Vanity Fair (2018) s01e06 Episode Script
In Which a Painter's Daughter Meets a King
1 # There must be some kind of way out of here # Said the joker to the thief # There's too much confusion # I can't get no relief # All along the watchtower # All along the watchtower Princes kept the view.
The story so far 'At Waterloo the war was won, but George was lost.
'Survivors came home with new babies, 'or new destinations.
' The regiment is under orders for India.
'And Amelia had an offer she had to refuse.
' I lost my husband.
I will not lose my son.
'Matilda took her revenge from beyond the grave.
' £100.
You jumped the wrong way there, Becky, my girl.
'Undaunted, Becky came up with her best plan yet' This shall be our game room.
Here you will play all-comers and all games.
'.
.
aiming straight for her biggest prize.
' Tonight, Becky works out how to live well on nothing a year.
It's easy! It's Vanity Fair! A world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having.
# All along the watchtower SHE WHOOPS # All along the watchtower # Princes kept the view There must be some kind of way out of here.
'Lady' Crawley.
SHE CHUCKLES Lady Elizabeth Crawley.
Lady Betsy Crawley, nee Horrocks.
Ideas above your station, Miss? Begging your pardon, sir.
THEY LAUGH Where are you going? Come back here! Don't run away from me! What are you doing? You won't out-run me! I'm fit as a fiddle, I am! Well, come here and show me, then! I bloody will TALKS GIBBERISH Oh! Argh! Sir Pitt? HE GROANS Sir Pitt! I wouldn't ask, Mrs Crawley, but I'm late with the school fees! Children are such an expensive hobby! I shall rap the naughty Colonel's knuckles for you.
Why is the child downstairs? Papa wants me.
He never met my boy .
.
and now father is dead.
Sir Pitt gone.
Dear old soul.
He ran a good race, my love.
Their milk and butter bill alone comes to £200.
How can I harass her for money now? While the house is in mourning? Husband, you'll ruin us for the sake of a pretty smile.
My dear Lord Steyne, I do not dare hope that we will get more than a halfpenny.
All Sir Pitt's estate goes to the older son, obviously.
Though he is a frightful miser, and the most complete nincompoop you ever saw, though I suppose nincompoopery runs in the family.
Oh, Becky! SHE LAUGHS NERVOUSLY My husband is a clever old stick in his way, I know.
A nincompoop clever enough to win a prize like you, dear lady.
Poor blameless soul.
It's because of me he was cut off without a penny.
Why else would we be sat here, sewing our mourning clothes out of old curtain? I wonder if my little darling Rawdy would like a bit of fresh air? I venture it's quite safe, is it not, your lordship? Quite.
Come along, Rawdy.
When the boy goes to school, you should get rid of the old maid.
My loyal sheepdog protects my reputation.
HE LAUGHS Repelling all boarders? Even a friend of his Majesty? Perhaps not quite all.
Oh.
How much do they please you? Well enough.
Well enough to wear for the King? It's so sudden! Mrs Crawley, are you mine? I'll take that as a yes.
Lord Steyne .
.
please forgive me, I cannot be rid of Miss Briggs because my feckless husband owes her money.
What? How so? She came to us with a legacy of .
.
of £1,200 from his aunt, and within a month, Rawdon had it off the poor and trusting thing, and now the villain has gone and spent it! Mmmm.
What a clever little monkey it is, to extract diamonds from one pocket .
.
and cash from the other.
On her own with him now.
I don't mind how she gets it, as long as she pays our wages with it.
"Man that is born of 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 he were a shadow.
"We brought nothing into this world "and it is certain we carry nothing out.
"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.
"Blessed be name of the Lord.
" Welcome.
Welcome.
Welcome.
Welcome, dear guests, to our house.
My dear Lady Crawley, our ancestors could hope for no more gracious chatelaine than you.
Welcome.
Thank you for coming.
The worst of it is the old man has been letting the servants get away with murder.
Standards have been allowed to slip.
Rack and ruin! Look at these accounts! The entire estate is tumbling about our ears.
Thieves, one and all! You bring a breath of fresh air, Lady Crawley.
Oh, for the dear, innocent days before I inherited all this.
I simply had no idea how much money it costs to be rich.
I have to cut round the moth holes of some of them.
All I got was £100.
And the speech about how poor he is.
MIMICKING MARTHA: I simply had no idea how much money it costs to be rich(!) I used to thrash my brother at Headen, even though he was older than me.
You didn't thrash him hard enough.
It was foolish to hope your brother would be generous.
Queen's Crawley would have been yours, not Martha's, if you would have married my father.
Oh, dear, impossible.
Fear not, husband.
I can live well on nothing a year.
HE CHUCKLES See how they like us now they're in charge, now they think we know our place.
Your place is always the next place.
Very good, you've been paying attention.
You want to know the plan? Mmm.
Lord Steyne Oh, don't make that face, Rawdon, please.
The new king just appointed him Master of the Powder Closet.
It means our friend is one of the most important lords of the land.
It means he has the ear of his Majesty.
Think of it.
Think of the opportunities for us both.
Don't fly too high, Becky.
You'll leave the rest of us behind.
No call for them these days, watercolours.
I know I'm not in the first rank of artist, but perhaps They all want silhouettes now.
Right.
That shawl you're wearing.
It was a present.
So many, Mrs Nathan.
His Majesty is famous for his fondness for feathers.
Then I .
.
can make no objection.
Charles, wait for me, wait! Stop! Mrs Nathan, make room for my diamonds! WHISPERING: Your Majesty! Good morning.
DOOR SLAMS SHE EXHALES Have you been buying things? For Georgie.
Books and so on.
He has a slight indigestion.
What? Daffy's elixir? To help him sleep.
You had it, so did Jos, it did you no harm.
It is poison.
Poison! So this is the language you use to your own mother? You're always arguing.
Well, you shall have no supper tonight, for I shall be busy being dragged by the hairs at the Old Bailey! Georgie! Or your mother will have me in the dock as a murderess! SHE SIGHS I have met with misfortunes I'm sorry, Mama I have sunk low in my life, my servants have gone, I go everywhere on foot, my life is in ruins, but at least I was never a murderess, so thank you for that news(!) Please don't let us argue! I'm not the one who's arguing! Mother, stop! The Reverend Binny's come for tea.
Ugh, Gad! Mr Binny's come to talk about George's education.
He is too young.
Oh, just our own little school at the vicarage.
Perhaps George would benefit from the society of other young gentleman.
I mean to educate him at home.
I've bought books! Bought books?! Latin, mathematics I confess I'm a beginner myself.
Mr Binny, maybe I could interest you in Oh, I already have enough coal, more than enough, thank you, sir.
Coal? HE LAUGHS No, those days have passed.
I'm in wine now.
Oh! Fine Madeiras, vintage I abstain from the stronger spirits, as I believe the Lord prefers.
No, no, come.
I'm sure the good Lord approves You spoil that child, you should get down on your knees and pray to God to cleanse your wicked and ungrateful heart.
You and your selfish brother both.
Jos? What has Jos done? A half decent claret can travel the world.
Ooh! Ugh! Vile! No.
Ugh! That's not wine, it's vinegar.
I give my father a perfectly good allowance to just sit still and not make a mess, and now he's a wine merchant! Ha! The kindly major has another 30 cases in the cellar.
He persuaded the governor and half the regiments to order it, too.
I'm a fool who meant to be kind.
Well, Dob, I'm sure your name is mud through all of Bengal.
I say, Dob, that young lady is giving us the most killing look.
Will you look at my sister enter a room? Is Glorvina not a heartbreaker, Major Dobbin? Ha, I'm much too battered and old for such a fine lady! Nonsense! She's perfect for you! Wait now.
Look, when the music begins I am the magistrate of Bengal! You'd be doing me the most enormous favour.
I do not dance! A fine figure of a woman, is she not? She'll be worthy of the major.
Compare my sister with that poor Mrs Osborne, who couldn't say boo to a goose.
I'll be sending for a new hat, so I will.
Oh, my darling.
Whichever Lady Crawley wore that particular brocade, she cannot possibly have looked as adorable in it as you do.
It's not, um If you cannot carry it off, nobody can.
Do I know those splendid jewels? Hired, darling, of course.
Here, let me.
What a fine country we are .
.
where a little governess may meet a king.
This, madam, is the reason you were put on God's Earth.
Will Mama ever come back? Of course, silly! Mrs Crawley will put all the fine ladies to shame, as usual.
Mrs Crawley.
Charming.
There will be a great deal of waiting about.
We don't mind.
I simply fear that you may find the whole event an enormous waste of time, Mrs Crawley.
I am a daughter of a painter and an opera girl.
I've never hidden it, but today, my lord, I've put it behind me forever.
HE SCOFFS Always the charming optimist.
We shan't let his wicked lordship dampen our mood, shall we, Lady Steyne? Confound his politics, frustrate his knavish tricks, God save the King! Oh! Yes.
Clever little thing.
Lord and Lady Castlemalney.
Colonel and Mrs Brown.
Lord and Lady Southdown.
