Sense and Sensibility (1981–…): Season 1, Episode 3 - Episode #1.3 - full transcript

She is still crying.

When will she ever stop?
She will not talk.

Something more must have happened.

Well, it was no falling away
of his love. I could see that.

I know what has happened.

That aunt of his suspects his regard for
Marianne and has invented this business.

I cannot help suspecting
that there is something unpleasant.

It may be proper
to hide their engagement from his aunt -

if they are engaged -
but there is no reason for hiding it from us.

From us?
When they've made their affections plain?

Why not ask her whether they are engaged?



- How can we?
- You are so gentle, she would trust you.

I wouldn't ask her
such a question for the world.

- Why ever not?
- Well, suppose they were not engaged,

how it would pain her to admit it.

Then she must have the less to grieve for.

And if she and her lover
have their secret, who am I to pry?

It would be cruel.
I should never deserve her confidence again.

Then there is only one physic
for her - activity.

(SIGHS)

You ought to take up your music again.

Yes.

I'm sure we can find
a good teacher in Exeter.

Oh, this is lovely!

I must come and sketch from here.



Yes.

(MARIANNE) Who are those two riders?

Elinor, it's Willoughby! It is, I know it!

Marianne, it is not Willoughby.

- Oh, it is! It is!
- The man has not Willoughby's air.

Oh, he has!

Oh, I knew he'd come!

Mr Ferrars?

Miss Marianne. Miss Elinor.

And do you come from London, Edward?

No… Thank you.

I have been spending
a fortnight with friends… near Plymouth.

You have been two weeks in Devon
and not seen us sooner?

And not one letter from you? Ever?

Marianne, Mr Ferrars
was under no obligation to write.

And have you been lately in Sussex?

I was at Norland about a month ago.

And how does dear Norland look?

Dear Norland probably looks
much as it always does.

- How long will you be with us?
- I plan to stay only the one night.

- Oh, my dear boy.
- I could not go by without seeing you all.

Tell me, Edward,
what are your mother's plans for you now?

Are you still to be a great orator?

No, I hope she understands by now
that I have no talent or wish for fame.

You should have a profession.

True,
but my mother and I never could agree.

I've no desire for public life or the army.
I'm too old for the navy.

I always wanted the church,
but that is not considered smart enough.

So here I am, properly idle.

Then I wish you would look
a little happier about it, Edward.

Oh. When was I ever cheerful?
I offend without meaning to.

People think me negligent
when I am merely awkward.

I think nature destined me
to keep low company.

I'm ill at ease
among strangers of gentility.

Oh, come, Edward.
Can you call us strangers?

You are too good for me, all of you.

Young man,
this a melancholy that must be cured.

We cannot let you go away
after but one night.

I thought it better so.

- (MRS DASHWOOD) Are you expected?
- No.

Well, you'll return to Norland, then?

I have no pleasure at Norland, I detest town,

but either Norland or London it must be.

Why? Oh, the countryside
is so beautiful here.

- And we are your friends.
- Oh, if I but could.

You are free. Of course you can.

- Unless you fear to find the life dull?
- Dull?

My greatest happiness is in this house.

Thank you. Thank you. Yes, I will stay.

(MARIANNE) Oh, hurrah!

What is that?
A lock of hair? Is it your sister's?

Yes. Yes, it is my sister's.

- I thought her hair was darker.
- I suppose it changes colour with the light.

Mother, I have not tried on my new dress yet.

I am sure Edward will forgive us
if we go upstairs for a while.

Oh. Of course, dear.

Elinor, tell Edward about your sketching.

Miss Elinor…

I must go down to the village,

make sure that my man
has seen to the horses. Please excuse me.

- You are not bored, Edward?
- I could never be bored in this house.

That lock of hair was yours.
I could tell by the colour.

- It wasn't as dark as mine.
- It was. He's shy.

- It was a message to you.
- I wish I had your gift of imagination.

- I have never given him a lock of hair.
- He is a mysterious man.

He could have contrived some lover's trick.

At Norland, he could have bribed a maid.

You must come with us
to the south end of Barton Valley.

Girls, is not the southern part
of the valley best?

