Original subtitles

Mr Finn.

Thank you, Mrs McPherson.

You find me a much-attered man, Mr Finn.

Yes-

I'm very sorry for it, Mr Kennedy.

The journey from Scotland has tried me sorely.

I've come all the way to London to see you, Mr Finn.

I believe you are going to her this Christmas.

That is why I am here.

I understand you wish me to take a message to Lady Laura.

That is what I wrote.

So you are going to Dresden.

Please tell me what I am to say to Lady Laura then I must go.

What did I do that she should leave me, Mr Finn?

Did I strike her?

Was I faithless?

Had she not half of all that was mine?

I imagine she was not happy.

Happy? Are we not told to look for happiness there

and to hope for none here below?

If a man is particular about matters of religion,

he should perhaps ascertain his wife's views before he marries her.

Her views, Mr Finn? Gods word is to be obeyed, I suppose.

- People doubt about Gods word. - Then people will be damned

and they shall be damned!

A woman does not like to be told so.

Mr Kennedy, what am I to say to Lady Laura?

You were in love with her once.

I was in love with Lady Laura Standish, Mr Kennedy.

Before she married you.

Yes. There was no harm in that, of course.

But now... now you are going to Dresden.

I do not see why you should go all that way to pay her a visit.

It isn't a decent thing for a young man to go half across Europe

to see a lady who is separated from her husband.

It is a very wicked thing, Mr Finn, and I beg that you will not do it.

Lady Laura is living in her father's house.

Her father is a dotard.

And she is my wife.

In the presence of God, she and I have been made one.

I command you shall abstain from seeking her company.

I shall most certainly go to Dresden, Mr Kennedy.

Then you will be accursed among adulterers!

Mr Kennedy, I have come here at your request to take from you a message

to the Lady Laura.

If, after all, you have none to send, pray let me wish you good night.

Mr Finn.

Well... Tell her...

...that her home is with me.

And that I am awaiting her.

My friend.

Oh, how good of you to come.

But you must be so cold and hungry.

Will you have breakfast at once?

You're to be quite at home. There's to be no ceremony.

- I think I'd prefer to change first. - I'll show you to your room.

I'll show you myself. I fetched the water for you, there already.

- You'd like tea best, wouldn't you? - Yes, tea best.

Oh, Phineas, it's such a joy to hear your voice again.

You've seen my husband?

Yes, I've seen him.

We have all the morning, all Christmas, for talking.

You must come to your room now and change.

But don't be too long, Phineas. Papa and I will be impatient.

Few old friends make their way as far as Dresden.

Your shin new, my dear.

You'll find Planty stock-still as a statue and the Duke asleep.

Over there. All very quiet.

You are looking better for your trip to London.

Yes, it was a change, but even better that you've agreed to join us for Christmas.

Thank you.

I hear Mr Palliser presented his bill for the tenpenny shilling last week.

Yes, at last.

I went to the House with him on the night. He did it very well, Marie.

Do you know, he was on his feet for two and three-quarter hours?

I sat through it all.

How was it received?

Well, I think I was the only person in the House who listened to him.

It was quite paihetic to see how they yawned.

Mr Daubany, I'm sure, was fast asleep.

Well, at least there was no opposition.

No, they said that nobody would take the trouble to oppose 'rt

as they know that nobody would take the trouble to carry it through.

He must be very disappointed at such a reception.

Well, he said nothing.

But he looked quite tragic. Tragic.

Still when I got him home,

he ate three oysters, drank a glass of beer and slept all night.

So he was not inconsolable.

No, but now he's fusing because he says the real work will come...

- Yes, Collingwood? - The Marchioness of Hartletop is here.

Oh, crumbs. She's all we need.

Would you ask Her Ladyship to wait in the morning room for five minutes

- then show her in here? - Very good, my Lady.

- Marie, do you know who she is? - An old acquaintance of His Grace?

Right. It was quite a scandal in his day, long-forgotten now, of course.

- But not 'rt seems by her? - She wmte asking some time back.

He said no in capital letters so I put her off politely.

But why won't he see her?

Well, it's all to do with Planty once having a fancy for her son's wife.

Lady Dumbello.

But that was before the Duke forced Planty and I to marry years ago.

But ever since then the Duke's detested the whole Hartletop family!

Oh.

Am I to be kept waiting for ever, Lady Glencora?

My dear Lady Hartletop, I'm so sorry you've been inconvenienced.

I have come to see the Duke.

So l imagined.

Unfortunately, the doctors will not allow anyone to visit him.

But I insist upon seeing him and I shall not leave here until I do.

- Who was that? - A friend of mine.

- She is Madame Goesler? - Yes, my most intimate friend.

- And does she see the Duke? - Yes, Madame Goesler does see the Duke.

And I am to be excluded!

My dear little Lady Hartletop, what can I do?

The Duke is accustomed to Madame Goeslefs presence and therefore is not disturbed by it.

- The doctors say... - Never mind what the doctors say.

I should not disturb him.

He would be inexpressibly excited were he to know you were in the house.

I cannot take it upon myself to defy the doctor's orders.

Lady Glencora.

I have known the Duke since 40 years.

Oh, but, Lady Hanleiop, very well, very well...

I'll go and I'll see what I can do.

There, there. Come, come.

- What does she want? - She wants to see you.

- What shall I tell her? - Oh... Tell her...

what's done is done with, we can't have ii back again.

- She has come a very long way. - I dare say.

Tell her I am too weak to see anyone but my nearest relatives.

Well, I believe it is affection that has brought her here.

Affection, you think?

Tell her to respect my feelings and take herself off again.

What about her feelings, Your Grace?

She never had any. Except for food.

And drink.

And the other thing.

Tell her, make I thy body hence and more thy grace.

Shakespeare. They taught it me at school.

That's right, ain't it, Marie? Shakespeare?

- Quite right, Your Grace. - They made me learn the whole speech.

But for the life of me, I'm damned if l can remember how 'rt started.

Well, come on, one of you. You're all so young and clever.

How did it start?

Well? Come... Come along.

I think it is, Your Grace...

...'l know thee not, old man,

fall to thy prayers.

How all white hairs become a fool and jester.'

That's it. That's how it went!

Well... You tell that to Beatrice Hartletop.

And Violet? How is she? How did she receive you at Harrington?

- Like the angel that she is. - Tell me about their son.

Does he take after Violet or Oswald?

It is a little early to say, but Chiltern, I think.

Did you hear that, Father?

Oswald's son favors Oswald in his looks.

Not in his character, I hope.

Papa, everything's come right there.

Which is more than can be said for you, my dear.

Have you seen Mr Kennedy, Finn?

Yes, Lord Brentford, I have seen him.

- Oh, Phineas! - Phineas?

That's what I call him now.

Very well. Very well.

What did the man say, Mr Finn?

He bade me tell Lady Laura that his home is her home.

But it is not a home you could ever return to.

That is a grave thing to say, Mr Finn.

And it is gravely said, my Lord.

When I saw Mr Kennedy, I was appalled.

I won't say he was mad but Lady Laura will never live with him

in peace or even in safety.

- He is crazed with religion. - Dear me.

Apart from that, his parsimony is now so intolerable that...

no home of his is fit to live in.

But Kennedy has half the money in Scotland.

He still has Laura's, come to that.

If they're to live apart,

he might have the decency of a gentleman and return it.

There's very little chance of that, my Lord.

You see, he maintains it is Lady Laura's sacred duty to return to him.

Well, perhaps she should.

If it's the only way to get the spending of her own money.

Father, I can't go back to him just for the money.

You talk as if we can afford to give it away.

- My Lord, the man is a fanatic. - Oh, I can't say as to that.

But at least Laura and I might return to England.

I'm heartily sick of Dresden.

Mr Kennedy would attack the moment you set foot in Dover,

either through his lawyer or personally.

He might even do Lady Laura physical harm.

- He is obsessed. - In any case, what good would it be?

Instead of being shut away here, I would be shut away at Brentford.

Who would care to invite me to their houses?

Or indeed to come to mine?

I was thinking in part, my dear, of myself.

It has occurred to me that I have been away from London too long

and away from my own people.

It well may be that now the Liberal Party are in government,

I might be of use to them again.

I have done them some service in my time.

Indeed, my Lord, and they know it.

Then surely they'll be glad of my services now?

I could not say, my Lord. I'm not as close to these men in power as I used to be.

Surely they'll give you something soon, now you've come back.

- It can only be a matter of time. - We were talking, Laura,

of whether my own services may be required.

Not of Mr Finn's.

I fear I cannot answer you, my Lord, in either part.

I see-

Thank you, Mr Finn.

I'm sorry he took it so sadly.

I did not mean to hurt him.

He doesn't realise how old he's become,

or that time and power, such as his ever was, has passed him by.

I fear he may know it now.

It's as well he should.

I know it myself, Phineas.

God, how I know it.

There's only one thing I can live for now. You.

Through and for you.

Laura...

It shall never be so again.

I'll kill it out of my heart even though I shall crucify myself.

From now on, I'll be your sister. This other love, I'll kill.

As your sister, Phineas,

I shall love you most tenderly.

And when you come to love again,

tell me everything and I shall never stand between you and your wife.

Phineas, I can never forget what might have been,

what was between us once.

That's done with, Laura.

It's long finished.

For you, yes, but for me...

When I was young, Phineas, I didn't credit myself with much capacity for passion.

I told myself that love should be a servant and not a master.

And I married my husband fully intending to do my duty by him.

Now we see what's come of it.

It has been his fault not yours.

No, mine. I never loved him.

But you admired him once. You respected him.

So I told you, yes, and perhaps I made myself believe it.

But in truth, Phineas, all I wanted of him was to share his wealth

and to stand beside him in a high place.

And for these things, I dismissed my love for you.

I thought then that I could make do with your friendship.

In time, the rest of it would die,

or at least would always be so far under my control

that I could hide it from my husband.

But I oouldn't hide it, Phineas. The knowledge of it has destroyed him.

And he, in his turn, has destroyed me.

So justice has been done.

I wish I could show you some hope.

But you have. By coming here.

I know, Phineas, I've just told you,

I know there can never be between us that love that there might've been once.

But by coming here, where so few have come,

you've shown me that I may claim a certain share in your life.

When you're happy, I shall be happy.

When you prosper, I shall prosper.

And if you fail, then I shall fail too.

But your triumph, when it comes, shall be my triumph.

And your honor, oh, dearer to me than my own.

But as for that other love...

...the passion, from this day, it's dead.

Do go in, gentlemen.

The position is this.

Mr Daubany.

He's made it known he intends to propose

an important new measure in the House.

Of course, as leader of the opposition, he is entitled to do so

but the nature of the measure has come as a disagreeable surprise.

I knew he'd play dirty sooner or later.

So the stratagem is this.

He proposes an ad to disestablish the Church of England.

But that's our pigeon.

When we get around to putting it.

As you imply, we are the Party to bring it in when we judge the time to be right.

I know one man...

Mr Daubany, although a Conservative, is to propose the complete severance

of any official connection between the Church and the State.

He then dares us as Liberals to resist it.

I know one man who'd like to support Daubany on this.

Phineas Finn. He made a point of disestablishment during the election.

Yes, I know, but I don't think he would support a Conservative version.

- He has let us down before. - And may do so again.

I think, Bonteen, we can be kinder in assessing his character and motives.

He is not the only one who may not see eye to eye with the Government on this issue.

So, gentlemen, it is our task to see

that all dissidents are aware of Mr Gresham's view

and respect it.

So it's as simple as this, Phineas.

Either you stand and vote with your Party

or never again will you be an officer of ours.

Even though Lady Glenoora and the rest of the women should cry their eyes out.

And Lady Laura Kennedy!

- Why do you mention her? - Because we all know where you spent Christmas.

Oh, yes, and that's another thing, Phineas.

As I've warned you before, you want to be very careful about all that.

About all what?

I don't think you need me to remind you.

Hm?

Good evening, Finn.

Who the devil let you in here, Slide?

- I'm here as your guest. - I'll be damned if you are.

You'd better be polite, Finn.

Or you're going to find yourself in a very nasty sort of trouble.

And so, Finn, you've come back.

I've been back for some time, Mr Slide.

Yes, I dare say, but I've been too busy to notice.

You see. Fin...

there's been a significant and far-reaching change at The People's Banner.

May I?

The upshot is that the Banner is, well...

disgusted with the way you Liberals are running things.

We're now supporting Mr Daubany and his Conservatives.

And you have been able to reverse your own beliefs accordingly.

