Original subtitles

BOY: Floy! Wait for me!

(THEME TUNE MASKS DIALOGUE)

(BIRDSONG)

Lucretia.

Oh, Louisa!

How is my sweetest friend?

Have you breakfasted?

Thank you, Lucretia. I have.

I took an early breakfast with my brother, who has come home.

Oh. He is better, I trust, my love?

He's greatly better, thank you. (CLEARS THROAT)

My dear Louisa must be very careful of that cough.

It's nothing, merely the change of weather.

We must expect change.

- Of weather? - Of everything.

It's a world of change.

Why, even the silkworm changes into all sons of unexpected things, continually.

My Louisa is ever happy in her illustrations.

- Florence has returned home also. - Oh.

She is a strange girl.

If my brother cannot feel comfortable in her society

after all the sad things that have happened, then what is the reply?

-(\NHISPERS) I don't know. - He must make an effort!

Oh.

We've always been a family remarkable for effort

- And he has done so! - Hm?

He has made an effort!

My dearest love, I...

I only hope she may be worthy of the name of Dombey.

Oh, my dear Louisa, may I, as a humble individual,

venture the observation that dear Florence is in every way most promising?

Florence?

I am sure she may yet be worthy of her name.

Lucretia, if I have not expressed myself with clearness the fault, of course, is mine.

My remark was not intended to relate to Florence in any way.

-Indeed?

Then I fear I am dull.

I was speaking of my brother Paul's second wife. It is his intention to marry again.

Oh. Ooh! (GIGGLES)

If my brother had consulted with me, I should have said to him,

"Paul, you must have family, you must have beauty,

you must have dignity, you must have connection."

And as far as I can say, that is what he's done.

Although I must confess it takes me by surprise

for, when my brother went out of town,

I had no idea he would form an attachment out of town

and he certainly had no attachment when he left here.

However, I've only seen her picture yet, but that is beautiful indeed.

Her name is beautiful too.

"Edith" is at once uncommon, as it strikes me and distinguished.

And so, Lucretia, you will be happy to hear that

my dear brother is to get married immediately.

Oh, Lucretia!

Oh, good gracious me!

How monstrous!

- Lucretia, what ails you? -(MURMURS)

Dear heaven!

Oh, how very tedious.

-(GROANS) - Lucretia, speak to me!

-(MURMURS) - Then, where is the smelling bottle?

- H-H-H-H-Here. -(SIGHS)

- Are you better, Lucretia? -(COUGHS)

-(SOFTLY) Yes. - Good.

Oh, what in the world could have caused you to...?

(GASPS) Oh, I see!

My eyes are opened all at once. I wouldn't have believed it if a saint had told it to me.

Oh, I was foolish to give way to faintness.

I shall be better presently.

You will be better presently, Lucretia!

Do you suppose I am blind?

Oh, no, Lucretia!

The scales have fallen from my sight!

Oh. Louisa, how can you speak to me like that?

You have basked at my brother's fireside like a serpent,

so that you might, in secret,

-entertain designs upon him. - No.

You dare to think that he might unite himself with you?

- Yes. -(GUFFAWS)

It is an idea the absurdity of which almost relieves it of its treachery.

If I have ever had any lingering thought

that Mr Dombey was inclined to be particular towards me,

then, surely you, Louisa, will not condemn me.

She's going to say that I have encouraged her.

- In my own defence... - Yes, she is going to say it.

Well, in my own defence,

I would merely ask if you yourself hadn't often favoured such a fancy

and even said that it might happen?

Lucretia Tox, I can bear much, but not too much.

I have been mistaken in you.

I wish you well and I shall ever wish you well.

But, as an individual who desires to be true to herself in her own poor position,

and as a sister of my brother, and as a sister-in-law of my brother's wife,

and as a connection by marriage of my brother's wife's mother,

I can only say as a Dombey that I can wish you nothing else but good morning!

Loui... Oh! Oh, dear. (SOBS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Now that my mother and I have come to live in London,

will you stay here with us until I am married?

Thank you.

I wish that we should know and trust each other, Florence.

You're very kind to me.

But let me say, while we have a moment alone,

that when I am married and have gone away for some weeks,

I would feel easier at head if you went home and waited there for your father and me.

No matter who invites you to stay elsewhere,

go directly home after the wedding.

- Will you promise me? - I promise, Mama.

- You won't mind being on your own? - No, I...I'm used to it.

