Mr. Turner Page #3

But they all are so stupid

that none of them will

Pop the question to Kitty

Pretty Kitty

The maid of the mill

- Good day to you, sir.

- Good day to thee.

You be a lodgings, then?

It be.

- This chamber, 'tis available?

- It is, aye.

May I peruse it?

Mrs Booth!

There be a gentleman.

- Good day to you, sir.

- Good day to you, madam.

- Are you seeking lodgings?

- Indeed I am.

Here, Mr Booth.

- Your top front, 'tis available?

- Maybe, sir, yes.

- May I peruse it?

- Indeed, sir, if you'd care to follow me.

- You just come off the boat?

- Indeed.

- The Maggie or the Billy?

- The Maggie.

- Oh, 'twas early today!

- We'd the best of the tide.

There.

- This be my better most chamber.

- Exceeding homely.

Oh, I do thank you, sir.

You're looking

at the finest view in Margate.

They do say this town

be the first place in England

that the sun do reach of a morning.

Now, all my linen is freshly aired,

clean and sweet-smelling,

and I can lay a fire for you,

should you require.

Now, sir...

...my terms is one guinea for the week

with no meals

or full board for an extra 15 and sixpence.

And I'm afraid I do have to ask

for a small deposit and a reference.

- Five pound.

- 'Tis my reference and deposit.

Oh, I can't take this, sir.

It is far too much.

Refund of balance on departure.

That suit you, madam?

I do thank ye, sir.

Well, I should introduce myself.

My name is Mrs Booth.

- And you, sir?

- Beg your pardon?

- I was asking your name, sir.

- Mallard.

Oh... Mr Mallard.

Well, I do hope you'll be

most comfortable here, Mr Mallard.

Now, is there anything else

I can provide for you?

A small bowl of water, madam,

if you'd be so kind.

- Might that be a glass of water?

- No, a bowl.

Very well, sir.

I shall bring that up for you.

Yes?

I found you a small bowl, sir.

I hope this do suit your requirements.

Indeed.

Where would you like

I should put it for you?

Upon the window sill,

if you'd be so kind.

Good. Oh, dear!

Do be coming along blowing now.

Well... I shall serve your supper downstairs

in the parlour at six of the clock.

And if you ever feel the need

of a bit of company

you'd be more than welcome

to join Mr Booth and I in our kitchen.

- I would not wish to impose, madam.

- Oh, not at all, Mr Mallard.

We should be glad of your company.

- I'll top up your ale, Mr Mallard.

- Thank you kindly, madam.

- I hope you're enjoying your supper.

- Mm.

Oh, good.

Some folk do find shackles

too salty for their taste.

Can never be too salty for me, madam.

Oh!

There, Mr Mallard.

This'll warm you up.

No, no, you sit yourself down.

I can squeeze around here

just about these days.

- So, you had a good walk, then?

- As far as Broadstairs and back.

Oh, dear! That is a long way.

You'll sleep well tonight.

Your very good health, madam, sir.

- Very good health to you too, sir.

- Will you not take a drink yourself?

I ain't touched a drop

this many a long year.

He did used to enjoy a tipple,

though that were long before I knew him.

- Man of the sea?

- He was, weren't he?

- Ship's carpenter.

- Carpenter? Noble craft.

What'd you ply?

Whalers? Spicers?

- Traders?

- Slavers.

- For my sins.

- He don't like to talk about it, though.

Africa, Zanzibar, the Indies.

Such terrible sufferings I did see.

Treated like animals, they was.

Worse than.

The howling sound of sorrow.

Yes.

- Changed my life, it did.

- Oh, it did there.

- Led me back to chapel.

- Mm... hm!

Humans.

Humans can be dreadful cruel.

I watch them boys down there in the sands

whipping them poor donkeys.

Mind you, you're better off being a donkey

than them wretched souls

on the slave ships.

So, are you familiar with Margate,

Mr Mallard?

As a boy.

Oh, there.

You come here on your holidays, then?

Schooling, two years.

Oh, yes, Margate be famous for its schools.

- Coleman's.

- Oh.

Mr Coleman?

I do remember he.

- Up there by the Dane.

- Back of the old town.

I lost two dear friends.

- I am sorry.

- Scrofula.

- Oh, yes. Terrible sickness.

- Aye.

Long time ago.

- Oh! Good afternoon.

- Good afternoon, madam.

- It is Mrs Somerville.

- Yes, you are expected.

Thank you most kindly.

Oh, what an elegant residence.

Have you come far, Mrs Somerville?

Oh, yes, indeed.

All the way from Chelsea.

I took the steamer to Westminster,

about an hour.

- Was the river busy?

- Extremely.

You can see the whole world

on the Thames.

- Mrs Somerville.

- Oh, good afternoon, Mr Turner.

My apologies if I have forced you

to wait upon me.

Oh, not at all. I have enjoyed

a most pleasant interlude with your father.

- You find yourself well?

- Passing fair, thank you. And you?

Indeed. Dr Somerville likewise?

Oh, yes, he's much engaged

in administering to the poor veterans.

Well, now, it's a beautiful sunny day,

just perfect for our experiment.

I have everything I need

here in my wee bag.

Are we going to witness an explosion?

Oh, goodness me!

No, I hope not.

I'm astounded

you have all your paraphernalia

- contained in yon small pouch.

- Indeed it is, Mr Turner.

Everything except God's good sunlight.

Daddy, Mrs Somerville

is a natural philosopher.

- Is she, now?

- Mathematician, astronomer, geologist.

The universe is a wondrous thing,

is it not, Mr Turner?

It is, to be sure.

The planets and the stars,

the oceans and the tides,

the clouds and the air,

mountains, volcanoes...

The tides be subject

to the effect of the moon.

Quite so,

the mysterious force of gravity.

It is my strong belief

that all things on this earth

are connected.

- Nothing exists in isolation.

- Indeed.

The rain falls, the sun shines

and the onions grow.

Oh, yes.

Daddy likes to affect the pretence

of being a dunce.

He is in fact a man of high intellect.

- He taught me how to read and write.

- Is that so?

- Education is an important thing.

- It is indeed, most important for everyone.

I myself am presently engaged

in the tutoring of my children.

That is indeed commendable.

It is a privilege

that was not afforded to me.

I am an uneducated,

self-taught Scotch woman.

Mrs Somerville, you are what you are.

- As are we, Daddy.

- True.

Thank you.

And what was your profession, Mr Turner?

Daddy was the finest barber

in Covent Garden.

I had some success in the business.

Wig maker.

He was a master

of the razor and the brush.

You're the master of the brush now,

Mr Turner.

Well...

My little lad could draw

afore he could read and write.

Sat in the corner of the shop, scratching

away with the chalk and charcoal.

I'd stick his pictures in the window.

And sell 'em, all of 'em.

For two or three shillings apiece

on occasion.

Do you have children yourself, Mr Turner?

I do not, Mrs Somerville.

Thank you, Mr Turner.

- Have you ever seen a prism?

- I have not.

Ooh!

There it is.

That is a thing of beauty.

Shortly you shall witness

a rainbow passing through it.

- Sir Isaac Newton, Daddy.

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