carbury.

You ? Here ?

Why not ?

"The Evening Pulpit" goes everywhere.

Oh look, here comes the prince.

Ooh, now what will I do with him now they caught him ?

I wouldn't have missed this for anything.

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Lady Carbury,

may I have the pleasure ?

Would you care to dance ?

You know, I really think I should be going.

Oh come on Alfred, one more hand won't hurt you.

It's Lord Alfred, if you don't mind.

Call people by their proper names.

Mm, well, if you want me to make you rich, Alfred,

you'll take me as you find me and do what I ask of you.

Now,

one more hand ?

Good, here.

Now, deal the cards, my boy.

-

There's something wrong with this door, Mother,

-there's an- -Shh !

Roger's in there with Hetta.

Oh, nuff said.

.

I've loved you for so long.

I watched you change from the loveliest girl

into the loveliest woman in the world.

Could you love me as I love you ?

Could you be my wife,

the mother of my children ?

I'm so sorry, Roger,

I don't think I could.

You refuse me ?

Roger, I do love you.

I have always have done, ever since I was a little girl, but

not in the way that you mean.

But that could grow.

I don't think so.

I don't think I could ever love you as you would wish.

And it would be wrong for us to marry

if I didn't love you in that way.

Perhaps I'm not one of those girls

who ought to marry at all.

At any rate, I should like to do something with myself,

something in the world before I settle down.

What sort of something ?

Hetta, are you being entirely honest with me ?

Is there someone else who has gained your affections ?

No.

No one has spoken to me of love, but you.

Then I can still hope ?

I wish you would not, Roger.

I don't think you understand me.

All I care about in life is bound up in you.

No, don't say that,

-I can't bear -No, please hear me out,

I beg you, Hetta.

You have to know that only you

have the power to make me happy.

And I would move heaven and earth to make you happy too.

I can wait,

so long as there is a shred of hope.

I have proposed to Hetta and she has refused.

Silly, silly girl.

I'm so sorry.

But she has given me leave to hope.

I shan't give up.

Well, mind you don't.

Now, would you have that word with Felix, as you promised ?

Please, please,

dear friend.

Very well.

Ah, Carbury, morning.

I'm just on my way out, actually.

You can spare 10 minutes from your busy life.

Sit down.

Very well, but it won't do any good, you know.

It's all very well preaching to people who are good,

but nothing will come of preaching to people who ain't good.

Water off a duck's back, can't be helped.

It can be helped, and it will.

This can't go on, Felix.

You've wasted all your inheritance,

And now you appear to be set upon wasting your mother's.

If you're talking about the 20 pounds

I had on for the other evening,

you ought to know and that's laid out

in a very good cause indeed.

Now why don't you just sit down with me

and eat a grilled chop like a good fellow ?

Get any luck with Hetta, by the way ?

Nevermind that.

What I do know is that every penny you lay your hands on

goes straight into your friends' pockets

at the gaming table.

I know very well what I'm doing, thank you.

Yes, bringing your mother and sister to beggary.

You know nothing of my affairs.

In fact, in fact,

I hope to be able to support them both very soon

and in a finer style than they have ever known.

I don't suppose you've heard of Miss Melmotte ?

I've heard of a swindler called Melmotte,

who is lately come over from Paris

and is buying his way into society.

Hmm, just so.

And he could buy and sell you or me a hundred times over.

Well, I expect very soon

to be able to announce my engagement

to his daughter, with a fortune of half a million,

all right ?

All right ? Is that enough to satisfy you ?

You're a fool, Felix,

if you're setting on your hopes on that.

If Melmotte could buy anyone he liked for his daughter

why on earth should he choose you ?

Because she loves me, old boy.

And I am a baronet, after all.

I know, I know, I know,

virtue ought to triumph and all that,

but that ain't the way the world works.

Sorry.

I enjoyed our chat.

You'll ruin your sister.

And break your mother's heart.

Ah, for Miss Melmotte,

from Sir Felix Carbury.

I won't come in, pressing affairs of business.

Good day to you.

Merde.