I believe in what is right, and honest, and moral, Finn.

And that's why I am here tonight Kennedy, Finn.

The Right Honourable Robert Kennedy,

Laird of Loughlinter, lately Member of Parliament,

- and a Cabinet minister to boot. - What about Mr Kennedy?

What about Lady Laura Kennedy, his wife?

- What about her, Finn? - I am not prepared to discuss her with you.

But Mr Kennedy is prepared to discuss her with me, Finn.

That's the rub. He has been ill-used.

He has come to The People's Banner for redress.

Will you have the kindness to cast your eye down that?

You see, Finn, a letter from Mr Kennedy.

He's in London just now, as you know, seeing after his affairs,

one of which is his absent wife.

As he says in that letter, he is fully prepared to forgive her

if only she'll come back.

And why won't she, Finn? In one word - you.

Your evil influence,

of which Mr Kennedy now wishes to apprise the Christian public through our columns

in order to fix guilt where it lies.

- You are not going to print that. - It's already in type, as you see.

- This is a private matter. - Nothing is private to us, Finn.

We are the guardians of purity and morals.

Especially in high life.

The public is very concerned about the morals of its masters, you see,

and very sympathetic to injured husbands.

So...l propose to print, then,

that heartfelt appeal of a wronged man

in my first edition on Monday.

- If you do, I'll prosecute. - Prosecute all you want, Finn.

All round, I should prove a very lively case.

The man is mad, Slide, you must have seen that yourself.

A little disordered by his sufferings, no doubt.

But he still has the management of his property.

All right, what is it you want?

Want?

We want nothing.

The People's Banner is not to be bought like a mere politician, Finn!

You must want something or you wouldn't show me that.

All I want is your moral cooperation, Finn.

That's all.

We'll delay publication of that letter, even drop it altogether,

if you'll undertake to persuade the Lady to go back to her husband.

And to give us a full account of how you did it,

paying tribute to our timely intervention.

That will be purity in action for a righteous public to admire.

- The lady is not in my hands. - She'll listen to you.

- Not about this. - Say that you'll try.

- It's out of the question. - Then that letter goes in on Monday.

Mr Slide, Mr Kennedy is back in London, you say.

What I will do, if he wishes, I'll go to see him.

What good will that do?

If you wish me to interfere, I'd prefer to start with him.

All right, Finn. You go and see him.

Something very good will have to come out of it if I'm to hold back this.

- Joseph. - Hm?

Joseph, it's half past ten!

- We can'! lie in bed all day. - Why not?

- It's Sunday, ain't it? - Exactly.

Your day for aclivily, I should've thought

What sort of activity do you advocate?

Joseph! Surely you are giving a semen this aflemoon.

- Oughin'! you to look IL over? - I've got nicer things to look over.

Joseph!

You must have that sermon ready for this afiemoon.

Not until next Sunday. I'm only giving them fortnightly from now on.

But why?

So as to have more Sundays free for the sacraments of Christian marriage.

Joseph, I must insist that you attend to what I am saying.

You can'! afford to cul your sermons, therefore your emoluments, by half.

Oh, but I can. I have other sources of emolument now.

- Ain't that so, Lizzie? - So you seem to think.

You are drawing on me far too freely of late.

What's yours is mine.

The prayerbook says 90.

- But you are abusing it, Joseph. - Oh, no, I ain't. I'm using it...

"as God permits, and indeed enjoins, every husband.

- My friend, Mrs Bomeen, says... - Mrs Bomeen is a quacking fool.

Mrs Bonteen is, or was, one of your principle pmrons.

She says, and her husband, who is in the Government, says

that you are becoming far too dependent upon my resources.

Who could resist them?

And you are becoming slovenly and indifferent about your work.

Oh, I can do my work all right, just see if l can't!

Joseph!

You... Oh!

Oh, my flower, beautiful without and within.

- Whose petals are too delicate... - That's all very well.

Whose bloom is evanescent

You are spending too much of my money.

- Plenty more where it came from. - You might go out and earn it...

Mr Kennedy, I should not have come to you on a day such as this.

It is a day most unfitted for the affairs of the world.

Had it not been a matter most pressing in time and importance...

So the woman McPherson has told me.

And therefore you have been admitted.

