Becoming Jane Page #6

"It was so very much appreciated

by your father and I.

" You're so kind to share your uncle's allowance.

"Indeed, I do not dare think

how we would survive without it. "

Well done. Thank you, sirs.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, back on

the coach as soon as you can, thank you.

We are ready.

- Worried?

- No.

- Is it the loss of your reputation?

- No.

The loss of yours.

- I do not...

- Please, sir, come along, the coach is departing.

Come.

Changing horses.

Twenty minutes only.

House of office at the back of the inn.

All down, quick as you like.

How many brothers and sisters

do you have in Limerick, Tom?

Enough. Why?

What are the names of your brothers and sisters?

They...

On whom do they depend?

Your reputation is destroyed.

Your profligacy is a beautiful sham.

- I can earn money.

- It will not be enough.

I will rise.

With a High Court Judge as your enemy?

And a penniless wife?

God knows how many mouths depending on you?

My sweet, sweet friend,

you will sink, and we will all sink with you.

- I will...

Hampshire Flyer.

Hampshire Flyer's leaving in five minutes.

No! No, Jane.

I will never give you up.

- Tom...

- Don't speak or think.

Just love me. Do you love me?

Yes.

But if our love destroys your family,

it will destroy itself.

- No.

- Yes.

In a long, slow degradation

of guilt and regret and blame.

That is nonsense.

Truth.

Made from contradiction.

But it must come with a smile.

Or else I shall count it as false

and we shall have had no love at all.

Please.

Goodbye.

Typical bloody runaway. "Will I, won't I?"

Miss. Miss.

All right, off you go.

Hello?

- Where is everyone?

- Looking for you, Miss. Looking everywhere.

- Thank you, Jenny.

- Mr Warren.

Your family tried to keep the matter

from the servants, but...

Where is that blackguard Lefroy?

My God, if Henry finds him, he'll kill him.

He won't find him.

If he does, he won't kill him.

There's no need.

What happened?

Nothing happened.

I see. I see.

Jane,

I may have less personal charm than Lefroy.

Superficial charm to some eyes.

To others, it is mere affectation, but I...

- I have no hopes.

- Hopes?

You cannot begin to imagine.

Thank you for the great honour of your offer,

but are there no other women in Hampshire?

It was you who wrote the judge.

You must consider

how much I have always loved you.

Well?

You came back to us.

Leave it.

Mr Austen, I must inform you

that I shall not attend service today.

- Not in the presence of this young woman.

- Indeed...

- lf I must speak plainly...

- Aunt.

I believe your youngest daughter

has been on a journey.

- Her Ladyship considers travel a crime?

- Unsanctioned travel.

Furthermore, be aware that my nephew

has withdrawn his addresses

to someone without family, fortune, importance

and fatally tainted by suspicion.

- Oh, she has family, madam.

Indeed she has.

Importance may depend upon other matters

than Your Ladyship can conceive.

As to fortune, a young woman

might depend upon herself.

An interesting notion, Miss Austen.

Oblige me a walk along the river

to enlarge upon the topic.

Wisley?

I am sorry if my conduct

has disappointed you, Mr Wisley.

It seems you cannot bring yourself

to marry without affection.

Or even with it.

I respect you for that

and share your opinion. Neither can I.

I'd always hoped to win your love in time,

but I am vain enough to want to be loved

for myself rather than my money.

Do we part as friends?

We do.

- So, you will live...

- By my pen. Yes.

Will all your stories have happy endings?

My characters will have,

after a little bit of trouble,

all that they desire.

The good do not always come to good ends.

It is a truth universally acknowledged.

"...that a single man

in possession of a good fortune

"must be in want of a wife."

"However little known the feelings

or views of such a man may be

"on his first entering a neighbourhood,

"this truth is so well fixed

in the minds of the surrounding families,

"that he is considered as the rightful property

of some one or other of their daughters.

" 'My dear Mr Bennet, '

said his lady to him, one day,

" 'Have you heard

that Netherfield Park is let at last? '

"Mr Bennet replied that he had not.

"'But it is, ' returned she..."

Is it Miss Austen? The Miss Austen?

No, Madam. That courtesy,

according to the customs of precedence,

belongs to my elder sister.

Miss Jane Austen,

the authoress of Pride and Prejudice?

My sister wishes to remain anonymous,

but your kind regard is much appreciated.

- Thank you.

- Thank you.

Please, come through.

I shall never forgive Henry for this.

Yes, you will.

We always forgive him for everything.

Jane, an old friend.

Late as ever.

Madame le Comtesse, Miss Austen.

Mr Lefroy.

Please allow me to introduce to you

your most avid of admirers,

my daughter, Miss Lefroy.

Miss Austen, what a pleasure to meet you.

Will you read for us this evening?

Ah, well, you see, my sister never reads.

Otherwise, how else is she

supposed to remain anonymous?

- But...

- Jane.

I will make an exception

if my new friend wishes it.

Come, sit by me.

She is lovely, Tom.

"She began now to comprehend

"that he was exactly the man who,

in disposition and talents,

"would most suit her.

"His understanding and temper,

though unlike her own,

"would have answered all her wishes.

"It was an union that must have been

to the advantage of both.

"By her ease and liveliness,

"his mind might have been softened,

his manners improved,

"and from his judgment,

information and knowledge of the world,

"she must have received benefit

of greater importance.

"But no such happy marriage

could now teach the admiring multitude

"what connubial felicity really was."

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