Tomorrow we need to set up the business side of things.

I'll be overseeing the actual thing itself,

the planning, the surveying,

eventually building the railway.

And you want to get this man Melmotte involved ?

Well, he's the only man in Europe for raising capital,

so everyone says.

I don't like what I've heard of him, Paul.

People say all sorts of things.

He's a bit coarse I dare say.

I was at his house last night, huge place.

Your cousins were there.

Yes, I know.

What a lovely girl Hetta Carbury is.

Yes she is.

She's the loveliest girl in England.

There's something I ought to tell you, Paul, I,

I've offered my hand to Hetta Carbury in marriage.

And has she accepted ?

No, not as yet, no.

She needs time to get used to the idea,

but everything in life to me depends upon it, Paul.

Oh, God, sorry.

I think I may count on your sympathy.

I wish you'd told me this before, Roger.

Before ?

Why should have told you before ? Before what ?

Before you introduced us.

Oh come on.

Come on Paul, this isn't a joking matter.

I'm not joking, Roger.

But you've barely spoken to the girl.

Hetta Carbury is the one and only love of my life.

And she loves me too, she said so.

Now promise me you will abandon this fancy, Paul.

Anyway, aren't you involved with a woman

whom you told me you wanted to marry just as much

only a year ago ?

That's all over.

Oh, hardly a model of constancy.

Roger, let's not break our friendship over this.

If Hetta really loves you and wants to marry you,

I sha, I shan't try to interfere.

Anyway, I've got my work cut out with this railway business,

and I shall stay out of your way for a while.

Fisker, over here.

Look, here's where we break off

from the San Francisco line,

right here at Salt Lake City.

And then it is down through Arizona,

and then New Mexico, and all the way through Mexico City,

then out at the Gulf at Veracruz.

Look at that.

Now that is one hell of a railway, boy.

And we're really going to build it.

It's you and me, pal.

And look at this, you see this ?

This is a detailed business plan.

Forward investment and profit forecast, but you know what ?

You don't have to worry about any of that.

You let me deal with that, because that's my department.

Well, we've got the concession from the U.S. Congress.

I'm all set up to open up offices, Mexico City, Veracruz.

So when can I go out there and get some work started ?

Just as soon as we get our finances sewn up here.

All that we have to do now is sell it.

Melmotte and Company.

Rather pokey premises for the greatest financier in Europe,

don't you think ?

Ah, these great men

have their own way of doing things, Paul.

Good morning, gentlemen.

Mr. Hamilton K. Fisker and Mr. Paul Montague

to see mr. Melmotte.

He's expecting you.

Hmm.

The South central Pacific and Mexican railway.

Would anyone want to take a train

from Salt Lake City to Veracruz ?

No.

I wouldn't.

Yes, but there are thousands who would sir,

and we're talking about

opening up a whole continent for trade.

Mm, that's so.

You have a very nice turn of phrase, Mr. Montague.

But, I'm just a plain man of business,

I like to stick to practical methods.

All right then Mr. Fisker, how far have you got ?

Well, we've got the concession from Congress,

in principle.

we're to have the land for free, of course.

And we are all set up to float the company

in New York, San Francisco, St. Louis, and Chicago.

And I can tell you that they are going wild.

The price of shares is forecast

to go right through the roof

just as soon as this issue goes public.

Oh, is it ?

So what do you want me for ?

Ah, chairman of the English board of directors, I suppose.

Exactly, sir.

And I can assure you that if you gave yourself up to it,

heart and soul, Mr. Melmotte,

it would be the finest thing out.

There would be such a mass of stock.

And the rest of the board ?

Up to you, sir.

Well we get a few names.

Lords, dukes, baronets, that sort of thing.

That's just about what I thought myself, Mr. Melmotte.

This kind of thing,

It can only be brought off once in a lifetime, you know.

That's it, sir, exactly.

That's what so splendid about it.

Or perhaps one should say, only once in each continent.

That's very good, Mr. Montague,

once in each continent.

I would say you were just about right.

Eh, Croll ?

Mm.

All right, gentleman, I'll look into it.