Mr Kennedy, you wrote a letter for publication in The People's Banner.

- Need I consult you as to that? - The editor has consulted me.

- Your letter is very libellous. - I will bear the responsibility.

And the expense, if any.

Surely you would not wish to publish falsehoods about your wife?

Falsehoods, sir?

Is it false to say she has left my house

disregarding the laws both of man and God?

Am I false to offer to have her back yet her sins be what they may?

You have included me in your accusation.

Because you are her paramour.

Have you not been with her for this Christmas in her foreign home?

I told you I was going and you sent a message by me.

I sent no message. I deny it.

I forbade you to go to her.

And you disobeyed! And you are an adulterer!

I have done you no injury.

But I have come to you new because I have seen a printed letter

which contains a gross libel against myself.

- It is printed, then? - But it need not, must not be published.

You cannot hope to regain your wife by publishing lies about her?

I can prove every word that I have written.

And come what may, you will meet with the disgrace you deserve.

So it is vengeance you want, Mr Kennedy.

No.

No.

No, vengeance belongs to God.

But I will tell you what I will do.

If you will say she shall come back again, I will withdraw that letter

and spare you the disgrace.

I cannot make her come back to you.

She will come if you tell her!

Why should I tell her to submit herself to misery?

Misery? What misery?

Must a woman be miserable because she lives with her husband?

Let her come back and she shall live in peace and quiet.

I'll offer no word of reproach. Eh, Mr Finn?

I can have nothing to do with it, Mr Kennedy.

You refuse me?

Yes-

The man is mad. Did you hear the shot?

Aye.

Heavens, this place is dreary on Sundays.

- I do believe I'd be jollier at church. - Then why not give it a go?

For the same reason as you don't, Monk. I can't get up any interest in it.

- Monk! Thank God I've found you! - Phinny, my dear chap!

Your man said you might be here. Monk, Kennedy has shot me.

I can't see the hole, my dear fellow.

He missed, but worse than that, he's written a letter about Lady Laura,

saying vile things about me.

Slide is going to print it in The Banner.

It's a horrible, fitthy letter, full of lies and insinuations...

Calm down, Phineas! Breathe deeply and think carefully.

- You say this letter libels you? - And Lady Laura. I've seen a copy.

- How can Slide dare print it? - Kennedy will indemnify him.

Slide will print that letter tomorrow morning unless I can call him off.

There's only one way with a man like that. We must go to the Vice Chancellor

and arrange for an injunction to be issued immediately.

The Vice Chancellor, Monk?

- But will he receive us? - Of course!

I fagged for him at Rugby.

The doctors just left him. It cannot be long now.

Was Sir Omicron precise?

No, he said it would be some time yet.

But not long.

The boys must come back from school.

They must see him before it's too late.

- Is that necessary? - He always loved them.

It's necessary they learn to look upon such things and accept them.

I suppose little Planty could see him, I think.

Gerald too, perhaps, but surely Mary's too young?

No, she should go to him as well.

Yes, I suppose so. Will I send to London for Marie?

Oh.

Silly, sentimental old woman...

What could either of us have said to the other?

- Lady Hanletop? - Hm.

I think she came out of love.

Love, you think? Hey-nonny-nonny.

That's all there ever was about that

On your part, perhaps. But on hers?

Never mind, never mind. She didn't lose by it.

Perhaps she didn't really want your jewels

any more than I wanted your coronet.

You? You mean...?

You loved me all the time and yet you wouldn't marry me?

Why else would I be here?

Then...why didn't you come to Como with me when I asked you?

For a few weeks of hey-nonny-nonny until the novelty wore off'?

No, no, no... But marriage, marriage, that would've been all right.

Oh, Marie, why didn't you take the coronet when it was offered you?

Because I would have been the means of separating Your Grace

from your family and your friends

and all those with whom you are closely and rightly bound.

I should have harmed Your Grace.

And I should have made myself a thing of mockery.

But as it is, we have kept the respect of the world...

...and we have been dear friends.

Have we not?

Oh, yes. Yes...

We have been...dear friends.

Kiss me, Marie.

To show me how you love.

I would marry you now if I thought it would serve you.

I would! I would!

Such things have been done.

Such things would never be done by me, Your Grace.

As it is, it is nearly finished, Marie.

