Portrait of a Marriage (1990–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Episode #1.3 - full transcript

Now...

What are you going to say?

- Perhaps Nigel remembers.
- Welcome home, Mummy.

Good boy.

Is that my precious Mar?

My little Mar, my prodigal.

I must show you everything.

It's too wonderful.

But first my pi?ce de r?sistance.

Your room, my darling.

I designed it myself, every detail.



Leon, of course.

And George.

I do feel they go rather well, don't you?

Your own telephone.

Oh. That came for you this afternoon.

From Paris, I think.

Harold, no doubt.

As if he hadn't written you enough letters.

I'd better just...

"I am dying.

"Come back to me.

"Arrive in Grosvenor Street, Monday.

"Must see you immediately.

"Save my life.



"Lushka. "

Is he well?

He was very souffrant the last time I saw him.

Yes, he's well.

Don't just sit there, child.

Can't wash your own face yet?

I don't know what your mother would say.

Six years old and won't wash his own face.

There.

Run along. Say good night to Grandma.

- Tell Mummy to come.
- No. Mummy is resting.

Please tell Mummy to come.

No, you don't.

Why didn't you come back?

Darling, I couldn't.

There were lots of things...

Well, it was terribly difficult.

I'm sorry.

Can I go home now?

Can we go tomorrow?

Tomorrow?

I don't think we'll get everything packed
by tomorrow.

I can.

Well...

Anyway, don't you think
Granny Mar would be a bit sad?

We will go soon.

I promise.

When?

I've told you, Ben, soon.

- How many days?
- Well, I don't know yet.

Look, I must go and write to Daddy,

tell him what a great, big, clever boy you are.

Darling Ben.

I do love you.

I do want you to be happy.

Of course I don't pretend to understand
what it was kept you away so long.

I know. I'm sorry.

Everyone's talking about it, I might add.

I'm afraid you may find some of your friends
have a lot of questions to ask.

Not very pleasant ones.

As for poor little Harold.

Please, Mama...

I know. I'm sorry.

My only explanation is that you were bewitched
in some way by that depraved woman.

Stop it!

Very well.

Provided you realise your responsibilities.

"I am dying.

"Come back to me.

"Save my life.

"Lushka. "

Ah, Phillip.

Always on time.

Today's papers.

People's Memorandum.

Edicts from on high.

I think these are from AJB. Yes, they are.

Letters and messages.

Thank you.

God. I'm whacked.

Are you off now?

- If that's all right.
- Of course.

What are you going to do?
Something nice?

I hope so.

Well, good luck.

Thanks.

"Haji, my darling.

"There's only one thing left
in which I unshakeably believe,

"and that is your essential goodness.

"I don't know what is going to happen
or become of me,

"and I simply cling and cling
to the thought of you.

"You are my only anchor.

"I hate myself.

"Oh, I do so crave to be with you.

"I feel like a person drowning,

"who knows there's an absolutely safe boat
somewhere on the sea,

"and if only they can keep up their strength
long enough, they will reach it.

"Haji, I'm so frightened sometimes. "

Mama's going to make me marry him.

Denys and Mama have plotted it together.

Well, I shan't let them.

I shall take you to Paris.

No, not Paris.

Greece.

We'll go to Greece.

And we'll buy a white house.

With a beach.

And Ben can come and stay.

Yes, yes. Of course he can.

- And Nigel and Harold and your mother.

And Denys.

You don't know how difficult it is.

He says he'll agree to anything.

That he'll never do anything I don't want.

He gave me his word of honour.

Never to touch you?

And you believed him?

- Yes.
- Oh, Lushka.

How can you?

Then save me.

I can't.

You can.

You can do anything.

I'll come to Long Barn on Saturday.

We'll make a plan.

Mummy. Mummy.

Your coffee, Mrs Nicolson.

Shall I bring it outside?

Ooh, yes please.

It's lovely to be home.

Put the linen sheets on Miss Keppel's bed,
would you?

I'll do the flowers later.

It's nice to have you back, madam.

Thank you.

No!

No!

No!

No!

Thank God!

Op?ra, trois cinq, s'il vous pla?t.

Merci.

Eddie.

Splendid news.

Trefusis has nailed her.

Yes.

Absolutely.

You lied to me. You lied to me!

You are going to marry him.
You let me see it printed.

There in the newspaper.

You said if I came back
that you would come and stay,

but you knew, you knew!