Lord and Lady Castle Remembering our wedding day, Becks? Don't distract me.
You in your muslin .
.
your straw bonnet Sir Thomas and Lady Jones.
The Marquis and Marchioness Steyne.
Colonel and Mrs Crawley.
BREATHING HEAVILY I have arrived! My lord.
Mrs Crawley.
The cat who got the cream, hmm? Was it to your taste? It was the most wonderful day of my life.
Thank you, sir.
And now, at last, does the little woman have everything she wants? All I've ever wanted is to be a counted and respectable lady.
Aim higher.
PLAYS PIANO PIANO PLAYS Ghastly party, you missed nothing, I wish I'd come straight home.
SHE PLAYS CHEERFUL TUNE We should get you some lessons.
Think how splendid it would be if our guests found us playing duets.
I don't blame you for wanting to shine in that company .
.
you were born to shine there.
But, Becky .
.
henceforward you will refuse all invitations that come only for yourself.
I will escort you every time you go out.
But you hate parties! You will entertain only in my company.
Oh, my dear, how gallant you are.
How lovely that sounds, how much pleasanter it is to have you beside me, than silly old Briggs.
Hm.
It'll be like when we were first married.
How happy we shall be.
WHISPERING: Oh, Rawdon .
.
how happy we shall always be.
So, William is to be married, and her sister is the very person destined to ensure Major Dobbin's happiness.
There! Is that not good news from my old friend, Mrs O'Dowd? Yes.
The Reverend Mr Binny seems very fond of you You know George can never be replaced in my heart.
Oh, Georgie, why don't you eat? Too many bones.
And gristle, yes.
Ugh! So now I mean to murder him by choking, do I? Louisa! Bones and gristle is what you get when you never manage to pay the butcher, or the grocer.
We must try, Louisa, to retain our kind family feelings, in spite of our situation.
There's our Georgie, who might be rich, with a gold watch and chain, but for her selfishness.
There's our son, who has deserted his father in his old age.
Jos! Who's left my dear, dear, old man without a shilling and we shall end in the workhouse! I shall write to Jos now.
Please don't bother him.
He's not unkind, perhaps careless Emmy, please, stop, stop.
Jos sends me a cheque as regular as clockwork.
How else was I to fund the coal business? Or the wine business? So all the money Jos sends Goes to pay off a moneylender in the city.
Shall I be rich, Mama? Shall I have a pony? Oh oh, dear God.
Have mercy upon me, give me the strength to bear this trial.
Is that Aunt Jane coming to take me away? Can I have a pony? You can have as many ponies as you like.
Georgie! Say goodbye to your mother.
Bye-bye, Mama.
I may visit you soon.
SHE CRIES SHE BREATHES HEAVILY SHE CONTINUES CRYING No, no, no, no, no.
Come on.
A dinner invitation! And what a dinner! This is the first day of the rest of my life! Well, being presented to the King No, that was just a stepping stone.
This is the prize, Briggs - I am launched onto the guest lists of the greatest houses of London! BRIGGS GASPS Nothing is ever enough for you! What to wear? Oh, what to wear, Briggs?! BRIGGS LAUGHS RAWDY ULULATES We could alter the blue silk! SHE PANTS What are you doing? I'm an Indian chief! Give me that, you naughty boy! HE WHIMPERS There, there, shush, don't cry.
I hate you! The feeling is quite mutual, I assure you.
Becky! Don't! What do you know about how to be a mother? My Lord Steyne.
Briggs, hold the fort! Come on, Rawdy, quickly.
Pride of place, I see.
Oh, yes, well, Mrs Crawley begs your pardon May I ask you, Miss Briggs, a rather personal question? HE LAUGHS Oh What an accomplished little devil it is.
She beats all the women I've ever seen in all the course of a well-spent life.
Miss Briggs? SHE CHUCKLES Surely not! No, madam, you.
You are the mistress of lies.
And your husband is a much cleverer fellow than I thought.
Miss Briggs told you we still owe her £600? Slightly less than the 1,200 you took from me.
SHE CRIES A wicked falsehood, my lord.
But you don't know all I had to suffer and bear in silence.
It was my husband, by savage threats, who forced me to double my request.
Pardon the wrong, and pity a miserable, miserable woman.
This time, Rebecca .
.
pay the silly trout back.
I have two other suggestions.
Suggestions, my lord? Conditions.
Your son will go away to school.
The cost will be met.
The sheepdog will find another position.
I have one in mind.
You are more than generous.
Dear lady, I merely clear obstacles from our primrose path.
It's a most kind offer from a great friend of the family.
