Howards End Page #7

- I'm asking you to be my wife.

- Yes. I know. I know.

- Are you offended?

- How could I be?

Well, perhaps I should've written first.

No. no. Rather, you will

receive a letter from me.

- Thankyou.

- Not at all.

And it's you I thank.

Uh...

should I order

the motor round now?

That would be most kind.

[ Charles ] Warning you, Evie,

she will never set foot in this house!

- [ Evie ] It's not my fault!

- Of course it's your fault.

Going around hobnobbing

with those Schlegel girls.

- Girls? They're hardly girls.

- [ Thunder Rumbling ]

I never dreamt of such a thing.

Dad took me to call...

and then made me

ask her to Simpson's, that's all.

Well, I'm altogether off Dad.

- [ Baby Crying ]

- You've woken didums. I knew you would.

Well. Miss Schlegel's

fairly got us on toast.

You know. she always meant

to get hold of Howards End.

Now. thanks to you. she's got it.

- I call that most unfair.

- Oh. Evie.

Why don't you pretend

to break offyour engagement?

Then perhaps your father will

also quarrel with Miss Schlegel.

- Stop talking nonsense, darling.

- I'm jolly well going to get married

as soon as possible.

- And Dad can do what he likes.

- She's taking Mother's place.

- The idea!

- I could simply scratch

that woman's eyes out.

- Toto. Toto, play.

- Come on, Dolly.

I'll have a try.

Come on.

Well, it's no use talking.

We're in a bad hole

and must make the best of it.

But I'll keep my eye

on those Schlegels.

And if I find them putting on airs...

- with their artistic beastliness...

- [ Baby Continues Crying ]

I intend to put my foot down.

- Yes, firmly.

- [ Thunderclap ]

[ Henry]

I've had a letter too. Not a nice one.

I want to talk it over with you.

My letter is about Howards End.

The tenants have decamped.

And what is worse, he's trying

to sublet the house, Margaret.

Here, he's trying to sublet the house.

What are you laughing at?

Henry...

you haven't had a chance

for a talk with Helen yet, have you?

- What do you mean, a talk with her?

- Well, do before you go.

- Why? What's the matter?

- Oh. nothing.

-I'm just anxious you two should be friends.

- We've always hit it offtogether.

- [ Margaret ] Shh.

- Well, we do.

There's no clause in the agreement

to allow subletting.

There you are. Read it yourself.

That's awfully jolly.

- Thank you.

- Yes. Especially that. Foxgloves.

Yes. dear old digitalis.

- Digitalis, sounds like a sneeze.

- [ Chuckling ]

- Margaret! Such nice news from Mr. Bast.

-Really? Good.

Here we all are then.

- Mr. Bast is now with Dempster's Bank.

That's his news.

- Good.

Thanks to your hint,

he cleared out of the Porphyrion.

Not a bad business, the Porphyrion.

Margaret. I shall have to go

to Howards End and take charge.

- And I would like you to come with me.

- Not a bad business?

- Yes, I would like that very much.

- Good. What about tomorrow?

- Tomorrow? Oh. no. I couldn't well do that.

- Why not?

You told us the Porphyrion

would smash before Christmas.

Did I? Yes.

Well. it was outside

the tariff ring at the time.

Took some rather bad policies.

But, uh. lately, it came in.

Safe as houses now.

What's wrong with tomorrow?

Aunt Juley would be

so disappointed if I left now.

- Didn't Mr. Wilcox clearly tell us

that the Porphyrion would

- Yes, let's talk about it later, shall we?

- Henry, Aunt Juley regards

this visit as a high solemnity

- It turns out that it's safe as houses.

And M r. Bast need never have left

and taken another post...

- at a greatly reduced salary.

- My dear Helen.

I grieve for your clerk, I really do.

But it is all part

of the battle of life.

- Battle of life?

- Yes.

A man who had little money

has less. owing to us.

Oh, come, come. You're not to blame.

No one is to blame.

-No one? Is no one to blame for anything?

- I didn't say that.

- You take things far too seriously.

- [AuntJuley ] Margaret.

There's your aunt.

I'll go and have a word with her.

- [AuntJuley ] Margaret!

- Helen.

Helen, a word of advice.

I require no more advice.

Don't take up a sentimental

attitude over the poor.

See that she doesn't, Margaret.

The poor are poor.

One is sorry for them, but there it is.

I'll talk to Aunt Juley about tomorrow.

Don't you bother.

[ Aunt Juley ]

Girls, aren't you cold?

Helen, I am very sorry about Mr. Bast.

but you must be civil to Henry.

- You yourself are a witness.

- Yes, I know there may be another side

to this question.

But Henry is my future husband...

and I must be on his side.

Why are you so bitter, dearie?

- Hmm?

- Because I'm an old maid.

Oh, Helen.

No. darling.

Helen!

- Margaret will explain.

- Margaret. Magsy.

If it isn't true surely

what Mr. Wilcox is saying...

- that you want to go away tomorrow?

- Yes, we must leave tomorrow.

[ Henry ]

I have business at Howards End...

and my business is now also,

unfortunately, my Margaret's.

[ Margaret ] So we'll go

for our walk now. See you at tea time.

Unless it rains. In which case.

we'll see you a great deal sooner. Bye.

Have a good walk.

-Yes. that's him.

-[ Margaret ] So this is the famous office?

- What?

- I'd expected something more African.

Oh, heavens. no.

[ Laughs ]

Spears, animal skins and that sort ofthing.

But I suppose this is the imperial part...

of the Imperial and West African

Rubber Company.

Yes. we haven't settled the question

of the London house, have we?

- Well. it all depends, doesn't it?

- On what?

- When do you want to marry me?

- [ Chuckles ] How you do fly around.

- My head's in a whirl. Let's dance!

- [ Both Laughing ]

- [ Margaret ] Be careful!

- [ Henry Vocalizing ]

- Oh, Charles.

- I hope that my wife

How do you do

will give you a decent lunch...

after you've had a good look

at Howards End.

I can hardly wait to see it,

although I almost feel I have.

I don't know

in what state you'll find it.

The tenant decamped without even arranging

for a charwoman to clear up after him.

- Oh, dear.

- Yes. I've more than a little bone

to pick with that tenant.

- Margaret, here's an idea.

- Yes?

Why don't we use Howards End to store

your furniture from Wickham Place...

tillyou decide what to do with it?

- Oh, wouldyou? Wouldyou really?

- Good idea?

Oh, how kind.

Only until Helen and Tibby

are settled of course, Charles.

I hope you won't be disappointed.

It's quite a measly little place.

- Never really suited us.

- Heavens, no.

[ Dolly Coughs ]

- Oh. it's lovely.

- Margaret.

- Oh. dear.

- What?

- I seem to have forgotten the keys.

- What?

- I've lost the keys.

- Crane. we'll have to go back.

- Won't you leave me here?

- You sure?

Yes, yes. I'll wait for you. Dolly.

have a nice glass of milk at the farm.

Henry. see that she gets a nice glass

of milk. I'll walk around in the garden.

[ Margaret ] Good-bye.

- Why did you forget the key?

- I'm sorry. I don't know.

- Where did you leave it?

- Well. it could be with didums.

[ Indistinct ]

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