Howards End Page #11

don't you?

I'll not have my girl

looking as old as her husband.

- You haven't quite seen our point.

- I don't suppose I ever shall.

Our point is this:

Our sister may be mad.

Oh, Charles, do come in.

We are again in trouble.

- Can you help us at all?

- No, I'm afraid I cannot.

What were the facts? We're all mad.

more or less. these days.

The facts are that our sister has been

in England three days and won't see us.

She's forbidden the bankers

to give us her address.

She refuses to answer any questions.

All we have are these telegrams.

And you want to get hold of her.

is that it?

- Well... yes.

- [ Henry ] Perfectly easy, Margaret.

She wants her books, yes?

Send her after them to Howards End.

When she's there. you just stroll in.

Ifthere's nothing wrong

with her, so much the better.

But remember

the motor will be around the corner.

We quite simply run her

up to London to a specialist.

- That's impossible.

- Why is it impossible?

Because Helen and I, we...

don't speak that particular language...

ifyou see my meaning.

Yes. because you have scruples.

And I understand perfectly.

I'm as scrupulous

as any man alive, I hope.

But when it is a case like this

When it is a question of madness

- I deny it's madness.

- You said yourself.

It's madness when I say it.

but not when you say it.

Pater. you may as well

keep Howards End out of it.

Why, Charles?

Well, the whole house is at sixes

and sevens. We don't want any more mess.

And who is "we"?

- Pray, Charles. who is "we"?

- Beg your pardon, I'm sure.

Ah, I seem always

to be intruding.

No. Charles. Charles!

[ Door Opens And Closes ]

Let's send a telegram.

Come along. Let's do it.

I can't have this sort

of behavior, Charles.

- What?

- Margaret.

She's far too sweet-natured

to mind, but I mind for her.

[ Margaret ]

Allyour books now at Howards End.

Miss Avery will

letyou in 3:
00 p.m. Monday.

Meg.

Our main object is not to

frighten Miss Schlegel, you understand?

Trouble seems to be nervous.

Wouldn't you say so. Margaret?

Would you say

she was normal?

Well. she's always

been highly strung

musical. literary, artistic

but quite normal.

Quite a charming girl. really.

Would you say

there was anything congenital?

- No, no.

- Or anything hereditary?

No.

- Margaret?

- Yes, Henry. J ust wait here for a second.

Oh. my darling. Quickly

Quickly just get inside please.

Just quickly.

Miss Schlegel is managing.

You can go back to the motor. Margaret?

Henry, I shall need your advice later.

but now I must be alone with Helen.

- Certainly.

- Please, my dear, kind Henry.

- Yes.

- Thank you.

- Where are all our furniture?

- Ah, there's been a mistake.

How well the carpet fits.

I'll be sending some milk round.

and we should be ordering coals.

There's been a mistake.

Miss Avery. You've been very kind.

But we are not going to live

at Howards End. This is not our house.

I think she may be

a little... touched.

I'm sorry. Helen.

I ought not to have

No, you ought not

to have tricked me this way.

- We thought you were ill.

- As you see, I'm not ill...

but I'm expecting a child in June.

Is the coast clear?

I must leave.

I'm going back to Germany

in the morning.

Give my love to Aunt Juley

and to Tibby.

- Let me get that.

- Don't.

It's curious, isn't it.

that our carpet fits?

Yes. the sword

looks right too.

Yes. doesn't it?

- Someone's polished it.

- Yes.

I'll carry this.

[ Margaret ] Even ifyou didn't want

to tell me, I understand that.

I thought I had to be by myself.

That's why I hid away in Germany.

- What about Tibby?

- You know, Meg. really...

I alone must be responsible

for myself and this child.

And I want to be.

Of course.

Leonard doesn't know.

Leonard?

- Leonard Bast?

- Yes.

- [ Gasps ]

- Oh, Meg...

did you ever hear

from him again?

[ Sighs ]

I have no idea what he's doing now...

or what's happened

to either of them.

[ Henry ]

Dolly.

- Hello.

- [ Dolly] Hello.

My dear. I must ask you.

-Was your sister wearing a wedding ring?

-No.

- What?

- No.

Henry, I really camejust

to ask a favor about Howards End.

Yes. One point at a time.

Please. Sit down.

Margaret...

I must now ask you

the name of her seducer.

You may have some inkling.

and the slightest hint would help us.

- "Us"? Who is "us"?

- Hmm?

Well, I thought it best

to ring Charles.

That was unnecessary.

My dear. listen to me.

Charles and I wish to act

in your sister's best interests.

It's still not too late

to clear her name.

What are we

to make her seducer marry her?

But Henry. suppose he turned out

to be married already?

- One has heard of such cases.

- Margaret.

Then he must pay heavily

for his misconduct. mustn't he?

Now. stay calm.

I want to talk to you.

Listen to me. Margaret.

Come here.

Look at me.

What's the matter?

- Hmm?

- May I ask you my question now?

- Certainly.

- Tomorrow Helen goes to Germany.

- Yes.

- I'm fine.

- Tonight. with your permission...

- Yes?

she would like to sleep

at Howards End.

Heav

But why at Howards End?

I don't understand.

It is an odd request, but you know

what women in her state are.

I could understand if it were

her own home associations and so on.

But Helen has no associations

with Howards End.

I don't see why she wants to stay there.

She'll only catch cold anyway.

- Call it fancy. but she wants to.

- I don't understand.

- If she wants to sleep there one night.

she'll want to sleep there two.

- No, no. Just

- And she'll never get out of the house.

- That matters so very much?

- Of course it would. It's Charles's

- No, no.

We will only trouble

Howards End for this one night.

- I shall stay with her

- No. That's quite impossible.

- I want you here to meet Charles.

- What has Charles to do with this?

As the future owner of Howards End.

it has everything to do with Charles.

- In what way? Please answer me. Henry.

- [ Henry ] You're forgetting yourself.

There's Dolly and the servants.

In what way? Would Helen's condition

depreciate the property?

Margaret!

[ Baby Cooing ]

- [ Panting ]

- Margaret.

I shall do what I can

for your sister...

but I cannot treat it

as if nothing has happened.

I should be forced

from my position in society if I did.

Tomorrow she will go to Germany

and trouble society no longer.

Tonight, she asks to sleep

in your empty house.

May she?

Will you give my sister leave?

Will you forgive her...

as you yourself

have been forgiven?

- As I myself have been

- Please answer my question. Henry.

Your sister can sleep at the hotel.

I have my children...

and the memory

of my dear wife to consider.

You have mentioned

M rs. Wilcox.

In reply,

may I mention Mrs. Bast?

- You have not been yourself all day.

- Henry, listen.

You have had a mistress.

I forgave you.

My sister has a lover.

you drive her from the house!

Why can you not be honest

and say to yourself...

"What Helen has done.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes