All language subtitles for Brideshead Revisited - S01E04 - Sebastian Against the World

I returned to Brideshead
in the spring of 1924.

The Easter party
was a bitter time,

culminating in a small

but unforgettably painful
incident.

Hadn't you better go up
and change?

Five more minutes, Charles.

Look. That's a chow.

Sebastian had been drinking
very hard for a week-

only I knew how hard-

and drinking in a nervous,
surreptitious way,

quite unlike his old habit.

Most of the guests
knew him too slightly

to notice the change in him,

while his own family
were occupied

each with their
particular friends.

So it was not until
the evening of the day

when the main party had left

that he had to face
his family at close quarters.

Haven't they brought
the cocktails yet?

Where have you been?

Up with Nanny.

I don't believe it.
You've been drinking.

I've been reading in my room.

My cold's much worse today.

Just a minute.

Sebastian...

Sebastian, let me in.

What's the matter?

Sebastian's drunk.

He can't be.

He's been drinking in his room
all afternoon.

How very peculiar.

What a bore he is.

Will he be all right for dinner?

No.

Well, you'll have to deal
with it.

It's no business of mine.

Does he often do this?

He has lately, yes.

I suppose it must be
something chemical in him.

How very boring.

Hello.

Are you feeling any better?

Charles...

What you said was quite true.

Not with Nanny.

Been drinking whiskey up here.

Feeling rather drunk.

Go to bed.

I'll say your cold's worse.

Yes.

Much worse.

I should get into bed.

No.

In a minute.

Put that down.

Don't be an ass, Sebastian.
You've had quite enough.

What the devil's it got to do
with you?

You're a guest here.

My guest!

I shall drink what I want to
in my own house.

All right.

Only, for God's sake,
keep it out of sight.

Why don't you mind
your own business?

You came here as my friendl.

Now you're spying on me
for my mother, I know.

Well, you can get out of here,

and you can tell her from me
that I'll choose my friends

and she her spies in future.

Mr. Ryder?

No, thank you.

What's become of Sebastian?

He's gone to bed.

His cold's rather worse.

Oh, dear.
I hope he isn't getting flu.

I thought he looked
a little feverish lately.

Is there anything he wants?

No, he particularly asked
not to be disturbed.

I think he needs
a glass of hot whiskey.

I'll go and have a look at him.

No, don't, Mummy. I'll go.

May I go?

Please, Mummy, if he's not well.

I've only just been in to him.

His cold really has come on
rather badly.

He says there's nothing
that he wants.

I think he just needs
to get some sleep.

Well, I'll just
have a look at him.

He's probably feeling awful.
Cordelia...

I promise I won't disturb him
if he's sleeping.

No, he doesn't want anything.

How was he?

I don't know.

But I think he's very drunk.

Cordelial.

Marquis's son unused to wine.

Model student's career at stake.

Cordelia...

Charles,

is this true?

Yes.

Dinner is served, milady.

Thank you, Wilcox.

I don't think Sebastian's
been very well for some time.

I first noticed it

when he came home from retreat.

He seemed very depressed,

quite the reverse effect

from what one
would have expected.

Benedictus, Benedicat,

per Jesum
Christum Dominum nostrum.

Amen.

As we sat down to dinner
that night,

the subject was not mentioned.

I had no stomach for the food

and silently mourned
my friend upstairs.

When Brideshead and I
were left alone over the port,

he brought up the subject again.

Did you say Sebastian was drunk?

Yes.

Extraordinary time to choose.

Couldn't you stop him?

No.

No. I don't suppose you could.

I once saw my father drunk
in this room.

I can't have been more than ten
at the time.

You can't stop people
if they want to get drunk.

My mother couldn't stop
my father, you know.

I shall ask my mother
to read to us tonight.

"Father Brown got to his feet,

"putting his hands behind him.

"'Odd, isn't it?' he said,

"'That thief and a vagabond
should repent

"'when so many
who are rich and secure

"'remain hard and frivolous

"'and without fruit
for God or man?

"'There, if you will excuse me,

"'you trespass a little
upon my province.

"'If you doubt the penitence
as a practical fact,

"'there are your knives
and forks.

"'You are the 12 true fishers,

"'and there are
all your silver fish,

"but He has made me
a fisher of men.'

"'Did you catch this man?'
asked the colonel, frowning.