But hang it, Becky, his carriage is always at our door! And people love to talk.
Let them! He is a nobleman of the greatest station and talents, Master of the Powder Closet.
I don't even know what that is.
I shall miss him terribly.
Who? Our son! I wish you cared for Rawdy just a little more.
What a muddleheaded thing to say! He can come home on Sundays.
Free trade, that's the answer.
They won't wear it in the shires.
We need to take advantage of our dominance in Europe.
Hear, hear.
Don't you agree, Colonel Crawley? Hmm? As a veteran of Waterloo? I was at Waterloo myself.
I could tell you a tale or two.
.
.
Two layers and the suspicion, ladies, of a waist! Darts, and everything! I believe our shoulders are soon to get much wider, which I scarcely think will flatter most of us.
A monstrous infatuation! A gross insult to ladies of rank.
Oh, God, Mamma, she's coming.
I don't know what the world is coming to, to be sure.
Lady Blanche, Lady Bareacres.
Possibly you don't remember me from Brussels? I neither remember you, madam, nor wish now to resume our intercourse.
Barefaced cheek of it! They look at you with rage in their hearts.
They look at me with pity.
But they would change places with either of us in an instant.
Your youth, my wealth Will you play for me? FAINT SOUND OF PIANO PLAYING AWFUL weather, for this time of year.
AWFUL, as though the world were coming to an end.
THEY LAUGH You determined long ago that nothing should stand in your way.
Not birth, not money, nor the opinions of others.
I have brains and talent.
It should be enough.
Perhaps so.
In another world from this one.
SHE STOPS PLAYING THE PIANO Play on.
SHE RESUMES PLAYING I wonder how long I must wait for my guests to congratulate me on the standards of music and beauty in my house.
Bravo.
APPLAUSE You are the only real lady in London.
Thank you.
Tell me, my dear .
.
do you love your husband? Perhaps not as much as I once did.
Let nothing come between you.
Children grow old, friends grow cold, but husbands endure if we let them.
I could kill them all, the pinch-faced old harpies! Dearest, really, you can't force them to like me.
You are worth a hundred of one of them.
It is better than being ignored.
Come, let's go home.
No I'll I'll walk.
I need the fresh air.
I'll be waiting for you .
.
booby.
RUSTLING IN BUSHES Who's there? Begging your pardon, Colonel.
Oh, God.
Bailiffs.
How much is it this time? £136, six shillings, and eight pence, at the suit of Mrs Nathan, the dressmaker.
KNOCKS ON DOOR KEYS RATTLE Colonel Crawley.
As I live and breathe.
There's five gents here in the coffee room, or a doctor of divinity upstairs.
Very kind, Mr Moss, but no, thank you, I'll turn in.
Pen and ink for your letter, sir? I won't disturb her tonight.
I'll write to my wife in the morning.
Very well.
This way, sir.
"Dear Becky, I hope you slept well.
"Don't be alarmed, when I don't bring you "your chocolate this morning.
"Last night I was nabbed again.
"You'll find £70 in my desk.
"Please drive to Mrs Nathan's and ask her to give us more time, "and please bring me some clean clothes.
"Yours in haste "PS: Don't be scared, but come soon, and release me.
" Morning, Colonel.
You'll be out of here in two shakes of a stick, sir.
Rebecca, where are you hiding? Still no letter for me? Sorry, Colonel.
Bring me pen and ink again.
Dear God, Rawdon.
For not even £130? Have you, um The bill is paid.
I believe that means you're free to go.
I am forever in your debt.
Rebecca? You wrote to her first? Never replied.
Just get home, old boy.
PIANO PLAYS LAUGHTER CLAPPING BECKY LAUGHS LAUGHING CONTINUES I'm innocent.
Before God, Husband, I am innocent! Tell him! Say it! Innocent.
When every trinket you wear on your body I gave to you.
Oh, I see what this is.
The pair of you mean to lay a trap for me, to con me out of even more money than the thousands of pounds I have already given to this whore .
.
which, no doubt, Colonel Crawley, you have already spent.
Liar.
You don't frighten me.
Coward! Make way, sir.
Villain! HE GRUNTS How could I turn our patron away? Take them off.
All of them! Argh! Pimp! Get out of my house! Where's the key? Lost.
Don't! Thousands! Good God! £100 of this would have made me a free man! I shall pay Briggs.
She was always kind to the boy.
The rest I shall send back to your .
.
to him.
WHISPERING: No.
Becky .
.
we always shared everything with you.
Believe I loved you.
You don't even love your own child.
