Original subtitles

- It's a book of hate to wreak revenge on every pompous, trembling

worm who taps on Mr. Castaway's door.

- And you are--

- Sugar is all there is to my name.

- Your life is going to be very different from now on.

I would like you to move to Chepstow Villas.

- To live in your house?

- And become Sophie's governess.

- 19 years...

- Mother.

- Since we embarked on this life together.

- Your life is becoming quite shrouded in mystery.

- [chuckles]

- I'm so curious.

- Who is that lady, Sophie?

Agnes, what have you done?

- Believe that I'm ready.

Get me away.

You're my only hope.

I must have a little girl.

- Yes, of course you will.

- I am not a madwoman.

- Agnes is to be put away.

- But William...

No one is going to hurt you anymore.

- Is it time?

[blows landing]

- Oh, oh.

- At last, with you.

[birds chirping]

[soft music playing]

♪ ♪

- I have to tell the--

[stammering]

- It's worse when you excite yourself.

- Police.

I have to tell the police.

Agnes may be in need of urgent rescue.

- Of course, William.

- It's not a simple question of being dead or alive.

There is a fate worse than death.

As we speak, some foul hag, such as your Mrs. Castaway

could be installing her in some bawdy house.

- I'm quite sure Agnes is too frail

to be made use of in that way.

- Haven't you read Morse Breese?

There's a nice little trade going in dying girls.

Or perhaps you've forgotten.

- Where was this convent of health

that she blathered on to you about?

- I'm not sure.

It was a place that had a physical reality.

- You know she disappeared before.

Miss Sugar found her with half her toes

sliced off in the snow.

- Miss Sugar?

- Governess.

- She's not a rescue girl, is she?

- Oh, for heaven's sake. Of course not.

Emmeline, you're becoming fixated on that subject.

- Let me think.

I always think I can remember feeling...

a little different.

But if I'm not the same, the next question is,

who in the world am I?

Ah, that's the great puzzle.

- So glad you're enjoying your Christmas book, Sophie.

- Miss, has my mama still run away?

- Yes.

Yes, she has.

- Is it history now?

- I beg your pardon?

- History, Henry VIII.

- No, geography first, I think.

Why don't you draw me some animals from Australia?

- Were you and Agnes close?

- Close?

We barely knew each other.

- She told Clara that the person

who found her in the snow

was her only friend in the world.

- She was very disturbed.

I merely escorted her back to the house.

- She didn't know you at all, yet she trusted you.

- Well, she had no reason not to.

[tense music playing]

♪ ♪

- Miss?

- Mm-hmm?

- If Henry VIII wanted a son so badly,

why didn't he marry a lady who already had one?

- Because to be the king's true heir,

you need to be of the king's blood.

- The baby's made of blood?

- No.

Babies are grown in here.

- How?

- Well, if I had a husband,

he would plant a seed in me,

and I would have a baby.

- I came out of Mama, then?

- Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;

Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;

Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font.

The firefly wakens; waken thou with me.

Now droops the milk-white peacock like a ghost,

And like a ghost, she glimmers on to me.

Now lies the Earth all Danae to the stars,

And all thy heart lies open unto me.

Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves

a shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me.

Oh, Letty.

Sorry, I fell asleep reading.

What time is it?

- No, it's early only.

Mr. Rackham was looking for you.

He's been fetched away.

[birds calling]

- Identification would be difficult

in these circumstances, sir.

Try and focus on the parts that are least corrupted.

A word of warning, don't look for the eyes.

'Eagulls have 'em.

- All right.

[sniffs]

[dramatic music playing]

♪ ♪

This is she.

This is my wife.

- Are you sure, sir?

- [sobbing] Her beautiful hair.

Cover it up.

- All right, sir.

There.

- Dearest William, it is so tedious to wait,

even this short time, to be man and wife.

How I long to go out and hear people say,

there go the Rackhams.

He has just published another book.

And she is lately returned from Paris

with 30 new dresses.

- Ashes to dust are our only material remains.

Compared to our spiritual remains, they mean nothing.

- You are a brave, brave, brave man.

[Sophie speaking indistinctly]

- Oh, I heard Sophie had a new governess.

I wonder to see her so happy.

