David Copperfield Page #10

Old clothes...

He's going out with the tide.

People can't die along the coast,

except when the tide's pretty nigh out.

Barkis, my dear.

C.P. Barkis.

No better woman anywhere.

Barkis is willing.

I have looked over Mr Barkis's will

and opened the box.

- There was over 3,000 pounds inside.

- 3,000?!

He leaves the interest

on 1,000 to Mr Peggotty

and the rest goes to you.

Not bad for old clothes!

Mr Littimer!

I ain't a person to live with them

as has had money left.

Things go too contrary with me.

I had better be a riddance.

How should I spend it without you?

Don't I want you now more than ever?

I know'd I was never wanted before,

and now I'm told so!

How could I expect to be wanted,

being so lone and lorn?

Lord!

(MRS GUMMIDGE WEEPS)

Master Davy?

Will you step outside for a minute?

I would have died for her.

I'd die for her now!

She's gone, Master Davy.

Emily's gone.

And not alone.

How am I ever to break it to him?

When? How did this happen?

Read it, sir.

Slow, please, so I can take it all in.

"When you, who loved me

so much better than I deserved, see this,

"I shall be far away, never to return,

unless he brings me back a lady.

"Try to think as if I died when I was little,

and was buried somewhere."

She begs forgiveness and tells Ham

to find another more worthy of him.

Who's the man?

I want to know his name!

It ain't no fault of yours.

You couldn't have known.

The servant was seen

with our poor girl last night.

He's been hiding about here

this week or more.

He was out this afternoon

on the Norwich road,

only now his master was with him.

Steerforth?

No, no! He couldn't!

(DAN WAILS)

I knew in my heart

she didn't love me like I loved her.

If I hadn't pressed

my affections on her,

she might have come to me

in the old friendly way

and told me what

was struggling in her mind.

I might have saved her.

You are not to blame, Ham.

Never think that.

I'll take care of Ham, my love.

Don't you worry yourself about that.

My duty here is done.

I'm going to seek my niece.

That's my duty now.

Why do you come here.

What do you want of me?

I want to know if he will do

as he promised and marry her.

Impossible.

A marriage to someone

so far below him

would destroy his career and

ruin his prospects. It will never happen.

If there is any other compensation...

You offer me money as compensation

for my niece's disgrace and ruin?

What compensation can you make for

opening a pit between me and my son?

What is your love to mine?

What is your separation to ours?

My son has been

the object of my life.

My every thought has been devoted

to him, his every wish indulged.

And now he takes up

with a miserable beggar girl

and repays my devotion

with deception.

You speak of your injury?

I come here with no hope,

and I take none away.

Good day, ma'am.

You do well to bring him here!

He's deeply injured,

though you don't seem to know it.

I would have his house torn down

and see her branded on the face!

If I could hunt her

to the grave, I would do it.

Chances are they're

in foreign parts by now.

The sooner I go,

the quicker I'll find them.

You know where I may be reached.

Look out for yourself, old girl

I've got my garden and a little money

now, Dan. Don't worry about me.

If any hurt should come to me,

remember the last words I left for

my child were "love" and "forgiveness".

(DOOR BEING CLOSED)

Aunt!

You remember Peggotty?

For the love of God, don't call her

by that South Sea island name!

She married, didn't she?

What is your name now, Pegg...?

Barkis, ma'am.

You see, that's human.

It sounds less as if

you needed a missionary.

We are older than we were, I see.

How are you, Barkis?

I am heartily sorry for your loss.

Thank you, ma'am. I'm quite well

Oh, yes! Yes, Mr Dick.

It came from Doctor's Commons

while you were away, Trot.

The firm has collapsed

with heavy debts.

Mr Spenlow was bankrupt.

There is nothing left.

Does this mean

Miss Spenlow is destitute?

- I must go to her.

- Oh, Trot!

Oh, Mr Dick!

Shh... That's all right.

It's all right.

I shall take care of you now.

You are still mine, aren't you, Dora?

Of course I am!

It's just that I am so frightened!

There's no need to be afraid.

But we have nothing!

We have everything.

I took with fear

and trembling to authorship.

I wrote a little something

and sent it to a magazine.

It was published.

I wrote more and quickly began

to make a steady income,

enough for Dora and I

to contemplate the future with optimism.

(COACHMAN) Whoa!

I have forgotten what relation

Agnes is to you, Doady.

No blood relation, but we were

brought up like brother and sister.

Dora.

Agnes is so warm and kind.

I was quite frightened of her before,

but now I feel so calm

and peaceful in her company.

I wonder that you

ever fell in love with me.

How could I see you

and not love you?

Don't you think that if I had been

her friend a long time ago,

I might perhaps

have been more clever?

You would prefer me

if I was, wouldn't you?

- What nonsense!

- Is it, Doady? Are you sure?

And so we were married.

The bridesmaids were gone

and the celebrations were over,

and Dora and I

were left alone at last.

Are you happy now, you foolish boy?

But Doady, what shall I do with this?

Jump, Jip.

My love, do you think Mary Anne

has any idea of time?

- Why, Doady?

- Dinner should be at five. It is now six.

I doubt whether two young birds could

have known less about keeping house

than I and my pretty wife did, for the

same thing happened again and again.

- Don't!

- Why not?

- She looks so tired, poor thing.

- Tired? She's drunk!

But she has so many children,

who are a great trial to her.

- Would you carve, Mr Micawber?

- No, no, no.

My pride at hosting

our first dinner together knew no limits,

but alas, the outcome was not

the triumph I had anticipated.

Mutton should always be rare.

Perhaps we should start

with the oysters.

I'm afraid there's something the matter

with them. They don't seem right.

There's nothing wrong.

Capital oysters, in fact.

Only, they have never been opened.

All that is required

for a delightful repast is an oyster knife.

(MICAWBER) No? No matter.

How does Micawber

seem to you, Mr Copperfield?

A little subdued, perhaps.

He is entirely reserved.

He is secret.

He has become severe

to his children

and even looks with an eye of coldness

on the unoffending little stranger

recently added to our familial circle.

It's hard to bear.

Mr Micawber is not the same

since he fell in with Uriah Heep!

(MICAWBER GROANS)

Erm...

Soup, perhaps?

Soup?

Oh, dear...

(BETSEY) You must have

patience with her, Trot.

Just a few words here and there.

Teach her

a little firmness, you mean?

Don't ask me such a thing, Trot.

The outcome would only be failure,

misery for Dora,

and division between us.

(BETSEY) Judge her by the qualities

she has, not by those she lacks.

I was content

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