Original subtitles

BOY: Floy! Wait for me.

(THEME TUNE MASKS DIALOGUE)

Come in, Mr Perch, come in.

Ah, good evening to you, Miss Carker.

- Good evening. - You will forgive this intrusion,

but they said at the counting, I must be sure and bring a note to you.

If I rightly recollect, there's no answer,

but perhaps you'd be good enough to run your eye over it, sir.

What a bad business it is, to be sure.

I feel it myself in my humble way.

Yes, sir?

There is no answer. None is expected.

Then I shall wish you good night.

Hoping I'm sure that you will not permit yourself to be reduced in mind

more than you can help by the late, painful revelation.

The papers is more eager for news of it than you'd suppose possible.

One of the Sundays in a blue cloak and a white hat,

he offered to bribe me.

Need I say with what success?

Good night, miss.

Good night, sir.

John, that letter,

is it bad tidings?

Yes, but nothing unexpected. I am dismissed.

But why, for what reason?

Huh, for the most natural reason.

Because of what our brother has done? But you had no pan in it.

Mr Dombey has good cause to shrink from the sound of our name, Harriet.

My presence in the counting house day after day

would be offensive to him.

No, perhaps it is best this way.

But you must not be made to pay for James' dishonesty.

Mr Dombey, too, has to pay for it.

James has plunged the house into debt and urged it beyond its strength.

Do you mean it may really fail?

Yes, I think it possible if Mr Dombey will not acknowledge the danger.

He was always too arrogant to pay heed to counsel.

Hear his pride.

(KNOCKING)

What do you want?

I must speak to you. Do you remember me?

I do.

You gave me money once. I threw it back at you.

- If you wish forgiveness... - But I don't!

All I want is to be believed.

Now only you and your brother can help me if it's not too late.

Please, you must listen!

How can we help?

Many years ago, I knew your brother James.

He ruined me and then flung me aside.

And I was concerned in a robbery and was found out.

My mother went to James Carker, appealed to him to save me from prison.

And he was only too pleased that I should be sent abroad

beyond the reach of any further trouble to him and to die and rot there.

I swore to be revenged!

But what has this to do with us?

Your brother has stolen another man's wife.

He and Mrs Dombey are together in Dijon. Do you know where that is?

James? With Mrs Dombey?

The husband knows, I saw to that. He's on his way there now.

Then it seems you are to have your revenge.

But I don't want it. What I've done has tormented me.

I thought I would be glad.

I thought I would be repaid for all those years in prison, but I was wrong.

I don't want his blood on my hands.

If he dies through my doing, then I cannot live.

Will you help me?

- What can we do? - He must be warned.

Is there anyone who will write or send or go to him?

But Mr Dombey left London three days ago.

Send a message. Let them meet another time in some other place.

But not now, not there, not through me. Warn him!

No messenger could reach my brother in time now.

It is too late.

Pardon, madame.

(THEY SPEAK FRENCH)

The gentleman who is expected by madame. He has arrived.

He is in the apartment next to madame's. All is arranged.

Arranged? What do you mean?

Monsieur has requested that dinner is to be sewed here.

In madame's apartment.

It shall be done tout de suite.

Ah. Monsieur.

When served, my wife and I will require no further attendance.

Oui, monsieur. But madame has no maid.

- Oh? - I came here alone.

It was my choice to do so. They need send nobody to me.

Oui, madame. Madame. Monsieur.

How strange... to come here by yourself, my love.

What?

I say, how strange to come here alone.

You were to have engaged an attendant at Le Havre or Rouen.

You must do so tomorrow. We have a long way to travel.

Sicily, I think, shall be the place of our retreat.

In the idlest and easiest pan of the world,

we'll both seek compensation for old slavery.

I have dreamt of this moment.

On my way here, I have carried a picture of you in my mind.

That picture is now exceeded by the reality.

I have never seen you look more beautiful.

Stay away from me.

Come no nearer, upon your life.

I think you mistake me for your husband.

I make no mistake.

What nonsense is this?

We are alone and out of everybody's sight and hearing.

Do you imagine I am frightened by these tricks of virtue?

We agreed in London that we would meet here.

And we shall pan here.

Take care. Don't toy with me.

For two years I have suffered your mockery and your insults.

I never loved my husband, but I watched you drive us further apart for your own ends.

- What of it? You know you despised him. - Yes!

And if all the reasons why I held him in contempt were to blow away like feathers,

his having you as his counsellor and favourite

would have been enough to hold their place.