Oh... I had another letter from Chiltern

about the foxes in Trumpenon Wood.

That must be seen to.

You mustn't worry about such things now.

No, I suppose not, but Plantagenet won't see to it.

It's not in his line.

But Glencora will.

She sees to everything. Do you know...

she had a clergyman here to give me the sacrament?

I took it, of course. To oblige her.

But it meant no more to me than that spoonful of broth.

Not half as much because the broth come from you.

Hush, Duke.

It is nearly finished.

Marie, the thing is done.

Now...

I hope for nothing...

...but I fear for nothing either.

Duke?

My Lord Duke?

You hope for nothing.

And you fear for nothing.

But, Duke of Omnium,

no man should dare to live idly

as you have done.

Man that is born of a woman

hath but a short time to live

and is full of misery.

He cometh up and is cut down like a flower.

He fleeth as it were a shadow and never continueth in one stay.

In the midst of life, we are in death.

Of whom may we seek for succor but of thee, O, Lord?

Who, for our sins, are justly displeased

Yet o, Lord God, most holy, o, Lord, mostmighty,

O, holy and most merciful saviour,

deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death.

Though knowes Lord, the secrets of our hearts

Shut not thy merciful ears to our prayer

but spare us, Lord, most holy...

O, God, most mighty...

And so...what now, Plantagenet?

The will must be administered.

Heralds' College must be duly notified.

And then... You must be the Duke of Omnium and Gatherum.

I suppose you must give up the Exchequer.

The one post a peer cannot hold.

A duke may hold any other office under the Crown.

May be Prime Minister, even.

But this one thing he cannot have.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer sits in the Commons.

All are agreed on it. Quite right

It is... It is very hard.

You've been given what most men would sell their souls for

and it means nothing to you.

No, Cora, I did not say that.

It is God's will.

I must strive to do my duty in this new estate.

Well, Cora,

will it please you to be a duchess?

Because if it pleases you, why then it shall please me.

I am glad for little Planty, of course.

Well, for myself, I think being just Glenoora Palliser

is as good as being the Duchess of Omnium.

And I have far more licence.

From now on, there'll be less room for, well...

- Well, how shall I put it? - Mischief?

Amusement, let us say.

Duchesses must behave pretty much as other duchesses, I suppose.

Entre nous, Plantagenet, they are a pretty bleak lot.

Still, perhaps I can leaven the loaf.

This has just come, Your Grace.

Thank you, Collingwood.

It is from the lawyers.

I must be in London presently to see about the will.

- Will you stay here? - I suppose I had better.

If I come to London, I can go nowhere just yet.

Marie will be here to keep me company.

You still intend to see as much of Madame Goesler now that...?

Now that he has gone?

Yes-

Yes, I do.

- Do you object? - Oh, no.

No, she is a woman of some quality, I think.

First, I wasn't sure if that quality would harmonise with your own.

Well, when two women understand each other as thoroughly as we do,

there can either be love or contempt

We've chosen the better way.

Well, then.

I leave for London tomorrow.

I shall be back in about four days.

Y... Your Grace.

'And so, my dear Laura, I think I can say there will be no publicity.

The police were never called.

The servants sent for a cousin of Kennedy's to take care of him.

As for that letter, Mr Monk and I obtained an injunction from the Vice Chancellor

just in time to prevent its appearing.

Quintus Slide is, no doubt very angry,

but I do not think there is anything he can do.'

Little Planty's good at games.

Little Planty indeed. He is new, by courtesy of the Queen,

to be called the Earl of Silverbridge.

- I think I shall call him Silverbridge. - Leave it to others to do that.

I was only joking, my dear, but it will be a good start for him at Eton.

If it doesn't spoil him.

Oh!

Oh, what a worry it must be to be the mother to a future duke.

Not so big a worry as being the wife of a present one.

I shall have to do it all for him,

at least all those things he ought to do and don't care about.

Trumperton Wood, for example.

Plantagenet wouldn't care if there wasn't another fox in the next hundred years.

But something has to be done or else Lord Chiltern will cut off our heads.

Oh, surely a few words to the agent will soon settle that.

Well, one would've thought so but you know how fieroe that Chiltem family can be.

Look at his sister. So besotted with love for Phineas

that she's had to hide her shame in Dresden.