# When the routine bites hard # But emotions won't grow # And we're changing our ways # Taking different roads # Love # Love will tear us apart again # Love # Love will tear us apart again # Love # Love will tear us apart again Love, love will tear us apart
The story so far 'At Waterloo the war was won, but George was lost.
'Survivors came home with new babies, 'or new destinations.
' The regiment is under orders for India.
'And Amelia had an offer she had to refuse.
' I lost my husband.
I will not lose my son.
'Matilda took her revenge from beyond the grave.
' £100.
You jumped the wrong way there, Becky, my girl.
'Undaunted, Becky came up with her best plan yet' This shall be our game room.
Here you will play all-comers and all games.
'.
.
aiming straight for her biggest prize.
' Tonight, Becky works out how to live well on nothing a year.
It's easy! It's Vanity Fair! A world where everyone is striving for what is not worth having.
# All along the watchtower SHE WHOOPS # All along the watchtower # Princes kept the view There must be some kind of way out of here.
'Lady' Crawley.
SHE CHUCKLES Lady Elizabeth Crawley.
Lady Betsy Crawley, nee Horrocks.
Ideas above your station, Miss? Begging your pardon, sir.
THEY LAUGH Where are you going? Come back here! Don't run away from me! What are you doing? You won't out-run me! I'm fit as a fiddle, I am! Well, come here and show me, then! I bloody will TALKS GIBBERISH Oh! Argh! Sir Pitt? HE GROANS Sir Pitt! I wouldn't ask, Mrs Crawley, but I'm late with the school fees! Children are such an expensive hobby! I shall rap the naughty Colonel's knuckles for you.
Why is the child downstairs? Papa wants me.
He never met my boy .
.
and now father is dead.
Sir Pitt gone.
Dear old soul.
He ran a good race, my love.
Their milk and butter bill alone comes to £200.
How can I harass her for money now? While the house is in mourning? Husband, you'll ruin us for the sake of a pretty smile.
My dear Lord Steyne, I do not dare hope that we will get more than a halfpenny.
All Sir Pitt's estate goes to the older son, obviously.
Though he is a frightful miser, and the most complete nincompoop you ever saw, though I suppose nincompoopery runs in the family.
Oh, Becky! SHE LAUGHS NERVOUSLY My husband is a clever old stick in his way, I know.
A nincompoop clever enough to win a prize like you, dear lady.
Poor blameless soul.
It's because of me he was cut off without a penny.
Why else would we be sat here, sewing our mourning clothes out of old curtain? I wonder if my little darling Rawdy would like a bit of fresh air? I venture it's quite safe, is it not, your lordship? Quite.
Come along, Rawdy.
When the boy goes to school, you should get rid of the old maid.
My loyal sheepdog protects my reputation.
HE LAUGHS Repelling all boarders? Even a friend of his Majesty? Perhaps not quite all.
Oh.
How much do they please you? Well enough.
Well enough to wear for the King? It's so sudden! Mrs Crawley, are you mine? I'll take that as a yes.
Lord Steyne .
.
please forgive me, I cannot be rid of Miss Briggs because my feckless husband owes her money.
What? How so? She came to us with a legacy of .
.
of £1,200 from his aunt, and within a month, Rawdon had it off the poor and trusting thing, and now the villain has gone and spent it! Mmmm.
What a clever little monkey it is, to extract diamonds from one pocket .
.
and cash from the other.
On her own with him now.
I don't mind how she gets it, as long as she pays our wages with it.
"Man that is born of 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 he were a shadow.
"We brought nothing into this world "and it is certain we carry nothing out.
"The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away.
"Blessed be name of the Lord.
" Welcome.
Welcome.
Welcome.
Welcome, dear guests, to our house.
My dear Lady Crawley, our ancestors could hope for no more gracious chatelaine than you.
Welcome.
Thank you for coming.
The worst of it is the old man has been letting the servants get away with murder.
Standards have been allowed to slip.
Rack and ruin! Look at these accounts! The entire estate is tumbling about our ears.
Thieves, one and all! You bring a breath of fresh air, Lady Crawley.
Oh, for the dear, innocent days before I inherited all this.
I simply had no idea how much money it costs to be rich.
I have to cut round the moth holes of some of them.
All I got was £100.
And the speech about how poor he is.
MIMICKING MARTHA: I simply had no idea how much money it costs to be rich(!) I used to thrash my brother at Headen, even though he was older than me.
You didn't thrash him hard enough.
It was foolish to hope your brother would be generous.
Queen's Crawley would have been yours, not Martha's, if you would have married my father.
Oh, dear, impossible.
Fear not, husband.
I can live well on nothing a year.
HE CHUCKLES See how they like us now they're in charge, now they think we know our place.