Di and I pass whole days together sometimes.

-Is Di your maid? - No, he's my dog.

- Susan's my maid. -(CHUCKLES) Come.

Oh, and how is my charming Florence?

You must come and kiss me if you please, my love.

You have heard, no doubt, my pet,

that your dear papa is to be married to my dearest Edith this day week.

I knew it was to be very soon, but not exactly when.

Oh, my dear Edith, do you mean to say that you have not told Florence?

Why should I tell Florence?

Why? Well, because, well...

Oh, my dear Dombey.

Look, Edith, see who's here.

Mrs Skewton, ma'am.

Edith.

MRS SKEWTON: Oh, confess my dearest Dombey,

you were never more surprised and pleased in your life.

I was never more surprised.

Nor pleased, my dearest Dombey.

Yes, well, I... I am exceedingly glad to meet Florence here.

When Edith cannot have you near her,

she will at least have near her somebody or something belonging to you.

- Well, how excessively charming it is. MR DOMBEY: Eminently so.

Bless you, my dear Dombey, for that proof of head.

And are your preparations for the marriage nearly finished, sir?

Yes, madam. That is the purpose of my visit.

- And the lawyers' preparations? - The Deed of Settlement is now ready.

Edith has only to suggest her own time for its execution.

MRS SKEWTON: My dearest love, do you hear what Mr Dombey says?

It shall be when you please.

MR DOMBEY: Tomorrow? - If you please.

Or would the next day suit your engagements better?

I am at your disposal.

- I have no engagements. MRS SKEWTON: No engagements?

Oh, my dearest Edith, when you have a thousand and one appointments

with all sons of trades people.

They are of your making.

- Florence, would you like to see your room? - Yes, Mama.

Hurry back to us, darling Edith.

You and Mr Dombey can arrange between you.

My dear Dombey, when you take my own Edith away to Paris,

you will leave Florence here with me in her stead?

With the greatest of pleasure.

Will you show Miss Dombey to the room which has been made ready for her?

- Go with her, Florence. - Yes, Mama.

I shall follow you in a moment.

To think that I shall be assisting in the formation of her mind

would be a perfect balm to me

in the extremely shattered state to which I shall be reduced.

I shall be delighted to leave Florence in such admirable guardianship.

Ma'am, these are the terms of the settlement.

Ooh.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have matters to attend to.

- You must go so early? - Yes, I fear so.

-If I might just pay my respects to Edith... - She has returned to us.

Someone is going, my pet.

Soon now, I shall have the happiness to claim this hand as Mrs Dombey's.

How dare you walk out of this room?

You are worse than a child...

Achild? No child would be half so obstinate and undutiful.

Listen to me, Mother.

After the wedding, you must remain alone here until I return.

- Remain alone here? - You know my meaning.

- Florence must go home. - My dear girl...

I will not have her corrupted and perverted.

You are an idiot, Edith.

Do you expect there can ever be any peace for you in that house

until she is married and away?

There will be no peace for me there whether Florence marries or not.

Am I to be told, after all my pain and labour to make you independent,

that there is corruption and contagion in me?

That I'm not fit company for a girl? What are you, prey? What are you?

I might have been different but for you

and I will not see Florence dragged down to my level.

She is so much to me that sooner than see harm come to her,

I would refuse the hand of that man in the church itself.

Edith!

Take your own way, Mother. Share as you please in what you have gained.

Spend, enjoy, make much of it, but you will leave her alone.

Not a hard condition on this bitter day.

Not if you proposed it in a filial manner, perhaps not, very likely not.

- But such exceedingly cutting words... - They are at an end between us.

From this hour, my lips are closed upon the past.

I forgive you your wickedness.

May God forgive my own.

(DOOR CLOSES)

Dombey, how are you?

- Major, how are you? - By Jove, sir!

Joey B is in such a case this morning

and is in great mind to make a double marriage of it and take the mother too.

(CHUCKLES) Dombey, I give you joy.

You're more to be envied than any man in England.

- I share your opinion, Major. - As for Edith Granger,

there's not a woman in all Europe but might and would give her ears and earrings too

-to be in Edith Granger's place. - You are good enough to say so, Major.

- Ah, Carker! - The very day is auspicious.

The brightest and most genial weather. I hope I am not a moment late.

- Punctual to your time, sir. - I am rejoiced, I'm sure.

