Disraeli (1978): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Chief 1872-1881 - full transcript

There?s so much, Sir!

Every letter from you, every note,
every scrap of paper since you first met!

Yes..

Perhaps we should leave it to later, Sir.

33 years...

33 years and not one moment it was not
filled with love and loving kindness.

No, if I don't do it now, I'll never do it.

It is like burying her again.

All our past is here.

This letter seems to be unopened, Sir.

Monty?



Every two weeks of our life she cut my hair.
She preserved all in these little packets.

It is not fair from me to make you go through this.

I should be alone.

As you wish, sir.

But this letter is addressed
to you from Lady Beaconsfield.

From the date, it was written over 16 years ago.

Thank you, Monty.

"My own dear husband.
If I should depart this life before you

leave orders that we may be buried in the same grave
at whatever distance you may die from England.

And now, God bless you, my kindest, dearest.

You?ve been a perfect husband to me.

Be put by my side in the same grave.

Now, farewell, my... my dear Dizzy.

Do not live alone, dearest.



I earnestly hope you may find someone
as attached to you as your own devoted Mary Anne."

I am the baron of Rotschild to see Mr Disraeli.

Oh yes, sir and if you will excuse me.

Boy.. boy.

I?m sorry, I didn?t know you're expected.

I?m not.
I just thought he was here.

To see him at... home.

Well I... I?ll take you up.

Excuse me.
Yes, of course.

See these are posted, will you?
Yes, sir.

This way, sir.

What is he doing here?

It is comfortable and fairly
convenient for Westminster.

Yes, but why he leaved the house?

The house there was left to Mary Anne
by her first husband, but only for her lifetime.

But they lived there for over 30 years!

Surely her relatives wouldn?t have turned him out?

He was given a month to remove
his personal possessions.

You know that Gladstone's
latest Irish bill had been defeated?

He?s resigned as Prime Minister.
Yes.

So Mr Disraeli will be out to form a government.

Is the country going to be run
from a room in a hotel?

Baron Rothschild, sir
Good to see you, Ben!

I did not intrude, I trust?

Of course not.

I hardly believe it when I heard you move to a hotel.

I will confess I do feel a democrate
when I tell the coachman to take me home.

I?m hurt but you didn?t come to me.

Charlotte and I would have been
honored to have you stay with us.

No, no no. I could not impose.

You would not be a guest.

You would have your own rooms
to come and go as you please.

And you need only join in if and when you choose.

I am grateful to you both but I...

well at any rate for the moment
I have better on my own.

Very well.

But remember, my house is your house.

You realize the queen is bound
to call for you shortly?

She already has.

So what has been decided?

I have called the other leading
members of the Conservative party

to a meeting at the Carlton club. Until
I have spoken with them I cannot tell you.

You refused?

I told Her Majesty I did not see
any possibility of forming a government.

She must have been thunderstruck.

She understood.

I wish I did.

It's quite simple

Never since I have been in Parliament
has there been a conservative majority.

We always have to depend on the support of other parties
and were therefore always at their mercy.

So you think that this is a trick of Gladstone?
What else?

We offer power which the liberals
can snatch away at any moment,

but I will not be trapped.

I must warn you there is growing dissatisfaction
amongst the younger members of the party.

Led by Salisbury.
Dissatisfaction with me?

There is a growing feelings that
the general election is coming

and that younger leader
might win a small vote.

I may as well tell you.

The new leader they suggested was myself

I refused because you are the man we need!

And the people agree.

Remember the reaction to your speech at Manchester?

The audience wasn?t just traditional old fashioned Tory,
it was sensible working men

concerned about what is happening to their country.

We?ve won every by election since.

When it comes to an election
we put our confidence in you.

Well, I prefer to put mine in
the new party organization.

at least when the time comes

we shall have a full team of selected
candidates to put into the fields.

What is our policy until then?

To abide our time but to be ready.

That?s another one for us.

Lennox thank you man

John is in again, too

There?s been nothing like it since...

Not even Peel had a majority like this!

The liberal whippers fled.
We?re in for years!

And who do we own to? One man!

Every vote for us it was a vote of confidence

Have you heard the latest news, sir?

Unable to face being defeated,
Gladstone has resigned from Parliament!

As leader of the Liberal Party.

You're the chief!

The majority of 105 seats, over the liberals 50 overall party.

Which is astonishing! It's unprecedented!