"Father Brown looked him full
in his frowning face.

"'Yes, ' he said, 'l caught him

"'with an unseen hook
and an invisible line,

"'which is long enough

"'to let him wander
to the ends of the world

"and still to bring him back
with a twitch upon the thread.'

"There was a long silence.

All the other men present
drifted"-

"All the other men present
drifted away

"to carry the recovered silver
to their comrades

"or to consult the proprietor

"about the queer condition
of affairs.

"But the grim-faced colonel

"still sat sideways
on the counter,

"swinging his long, lank legs
and biting his dark moustache.

"At last, he said quietly
to the priest,

"'He must have been
a clever fellow,

"but I think I know a cleverer.'

"'He was a clever fellow, '
answered the other,

but I am not quite sure'"...

I've come to-
I've come to apologize.

Sebastian, dear, go back to bed.

We can talk about this
in the morning.

Not to you.

Come to apologize to Charles.

I was bloody to him,

and he's my guest.

He's my guest.

He's my only friend,
and I was bloody to him.

Go back to bed, Sebastian.

It's all right, Bridey.

Come on.

"'I mean you, '
said the colonel,

"with a short laugh.

"'I don't want
to get the fellow jailed.

Make yourself easy'"-

"'But I'd give
a good many silver forks

"'to know exactly how
you fell into this affair

"'and how you got the stuff
out of him.

"'I reckon you're
the most up-to-date devil

"of the present company.'

"Father Brown
seemed rather to like

"the saturnine candor
of the soldier.

"'Well, ' he said, smiling,

"'l mustn't tell you anything

"'of the man's identity
or his own story, of course,

"'but there's
no particular reason

"'why I shouldn't tell you
of the mere outside facts

which I found out for myself."'

Come on up to bed.

Why do you spy on me?

Why do-why do you take
their side against me?

I knew it would happen
if I let you meet them.

Sebastian.

Sebastian, you'll be better
when you come upstairs.

No.

I think I'd like
to go to chapel now.

Bridey, Cordelia,

will you come with me?

Yes, of course, Mama.

What's the time?

7:00.

Well? How do you feel?

Rather odd.

I think perhaps
I'm still a little drunk.

I've been down to the stables
to see if we can get a car.

Everything is locked.

We're off.

Where?

Oh, I don't know.

London, I suppose.

Can I come and stay with you?

Of course.

Well, come on then, get dressed,

and we can get them to send
our luggage on by train, hmm?

We can't just go like that.

We can't stay.

There's some smoke coming
from some of the chimneys.

The stables must be open by now.

Come on.

I can't go.

I must say good-bye
to your mother.

Sweet bulldog.

I don't happen to like
running away.

And I couldn't care less.

And I'm gonna go on running
as far and as fast as I can.

You can hatch out whatever plot
you like with my mother.

I shan't come back.

That's how you were talking
last night.

I know, Charles. I'm sorry.

I told you I was still drunk.

If it's any comfort to you,
I absolutely detest myself.

It's no comfort at all.

Should be a little,
I should have thought.

Well, if you're not coming,
give my love to Nanny.

- Are you really going?
- Of course.

Will I see you in London?

Yes.
I'm coming to stay with you.

I wish I had not seen him.

That was cruel.

I do not mind the idea
of his being drunk.

It is a thing all men do
when they are young.

I'm used to the idea of it.

My brothers were wild
at his age.

What hurt last night

was that there was nothing happy
about him.

I know.

I've never seen him
like that before.

And last night of all nights,

when there were
only ourselves here-

you see, Charles,

I think of you very much
as one of ourselves.

Sebastian loves you-

when there was no need

for him to make an effort
to be happy,

and he wasn't happy.

I slept very little last night,

and all the time,
I kept coming back.

How unhappy he was.

It was horrible.

But please don't think
that's his usual way.

Mr. Samgrass tells me

he was drinking too much
all last term.

Yes, but not like that.
Never before.

Then why now? Here?

With us?

All night, I have been thinking
and praying

and wondering
what to say to him,

and now, this morning,
he isn't here at all.

That was cruel of him,
leaving without a word.

I don't want him to be ashamed.

It's being ashamed
that makes it so wrong of him.

But he's ashamed
of being unhappy.

Mr. Samgrass tells me
he is noisy and high-spirited.

I believe you and he
tease Mr. Samgrass rather.

