Brideshead Revisited Page #2

-Morning.

(LAUGHING )

RUGB Y PLAYER:

Two tries out of you today...

CharIes. You're to come away at once!

I've got a basket of strawberries

and a bottIe of Chateau Peyraguey,

which isn't a wine you've ever tasted,

so don't pretend.

It's heaven with strawberries.

Just the pIace to bury a crock of goId.

I shouId Iike to bury

something precious

in every pIace where I've been happy.

And, then,

when I was oId and ugIy and miserabIe,

I couId come back

and dig it up and remember.

Come aIong, CharIes.

There's someone I want you to meet.

-Is this where you Iive?

-It's where my famiIy Iive.

Don't worry,

you won't have to meet them.

-Oh, but I shouId Iike to.

-You can't. They're away.

Everything's shut up.

We better go this way.

SEBASTIAN:
Keep up.

CharIes. CharIes.

(BOTH LAUGHING )

(DOOR OPENING )

WeII, this is a surprise!

How IoveIy to see you.

(NANNY HAWKINS EX CLAIMS )

Meet my new chum, CharIes.

CharIes, this is Nanny Hawkins.

This is who I wanted you to meet.

-I don't think I know you, do I?

-How do you do?

Your friend has charming manners.

What famiIy are you from, CharIes?

-No famiIy. I mean, no one important.

-CharIes is an artist.

-He's going to paint me.

-How joIIy.

You've come at just the right time.

Lady Marchmain's

on her way up from London.

It's the Conservative Women's Tea.

They aIways turn out for Brideshead.

I'm afraid we may have

to miss them, Nanny.

Your mother wiII be disappointed.

I'm sure Her Ladyship

wouId want to meet...

Can't be done, I'm afraid.

Got to get back or we'II be gated.

I pray for my dear Sebastian every day.

-CharIes!

-It was very nice to meet you.

-Come aIong, CharIes.

-CouIdn't we just have a quick Iook?

We've seen who we came for.

We can go.

Just a IittIe Iook.

Don't be such a tourist, CharIes.

If you're that keen,

you can see it aII for a shiIIing

on Queen AIexandra's Day.

God, I Ioathe that painting!

I couId show you the chapeI, I suppose,

if we're quick.

What did you do that for?

-You're not CathoIic, are you?

-No.

-I was just trying to fit in.

-WeII, don't.

SEBASTIAN:
Come on, come on!

CHARLES:

Sorry, I'm afraid I don't have the knack.

CharIes, what are you doing?

(CAR ENGINE STARTING )

Car. Now.

Who was that in the car

with your mother?

-My sister.

-What's she Iike?

For goodness sake, CharIes,

I don't keep asking you questions

about your famiIy.

But I've never

asked you anything before.

You're so inquisitive.

WeII, you're so mysterious about them.

I hoped I was mysterious

about everything.

Why don't you want me

to meet your famiIy?

Who are you ashamed of, them or me?

Don't be so vuIgar, CharIes.

I'm not having you mixed up

with my famiIy. You're my friend.

I don't have a famiIy.

You have me.

Sebastian and CharIes,

contra mundum.

Contra mundum.

CHARLES:
Father?

Father?

-Back aIready?

-Term's over.

So soon?

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

(DOOR OPENING )

CHARLES:
Thank you.

-Father, I have to Ieave at once!

-Oh, yes?

A great friend of mine

has had a terribIe accident.

-I must go to him.

-May I?

''GraveIy injured.

Come at once. Sebastian.''

I'm sorry you're upset.

Reading this message,

I wouId say that the accident was not

as serious as you seem to suggest

or it wouId not have been signed

by the victim himseIf.

StiII, of course, he may weII be

fuIIy conscious, but horribIy paraIyzed.

Remind me.

Why is your presence necessary?

I toId you, he's a great friend.

WeII, I shaII miss you, my boy,

but don't hurry back on my account.

GUARD:
Take your bag, sir?

Excuse me!

Are you CharIes Ryder?

Yes. Sorry. HeIIo.