I took the liberty of riding round to Brook Street

with a few poor rarities of flowers for Mrs Dombey.

Mrs Dombey that is to be will be sensible of your attentions, Carker, I'm sure.

- Mm? - If she is to be Mrs Dombey this morning,

-it's high time we were off. - Well, then, sir, let us be off by all means.

"Major? "Sir?

Ooh. (CHUCKLES)

Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?

I give this woman to be married to this man.

MINISTER: I, Paul, take thee, Edith... -|, Paul, take thee, Edith...

-...to my wedded wife... -..to my wedded wife...

-...to have and to hold... -..to have and to hold...

-...from this day forward... -..from this day forward...

-(\NEEPING) BOTH: For better, for worse...

BOTH: ..for richer, for poorer... - No thank you.

BOTH: ..in sickness and in health... -(\NEEPS)

(CEREMONY CONTINUES)

I, Edith, take thee, Paul...

I, Edith, take thee, Paul...

MINISTER: -..to my wedded husband. -..to my wedded husband.

- To have and to hold... - To have and to hold...

BOTH: ..from this day forward...

BOTH: ..to love, cherish and to obey...

BOTH: ..until death us do pad...

MINISTER: ..according to God's holy ordinance.

EDITH: ..according to God's holy ordinance.

MINISTER: And thereto I give thee my troth.

EDITH: And thereto I give thee my troth.

MINISTER: With this ring, I thee wed...

MR DOMBEY: With this ring, I thee wed.

MINISTER: With my body, I thee worship...

(INDISTINCT CHATTER) - How very pretty.

Now, Florence, it is your turn.

(CHUCKLES)

Do you know, sir, I came all the way from Baden-Baden

merely to attend on my dear cousin Edith?

I said to myself, "Confound it, Feenix!

When we do get a rich City fellow into the family, let us pay him some attention.

Let us do something for him." (CHUCKLES)

So I gave the bride away.

Er...come, sir. Come. You must sign the book.

- Me? I'm honoured. - Yes.

My dear Dombey.

I fear I must relinquish darling Florence after all

and suffer her to go home.

- Had she not better stay with you? - I think not.

My dearest Edith will be her natural and constant guardian when you return.

I would not wish to make her jealous, eh, Edith?

- But, sir, you've signed in the wrong place. - Oh.

You've enrolled yourself as having been born this very morning.

(LAUGHS) Confound it.

Cleopatra and her Anthony are triumphant.

- Major. - Dombey, congratulations.

May I make so bold as to wish the new Mrs Dombey all happiness...

I thank you, sir.

...if wishes are not superfluous, applied to such a union?

I am proud to see that my humble offering is graced by Mrs Dombey's hand

and holds so favoured a place in so joyful an occasion.

I---

- Yes, Mr Carker? - Forgive me.

I am reminded, not for the first time, of a lady I once knew.

Mrs Dombey! Oh, this is an occasion.

Joe Bagstock does not deny it and he wishes you both joy and he wishes you...

(WEEPS)

(CHURCH BELLS PEALING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

LOUISA: Oh, look here!

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

- Bye. 'BYE-bye.

Bye !

Bye .

And remember that, lad, if ever I goes away,

meaning to come back to supper and don't come back, within 24 hours a'ter my loss,

go you to Brig Place and whistle that tune I taught you outside of my old moorings.

If I answer in the same tune, then you stand off and on till I throw out further signals.

What am I to stand off and on of, Captain? The horse road?

Here's a smart lad for you as don't know his own alphabet.

Go away a bit and come back again.

- Do you understand that? - Yes, Captain.

- Very good, my lad, then do it. -(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

- What's that? - Somebody's knuckles, Captain.

- See if it's 'er? -'Er, Captain?

'Er! The MacStinger. Go and see!

(HORSES' HOOVES CLATTERING)

How do you do?

Mr Gills?

Oh. How do you do? Mr Gills?

I'm very well indeed, myself. I'm much obliged to you.

My name is Toots. Mr Toots.

I beg your pardon. You don't happen to know the Chicken at all, do you, Mr Gills?

- The Chicken? - The Game Chicken.

You may remember he covered himself and England in glory

in his contest with the Nobby Shropshire One.

(CHUCKLES) He's now teaching me the an of fisticuffs

at the rate often and six a visit. (CLEARS THROAT)

Stand by.

Might he sit in the shop with your young man, Mr Gills? Sit down, Chicken.