Is she your first pupil, Miss...

- Sugar.

- Mrs. Emmeline Fox.

- No.

I looked after a little boy before, Christopher.

- In Notting Hill?

- I've lived many different places in London.

- And I have visited many in the course of my work,

The Rescue Society.

- The Rescue Society?

I confess I've never heard of it.

- [laughs]

Ah, Miss Sugar.

How mortified my colleagues would be

to hear you say that.

- If you will excuse me, Mrs. Fox.

I do think I should keep a close eye on Sophie today.

- Of course.

Let's walk together.

We are an organization committed

to reforming prostitutes.

The urgency is great.

Women die or disappear every day through disease,

murder, suicide.

Just yesterday, I visited a house,

a place known as Mrs. Castaway's,

looking for a girl I'd read about in a vile publication.

- What did you find there?

- Girl was long gone.

No one could say where.

And Mrs. Castaway herself had died.

[soft music playing]

- Died?

- So the new madam said

before she slammed the door in my face.

♪ ♪

- [sighs]

- Oh.

Forgive me, Miss Sugar.

Oh.

You were fond of your old madam.

In my arrogance, I failed to imagine that.

What an imbecile I am.

- What do you want?

- I wanted to verify who you were.

- Who am I?

- A young woman who has found her calling

and means to excel at it.

If I can ever be of service.

[Sophie speaking indistinctly]

[indistinct chatter]

- Christopher?

[door clicking]

- I think you've mistaken your way.

- I was looking for the little boy

who used to answer the door.

- If it's little boys he's after,

send him to Mrs. Talbot.

- It's not a man, dear.

It's a lady from The Rescue Society.

[door thuds]

- My name is Sugar.

I used to work here.

- Sugar?

[speaks indistinctly]

Oh, well. Come in, dear. Come in.

Someone was asking for you only a couple of days ago.

Your fame endures.

Quite a change, isn't it?

[woman crying in distance]

- May I have a word with Amy,

the girl who used to play the cello?

- Alas, Amy felt our house had become

too specialized for her talents.

Took the boy with her.

Quite where escapes me-- so many new houses,

we can hardly keep up.

And truth be told, with Amy gone

and me no longer on what you might call the factory floor,

we're two girls down.

- I came to ask about my--about Mrs. Castaway.

- Oh, she passed, dear.

- But how?

How did she die?

- In her sleep, dear.

- Did she leave anything for me,

a letter, a message?

And what happened to her after she was found, her remains?

- Undertakers took her away.

Isn't that right, dear?

- I believe so.

Rooks, Brooks, something like that.

- Oh.

Won't you call in, again, dear, if you're passing?

A charm to see you.

- You do look different.

- My life is very different now.

- Is it?

- Filled out so, isn't she?

- Indeed.

- In fact, I wonder, is there something we should know.

[laughter]

- [retching]

[knocking]

- Miss Sugar,

Mr. Rackham is asking if you were back.

- Can you sew?

- Sew?

- Yes.

Could you alter a dress of Agnes's

so that it fit you?

- Uh, no, I don't think so.

Even if I were a seamstress,

Agnes and I were very different shapes.

- A shame.

I had arranged for us all to go on a little outing

together tomorrow afternoon.

- Us all?

- You, me, and Sophie

to the photographer's studio.

A family portrait.

[bell ringing]

- Good day, sir.

- Mister.

- Madam.

This way.

- Sophie.

- This dress must have shrunk.

- I shall now summon an elephant from the sky

and balance it on the tip of my nose.

3, 2, 1.

[clicking]

Marvelous.

[birds chirping]

- Hello, Sophie.

- Papa.

- I have something for you.

Well, what do you think?

- William?

What a pleasant surprise!

- Miss Sugar. See here.

- Oh, Sophie!

- Is it real?

- It's wonderful, Sophie!

And what of the group portrait,

the one of all of us together?

- It wasn't a success, I'm afraid.

- Oh, dear.

Perhaps we can try again another day.

- Yes, Sophie, perhaps we will.

It is a risk, of course.

The engineering is in its infancy.

- Leave things as they are.

To recoup your investment, you'd need

10 years excellent harvest and no expansion

from your competitors.

