Love & Friendship Page #6

And by remaining in town, I'll be able

to reward a long penance at Churchill.

[door opens]

With a little wealth anticipation.

Madam, Lord Manwaring has arrived,

and begs to be admitted.

Please ask him to wait.

Miss Vernon?

It's so good to see you here.

Might I help you?

Yes. A friend was asking...

how in accord with Christian teaching

the fourth commandment should be honored?

The fourth commandment? Yes, remember

the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

No, I meant the commandment

"Honor thy mother and father."

The fifth commandment.

My favorite.

It's the church of Rome

that has it as the fourth.

Yes, the fifth commandment,

Honor thy father and thy mother

that thy days may be long upon the land

which the Lord, thy God, giveth thee.

Beautiful. Profound.

I believe one should apply this

sentiment of gratitude and loyalty

to every aspect of our lives.

We're not born into a savage wilderness

but into a beautiful mansion

of the Lord that

the Lord and those who have

gone before us have constructed.

We must avoid neglecting this mansion,

but rather glorify and preserve it.

As we should all

of the Lord's creation.

The superb Baumgarten has

outlined this aesthetic trinity

as beauty, truth, and good.

Truth is the perfect, perceived

by reason. Beauty by the senses.

And the good by moral will.

From where do you come?

Church.

Why were you in church?

Well...

It is our religion.

Yes, but this time of day,

neither morning prayer nor vespers?

The sky had clouded over.

I was sure there would be a downpour.

There was.

Oh, you are quite drenched!

You must get into some dry clothes!

Oh, excuse me.

[ birds crowing ]

Dearest, welcome.

What joy your letter gave us.

- I wrote too hastily.

- What?

I couldn't imagine that every expectation

I had would be dashed so quickly.

You frighten me.

Poor girl. Her one

chance to break free.

Who knows what punishment

her mother will now impose.

But Reginald can't be blind

to such a lovely girl.

He's become blind.

Reginald is more securely

Lady Susan's than ever.

Please don't tell your father.

I worry for his constitution.

Tell me what?

Susan, stop!

Dreadful news.

Mr. Johnson's been cured.

Oh, how is that possible?

No sooner had he heard you were

in London then he had a cure.

Well, then could you do

me the greatest favor?

Could you go to Seymour Street

and receive Reginald there?

I dare not risk his

and Manwaring's meeting.

Keep him with you

all evening if you can.

Make up anything.

I'm sorry I wasn't there to greet you.

But didn't I provide

a charming substitute?

Strange, you remain silent

but Mrs. Johnson couldn't

stop singing your praises.

Excuse me?

I fear Alicia's rather

fallen in love with you.

It's given me quite a scare.

You're joking.

But you did like her.

Of course.

I so admire Alicia.

She has none of the uncouthness

one expects from Americans

but all of the candor.

Her husband, Mr. Johnson, is

older and rather disagreeable.

But a word of complaint never

drops from Alicia's lips.

Exemplary.

Only by one's friends can

one truly be known.

That Alicia is mine will, I hope,

help you think better of me.

I already thought well of you.

You are not plagued by doubt?

Some things disconcerted me,

that you were not here...

Please, Reginald, don't be severe.

I can't support reproaches.

- But...

- No, I entreat you. I can't support them.

My absence was to arrange a matter

so that we could be together.

I'm forbidden to say more.

Please don't reproach me.

Have you considered what I asked?

I have, and I believe that

our affairs require a caution

and delicacy that perhaps

in our candid enthusiasm,

we might have insufficiently heeded.

What do you mean?

I fear that our feelings have

hurried us to a degree

which is in ill accord with

the views of the world.

I'm sure that in time...

Perhaps with time, but...

Given the poignancy or our feelings...

You no longer wish to marry?

No! No, all

I'm saying, or,

or hesitantly suggesting

is that we postpone

an open understanding until

the opinion of the world

is more in accord with

our inclinations.

- That could mean never.

- No, no.

Perhaps... months.

I confess that such delay is

against my every inclination.

Then let's.

No, Reginald, I will not be

responsible for dividing your family.

I thought we'd decided.

I know such delay is insupportable,

especially when we're both in London.

But separations, only those

that are also geographical

can reasonably be tolerated.

- What?

- I'm sorry, Reginald.

Staying in London would be

the death of our reputations.

We must not meet.

And not to meet, we must not be near.

As cruel as it may seem, the necessity

of it must be evident to you.

Where will you go?

Of course, it's necessary

that I remain in London.

There are arrangements that I

must make for us to be together.

But on the contrary, I know

your family crave your company.

Particularly that elderly gentleman

to whom you owe so much.

I would hate to be the cause of an

loignement between you and your father.

Who, forgive me,

might not have long left.

There's no reason for

worry that I know of.

- Father's rather in his prime.

- Oh, thank heavens.

So he's not in decline.

He has the usual aches and pains, but

he's overall, I believe, in good health.

In any case, he'd not want

any concern on that account,

- which he'd consider so much rubbish.

- Ah, mortality.

Our mortality, and that of others,

but most particularly our own

is the hardest and most intractable

hand life can deal us.

I long to meet the dear gentleman.

Of course, it's natural that he

would want to ignore or minimize

the cold, sad end that awaits us all.

Not at all.

Father's a Christian

for whom the prospect of the

end is neither sad nor cold.

Ah, yes. Well, thank heaven

for our religion.

So important in this life and

most especially in the next.

Must we really wait?

I entreat you to reconsider.

[ woman weeping ]

Lady Manwaring.

Excuse me, I'm in such a state.

I don't know what to say.

Is Mr. Johnson at home?

I must speak with my guardian!

Yes, of course.

You poor dear.

I'll let him know you're here.

Lucy Manwaring is here to see you.

- Mr. Johnson!

- Please go in.

- You must help!

- Mr. Johnson:
Dear, please.

[ muffled voices ]

Madam, Mr. DeCourcy.

Oh, good day.

Mr. DeCourcy, what a surprise to see you.

So kind of you to call.

I must thank you for last evening

for setting matters right.

Lady Susan's explained everything.

I am ashamed to have spoken as I did.

It was foolish of me.

No, no, no, not at all.

Most sympathetic.

But you did not have to come to thank me.

Courtesy did not dictate it.

In fact, it's not my sole motive.

Lady Susan has entrusted

me with a letter for you.

Strictly private.

How intriguing.

[ Mrs. Manwaring sobs ]

- Has an animal been injured?

- No, private theatricals.

Medea. They perform next week,

but prefer not to be watched rehearsing.

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