Fingersmith Page #2

"Susan has been maiden for a lady

who's been married and gone to India."

"So she has lost her place."

"Susan is a very good girl," I wrote, but...

and I put this rather well, I think.

"I fear that she will go

to the bad unless

she finds further employment."

No!

You never wrote that.

You never!

Oh my God!

Who's this cape?

Your job.

Yeah, you have to dress her.

Take them off.

Maids don't wear bangles.

Shimmy?

Chemise.

Chemise.

You have to warm it.

For gods sake!

Would you mind raising

your arms, Miss?

Sue, how many more times?

Bleeding frill!

She's a lady.

Shy.

She'll pick up like anything with

me and Sue to teach her

Why don't you die!

There you sweet little b*tch!

What happens after you're married?

I told you she's a bit simple.

Living with her uncle will

tip her over the brink.

After we're married

I'll put her in the mad house

and there she'll stay.

I need your help

to get her there.

You don't know that.

It's in her blood, her mother was mad

and she'll end up there any way.

Take it or leave it Sue, that's for

the extra thousand.

Three thousand pounds Sue.

And you can have any of the lady's

frocks and jewels.

She won't need it in the mad house.

Is there anything else

you haven't told me?

That's it.

Now, undress her.

I shall be glad to meet

Miss Susan Smith.

All the more so Mr. Rivers.

Because she will have...

Come to me from a Londoner!

Ladies and gentlemen, a toast to Sue.

Sue, Sue!

Susan Smith.

Sue dear.

Here's your character from the

gentlemans best hand.

He'll see you to the coach and

join you in a months time.

You look a picture, a real picture.

I wouldn't like to do it, Mrs. Sucksby.

Ain't it a mean trick to plan on

that poor girl?

Your mother would have done it

and don't give me the salt.

She would have had dread you doing it

but, by God, she'd a been proud.

Sue, are you coming?

If they catch me,

will they hang me?

No!

They will, won't they?

Do you think it hurts

when they drop you?

No... no.

Just a bit... but...

they ties the knots special

for the ladies so it's quick.

Sue.

What is this sort of talk?

That's not going to happen.

You're going to make us all rich.

- I am, aren't I?

- Come on, you'll miss the coach.

Take her out quick,

I don't wanna see it.

We've never been parted before.

I think she took it worser than I did.

The country! I never knew

there was so much of it!

Mile after bleeding mile.

Miss Smith?

Leave that till the morning.

We keep early hours at Bryar.

And Mr. Lilly cannot bare noise.

If I had known how to get out of that bleeding

place I would have scarped there and then.

But when I saw her

I thought

this is gonna be easy.

Is all right Miss?

That is very satisfactory Susan.

- May I call you Susan?

- Yes, Miss

Thank you Miss.

You read of course?

A bit.

My uncle is a scholar.

Books are a very important part

of life at Bryar.

Please, read me something. Anything.

Our father...

which art in heaven...

I don't read.

Oh god!

I might be it taught. Miss.

Taught?

No, I shouldn't allow it!

Not to be able to read...

I sometimes think how

wonderful that would be.

When my rooms in order

collect me at the library at one.

You mean...

I'm to start right away Miss?

Yes, of course.

She was an odd one, all right.

Didn't think she was cracked.

Not like what gentleman said.

Oh! Thank you Miss!

- Your coin, Miss?

- Get out

Go on.

Oh my lord!

Mrs. Stiles, you did startle me.

I was just trying to put

Miss Mauds things in order.

So I see.

These should be given each

morning to Mr. Way, Miss Steward.

It's his little perk, is it?

The pieces of soap that Miss Maud

leaves on her wash stand

you may keep.

Thank you Mrs. Stiles.

But I'd really not like to.

It hated Miss Alice,

she would have thought it thieving.

As you wish.

Yes.

Who the devil are you?

My new maid, uncle.

The finger! Girl, the finger!

You must not go beyond there.

Does she have a name?

- Susan...

- Softer

Her name is Susan Smith, uncle.

Teach her to speak softly.

I will, uncle.

Mrs. Stiles keeps the most careful

account of wood and coal.

Tell her we're economize by burning down

the candles right down to the wick.

Don't you worry about her, Miss.

I know her kind.

Do you know my uncles kind?

I'm sure he's very clever Miss.

Writing a big dictionary.

The servants say.

I'm sorry Susan.

I should have warned you.

It's alright, Miss.

I certainly won't go over

the "finger" in the future.

They're very nice Miss.

Oh, Susan, they're terrible!

But I do hope to improve

under Mr. Rivers.

I trust he is well?

Very well indeed Miss...

and sends his compliments.

He looks forward very much to

seeing you at the end of the month.

Do you consider him handsome?

Lady Stoning consider him one of the

most handsome men in London, Miss.

I think Mr. Rivers is a good man.

Very good indeed, Miss.

Ah... Ahh... Agnes!

Is everything all right Miss?

Drops!

Quickly get my drops!

I've taken the medicine ever

since I came here as a child.

And I'm still afraid of my own dreams.

Stay with me!

No, I can't do that Miss.

Please.

That's how it was.

That night...

and all the following nights...

She needed drops and me...

to help her sleep.

Finger.

We were always together, like sisters.

Like the sister neither of us had ever had.

She wasn't odd.

It was only living in that horrible place

that made her seem so.

She never left it.

Never went beyond the river.

She never danced,

never played games.

Like me she had never

had a sweet heart.

And as the weeks past,

I forgot gentleman.

I only had that old brown dress.

But she gave me some of her own.

This is your past.

A kind lady with a good heart.

Parting, strife.

An older gentleman.

Very stern, I have no idea who

that might be, do you, Miss?

Who's that?

A young man.

I will...

marry her!

With a good heart.

Don't go on Sue.

But I must, Miss!

Or your luck will desert you!

Ah, a journey.

After we're married I'll put her in

the mad house and there she'll stay.

Perhaps a journey of the heart.

Show me the last one.

It should have been the love card,

but I had dropped it.

I don't like your fortune telling, Sue!

I want to hear about London.

What steps they do for the balls.

I shall dance, in London.

Shalln't I Sue?

She could dance like a coal heaver,

for all he cared.

So long as she as she had

forty thousands pound in the bank.

Shalln't I?

It's so sharp.

Shh, open.

Saw right where it cut you.

Sit down.

I used to do this with

Mrs. Sucksbys infants.

Who's Mrs. Sucksby?

A parlour maid went bad, had twins.

Open wide.

Keep still.

Better?

Mmm.

Mr. Wade! It's Mr. Rivers!

Mr. Rivers is back!

He must have caught the earlier train.

It hit me then.

How happy I was.

And how much I hated gentleman.

I cannot receive him, can I?

What an earth shall I do?

I wanted to shout out to Maud.

He don't love you!

He's here to steal your fortune.

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