Original subtitles

(Theme music playing)

Cuttle: All right, my hearties.

What's the matter, lad? Old Sol ain't been sprung nothing again?

Well--

well, out with it, Walter, lad.

Mr. Dombey is to send me to the West Indies.

A junior has died in their counting-house in Barbados

and I am to take his place.

- When? - Two weeks.

I sail on the last day of the month.

Poor old Sol.

It'll be a terrible blow to him.

You've not told him?

Lately he's been so much more cheerful,

and I just haven't had the heart to cast him down again.

Well, it would never do to run away, Wal'r, lad.

He's got to be told.

He's an old man, and not very strong.

I know that when I leave here I can hardly hope to see him again.

- I may be gone for many years. - Aye.

Somehow, we must do our best to make him believe

- that the separation will be a short one. - We?

I'm afraid I should make a very poor hand at it, Captain Cuttle.

Will you break the news to him?

(Clangs)

Mr. Walter?

Susan Nipper, sir. Remember the day you found Miss Floy in the city?

Of course. Mrs. Richards, isn't it?

- Mr. Walter. - But I thought--

oh, dear, such a terrible thing.

- Poor little Master Paul, he's very ill. - He's at home?

Miss Floy bring him back from Brighton two days ago.

Has he been ailing long?

A good deal of time, sir, but no one knew how much.

Now, the poor little flower has took into his head

he wants to see his old nurse again.

So, I've been to fetch Polly from Staggs's Garden.

Mr. Walter, come in with Mrs. Richards, do.

Well, Mr. Dombey may not--

do a kindness to poor sweet thing what's withering away.

- Well, all right. - This way, sir.

Floy?

- Floy. - I'm here, dearest.

Is it tomorrow yet?

Has she come?

Papa, he wishes to see Mrs. Richards.

She has been waiting a long time.

What is that?

Where, dearest?

There at the foot of the bed?

There's nothing there except papa.

My own boy, don't you know me?

I'm much better, thank you.

Tell papa I'm a great deal better.

Did I ever see mama, Floy?

No, darling. Why?

Are we all dead except you?

Richards.

- Paul? - Not yet.

(Sobbing)

Are you my old nurse?

Yes, my pretty. Here I am.

Don't go away again.

No.

No, I'll stay beside you.

And Walter has come to see you, too.

Do you remember Walter, dearest?

I should like to see him very much.

Very well. Let him come up.

Papa?

Yes, Paul?

I think we must be...

Very near the sea, papa.

I hear the waves.

Here's Walter, dearest.

(Door closes)

Good-bye, Walter.

Hush now, darling.

Not good-bye.

Why, Floy,

how like mama you are.

How like mama.

Why?

"Why," dear?

Why was he born?

My dear child, when you are as old as I am--

which will be the prime of life--

you will then know that all grief

is unavailing.

It is our duty to submit.

- I do try. - I'm glad to hear it, child.

As our own dear Miss Tox will tell you,

and confirm by her experience,

we are called upon on all occasions

to make an effort.

And if any mis--

mis-- m-- oh, what is the word I want?

- Mis... - Demeanor?

No no no no.

Oh, goodness me, it's on the end of my tongue.

- Mis... - Placed affection.

Good gracious, Lucretia.

(Sighs)

Misanthrope. (Chuckles)

Misplaced affection, indeed.

If any misanthrope were to put the question,

"why were we born?"

I should reply, "to make an effort."

Very good, Louisa.

Therefore, Florence, pray let us see

that you have some strength of mind,

and do not selfishly aggravate the distress

in which your poor papa is plunged.

How is he, aunt?

I've seen so little of him since the funeral.

Your papa is peculiar at times, Florence.

I really do not pretend to understand him.

I've only seen him once or twice myself,

then only for a minute at a time.

Indeed, I hardly saw him then, the room was so dark.

But your papa is a Dombey

if ever there was one, Florence. (Sniffles)

(Chuckles) I had no sooner begun to advise him

that he really should seek some distraction

in a temporary change of scene

than he told me he'd already formed the intention of going into the country--

to leamington, he thinks. (Sniffles)

- Imagine. - Why not?

I said, "take a companion.

Why not ask that nice Major Bagstock

to be your guest at leamington?"

Major Bagstock?

You see, Florence? Your papa is making an effort.

Major Bagstock, Louisa?

Is there nothing I could do to help him?

Oh, child, what are you talking about?

