Original subtitles

BOY: Floy! Wait for me!

Ssh!

What is it, Miss Dombey? What are you doing here?

Is Papa badly hurt, Mrs Pipohin?

You know what the doctor said, Miss Dombey.

Your papa will be as well as ever

after a few weeks of good care and peace and quiet.

Miss Dombey, you know too that myself and Mr Carker

are the only people allowed in this room, by your papa's orders.

-(MURMURS) - There now,

you've disturbed your papa's rest.

I beg of you to leave.

-(MURMURS) - This instant, if you please, Miss!

Miss Hey , mere you are'.!

Oh!

For shame! Straying about the house in your night clothes?

I looked in your room and could not think what had become of you!

I was worried about Papa, Susan. I came downstairs to find out how he is.

(SCOFFS) I can tell you that, Miss Floy.

It'll take more than a fall from an horse to kill your papa.

Did you speak to him?

Mrs Pipchin says that only she and Mr Carker are allowed in his room.

Mr Carker?

Nice company he is!

- Ooh, he's a precious piece of goods! - Susan, don't.

Begging your pardon, Miss Floy,

but we're coming to such passes that it turns all the blood in a person's body

into pins and needles, with their points all ways.

- Oh, Susan... - And when we come to Mrs Pipchins's,

and having them put over us and keeping guard at your pa's door

like crocodiles, only making us thankful they lay no eggs,

we are a growing too outrageous!

Papa thinks well of Mrs Pipchin, Susan,

and has a right to choose his housekeeper, you know, so pray don't.

Well, Miss Floy, when you say don't I never do, I hope.

But Mrs Pipchin acts like early gooseberries upon me, Miss, and nothing less.

Ooh!

You go to bed, Miss Floy.

Your papa and you may speak together tomorrow.

- But... - Good night, Miss Floy.

Good night, Susan.

Who's there, hm?

If you please, sir, I wish to speak to you.

You? To me?

I have been in your service, sir, now twelve years, waiting on Miss Floy.

I may not be Meethosalem, but I am not a child in arms.

What?

There never was a dearer or a blesseder young lady than is my young lady, sir.

And I ought to know a great deal better than some.

No-one could be anything but true and faithful to Miss Floy.

And I take no credit for my service of twelve year,

but it gives me the right to speak, I hope.

And speak I must. And will now, right or wrong.

What do you mean, woman? How do you dare?

You don't know my young lady, sir. You don't indeed.

You'd never know so little of her if you did.

(GRUNTS)

Miss Floy's the most devoted, most patient of daughters.

If you knew her value right, you'd rather lose your fortune

and beg your way from door to door

than bring the sorrow on her head that I've seen it suffer in this house.

- Woman, leave this room! - Begging your pardon, sir,

I may not be an Indian widow,

but if I once made up my mind to burn myself alive, I'd do it.

And I've made up my mind to go on.

I've seen Miss Floy grow up, with no encouragement, no help,

to be a lady that is the grace and pride of every company that she goes in.

And I've seen her cruelly neglected and keenly feeling of it.

-Is no-one there? Hm? - I'll speak out, sir.

Even if I'm to lose my situation for it.

Although I hope you'd never have the head to send me from Miss Floy.

Mrs Pipchin!

I saw my young lady just now stealing out of this room

as if it was a guilty thing to have wanted to look at her own pa.

I've heard her crying at night for want of a word of tenderness.

The truth is, sir, you don't know your own daughter.

You don't know what you're doing to her.

And I say to some and all it's a sinful shame!

- Mrs Pipchin! - I'm here, sir.

Why, hoity toity! What's this indeed?

You, woman, who are the head of this household,

leave a person like this at liberty to come and talk to me?

Agentleman in his own room, assailed by the impertinences of women servants.

I exceedingly deplore it, sir,

but I regret to say that this young woman is quite beyond control.

She has been spoilt by Miss Florence and is amenable to nobody.

If you find someone in my service who is not to be controlled, Mrs Pipchin,

- I presume you know what to do with them. - I do know, sir, and I shall do it.

Susan Nipper, a month's warning from this hour.

Oh, indeed.