I'm JuIia, Sebastian's sister.

I've been sent to pick you up.

Hop in, Mr. Ryder.

-Case in the back.

-Sorry, yes.

How's Sebastian?

-He's fine.

-Fine?

Did he teII you he was dying?

WeII, I thought... His message said...

I expect he thought

you wouIdn't come if you knew.

He's not badIy hurt, then?

He cracked a bone in his foot

so smaII it hasn't even got a name.

-How did it happen?

-PIaying croquet.

I must admit,

I did think it was a IittIe queer,

you traveIing aII this way

for a croquet injury.

I don't mind.

It's wonderfuI to be here again.

Is it? Why?

WeII, it's such a beautifuI house,

for one thing.

I can't stand the pIace.

Be an angeI and Iight me one.

There you are, at Iast!

-I thought you were dying.

-I thought I was, too.

The pain was excruciating.

JuIia, ask WiIcox

to fetch us some champagne.

-I hate champagne.

-For our guest.

WeII, take your coat off. You'II boiI.

Come aIong, CharIes.

SEBASTIAN:

I thought you hated champagne.

I do.

I suppose Sebastian's toId you

aII about us?

No. No, nothing at aII,

as a matter of fact.

And nor shouId I.

What?

-I take it you're not one of us?

-Don't answer.

I don't Iive Iike this,

if that's what you mean.

She means you're not a CathoIic.

Sorry, no. No, nothing at aII.

-You mean you're an atheist?

-WeII, yes, I suppose.

StrictIy speaking, we're C of E,

but Father onIy ever goes

for Christmas and funeraIs.

He Iikes those.

-What about your mother?

-She's dead.

I was very young.

She died working for the Red Cross.

Which, given her devotion to good,

does rather point up

the arbitrariness of it aII.

I see. So, you're here arbitrariIy?

He's here as my friend.

Given Mr. Ryder's

staunch position on reIigion,

don't you think he ought to know

what he's getting into?

Leave CharIes out of it.

-TeII me.

-SEBASTIAN:
Oh, God.

Mummy takes her faith

very seriousIy, indeed.

So seriousIy, in fact,

that our fat IittIe priest, Father Mackay,

caIIed her a Iiving saint.

Mind you, he drinks.

Sebastian and I

are a coupIe of heathens.

I'm not a heathen, I'm a sinner.

Cast out from God's Iove.

As for you,

you're not a heathen at aII, not reaIIy.

Why do we aIways end up

taIking about famiIy?

It's time for my bath.

Good evening, Mr. Ryder.

Look after my brother.

(SIGHS )

I don't think your sister

Iikes me very much.

SEBASTIAN:
I don't think

she cares for anyone much.

I Iove her.

She's Iike me.

Drink in remembrance of me.

(CHARLES CHUCKLING )

CHARLES:
Hang on.

(CHARLES LAUGHING )

(SEBASTIAN GROANING )

In fact, I know that that's checkmate.

CHARLES:
Come here.

(CHUCKLES )

SEBAS TIAN:
If only it could be

like this always.

AIways summer.

Always alone.

Fruit aIways ripe.

CHARLES:
Cheers.

SEBASTIAN:
Now,

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING )

try this.

-No?

-It's a shy IittIe wine. Like a gazeIIe.

-Like a Ieprechaun.

-DappIed in a tapestry meadow.

(BOTH LAUGHING )

SEBASTIAN:
A fIute by stiII water.

This is a wise oId wine.

(SEBASTIAN EX CLAIMS )

A prophet in a cave.

CHARLES:
And this

is a string of pearIs on a white neck.

(CHUCKLES )

-A swan.

-The Iast unicorn.

(SEBASTIAN CHUCKLES )

(BOTH CHUCKLING )

(CHARLES EX CLAIMS )

Who's that?

-Is that your brother?

-Yes, that's Bridey.

-He seems aII right to me.

-Wait tiII you meet him.

Mother.

HeIIo, there.

SEBASTIAN:
Go away,

we're not decent!

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