- It's--the next century belongs to Pears and Yardley.

I can feel it in my bones.

I'm without an heir to succeed me.

- Without an heir so far.

You are a man in his prime, William.

Do you remember when we first met?

- [laughs]

- I told you I would do anything for you.

- We should be in bed.

- My thoughts exactly.

- No, seriously, look at the time.

[tense music playing]

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

- You stupid, stupid girl.

[groaning]

[breathing heavily]

[groaning]

[breathing heavily]

[indistinct chatter]

- Hello, sir, you looking for me?

- Sugar?

Is that--is that you?

Oh.

- I had heard about Mrs. C.

- When did she die, do you know?

- A while ago.

She didn't leave you nothing?

A letter, even?

I'm sorry.

I love my mother.

- Can I use your pot?

- Help yourself.

- Oh, thank you.

- It's even clean.

- Would you mind?

- Light a candle for her, sometimes, my mom.

Not in church, just in here.

- Can you pass me a handkerchief from my bag?

- You've been shopping?

Pennyroyal and brewer's yeast?

- One of the maids.

- Did she try zinc and borax?

- To no avail.

- It's the worst.

Hurtlike hell, the burning.

Poor girl.

- Yes, it does.

- What's this?

- Light a candle for me.

[breathing heavily]

- Who am I, then?

Tell me that first.

And then if I like being that person, I'll come up.

If not, I'll stay down here till I'm somebody else.

- Excuse me, Sophie.

I just need to go outside for a moment.

[dramatic music playing]

♪ ♪

- Mr. Rackham!

Mr. Rackham!

[shouting indistinctly]

♪ ♪

[birds chirping]

- [gasps, sighs]

William, I'm so sorry.

[bell ringing]

- That will be Dr. Curlew.

- For me?

- Do not move from this bed.

I've had quite enough sick women in this house.

I want you well.

- People break necks falling off a chair.

You have fallen down a staircase.

You only have a badly sprained ankle

and a number of bruises to show for it.

You may not be aware of those bruises as yet,

but you will be.

Keep to your bed as much as possible.

- I have duties to perform.

- And it would be much better in your condition--

- Dr. Curlew, I am employed in this house.

[knocking]

- Enter.

- How is the patient?

- Remarkably well.

Miss Sugar is extremely robust.

[door closes]

- Hello, Sophie. Here, take these books from me.

[soft music]

♪ ♪

Oh, for heaven's sake.

Aren't you the least bit curious what happened to me?

- Letty said that you fell down a long, long way

and that I mustn't stare.

- I'll be better very soon.

And now that your father feels well enough

to do his own correspondence,

you and I can spend more time together.

I think we are in New Zealand.

- Dear Rackers...

- [whispers] Rackers.

- Deepest condolences aside,

anyone would think it was you who were dead.

The new book is our best yet.

Art as understood by the working man.

- Less contentious than usual.

- Don't you believe it.

- We've got hold of a variety of rude working folk,

chimney sweeps, fish sellers, kitchen maids, costermongers,

so forth, and showed them engravings of famous paintings

and asked them their opinion.

[laughter]

[drumming sounds]

- Ha!

[laughter]

- William?

- Oh.

- Can you tell us what you intend to do

about Constance?

- Constance?

- We're dying to hear.

- Our dear lady Bridgelow.

- What about her?

- You don't want to marry her?

- I had no idea she had any desire to marry me.

- Come on, Bill.

Do you expect her to get down on bended knee and propose?

- [laughs]

- She has her pride.

- Sir, what do you fancy?

Mrs. Terrence's is nearby.

- The Welsh one will be taken by now.

And I don't much care for the others.

- Mrs. Ford's expensive for what you get.

- Hmm.

- These have a cheerful air about them.

- Nice weather we're having.

- You never had anyone like me, dear.

- Me, neither.

[dog barking]

- In the mouth.

How much?

[grunting, moaning]

- Go on, sir.

- I don't have a sheath on me.

- Went to the doctor's last week, sir.

Says I'm as clean as a kid.

- Even so.

- I've got a fine silk here, sir.

Connoisseur's conch.

- [moaning]

- What?

- It's done.

- Bill?

- Are you with us?