Your place is always the next place.
Very good, you've been paying attention.
You want to know the plan? Mmm.
Lord Steyne Oh, don't make that face, Rawdon, please.
The new king just appointed him Master of the Powder Closet.
It means our friend is one of the most important lords of the land.
It means he has the ear of his Majesty.
Think of it.
Think of the opportunities for us both.
Don't fly too high, Becky.
You'll leave the rest of us behind.
No call for them these days, watercolours.
I know I'm not in the first rank of artist, but perhaps They all want silhouettes now.
Right.
That shawl you're wearing.
It was a present.
So many, Mrs Nathan.
His Majesty is famous for his fondness for feathers.
Then I .
.
can make no objection.
Charles, wait for me, wait! Stop! Mrs Nathan, make room for my diamonds! WHISPERING: Your Majesty! Good morning.
DOOR SLAMS SHE EXHALES Have you been buying things? For Georgie.
Books and so on.
He has a slight indigestion.
What? Daffy's elixir? To help him sleep.
You had it, so did Jos, it did you no harm.
It is poison.
Poison! So this is the language you use to your own mother? You're always arguing.
Well, you shall have no supper tonight, for I shall be busy being dragged by the hairs at the Old Bailey! Georgie! Or your mother will have me in the dock as a murderess! SHE SIGHS I have met with misfortunes I'm sorry, Mama I have sunk low in my life, my servants have gone, I go everywhere on foot, my life is in ruins, but at least I was never a murderess, so thank you for that news(!) Please don't let us argue! I'm not the one who's arguing! Mother, stop! The Reverend Binny's come for tea.
Ugh, Gad! Mr Binny's come to talk about George's education.
He is too young.
Oh, just our own little school at the vicarage.
Perhaps George would benefit from the society of other young gentleman.
I mean to educate him at home.
I've bought books! Bought books?! Latin, mathematics I confess I'm a beginner myself.
Mr Binny, maybe I could interest you in Oh, I already have enough coal, more than enough, thank you, sir.
Coal? HE LAUGHS No, those days have passed.
I'm in wine now.
Oh! Fine Madeiras, vintage I abstain from the stronger spirits, as I believe the Lord prefers.
No, no, come.
I'm sure the good Lord approves You spoil that child, you should get down on your knees and pray to God to cleanse your wicked and ungrateful heart.
You and your selfish brother both.
Jos? What has Jos done? A half decent claret can travel the world.
Ooh! Ugh! Vile! No.
Ugh! That's not wine, it's vinegar.
I give my father a perfectly good allowance to just sit still and not make a mess, and now he's a wine merchant! Ha! The kindly major has another 30 cases in the cellar.
He persuaded the governor and half the regiments to order it, too.
I'm a fool who meant to be kind.
Well, Dob, I'm sure your name is mud through all of Bengal.
I say, Dob, that young lady is giving us the most killing look.
Will you look at my sister enter a room? Is Glorvina not a heartbreaker, Major Dobbin? Ha, I'm much too battered and old for such a fine lady! Nonsense! She's perfect for you! Wait now.
Look, when the music begins I am the magistrate of Bengal! You'd be doing me the most enormous favour.
I do not dance! A fine figure of a woman, is she not? She'll be worthy of the major.
Compare my sister with that poor Mrs Osborne, who couldn't say boo to a goose.
I'll be sending for a new hat, so I will.
Oh, my darling.
Whichever Lady Crawley wore that particular brocade, she cannot possibly have looked as adorable in it as you do.
It's not, um If you cannot carry it off, nobody can.
Do I know those splendid jewels? Hired, darling, of course.
Here, let me.
What a fine country we are .
.
where a little governess may meet a king.
This, madam, is the reason you were put on God's Earth.
Will Mama ever come back? Of course, silly! Mrs Crawley will put all the fine ladies to shame, as usual.
Mrs Crawley.
Charming.
There will be a great deal of waiting about.
We don't mind.
I simply fear that you may find the whole event an enormous waste of time, Mrs Crawley.
I am a daughter of a painter and an opera girl.
I've never hidden it, but today, my lord, I've put it behind me forever.
HE SCOFFS Always the charming optimist.
We shan't let his wicked lordship dampen our mood, shall we, Lady Steyne? Confound his politics, frustrate his knavish tricks, God save the King! Oh! Yes.
Clever little thing.
Lord and Lady Castlemalney.
Colonel and Mrs Brown.
Lord and Lady Southdown.
Lord and Lady Castle Remembering our wedding day, Becks? Don't distract me.
You in your muslin .