- It's exquisite.
- I shall order a carriage.

Then the excursion will not be too strenuous.

- Hello!
- Morning, Sir John.

That is our neighbour, Sir John Middleton.
He's been very kind to us.

Come.

Good morning, Sir John.

(CHUCKLES) Good morning, ladies.

Oh, thank you!

- We have a visitor.
- I know. Came to have a look at him.

- We hear everything up at the park.
- Oh!

- Mr Edward Ferrars, Sir John Middleton.
- Sir.

Are you one of the Tunbridge Wells family?

- I have that honour, sir.
- Come into the house.

I was at Eton with your uncle.
He became a general.

- Yes.
- Lord knows how we keep the colonies!

(SIR JOHN LAUGHS)

Well, my dears,
we have more guests coming to stay,

and an invitation to you to meet them.

- That includes you, sir.
- Sir John is forever entertaining.

A dinner tomorrow night,
and this time we'll have dancing.

- Who are you expecting?
- My wife's sister Charlotte and her husband.

- It will be a great pleasure to do so.
- You'll like Charlotte.

And two young ladies we met in Exeter.

Mrs Jennings found they were relatives.

Cousins are cousins.
Two young sisters, name of Steele.

(MRS DASHWOOD)
We have never met any Miss Steeles.

No, you wouldn't.
Lady Middleton didn't take to 'em much.

But never turn away
a pretty face, eh, young man?

(EDWARD)
I am afraid I shall not have the pleasure.

(SIR GEORGE)
We need you. We're short of young men.

(EDWARD) I must leave here in the morning.
(MRS DASHWOOD) Were you not to stay?

I have recalled necessary matters.
I must go first thing.

Oh, do come now. Pray come.
You must come. I declare you SHALL come.

Well, I'll off down to the valley
and see who else I can whip up.

Until tomorrow evening, ladies.

- Young man.
- Sir.

Edward, 10 minutes ago,
you were planning an excursion with us.

I forgot something I had no right to forget.

- Do I really?
- (LAUGHING)

Oh, I'm so glad you could come early.

Come along, my dears. You must meet
my younger daughter and her husband,

Mr and Mrs Palmer of Cleveland.

Charlotte, my lamb, this is Miss Dashwood
and Miss Marianne Dashwood.

I feel I know you both already
after all that I've heard.

- How do you do?
- And behind that newspaper is Mr Palmer.

- How do you do?
- Come on, sit down, my dears.

You may believe
how glad I was to see Charlotte,

although she should not
have travelled in her condition.

(CHARLOTTE GIGGLES)

Is there news in the paper?

None at all.

Has anyone interesting
arrived in town, Mr Palmer?

Mr Palmer doesn't hear me. He never does.

(GIGGLES) Isn't he droll?

You have yet to meet the Miss Steeles.
They are on the lawn.

I confess I was a little anxious
before they arrived.

Not a genteel upbringing, I feared.

But they are fond of children,
and my little darlings adore them.

Oh, look at little Anna Maria.

And William is so enjoying himself.

- (LAUGHING)
- Na-na-na-na!

Perhaps the Miss Steeles could meet us later.

They are not even changed for dinner.
The children are becoming overheated.

Robbins, take them upstairs.

I had better go up to the nursery.
Amuse yourselves.

Oh, Miss Dashwood, do pray sit down.

Why, thank you.

Mr Palmer… Why don't you put away
that newspaper and amuse us ladies?

- That is an ill-bred remark, madam.
- Aye, abuse me as much as you like.

You have taken Charlotte off my hands,
and you cannot give her back.

(LAUGHTER)

What does Sir John mean
by not having a billiard room in his house?

(LAUGHS) All merry and bright, eh?

All met each other, good friends?

Ah, why no smile, Miss Marianne?

Is it the absence of a certain young
gentleman from Allenham, hmm?

(CHARLOTTE) Pray do not be shy before us.

Mr Willoughby's estate is near ours,
not more than ten miles off.

- That means 30, of course.
- There is not much difference.

I never was at his house,
but they say it is pretty.

- As vile as spot as ever I saw in my life.
- (LAUGHTER)

Poor Mr Palmer. Always out of humour.

