The Luminaries (2020–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Fingerprint - full transcript

I'd stake my life
on a blessing, not a curse.

Half of nothing is nothing.

Hey. Hey!

Miss Wetherell,
everything that's happened...

Anna. Anna.

Who is she?

I don't know.

Madam.

Madam.

Who is this? Who are you?

Mr Lauderback, there's a body.



Anna. Anna.

Anna.

Can you believe it?

They're proper magic.

Incredible good luck,

so long as you don't shoot
one dead with a crossbow.

What would happen?

If you killed an albatross, well...

the wind would drop, the sun
would burn hotter and hotter,

and then two spirits
would rise up from the deep...

Death and Living Nightmare.

They'd play dice right here
on the deck,

and whoever won the game
would claim your soul.

I don't have a crossbow.



Well, thank heavens, nor do I.

Mr Emery Staines.

Miss Anna Wetherell.

Was this your first sea voyage?

- Yes.
- Mine too.

It wasn't at all what I expected.

I always imagined
once we were out at sea

that the horizon would form
a circle around the ship,

- but it wasn't that at all.
- It was a square.

Yes, it was a square.

It had corners.

Astonishing.

- We should introduce ourselves.
- We just did.

Ye... Well, yes, but we hardly
know anything about each other.

I know you can recognise
an albatross.

I know you're bound for New Zealand,

probably to dig for gold.

Same as me.

And I know that your bunk
must be in the forward cabin,

because we haven't met before.

And I know that recently you
lost a button off your vest.

All right.
Here's what I know about you.

- You're an early riser.
- I'm really not.

Today is an exception.

I do believe it is.

Actually, it's my birthday.

A birthday present.

For your vest.

You spoiled your sleeve.

I can roll them up.

Forgive me, Miss Wetherell...
are you engaged?

This evening. Might I
call on you at your hotel?

I'm sorry. That was too forward.

Could I come to you?

Why not? Uh...

what's the name of my hotel?

Oi, Staines!

Get over here.

Right.

Shall we say 7 o'clock?

In the dining room,
if there is one.

7 o'clock.

Where's the hospital?

Uh...

there isn't one.

I found her like this, drunk.

I don't know who she is.

It's not drink.

It's opium. She's a prostitute,
in case you couldn't tell.

You're Alastair Lauderback.

We don't see too many
politicos around here.

Been reading your campaign pledges

with interest, Mr Lauderback...
roads, railways, tunnels, ditches.

Bring her to the jail.

Something the matter?

I'm afraid there's something else.

Next.

Hey!

I thought they'd called
my name, but they hadn't.

- I'm sorry.
- Next.

Travelling alone?

Yes.

Unmarried?

Is that a problem?

Not for me.

Sign here, please.

That's one shilling, thank you.

Hey, Chinaman.
You're in the wrong queue.

Are you stupid? Get to the back.

Welcome to the new world.

Fresh meat. Fresh meat.
We got fresh meat.

Three shillings an acre.

Buy your own personal
piece of paradise.

Every one
a paying gold field.

Tickets covered,
all expenses paid.

Come try your luck on a
company claim. You, sir, yes.

Madam. Three shillings an acre.

Buy your own personal piece
of paradise. No? Not interested?

- Three shillings an acre.
- Every one a paying gold field.

Tickets covered, all expenses paid.

Try your luck on a company claim.

- How old is the map?
- This man, sir, is brand new,

and I guarantee that.
You, sir, where you want to go?

Mt Ida gold field, I recommend.

Hey! Hey!

Hey!

Stop! Thief!

Stop!

Hey! Somebody stop him!

Drop it.

- Drop it!
- That's mine!

- Drop it!

Oh, I don't know
how to thank you.

Women in this country are
outnumbered a dozen to one.

We must stick together.
Mrs Lydia Wells.

Miss Anna Wetherell. I just arrived.

- From?
- London.

- On your own?
- Yes, ma'am.

Sent for or sent away?

I sent myself.

When is your birthday?

The day you were born.
Do you know it?

- Why do you ask?
- I ask everyone I meet.

Actually, it's... it's today.

Is it?

Today.

Walk with me.

So, Miss Anna Wetherell,

how will you make your living
here at the end of the world?

I thought I'd try digging for gold.

A fine ambition.

But you know, the real
money in a gold rush

isn't made on the diggings;
it's made in town.

I myself operate a fortune parlour.

The House of Many Wishes
is the name.

I open every night at 10 o'clock.

Cards before midnight,
fortunes in the witching hour,

and then,
depending on the company,

a little traffic with the dead.

Can you truly tell fortunes?

- I can.
- How?

Mm-hm. When I'm asked,
'Can you truly tell fortunes?'

the second question is usually,
'Will you tell mine?'

You have a head for business.

