Persuasion Page #3

-Have you indeed?

A frigate at wartime is no place for a woman

and the long separations

are a sore trial to both parties.

Oh, how true.

There is nothing so bad as a separation.

As I know to my cost,

for Mr Musgrove always attends the assizes

and I'm so glad when he's safe home again.

But now I'm paid off and ashore, Sophy,

you'll be delighted to hear

that I'm, at last, resolved to settle down.

Indeed, Frederick, I'm delighted to hear it.

Pray, do you have anyone in mind?

No, no, I'm quite ready to make a foolish match

with any woman between 1 5 and 30.

A little beauty, a few smiles, and a compliment

to the navy and I shall be lost.

Oh, come, Frederick.

After all, what right has a humble sailor

to expect any better?

But if I am to speak in earnest,

what I desire above all in a wife

is firmness of character.

A woman who knows her own mind.

I cannot abide timidity or feebleness of purpose.

A weak spirit which is always open to persuasion,

first one way and then the other,

can never be relied upon.

Well, we must see what we can do.

(ALL CHUCKLING)

(PLAYING MOONLIGHTSONATA ON PIANO)

(GIRLS GIGGLING)

Oh, Anne, play us something to dance to.

-HENRIETTA:
Yes, Anne, will you? Something jolly.

-Oh, yes.

(PLAYING LIVELY MUSIC ON PIANO)

(BIRDS SHRIEKING)

Do you know, I believe that I've never seen

a pleasanter man in all my life

than Captain Wentworth.

MARY:
Hmm.

He was not very gallant by Anne, though, was he?

When Louisa asked him what he thought of you

the other night

he said you were so altered,

he should not have known you again.

-I would not swear he used exactly those words.

-Although he was most attentive to me.

It must be said he would make a capital match

for Louisa.

(SHARPLY) Louisa. Stuff and nonsense, Charles.

It is clear he is all for Henrietta.

But, my love, surely you cannot have forgotten

that Henrietta has an understanding

-with my cousin, Charles Hayter.

-Indeed, I have not.

But I cannot say the same of Henrietta.

(LAUGHING) And quite right, too.

For who, pray, is Charles Hayter?

Nothing but a country curate.

What a degrading alliance

for a connection of the Elliots.

Now, there you talk nonsense, my dear.

He will inherit the estate at Winthrop,

and the farm near Taunton,

and he is a very amiable young man.

Well, I do not think a young woman has the right

to marry anyone, however amiable

if he is disagreeable or inconvenient to her family.

No, no, what stuff.

If Henrietta has Charles Hayter

and Louisa can get Captain Wentworth,

I shall be very well satisfied.

Well, what do you say, Anne?

Does the Captain prefer Louisa or Henrietta?

Wentworth.

LOUISA:
We're just going over to Winthrop

to visit Cousin Charles, Henrietta's intended.

Why don't you come with us, Anne.

I'm sure the Hayters would love to see you again.

Capital idea, Louisa, we shall all go.

I know Mary's in a fine sweat

to see Cousin Charles again.

(GIGGLING) Catch me.

(GASPING)

MARY:
Anne.

It is nothing.

Thank you. I'm well.

It is really nothing.

But I think, perhaps, I'd better stay here

and rest a little while.

-Then I shall remain with you.

-No, please, I...

I would hate to inconvenience you and I...

I know my way to Winthrop perfectly well.

I shall catch up with you directly.

Please, Charles.

Very well. If you insist.

(PANTING) Ah, see? There is Winthrop.

MARY:
You had all better go on without me.

I am really excessively tired.

It would be very rude of us to come all this way

and not call on our cousins.

I will stay with Mary, Charles.

If you and Henrietta want to go on

and pay our respects to the Hayters.

And I am sure Captain Wentworth will offer us

his protection.

Very well.

Henrietta.

It is most unpleasant, having such connections,

Captain Wentworth.

But I assure you,

I have never been in that house above twice.

In my life.

I wonder where Anne has got to.

LOUISA:
Mary is good-natured enough

in many respects.

But she does sometimes provoke me excessively

by her nonsense.

She has a great deal too much of the Elliot pride.

You know, we all wish Charles

had married Anne instead.

-Anne?

-Oh, yes.

-Did you not know he wanted to marry Anne?

-No. I did not.

-Do you mean to say she refused him?

-Oh, yes, certainly.

When did this happen?

I do not exactly know, but before he married Mary.

Did she say why she would not marry?

Well...

Papa always said it was

her great friend Lady Russell's doing.

He thought Charles might not be bookish enough

to please Lady Russell,

and so she persuaded Anne to refuse him.

I myself would have no idea of being

so easily persuaded.

When I have made up my mind, I have made it.

And I'm quite determined.

Yours is a character, I see,

of decision and firmness.

And I honour it.

Oh, look. They have brought Charles Hayter

with them. Come.

(GUN FIRING)

Ah. There you are.

We thought we might cross your wake

if we drove out this way.

Admiral Croft, Mrs Croft.

We've just paid a visit to my cousin,

Charles Hayter.

Oh.

Miss Elliot, you must be tired. Do let us have

the pleasure of taking you home to Uppercross.

Oh, no, thank you, no. It is too much trouble.

Oh, no, we are returning in any case by that road

and there's plenty of room.

-Really, you're too kind.

-ADMIRAL CROFT:
Stuff, Miss Elliot.

-You must come with us, indeed you must.

-Oh.

(GASPING)

-ADMIRAL CROFT:
Walk on.

-Thank you, Captain.

I wish Frederick would spread a little more canvas

and bring home one of those two young ladies

to Kellynch.

He means to have one of them.

There's just no saying which one.

MRS CROFT:
They're both very good-natured,

unaffected girls, indeed.

They're a very respectable family.

What do you think, Miss Elliot?

It won't be long, if I'm any judge.

ANNE:
Now I understand him.

He can never forgive me.

He condemns me still for the past and is

becoming now quite attached to another.

(DOOR OPENING)

And yet...

MARY:
Anne. We are to go to Lyme

tomorrow morning.

Captain Wentworth must visit his best friend,

Captain... Something or other.

And has invited us all to make the trip with him.

Ain't it prime?

No, indeed, I'm sure I'd better stay here

with the children.

(QUIVERING) Am I to go without you?

In my delicate state of recovery?

Suppose I were to be seized rather suddenly

in some dreadful way

and not able to ring the bell for servants?

ANNE:
Quite attached to another.

And yet...

Still he cannot be unfeeling.

He cannot see me suffer

without wishing to give relief,

to spare the proof of his own good,

warm and amiable heart,

which I cannot contemplate without infinite pain

and regret.

(LAUGHING) The sea.

-I love the sea.

-I'm sure I love it more than you do.

HARVILLE:
Frederick.

Come on.

Captain Harry Harville, Captain James Benwick,

Mr and Mrs Charles Musgrove.

Miss Henrietta Musgrove, Miss Louisa Musgrove,

Miss Elliot.

Miss Anne Elliot?

Yes.

Capital.

Oh, my God, the air.

HARVILLE:
Of course, the admiralty

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