I must confess I?m still astonished myself, Ma'm.

You have been triumphantly chosen
by the country you worked for so long.

I know you will have no difficulty
in forming a government.

I have taken the liberty of drawing up
a list of names for your majesty?s perusal.

Doctor Hobby, yes, Mr Cross,
Stafford, Northcote, Lord John Manners

Yes, you gathered together a team of exceptionally able men.

I'm anxious to bring as much new blood
into the cabinet as quickly as possible.

I have been training them for years, Ma'm.

Well with Lord Derby as foreign secretary,
guided of course by you,

our voice should be heard
once more in world affairs!

That is one of my most fervent wishes, Ma'm.

You may depend on my support.

As I know, I can count on your consideration
on everything that concerns me.

Whatever your Majesty wishes
shall be done, whatever the difficulties.

May I offer my complete
devotion and loyalty

as unaltered as on the first occasion that I
gave it, that of your Majesty?s coronation.

I would also dare to offer you my heart,
but your Majesty had that a long time ago.

Well, one not inconsiderable
result of your victory Mr Disraeli

will be that all serious opposition to you inside
your own party should now have ended forever!

Postmaster general.

I have every confidence in your ability, John.

I?m grateful and of course accept,

though I may be a square peg in a
round hole in a business department.

I should be able to give you plenty of time to learn.

Yes, you now have unlimited power.

Power completely, years too late.

still there are things you can do,
now things you?ve always wanted to do.

I feel like a child in front of a toy shop window.
with only a 5 pound note.

Where do I begin?

Have you chosen the rest of your cabinet?

It is nearly complete.

Keep it as small as possible.
No more than 12, 6 Peers, 6 Commons.

Perfect balance between traditional and democracy.

We?re living in the age of democracy.

All have accepted. There?s only one post
remained to be filled, the secretary for India

Must be a peer.

What about the new Lord Lytton?

I have other plans for Bulwer.

I?m thinking of offering it to young Salisbury.
Salisbury?

He?s your severest critic.
You were always forgiven him, but this is too generous!

No, no this is not generosity.

I can see great promise in Salisbury.

He?s highly intelligent,
balanced, inquiring...

Besides he accepts with lesson the possibilities
of revoke by the right wing of the party.

Indeed, yes.

Still, if I died he will accept.

No, no, no, no doubt he will mutter
and search his conscience

But in that case I should have to have
a word with his stepmother, lady Derby.

Very old friend of mine
who very persuasive woman.

I will not take up too much of your time,
gentlemen.

I know you have your departments
and offices to organize.

And in fact I only have
two specific requests.

one is to ask you Lord Salisbury to look
into the replacing of the viceroy in India

Very good, sir.

...and to ask you chancellor to
prepare for an early budget.

Tricky sir.. Gladstone went to the country
with an offer to abolish the income tax

which he himself introduced.

oh I?m in favorably to imediat reduction,

but Gladstone could only abolish it by halving
the army and scrapping other ships in the Navy.

It's madness.

With Germany threatening France again

it could lead to a war which
could spread throughout Europe

Surely even Bismarck wouldn?t risk that.

He might because these past years have taught him
to discard any chance of British intervention.

No we must show the iron chance
that the lion is not dead, he?s merely being sleeping...

Is that all, sir?

I have by far too much respect for the
intelligence of everyone around this table

to give you directions at this stage

May I ask, what will be your main concern Sir?

To push forward the kind of progressive conservatism
that has been my ideal for the past 40 years.

You mentioned social legislation.

Could you give us some idea of what you have in mind?

Nothing too much... say slum cleared
and setting up of savings banks,

shortening the working hours,
legal equality between workers and employers

and the establishment of the rights
of trade unions amongst other things.

But that is more radical than
anything ever proposed by Gladstone!

Certainly does not sound
like conservative policy.

I want this government to represent
the interests of every class

since it was every class that elected
us not just one section of society.

No I will admit that I?m not quite sure how certain
of these proposals are going to be put into operation,

but I intend to speak to the
queen at the earliest opportunity.

Well nice, not give her a false impression of her personal powers.

She?s bound to accept
the cabinet's decisions.

Let me tell you my
attitude towards the queen.

Having been trained by the Prince consort
used to discussions with a series of brilliant ministers

she has an understanding of British
and international politics that few statesman can cope.

Anyone who ignores her advice is a fool.