You must call on me,
Miss Wetherell, this evening.

I insist.

I shall cast your natal chart,
find out what makes you tick.

I beg your pardon.
I can't this evening.

I have a rendezvous.

Someone I met on board,
to meet at his hotel for supper.

You can't read.

What does it say?

The Matterhorn Hotel. Cumberland St.

The Matterhorn.

Do you know it?

Very well. I live just next door.

What a happy accident this was.

- Oop. Sorry.
- Oh yes. Very good.

I just want you to know

that if I make my fortune and
you don't, you can bugger off,

- cos it's finders keepers.
- Cocky bastard.

Mine's bigger than yours.

And it has a better view.

Oh, ho, ho, ho!

Right. I need a dish,
a swag and a map.

Make way!

Make way!

Make way!

Whoa.

Lucky bugger.

We have 32 ounces.

Oh, what a lucky man.

That's nearly £100.

Lucky bugger.

I shall
now test for purity.

Oh my.

- The gold is pure.
- Like magic.

Now change it bloody back again.

Don't breathe in.

Thank you.

Lots of stuff in here second-hand.

Nah, I want my kit shop-new
and store-bought.

Buy used, you buy
another man's bad luck.

Ah, there's no such thing.

How can you not believe in luck?

I believe in good luck. I
just don't believe in bad luck.

I'd stake my life on a blessing,
not a curse.

Oh, look at you, Romeo.

I'd rather be Juliet.

She has better lines.

Still ends up dead.

Pay every night
in advance.

You get sick, you get lice,
you make trouble... you're out.

No liquor, no noise,

no men. You hear?

Sixpence for the night.

My purse.

It's gone.

You can't pay; you can't stay.
I don't do charity.

I had it at customs. I...

- That boy. He must've...
- Go on. Move.

I went to
every ship in town.

No one would touch me
as soon as they hear my name.

Give it time.

What if we just left?

Could sell up,
start over somewhere new.

You know I can't do that, Francis.

A convict, Lydia...
that's all they see.

- Here.
- Don't.

It's not a gift.
It's payment in advance.

I need you to get rid of someone.

Sorry.

I just... I never saw
a real nugget before.

Oh, that's not real.
That's pinchbeck.

Five parts copper, one part zinc.

If I had a nugget that size,
I wouldn't put it in the window.

I'd buy this whole city
and the harbour too.

You know what they
call a piece that big?

A homeward-bounder. Isn't that good?

Do you need help?

Could you tell me the way
to the Matterhorn Hotel?

Of course.

Hey.

Surely you can let her go.

She's been charged with
vagrancy, public intoxication

and attempted suicide.

How can you prove that?

She's a whore;
I don't have to.

Let's go.

You have a body in there?

Do you understand?
Do you speak English?

I understand you.

Take off your hat.

Did you see him die?

No.

I didn't see.

The girl, she was here
with the body?

Right outside. She fainted.
Right here.

What about him?

Outside.

Do you know his name?

Staines? No.

No one here with the name Staines.

I'm quite early, maybe.

I'll wait for him.

Miss.

No, thank you.

Look, you got to order something.

Either you're buying
or you got something to sell.

That's not an answer.

What's this?

Do you recognise him?

- No.
- Nor do I.

But if this is murder, this
gets us everything we need...

proper funding, an asylum,
a bloody chapel if you want it.

This is it. Let's bring him in.

Not you.

I will not leave him.

It's a native custom, sir,
to keep a vigil over a body.

He is my brother.

- Your brother?
- I will not leave him.

They believe the soul remains
in the body until it's buried.

It's only superstition, sir.
I'm sure it's harmless.

Governor, for heaven's sake.

If you come within
50 yards of this body

before it's in the ground,
I will shoot you dead on sight,

so help me God.

Off you go.

50 yards. Start counting.

Tahi,

rua, toru,

what?, rima, ono...

Was that really necessary?

Pokokohua.

On the bench.

Mr Lauderback.

Reverend.

Hate to see a man without
a drink in his hand.

Thank you.

Girl didn't show?

I suppose I must look very foolish.

Hmm. Well, I'm not one to judge.

I've been waiting on
the same woman 15 years.

- She married someone else.
- Oh, I'm sorry.

Picked my pocket...
that was how we met.

She was leaning in to pin
a flower to my lapel.

I didn't even feel it.

- You know what she took?
- Your wallet?

My astrolabe.

Not to sell; to use.

And she did.
She bloody learned to read it.

By the time I caught up
with her, she knew the name

of every star in the sky.

- You a sailor?
- No.

Sailors got a rule about redheads...

you got to speak to them
before they speak to you.

It's bad luck otherwise.
That was my mistake.

Your good health and happiness.

And yours.

Francis Carver.

Emery Staines.

How many times have
I told you to be clean?