It's very naughty of you.

I'm very fond of Mr. Samgrass.

And you should be too,

after all he's done for you.

All the same, I think
if I were your age and a man,

I might be
just a little inclined

to tease Mr. Samgrass myself.

No, I don't mind that.

But last night and this morning
were something quite different.

You see,
it's all happened before.

Well, I can only say
that I've seen him drunk often,

and I've been drunk
with him often,

and last night
was quite new to me.

I don't mean with Sebastian.

I mean years ago.

I've been through it all before
with someone else whom I loved.

Well, you must know who I mean,
with his father.

He used to get drunk
in just that way.

Someone told me
he's not like that anymore.

I pray God it is true,

and I thank God for it
with all my heart if it is.

But the running away...

He ran away too, you know?

It was as you said just now.

He was ashamed of being unhappy.

Both of them unhappy,
ashamed, and running away.

It's too pitiful.

The men I grew up with
were not like that.

I simply don't understand it.

Do you, Charles?

Only very little.

And yet Sebastian
is fonder of you

than any of us, you know?

You've got to help him. I can't.

Well, if I'm going
to catch my train...

Tell me, have you read
my brother's book?

It's just come out.

Yes, I glanced through it
in Sebastian's room.

I should like you
to have a copy.

May I give you one?

They were three splendid men.

Ned was the best of them.

He was the last to be killed,

and when the telegram came,
as I knew it would come,

I said to myself,
"Now it's my son's turn

to do what
Ned can never do now."

I was alone then.
He was just going to Eton.

If you read Ned's book,
you'll understand.

She had a copy lying ready
on her bureau.

I thought at the time,

"She planned this parting
before ever I came in."

Had she rehearsed
all the interview?

If things had gone differently,

would she have put the book
back in the drawer?

Thank you.

I prayed for you too,
in the night.

Go on. You'll miss your train.

I was no fool.

I was old enough to know

that an attempt had been made
to suborn me

and young enough to have found
the experience agreeable.

Will you be seeing Sebastian?

Yes, of course.

Please, will you give him
my special love?

Will you remember?
My special love.

I won't forget.

- Bye, Charles.
- Bye.

Hayter, is my father in?

No, he went out early.

Lord Sebastian has arrived.

Good. Where is he?

Charlesl How are you?

I've been waiting for you
for hours.

What kept you?

I'm so glad you're here.

Are you being looked after?
Mmhmm.

Is everything all right?

Blissful. Hayter?

By the way, before I forget,

Cordelia sends her special love.

Did you have your little talk
with Mummy?

Yes.

Have you gone over to her side?

No, I'm with you.

"Sebastian contra mundum."

Good.
Then you'll find me a drink.

Ah.

Well, I don't know whether
I am going to be able to.

But the shadows
were closing round Sebastian.

We returned to Oxford,

and once again,
the gillyflowers bloomed

under my college windows,

and the chestnut
lit the streets,

and the warm stones

strewed their flakes
upon the cobble.

But it was not as it had been.

There was midwinter
in Sebastian's heart.

The weeks went by,

and we looked for lodgings
for the coming term

and found them in Merton Street,

a secluded, expensive
little house

near the tennis court.

Thank you.

Charlesl.

How nice to see you.
How are you?

Hello, Mr. Samgrass.

I haven't seen you
for long time.

How is Sebastian?

Excuse me.

He's very well.

We've just found some rooms
together in Merton Street.

You're sharing digs
with Sebastian?

So he is coming up next term?

I suppose so.
I don't see why not.

I don't either.

It's just that I somehow thought
perhaps he wasn't.

I'm always wrong
about things like that.

I like Merton Street.

Schlegell.

Do you know these
fascinating essays, Charles?

No.

Don't think me interfering,
you know,

but I wouldn't make
any definite arrangement

in Merton Street
until you're sure.

It's just conceivable

his mother may have
different ideas.

Yes.

There's a plot on.

Mummy wants me to live
with Monsignor Bell.

Why didn't you tell me before?

Because I'm not going to live
with Monsignor Bell.

But I still think
you might have told me.

When did it start?

Oh, it's been going on.

Mummy's so clever, you know?

She saw she'd failed with you.

I expect it was the letter
you wrote

after reading Uncle Ned's book.

But I hardly said a thing.

Mm.

Well, that was it.

If you were going to be
any use to her,

you'd have said a lot.