The rain is bad for his stamina. He is easily offended.

(ensues)

- Now, Mr Gills, if we might speak... - Hm?

(SOFTLY) Miss D-O-M... You know...

Maybe you'll come aboard, then?

- Now, sir. - Mr Gills?

Avast! My name's Cuttle.

Captain Cuttle's my name and England is my nation.

This here's my dwelling place and blessed be creation. Job.

I er... I couldn't see Mr Gills, could I?

If you could see Sol Gills, young gentleman,

you'd be welcomer to me than a wind astern to a ship becalmed.

But you can't see Sol Gills. And why can't you see Sol Gills?

Because he's in-wis-ible.

Oh. Lord bless me!

One morning at daybreak, he went over the side without a splash, without a ripple,

left me in charge here by a piece of writing.

Good gracious, Captain Gills.

I'm sure Miss Dombey don't know that.

You come here from her, then?

Oh... Oh, I should think so.

Then I need only observe that you know an angel

and are chartered by an angel.

She is an angel, Captain.

If there is an angel anywhere, it is Miss Dombey,

but the truth of the matter is it is the young woman I come from,

Miss Dombey's maid Susan, you know.

This morning, most unexpectedly, she took me into the pantry.

She gave me this newspaper. She has kept it from Miss Dombey all day.

She asked me to go to Mr Gills and ask him whether he believed the news to be true.

The news?

You have not read it or heard anything, Captain?

No, lad, I've not.

It says here that the wreckage of a ship that was bound for Barbados has been found.

What's that you say? Walter's ship?

Oh, well, it says,

"All surmises as to the fate of the missing vessel, are now set at rest forever.

It seems certain that she broke up in the last hurricane

and that every soul on board perished."

Well, how do they know it was his ship?

Oh, why, Captain, cos pan of the stern was found floating.

The name "Son And Heir" was painted upon it.

Then...he's gone.

Walter, my dear boy.

He's gone.

Someone's always going and dying or doing something unpleasant, you know.

I never saw such a world.

This here news was written in a ship's log

and that's the truest book as a man can write.

You may tell the young woman that Captain Cuttle says, "It's all over."

But, er...Miss Florence, Captain, will she be much affected?

Why, Lord love you!

They was as fond of one another as two young doves.

- Were they, though? - They was made for one another.

Oh, well, upon my word and honour.

I'm even more sorry now than I was before.

You see, I... I positively adore Miss Dombey.

I'm perfectly sore with loving her.

I cannot get through my meals. I find no pleasure in my tailor.

I often cry when I'm alone.

I am wretched.

Aye. Made for one another.

But what signifies that now?

(DOOR OPENS)

- Mr Carker? - Well. Captain Cuttle.

You'll have received the news as was in print yesterday, sir?

Yes. The underwriters have suffered a considerable loss. Such is life.

Is there anything I can do for you, Captain Cuttle?

Well, I'd like you to put my mind at ease, if you please, sir.

What about? Be quick if you please, I am much engaged.

Well, sir, before my young friend Walter went on this here disastrous voyage...

Come, come, Captain Cuttle.

There are hazards in all voyages, whether by sea or land.

You don't suppose that young whatshisname was lost in bad weather

that was got up against him in these offices, do you?

Fie, Captain! Sleep and soda water are the best cures for such uneasiness as that.

Mr Carker, afore that young lad went away,

-he told me something. -Indeed?

He told me that he wasn't going away for his own good, or promotion.

Now, I'd like, if you please, to ask a question or two of you in a civil way,

for my own satisfaction.

Captain Cuttle, I must ask you to do me a favour.

And what is it, sir?

To have the goodness to walk off, if you please,

and to carry your jargon somewhere else.

Eh?

I tell you what, Captain, I was too lenient with you when you came here before.

In my desire to save young whatshisname

from being kicked out of here neck and crop,

I tolerated you, but for once and only once.

- Now go, my friend. -(lNHALES SHARPLY)

You are deep, Captain Cuttle.

You hatch nice little plots and make nice little appointments

and you receive nice little visitors too, Captain, eh?

Stand by.

It's a bold measure to come here afterwards.

You conspirators and hiders and runners-away should know better than that.

Will you oblige me by going?

My lad, there's many a word as I could choose to say to you,

but I don't rightly know where they're stowed just at present.

Good day, Captain.

But you and me will come alongside 0' one another again, my lad, if we live.