I won't say anymore just now, but

if this thing is properly set up,

we could do business together.

What ?

It's no good, Mr. Melmotte.

Who says ?

It's too big, too risky.

I know it's a big idea.

It's a beautiful idea.

A railway across half a continent ? I should say.

Yeah, but the cost of building it

could soak up 10 times the value of the capital raised

and bankrupt us all.

It's all a matter of confidence, Croll.

This is the kind of opportunity

that happens once in a lifetime,

and who better than Melmotte and Company to bring it off ?

I tell you the truth now,

Well, mother, I'm going to be a director

of the Mexican Railway.

Invited by Melmotte himself.

Felix, what wonderful news.

Mr. Melmotte must think very highly of you.

Ha ! I can't think why.

Are you sure they haven't made a mistake ?

Why should they have ?

I'm rather good with money

and all that sort of thing, you know.

Yes, you're rather good at losing it, aren't you ?

Oh, very amusing.

And begging for it,

and stealing it out of other people's purses.

Yes, I do know that was you.

I shan't stay and listen to this.

Mother, tell her to stop.

I hope Mr. Melmotte's safe has a stout lock on it.

Really, Hetta, that was rather unkind.

This new post might be the making of Felix.

Now, I think it's time I invited Marie Melmotte

to call on us.

And.

My lords, gentlemen,

this inaugural dinner is to celebrate

the formation of the English board of directors

of the South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway Company.

Like to extend our warmest wishes

to our American partner, Mr. Fisker,

wish him safe journey across the Atlantic to New York,

where he will be talking up the shares over there.

-Up, up, up, up.

Those of you who know me

will know that I am a man of few words.

All I want to say is,

this is going to be

the biggest thing ever seen

on the either side of the Atlantic for 50 years.

We'll be making history, gentlemen,

and making money too.

Bravo.

To the South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway.

To the South Central Pacific and Mexican Railway.

You're a good fellow, Montague.

We're all damned good fellows.

This is a great thing we're on, you know ?

Yes. Glad you agree.

Yes.

And the great thing about being directors, you know,

is that we don't have to do any work.

Money just comes in by itself,

it's wonderful, it's wonderful.

I'm afraid I will have to do

quite a bit of work for my money, actually.

Really ? Really ?

Yes.

Oh, that's a shame.

Good fellow like you.

You're a good fellow.

I just think she needs

to be encouraged as a writer, she shows great promise.

No, I have the utmost respect for our hostess,

but her book is a bad book.

It is a thoroughly rotten book.

And I, for one, refuse to tout it.

You see, I have more respect for my readers than that.

But to praise a friend's book,

it's just the way of the world, everyone understands that.

You seem to think

it's the greatest historical work of the age.

Oh, come, come, I don't quite say that, you know.

Mr. Broune, may I have a word ?

I'll never forget what you've done for me, never.

No more than my duty Lady Carbury.

Much, much more.

And I hope you'll learn to know

that a woman can really be grateful.

Mr. Alf, I forgive you.

And I'm so glad you feel

you can still come here as my friend.

Madame Melmotte.

Your mama's not much of a one for talking, is she ?

No. And nobody's much for talking to her either.

Anyway, she's not my mama, she's my stepmother.

Papa got rid of my real mama,

when I was just a little girl.

Got rid of her ?

I say !

How ?

Don't know.

She was there when we lived in Frankfurt.

We were so poor then.

And then we were in New York,

but by the time we were in Paris, he was married to her.

My poor, sweet darling.

I know what you need.

You need someone to take care of you

and love you, don't you ?

Yes, I most certainly do.

I'm not sure we should-

Come on.

Oh, Felix.

Will you be that someone ?

Will you love me, and take care of me ?

Well, I, yes, if you want me to.

If it were up to me.

But Papa settles everything.

Lord haven't I done enough ?

But you must make sure of her Felix.

Now, Madame Melmotte told me

they're going down to the country

to stay with the Longestaffes for Whitsun.

Is that so ?

I didn't think they were that thick.

Lady Pomona won't like it.

