David Copperfield Page #11

to heed my aunt's advice,

but the happiness I had once

anticipated for myself eluded me,

and there was always

something wanting.

I had no equal partner

in the toils and cares of our life.

Yet my decision

to adapt myself to Dora

made our second year

much happier than our first,

and when I learnt

that she was expecting a child,

it seemed our joy

might yet be complete.

But already, dark clouds

had begun to gather around us.

You may go up now. She's resting.

She might still have a child one day?

Your wife is very weak,

Mr Copperfield.

When I can run about again,

I shall make Jip race with me.

You are getting quite slow and lazy.

He has a worse disorder

than laziness, my dear.

Age.

Oh, poor Jip!

How strange that he should be old.

Even little Jip.

Let Jip have his rest.

I'll give you another dog to race with.

Oh, I couldn't have any other dog.

You are not so old, Jip, are you,

that you'll leave your mistress yet?

We may still keep each other

company a little longer.

We shall both be running about

again soon, as we used to do.

Anxious as I was about Dora,

I never forgot Dan Peggotty,

who travelled restlessly

across Europe,

never wavering in the certainty

that he would find his niece.

- How long is it since your return?

- A month.

And still no news?

If she were ever to leave him, London

is where she'd come to lose herself.

These are the places

I must look for her now.

Emily?

Emily!

If you need me, sir,

send word here.

Many a time in me sleep,

I heard her cry out, "Uncle!"

And fall like death before me.

Many a time I raised her up

and whispered to her,

"Emily, my dear.

I am come for to bring forgiveness,

"and to take you home."

I sent for you because there is news.

She has run away.

Tell him what you know.

Mr Steerforth and myself have been

abroad with the young woman

ever since she left Yarmouth

under his protection.

She was much admired

wherever we went.

The whole thing lasted longer

than anyone might have expected,

but, at last, Mr Steerforth grew restless

and charged me with breaking the news

to the young woman that he was gone.

Mr Steerforth proposed

that the young woman should marry

a very respectable person who was

fully prepared to overlook the past.

- You!

- Her conduct was surprisingly bad.

- She showed no gratitude at all

- Get him out of here.

This low girl he picked

out of the tide mud may be dead.

If not, it is in both our interests

that she be found.

She must not be allowed

to prey on him again.

You wrong her most grievously.

Is he informed of everything, Rosa?

Then there is nothing else

to detain you here, Mr Copperfield.

I am told you have

some reputation as a writer now.

I find my name

connected with a little praise.

It is a pity you have no mother.

She would have been proud of you.

Do you mind if I say

something very, very silly?

More than usual, I mean.

I feel so foolish sitting here quite idle.

I want to do something to help

while you are so industrious.

Please. Let me hold the pens for you.

Thank you, sir.

Stop here!

Go to the inn in Buckingham Street

and ask for a Mr Peggotty.

Bring him here in ten minutes

and I will double it.

(EMILY)... it was before I turned

my back on everyone I ever loved!

(ROSA) Your home? Do you think

I care about your home?

You were bought and sold like any

other commodity your people deal in.

- Say anything you like...

- (DAVID) Emily!

(EMILY) I believed him, loved him!

- (DAN) Master Davey, where are you.?

- She dares to speak of her love!

- Emily! Oh, my girl!

- Uncle!

Tell this piece of pollution

to hide herself beyond reach

or to seek some obscure death.

If she is still here tomorrow,

I will see her whipped.

Nobody is going to say

a cruel word about my darling again.

We'll go where nobody knows us,

to the ends of the earth if we have to.

Mr Peggotty resolved that

they must start a new life in Australia.

Knowing that she would

never again return to her home,

Emily begged me

to take a letter to Ham.

I solemnly accepted her commission,

but on my arrival in Yarmouth,

I found the town deserted

and a dreadful storm raging.

(BELLS ARE RUNG)

- What's going on?

- A clipper from Spain has foundered!

She's breaking up!

- Davy!

- Is there nothing can be done?

- (PEGGOTTY) It's too dangerous!

- God have mercy on his soul

It's Steerforth!

For God's sake, Ham,

don't go in there.

I can't stand by

and watch a man drown.

It's Steerforth!

(PEGGOTTY) Ham! No!

Please don't go!

(PEGGOTTY) Ham!

(PEGGOTTY) Ham!

(PEGGOTTY) Ham!

(PEGGOTTY) He's reached him!

Pull them in! Pull!

(DAVID) Pull! Pull!

(DAVID) Pull harder! Haul them in!

For God's sake, pull!

Pull harder!

(DAVID) Ham!

Ham!

HAM!!

(BELLS TOLL)

(WOMAN WAILING)

The other's come ashore, sir.

Dead? In Yarmouth?

(DAVID) No one will ever know

why he was there.

I can only hope that he came

to make amends to Emily and her family.

(ROSA) Why did you not forgive him?

(MRS STEERFORTH WEEPS)

Look at your dead child's handiwork.

Your pampering

of his pride and passion did this!

- Look and cry for what you made him.

- Miss Dartle!

I will speak!

I could have loved him

and asked for no return.

I would have been his slave

for one kind word a year.

Your love was proud and selfish!

At least show some feeling

for a mother's grief.

Who feels for me?

There, there. Hush.

Hush.

It was an evil hour

he ever brought you to this house.

Is there something wrong, Doady?

No, I'm fine. Nothing at all

Mr Micawber.

I put my hand in no man's hand,

until I have blown to fragments

that detestable serpent Heep!

You must go to Canterbury, Doady.

If you don't I shall be very cross and

disagreeable and make Jip bark at you.

Trot can go. I shall stay here.

Why shouldn't you both go?

I have Peggotty now.

I'm not so very ill, am I?

- No, of course not!

- What a question!

Well, then. You must go,

or I shall begin to think

I'm really ill and cry all day!

- Is Miss Trotwood with you?

- She is on her way.

Everything is prepared, Copperfield.

Well, I am sure,

this is an unexpected pleasure!

Don't wait, Micawber.

Go along. I'll talk to you presently.

If there is a scoundrel on this earth with

whom I have already talked too much,

that scoundrel's name is Heep!

Oh, I see it now...

This is a conspiracy.

You have corrupted my clerk.

Deal with him

as he deserves, Mr Micawber.

- Ury...

- Hold your tongue, Mother.

They'll gain nothing

listening to this pompous fool

Approach me again, you heap of

infamy, and it will be your head. Chair!

This scoundrel, Heep,

employed me

in the belief that I shared

the baseness of his nature.

I found my services constantly required

for the falsification of business

and the mystification of Mr Wickfield.

Ask this wretch, Heep, if you will,

who lives in his house after him.

You do, you imbecile.

Ask him if he kept a pocket book

of his transactions

in that house

which he later tried to burn?

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