Gaslight Page #3

Good afternoon.

If you have your bags,

you can start immediately.

- Thank you, sir. They're downstairs, sir.

- Then everything is arranged.

- Your wages will be 16 a year.

- Yes, sir. I understand all right, sir.

Just one more thing...

I don't want you to bother your mistress

about anything, ever.

If you have any questions,

just come to me.

Yes, sir.

That'll suit me, sir.

Then you'll remember it.

Your predecessor did not.

That's why she left.

It may seem a little unusual...

but your mistress is inclined

to be rather highly strung.

Elizabeth, come in.

This is Elizabeth, the cook.

- Hello.

- You'll find that she's a little deaf.

- Hello.

- Elizabeth, this is our new housemaid.

I was explaining her duties to her.

She'll be down in a moment.

Very good, sir. I'll see you downstairs.

- She's a tartar, ain't she?

- What do you mean by that?

You know, strict-like.

I'm not gonna sleep

in the same room with her.

You see the way she looked at me?

Don't you think perhaps your costume

might have something to do with it?

- What's the matter with it?

- It's a little, shall we say, loud?

- I hope you're not a flighty girl, Lucy.

- My name's Nancy, sir.

I'm sorry, Nancy. Are you?

- I don't think so, sir.

- I'm glad to hear that.

Your mistress is very particular

about everything being very correct.

- Is she, sir?

- Yes.

So am I.

This is our new housemaid.

- How do you do?

- I'm all right, ma'am.

- You can go now, Nancy.

- Very good, sir.

She seems a nice girl.

I'm glad. I hope I haven't kept you waiting.

I had to go back for the guidebook.

You look like a summer's day.

Because I'm happy. We're going out,

and I'm going to show you London.

- Do you know what day today is?

- Yes.

Three months ago today...

we came out of that little church

by the lake, man and wife.

I have a present for you, Paula.

Where did you find anything so beautiful?

It belonged to my mother,

and before that to her mother...

and now it belongs to you.

I shall wear it always.

Always, my dear.

How sweet of you to give me this.

I'm afraid the pin is not very strong.

- No.

- I'll have it mended.

You better not wear it until I have.

You might lose it.

You know, you are inclined to lose things.

- I am? I didn't realize that.

- Just little things.

I'll put it in your bag for safekeeping.

There.

Now, you'll remember where it is.

- Don't be silly. Of course I'll remember.

- I was teasing you, my dear.

- That's London.

- It's music.

- Good afternoon.

- Good afternoon, ma'am.

It's nice to see you getting out again.

- Where to, ma'am?

- The Tower of London.

Very good, ma'am.

The Tower of London it is.

What's the matter with the mistress?

She don't look ill to me. Is she?

I don't know. Not as I can see.

But the master keeps telling her she is.

Here, ladies and gentlemen,

we have the ax of the headsman...

and the execution block.

These are the originals with which

such historic persons as Lady Jane Grey...

and Queen Catherine Howard

was beheaded within these precincts.

The victim, kneeling,

laid his head upon the block...

fitted his neck into the small,

hollowed-out space...

designed to receive it,

whereupon the ax descended...

severing the head

from the torso with one blow...

or in unlucky cases, two.

Moving to our right,

we have a model of the famous rack...

the instrument of torture

upon which prisoners were stretched...

their limbs being frequently torn

from their sockets...

in an effort to extract

a confession from them, true or false.

There you are.

I wondered what had become of you.

It was so close in there.

Let's go out into the sunshine.

- Are we going to see the torture chamber?

- Certainly. I think it's right over here.

Uncle Brian, what's the matter?

You look as if you've seen a ghost.

- That's exactly what I thought I'd seen.

- There's no such thing as a ghost.

I know. I meant I just thought

I saw someone I know is dead.

I have no idea who he is.

He seemed to know me and...

Do you usually bow

to people you don't know?

No. I supposed I'd met him somewhere.

- Are you telling me the truth?

- Of course. Why should I lie?

- I don't know who he is.

- Yet you smiled at him. Why?

I tell you, I wasn't thinking.

I don't know why I did it.

Like the other things.

- What other things?

- Nothing.

Only I've been noticing, Paula, that...

- you've been forgetful lately.

- Forgetful?

Losing things and...

Don't look so worried, Paula.

It's nothing.

- You get tired and...

- Yes, that's probably what it is. I get tired.

- I'm tired now. Can't we go home?

- No, we still have the crown jewels to see.

- They're in that building over there.

- How do you know?

What did you say?

How do you know where they are?

You haven't been here before.

The guide told us inside.

Are you becoming suspicious

as well as absent-minded, Paula?

No, of course not, Gregory.

The Kohinoor or "Mountain of Light."

It's the most famous diamond

in the world.

"The imperial state crown...

- That's that one.

- Yes, I know.

"...was made for the coronation

of Queen Victoria.

"Among the jewels it contains

are the ruby of the Black Prince...

"the size of a hen's egg,

the Stuart sapphire...

"which was among the jewels...

"James II took with him

when he fled to France...

"and the diamonds and pearls

from the earrings of Queen Elizabeth."

Jewels are wonderful things.

They have a life of their own.

Gregory, can't we go home now?

Of course, my dear. I'll take you home.

That's the mistress's room.

That's the master's.

We've got all this to see to.

Have you got the sheets there?

I could have sworn

that there were more than that, but...

- What's up there?

- Never mind about up there.

- The whole floor's been boarded off.

- Why?

That's the way the master wanted it.

You were right.

There is nothing more beautiful

than London in sunshine.

I'm sorry I spoiled the day

by bringing you home so soon.

You should lie down

and rest for a little, Paula.

Should I stay with you

and not go out this evening?

No. You go and work as usual.

Can you really work

in that room you rented?

I wish you'd let me see it

and make it attractive.

I never notice my surroundings

when I'm working.

You might give me your broach

so I can have it repaired.

What's the matter? Anything wrong?

I can't find it.

What?

I missed it when we were in the Tower.

I must turn everything out.

I know it was here. I can't understand it.

I couldn't have lost it. It must be here.

I'm sure it's there.

It's not.

Paula, didn't I tell you?

How did you come to lose it?

I must have pulled it out

with something, I suppose.

- I'm terribly sorry. Please forgive me.

- Forgive, my dear?

It's not as serious as that.

It's not valuable.

Your present to me, your mother's broach.

I wanted to wear it always.

I don't remember opening my bag.

I suppose I must have.

You did put it in there?

Don't you even remember that?

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