Original subtitles

THE BENCH OF DESOLATION from the novella by Henry James

- No! - If I don't receive a different response within 3 days,

I'll refer the matter to my lawyer.

You seem skeptical - I've already consulted him.

I'll bring suit for breach of promise.

That's a peculiar way to revive a dead love affair.

Don't joke, I'm terribly serious.

Then let's speak seriously!

And stop making crazy threats like a barmaid who wants revenge.

Frankly, would you want to marry a man

who would always make you feel he doesn't love you,

who used blackmail to make you obey?

Don't worry about my feelings, I'll take care of them.

I'd rather see what conclusion you come to..

I wonder what you'd really prefer.

That I give in and marry you on these sordid terms

or that you could enjoy putting me on trial.

With compensation and other benefits.

I have the impression that you'd prefer that outcome.

If I married you, what would you get?

A ten-shilling gold ring, that's all.

You can't think that I'd make a life with you.

That's always been my dream, and it still is.

I want a life with you, Herbert Dodd.

Remember that, my dear. Remember that.

Herbert dear. I thought you weren't coming.

- Yes, I'm sorry... - Come sit down.

A little longer and we would have missed the sunset.

I think we're the only two people in Properley who like sunsets.

You for a long time.

And me because you've introduced me to them.

Who else comes to this end of the dike?

If we weren't here, the poor sun would have to set all alone.

Yes, the things I like don't interest anyone.

My rare books that no one buys.

Or sunsets.

I like to tease you.

Have you ever brought other women here before me?

Your fiancee didn't like sunsets?

If you only knew, Kate...

She's taking revenge in the most vulgar way possible.

The most vulgar.

She wants to take me to court. I'll be destroyed.

Are you sure she can do it?

She saw a lawyer who agreed that her claim was legitimate.

She came to give me an ultimatum.

I have three days to decide. Marriage or court.

That's horrible.

If she brings suit, it's because she's sure of winning.

That's the way she is.

Her lack of delicacy,

her authoritarian spirit, her complete lack of scruples.

If you knew how evil she is...

How do you think that she...

...that she caught me?

I always ask myself that

because one couldn't say she was particularly seductive.

When I met her, she was a governess...

...for a good family.

She came into my shop to buy schoolbooks.

Then she started chatting, as many clients do.

She manipulates anything to get what she wants.

And as she couldn't hope to seduce me with her...

...her elegance,

she pretended to be intellectual, and I fell for it.

Other women have loved me.

But I've never known any low enough

to expose in court our love letters, kisses

with talk of damages and rights.

You know how trials are.

The insolence of lawyers, the laughter of the public.

"Read this letter, your Honor."

"'My little honey-bunny,' that's how it begins."

"Give it to me, your Honor. Give it to me."

And if you can't force him to return,

compensation is certainly in order.

Because he broke my heart and it wouldn't be fair for me to get nothing.

He has a little business, selling old books. He can pay.

That's what she's capable of.

How I hate her.

The one thing I understand about this woman

is her wanting to catch a man as good as you.

They're rare, you know.

A woman would pay any price to have you.

I'm the one who's going to pay.

And more than I'm able.

It's a very large cost for a man in my situation.

Whether I love Kate, stop loving her, fight her now...

...it will all lead to my ruin...

...and to suffering that's easy to foresee.

I've always been more sensitive than most people.

I let myself be affected by things that don't bother them one way or another.

In a way, that taught me...

...to get used to my suffering.

Almost to enjoy it.

Since she saw a lawyer,

I think that you too should see one

to learn how to defend against her.

Resistance is useless.

I have no more chance of escaping...

...than a sheep that's led to the slaughterhouse.

You know I'm not on this woman's side...

but maybe the least painful outcome is to marry her.

You don't know what real poverty is. I do.

And I assure you it's not a joke.

You know my father.

He's never been able to earn a penny.

He brought one disaster after another upon us.

I often wonder how we survived this far.

It's a miracle.

For better or worse, you survived.

Myself, if I were forced to lead this woman to the altar...

...I couldn't go on living.

I think that, if I had to remain with her...

...I'd die.

Ah, it's you. - Who did you think it was?

It's been a long time since you've had customers.

- And so you came. - You hoped I would let you go?

No.

I was sure that in three days you'd demand my answer.

No. I'm not asking for that, even though I know what it is.

And to hear it from your mouth would be only an added injury.

But I have a proposition for you.

A proposition?

You speak only of your liberty...

...it's the talk of a prisoner.

What does a prisoner do to reclaim his liberty?

He pays a ransom.

I'm happy to spare you from scandal,

from a public trial, from disgrace,

if you pay me a ransom.