.
your straw bonnet Sir Thomas and Lady Jones.
The Marquis and Marchioness Steyne.
Colonel and Mrs Crawley.
BREATHING HEAVILY I have arrived! My lord.
Mrs Crawley.
The cat who got the cream, hmm? Was it to your taste? It was the most wonderful day of my life.
Thank you, sir.
And now, at last, does the little woman have everything she wants? All I've ever wanted is to be a counted and respectable lady.
Aim higher.
PLAYS PIANO PIANO PLAYS Ghastly party, you missed nothing, I wish I'd come straight home.
SHE PLAYS CHEERFUL TUNE We should get you some lessons.
Think how splendid it would be if our guests found us playing duets.
I don't blame you for wanting to shine in that company .
.
you were born to shine there.
But, Becky .
.
henceforward you will refuse all invitations that come only for yourself.
I will escort you every time you go out.
But you hate parties! You will entertain only in my company.
Oh, my dear, how gallant you are.
How lovely that sounds, how much pleasanter it is to have you beside me, than silly old Briggs.
Hm.
It'll be like when we were first married.
How happy we shall be.
WHISPERING: Oh, Rawdon .
.
how happy we shall always be.
So, William is to be married, and her sister is the very person destined to ensure Major Dobbin's happiness.
There! Is that not good news from my old friend, Mrs O'Dowd? Yes.
The Reverend Mr Binny seems very fond of you You know George can never be replaced in my heart.
Oh, Georgie, why don't you eat? Too many bones.
And gristle, yes.
Ugh! So now I mean to murder him by choking, do I? Louisa! Bones and gristle is what you get when you never manage to pay the butcher, or the grocer.
We must try, Louisa, to retain our kind family feelings, in spite of our situation.
There's our Georgie, who might be rich, with a gold watch and chain, but for her selfishness.
There's our son, who has deserted his father in his old age.
Jos! Who's left my dear, dear, old man without a shilling and we shall end in the workhouse! I shall write to Jos now.
Please don't bother him.
He's not unkind, perhaps careless Emmy, please, stop, stop.
Jos sends me a cheque as regular as clockwork.
How else was I to fund the coal business? Or the wine business? So all the money Jos sends Goes to pay off a moneylender in the city.
Shall I be rich, Mama? Shall I have a pony? Oh oh, dear God.
Have mercy upon me, give me the strength to bear this trial.
Is that Aunt Jane coming to take me away? Can I have a pony? You can have as many ponies as you like.
Georgie! Say goodbye to your mother.
Bye-bye, Mama.
I may visit you soon.
SHE CRIES SHE BREATHES HEAVILY SHE CONTINUES CRYING No, no, no, no, no.
Come on.
A dinner invitation! And what a dinner! This is the first day of the rest of my life! Well, being presented to the King No, that was just a stepping stone.
This is the prize, Briggs - I am launched onto the guest lists of the greatest houses of London! BRIGGS GASPS Nothing is ever enough for you! What to wear? Oh, what to wear, Briggs?! BRIGGS LAUGHS RAWDY ULULATES We could alter the blue silk! SHE PANTS What are you doing? I'm an Indian chief! Give me that, you naughty boy! HE WHIMPERS There, there, shush, don't cry.
I hate you! The feeling is quite mutual, I assure you.
Becky! Don't! What do you know about how to be a mother? My Lord Steyne.
Briggs, hold the fort! Come on, Rawdy, quickly.
Pride of place, I see.
Oh, yes, well, Mrs Crawley begs your pardon May I ask you, Miss Briggs, a rather personal question? HE LAUGHS Oh What an accomplished little devil it is.
She beats all the women I've ever seen in all the course of a well-spent life.
Miss Briggs? SHE CHUCKLES Surely not! No, madam, you.
You are the mistress of lies.
And your husband is a much cleverer fellow than I thought.
Miss Briggs told you we still owe her £600? Slightly less than the 1,200 you took from me.
SHE CRIES A wicked falsehood, my lord.
But you don't know all I had to suffer and bear in silence.
It was my husband, by savage threats, who forced me to double my request.
Pardon the wrong, and pity a miserable, miserable woman.
This time, Rebecca .
.
pay the silly trout back.
I have two other suggestions.
Suggestions, my lord? Conditions.
Your son will go away to school.
The cost will be met.
The sheepdog will find another position.
I have one in mind.
You are more than generous.
Dear lady, I merely clear obstacles from our primrose path.
It's a most kind offer from a great friend of the family.
But hang it, Becky, his carriage is always at our door! And people love to talk.
Let them! He is a nobleman of the greatest station and talents, Master of the Powder Closet.
