Persuasion

Thank you.

Oh, that's lovely. Thank you.

(GASPING)

-Lady Russell.

-My dear Anne.

You look quite done for.

I came back as soon as I received your letter.

I had no idea the position was so ruinous.

Unfortunately, a person who's contracted debts

must pay them.

-Even if he is a gentleman.

-Was there no possibility of retrenchment?

Unfortunately, Father and Elizabeth

could find no means of lessening their expenses

without compromising their dignity,

or relinquishing their comforts

in a manner simply not to be borne.

But I have, at last,

persuaded Father to let out the house.

And if I can ensure that we live within our means

somewhere less extravagant,

then, in only a few years,

we may be solvent again.

In a few years?

In any event, it is better than selling.

At least one day I may hope to return.

And where are you to go in the meantime?

Is it decided?

All my hopes were for a small house nearby,

but Father and Elizabeth are settled upon Bath.

(ALL CHUCKLING)

Lady Russell.

Dear neighbour, you've been in London, I hear.

Sir Walter. Elizabeth.

May I say how truly sorry I am

that you must leave Kellynch.

We are blameless, Lady Russell, quite blameless.

Every sacrifice has been made, however painful.

We cut off all unnecessary charities

at once, Lady Russell.

And even refrain from new furnishing

the drawing room,

which, as you know,

Mama left the most frightful state.

And still it is a comfort to know

we've done all we could.

Of course.

Ah, but here's Shepherd.

He's promised us some news.

Is that his daughter with him?

Mrs Clay's husband passed away not long ago.

She has returned to her father's house.

She's often with us, recently.

Lady Russell. Miss Anne.

Sir Walter, I have this very morning

received an approach for the lease of Kellynch

that I'm convinced must meet

with your absolute approval.

An admiral, sir,

recently retired and a native of this county

desires to settle in this very part of the world.

-An admiral?

-I should have much preferred a gentleman.

The navy has its uses, no doubt,

but I should be sorry to see

any friend of mine belonging to it.

-Indeed, Sir Walter?

-Yes.

It is, in two points, offensive to me.

The first is being the means of raising persons

of obscure birth into undue distinction,

and second, you never see a naval man

who is not most shockingly knocked about,

exposed as they are to wind and weather

till they're simply not fit to be seen.

Nevertheless, Sir Walter,

the admiral has a very substantial fortune,

and I have no doubt of him

being a most responsible tenant.

(SCOFFS)

And consider, Sir Walter,

how he will look around

and bless his good fortune

to be in the home of a baronet

of such a prominent and distinguished family.

Yes.

SHEPHERD:
Then, with your permission, sir,

I shall open negotiations with Admiral Croft.

-Croft?

-Yes.

Are you acquainted with the gentleman,

Miss Anne?

Yes. No, um...

That is to say, I'm familiar with his career.

I'm not fond of the idea of my shrubberies

being always approachable by the tenant.

If you will excuse me, there's still much to do.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

Good heavens, Anne.

-What is the matter with you?

-Nothing. I assure you, I'm quite well.

Anne...

Who is Admiral Croft,

and why did he cause you

to be out of countenance so?

Anne.

Admiral Croft's wife is...

-Is...

-Mrs Croft?

Indeed.

And Mrs Croft is the sister

of Captain Frederick Wentworth.

Wentworth?

I see.

I see.

And to think that soon he may be

walking through this house.

Anne, you know that your father thought it

a most unsuitable match.

He would never have countenanced

an alliance he deemed so degrading.

He was not alone, as I recall.

My dear...

To become engaged at 1 9,

in the middle of a war, to a young naval officer

who had no fortune and no expectations,

you would, indeed, have been

throwing yourself away.

And I should have been failing in my duty

as your godmother if I did not counsel against it.

You were young,

and it was entirely prudent to break off

the understanding.

Prudent it may have been and yet,

Captain Wentworth has

made his fortune in the war

and is now extremely wealthy.

Has he written to you?

No, never a word.

I've only the newspapers for my authority.

Then...if his intentions towards you

had been truly sincere,

would he not have contacted you

when his circumstances changed?

I do not blame you,

nor myself for having been led by you.

But nevertheless,

I think very differently now from

what I was persuaded to think eight years ago.

Oh, my dear Anne.

You are a good and beautiful young woman.

I promise you this,

one day you will find someone

to love you as you deserve.

I'm 2 7.

Before I forget, Shepherd,

if you have no objection, I have a mind

to engage your charming daughter

as a companion to Elizabeth.

Oh, Sir Walter.

Well, I'm sure, sir, Penelope will be

greatly honoured by such a distinction.

Then it is settled.

She shall come with us to Bath tomorrow.

Is not Anne companion enough for Elizabeth?

PENELOPE:
Oh, but Anne is going to Uppercross.

I received a letter only this morning

from sister Mary.

She is indisposed, again,

and requires Anne to come and look after her.

And since nobody would want Anne in Bath,

I wrote back straightaway to say she should come

as soon as she'd finished everything here.

Well...

All your hopes were for a small house nearby.

Do send our regards to the Musgroves.

Before you go, Anne,

on no account must you forget to visit each house

in the parish to take our leave. It is expected.

ANNE:
Is he married?

I do not know that he is,

and yet, so eligible a gentleman would surely

by now have formed an attachment.

Will he bring his wife here?

And his children?

I only pray that I am spared any meeting.

I know my chance of happiness

has passed forever,

but to be reminded of it

by his presence here would,

I'm certain, be more than my spirits could bear.

Who is that young lady, Mr Shepherd?

Oh, that is Miss Anne Elliot, Admiral,

Sir Walter's middle daughter.

The only one with any sense.

A pity, then,

that we did not make her acquaintance.

She is but half a mile away

at Uppercross with her sister.

Oh, well then, we certainly shall

make her acquaintance.

Is she married, Mr Shepherd?

Sadly no, ma'am.

Nor, I think, at her age, is likely to be.

Well.

It is certainly roomier than a frigate.

(CHUCKLES)

Such a number of looking glasses.

There's no getting away from oneself.

I think this room would do very well for Frederick.

Let us see if he comes.

Your brother seems dead set against

the whole idea of Kellynch.

I fear Somerset has unpleasant memories for him.

There was once talk of an engagement

to a girl in the county.

-There was?

-Eight years ago or so.

We were in the East Indies at the time.

He's never spoken of it,

but his heart was quite broken, I believe.

Well, well, well.

-Frederick engaged, who would have thought it?

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