I don't believe you.

I can't.

I swore to myself
I would never speak to you again.

But oh, my God.

Oh, Lushka.

No.

I understand.

Harold's coming back on leave next week.
I can't.

I will. I promise.

I'll think of something.

Yes.

I'll tell him.

Yes.

I'll try.

Somehow.

I love you, Lushka.

I love you.

- Where is he, Mummy?
- Soon, soon.

Look. Look. We're here!

We're here! We're here!

We're here!

Hello, Benzie.

Hello, Nigs.

Haji, I'm sorry the garden's such a mess.

I'm...sorry.

We'll get down to it tomorrow, shall we?

Anyway, it's not too bad.

That's wonderful. What is it?

I don't know. I can't remember.

Labels, Mar. Labels.

It's going to be a marvellous success, I know it.

Probably be a Sackville-West society.

You'll become an historic monument.

With tourists and ginger beer.

Picture postcards of you with your specs on.

Haji.

Well, it deserves it.

You won't get too grand for me, will you, Mar?

Never.

- Sorry. Go on.
- No, really.

Did you tell me about what?

Marcel Proust.

How I met him.

Proust?

Did you really?

Honestly, Mar, do you never read my letters?
I'm sure I told you.

I'm sure you didn't.

What was he like?

Rather grubby.

Well, what else?

I know I wrote to you about him.

I know I did.

Then I've forgotten.

I've made a lot of new friends.

Not sure you'd approve, though.

Really? Why not?

Oh.

I sit in studios and chat to models.

I've become quite a gay dog in my old age.

Except for Edward.

I think you'd adore Edward.

He's a dressmaker, believe it or not.

Has a huge shop in the Rue Royale.

What fun.

Maybe he could make me something.

Oh, I'm sure he would.

I may move out of the hotel and stay with him
when I get back from Geneva.

If I ever get back.

Good idea.

Much nicer.

Darling, I'm not a bit sleepy.

- Perhaps I'd go and answer some letters.
- Mar.

Don't.

What?

Don't. There's no need.

We're friends.

Loving, loving friends.

Do you understand?

Oh, Haji.

I love you so much.

Ow!

Serves you right.

Beast.

I hate you.

God, I don't want to go back.

It's been wonderful, Mar.

Everything.

Yes.

We haven't really talked.

Is she all right? Violet?

Well, she's not very happy.

When's the wedding?

I'm not sure.

June sometime.

Ah.

A June bride.

So that's all right, then.

Not really.

Oh. Why?

Oh, she's got it into her head
that I should save her in some way.

Would you be very astonished if I did?

Not in the least.

Neither would I.

It would be great fun, anyway.

But I suppose I won't.

You suppose you won't?

No.

I'll just go on being a middle-class wife.

Darning socks.

Opening bazaars.

You've never darned a sock in your life.

That's true.

Oh, poor Haji, I must learn.

There.

Haji.

Mm-hm?

I'm writing a new book.

Oh, good.

It's set in Greece.

And...it's so silly, but I've never been there.

Then you'd better go.

I'll arrange it for you if you like.

Haji, you are wonderful.

- Could you really?
- Of course.

I've got some very good friends there.

Why not go in June?

June.

I was thinking of...

Well?

What were you thinking?

Well, I really ought to go before I start, you see.

And...

once Heritage is out,
I'll be at rather a loose end, won't I?

Are you thinking of taking Violet,
by any chance?

Haji, she's so unhappy.

We could easily do it in a month.

She'd be back in plenty of time
for the wedding and...

I could join you in Paris.

I mean, if you're not staying with your friend.

No!

- What?
- No! I won't have it.

You want to ruin that man's life.
I refuse. Do you hear me?

- Refuse?
- Yes, I refuse.

Haji, you can't do that.

I can and I am.

God, how this Violet business
has poisoned our life.

You used to be so sweet, so tender.

Now you're cruel and dishonest.

And mad.

Yes, I do believe you're capable of
wrecking that marriage, I do.

- You don't understand.
- No, I don't. How could I?

What am I supposed to understand?

That you've got some sort of supreme right
to destroy two men's lives?

- No.
- Oh, yes.

All I hear is "I rely on you, Haji,
please go on being generous,

"and tender and forgiving, Haji. Then when
I feel better I may try to make it up to you.

"Or I may decide to do the opposite
and leave you and your children forever."

