All language subtitles for The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady - episode 11 - starring Pippa Guard (1984)

Thank you.

mentors.

respite passionate,

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

I'm going to go to the bathroom.

To sit unlocks, to muse or flood and fell,

To slowly trace the forests shady sea

Where things that own not man's the immune realm

And a mortal foot have nair already been

To climb the trackless mountain all unseen

With a wild flock that never need a fold

Alone or steeps and foaming falls to lean

This is not solitude, it is but to hold

Converse with nature's charms

And you, her stories unworned

The Anglo-Saxon name for November was blocked monath, blood month

The latter name probably alluding to the custom of slaughtering cattle

About martin-ness for winter consumption

Dear Edith, I know you have worries enough with Ernest Away

But I feel I should tell you that Kenneth is unwell again

The doctor says his fever is due to a form of food poisoning

I know he would like to see you if it was possible

You're Zever, Winnie

You are all right

November the 1st, steady drizzle of rain, a regular November day

November the 3rd

I brought home a little book on British Toadstools today

With photographs of 65 different varieties

In the afternoon I went to the violet wood to see how many different kinds I could discover

It was quite hot in the sun, and the autumn foliage looked beautiful in the warm afternoon light

In about half an hour's time I found ten different species of fungus growing in the wood and adjoining field

All brown in colour with the exception of two, one of these was the common sulphatft, a rich orange and yellow

Sulphatft, found plantifully among dead wood

The other was a dull pink above, and a beautiful pink flower

The other was a dull pink above, and a beautiful pale heliotrope beneath

I only found one clump of these, one or two of them very large in size

Winnie

Winnie

While Kenneth has been recuperating from his unexplained illness in Algeria, Arthur Mathison, myself and several other colleagues have managed to pull the business together

We are all shareholders in the company, and we are not prepared to see Kenneth come back and wreck it once more

He must not be allowed to resume his position as managing director

Bernard, you mustn't think that by doing Ken's job for a few months that you know everything there is to know

Ken is older and more experienced than you by many years

Kenneth is sick, Kenneth has always been sick, he will never be well enough to do the job properly and he must step down

If whenever he returns he is allowed to continue as he did before then it will be the end of the company

I am warning you now, I will do everything in my power to prevent that

Bernard

Edith, I have tried and failed to make you see what's happening

You are too devoted to Kenneth to see any wrong in him

It's over, Edith

The younger men have banded together against Kenneth

I don't think that I am able to do anything to help him.

November 10th, went out fungi hunting again.

The pale yellow fronds of Bracken look very pretty in the wood,

growing among the dark, brown dolutes.

In the open part of the meadow I gathered some of the common polypiles

from the side of a rotten stump, and a delicate little stag's horned fungi or clavaria.

I found a very handsome species growing in tears up the trunk of a beach tree.

It was dark blue above and pure white below, the gills being curiously waved

and coruscated, giving them the effect of white coral.

The road was quite yellow in cases with fallen elm leaves.

One or two sharp frosts would strip the tree's bear, although many of the leaves are still quite green.

Bernard is clever, unscrupulous even.

For years I have been appointing workers as directors to the Board of Management.

They have always been happy to step down to make rumble for their fellas.

But my fear is now that Bernard's trends will refuse to step down.

He does?

Hi.

How is he?

As well as can be expected.

We want you to come and stay without us.

Even it's very anxious about June.

When he has everything else in hand, there's really nothing else you can do to help.

That's a very kind offer, Frank, but I think it would just be too awkward.

I think it's better if Evelyn and I don't meet.

I shall stay with Winnie as planned.

Winnie, you're all bead of there. I'm so glad you could come.

How are you?

I never seem to see you except in a family crisis.

Where is he? He's in the garden resting.

These endless court cases have weakened him so much.

I'm afraid he might not have the strength to fight the illness off.

I'm all right, Edie. You shouldn't have come all this way.

You have enough worries with Ernest.

It's ironic, isn't it? After all that time in Algeria, I...

I should have to go to Stratford to catch a fever.

With the Earl and Algeria, I shouldn't have had Winnie to take care of me.

I shall soon pull through, though.

Evelyn says it's all nerves.

She never had much time for ill of the spirit.

She'll soon be here with her own particular brand of comfort.

Winnie will defend you.

No doubt.

But I make no pretense at valor.

And I should be grateful if you tell her I'm not to be disturbed.

I can't better see it again.

I shall go for a walk.

I wonder, are there still kingfishes in that little pool near Oldton Station?

Never walk out way now.

I used to watch the sunsets from there.

Dear Edie, your visions suit your nature.

Minor bleaker.

The American Ocean.

November 13.

I went for an early morning walk across the field to elenden lame,

to make some sketches of a blackbird and thrush at a cottage there.

It was a grey, particularly still morning, with a slight fog,

but veiled the distant wards and trees in a purple mist.

Many of the trees were quite bare,

but the oak still have their foliage

and were all shades of bronze and brown.

The hedges and banks too were glowing with the golden tints of nut leaves and bracken,

and everywhere there was a delicious autumn scent of fallen leaves.

November the 14th, I saw Kingfisher fly across the little pool by the roadside below Oldton station today.

The new catkins are showing on all the hazel and order trees now.

The sun had a most remarkable appearance just before setting tonight.

I never saw it look so large in my life.