Or Georgiana, that girl's the biggest snob in England.

I hope they're not thinking

of young Adolphus for Marie.

Dolly ?

No, no.

No, don't think so.

They say at the club that Melmotte

wants to buy one of their old properties,

Pickering Park, and Dolly's not so keen to sell.

It's come to him, you see.

Maybe Melmotte's thinking of throwing in Maria

as part of the bargain.

But he mustn't, not now that you...

It's quite distasteful that the poor girl

should be used as a bargaining counter in a property sale.

She has a heart, and she's entrusted it to my only son.

I believe she has.

There's no need to make those faces, Hetta.

We should be there too.

We can stay with Roger

and get ourselves invited over to Caversham for dinner.

You can ask Papa then.

All right.

Oh Felix, you are becoming quite a treasure.

Dear, dear boy.

I hope you're not expecting me to come as well, Mother.

Well of course you'll come, why not ?

Well don't you see it might be rather awkward for me ?

And for Roger too.

That's nonsense.

You've been going there since you were a little girl.

And if Roger asks you again,

I hope you'll have the good manners to accept.

Really Hetta, it's most ungrateful of you.

I mean, it's not as if you've had any other offers, is it ?

No, not as yet, Mother.

-Well then. -

Really Hetta, you must learn

to behave with more consideration,

dear.

He's invited the Melmottes ?

All of them ?

So I understand Georgiana.

But that foreign woman,

who can barely speak a word of English,

and that strange little

monkey-faced creature of a daughter.

I can understand going to a crush at their house in town

when everybody else goes,

one doesn't speak to them

and one needn't see them afterwards.

But to have them in one's own house, for how long ?

A week, I believe.

Well, they are very wealthy you know.

It would be an idea if Adolphus could marry the daughter.

Dolly will never marry anyone.

He'd never take the trouble to ask a girl.

Well, I'm sure I don't know what your papa is to do.

Or how there is never any money for anything.

I don't spend it.

It really is too bad of Papa.

Oh my dear Adolphus, I didn't think you'd come down.

Pa wouldn't leave me alone till I said I would.

Give him some tea, Georgiana.

I'd sooner have a soda and brandy.

Oh lord, here's the guv'nor now for a row.

Well Adolphus, have you changed your mind ?

Well,

no, matter of fact I haven't Pa.

Pickering Park's my inheritance and I shan't see it sold

just to pay off the debts on Caversham.

It ain't right, and it ain't fair.

Very well then, you leave me with no alternative.

My dear, we shall not be going back to London

for the rest of the season.

We cannot afford the expense.

But my dear, our ball is fixed.

Then it must be unfixed.

He doesn't mean it.

He can't mean it, can he Mama ?

I fear, my love, he does.

We must be in London for the rest of the season.

I don't like to be indelicate, but if I'm to be married,

I must meet men.

And London is the only place where they are to be found.

Do you really want me on your hands

for the rest of your life, Mother ?

Oh dear.

Perhaps after all, Mr. Melmotte will do something for us.

Here you are.

This is so kind of you.

What must you think of me, inviting myself and my children,

without so much as a by-your-leave ?

Only that I'm delighted

you should like to come again so soon.

Can't imagine how it has raised my spirits.

Hetta.

Morning Roger, still here then ?

There's more to life than Carbury, you know,

you ought to get out a bit more.

All right If I borrow a horse

and take it for a bit of a Canter ?

Perfectly, take as long as you like.

Thanks, I will.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, Ruby.

You know, I've never done that before.

Not with anyone ever.

Well, I should be sorry to hear that you had, Ruby.

And you do love me, don't you ?

Course I do.

More than anything else in the whole world.

Well you better, 'cause there's ever such a lot of men

wants to be my sweetheart, so you better behave yourself.

Well, don't I always ?

I wish you'd come and see me more often.

Yeah.

Ooh, you got such soft skin.

Yeah.

Oh I say, Ruby, draw it mild.

You know what ?

I think I'm gonna let you do it again,

I love you that much.

Yes, well look here Ruby,

I'm not at all sure that I can.