He's been so busy, you see,
canvassing to get into Parliament,

and he is forced to make everybody like him.

(SNIGGERS)

There was talk of me marrying Colonel Brandon
at one time, but Mama objected to it.

Still, I am happy as I am.
Mr Palmer is just the kind of man I like.

I never met Mr Willoughby,
but all speak well of him.

- Mama says you and he are to be…
- Excuse me.

Excuse me. She is not very well.

(LAUGHTER)

Why do they keep asking us here?
It's all so tedious and dull.

Ah, Miss Dashwood, there you are.

May I present the Miss Steeles.

Miss Steele, Miss Lucy Steele,
Miss Dashwood, Miss Marianne Dashwood.

- How do you do?
- How do you do?

Well, I'm sure
you girls have lots to talk about.

What a sweet woman Lady Middleton is.

- Sir John, what a charming man.
- And such beautiful children.

I quite dote upon them already.

I should suppose so,
from what I saw this afternoon.

I have a notion that you prefer
to see children tame and quiet.

I must confess that, at Barton Park,

I never think of tame
and quiet children with any abhorrence.

How do you like Devonshire, Miss Dashwood?

I suppose you were very sorry
to leave Sussex?

- I was.
- Norland is a beautiful place, is it not?

I think everyone
who has seen it has admired it.

And had you a great many smart beaus there?

Anne, you're always talking of beaus.

You must not ask the Miss Dashwoods that.

I fear I cannot tell you,

for I do not understand
the meaning of that word.

I have not had the pleasure
of visiting Norland, but I long to do so.

- Do you?
- One who knows it intimately

- has told us so much about it…
- I am aching to dance.

Come, Anne, the beaus are waiting for us.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

(APPLAUSE)

♪ La-la-la bum-bum ♪

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you, Sir John. I did enjoy that.

You dance so lightly.

At my age, that is the supreme compliment.

I hope I consoled you a little
for the absence of a certain young man

whose name begins with "F", hmm?

Miss Marianne,
will you do me the honour?

Very well.

Every beau in the room wants to dance
with us, but one has to rest.

- Of course.
- But do tell me, I cannot bear mysteries.

I shall be up all night guessing
who is this "Mr F" for whom you are pining.

I am pining for nobody, Miss Steele.

You may remember, Miss Dashwood,

that my sister spoke of a friend
who had told us so much about Norland.

I wonder if that is the same "Mr F"?

- Who might that be?
- A Mr Ferrars.

- You are acquainted with Mr Ferrars?
- Acquainted?

We met him at our uncle's with whom we live
when we are not invited about.

He was four years a scholar
under his tutorage.

Oh, really?

What a small world.

Oh, but, Anne,
you're looking tired. We must retire.

Come, my dear.

Miss Dashwood, we have so much in common.

I am sure I have a found a friend in you.

Would it be an impertinence
to call upon you… tomorrow morning?

Pray do.

Miss Dashwood.

You may find this question surprising,

but are you acquainted with your
sister-in-law's mother, Mrs Ferrars?

I have never seen Mrs Ferrars.

Indeed?

I thought you must have met her at Norland.

Then you cannot tell me
what sort of a woman she really is.

I know nothing of her.

I am sure you think me very strange
for asking, but there are reasons.

I wish I could tell you.

I do not mean to sound impertinent.

I cannot bear
to have you think me impertinent.

There is no one
whose good opinion I so much want.

And I am sure I can trust you.

I am surprised. Until last night, I never
knew you were connected with that family.

Mrs Ferrars is nothing to me at present,

but the time may come
when we may be very intimately connected.

Are you closely acquainted
with Mr Robert Ferrars?

Robert Ferrars? That great coxcomb?
Although I've never met him.

No, with his elder brother Edward.

Edward?

I have been engaged to him these four years.

Four years?

When he was at my uncle's.

It has been a great secret.

Only my sister knows,
and I rely upon your secrecy.

I do not think Edward will mind you knowing,

for he looks upon you
and Miss Marianne as quite his own sisters.

Well, what a pretty garden.
May we go out and see it?

I was very young
and unwilling to enter into it,

but I loved him too well
to be as prudent as I ought to have been.