One must remember however she is a woman

Yes for added to everything else,
she has feelings and intuition.

Gentlemen...

Yes, it?s better.

Nice to have you to
myself for a few moments.

I look forward to it.

I wanted to congratulate you on
the way your post Bismark...

Celina, I did not invite you here to talk about politics.

It is you are giving me an interest in them.

How did you do it?

To convince you or Bismarck?

Bismark. Everyone is saying that a
European war?s been avoided all due to you.

I?m so proud of your friendship!

You must know that what I feel
for you is not just friendships.

I beg you not to say anymore.

You must not keep saying you love me

Someone might believe it.

It's true, I cannot help it. I?m even aware of being
faintly ridiculous but in heart I feel like a boy feels.

I live for the moments when I see you.

I accept invitations to receptions, to dinners in
the hope that you will be there, to see you alone.

Without exists the difference between the sun and the moon.

No, please you must not go on!

I should not have been encouraged you!

It happened before you even smiled at me.

Can't you see? I was flattered

I am a married woman and if you feel
like this I cannot see you again.

You will never be absent from
my thoughts for a minute.

I can remember every word you have ever
said to me every time we have met.

No, no, Selina... I would never do or say
anything that would embarrass you in public,

but the thought...

the thought that you could cut me so
simply out of your life is unbearable!

I know I can rely on your honor

but at least we must not meet so often
and you stop write to myself nor shall I

To live without love, no...
that is merely to exist in a gray world...

To see you or to hear from you at least once a day
is absolutely necessary to my life.

It's impossible..
at least not more than three times a week!

We?ve been discussing those reports
in the Daily News about the Balkans.

What are they?

Descriptions of atrocities carried out by the Turkish army
on groups of Christian peasants who are in revolt.

Are they true?

Well, I?ve heard from the ambassador of
the stories are greatly exaggerated.

There?s great agitation in the country against the Turks

And most of us have been stirred up by Gladstone.

How?

He?s using his retirement to bring out a series of
pamphlets denouncing the Turks as savage murderers

The turks are not fighting mere peasants.

This is a full scale revolution
backed by Saint Petersburg.

Exactly.

And whatever happens,
we must honor our agreements.

Yes of course, but we cannot take
any action that would risk war with Russia.

Austria and Germany are bound to support the Tzar.

Now Turkey, being our ally, we must support them.

You don?t have to explain, it so simple.
I did understand.

It's a habit born many years.

Mary Anne?s talents did not lie in foreign affairs.

But surely, if those others
combine against her, Turkey is lost!

I think we should discuss this more fully in the garden.
we keep our heads

We'll be no need for war.

So the reported atrocities have turned out
to be more true than our ambassador told us.

I?m afraid so, Ma'm.

It's sure that the foreign secretary realizes
that Russia?s threat to Turkey is really an indirect attack on England?

Lord Derby is well aware of it
and will do everything in his power to prevent it.

Are you not well, Mr Disraeli?

A touch of gout, Ma'm.

Then you should take more care of yourself.

You should not be standing.

It?s a pity that no one rest during an audience.
No one has, you know, ever.

No one would dare commit such a breach, Ma'm.

You shall have a chair.

I would not have the effrontery
to be seated in the presence of your Majesty.

Nonsense, I insist!

Much as it grieves me to disobey your majesty,
I must at respect decline your gracious offer.

Well, if you're determined...

I must thank you again for keeping me
so fully informed in foreign affairs

Standing abroad Ma'm, is not merely a matter of
prestige, but ultimately also of economics.

Exactly!

And in the case of point Russian fleet in the eastern Mediterranean
would threaten Egypt and the Suez Canal!

and threatening there by our
direct routes to Australia and British India.

It has been perfectly obvious for years

that the real design behind the Russian push
to the east has been to take control of India!

We should never allow, Ma'm!

I received a letter the other day

from His Royal Highness the Prince
of Wales as he passed through Egypt.

He observed that "one of
Britain?s greatest mistakes

was in not buying shares in the Suez Canal company
at the beginning"- his exact words were I think-

"If we do not own it we might
be forced one day to take it."

Which was unusually perceptive of him.

He also observed that the ruler of Egypt
the Khedive Ismail appears to be almost totally bankrupt.

He was certain?

Well, I had it confirmed by our agent in Egypt
and I also had inquiries made discreetly in Paris.

