Amazing Grace Page #6

and the reformation of society.

Agh! Agh!

Sir!

Marjorie.

The trouble is, Doctor, he doesn't believe he has a body.

Utterly careless of it. He, um...

He thinks he's a disembodied spirit.

Perhaps you should spend some time away from London.

- What's this?

- Laudanum, for the pain.

An opiate? No, no, no.

I need my mind sharp.

You need to rest.

My bill is before the House in three weeks.

- Would you leave us a moment, Doctor?

- Yes, Prime Minister.

It's now five years since you first

brought this bill to the House.

And each time we get a little closer.

Wilberforce, there are other MPs

who could carry the debate.

Who? Name one.

The only man I would trust is you.

Well?

I can't be seen to openly oppose the king

when the streets of Paris run with blood.

You've read too many lurid newspaper articles.

The French Republic plans to declare war within the year.

- On who?

- On who?

You're locked inside your own head!

Us, Great Britain, everything we stand for!

Considering the situation,

you mix with the wrong people.

- Who do I mix with?

- Clarkson, for one.

- Who introduced me to Clarkson?

- In different times.

They say in the cafs that Clarkson's a French spy.

And Equiano, they say he was born in Carolina,

and as an American,

therefore must be a revolutionary.

Others say they've seen with their own eyes

letters addressed to you from Thomas Jefferson.

- On matters to do with abolition.

- War changes everything.

- Even friendships?

- Especially those!

So you will keep your precious conscience intact

and let the rest of us do the war's dirty work.

Conscience is indeed precious.

I am warning you as your prime minister

that when war comes,

opposition will soon be called sedition!

By who?

By you?

This evening I would like to

return to the theme of abolition.

In these dangerous times,

it is easy to put aside our concerns for those in need

simply to confirm our loyalty to the nation.

But the issues of war and the

issues of slavery must not be confused.

Our fear of an unknown enemy must not be allowed

to erode our long-cherished liberties.

If this is to happen, how bitter will our history be?

We must not prohibit all political

discussion of political subjects.

The issue of slavery is not made any less important

by the unrelated issues of war!

In war or in peace, the buying and selling of human beings

is equally abhorrent!

This is not a seditious statement!

Where is your laudanum?

I'll prepare it for you.

No. No, I want to tell you how it ends.

I already know.

Your bills were easily defeated.

Equiano... died in his bed.

Thomas Clarkson found a cottage

in the hills to hide away in.

Charles Fox watched and waited.

The Quakers still sent their letters.

No one replied.

Is that the end of your story?

- You think not?

- No.

- Why not?

- Because after night comes day.

The people aren't so afraid now the

war with France is being won.

And when they stop being afraid,

they rediscover their compassion.

So the people have their compassion back.

And you still have passion.

That matters more.

- Good morning, Wilber.

- Morning.

- Get much sleep?

- Not much.

- What time did Barbara leave?

- Late.

I mean, early.

I'm afraid I'm going back to London.

- So soon?

- Yes.

I think the waters worked their magic on me.

But I need to send a letter to James Stephen.

- To ask him to come back to England.

- For what reason?

To put his evidence before a select committee.

Also, Barbara and I have discovered

that we're both impatient

and prone to rash decisions.

But she wants to tell you about it herself.

Ladies and gentlemen, before we begin,

we will sing the hymn requested by the bride.

# Amazing Grace

# How sweet the sound

# That saved a wretch like me

# I once was lost

# But now am found

# Was blind but now I see...

- Delightful service.

- Thank you so much for coming.

Thank you.

How are you coping with the new kitchen?

"Great changes are easier than small ones."

- Francis Bacon.

- Well done.

- Have you forgiven us yet?

- Never.

It'll be wonderful to have you both living so near.

Thank you.

I do hope you didn't come to Clapham for the tranquillity.

- We're very noisy neighbours.

- I'm counting on it.

Barbara.

- You have my deepest condolences.

- Thank you so much.

But please, I beg of you, do this for me.

Make him eat some of his pets.

- Oh, I rather like them.

- I like them too. In brandy sauce.

- If you'll excuse me...

- There's no need, Barbara.

You're discussing politics with your eyes.

You may as well do it with your mouths.

I, uh... didn't think you'd invite me.

Didn't think you'd come.

- You well?

- My mind's well.

The rest of me is fraying at the edges.

Billy, I'm going to try again.

Well?

It's your wedding day.

I agree with everything you say.

I never changed.

- I don't change.

- Well, hurrah for you.

The mood may even be swinging back in your favour.

How can we live in houses like

this when others are living in boxes?

Is that still sedition?

As your prime minister, I urge caution.

- And as my friend?

- Oh, to hell with caution.

When the slaves are flogged on the wharfs,

their arms are tied to a hook on a crane

and weights of 56 pounds

applied to their feet.

The crane is raised

so that their feet barely touch the ground.

The slaves are then whipped

with ebony bushes, comma...

...to let out the congealing blood.

I don't hear the nib scratching the page.

We have company, sir.

John, it's me, Wilber.

Leave it.

They only told me your sight was fading.

Well, now it's faded altogether.

I never did things by halves.

God decided I'd seen enough.

- So it's true.

- What's true?

- You're writing your account.

- Uh-huh.

I wish I could see your face.

- How are you looking?

- The same.

- Still too thin.

- A little fatter lately.

She feeds you well then, this wife of yours?

- She's given me an appetite.

- An appetite to change things?

This is my confession.

You must use it.

Names, ships' records,

ports, people.

Everything I remember is in here.

Although my memory is fading,

I remember two things very clearly:

I'm a great sinner and Christ is a great saviour.

You must publish it.

Blow a hole in their boat with it.

Damn them with it!

I wish I could remember all their names.

My 20,000 ghosts,

they all had names.

Beautiful African names.

We called them with just grunts.

Noises.

We were apes. They were human.

I'm weeping.

I couldn't weep till I wrote this.

"I once was blind, but now I see."

Didn't I write that too?

Yes, you did.

Well, now at last it's true.

Now go, Wilber. Go.

We have lots of work to do, you and I.

"Strange treasures in this fair world appear,

strange all and new to me."

That is a poem by Thomas Traherne,

and I have absolutely no idea what it's about.

But when I was small,

I was made to learn it by heart,

so I don't see why you shouldn't suffer too.

Clarkson! Clarkson!

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