It was deep crimson shaded with purple which gave it a globular appearance

and it looked like a huge fire balloon suspended against a curtain of grey clon.

Kenneth.

The year lies dying in this evening light.

The poet, musing in autumnal woods, hears melancholy sighs among the withered leaves.

Shh. Don't wake in him.

But surely he must want to be woken.

Supposing he'd die in his sleep.

That's our heartless thought.

O'Evelina, I'm sorry to sound crotchety.

I'll go outside and get some fresh air until he wakes up.

Like a spirit glorified,

the angel of the year departs, lays down his robes once green in spring or bright with summer's bloom.

And having done his mission on the earth, filling ten thousand veils with rosy corn, orchards with rosy fruit,

and scattering flowers around, he lingers for a moment in the west.

With the declining sun sheds over all a pleasant farewell smile, and so returns to call.

I'm sorry.

I was there to kiss him for the last time.

But he knew very little about it, Edith.

Don't blame yourself for wandering off.

I'd like to sit with him now.

He looks so peaceful.

The will is what counts.

It shows clearly enough what Father intended.

Nevertheless, the deed pole was never revoked.

It cannot be now, and therefore technically, Mathison and the others are directors for life.

Are you really going to stand upon that?

Of course.

Then I shall fight you to the highest court.

Goodness. I hope a little common sense will prevail before that.

And what is common sense?

You would agree with Bernard whatever he said, isn't that so?

Well, if I must choose.

Then I am alone.

No.

So there we are then.

Family split.

Declared.

While Kenneth was managing director, receiving the unthinking support of my father, the firm nearly went bankrupt.

And how would you say the business fair, while your brother was a british?

It improved.

Substantially.

After your father's death, you returned, I believe, to take up your old position as managing director.

Yes. That was what I tried to do.

That was clearly the intention of my father's will.

Would you tell the court what then happened?

Certainly.

Several of my colleagues, including, I regret to say, my brother burned up.

I was a very good lawyer.

I was a very good lawyer.

And a couple of my colleagues, including, I regret to say, my brother Bernard, decided to ignore the terms of the will.

Bernard's colleagues had been appointed as temporary members to the board of management by my father.

Through a deed poll signed by him?

Yes.

It was a scheme my father ran to give every worker in the factory an opportunity to serve on the board of management.

But when my father died, Bernard's colleagues refused to step down, claiming that the deed poll was still valid.

I just finished my evening meal and had settled on to a quiet pipe.

When my privacy was invaded by the arrival of my brother and two of his...

...advisors.

They declared a director's meeting with my brother in the chair and proceeded to allot unissued shares to their own friends and supporters.

Well, the next morning when I arrived at the works, I found posters stating that my colleagues and I were no longer directors.

You agree with Bernard Holden's statement?

It is difficult to comment on the facts, as I have been living in London for most of the time in question.

However, my brother Kenneth has always been the kindest of men.

We're the most generous disposition.

I find it impossible to imagine him in the fakish role in which he has been cast in this courtroom.

Mrs. Matthews, would you agree with your sister's assessment of your brother Kenneth's behavior?

No. I certainly cannot pretend that my brother Kenneth behaved normally, even within the family.

He was nervous, irritable, and prone to the most unreasonable suspicions.

The conclusion of this court is that both these documents are valid.

The deed poll was not and cannot be now revoked because of the death of the instigator.

As no time limit appears in this document, those appointed by it will be directors for life.

Arthur Holden's will appoints Kenneth and Bernard Holden to be directors with a time limit of ten years.

There is therefore uncertainty as to the manner of practical control of the company.

May I suggest at the earliest opportunity you call a meeting of the shareholders, who can, if they wish,

pass a resolution forbidding Kenneth Holden from acting as a director.

Provided he has paid his directors remuneration, he can take no further action against him.

All rise, please.

President

November the 26th,

cycled to Solihull and back through the lanes past the Oakhores.

The sun was shining brightly, lighting up the dying fronds of Bracken

among the undergrowth.

I heard a thrush singing most shortly in the big beach tree at the top of Kainton Lane.

Sing on sweet thrush, upon the leafless bow.

Sing on sweet bird.

I listened to thy strain and aged winter,

lead his early reign at thy blithe carol,

clears his furrowed brow.

Is it very bad news, Winnie?

But not earnest.

God would not cheat me so.

It's Kenneth, my love.

Oh.

I knew it was terribly ill. His face was so gray.

I saw his face in my dreams.

So sad.

So sad.

I'm sorry.

When Frank and I were married here,

My friend and I were married here.

We were all so happy.

It's so hard.

It's so hard.

You go on.

I'd like to walk on the Duke and with us.

I even am.

Like us the thrush in winter when the skies are drear and dark and all the woods are bare,

singles under smade, till from his melodies odours of spring will float through the frozen

air.

So in my heart, when sorrows I see breath is leaking to bitter and its frost is strong,

keeps up defiant of despair and death a sundered fountain of triumphant sorrow.

Is it tremendous?

Yes.

I clear that hand driving anywhere.

He's well.

Oh, thank heavens.

Pray God he comes home soon.

I shall have to write and tell him about Kenneth.

But don't do it yet.

It must be relieved you've heard from him.

Yes.

Yes, I shall.

And when you do write, you can say at least that the family is speaking to each other again.

You need every fret of good news there is.