Well it appears the Khedive has
let it be known that his shares may be for sale...

Is there a possibility?

I don't know, Ma'm, but I should do everything in my power

It must be done.

It must, Mr Disraeli.

Buy the Suez Canal?
The 177,000 shares owned by the Khedive

Is there any certainty he?ll sell?

After years of colossal extravagance he has
made his country almost totally bankrupt.

Our agent in Cairo tells us he has given an
option on his shares to a French syndicate.

For how much? 92 million francs.

3,680,000 pounds then there?s no point to the French having it.

No, no, no, no not yet. This is the
weekend, they wait until Tuesday

They would sell to us and
once for a higher sum and in cash.

A higher sum?
4 million pounds.

It's out of the question.

It is an international waterway.
We have more interest in it than anyone else.

4/5 of the ships that use it are British.

Why do we have to buy it?

To make sure that no one prevents us using it.

The possibility of that link being
cut is an enormous threat to India,

with Russia already poised on its northern borders.

Yes, of course,
but we cannot make a hasty decision.

In any case the Khedive's shares are less
than half we would still not control it.

We would have by far the largest holding

and with the few shares we already own and more that
we may acquire we would have a controlling interest.

It is too big a step.

I will quote the prince:

"if we do not buy it now, one day
we shall be forced to take it "

Nothing is more certain.

If the French were allowed to buy
the shares they will have a majority.

Now the French are already trying
to extend their influence in Egypt

If nothing is done, then in a few days Bismarck will hear of it
and we?ll put the resources of imperial Germany into the bidding.

And then there is the Russian
influence in the Middle East.

No, no, no, no.
Britain must have a stake in the canal.

For a sum such as ?4 million the
decision should be taken by parliament

Parliament is not in session.
Is it up to us, to the 12 of you sitting here.

You said yourself it is a matter of urgency,
Prime Minister.

We cannot approach the Bank
of England before Monday.

Then there will be endless inquiries committees
to go through for such a large amount.

We must have a decision.

There?s no way we can raise it quickly enough.
It?s impossible.

Do I have your agreement, yes or no?

Yes.

Yes.

Mr Corry, do sit down

Thank you.

You are... you will forgive me intruding, baron.

I have just come on an errand
from the cabinet room for Mr Disraeli.

He needs a sum of 4,000,000 pounds by tomorrow.

And what is your security?

The British government.

Tell him he shall have it.

Gamblers, capitalists, platoon organized, secret agents in every corner.

We were never suspected.

It would have... would have given France virtually the control of Egypt.

And now you want to turn the queen into an Empress.

Empress of India

She was valued very highly

British Empire has been a fact for 200 years with this title.

I?ve given the name in reality.
and fulfilled the dream.

I have not many left

I suppose not.

My dear Ann, I must confess to having
an ulterior motive for asking to see you alone.

Yes?

We have been friends for many years

and I have come to appreciate your
delightful company and judgment

As always, you are too kind.

I only speak the truth.

I flatter myself that you have a similar appreciation of me.

After all we are similar in many ways.

both alone, both married to loneliness..

In short, my dear Anne

in spite of being half blind, half crippled
and scarcely able to breathe

I?m asking you to do me the honor of becoming my wife.

Dear Dizzy...

I care for you far too dearly ever to marry you

not because of your age or failing health

but because you?d only be batting
me to be closer to Selina

I bet ridiculous the office../

no, never that

but you are a young baron who has lived into the age of steam.

The pure romance is vanished!

I believe that it would no longer be worth living.

But you must be practical.
Selina and myself are both grandmothers.

Right.

Wise as ever.

Very, very wise.

Yet, I think there must be no greater misfortune
than to have a heart that will not grow old...

The opposition claim that we
should join with the other nations

in driving the Turks from Europe.

I say that our duty in this critical moment
is to maintain the empire of England.

nor will we take any step back though it may obtain from a moment.

comparative peace and a false prosperity
hazards the existence of that empire.

My question is the bill must be read the third time.

Those in favor say "Aye"

I?ve got three though.
The eyes have it, the eyes have it. Order, order.

Cruelty to animals bill committee
Order, order.

The question is two of one stand part of the bill.

as many others in favor say "Aye"

Is it true?
It can?t be.

I?ve just heard that Disraeli
has left the House of Commons forever.

It is true.
No longer bear the constant strain of debate.