I don't even know what that is.
I shall miss him terribly.
Who? Our son! I wish you cared for Rawdy just a little more.
What a muddleheaded thing to say! He can come home on Sundays.
Free trade, that's the answer.
They won't wear it in the shires.
We need to take advantage of our dominance in Europe.
Hear, hear.
Don't you agree, Colonel Crawley? Hmm? As a veteran of Waterloo? I was at Waterloo myself.
I could tell you a tale or two.
.
.
Two layers and the suspicion, ladies, of a waist! Darts, and everything! I believe our shoulders are soon to get much wider, which I scarcely think will flatter most of us.
A monstrous infatuation! A gross insult to ladies of rank.
Oh, God, Mamma, she's coming.
I don't know what the world is coming to, to be sure.
Lady Blanche, Lady Bareacres.
Possibly you don't remember me from Brussels? I neither remember you, madam, nor wish now to resume our intercourse.
Barefaced cheek of it! They look at you with rage in their hearts.
They look at me with pity.
But they would change places with either of us in an instant.
Your youth, my wealth Will you play for me? FAINT SOUND OF PIANO PLAYING AWFUL weather, for this time of year.
AWFUL, as though the world were coming to an end.
THEY LAUGH You determined long ago that nothing should stand in your way.
Not birth, not money, nor the opinions of others.
I have brains and talent.
It should be enough.
Perhaps so.
In another world from this one.
SHE STOPS PLAYING THE PIANO Play on.
SHE RESUMES PLAYING I wonder how long I must wait for my guests to congratulate me on the standards of music and beauty in my house.
Bravo.
APPLAUSE You are the only real lady in London.
Thank you.
Tell me, my dear .
.
do you love your husband? Perhaps not as much as I once did.
Let nothing come between you.
Children grow old, friends grow cold, but husbands endure if we let them.
I could kill them all, the pinch-faced old harpies! Dearest, really, you can't force them to like me.
You are worth a hundred of one of them.
It is better than being ignored.
Come, let's go home.
No I'll I'll walk.
I need the fresh air.
I'll be waiting for you .
.
booby.
RUSTLING IN BUSHES Who's there? Begging your pardon, Colonel.
Oh, God.
Bailiffs.
How much is it this time? £136, six shillings, and eight pence, at the suit of Mrs Nathan, the dressmaker.
KNOCKS ON DOOR KEYS RATTLE Colonel Crawley.
As I live and breathe.
There's five gents here in the coffee room, or a doctor of divinity upstairs.
Very kind, Mr Moss, but no, thank you, I'll turn in.
Pen and ink for your letter, sir? I won't disturb her tonight.
I'll write to my wife in the morning.
Very well.
This way, sir.
"Dear Becky, I hope you slept well.
"Don't be alarmed, when I don't bring you "your chocolate this morning.
"Last night I was nabbed again.
"You'll find £70 in my desk.
"Please drive to Mrs Nathan's and ask her to give us more time, "and please bring me some clean clothes.
"Yours in haste "PS: Don't be scared, but come soon, and release me.
" Morning, Colonel.
You'll be out of here in two shakes of a stick, sir.
Rebecca, where are you hiding? Still no letter for me? Sorry, Colonel.
Bring me pen and ink again.
Dear God, Rawdon.
For not even £130? Have you, um The bill is paid.
I believe that means you're free to go.
I am forever in your debt.
Rebecca? You wrote to her first? Never replied.
Just get home, old boy.
PIANO PLAYS LAUGHTER CLAPPING BECKY LAUGHS LAUGHING CONTINUES I'm innocent.
Before God, Husband, I am innocent! Tell him! Say it! Innocent.
When every trinket you wear on your body I gave to you.
Oh, I see what this is.
The pair of you mean to lay a trap for me, to con me out of even more money than the thousands of pounds I have already given to this whore .
.
which, no doubt, Colonel Crawley, you have already spent.
Liar.
You don't frighten me.
Coward! Make way, sir.
Villain! HE GRUNTS How could I turn our patron away? Take them off.
All of them! Argh! Pimp! Get out of my house! Where's the key? Lost.
Don't! Thousands! Good God! £100 of this would have made me a free man! I shall pay Briggs.
She was always kind to the boy.
The rest I shall send back to your .
.
to him.
WHISPERING: No.
Becky .
.
we always shared everything with you.
Believe I loved you.
You don't even love your own child.
# When the routine bites hard # But emotions won't grow # And we're changing our ways # Taking different roads # Love # Love will tear us apart again # Love # Love will tear us apart again # Love # Love will tear us apart again Love, love will tear us apart