Uncle Ned is the test, you know?

Uh, Mr. Ryder?

Yes?

- Bye, Charles.
- Bye-bye.

This came for you, sir.

"I shall be passing
through Oxford on Tuesday

"and hope to see you
and Sebastian.

"I would like to see you alone
for five minutes

"before I see him.

"Is that too much to ask?

I will come to your rooms
at about 12:00."

These ground floor rooms
are really most attractive.

My brothers, Simon and Ned,
were here, you know?

Ned had rooms
on the garden front.

I wanted Sebastian
to come here too,

but my husband
was at Christchurch,

and as you know, it was he

who took charge
of Sebastian's education.

These really are delightful,
Charles.

Thank you.

Everyone loves your paintings
in the garden room.

We'd never forgive you
if you didn't finish them.

Well, I hope.

I expect you've guessed
already what I've come to ask.

Quite simply, is Sebastian
drinking too much this term?

If he was, I shouldn't answer.

As it is, I can say no.

I believe you.

Thank God.

Is that the time?

Sebastian's expecting us
at 1:00.

That night, Sebastian
had his third disaster.

Mr. Ryder, sir? Mr. Ryder?

What on Earth is it?

Oakes? Oakes?

What's the time?

It's Lord Sebastian Flyte, sir.

I reckon he was climbing in
to see you.

- Where is he?
- He's in the back quad.

Had a bit of a nasty fall.

The bulldogs have got him,
and the proctors are there.

I believe they've got
the principal up too.

But I only left him an hour ago.

He can't have...

Now then, sir,
take it quietly, please.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Settle down, sir.

Look, I just-
I just wanted to...

I don't seem
to be entirely myself.

I seem to have hurt my leg.

There's blood all over my hand.

I'm sorry.
I don't think it's very serious.

Sebastian, are you all right?

Charles...

Look, I'm all right.

It's bleeding a lot,
but I'm all right.

I just wanted to see you.
I just wanted to see you.

All right, all right.
It's all right, sir.

He's a friend of mine.
I'll take care of him.

I told you-l told you
I wanted to see you.

I told you.

Have you been doing that a lot?

Drinking by yourself
after I've gone?

About twice.

Well, maybe four times.

It's only when
they start bothering me.

I'd be all right if only
they'd leave me alone.

They won't now.

I know.

Really, Sebastian,

if you are going to embark
on a solitary bout of drinking

every time you see
a member of your family,

it's hopeless.

I know it's hopeless.

Well, what do you propose to do?

Nothing.

I shan't do a thing.

They'll do it all.

You must believe

that when I told you
he was not drinking,

I was telling you the truth
as I knew it.

I know you wish to be
a good friend to him.

That's not what I mean.

L-I believed it to be true.

I still believe it
to some extent.

I believe he's been drunk
two or three times before,

no more.

It's no use, Charles.

All you can mean is that you
have not as much influence

or knowledge of him
as I thought.

It is no good either of us
trying to believe him.

I've known drunkards before.

One of the most terrible things
about them is their deceit.

Love of truth
is the first thing that goes.

But after lunch, when you left,
he was so sweet to me,

just as he used to be
as a little boy,

and I agreed to all he wanted.

You know I had doubts about
his sharing rooms with you.

I know you'll understand me
when I say that.

You know how fond
we all are of you

apart from your being
Sebastian's friend.

We would miss you so much

if you stopped coming
to stay with us.

But I want Sebastian
to have all sorts of friends,

not just one.

Monsignor Bell tells me

he never mixes
with the other Catholics,

rarely goes to church even.

Heaven forbid he should know
only Catholics,

but he should know some.

It takes a very strong faith
to stand entirely alone,

and Sebastian isn't strong.

But I was so happy at luncheon

that I gave up
all my objections.

I went round with him
to see the rooms you had chosen.

They are charming.

We decided on some furniture

you could have sent from London
to make them nicer.

And then, on the very night
after I had seen him...

No, Charles, it's not
in the logic of the thing.

Well, have you a remedy?

The college are being
extraordinarily kind.

They've said
they will not send him down

provided he goes to live
with Monsignor Bell.

It's not something
I could have suggested myself.

It was the Monsignor's own idea.

Lady Marchmain, can't you see

that if you want
to turn him into a drunkard,

that's the way to do it?

Any idea of his being watched
would be fatal.