He's gone to the House of Lords.

as Earl Beaconsfield and Viscount

You both knew.
Only the queen and the cabinet, it was a closely guarded secret.

Well, somehow Gladstone heard of it.

What else would bring him roaring out of his retirement?

He?s waving one of his pamphlets
about the Turkish atrocities

and making one of his pilgrimages
of passion through mid Lothian.

All Scotland is fighting to hear him.

In a few days he?ll be back in Westminster.

Let the turcks now carry away their abuses in the only way possible.

mainly by carrying off themselves

There?s app tears in their mute ears,
there been bashes and they?re used bashes.

they?re kind of carbs and they?re partials,
bag and baggage shall I hope!

Clear out! from the province they have desolated and profaned.

Gladstone speeches of course have valid reaction in the country.

Because of him many thousands and now clamoring
for us to join with Russia in a holy crusade.

Have you read this pamphlet, Prime Minister?

It is the worst of the Bulgarian horrors

It is no laughing matter

He calls on us to drive the Turks
out of their territories in Europe.

And that is exactly what I am determined to avoid.

the Russian ambassador wants to know where we stand.

His government wants our assurance that we shall not intervene.

One thing I have learned from Russia:
you gain nothing from them by conciliation or concession.

Then what do we do?

Stand by our agreements and if emphasize troops, do march into the Balkans

and Mr Gladstone will soon find

that his new allies have nothing to
learn about atrocities from the Turks.

Nevertheless, as I?ve said it before

I am not prepared to take any step which
might lead to a confrontation with Russia.

If I understand you correctly you wish
me to become a foreign secretary.

Yes, for now.

Why?

Because I admire your intelligence

and because you are one of the few men of real
courage it has been my privilege to work with.

and it will take courage to back me this minute.

In what?

Sending the British fleet to Constantinople.

We?re not achieved much without the troops?
They?re already on their way.

On what purpose?

First and foremost to safeguard
British interests in the Middle East

Might be considered a selfish policy, sir?

Is selfish patriotism?
To ensure peace we must seem to be ready to fight!

The tzar will either call our bluff or prepare for a peace conference.

The attitude of the people have certainly changed

Russian victories have brought them to their center.

Don?t want to fight but by June go we do..

You realize you?ll be leading them over...

I?ve always had a good head for that

Are we done here watching this automated for Bismarck?

Hardly an alternative.

Crowds, crowds gathering outside.

Some of the news has already leaked out.

The soldiers which the Prime Minister sent to Garrison Malta are 1000 native troops from India.

outside of his determination
to commit to the whole night of the empire and the defense of their right

That and the presence of the fleet
has made the Sultan invite us to occupy the Dardanelles

and the tsar has asked for an armistice.

A triumph.
Then what is the message from Bismarck?

he has withdrawn his support from Russia.

Still hoping to emerge as the
leading statesman in Europe

he has invited over chief powers to Congress
in Berlin to decide the peace terms.

Once they?re at Berlin, Russia and Turkey might not agree to the terms.

British fleet will stay where it is until they do.

You will have to be prepared for a deal of hard bargaining.
It?ll be like Daniel going into the lions' den.

I shall not be alone.

You have changed.
So have you, my friend.

My people are all desperate to meet you, a Prime Minister who writes books!

And mine are keen to see you chancellor, who lived on blood and iron.

Let me introduce the others.

Lord Beaconsfield gives his first
address to the Congress tomorrow.

Yes, I?ve seen the draft.
It?s in French.

Why not?
French is the diplomatic language.

Yes, but when he speaks it, he seems to have
made up his own pronunciation.

"Entrez, Bonjour, n'est-ce pas?"

I see

The other delegates will laugh
rather than listen to what he says.

The effect could be disastrous.

You look well, Sir.
Yes as I might say I am almost fairly well.

I believe you have met cancellar Bismark before

Almost 20 years ago.

"autre temp autre monde"

There is a rumor you are to speak
to the Congress tomorrow in French.

It would be a very great
disappointment to the other delegates.

How so?

They know you are the greatest living
master of the English language

and as such have been looking
forward to hearing you.

As the intellectual experience of their life.

"Mon Prince, chers confreres"

it is with a profound sense of
emotion that I arrived today

It appears that the tzar refuses to allow
Turkey the right to station troops in its section.

But that will leave the route to the Mediterranean still open

Prince Gorchakov is coming, sir.

My dear lord Beaconsfield..