Look at the state of you.

Well,
here's a ship come in.

- Good evening.
- Good evening to you.

I'm looking for Mrs Lydia Wells.

Better and better.

Wet your whistle?

Dick Mannering's my name.

- Are you...?
- Her landlord.

Just here collecting the rent.

What happened?

Who are you... the police?

Miss Wetherell.

Mrs Wells, you have
outdone yourself.

There.

What are you doing?

I'm just waiting to be introduced.

Miss Anna Wetherell,
Mr Richard Mannering.

Mr Mannering speculates
on property, Miss Wetherell.

He's one of my investors,

and he knows how
to see himself out.

I'd raise my hat to you, ma'am,

but I lost it today
on a very bad bet.

Mrs Wells.

Let's go upstairs.

You're off to the diggings?

Yes, sir. So I hope.

Hmm. Hokitika's where
the money's at. West Coast.

Lawrence was the name I heard.

Sure, if you were here
three years ago.

Hokitika's where you want to be.

Other side of the island,
new field, totally untouched.

- You've been there?
- No. Not interested.

Not interested in a gold rush?

Leaves too much to chance.
And it takes too long.

First robbed, and then betrayed.

And on your birthday.
It's too awful.

I'm sure there's an explanation.

Well, you've been dealt two ugly
blows today, Miss Wetherell.

I shan't allow you
to be dealt a third.

You must stay here with me.

You're very kind.

My husband's room is empty.
You may sleep there.

- Is your husband...?
- Prospecting until the winter.

- May I ask you something?
- Of course.

- You asked about my birthday.
- Yes.

What does it mean if you share
a birthday with someone else?

Hardly anything at all.
It's very common.

You see, it's not just
the day that matters;

the year, the hour,
the minute, even the horizon

all have their part to play.

Something must have happened to her,

something she couldn't help.

It's the frontier.
She gets a better offer,

- she's going to take it.
- No, she wouldn't do that.

I thought you only met her once.

Yes, but...

there was a kind of magic
between us, something absolute.

No, I can't do another. Forgive me.

You never turn down
a drink after it's been poured.

- More bad luck?
- No. Bad manners.

To a kind of magic.

Of course,
there is one circumstance.

It's very rare...
stuff of legend, really.

I've only read of it in books.

But if two people were to be
born at the exact same instant

and very near to one another,

they would become
what's known as Astral Twins.

Their natal charts
would be identical,

so their fates would
be one and the same.

They would share a destiny.

Let me show you something.

The first thing
to understand about the sky

is that it's always moving.

I cast this chart at sunrise
this morning. But now...

...we're here.

The sun has just set, Venus has
just risen, and the moon is new.

Look up this minute,
and this is what you'll see...

this exact configuration of
stars, planets and horizon,

seen at this time on this day
from this place on Earth.

This pattern has never existed
before, and it never will again.

It's like a kind of
cosmic fingerprint.

Look up at this time tomorrow,

and the sun will have
set a little earlier,

the moon will be
a little higher in the sky,

a different star will be
crossing the horizon,

and all the angles
will have changed.

Now, you, Anna Wetherell,
are also absolutely singular.

Who you are is here and now,

in this room, in this
body and nowhere else.

And just like the sky,
you too are always changing.

By this time tomorrow, you'll
be a slightly different person

and you'll see
a slightly different sky.

As above, so below.

Which brings us to
our second lesson.

Every person reads a pattern
in a different way.

There's no right or wrong,
no good or bad.

There's just what you see
and what you miss.

So, how do you
tell the future?

I'm afraid no one in the world
has the power to do that.

Fate, Miss Wetherell,
is not a matter of

what's going to happen;

it's a matter of
what's meant to happen.

If I can convince you
that a certain path

is destined for you,
that's the path you will choose.

It's very simple.

But that's not fate.

I beg your pardon?

That's just you.

The diggings are deadly
in the winter.

Stay here until the spring.

Two shillings a night, plus room
and board. What do you say?

Goodnight, Mr Carver.
Thank you for the company.

Where are you going?

To find Miss Wetherell, of course.

I'll come with you.

Oh, thank you. There's no need.

No trouble. Your first
night in a new place.

- I never told you that.
- Told me what?

That I arrived today.

You didn't have to.
It's written all over you.

Hmm.

Well, goodnight.

- Let's have another round.
- No, I don't need it.

No, I've got something
to show you. Yeah?

It's a contract of sponsorship...
common arrangement.

You see it all the time.

The sponsor, me, buys your
ticket to the goldfield,

your licence, your swag
and tent and dish...

everything you need...
and keeps you fed and watered

while you're over there.
In return, whatever you make,

you split down the middle with me.

I saw you, and
I thought I'd take a punt.

Hey, no Chinese.

Well, I'm not interested.