Don't dream of such a thing.

You must not even show yourself to him.

(Knock at door)

- Yes? - Mr. Harris has called, ma'am.

- Harris? - The stonemason, ma'am.

He said he was asked to attend

to receive instructions for the tablet.

Will you wait in the hall, please, Towlinson?

I will see what I can do.

Hoo-hoo!

- (Knock at door) - Paul?

Have the goodness to leave me alone, Louisa.

Mr. Harris has called.

I am better by myself. I want nothing.

It's the stonemason, Paul.

Towlinson says that you asked him to call

to receive instructions for the tablet.

This will give the man an indication of the shape and size of the tablet.

I wish it to be placed on the wall beneath the memorial to his mother.

- Very good, sir. - There is really nothing to inscribe

but name and age, as you can see.

I beg your pardon, sir.

Would you be good enough to read it over again, Mr. Dombey?

I think there's a mistake.

I see no mistake.

Here, sir. See?

- "Beloved and only child." - Well?

Miss Florence, sir?

Should it not read

"beloved and only son"?

Make the correction, please.

Uncle Sol: I expect you to be glad to go.

You always were fond of the sea, Wally.

Walter: Uncle Sol, if you say that, I won't go.

- Of course I'm not glad. - Steady, Wal'r.

If uncle Sol thinks i'm glad to be leaving him,

then I'm a fixture here, Captain Cuttle.

Even if I was going to be made governor

of all the islands in the West Indies, I wouldn't go.

Now then, Wally, when I say you'll be glad to go,

I mean I hope you are.

I know you've always considered me more than you have yourself, my boy.

If you tell me that this voyage

is good fortune for you,

then I can reconcile myself

almost to anything, even the West Indies.

But I won't have you putting yourself at a disadvantage for my sake...

And I won't have you keeping anything from me.

Ned Cuttle, are you dealing plainly with your old friend?

Now speak out. Ought he to go?

Well, it's a piece of extraordinary preferment, Sol.

I'd give 100,000 for Walter's gain

in the long run.

- Good night, Towlinson. - Good night, Miss Florence.

- Dear papa. - What is it?

Why do you come here? What's the matter? Why do you come in here?

- I came, papa-- - against my wishes. Why?

(Sniffles)

(Sobbing)

You have the whole house to yourself.

(Lock clicks)

Matey, I come about Wal'r Gay.

Gone. Yesterday.

You'll find him at home, packing.

Look here, Matey.

I come to see one of your governors

about Wal'r Gay.

So, if you'd be so good

as to report me here,

I'll wait.

I'll see if Mr. Carker

is disengaged.

Thank ye, Matey.

What name was it you said?

Cuttle, Matey. Cap'n Cuttle.

Cuttle.

Will Captain Cuttle please to walk this way?

Mr. Carker will see you.

Mr. Carker?

So I believe. Won't you sit down?

Thank ye kindly.

(Sighs)

I'm a seafarin' man, Mr. Carker.

- So I see. - Aha.

Young Walter's almost a son to me.

I am a intimate friend of his and of his uncle's, see.

Walter Gay?

Aye, Wal'r Gay.

He's on your books here.

Uh, you may have heard your head governor

mention my name-- Cap'n Cuttle.

No.

Oh?

I, uh, had the pleasure of his acquaintance

at Brighton.

- Really? - Aye.

Uh...

Won't you take a chair yourself,

uh, Mr. Carker?

A man gets more way on himself in conversation

when he's sat down.

You have come to see me about Walter Gay?

What I should like to put to you

in a friendly way, entirely between ourselves,

for my own private reckoning is this:

Is everything right and comfortable here

for Walter?

Is he outward-bound with a fair wind?

You seem a practical man, Captain Cuttle.

- Oh... - What do you think?

I'd say he's outward-bound with fair weather--

wind well astern, and plenty of it. Am I right?

Young Gay has brilliant prospects,

all the world before him.

(Chuckles)

I'd bet a Gill of old Jamaica

I know what you're smiling about.

You would?

All the world and his...

Wife, eh?

You're thinking of a...

Capital "f" perhaps?

Anything about a "l"

and a "o"?

Right again, am I?

Ol' Sol and me, we always said they was cut out for each other,

ever since that time he found her on the street all them years ago.

Captain Cuttle, your views in reference to Walter Gay

are thoroughly and accurately right.

I understand that we speak together

in confidence.