- Money? - 400 pounds.

400 pounds.

My lawyer is clear, any judge would impose a fine

of least a 600 pounds in cash.

Don't forget that I've kept the love letters...

...that contain your promises.

And your superb letter of refusal.

In court, that's like gold.

Yes, my poor friend,

your letters are worth more than any first edition

that ever was on sale in your shop.

Furthermore, I am...

...able to grant you a four-year term of payment.

Here are the papers.

All you have to do is sign.

You'll never find 400 pounds.

Even if you go into debt for life.

You should have thought of this earlier.

If it's too hard to get the money,

you know where to find me.

I'm leaving Properley and moving to London.

But my lawyer will be in touch with you.

I'd rather die of hunger than...

You're free now.

Free... Yes...

...to come sit whenever I want on my bench of desolation.

With nothing to worry about except poverty and disgrace.

I'll be with you, dearest.

And if you'll have me, we could still be happy.

- You called me "darling"? - I can, because you're free.

Released from your engagement by Kate herself.

I'm happy to be part of your life.

However difficult it may be, and at any time when I can.

It's quite a bad time, dearest Nan.

We'll be condemned to death by hunger, won't we?

Even if you pawn the shoes on your feet,

you'll never be able to pay this terrible debt.

What will she do with all the money that she squeezes out of you?

I don't know.

Buy herself some poor fellow, no doubt.

I see it already.

Bill Frankle, perhaps.

He's been in her orbit for a long time.

I even wonder if there isn't something between them now.

You didn't do anything? You didn't seize the chance to leave her?

I don't understand you.

I wasn't sure about it.

If you'd really been in love,

you'd have reacted more violently.

You would have been jealous. But you never loved her.

She's the one who threw herself at you, isn't she?

And you suddenly saw who she really is.

You learned her true nature even before I came into your life.

Yes.

Yes, it happened as you say.

But I'm going to tell you something that will surprise you

and that I've begun to understand only today.

I've always been afraid of her.

Deep down, without admitting it to myself.

And it's that fear

that I briefly mistook for love.

May I sit down? I want to ask your advice.

I could have spoken to Mr. Sharper, your boss

but, as it's a somewhat delicate matter...

...and as we've been eating here each evening for five years...

I regard you almost

as an acquaintance. I wouldn't dare say a friend.

May I buy you something?

I'd gladly accept a sherry.

I believe I've observed that you also enjoy the occasional cigar.

Two sherries and cigars, please.

There...

So...

What is your concern?

I'm going to have need...

...of a large sum of money.

You have a business opportunity?

A property to buy?

No.

I'll tell you the truth.

It concerns a debt of honor.

- Gambling? - No.

No, let's say a family issue.

And how much?

400 pounds.

Ambitious.

I know it will be difficult, but...

I have a business and the house that's attached.

One should be able to borrow on that. What's the problem?

I don't know about these things.

Do you have securities to sell?

Jewelry to pledge?

No. I have nothing at all.

To whom should I go to borrow money?

Let's take them in order.

First there's the bank. - Yes.

You're a very small client, they won't lend you anything.

Ah.

Secondly, the notary.

I know Mr. Sharper, my boss

and I know your shop and house.

He'd mortgage your shop for 70 pounds,

your house for about 80 pounds.

At 12%.

That's all?

If he searched, he might find among his clients

someone who would mortgage the whole building in addition

for 75 pounds.

At 18% of course.

Yes, that's already almost half.

After that?

After that there's nothing much.

Barnett, the moneylender.

Because I know him, he'd lend you maybe

40 or 45 pounds, with collateral

and 30% interest.

He won't overlook it if you miss a payment.

Nor the others.

Yes, but...

...it's still far from the goal. After that?

That's all.

Then I'm lost.

You wouldn't be the first.

75, 55...

125...

...that makes 225. I'll never make it.

Darling, this time I have a crisis too.

My father's agency is closed.

His partner left with the money.

Nothing is left for us.

- What will you do? - I don't know.

Leave town, for sure.

It's awful.

You know I have nothing and am strangled with debt

but I couldn't bear to lose you.

Then, if you like...

...we could marry.

Even if we don't have a farthing, I'd be happy to wear your wedding ring

and to share your home.

And maybe also to have children.

I've already sent 150 pounds to Kate Cookham

and I'm in negotiations for another loan.

I'm amazed you haven't consulted a lawyer

before deciding that you had no chance.

Maybe your lawyer would have another opinion.

I'm just saying "maybe."

Tomorrow is another due date.

I have to have 50 pounds for Kate's lawyer.

But this time it's impossible.

Oh well, I won't pay. We'll see what happens.

And the other deadlines, payments, interest...