I said no Chinese.
Get out.

Francis Carver.

Speak English, you mongrel.

That's enough.

Get him!

Somebody catch him.

Who was that?

Show's over.

Get out of here.

Go on!

30 minutes
before we open house.

Just time enough for a cup of tea.

I know where my purse is.

And where is that?

I went for a swim. I must
have left it on the beach.

Ah.

I'll go back for it in the morning.

Hmm.

Shall I make the tea?

Would you?

Miss Anna Wetherell.
Mrs Pennington's Boarding House,

MacAndrew St.

Thank you.

Ladies only.

I'm looking for one of your
guests, a Miss Wetherell.

- Anna Wetherell.
- She's not here.

We made a plan to meet earlier,
but, um, she didn't show.

I just want to make sure she's safe.

- She's not here.
- I know it's late,

but I'm sure she'd receive me,
if you could just ask.

She didn't stay.

Out. Out!

- I'll put a smile on your face.
- Ooh.

No. Thank you. Thank you.

You looking for someone?

Uh, no.

I can get you anything you want.

- Forgive me.
- You want someone else?

- Uh, forgive me.
- You tell me what you want.

Anything you want,
I can find it.

- Are you looking for someone?
- No.

This way.

Would you like a cigar?

Where on earth did you
find this one, Mrs Wells?

To the contrary, I assure you.
Miss Wetherell found me.

Would you gentlemen
like a drink?

Can I see his face?

You can tell me how he died. Or
shall we wait for the autopsy?

I didn't kill him.

What were you doing there?

Where?

Do you know the penalty
for murder, Miss Wetherell?

To be hanged from
the neck until dead.

Dear God.

Who is this?

His name, apparently,
is Crosbie Wells.

- Crosbie Wells?
- Who is Crosbie Wells?

Quite.

Miss Wetherell? Who is he?

To find Miss Wetherell,
of course.

I'm breaking the contract.

He's dead?

Let me see his face.

- Please? Let me see his face.
- That'll do, Reverend.

Good afternoon. I am Gascoigne.

I represent the
Magistrate's Court.

I am authorised to collect bail
and schedule your arraignment.

The universal rate of bail is £1.

For those of you who
wish to pay in pure,

the converted rate is
one-third of an ounce.

However, we do reserve the right
to examine for impurity.

Miss Wetherell?

What happened?

I don't remember.

Who is Crosbie Wells?

Where did you get this?

It's everywhere.

It's in every seam.

Take it.

Is there a problem, Mr Gascoigne?

You have to take it.

You have to take it. You have to.

Mr Gascoigne.

Miss Wetherell...

is hereby released on bail.

Gentlemen.

Mr Lauderback, sir?

The newspaper's asking for you.

Miss Wetherell!
You'd better come with me.

Take this. It belonged to my wife.

It's black.

She was consumptive.
It was to hide the blood.

Well met, indeed, Mr...?

Ben Lowenthal, West Coast Times.

And times they are,
Mr Lowenthal. Times they are.

Shall we buck tradition
and take this outdoors? Hmm?

Give it to me.

- How much is there?
- I don't know.

Let me.

I came to this country, Mr
Lowenthal, with two ambitions...

first, to make my fortune;
second, to double it.

I wonder if I might ask about

the circumstance of
your arrival here.

I made the passage overland,
not by sea,

- because I firmly believe that-
- I meant-

...without a railway...

What happened last night
with Miss Wetherell?

You know her?

The women in this place
are few and far between, sir.

I know them all.
She was unconscious?

Yes, well...

it hardly sets the tone for
the campaign, now, does it?

I don't know, sir.
You found her, brought her in.

I'd call it an act of heroism.

Would you?

I've got a job for you.

6ft, or as far down as you can go.

Were you his brother or not?

A man is dead, possibly
murdered, and you saw nothing?

Middle of nowhere,
middle of the night.

A politician,

a savage and a whore.

Sounds like a riddle, doesn't
it? The beginning of a joke.

I've never seen this gold
before. I promise you.

Anna, what happened last night?

Anna, please.

I went to work.

And then?

I woke up.

Late.

I felt...

strange,

like I wasn't myself.

No, it was more than that.
I felt... I felt...

I felt like I had...
become someone else.

Oh, I believe in good luck.

I just don't believe in bad luck.

So sorry.

That's the opium talking.

But that's the thing...
I didn't take any last night.

I didn't even touch it.

- Why are you lying to me?
- I'm not.

You were unconscious.

I can smell it on you now,
for heaven's sake.

I'm telling you the truth.

Well, who is Crosbie Wells?

I didn't kill him.

Miss Wetherell.

Come play the wheel of fortune.

Sam?

- How does it work?
- How do you think? You spin it.

Who is that?

That is my husband,

Crosbie Wells.