Berkeley Square Page #5

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Are you so confident that Miss Pettigrew

is not of a mind to break with you?

Kate? Break with me?

Listen, Throstle .. we're going to be

married and have three children.

One dies of smallpox at the age seven,

and is buried in St Mark's churchyard.

That's absurd, isn't it? But

you believe it, don't you?

Well .. since you can read

Miss Pettigrew's future ..

Perhaps you will inform

me as to Miss Helen's?

Helen's?

No .. I don't know that.

Oh come on Throstle,

can't you take a joke?

I don't know any more about

the future than you do.

What have you been saying

to the Duchess, Peter?

She's been repeating things that

don't sound like you at all.

Oh .. I just dazzled her with

a few cheap epigrams.

Made up by a fellow named "Oscar Wilde".

A friend of yours in New York?

No, no .. no, he's dead.

Or rather he's not ..

Never mind. It is a bit complicated.

You did dazzle the Duchess, Peter.

But you made her afraid of you too.

My dear Lady Ann ..

Offense was taken by the Duchess ..

it will be the talk of London tomorrow.

Kate .. you danced with every Tom, Dick

and Harry, and not once with Peter.

And you Helen .. you have not been

even commonly civil to Mr Throstle.

Oh .. I'm .. just ..

I'm stranded.

Sir Joshua presents you his compliments,

by me .. he will paint you no more.

He will destroy your portrait.

The portrait will not be destroyed ..

And Sir Joshua will complete it.

Painters have good eyes.

What did Sir Joshua see?

Kate!

How did you first get into this house?

You walked in here .. but

no-one saw you below.

You remember the rain ..

his shoes were dry!

Madam, if I could have a few

moments alone with Kate ..

Indeed yes, cousin. Oh, we

must see to our other guests.

Come Mr Throstle, come Helen, come Tom.

And we are living in the 18th Century,

the age of reason, the age of Voltaire.

Kate, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Sir Joshua saw it ..

That cursed picture again.

You mustn't talk like this ..

we are going to be married.

In the morning I shall post to Budleigh.

I cannot stay in this house with you.

Kate, you can't break our engagement.

So .. you think there are no limits to

what a wizard can do with a woman.

The women all press

up to you, don't they ..

But no woman wishes to

dance with you twice ..

Excepting Helen.

You think you can make me marry you.

When I fear you .. as I fear the Devil!

Now listen, Kate.

We're going to be married, have children

and live in this house .. that happens!

I'll not return while

you're in this house.

In heaven's name, go back to America!

If that is where you come from ..

But this marriage has to be.

You can't do this .. it

didn't happen this way.

I've a woman's simple answer

for your "can't do this" ..

I've been afraid to look into your eyes.

But now .. look in mine .. and

tell me that you love me.

Kate.

When you see me again.

I may be changed.

I might not seem the same man.

I may feel differently

about Helen and Throstle.

If I do ..

Promise me that you'll stand

by Helen against them all.

Help her Kate .. she'll be

alone. She'll need your help.

She will indeed need help .. if

you take such an interest in her!

One o'clock!

A fine morning!

All .. is .. well ..!

Peter.

You know?

Kate is not herself tonight.

Oh, it isn't Kate's fault.

She's found out that ..

That I don't love her.

But you want to marry her?

I had to play a part .. that was all.

Peter .. how can you speak of

things that haven't happened yet?

How can you know things

you couldn't know?

First .. about my shawl.

And since, so many things.

Helen ..

Things of tomorrow .. seem as

real to me as things of yesterday.

I want to see ahead, the wonderful

things that are coming ..

After we are dead.

So, you're in love with the

future .. as I was in love with ..

There is mystery behind

your eyes .. tell me!

There aren't any words.

No words.

But I think I can see ..

through your eyes.

That isn't possible.

Yes, show me .. I will see!

Helen, your eyes .. they burn.

It is this room .. it blazes

with magic lights.

Not only this room.

All London outside .. is lit by one

movement of a man's hand.

There is your portrait

on the wall, finished.

You said it would be.

The veil is thin for you.

No more of this, Helen.

I must see.

Devils! .. Demons!

Not men.

You've seen the future, Helen.

Oh, it is not true!

God wouldn't have put us here to suffer,

for fiends like that to come after us ..

Oh Helen .. try to understand.

I come to you .. from somewhere else.

That other world ..

That world?

Now, you are afraid of me.

It's not true.

I love you .. oh God help

us both .. I love you.

I loved you before I ever saw you.

In my first dream of you .. coming from

somewhere far away to meet me.

Yes, but Helen .. I'm not

playing my part now.

I'm myself you see .. I'm myself!

This isn't possible, it isn't my life or

yours .. it isn't my world or yours.

Well then, take me with you Peter.

I can't. Then don't leave me!

I won't leave you.

When I kissed Kate .. that was

his kiss .. to his betrothed.

There has never been a kiss like

that .. since the world .. began.

Miss Helen .. sir.

Miss Helen, it has been a week since

I have able to ask about your health.

Has it been so long, Mr Throstle?

I trust sir you have found agreeable

your rides about our countryside.

I love the English countryside.

Some men are more backward

in confessing their affections.

Every tongue in London must be wagging.

Does he not avoid everyone

since our reception?

Are they not seen together every day?

Why, is he not meant to have

Helen after Kate broke with him?

He'd not have leant me more money.

Press him, Ma'am .. press him.

I cannot force the young man

to declare his intentions.

Ye gad, Ma'am, with this Yankee anything

might happen. They must marry at once.

Mr Throstle my Lady.

My dear sir.

We had hoped that your visits here

were not to be discontinued.

In the "altered circumstances"

you would say Lady Ann ..

Of course there is no choice between my

1,500-a-year and your cousin's 10,000.

You know the world, sir.

One corner of it .. fairly well.

Indeed, it was evident that Helen and

Mr Standish were made for one another.

And Mistress Kate .. does she

intend a long stay in the country?

She'd rather be bored to death in the

country than scared to death in town.

Go to The Blue Boar and

I will send you word.

Yes Miss.

Kate, you cannot do it! Have you

no feelings for your poor brother?

So .. because you've had his money

and can't pay if we break with him ..

You would see your sister damned.

First, she puts aside 10,000

a year for herself.

And now she posts to town to prevent

Helen from bringing it into the family.

Sir, is 10,000 a year worth the

loss of Miss Helen's happiness?

What is this Mr Throstle? Who

spoke of loss of happiness?

Madam .. Mr Standish is no fit

mate for any mortal woman.

You know .. you know ..

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