I never said that.

That's what you're planning, isn't it?
You and that swine Violet.

"But meanwhile, please be nice to me about it
as it would be very unpleasant if you weren't."

Well, I've stopped being nice about it!
You've gone too far!

Haji.

Can't you realise a little?

Oh. I can't put it into words.

It isn't that I don't love you.

I do.

I do. You will never know how much.

But you're good.

And sweet.

And you're the person that I love
in the best and simplest way.

But there's a lot in me
that isn't good or simple.

It's that side of me that says...

Well, it says, "Why should I break my heart
simply because I'm his wife?"

It's only because of scandal
and inconvenience, really.

So I fish and I fish.

And sometimes I catch a lovely,
little silver trout,

but never that great salmon
that lashes and fights

and convinces me that it's fighting for its life!

Good God. I try.

Yes, you've tried.

What more can I do?

Oh, Haji.

What should I do without you?

Don't be without me.

Come to Paris.

What about your new friend?

Don't be silly.

Come to Paris, Mar.

I can't!

Why don't you tell me to stay here,
tell me what to do in the garden, anything!

All right. We'll make a list.

Poor darling.

My poor darling.

Morning, ma'am.

"Telephone impossible.

"I'm in Scotland till 9th.

"Have booked our crossing for the 14th.

"My life in your hands.

"Do not fail me.

"Lushka. "

Morning, ma'am.

May I ask...? Thank you, ma'am.

Oh!

You're early.

Medea, I'm not ready yet.

Quick. Come in here.

What shall we do?

You can stay here. No one's going to come
at this hour. I've got everything.

The tickets, the money.

I can't, Lushka. We're not going.

What?

I can't do it.

I'm going to join Harold in Paris.

No.

No!

Oh, God.

Don't leave me.

Medea.

Medea, I beg you.

You can't do this.

You can't. You promised.

I'm sorry.

Are you just going to stand by and let me
marry this man and calmly say you're sorry?

I won't let you go.

You're my only reason for living. My only hope.

- Please. Please.
- Why?

Why?

I won't let you go.

I will have Medea.

Please, Medea.

Please.

Forgive me.

Medea!

Medea, don't leave me.

Don't leave me, Medea!

Medea, please!

Mar.

Leave me alone.

Come on, Mar.

I have to go back.

Go away.

I'm going back.

Not now.

Come along.

No, Haji, I have to go back.
Please let me go back.

Not now.

Come on.

Ready?

"You have broken my heart.

"Goodbye. "

With this ring I thee wed.

With my body I thee worship.

With my body I thee worship.

With my body I thee worship.

Medea.

Get your coat.

You're hurting me.

Make a sound and I'll kill you.

Bitch.

You bitch!

Are you cured?!

Huh?

Ow!

Is this what he feels like?

Is it?

Get up.

There's water over there.

And a comb.

You need a comb.

Ooh! I thought you'd be asleep.

Oh, my darling child.

You know what I think of Violet.

That she should be writing to you at all
on her honeymoon is extraordinary.

But that you should be made so unhappy.

I do try to understand, Mar.

You do know that.

If she were a man, it would be different.

But for a woman.

Such a love beats me, I'm afraid.

I know.

You're wonderful.

Has the post come yet?

Oh, good heavens, child. It's only half past six.

I want to be in Curzon Street by ten.

It's a wonder I got any breakfast at all

by time that girl of yours had burned the toast
and boiled the coffee.

What time are you coming back?

I will be here for dinner, certainly.

You will go out, won't you?

Why not do your writing
in the summerhouse?

Dr Anderson will drop in, I expect.

- I hope not.

Oh. If only you weren't married to a diplomat.

I'm sure the state of the world isn't nearly
as important to me as the state of my Mar.

Please, Mama, don't worry.

Go out and buy lots of hats and things.

You won't do anything foolish, will you?

No, of course not.

We're late. But I'm not having you
driving like a maniac, do you hear?

Yes, milady.

I strongly suspect you are a road hog at heart.

Yes, milady.

Wait for me, Medea.

Tu es folle, Medea! Tu es folle!

"God forgive me, Medea.

"I have lost you.

"I've lost my freedom.

"C'est un crime que tu as fait l?.

"Au moins.

"You are a murderer."

If you'd have been a man,
I should certainly have married you for it.

You're a beautiful barbarian, Medea,

but you're in chains.

You can.

You can do anything.