Don't you smile at me, you minx, or I'll know the reason why.

- Now go along with you. - I'll go.

Not in a month, but first thing tomorrow morning.

I'll not stop in this house one day under notice from a person

owning to the name of Pipchin!

Get along with you, or I'll have you carried out!

My comfort is that I've told a piece of truth this night

which ought to have been told long before.

And that no amount of Pipchinses can unsay what I've said.

Though they give a whole year of warnings, beginning at ten o'clock in the forenoon

and never leaving off till twelve at night and died of the exhaustion!

Which would be a jubilee!

($055)

My dear Susan, what shall I do without you?

- Can you bear to go away so? - I can't indeed, Miss Floy.

But I've done my duty, and it's no fault of mine.

Don't say any more.

For though I'm pretty firm,

I'm not a marble doorpost, my own dear.

But why must you leave? Won't you tell me?

No. No, and don't ask me.

And whatever you do, don't put in a word for me to stop, for it couldn't be.

You'd only wrong yourself.

Where will you go?

I've got a brother down in the country, Miss.

Keeps ever so many cows and pigs.

I shall go down there by coach and stop with him.

And don't mind me, for I've got money in the savings bank

and needn't take another servicemjust yet.

Which I couldn't...

couldn't...couldn't do.

($055)

How do you do, Miss Dombey?

Oh, God bless my soul.

Dear Mr Toots, you've been so friendly to me

that I'm sure I might ask a favour of you.

Oh, Miss Dombey! If you would but name one,

you could give me an appetite to which I have long been a stranger.

Susan is leaving here. She's going home, into the country.

Might I ask you to take care of her until she's in the coach?

Miss Dombey, you do me an honour and a kindness.

- Thank you. - This proof of your confid...

(HOOVES CLOP)

Upon my soul and body, Susan,

I think you can hardly know your own feelings

better than I can imagine them.

I can conceive of nothing more dreadful than having to leave Miss Dombey.

-(SOBS) - Oh, I say! Oh, I say, now don't.

At least, I mean, I mean do, you know.

Do what, Mr Toots?

Why, come back to my place and have some dinner before you leave.

My cook is a most respectable woman.

She'd be delighted to make you comfortable.

Her son was educated at a Blue Coat school and blown up in a powder mill.

- I'm sure it's most kind of you. - Oh, good.

Driver! Jermyn Street!

I say, Susan,

- Miss Dombey, you know... - Yes, sir?

Do you think she could, you know, eh?

Oh, I beg your pardon, Mr Toots, but I don't hear you.

Ah. Er, do you think she could be brought,

not exactly at once, but in time,

you know, in a long time,

to, er...to love me, you know?

Oh, dear, no!

I should say never!

Never!

Ah. Ah, thank'ee.

It's of no consequence. (CHUCKLES)

Thank'ee.

- How is your patient, sir? - He is doing very well.

I have left him for the night.

Madam, may I beg the favour of a minute's audience?

Is your business urgent?

It's an unseasonable hour and I am fatigued.

It is very urgent.

Mr Carker...before I hear you,

let me say that if you are charged by my husband with any message to me,

do not attempt to deliver it.

I will not receive it.

I came here for two purposes.

If Mrs Dombey thinks that I am the willing bearer of her husband's displeasure,

she does me a great and wilful injustice.

My chief concern, believe me, madam, is to be of service.

- To my husband. - To you.

I know, and knew before today,

that there was no affection on your pan for Mr Dombey.

That is not your affair, Mr Carker.

Because I was his servant, you assumed I was his friend also.

And on that account, that I could be no friend of yours.

Your contempt for Mr Dombey

and your contempt for me have grown apace.

Is that not so?

Are you saying that you are not my husband's friend?

Mr Dombey is, if I may say so, a slave of his own greatness.

He is yoked to his own triumphal chariot.

He draws it along behind him over everything and everybody.

You say this, you his chief flatterer and counsellor?

Counsellor, yes. Flatterer, no.

Why should I hesitate to speak plainly now?

Mr Dombey is capable of no more true consideration of you, madam, than for me.

You said you came here for two purposes.

I must entreat you in the most earnest manner to be cautious.