I had to tell you how absorbing these last weeks are being

I need agree to undertake the long journey
from Petersburg for the pleasure of meeting you

May I say that my expectations
have been more than fulfilled.

You honour me.

And I must confess to more than slight curiosity
to meet one of the masters of European diplomacy.

however it means for us to decide the size
of the garrison to be placed on the Turkish border of Bulgaria.

But there can be none!

Tsar would never permit it!

Then I fear his imperial Majesty has been wrongly advised.

His imperial majesty will have the last word.

In Petersburg, perhaps but in this Congress, no.

But Turkey is allowed to arm the European borders

We have fought for nothing?

You have liberated the Christian section of
Bulgaria which was your declared intention.

100,000 men lost and millions of
money and all for nothing?

You must see, Lord Beckonsfield that we cannot possibly agree.

What a change, Montagu?
Breathe fresh air!

Shouldn?t you stayed indoors, sir?

No, I would have only been continuously
bothered by messages and deputations

The Russians say they need
time to send an invoice to the tsar.

A telegram will do

Austria, Italy and Turkey have begged you to reconsider.

They know the tsar will not give in it.

Will mean war between us and Russia
in which they would be inevitably be involved

A war of an extent and horror unimaginable before now.

All they ask is that you stay on for more talks.

Contact the German railway company
and order special train for tomorrow morning.

To go where, sir?

To Callais, to take us and the rest
of the English delegation home.

You're dining with Prince Bismarck
this evening, he?s bound to hear of it.

He hears everything.

Bismarck is trying to dominate the Congress

Gorchakov would never have
acted without his support.

Order the train, Monty.

Now that?s enough of the family.

My wife and daughter had been badgering me to invite you.

I was delighted to meet them
and dinner was superb!

Well, now we can talk a little.

Brandy?
Of course, just..

I'm sorry not to have seen His Majesty, the Kaiser.

He.. he is recovering from his wounds, I hope?

Slowly. Those damn socialist anarchists.

It was one of them that shot him a so called
"doctor of philosophy"

A philosopher with a gun.

It?s the coming thing in politics.

Now, what?s all this business with the train?

Train?
The one you ordered to stand by.

It is to take my delegation home.
You can?t be serious!

You'd prepared to break up the Congress?

If necessary. It's a matter of principle.

I cannot continue unless I receive
a favorable answer from the Russians.

By favorable you mean giving into what you demand!

I mean an answer that satisfies
the conditions under which I came here.

So everything has to be settled on your terms.

That would be an ultimatum, not only to Russia but to me
and all the other powers!

That?s exactly what it isn't: an ultimatum.

Do you have a cigar?

That would be most agreeable.

I am surprised you smoke at all with your asthma.

oh I used to,
but this will be my first one for many years

and it would probably be the
final nail in my coffin.

And why did you take it?

Well when two men sit down to talk together and only
one of them is smoking, he cannot relax properly.

And the one who does not smoke

somehow look like a spy who is taking
down the conversation in his mind.

Smoking together helps to put us at our eve.

My God, I like you. You?re not like the others.

It?s easy to do business with you.

In a quarter of hour you know exactly where you stand.

It's surprising that sometimes
complete honesty is taken for cunning.

Honesty is another matter

In politics honesty is a matter
of accepting the inevitable.

For example: England, Germany... we exist.

We must accept each other

Yes I did.

There is a natural sympathy
between our two empires

and great harm could be done if
we intrigued against each other.

I have a disgust for political intrigue.

Just slippery slope once you start!

But it fascinates the young,
it appeals to our invention, our courage!

It's a dazzling practice!

But one which really should
be left at the second rate

Great minds must trust the great truths and
great talents for their rise and nothing else.

Like you.

So their thing to hear someone
speak one secret thoughts.

Why not? We both reason by our talents
and always by service to someone else.

And we can both be dismissed
as soon as we no longer please.

You by your electors, me by the Kaiser.

I created him.
That is hardly likely to happen.

Likely no, but we are always and only judged by results.

I tell you one thing, my friend:

The Suez Canal is in your pocket.

Turkey can?t stop you.

I can?t understand why you don?t take Egypt.

Because it brings Bismarck.

I don?t want it, I won?t stop you.

Egypt has no interest to Germany.

On the contrary, you would use it to
drive a wedge between England and France.

Just as you have been playing
us off against the Russians.