How will we do it?

To think you never wanted to consult a lawyer.

to think you never made sure she could really hurt you.

No matter how often you redo your window,

your business is collapsing.

We can't even take care of our child.

Instead of waiting, rearranging books,

you should sell it all.

That would at least pay the mortgages

and you could take up a real trade we could live on.

But I like my shop and my books. If I have to lose everything...

You'll lose everything and you'll still be mystified.

I'd so like to be like everyone else.

to be able to enjoy myself a little.

Not to have only worries.

You did a stupid thing once.

And a stupid thing isn't just words...

It's something one pays for for years and years.

The child is worse. He's going to die.

Do something, do something.

It's our poverty that killed him.

He wouldn't be dead if you hadn't let yourself be crushed by this debt

without even trying to fight back.

Without even getting a lawyer's advice.

All this because you were afraid of this woman.

Don't despair, darling.

Everything will work out.

How can you say such an enormous lie.

I'm not lying.

Since I stopped paying Kate Cookham

since I stopped answering the threatening letters

nothing has happened.

I even sent her last letter back without opening it.

If I'd known, I would have done this sooner.

- We might not have been in this spot. - It's too late.

You'll never get out of this spot.

I'm not just speaking of our child and of me, whom you've destroyed.

You imagine that you're confronting disaster courageously

but what you think is courage is only cowardice.

If only you'd dared to see a lawyer.

Excuse me.

I believe...

I believe you're forgetting the tip.

That's all?

Pardon me, it's all I have.

Hey, Dodd!

Hey, old pal!

You don't recognize me?

Bill Frankle.

Yes, I recognize you.

I thought you would be at Properley.

You know how it is, I come and go. Times are hard.

You have to work hard to get a few pennies.

And you - still at the bookstore?

No.

You must know that.

By the way, old man, you wouldn't have ten shillings to lend me?

I'd thought that Kate Cookham had taken up with you,

that she was spending my money with you.

I'd really like to know what's become of her.

It's been years since I've had word of her.

It happens, no? It happens.

You don't have 10 shillings?

Too bad. Thanks.

Maybe another time then.

I'll go away if you wish me to.

Now that you see I've returned.

I was afraid...of our meeting accidentally.

I wanted to write you but you might have refused to see me,

so, as I was told that you always come here...

I'll do what you wish.

But, if you send me away,

I hope you let me return another day.

I came from London for that purpose.

I'll prolong my stay.

I'm patient.

I want to give you time.

May I say that it's about something important?

Can you get used to this idea?

What idea?

My need to see you.

I don't care.

It's strange to be back here after so many years. Nothing has changed.

The town may seem that way

but in fact it's declined. - Really?

It's no longer the fashionable resort you knew

with the retired officers

and the clergymen

all the people of quality.

This last season has been dismal.

Was the weather good at least?

No. Awful.

For some reason there were a lot of storms the last few years.

You say our upper-class vacationers are gone?

Yes.

And the municipal council has gone crazy.

It's decided to favor quantity over quality.

Its policy is to attract lower-class tourists.

Hotels and boarding houses are full

of vulgar crowds

I didn't notice because I'm staying at the Royal.

The good old Royal.

At the Royal?

That's funny. - Why?

It always seemed to me so aristocratic.

Myself, I've never set foot in it.

No, once.

To deliver a rare edition of Milton to a Lady.

And I was a bit intimidated.

The shows aren't what they used to be either.

I've heard that the Bijou has gone completely downhill.

Would you be kind enough to come to tea with me

this Sunday at 5 pm?

I read somewhere that taking tea at 5 pm

is the new fashion.

If you're free, I'll expect you at the Royal.

You probably know that I gave up my little bookstore long ago.

I'll let you decide.

I know I still owe you a large sum of money.

If you wanted to see me about that - I'll never be able to pay you. Never.

Think about it.

Take your time.

I'll be at the Royal.

Are you married?

No. I'm not married.

Captain Roper...Mr. Herbert Dodd.

Well then, goodbye.

I'll see you out.

Thank you.

He's a bore.

He arrived unexpectedly, I didn't invite him.

But I let him know I was expecting a gentleman.

With whom I wished to speak privately.

I go straight to the point. It's a principle with me.

You've experienced my directness.

He didn't drink his tea.

I think we'll come to an understanding.

Have a seat.

At least you can drink your own tea in comfort.

I've come, as you see, but only to understand.

I'd like to know to what I commit myself if I take tea with you.

Nothing at all. It's only I who commit myself.

Then that's different.

So won't you sit down?

Why did you invite me here?

To prove to me that you have money?

That's one reason. I don't have a lot, mind you, but enough.

