Disgrace

I haven't heard

from my daughter.

Still living with a woman?

Yes, still a lesbian.

Still on the farm.

She thinks it's safe there.

Nowhere's safe.

Too many people with nothing to do

but cause trouble.

How's work?

They look through me

when I speak, forget my name.

There's no respect anymore.

Have you missed me?

I miss you all the time.

I'm curious.

How do you manage this life?

Is there a husband?

You better go now.

I forgot to tell you, my mother's ill.

I have to take care of her,

so I won't be here next week.

Will I see you the Thursday after?

I'm not sure.

Why don't you ring the agency?

Give me your number.

I'll ring you direct.

No. Ring the agency.

"That had usurped upon a living

thought that never more could be."

Why did Wordsworth use

the unusual verb form 'usurp upon'?

Because 'usurp upon' means

to intrude or encroach upon.

"The clouds cleared, the peak was

unveiled, and we grieved to see it."

Why 'grieve'?

My lunch is wet. Wait.

Oww!

Are you alright?

I'm fine.

Melanie, isn't it?

My favourite season and time of day.

Do you live around here?

Across the line. I share a flat.

I live nearby.

May I invite you for a drink?

OK.

But I have to be back by 7:30.

What is the reason for taking

a course in Romantic poetry?

It's mainly for the atmosphere.

Are you enjoying the course?

I'm not that crazy about Wordsworth.

Wordsworth has been

one of my masters.

Maybe he'll grow on me.

Maybe.

But in my experience, poetry speaks

to you at first sight or not at all.

Like falling in love.

What are your career plans?

Stagecraft and design.

I'm doing a diploma in theatre.

- I see.

- Yeah.

You've got a lot of books on Byron.

Didn't he die young?

They all die young

or dry up or... go mad.

I must go.

Stay longer.

Why?

Because you ought to.

- Why ought I?

- Why?

Because a woman's beauty

does not belong to her alone,

it's part of the bounty

she brings into the world.

She has a duty to share it.

What if I already share it?

Then you should share it more widely.

I must leave.

Shall I walk you home?

No.

Very well. Goodbye.

Hello?

May I speak to Melanie, please?

Just a minute.

Is something the matter?

Are you worried about the two of us?

Maybe.

No need.

I won't let it go too far.

I'll give you a ride home.

I missed you yesterday in class.

Are you alright?

Did you get my carnations?

Is there something wrong?

Please, tell me.

Thanks.

Aren't you going to invite me in?

I think my flatmate is home.

What about this evening?

I've got rehearsals.

Then when do I see you again?

Thanks.

Could you do my hair

like Oprah's?

Ooh! We don't want much now,

do we, dearie?

Well, I'll go and make

some magic chemicals...

But meanwhile, can I get you ladies

some coffee?

I'll have mine white, please.

I'll have mine black, please.

Well, that's easy to remember!

I've come for the job you've advertised.

So? What are you waiting for?

There's the broom.

Make yourself useful!

Hmm!

No! No! Everything

has to happen much quicker!

A la Marx Brothers!

Ryan, is this gadget going to work?

I want a loud bang and sparks.

Are the others going to work?

There's only one lamp blinking.

Melanie, don't pre-empt. I want

to see shock in your body language.

You 're coming across

like a limp fish.

Not now, my cousin will be back!

So you 're the professor, huh?

Melanie's told me about you.

Indeed. What has she told you?

- That you f*** her.

- That's enough.

What do you want?

Don't tell me that's enough!

You can't do what you want

when it suits you!

It's time for you to leave.

Goodbye, Professor Chips.

Just you wait and see.

As we saw last week,

notoriety and scandal affected

not only Byron's life

but also the way his poems

were received by the public.

"At times resign his own

for others' good

"But not in pity

"Not because he ought

"But in some strange perversity

of thought

"That swayed him onward

with a secret pride

"To do what a few

or none would do beside

"And this same impulse would

in tempting time

"Mislead his spirit

equally to crime."

So...

What kind of creature is this Lucifer?

He does what he feels like.

Doesn't care if it's good or bad,

he just does it.

Exactly.

Good or bad, he just does it.

He doesn't act on principles

but on impulse,

and the source of his impulses

is dark to him.

Read a few lines further.

"His madness was not of the head

but heart..."

A mad heart.

What is a mad heart?

Never mind.

Note that we are not asked to condemn

this being with a mad heart.

On the contrary,

we are invited to sympathise.

For though he lives among us,

he is not one of us.

He is what he calls himself, a 'thing',

that is, a monster.

Not possible to love...

...and condemned to solitude.

Melanie, may I have a word with you

in my office, please?

Melanie...

Would you mind

waiting outside, please?

My dear, I can't have your friend

disrupting my class.

And you have to make up

the test you missed.

I can't. I haven't done the reading.

Just take the test, Melanie.

Let's set a date.

How about next Monday?

You've got the weekend

to do the reading.

12 o'clock,

here in my office.

Where can I find Professor Lurie?

Here I am.

Professor, what you have done

is not right.

You should be ashamed of yourself!

We never thought we were sending

our daughter into a nest of vipers!

Won't you come to my office?

So help me God if I have

the wrong end of the stick,

but I don't think so.

I can see it from your face.

Excuse me,

I have business to attend to.

Professor Lurie! Professor Lurie!

You can't run away!

You haven't heard

the last of it yet!

I was thinking of seeing Lucy

after the inquiry.

Of course I haven't told her.

Well, let me tell you,

everyone already knows

about this latest affair of yours

in the juiciest detail.

Really?

The story is she took sleeping pills.

Come on, David,

we shared a bed for 10 years.

Why should you have secrets?

Was she in love with you?

No, Rosalind, I'm afraid

it wasn't that dramatic.

What an inglorious end

to a brilliant career.

What if you lose your pension?

They can't cut me off without a penny.

You haven't asked me

whether I was in love with her.

For God's sake, David, you 're 52!

Will you be able to resume your post?

I'm not sure I want to.

The whole thing is disgusting.

Disgusting and vulgar.

And I don't mind saying so.

David, is there any member

of the committee

whose participation you feel

might be prejudicial to you?

Not in a legal sense.

Let me remind everyone

this is not a trial but an inquiry.

Now, the first complaint

comes from Miss Melanie Isaacs.

You all have a copy

of her statement?

- Yes.

- Yes.

Will Miss Isaacs

be appearing in person?

Miss Isaacs appeared

before the committee yesterday.

Now, if we could push on.

The second and related charge

comes from the Registrar.

"The record shows

a mark of 70%

"for a mid-term test

which she did not sit."

I'm sure this committee

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