- Tiny, tiny.

My name is... [speaking indistinctly]

Rackers!

- What are you doing in here?

- I'm attending to your correspondence.

Are you all right?

You're covered--

Where have you been?

Oh, I know, don't I?

I know where you've been.

- It's none of your business!

Just hobble off back to your room!

I have no further need for you.

Go on!

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

- Who am I?

My name is Sugar.

I am what you would call a fallen woman.

But I assure you, I did not fall.

I was pushed.

Vile man.

Eternal Adam, I indict you.

[gasping]

- Please forgive me.

- What time is it?

- Almost dawn.

Sugar, I am so sorry.

I wasn't myself before.

I collapsed in town, drunk, complete disgrace.

I'm sober now.

It will never happen again.

- Of course not, William.

- I am determined.

Things are going to be different.

You'll see.

I would like you and Sophie to join me tomorrow

at a visit of my soap factory.

- Wouldn't it be wiser to wait until after you are rested?

- There is someone else I'm meeting there,

someone I'm loathe to inconvenience.

- I see.

- Of course you do.

I have not told you often enough what a treasure you are.

- You should get some sleep now.

[soft music]

[birds chirping]

♪ ♪

- Take care, Cheesman.

- I always do, Miss Sugar.

- You are very nicely turned out, Sophie.

- Look, Sophie.

We're here to meet an associate of your father's.

- No, no.

It's my fault for arriving early.

I've been looking forward to it so much, you see.

- It's hard to believe my humble little factory

could inspire such enthusiasm.

- You've got my word.

- Of course, what you see here is not exactly

soap manufacture as such.

That is a very dirty business and not the work of a consumer.

- Miss! - I'm so sorry.

- This area is dedicated to the production

of Rackham's honeysuckle.

Relieves itching quite miraculously, I'm told.

Here.

- William, this is so amusing.

- Do you really think so?

And these stairs lead to the blue room,

which houses production of Rackham's Pure Essence,

our signature scent.

And the factory was originally built to be

a sewer works, which is ironic.

Ah, this here is one of our new developments,

Jeunesse Eternelle.

The orange color comes from carrots.

- Miss?

I need to go piddle.

- Mr. Rackham?

Is there on the premises a room with--

with washing facilities?

- Someone will show you.

- Here, ma'am.

- Ah.

[inhales sharply]

[crying]

[sobbing]

[sloshing]

[banging]

- [gasps]

- [sobbing]

Please, please help me.

- I'll get someone.

- No, no!

You have to help me.

Thank you. Thank you.

Let's go.

Arms in.

Get ready for bed.

- I don't mind, miss.

I'm tired.

- I'm very grateful to you, Sophie.

You rescued me.

- I'm frightened, Miss Sugar.

Please don't die.

[crying]

- Oh.

I won't die.

I promise.

It's all right, little one.

Don't you worry about anything.

You just trust me.

[sighs]

[bell rings]

- Forgive the late hour.

I was visiting a neighbor of yours.

- What is it?

- There was something I could scarcely

fail to notice the last time I was in this house.

I should perhaps have spoken to you about it at the time.

- You sent for me?

- Yes.

Do not sit down.

There's no need.

It has come to my notice that you are with child.

It is therefore impossible that you remain

as my daughter's governess.

- [gasps] William--

- Your wages are enclosed.

Please be prepared to leave...

- William, perhaps you misunderstand.

- On the first of March.

Further discussion is out of the question.

Do not intend to come and see me again.

Thank you.

[ominous music]

♪ ♪

- Dear William.

Forgive me saying so, but you are mistaken.

I was briefly afflicted with a painful swelling

which has since passed.

And I now have my monthly courses,

as you can discover to your own satisfaction.

Dear William, please.

Every hour that I wait for your reply is torture.

Remember that I am devoted to assisting you

and sparing you inconvenience.

[knocking]

- Excuse me, Miss Sugar.

Mr. Rackham has asked if Miss Sophie might be brought down.

- We'll just tidy ourselves up a bit.

- Miss Sugar, he asked me to bring Miss Sophie myself.

- I see.

Would you wait outside a moment?

- Of course, miss.

- Come on, Sophie.

Come.