I believe you.

I don't always live this well.

Not at all.

I came to the Royal on purpose to impress you.

You'll never understand.

What is there to understand?

I did all this for you.

For me?

Forcing me to give you money?

Yes.

270 pounds.

That's all I could get from you.

So I had to give up the rest.

I had an idea.

To bleed me to death.

To make you raise money.

You could raise it, since you did.

You even found 270 pounds.

Yes, I found them. Yes.

I'll return them to you.

The money that cost me my last drop of blood.

It's my blood too.

Because I did with your money what you'd never do yourself

Do you know...

...no...

You don't know what my life has been.

You've suffered...

...and you've worked. And beyond that?

Me too.

We have to suffer to get anything.

Yes, but I...

...can you tell me why I suffered?

For nothing.

To atone, you forgot to mention.

It doesn't occur to you to wonder for whom I suffered and worked?

It was for you.

I thought at one time it might be for Bill Frankle.

That was the way you treated me.

Was there something between you?

I sent him away as soon as I got your money.

I sent away other men as well.

I didn't want a husband to get it.

Money made you proud.

You haven't understood anything.

If all this was done for me,

what good did it do me?

It's now that you'll benefit.

But if you won't even have your tea...

Am I to understand that you offer to repay me?

I offer to repay you with interest.

I always wanted to take care of you.

And you consented to it at first.

I'd have loved you,

helped you, guarded you.

You would have had no worries, an easy life,

happy, comfortable.

Suddenly you broke your vows.

The sight of me had become hateful to you.

And you tried not to see me at all.

You'd seen a more beautiful girl. - No, Kate.

I met her after we broke off.

Really?

It doesn't matter. I don't know what's worse:

To think you loathed me because of another woman

or that you loathed me for myself.

Your attitude didn't make me abandon my obsession,

To take care of you was everything to me.

I didn't have a penny,

so I couldn't do it with my money.

But I could do it with yours.

If I could get yours out of you.

If I could use you to secure your own future.

That was my motive.

The rest...

The life I've led hasn't been easy, I assure you,

But today I've brought everything back to you fivefold.

Everything is mine?

Everything.

If I'd seen good lawyers,

I might...have defied you? Be honest with me.

Certainly you might have.

They would have told me that your case...

..wasn't...legally...

...actionable?

They would have told you I had no case.

I didn't so much as ask.

Of course...

you didn't so much as ask.

I couldn't be so outrageously vulgar.

I could.

I thought you'd left.

Really?

There are 1260 pounds.

To be precise.

It's all there.

One would think that you were giving alms to a needy man.

It's a bank account in your name.

All you have to do is write checks.

Your kindness is even more perverse than your cruelty was.

There must be something between us.

A deep understanding.

Since we haven't felt a need to plan a meeting,

My instincts told me that I'd find you here today.

And you too knew that you'd meet me here, didn't you?

This may once have been our meeting place,

but over the years it became my refuge.

A place at the edge of the world that rejected me when I lost everything.

You still think you're the only one to have suffered?

I went through hardships that you can't even imagine.

In terms of suffering, we're at least even.

Let's not mention it again.

- How can one forget... - We'll never talk of it. Neither of us.

I come here every Sunday morning, you know.

So it's not a mysterious force that brought me here.

But you, you came for me.

It took ten years

for me to come back to you.

Ten years of you watching me from afar, spying on me.

You watched me suffer.

Sure of the outcome.

You neglected only to ask yourself if it might be too late.

Well, then...

...farewell.

You mean that...

All these years I've meant so many things that

I have nothing to add.

But...

If you leave, I won't see you again.

Are you happy to see me?

You're amazing.

I mean...to amass all that money.

1260 pounds?

Because that's all there is.

It's enough.

Enough?

Thank you then.

I can't...

I can't understand how you managed...

to put aside all this money.

I didn't always live as luxuriously as you saw the other day.

I must say that you dazzled me with the Royal.

I've left it. I rented a room up on the hill. At the Castle Terrace.

- It's very sunny there. - Very sunny.

It's not the Royal

but at least you'll be comfortable there.

I'll be comfortable anywhere now.

Because I've accepted?

Call it that if you wish.

I hope that you can rest now.

It must have been such an effort for you.

To amass all that money.

I can't believe that...

- You can't believe I did it honestly. - Oh, I can.

I have no doubt about your honesty.

But I don't know how you did it.

That's my affair.

- And I can't hear about it? - No.

Because I can't hear about yours.

- Oh, mine... - Never speak of it. Never.

Yes, I see. I understand.

But...

...I can take care of you.

You already have.

More than I could have asked. - Perhaps.

But it's now that you'll really need it.