It is an old principle "divide and rule"

Wow, we are well suited...

If we were only 20 years younger,
what things we could achieve together!

By the way...

I shall speak to the Russian chancellor.

I had hoped you might.

It is not for a man like you to preside
over a Congress and see it come to nothing.

Exactly.

And,by the way, Turkey has ceded
the island of Cyprus to Britain

as a base from which we
can guard the Suez Canal...

Lord Salisbury and I have brough you peace!

but peace I hope, with honor.

Not a day passes but I remember him,
I miss him..

You don't find the same, my dear Lord Beaconsfield?

Sometimes when I try to remember Mary Anne it?s difficult.

All I feel is her presence.

It is the little things such as a gift of
primroses from the hand of your Majesty

which reminds me that there is another life of
open sky and green pastures outside Parliament.

You have made me, you have made us all so aware!

I am proud to have you as my friend then chief minister.

Then I have all the thanks I shall ever need.

But I feel I must point out to your Majesty

that I may not be your Prime
Minister very much longer.

You would not again thinking of retiring?

I haven't other choice, Ma'm, but five bad harvests in a row
have caused the price of food to rise

and the electorate will turn against any government
that is found to be unable to control the weather.

But if I lose you as Prime Minister
I may have to put up with with you know who!

It would indeed be a sad day for both of us.

Which is unthinkable and how can I work
with that opinionated half mad fanatical old man?

I am inclined to agree with Labouchere who said
he did not object so much to Mr Gladstone

always having the ace of trumps up his sleeve
as to his conviction that God almighty put it.

No, no, no, no, I.. I am sure that if..
if Mr Gladstone is returned to office

then he will do everything he can
to serve your majesty faithfully.

Lord Beaconsfield, what you?re doing?

I have just removed the evidence, Ma'm.

No one must ever know that I had the affrontery
to be seated in the presence of my sovereign.

Did they confirm?
Yes, Gladstone is in the lead, we are out of office.

Lord Beaconsfield has resigned.

Where is he?

He?s gone back to Hughenden to rest.

He has no bitterness. "It is the people?s choice" he says.

He would accept no more honors, only a peerage for his secretary, Corry.

From Her Majesty?s garden, Sir.

She never forgets.

It's gift of life, Monty.

Are you.. are you writing something, Sir?

I did not want anybody to see.

Does not matter

What is it, sir?

Oh, I could not find anything to read
so I decided that... I would write another novel.

I?m calling it "Endymion"

What is the subject, sir?

It's the usual, might hear about it.

A penniless young man who finds romance in London

and then on..

on the last page he becomes Prime Minister

Will it not be too much work for you, sir?

No no, it is almost finished.

Now I'll have the House for Christmas speak.

I promised doctor Kit that he can visit me here.

You must try to rest, sir.

I will not do much... speak from time to time in the Lords

time with friends and occasionally I..

I might..

I might visit Windsor.

Monty, I?m sorry to drag you away from your holiday

I should never have left.

Nonsense.

Now you?re here we might as well do some work.

Work?

There..proofs. My last speech in the Lords.

It may very well be my last two.

You should not say... you will tire yourself.

I would I would rather live not be afraid to die.

And I will not go down in posterity
speaking bad grammar.

Sir, from Windsor.

The queen wasn't at Osborne?

She has cone to Windsor, sir to be nearer of you.

Sir the messenger was to ask if you felt well enough
for Her Majesty to pay you a short visit.

No, no..she would only ask me to take a message to Albert.

and I would dearly love to see my sovereign but strain..

I cannot.

There is a letter, Sir.

Open it, Monty.

The queen is writing. I cannot make it out now.

Shall I read it for you, sir?

No, no, I.. I do not know what is in it.
It can only be read by the Privy councillor.

Lord Barrington.

Monty..I suffered much, yet...

"Dearest Lord Beaconsfield,

I send you a few of your
favorite spring flowers.

I would come to see you but I think
it's far better you should be quite quiet

You are very constantly in my thoughts
and I wish I could do anything to cheer you

and be able to comfort you.

Yours very affectionately Victoria."

His strength of will,
his long sighted persistence in purpose,

his remarkable powers of self government,

and last but not least of all
his great parliamentary courage.

The nation has called for state
funeral at Westminster Abbey.

but Lord Beaconsfield
left clear instructions

that he was to be buried in the little
churchyard at Hughenden, next to his wife.