Mr. Turner Page #4

- Ah!

Gentlemen, might I request

that you close the shutters, please?

- Daddy.

- Ah!

Tell us when to cease,

Mrs Somerville.

We need to create an aperture...

...to strengthen the colours.

- There.

- Daddy!

- Aha!

- Let us put the paper in place.

- Daddy, some tacks for Mrs Somerville.

- No, no tacks, Mr Turner.

The metal could contaminate the experiment.

A wee nub of wax.

Paper.

And what is the purpose

of the small piece of paper?

I shall cover the bottom half of the needle

so that it is not exposed.

Ah.

And what is it you are about now,

Mrs Somerville?

You'll have to wait and see, won't you?

Daddy, I wager that is the first time

you've witnessed a hammer

being produced from a lady's reticule.

For certain 'tis!

You have the arm of a blacksmith,

Mrs Somerville.

There, now.

That has thrown

all those wee particles into chaos.

Particles into chaos.

What is the element contained

within the violet light

such as magnetises the material?

That is what, as yet, Mr Turner,

I do not know.

- Ah, the majesty of mystery.

- Indeed.

Now, let us allow nature

to take its course.

Although we will have to adjust the

position of the easel from time to time.

Indeed, as mighty Apollo moves

across his heavenly tract.

Yes!

- Three steps down, Mrs Somerville.

- Take care.

Oh, my goodness me!

Oh, Mr Turner, I am quite overwhelmed.

Do as you wish, view as you wish.

Oh, my!

These are breathtaking, are they not?

My dear late father

would have much appreciated them.

- A naval man, I believe.

- Indeed, he was a vice admiral.

- We have the Battle of Trafalgar over here.

- Was he there, your father?

- Er, no, he was at Camperdown.

- Ah.

- Lord Nelson's flagship, the Victory.

- Indeed.

- It's a sketch for the painting.

- Oh?

- Commissioned by the King.

- Is that so?

Two years in the making.

- He didn't like it.

- Did he not?

- No.

- Too good for him.

Two years!

It takes me only half an hour

to paint a picture.

So you are an artist, Mrs Somerville?

Oh, I don't think we can quite use that

term in the presence of Mr Turner.

Nevertheless, Daddy,

Mrs Somerville is a fine watercolourist.

Oh, you flatter me.

Oh, what an epic storm scene!

Rock crushing a house in Switzerland.

Calais sands,

women digging for bait.

I don't care for that much.

Oh.

Oh, my! What have we here?

Oh, it's Hannibal crossing the Alps.

Do you see the elephant?

- An elephant?

- He's in there somewhere.

- Are you teasing me, Mr Turner?

- By no means, madam.

Can you find him?

Well, no, I cannot.

There he is.

- Oh! Ha, ha!

- Daddy's little jest.

Oh, it is a terrifying scene!

The elements

dwarfing the elephants.

Hubris.

There.

Shall I make it do a wee dance?

So, the end of the needle

that was exposed to the violet light

has produced a magnetic north pole.

- Like a compass?

- Exactly so.

Whereas, Mr Turner,

had I done the same experiment

using the red end of the spectrum,

this needle would not have been magnetised.

I have, from time to time, attempted it

with the green and the blue,

and it has succeeded on occasion

but not consistently.

Colour is contradictory.

Well, is it, Mr Turner?

Colour is absolute.

Sublime but contradictory yet harmonious.

You are a man of great vision, Mr Turner.

The universe is chaotic

and you make us see it.

In natural philosophy

nothing can ever be proved,

only disproved.

The purity of your prism,

the contamination of my palette.

Natural light, blackness.

White is the power of good,

black is the devil.

Hm.

Transparent bodies depend so much

upon what is opposed to them,

having no colour,

that they take every one offered.

Um...

Water often possesses colour

but colour is not imparted

to its reflections...

...or refractions

like a coloured glass

when everything seen

is vitiated by that colour.

Even the purest mirror

gives a tone to the sky

and as the colour is increased,

it destroys

all the colour of nature by its...

...by its own dullness,

while water often seems

to challenge the sky for...

...brightness and...

...and when possessing colour, um...

...its reflections of objects

appear more possible.

In short, their effects

are like their qualities.

One repels the immediate ray.

The other absorbs it.

The one transparent

while the mirror...

...is opa... is opaque.

How can they appear the same?

Daddy, cease your labour.

Go and sit in your chair.

I can't leave this.

It'll keep for the half-hour.

Go and peruse your newspaper.

Do not stoop.

Go and rest your bones.

- What's occurring?

- He's struggling.

Are you rattling?

Come on, bring it up.

- Shh-sh-sh.

- No, indeed not, sir.

I shall. I shall tell her.

I will tell her.

I ought to have told her afore.

- Years ago.

- Who do you speak of, Daddy?

More they took her away.

Eastertide, the good Lord took her from us.

We did not do right by her, poor woman.

She was a lunatic.

We didn't have no choice, Daddy.

She made our life a living hell.

She was your mother.

Curse her!

Show her due respect, boy.

The b*tch!

My little ma.

Daddy.

- Good afternoon, sir.

- Good day to you, madam.

- It's been a long while, ain't it?

- Mm-hm, yeah.

- May I offer you a refreshment?

- No, thank you kindly.

- Champagne?

- No, no.

No mind, sir,

I regret all my lovely girls are occupied

but we do have young Eliza here

who I do not believe

you've had the pleasure of previous.

She has a pleasing countenance,

when she smiles.

- Good day, sir.

- Good day to you, miss.

Show the gentleman

to your chamber, dear.

It's this way, sir.

Very fine.

I do extras.

No, no, no, no, no.

Remove the bodice.

Expose your breasts.

No, no... no.

Lay upon the bed.

Part your legs.

Crook your knee.

Right arm as thus.

Hand upon the head.

No... as in despair.

Yes.

Eliza... or Liza?

Eliza.

Or Liza.

- Your age?

- Twenty-two, sir.

Twenty-two?

Would you like

something to drink, sir?

No... thank you, miss.

Now...

expose your breasts.

- Good day, sir.

- Madam.

- You be seeking lodgings?

- Indeed.

Oh... I do know'ee.

Er, Mr Duckworth.

- Mallard.

- Oh, Mr Mallard. Of course!

Well, you be lucky.

The room is free.

- Splendid.

- Well, do come in.

There. Oh, it be most pleasant

to see you again.

Oh, Mr Mallard.

Everything satisfactory in your chamber?

Most agreeable.

Good. Well, you sit there

and make yourself comfy.

I expect you'll be tired

after your journey.

Now, I have not poured your tea

for it is fresh in the pot.

No matter.

Suits me, brewed and stewed.

Oh!

Now, that I do remember, Mr Mallard.

And will you take a biscuit?

No, thank you, madam.

I purchased a potato on the boat.

I should think that were all

you could manage on the steamer.

It was somewhat turbulent.

I shall leave you

to take your refreshment.

Madam, may I apprehend you

with my condolences?

Oh...

I do thank you, sir.

My sympathies, commiserations,

for the loss of your dear departed man.

Well, he were a dear man.

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