Devotion Page #4

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about your employers.

But to record their shortcomings

is the height of indecency.

Prying into the lives of others

is the art of a novelist, Aunt.

Well, heaven be praised,

you are not novelists.

No. We are not novelists .. yet.

"The night is darkening round me."

"The wild winds coldly blow."

Give me that, Charlotte!

"But the pirates then found

me and I cannot, cannot go."

Charlotte!

There is no need to get excited, Emily.

I think it is a very beautiful poem.

I don't care what you think of it.

But please keep your

fingers away from my work.

I'm very sorry, Emily.

But Charlotte has such

a lovely plan, Emily.

She thought we might all put our poems

in one package and send them to London.

"Poems by three sisters."

Think what a stir it would

cause if they were published.

I would as soon think of publishing

my poems as .. selling Keeper.

Come, come girls, hurry.

You are the strangest creatures.

You have finally secured an

invitation to Thornton House.

And now you talk of nothing but poetry.

You'll never get husbands that way.

Your necklace, Emily.

Charlotte .. remember you'll

be among the fox-hunting set.

No talk of poetry, please.

And .. I hear that Dr Seaton's

son has turned over a new leaf.

And he need no longer be avoided.

Quite the contrary, in fact.

If anyone should ask you to dance

Emily, don't try to look pleased.

Now come along, girls, hurry.

And enjoy yourselves.

Goodbye, Aunt.

Goodbye, Aunt.

Good evening Mr Nicholls.

What a pleasant surprise.

Good evening.

Where is Branwell?

Your brother wishes me to tell you

that he will meet you in the village.

He's asked me to escort you there.

Well, that is very kind

of you, Mr Nicholls.

May I introduce you to my sisters, Anne?

How do you do?

How do you do?

And Charlotte.

How do you do?

How do you do?

Are we waiting for anything, Mr Nicholls?

No, I beg your pardon.

Are we not to meet Branwell at the Inn?

I thought you might prefer

to wait at a little distance.

We have learned not to be

over-sensitive, Mr Nicholls.

So, if we are to meet our brother

at the Inn, let us stop at the Inn.

I'll fetch him.

Hello!

Here I am, right on time, you see.

Oh such finery, such elegance.

Branwell, get in. We're late.

Give me the reins, Nicholls.

We'll be there in no time at all.

I think I will drive, Mr Bront.

Very well.

Well, it we're to have

a priest as pilot ..

Why not a painter as postilion?

Get off you fool!

I think that's what the

horse is trying to say.

There.

There.

There.

I thought we would reach Thornton

House rather earlier than expected.

Oh, you were wonderful, Mr Nicholls.

Thank you, Mr Nicholls. Now will you

turn around and go back to the village.

For what, Miss Bront?

For Branwell. He may be hurt.

A few bruises on that wild

head won't come amiss.

Be good enough to do

as I say, Mr Nicholls.

I'm afraid I must decline, Miss Bront.

Your brother is in no fit condition

to squire you to Thornton House.

I order you to return instantly!

At this very moment, Branwell

may be lying dead in the gutter.

At this very moment, I don't care.

We shall want the carriage at 11:30.

As I shall be present at the ball,

it can be arranged quite easily.

Are we to have you as a

chaperone this evening?

I'm afraid so.

Good heavens.

Miss Bront, I believe.

Good evening, Lady Thornton.

Home for the holidays?

No, I haven't been away.

Good evening, Mr Nicholls.

How do you do.

May I have the pleasure

of a dance, Miss Bront?

I'm sorry, Mr Nicholls.

My program is full.

May I have the pleasure of

the next waltz, Miss Anne?

Why yes, Mr Nicholls.

Are you going to dance with

me tonight, Miss Emily?

As often as you like, Mr Nicholls.

Well, everyone seems to

be enjoying themselves.

Those unhealthy girls from the Vicarage

haven't sat out a single dance.

I only asked them to alleviate

the bareness of the walls.

Why do you call them unhealthy?

They like poetry. They go for long walks.

And the eldest one collects

brown packing-paper, as a hobby.

That one looks as though she may collect

a husband before the evening is out.

So, you see I've turned

over an entirely new leaf.

Oh, I know Mr Seaton. My Aunt says

you are no longer to be avoided.

Quite the contrary in fact.

Really, Miss Anne.

You do say the oddest things.

Don't be angry with

Charlotte, Mr Nicholls.

She has a sharp tongue, but she

doesn't mean what she says.

You'll find that out when

you get to know her better.

The whole incident is already forgotten.

Have you killed many foxes

lately, Sir John? What?

Are you glad to be home

again, Miss Bront?

I'm not sure.

Mr Nicholls, I find after all that I

am disengaged for the next dance.

You have my sympathy, Miss Bront.

I should like to have the next

dance with you, Mr Nicholls.

With pleasure, Miss Bront.

Do not imagine that my singular request

is prompted by a desire to dance with you.

In that case, we had better find

somewhere where we can talk.

Where shall we sit?

Mr Nicholls. I have noticed, and I think

many people here must have noticed.

That you have paid very particular

attention to my sister, Emily.

In your absence Miss Bront, your sister

Emily and I have become good friends.

I value that friendship, and I have

every intention of preserving it.

And I have every intention

of protecting my sister ..

From any humiliation to which her

generous nature might lead her.

It is useless to prolong

this conversation.

Shall we return?

What I have to say will not take long.

I have a plan for Emily.

A dream very dear to both our hearts.

Any obstacle which stands in the way of

fulfilment I will remove without scruple.

Do I make myself clear?

May I ask the nature of your plan?

When I have saved sufficient

money from my present duties.

I am going to take Emily to Brussels.

There are Pensions there ..

That offer an excellent education in

exchange for the teaching of English.

An admirable plan, Miss Bront.

Most practical.

It surprises me that anything of such a

prosaic nature should haunt your dreams.

Is it prosaic to want

to escape from this ..

This rut in which we've

spent all our lives?

Is it ignoble to yearn

for a bigger world?

A world rich in material for the

books we shall one day write?

Miss Emily gives me the impression of

being happy in her "rut", as you call it.

And you?

And I?

You I fear, will take your rut with you.

They are playing the music for

the next dance. Shall we go in?

With pleasure.

I hope it is clear, Mr Nicholls that you

will dance no more with Emily now.

On the contrary .. I'm going

to ask her for the next dance.

Very well .. you came to

the Vicarage at my request.

And tomorrow you shall leave at it.

There are ways of dealing with ladies of

your perverse temperament, Miss Bront.

It is fortunate for you that

I am not a woman beater.

Charlotte .. Charlotte.

What is it?

Charlotte, please come.

Well, Sir John.

Are you still pursuing the

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