Oh, I am.

I'm afraid I haven't been able

to arrange much entertainment for you.

My dear cousin, it was to escape the eternal parties

that we came down here.

The bishop will be pleased

to come and dine tomorrow.

Well I should be glad

to see the Bishop once more.

Oh look, this article is about Mr. Montague.

Yes, he left it with me when he came.

Could I borrow it ?

Of course, yes, if you wish.

I have asked the Longestaffes for Friday,

but they won't come.

I dare say they are to have

a houseful of guests themselves.

Yes. I did know they were to have guests.

The Melmottes are coming to them.

The Melmottes ?

I fancy he wants he wants

a little pecuniary assistance, Roger.

Well, he might well indeed,

but I should have thought he would've kept

such a man as Mr. Melmotte out of his wife's drawing room.

Why should you dislike the Melmottes so much, Roger ?

I don't, I don't dislike them, why should I ?

Why should I dislike people I never saw ?

No, I, but I,

I do dislike those who seek their society

simply because they are rich.

Meaning me, I suppose ?

Not meaning you, no,

of course I didn't dislike you, as you very well know.

No, I meant the Longestaffes, then.

But I can't say I'm happy to discover

that you are come down to the country

just because you knew the Melmottes are to be at Caversham.

Not just.

You know how I love to be here.

But I will admit to partly, not for my own sake,

I should never run after such a man, but for my poor son.

Felix has spent every penny of his inheritance, as you know,

but he does have other assets.

He's good looking, he's a Baronet,

and I must say the girl seems quite in love with him.

And so he'll save his bacon by marrying her for her money.

Well, what is wrong with that ?

It's nothing less than stealing her money.

Oh, Roger, how hard you are.

Does he feel anything at all for the girl ?

Well, I never-

It's entirely beside the point, I suppose ?

Well, I've,

I have nothing more to say on the matter,

it's no affair of mine.

Look, when I am told that the girl is in the neighbourhood,

at such a house as Caversham,

and that Felix is coming down here to be near his prey.

And that I am asked to be a party to such a thing.

I can only say what I think.

Felix is welcome here because he is your son and my cousin,

but I wish he'd chosen some other place

for the work he has in hand.

If you wish it, we will return to London.

I had hoped you'd be glad to see us,

perhaps particularly glad to see my Hetta.

Mother !

But we have offended you, and I think we should leave.

You are very harsh, and it crushes me.

Of course you mustn't leave.

If I've hurt you I regret it very much.

Let me beg your pardon, please.

No more about going away.

I shall return to my room,

My head hurts so I can hardly speak.

Shall I come with you ?

No, no.

I shall be well, stay with your cousin.

Oh, that was badly done.

No.

You said what you thought, that was all.

A gentleman should never be rough to a lady.

And a man should never be rough to his own guests.

I hope she'll forgive me.

Sir Felix, how delightful.

Lady Pomona.

Madame Melmotte.

Beautiful gardens.

For myself, I don't care much for gardens,

but if one is to live in the countryside,

this is the sort of place one would like.

Carbury's a very poor place.

For a small place, Carbury is very pleasant and pretty,

though it isn't extensive.

No, by Jove, no, it's just pokey as a prison.

You are in prison ?

Hm ? No.

No, no.

That was, that was...

Is that your daughter there, madame ?

I must just, uh...

Miss Longestaffe,

Miss Melmotte.

I'm sure you two would like to be left together.

She doesn't like me.

She doesn't like any of us.

How very imperceptive of her.

I like you, very much indeed.

I wonder am I to believe that ?

Well, of course you are.

Haven't I come all this way just to tell you so ?

And to ask you again, will you accept me ?

Do you really love me well enough, Felix ?

Of course I do.

I'm not good at making pretty speeches and all that,

but you know I love you.

Then I will love you too.

I will, with all my heart.

Oh, Felix,

no one ever kissed me like you do.

I don't know what Papa will say when we tell him.

Think he'll be angry ?

-Yes, I expect so. -Hm.

But you will speak to him, won't you ?

Well, yes, of course I will, yes.