Do not show too much affection for Miss Dombey.

Who dares judge my affection or measure it?

Mr Dombey has instructed me to say

that your regard for Miss Dombey is not agreeable to him.

It suggests comparisons which are not favourable to himself.

- Unless you take heed of this warning... - Unless?

- So he threatens me. - He does not threaten you, madam.

Florence.

I see.

Thank you, Mr Carker.

It will ever be my privilege to possess your confidence

and to render you every assistance in my power.

Now that we understand each other, may I, for Miss Dombey's sake and my own,

take your hand before I go?

(HOOVES CLOP)

Argh! Who's that?

And where has my sprightly Rob been all this time, eh?

Oh, it's you!

Why can't you leave a poor cove alone, Mrs Brown?

Can't you let him take his master's horse to the stable in peace?

A horse you'd go and sell for cats' and dogs' meat?

I thought you was dead long ago.

Oh, now,

hark how he speaks to an old friend, my deary.

But there's some of his old friends not as patient as me.

- What? - If I were to tell some that he knows

-where to find him... -'Ere!

What do you take a pleasure in ruining a cove for?

At your time of life too, when you ought to be thinking of a variety of things.

(LAUGHS)

- Oh, what a gallant horse! -'Ere!

Leave him alone, will ya?

- What hurt do I do him? - Hurt?

He's got a master that would find us out if he was touched by a straw.

Can't you go along, Mrs Brown, and leave a penitent cove in peace?

If the young woman's a friend of yours, why don't she take you away

instead of letting you make yourself so disgraceful?

What?

Have I bought and sold with you and helped you in my way of business,

schoolboy, sneak and what not,

and you tell me to go away?

- Come, Mother. - Mm, I'm coming.

And maybe I'll raise a crowd of his old companions about him

that'll follow him to ruin like a copy of his own shadow.

Stop!

I haven't meant any of fence.

It's only that my master is up to every individual thing that happens.

Your master is Mr Carker, I think.

- I didn't tell you who he was. - We know him by sight.

Oh, what a handsome man, your Mr Carker!

Ssh! Softly!

MRS BROWN: Why? He's not here.

I don't know that.

- Are they good friends? - Who?

Your master and Mrs Dombey.

How should I know? Why are you asking me these questions?

There's no harm in it.

Alice and me will go now.

And you come and see us soon at the old place.

- Soon, Robbie dear! And often! - Yes!

That's my lovey.

Because we wouldn't like to come and find you

and perhaps bring those...friends of yours along with us.

Soon, Robbie dear.

- And don't you go forgetting! - Come, Mother.

Soon, Rob.

Well, John Carker. And what brings you here?

These letters have come.

I wonder that you can come and go without enquiring how our master is.

We had news today that Mr Dombey was doing very well.

You're such a meek fellow that if any harm came to him I dare say you'd be miserable.

I would be sorry for him.

Ha! You would be sorry.

This brother of mine, this junior of the place, this slighted piece of lumber,

pushed aside with his face to the wall

like a rotten picture and left so for heaven knows how many years,

he would have me believe he would be sorry!

There is no-one in the house, James, from yourself down to the lowest,

who would not participate in such sorrow.

You are a hypocrite and a liar, John Carker.

James, what do you mean by these insulting words?

All this hypocrisy and meekness. Why, there's not a man employed here

who wouldn't be glad to see his master humbled.

Who does not hate him secretly, and who would not turn on him

-if he had the power and the boldness. - If you believe that, then you are deceived.

You have a different manner, a different aspect from any I ever saw.

The nearer to his person, the nearer to his insolence.

The closer to him, the farther from him.

That is the creed here, John Carker.

Every man here is a cringing dog

without the wit or the daring to scatter Dombey's pride and lay it low.

Every man except one, that is.

Leave. Go about your business.

Fawning, cringing knaves.

Mama...

-...have I offended you? - No.

I must have done something. You've changed your manner towards me.

- Why? - Your father.

Yes?

Nothing has changed between us, Florence,

but for the time being, our confidences must be at an end.

- Then it is something I've done. - No.

Merely believe that whatever I do, it is not done for my own sake.