- Not a word. - To him or to anyone.

So, Walter's going on this voyage

is all part of his general expectations here

on the way to making his fortune.

So long as I know that, my mind's at ease.

(Grunts)

I ain't a man of many words, Mr. Carker...

But I take it kind

of you being so friendly and above-board.

Not at all.

Ah.

Uh... my berth's

not very roomy, Mr. Carker,

though tolerable snug.

If you're ever near brig place,

number nine, anytime,

I shall be proud to see you.

Thank you.

How about a glass of rum and water,

eh, Matey, around the corner?

Oh, I done a little bit of business for the youngsters today.

- Now that deserves a toast, don't it? - Toast?

- To Wal'r. - Who?

- Wal'r! - (Perch gasps)

One more hour.

(Exhales)

Uh... (Clears throat) A parting gift, lad.

Put it back half an hour every morning,

and about another quarter toward the afternoon.

It's a watch as'll do you credit.

I couldn't think of it.

Please put it back in your pocket.

Uh... take this here trifle of plate instead.

Oh, Captain, I couldn't.

A thousand thanks, but...

Well, it'll be of much more use to you than to me.

I got nothing else to give you, lad.

Uh, I did want to give you something

to remember me by.

Could you be parted from your stick?

- This? - I should like to have it very much.

Then you shall have it.

- Thank you. - (Chuckling)

Thank you.

Uncle Sol, look what Captain Cuttle's given me.

Thank you again. I shall take the greatest care of it.

Now, Wal'r, lad, if your uncle's half the man I think he is,

he'll fetch up the last bottle of the madeira.

Oh, no, ned, we won't open that bottle

till Wally comes home again.

Well said. Hear him.

It'll lie there, covered in dirt and cobwebs,

till you come back to claim it, Wally.

Train up a fig tree in the way it should go,

and when old, sit in the shade of it.

Where's that to be found, Captain Cuttle?

I ain't quite certain, lad... but when found...

All: Make a note of it.

- Wal'r! - Before that bottle sees the light of day,

maybe we'll be covered with dirt and cobwebs.

Oh, come now, uncle. Cheer up.

What shall I send you home from Barbados?

Hope, Wally.

And you'll not forget what you're to send me?

What? Oh, no no.

Everything I hear about Miss Dombey, I'll write. (Chuckles)

It won't be much, though.

If you ever do see her, uncle,

will you tell her how much I feel for her,

how much I used to think of her while I was here,

how I spoke of her only an hour before I went away?

I never will forget her beautiful face.

Wally.

Is it possible?

Miss Dombey, Susan.

Oh, come in. Do please come in.

See who it is, uncle.

Dear Mr. Gills. Do you remember me?

My dear young lady, how could I ever forget you?

Oh, and Captain Cuttle, too.

- And Miss Nipper. - How glad I am we came this way, Susan.

Will you come through to the parlor?

Florence: And this nice old shop, just the same.

How well I recollect it.

Uh, sit ye down.

Thank you.

I'm to go away today...

In less than an hour.

We're waiting now for the hackney to take me to the wharf.

- A sea voyage, Walter? - To Barbados.

Um, will you be absent for very long?

Your father signified as much when he appointed me.

Well, was it a favor, Walter?

The appointment?

I'm afraid you scarcely have been a favorite of papa's.

Well, there are many people employed in the firm.

Between Mr. Dombey and a young man like me, there's a wide space of separation.

Barbados, indeed!

- There must be many more he could spare instead. - Now, Susan.

A knowledge of black slavery should be required.

That Mrs. Pipchin from Brighton would come cheap at her weight in gold.

I'm so sorry you're going, Walter,

but perhaps you may come back very soon.

I may come back an old man

and find you an old lady,

but I hope for better things.

One day papa will recover from his grief

and speak to me more freely,

and I will tell him how much I wish to see you

and ask him to recall you again for my sake.

Will you allow me to be a friend while Walter is away

and come and see you when I can? Will you, Walter's uncle?

I'm very grateful. Say something for me, Wally.

And will you tell me everything about yourself and Walter,

and have no secrets from Susan

when she comes and I cannot?

Oh, now, Miss Floy.

I know no more than uncle Sol what to say

in acknowledgement of such kindness.

I made this little purse...

For my darling Paul.

Will you take it with my love?

God bless you, Walter.

Never forget me.

(Door closes)

Oh, uncle Sol. (Sobbing)