Why, I am sure that is not quite right, Lady Glenoora.

I am sure there has been nothing improper there.

I dare say you're right, but Mr Kennedy did try and shoot him!

Yes-

I do hope that story w0n't harm him.

Let's hope not Mr Palliser will tell us about it when he gets back from London.

I wonder what they'll find in the will.

Oh, just what he expects to find.

Everything must come to him now he is the new Duke.

Yes, but there's bound to be a few special bequests.

No man in England had a greater collection of precious stones.

Still, there's nothing I'd give tuppence for.

Except his pearls.

They could have been yours, my dear, if you'd consented to be Mrs O.

Oh!

A word or two with you, Finn, if you please.

Very well.

- What is it, Mr Slide? - As if you didn't know.

You promised me that I should hear from you as soon as you saw Mr Kennedy.

And so you did.

With a mean, cowardly injunction?

- You call that honest dealing? - What else did you expect?

It was my first duty to stop publication of that letter.

And it's my first duty to get to the truth.

There's a tale going around that you threatened Kennedy.

Threatened him so viciously that he shot at you in self-defence.

Whatever happened, a shot was fired in that house.

People heard it, Finn.

No good looking haughty, Finn. You were shot at, weren't you?

I have no desire to communicate with you, Mr Slide, about anything that may have happened.

If you stay here all night, that is all you will hear from me.

I can hear what I want from others.

See here. You may have stopped me printing that letter.

There's other information I have which nobody can stop me printing.

I'll crush you, Finn. As sure as my name is Slide.

Are you quite sure of this, Plantagenet?

I'm certain.

Then I think we better tell her as soon as she comes in from her walk.

Cora, do you resent it?

I confes l had a hankeling myself.

I just had the most delightful walk...

My dear, you've had some good fortune.

I think you should hear of it at once.

Perhaps Plantagenet had better tell you.

Madame Goesler, as one of the executors

of the will of the late Duke of Omnium and Gatherum,

I have to tell you that His Grace has bequeathed to you all his jewels.

There is also a small legacy, some 20,000,

but the lawyers Will, of course, be writing to you.

The jewels are all down at Gatherum Castle.

I suggest you send some authorised person down to have them packed.

You better send Gamets people. They understand these things best.

- Il will hardly need. - Of course ll will need.

They must be worth a huge sum.

At one time in his life, he was spending haif his income on them.

Do you remember a small ring with a black diamond that he always wore?

I should like to have that for the sake of the hand that wore it.

But apart from that, Your Grace...

not a stone, not a shilling.

- Madam, you must. - I think there can be no obligation.

But orders have already been given they be sorted ready for packing.

They may be sorted or unsorted as Your Grace pleases,

but pray do not connect me with it.

I ask only the one ring.

If that be granted to me, I shall wear it till I die.

But I will have nothing else, Duke.

Nothing.

Then I will write to the lawyers at once.

I think they will be extremely puzzled as to what to do.

Plantagenet! Before you go...

Did you hear any more about this trouble between Mr Finn and Mr Kennedy?

The Duke of St Bungay, he told me some tale.

I fear that both of them have been less than prudent.

Oh, dear. I do wish he had been more explicit.

It is plain that he does not think any better of Mr Finn.

And then there is Quintus Slide, the editor of that paper.

He is bound to make even more of it.

Mr Slide will have to be very careful what he does.

Think on the bright side, Marie. Think of your splendid inheritance.

You have just heard me refuse it.

But you can't mean it. Nobody refuses what is left to them in a will.

I will not touch a gem, not a penny.

Your friendship means more to me than all the peafls of Gaiherum.

You shall have both, Marie.

The Queen herself would accept them if they were left to her.

But I am not the Queen, and I must be more careful

in what I do than any queen.

Bides, I do n01 need jewels or wealth.

I am now 40 years old and more.

I have all the wealth I could wish for.

I am hungry for one thing only. And that is love.

These last years, I gave to that old man,

whom I loved, afler a fashion.

I do not want his trinkets as a reward.

Let them be yours as rightfully they should be.

But now he has gone...

...my whole soul, and my whole body too, Glencora,

yearns for the one thing I have never known.

I have so much love to give.

Stored up inside me.

Surely someone...

Surely he...has a little to give me in return.