Oh, dear, it's no use.

Protestants always think
Catholic priests are spies.

That's not what I mean.
He must feel free.

But he's been free, always,
up till now,

and look at the result.

I'm going to cable Papa.

He won't let them force me
into that priest's house.

What if they make it
a condition of your coming up?

I shan't come up.

Can you imagine me
serving at mass twice a week...

Helping at tea parties
for shy Catholic freshmen...

Dining with a visiting lecturer

with Monsignor Bell's eye on me,

just to make sure
I don't get too much port...

Being explained away

as the rather embarrassing
local inebriate

who's been taken in because
his mother is so charming?

I told her it wouldn't do.

Charles, let's get
really drunk tonight.

It's the one time it could do
no conceivable harm.

Promise me you haven't
gone over to their side.

"Contra mundum"?

"Contra mundum."

Bless you, Charles.

There are not many evenings
left to us.

Damn Monsignor!

Ohl Ohl.

The next day,
Lady Marchmain left Oxford,

taking Sebastian with her.

Brideshead and I
went to his rooms

to sort out
what he would have sent on

and what to leave behind.

It's a pity Sebastian doesn't
know Monsignor Bell better.

He'd find him a charming man
to live with.

I was there myself my last term.

My mother believes Sebastian
is a confirmed drunkard.

Is he?

He's in danger of becoming one.

I believe God prefers drunkards

to a lot of respectable people.

Oh, for God's sake.

Why do you have to bring God
into everything?

Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot.

But, you know, that's
an extremely funny question.

Is it?

Oh, to me, not to you.

No. Not to me.

It seems to me
that without your religion,

Sebastian
might have had a chance

to be a happy and a healthy man.

It's arguable, I suppose.

Do you think Sebastian will need
this elephant's foot again?

Hello.

I haven't seen you all term.

Why have you deserted
the smart set?

I'm the loneliest man in Oxford.

Sebastian Flyte's
been sent down.

Have you got digs for next term?

I'm sharing with Tyngate.

There's one room
we still haven't let.

Barker was coming in,

but now he's standing
for President of the Union.

He feels he ought to be nearer.

Where are you going?

I was going to Merton Street
with Sebastian,

but that's no good now.

I'd better go and do my packing.

I hope you find someone
for lffley Road.

I hope you find someone
for Merton Street.

That very good-looking friend,

is he not with you?

No.

I'm sorry. I liked him.

Father, do you particularly
want me to take my degree?

I want you to?

Good gracious,
why should I want such a thing?

No use to me.

Not much use to you either,
as far as I've seen.

That's exactly
what I was thinking.

I thought perhaps
it was rather a waste of time

going back to Oxford.

You've been sent down.

My brother warned me of this.

No, I've not.

Well, then,
what's all the talk about?

Everyone stays up
at least three years.

I knew one man who took seven

to get a pass degree
in theology.

I only thought that

if I wasn't going to take up
one of the professions

where a degree is necessary,

it might be better to start now
on what I intend doing.

I intend being a painter.

You'll need a studio.

Yes.

Well, there's no studio here.

I'm not going to have you
painting in the gallery.

No, I never meant to.

Nor will I have undraped
models all over the house

or critics
with their horrible jargon.

And I don't like
the smell of turpentine.

I presume you intend
to do the thing properly

and paint with oils?

Well, I probably shouldn't
paint much in the first year.

Anyway, I should be at a school.

Abroad?

There are some excellent schools
abroad, I believe.

Well, abroad or here.

I shall have to
look round first.

Look round abroad.

Anyhow, you agree
to my leaving Oxford?

Agree? Agree?
My dear boy, you're 22.

20, father.

21 in October.

Is that all you are? Ha.

It seems much longer.

I did not see Sebastian again
that year.

Towards the end of the summer,

I took up a place
in a small art school in Paris

and found rooms
in the lle Saint-Louis.

A letter from Lady Marchmain
completes this chapter:

"My dear Charles,

"Sebastian's stay here
has not been happy.

"Mr. Samgrass
has kindly consented

"to take charge of him,

"and they go together
to the Levant,

"where Mr. Samgrass
has long been anxious

"to investigate a number
of orthodox monasteries.

"I hope your arrangements
for next term

"have not been too much upset

and that everything
will go well with you."

"I went to the garden room
this morning

and was so very sorry."