- For mine, then? -(DOOR OPENS)

Come, Florence.

Mrs Dombey, I suppose you know that I have instructed Mrs Pipchin

that there will be company to dinner here tomorrow.

- I do not dine at home. - Not a large party.

- Merely some twelve or fourteen. - I do not dine at home.

- We will ring, Towlinson. - Sir.

Madam, there are certain appearances which must be maintained before the world.

Tomorrow, as you know, is the anniversary of our wedding.

- If you have no respect for yourself... - I have none.

Carker, I would trouble you to have the goodness to inform Mrs Dombey

that I insist on my arrangements for tomorrow.

Tell your sovereign master that if I speak to him on this subject

I will do so alone.

- Mrs Dombey... - Your daughter is present, sir!

- My daughter will remain present! - I will speak with you alone.

If you are not mad, heed what I say.

I have authority to speak to you, madam, when and where I please.

- And it is my pleasure to speak to you now. - Very well then, you shall!

There is a threatening appearance in your manner

- which does not become you, madam. -(LAUGHS)

As to my daughter, it is consistent with her duty to me

that she should learn what conduct to avoid.

You are a strong example to her of that kind.

I hope that she may profit by it.

Tomorrow there will be company to dinner.

I beg that you will receive them in a becoming manner.

I will do nothing that you ask.

I'm not accustomed to ask, Mrs Dombey. I direct.

I will hold no place in your house tomorrow or on any other day.

- Carker? - I will not be exhibited to people

as the slave you bought.

Carker, Mrs Dombey is so forgetful of herself and me in this

I must bring these matters to a close.

- You will inform her, please. - Release me, then.

- Release? - Let me go.

- Set me free. CARKER: Madam?

Tell him I wish for a separation.

That there had better be one. That I recommend it to him.

Mrs Dombey!

Tell him it may take place on his own terms, his wealth is nothing to me,

but that it cannot be too soon.

Leave the room, Florence. Go, at once.

Go, Florence!

Madam, do you know who I am?

Do you know what I represent?

Did you ever hear of Dombey and Son?

For people to say that Mr Dombey was separated from his wife!

Common people to talk about me and my domestic affairs!

Do you seriously think that I would permit my name

to be handed about in that connection?

No, madam! There is no possibility of separation between you and me.

Mr Carker, you will inform Mrs Dombey

that it is not the rule of my life to be thwarted by anybody. By anybody, Carker.

Inform her also that if she continues to set my daughter in opposition to me,

I shall hold not only Mrs Dombey but also my daughter responsible.

And I shall visit her with my severest displeasure.

Mrs Dombey, I request that you remain in this room.

Mrs Dombey!

Forgive me, but I think you might reconsider the question of a separation.

- What did you say? -It seems to me...

Carker, you mistake your position in offering advice to me.

- Perhaps, sir, you mistake my position. - I think not.

You are employed by me, sir.

Being an inferior person for the humiliation of Mrs Dombey.

I forgot.

Oh, yes, it was expressly understood.

I beg your pardon.

What's this? What's this? The carriage was not ordered for this morning.

- If you please, ma'am, I... -(DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES)

DOMBEY: Mrs Dombey! Mrs Dombey, I say!

(DOOR SLAMS)

DOMBEY: Mrs Pipchin!

Where are the servants? ls there nobody in this house?

Mrs Pipchin, I've been calling you for some minutes!

Are there no servants that come when they are summoned in this house?

- I beg your pardon, I'm sure, sir, but... - Where is Mrs Dombey?

The room is in disorder.

Her clothes are thrown all over the floor of her dressing room! Where is she, I say?

- The coachman... - I gave no word for the carriage at this hour!

- If you please, sir, I... - Mrs Dombey...

Well, what of Mrs Dombey? Speak!

If you please, sir, Mrs Dombey told me to drive her to her old house in Brook Street.

She was met there by Mr Carker.

- You lie! - No, sir.

It was Mr Carker who told me Mrs Dombey wouldn't want the carriage to come home in.

She's...with Carker?

Oh, Papa!

Papa, I'm so sorry.

-(SLAP) -(CRIES OUT)

($055)