I think your father has some news for you.

Most probably he's about to tell you something.

And I want you to tell him something in return.

I want you to tell him how you feel about me.

Do you understand?

Do you understand?

And then everything's going to be all right.

- [crying] He's sending you away.

- What did you tell him?

- I told him that I love you.

- How dare he do this?

How dare he do this to my child?

- Miss Townsley. - Indeed.

- [speaking indistinctly] I have no time.

[speaking indistinctly]

Hello, Sophie.

I'd like to introduce you to Miss Townsley.

- Hello, Miss Townsley.

- Have you any French, child?

- French wasn't one of Miss Sugar's accomplishments.

- What about the piano?

- Again, I'm afraid Miss Sugar came up rather short.

- I think it best Miss Sugar leave immediately

to prevent further distress to Sophie.

- If, as you say, she has formed

a very strong attachment,

I think that might be preferable.

But does your governess have somewhere to go?

- Oh, yes.

She can always go home to her mother.

[dramatic music]

♪ ♪

[rattling]

- Miss Sugar!

- I thought we might go for an adventure

outside today, Sophie.

It's getting so stuffy in here.

- Yes, miss.

- Don't forget your muffler.

- Yes.

- What about your spyglass?

- Goodness, miss.

We are taking a lot of stories with us.

- We're going on a great expedition, Sophie.

Who knows what provisions we may need?

- Is it America tomorrow?

- America tomorrow.

- Heavy bags you got there, miss.

Going far with them?

- You're impertinent, Cheesman.

I shall speak to Mr. Rackham about you on our return.

- Your return?

That'd be soon, then?

- I shall speak to you in private.

Sophie? - Yes, miss?

- I shall be back in a minute.

- Yes, miss.

[birds chirping]

- 10 pounds, Cheesman.

- Aren't we grand?

- A all fortune for you,

- I wondered, after Mrs. Rackham met her doom,

if you weren't hoping to take her place.

- Take the money and let us be on our way.

- I saw her dragged from the river.

There was nothing left to recognize

except her hair.

Those long, blonde locks

full of weed and dirty water.

You see, money is all well and good, miss.

What I'd like is something a little more personal.

[Sophie speaking indistinctly]

I want a taste of what he's had.

Oh!

[thudding]

Hey.

- Where are we going, miss?

- Somewhere nice.

[hooves clopping]

- Should I carry your bag, miss?

- They're too heavy for you, Sophie.

Let's take a ride on the omnibus.

Run ahead so the conductor can see we want to get on.

♪ ♪

- Where are we going now, miss?

- Somewhere very nice, dear.

I promise.

How smug you are, reader.

If you were a member of that sex

that boasts a scrag of gristle in your trousers,

you fancy this book will amuse you, thrill you,

rescue you from the horror of boredom.

And that having consumed it, you will be left at liberty

to resume your life as before.

But this book is different.

This book is a knife.

Keep your wits about you.

You will need them.

- Hello?

Open the door!

- Whether I open the door or not

depends on how bad a boy you've been.

Have you been very bad?

- I want to speak to Mrs. Castaway!

- She's long dead.

- It's Sugar I'm after.

It is imperative that I find her.

I will pay whatever you ask!

- Please lower your voice, sir.

Firstly, the girl you call Sugar

has renounced the gay life.

Secondly, your soaps and ointments are not improved

by having your image on them.

Lord, grant us some places where we don't

have to see a man's face.

And lastly, try Mrs. Leek's.

- Mr. 40 acres.

We are honored.

- You.

- Looking for me, sir?

- No.

I'm looking for Sugar.

She's stolen my daughter.

- Stolen?

- Please.

I've lost everything.

- Did you know that of every 10 persons

drowned in England and Wales, six will be children?

- You've got her.

- Hey!

Seven pounds, sir.

- Watch your step, sir.

Some of them stairs is--

- Ah!

[indistinct shouting, screaming]

- Miss?

Will we get where we're going to go in time for bed?

- We're going on a very long journey, Sophie.

But when we get there, I promise

you will have the warmest, safest, nicest bed

in the whole world.

[dramatic music playing]

- America tomorrow.

♪ ♪

[dramatic music playing]

♪ ♪