- Is that why you ran away with me? - Yes, that is why!

From childhood, I have been shamed - offered and rejected,

bought and sold until my soul has sickened.

My husband, with your help, killed the last remnants of love and gentleness within me.

Well, now I am revenged on you both!

What devil possesses you?

You have fallen on Sicilian days and sensual rest too soon, Mr Carker.

You might have played your traitors pan a little longer and grown richer.

- This is some kind of pretence. - Keep away from me.

Since the moment when I first saw you, I hated you.

You have always been loathsome to me.

So this was a trick.

You wanted me, you offered me an escape.

I accepted.

-(GRUNTS) - Now is your reward.

You can boast of me to the world.

And in every lie you tell, you will revenge me on him and on yourself,

because they will be lies, Mr Carker.

Mrs Dombey, you deceive yourself.

Do you think I have given up so much, become a fugitive, for this? For nothing?

No, madam, we have a bargain.

(CARRIAGE APPROACHING)

I mean to see that that bargain is kept.

Do you , Mr Darker'?

I have not come this distance to no purpose.

Neither I am sure has my husband.

- What? - He has arrived.

You have been betrayed, Mr Carker.

As all betrayers are.

Come now. What a poor liar you are.

Am I lying?

We are seeking an English couple. (SPEAKS FRENCH)

(HE SPEAKS FRENCH)

(EXCHANGE IN FRENCH)

It is not possible.

No one could know.

Look to yourself.

(MAN SPEAKS FRENCH DOWNSTAIRS)

- This the apartment? - Oui, monsieur.

Merci.

- Wait. Are you for hire? - Monsieur?

(SPEAKS FRENCH)

(THEY SPEAK FRENCH)

(SPEAKS FRENCH)

- Good morning, Walter. - Oh, good morning.

Er...Miss Dombey...

- Florence... - Yes, Walter?

I must go away again soon.

- Very soon. - For a long time?

For a year. Perhaps two years.

The vessel that rescued me from the sea was a China trader.

I was of some service while aboard

and I've been offered a position as super cargo on the next voyage.

Is it a position that might lead to advancement?

- I believe so. - Then you must go.

Florence...

if a day should come when I have the means to...

to restore you to a station near your own...

I mean, if you could wait until... until I...

lmean...

if I presume too much in hoping that you share to me the same feelings as I do to...

Forgive me.

Perhaps I do presume.

Some day perhaps I...

Walter?

Agentleman who is employed upon a vessel as su...?

Super cargo. I shall be in charge of the goods carried on the voyage.

Is such a gentleman permitted to share the company of his wife

on the kind of voyage you speak of?

Florence.

I would love you very dearly.

- Captain Cuttle! - Avast there!

- Captain Cuttle. - What's this?

Captain, we have something to tell you.

Something to...

Belay there. Is it that?

Yes, Captain, Florence and I are...

Walter, husband? That?

Ha-ha! My lad!

My dear boy!

And head's delight.

Stand by, stand by.

Mr Toots.

It is of no... no consequence.

No consequence in the world.

(SPEAKS FRENCH)

(SPEAKS FRENCH)

(SPEAKS FRENCH)

(THEY CONVERSE IN FRENCH)

(SHOUTS IN FRENCH)

Tout de suite!

My own, pretty darling, sweet Miss Floy.

- Susan! - To think it should come to this.

And I should find you here with nobody to wait upon you

and no home to call your own.

But never, never will I go away again, Miss Floy.

For though I may not gather moss,

I'm not a rolling stone.

Nor is my head a stone

or it wouldn't bust as it is busting now.

Oh, give me air.

I'm a-chokin'.

- Oh, Susan. Dear Susan. - Bless her.

I that was her maid when she was a child.

And now she's gonna be married!

- Who told you so? - Him.

That innocentest creature, Toots.

I knew it must be true, because he took on so.

He says that he will go down now into the tomb immediately

and quite comfortable.

But bless your head, he won't.

He's a great deal too happy in seeing other people happy.

-(KNOCKING) FLORENCE: Mr Toots.

You found Susan for me.

I have to thank you so often I've no words left.

Oh, Miss Dombey, to be again permitted to gaze...

Oh, at least not to gaze, but...oh.

I don't know exactly what I was going to say. It's of no consequence.

Yes. Yes, I...

I do recollect.

Miss Dombey,

I am not considered a quick person.