There he is.

Who's that chap with him ?

Lord Alfred Grendall.

Oh.

Spends a lot of time with old Grendall, don't he ?

Papa says he can make old Grendall do anything he likes.

He says old Grendall will jump through hoops for him.

Does he ?

Have to be pretty big hoops, what ?

You're so funny.

I do love you so.

Look here, I don't think now is the time to talk to Papa.

Not in the country, at another man's house, you know.

It's not quite the thing.

I never know what the thing is,

but you will speak to him soon won't you ?

Oh yes, yes.

Very soon.

Mr. Melmotte's given his consent ?

No, not, well, not in so many words, no.

But it's all settled apart from that.

Oh, Felix.

It's almost too good to be true,

darling, darling boy.

Oh, leave off mother, do.

I ain't quite sure I care

about being married and all that, you know.

You will care very much when you have enough money

to do anything you like and go anywhere you like.

Well, I suppose you're right.

So you must come with us to the Longestaffes' tomorrow.

If you run away now, it will be an affront to her,

and might set Mr. Melmotte against you,

just at a time when you should be

laying yourself out to please him.

Oh bother.

All right, mother, I'll come.

Dear boy.

Please, please, please.

I've had a very tiring day.

There's your inamorata, Felix.

I know, Mother.

Why don't you go and talk to the father now ?

Not in front of all these people, he might cut me.

Well, if you won't, I shall.

Oh lord.

Mr. Melmotte.

Lady Carbury.

My lords, ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served.

I hope you like Suffolk, Mr. Melmotte.

Pretty well.

It's a very nice place for fresh air.

Thinking of getting a place down here myself.

Sooner be in London though.

It's a very nice place, is London.

It is if you have plenty of money, Mr. Melmotte.

And if you haven't, it's the best place to get it.

you written any more books ?

"Wicked Women of History," wasn't it ?

How kind of you to remember, Mr. Melmotte.

Well I'm, I know a bit about wicked women myself.

And girls.

There are books I could write, Lady Carbury,

if I had a mind to.

Your son is Sir Felix Carbury, ain't he ?

Sitting over there with my daughter.

Happy fellow.

He sits on the same board with you, I believe.

Mm.

I trust he's diligent there ?

He don't trouble me much, ma'am,

I don't trouble him much.

Ah.

I've told Mama.

Did she say anything ?

Yes, a lot.

She says Papa will think you're not rich enough,

but I don't care about that.

Talk about something else, or people will hear.

Have you been riding ?

No, I don't really know how to ride.

You ride beautifully.

What, on that old screw of Roger's ?

I think you do.

When are you going back to town ?

Tomorrow.

We go on Wednesday.

You will come and see me, won't you ?

Hm ? Er, yes, expect so.

And you'll go and see my father,

he's in the City Every day, best to go there.

Right.

You will stick to it, though Marie, won't you ?

I always stick to things when I have made my mind up.

Papa knows that.

You're a good girl, Marie.

I'll be a very good girl to you.

What a lovely couple they make.

Whatever happens, we shall always be friends.

Yes, that's what I want too.

I shan't tell you that I love you again,

you know that already.

And I shan't press you to make a sacrifice of yourself.

But I think you may come to love me,

unless your heart is already given elsewhere.

What do you mean ?

You seem very interested in, in my friend, Paul Montague.

Who would not be ?

He has done such extraordinary things and may do more.

Yes, but,

he is rather wild, you know.

And just now he's engaged in a risky,

and possibly a dishonest venture

in what I regard as very bad company.

Do you speak this way about your friend, your protege ?

Yes, because I care very much about his welfare

and his happiness.

And I care even more about yours.

Then we must hope that your fears are misplaced,

mustn't we ?

Here you are, sir.

Would you like anything sent up ?

No, thank you, I won't be staying very long.

Paul.

You came,

you came to me.

I knew you would.

I can't stay very long.

You can't stay long ?

I see.

I don't think we have very much to say to each other.

Not now.

Paul,

I came 3000 miles to see you.

I think you owe me a little me a little more than that.