Although you do not know him
as well as me,

you must be aware how capable
he is of winning a woman's heart.

Certainly.

You must keep my secret. If it should
reach his mother, she would never approve.

Your secret is safe with me.

I was afraid you would think
I was taking a great liberty with you.

I have not a soul whose advice I can ask.

I only wonder that I am alive
after these four years.

He hardly ever comes.

Sometimes
I think it would better to break it off,

but then he would be so unhappy,
and so would I.

I'm sure I wonder
that my heart is not quite broke.

What shall I do?

I am sorry. I can give you no advice.

He came to see you recently, did he not?

Until then, he'd been spending
a fortnight with us in Plymouth.

He was heartbroken to leave. Did he not seem
in low spirits when he came to you?

I gave him a curl set in a locket.

Perhaps you saw it when he was here?

I did.

I must go. I am glad we've talked.

I knew you would understand.

- Good day, Miss Dashwood.
- Good day.

Now, ladies, who is for cards?

We might play a rubber of casino.

- Just the thing, I say.
- I would be delighted.

Lady Middleton, I must finish dressing
the doll that I promised Anna Maria.

Very well. Do not hurt your eyes.

There is still much to be done.
Perhaps I may help to Miss Lucy.

You are very kind.

Sit by me, Miss Elinor,
and help me dress the doll.

So good of you to organise
a ladies evening, dear,

much as we enjoy the company of gentlemen.

Mrs Jennings!

- Thank you.
- (PIANO PLAYING)

Since you honoured me with your confidence,
I have wanted to speak further.

Oh, so have I.
Thank you for breaking the ice.

I thought I had offended you.

How could you suppose so?

And yet I do assure you,
I felt sure he was angry with me.

You are very unfortunate.

You have to be sure of a great
mutual affection to support you.

I believe Mr Ferrars
is entirely dependent upon his mother.

She is a headstrong woman, they say.

She would leave everything to Robert.

That would be terrible for Edward.

And for you.

Or are you unselfish beyond reason?

No.

I have a plan. It does concern you.

How could it concern me?

Edward wishes to take holy orders.

- As a churchman, he would have a living.
- Well?

Out of your friendship for him,

could you not persuade your brother
to give him the church living at Norland?

And then we could marry without delay.

My word would count for nothing,
but he would listen to his wife.

Edward's sister? She is against him
going into the church, so Edward says.

Then I can do nothing.

What are you two young ladies
whispering about?

Young men, I'll warrant.

Mine, I think, ladies.

Madam, you cannot leave the table now.

Oh, well, we shall continue without her.

- Come and sit here.
- Miss Candy, join us?

Now then, I have been wanting
to talk to you about London.

London?

All the family are going up for the winter
and we shall have fine times.

- London is a wonderful place, you know?
- I know.

I want you two girls
to come and stay at my house after Christmas.

Oh, that is very kind of you, but…

No "buts". You will keep me company.

And if I don't get one of you married by
the time I've finished, it won't be my fault.

Oh, I'm overjoyed.

To think that my girls
will have a season in London.

Mother, we cannot leave you
in the depths of winter.

Well, I have Tom and Susan.
And I have a plan to alter your bedrooms,

which I can carry out without inconvenience.

Oh, you are a good mama.

Thank you. Thank you.

There is one objection
which cannot be removed.

Oh, the expense, is it? Dear prudent Elinor?

No. Mrs Jennings.
She is a kind-hearted woman,

but not one whose protection
will give us any standing.

She's a motherly good woman, and you'll
always appear in public with Lady Middleton.

If Elinor is frightened off by Mrs Jennings,
I have no such scruples.

I would put up with any unpleasantness
to go to London… and I shall.

Well, of course, you shall, my dear.

Elinor, I would have you both go.
Now no more nonsensical objections.

Oh, Mother, you've made me so happy.

You know very well
why she is in a rage to go to London.

I imagine Mr Willoughby is there.

Not one word or letter
has she had from him since he ran off.

Not one. You would not have her pursue him?

I want her happiness, Elinor.

I would not stand in her way.

Excuse me.

Mother.

Synced by Peterlin