Nevertheless I do perceive the state of things

between you and Lieutenant Walters and... I'm bound to say that...

he seems to me worthy of the...

the blessing that has fallen upon his brow.

And if... if I shed a tear

it is a tear of joy and...

...not of the least consequence and I'm much obliged to you.

(DOOR SLAMS)

Steady, brother.

You ain't a-quitting your mornings, I hope? We're all shipmates here.

I know the young'uns would take it amiss

if you didn't give them the pleasure of your company at the askings.

- The askings, Captain? - At the church down yonder.

Oh. Yes, the askings.

When the said askings is over,

Walter and sweetheart will be joined together in the house of bondage.

Captain Cuttle.

I shall attend the askings with pleasure.

But if at any moment I find that I cannot endure the contemplation

of Lieutenant Walters' bliss and should rush out,

perhaps you'd kindly remark that I... have gone for a walk or...

or to see what o'clock it is by the Royal Exchange.

Say no more. There ain't a colour you could run up as won't be made out

and answered by Walter himself.

Cuttle! Ned Cuttle!

It's him. Sol Gills, it's him.

Alive, yes! Ha ha!

Chock full of science as ever he was.

Sol Gills, what have you been up to this many a long day?

I'm half blind, Ned, and almost deaf and dumb with joy.

- Mr Gills. - Miss Dombey.

Ah...

Mr Walter, Mr Walter!

Look. Welcome home.

Uncle Sol!

Walter, my boy.

His very voice.

Stand by.

Uncle Sol, we'd given you up for dead.

Given me up?

My boy, it's me as has been doing the giving up.

Ned Cuttle, why didn't you write?

- Why didn't I...? - Aye.

To Barbados or Jamaica or Demerara. That was what I asked.

What you asked, Sol Gills?

- In every letter I wrote to you. - Wrote? You wrote to me?

Posted with my own hand and directed by my own hand to you

at your lodgings, number nine, Brig Place in the care of Mrs MacStinger.

Then she's got 'em.

All your letters, I...

I cut a rug from there nigh on two year ago.

Oh! I wrote to you from every pod and island in the Indies.

I began to think it would be my fate to cruise about

in search of tidings of my boy until I died.

Began to think as how you were a scientific Flying Dutchman.

-(LAUGHTER) - At last I learned my Walter was safe

and I took passage home on the next ship.

Not only safe, Uncle Sol, but soon to be married.

Married?

- Do you mean... - Yes.

Welcome home, Mr Gills.

You see that? 'Tis woman as seduces all mankind.

For which, overhaul your Adam and Eve, brother, and when found, make a note on.

(LAUGHTER)

Landlord,

what day is it?

Day, sir?

I've been travelling. I grow confused. Is it Wednesday?

Wednesday? No, sir, Thursday.

How goes the time? My watch is unwound.

Oh, wants a few minutes of seven o'clock, sir.

You've been travelling a long time, perhaps, sir?

- Yes. - By rail, sir?

- Yes.

Very confusing.

Not in the habit of travelling by rail much myself, sir,

but gentlemen frequently say so.

- Do many gentlemen come here? - Oh, pretty well, sir, in general.

Nobody here at present. Rather quiet at the moment, sir.

My train is at eight o'clock.

Eight o'clock?

You ought to set off fairly early, sir.

It's more than a mile and a half to the station.

Bring me your account.

Am I in time for the train that leaves here at eight o'clock?

Yes, sir, you have a quarter of an hour in hand.

That's the express that's coming up now but she don't stop.

(TRAIN WHISTLE)

Beg pardon, sir, but you ain't with the other gentlemen?

No. The other gentlemen?

Them as is waiting for the train to London. There they are now, sir.

DOMBEY: Darker:!

No.

No! No!

(TRAINS WHISTLE)

Carker, look out! Carker!

Argh!

(TRAIN RATTLES AWAY)

I've taken a sighting. The lady lass is coming.

Oh.

WALTER: Captain Cuttle?

Florence and I sail tonight upon the tide.

There's a particular favour you could do for me.

- Aye, Walter? - This letter.

It's for Mr Dombey. It tells him Florence and I are married and have gone away.

I've asked him to believe that I will always look after her.

Will you see it's delivered after we set sail?

Aye, I'll take it to him myself once the tide's turned.

-(ORGAN PLAYS) - Stand by, Walter, it's time!

(SIGHS)

-(GROANS) -(KNOCKING)

- If you please, sir. - What is it?

If you please, sir, this letter has come for you. Delivered by hand, sir.