Persuasion Page #4

amuse themselves every now and then

by sending a few hundred men to sea

in a ship not fit to be employed.

-It's true.

-But they do have a great many...

Captain Benwick,

may I say how sorry I was

to hear of your terrible loss.

(LAUGHTER)

Thank you.

There never was a love like ours.

And never will be again.

There were a great many to provide for

and among the thousands that

may just as well go to the bottom as not,

it is impossible for them to distinguish which

may be least missed.

(STAMMERING) And yet, Captain,

you are still young,

and I pray you may one day rally

and be happy with another.

A man does not forget a woman

as readily as you forget us.

I will not allow a woman's nature to be

more unconstant than a man's.

And yet, you will allow that poetry

and novels are against you.

They tell us endlessly of the fickleness of women.

And are they not all written by men?

Yes, Miss Elliot. Perhaps they are.

I see we shall not readily agree on this.

I would never suppose that true constancy

is known only by women,

but the one claim I shall make for my own sex

is that we love longest

when all hope is gone.

A toast. The navy.

ALL:
The navy.

The navy.

You did a good deed.

Cheering up so with poor Benwick last night.

I've not known him talk so much.

Not in a long time.

In time, we found a common interest in poetry.

He reads nothing else. Day in, day out.

Never happier he is than when reading

impassioned descriptions of hopeless agony

or sundered hearts destroyed by wretchedness.

(LAUGHING) Yes.

I did venture to recommend a larger allowance

of prose in his daily study.

It's bad for him, I know,

to be shut up as he is.

But what can we do?

Well, he's young.

And time is a great healer.

Or so, at least, I'm told.

Oh.

-Forgive me.

-Not at all.

Who is that gentleman?

Mr William Elliot, sir. Came in last night

on his way to Bath for the winter.

William Elliot? Bless me, Anne, it must be

our cousin William. It must, indeed.

-HENRIETTA:
He is handsome.

-LOUISA:
He is not.

Did he mention a connection to

the Elliots of Kellynch at all?

He certainly said he would one day be a baronet.

There. It is him, it is.

HARVILLE:
He seems of particular interest,

this cousin?

Sir Walter has no sons,

so his title and the estate of Kellynch

will pass to the cousin.

What a pity we should not have been

introduced to each other.

His father and Mr Elliot have not been

on speaking terms since his unfortunate marriage.

An introduction would have hardly been welcome.

You'll hardly be able

to avoid seeing each other in Bath.

You'll be sure to mention our seeing him

next time you write to Father.

On the contrary.

Do you think he had the Elliot countenance?

-Captain Wentworth, catch me.

-Louisa.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

-Louisa. Louisa, no. Louisa, no.

-I am determined. I will.

Louisa.

Louisa.

A surgeon. A surgeon, quickly.

-Of course.

-Captain Benwick.

Captain Benwick knows where one can be found.

Send him to the inn.

Keep this pressed firmly against the wound.

Charles,

it appears she'll be here some time.

Her parents should be told.

But I would rather not leave her. Not tonight.

Let me go. And if you wish,

I'll take Henrietta and Mary with me.

And not Anne?

If Anne will stay,

there is no one so proper, so capable.

Louisa needs no other.

MARY:
But Anne...

Anne is to stay, who is nothing to Louisa,

while I am sent packing?

Now, my dear, I'm sure the captain...

-Am I not as capable as Anne?

-Of course you are.

Am I not as proper?

And to be sent home without Charles, too,

without my husband, in my condition, no.

No, it is too unkind.

I will go with Henrietta.

Go on.

Miss Elliot,

I've been thinking whether you

had not better remain with Henrietta

while I go in and break it to the Musgrove's alone.

Do you think this is a good plan?

I do.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

I must see Mr Musgrove without delay.

Tell him Captain Frederick Wentworth is here.

I must speak with him directly.

(MRS MUSGROVE CRYING OUT)

It is done.

I shall return now to Lyme

and see if I can be of any...

any assistance.

I believe the Musgroves will soon follow.

Thank you.

Captain,

I'm most anxious.

If you would have...

If you'd be so kind as to have word sent to me

in Bath as to how Louisa does.

In Bath?

I'm not needed in Lyme

or any longer at Uppercross.

I must rejoin my father.

Our house is in Camden Place.

-You dislike Bath most heartily, as I recall.

-I do.

But I have an old school friend

who lives there and...

I have the consolation also

of Lady Russell's company.

Very well, then.

Goodbye, Miss Elliot.

Goodbye, Captain Wentworth.

PENELOPE:
Certainly now, with Anne here,

I'll not suppose myself at all wanted.

Nonsense, Penelope, she is nothing to me,

indeed, compared to you.

My dear madam, you must not

run away from us now. It must not be.

Please, Penelope.

(WOMEN GIGGLING)

Ah, Anne, there you are.

How are you, Anne?

Are we greatly missed at Kellynch?

But let me assure you, Bath has more

than answered our expectations in every respect.

Indeed, our house is undoubtedly

the finest in Camden Place.

You can be sure that the acquaintance

of the Elliots is most exceedingly sought after.

And best of all, Miss Anne,

your cousin Mr Elliot is here in Bath

and is quite reconciled with Sir Walter.

-Mr Elliot?

-Indeed, he has called repeatedly,

has dined with us once.

Evidently delighted

at the distinction of being asked.

And clearly places his whole happiness

in being on intimate terms in Camden Place.

He has offered his most handsome apologies

for any former appearance of neglect

in his duties towards us.

And Mrs Elliot?

Dead. Quite dead.

Certainly his wife was a nobody,

while a beauty and rich,

but we must make allowances,

he was young and foolish.

Not any more. Such elegant manners.

So gentlemanly and fashionable.

Indeed, I have no objection

to being seen with him anywhere.

(KNOCKING AT DOOR)

-Ah, that will be Lady Russell, no doubt.

-No.

That is Mr Elliot's knock. I am sure of it.

I believe you are right.

The poor man simply cannot keep away

from you, Miss Elliot.

Upon my word, Penelope.

I am scarcely aware of his intentions

being beyond those of other men.

How is Mary looking?

Last time I saw her she was...

Well, she had a red nose.

-Oh, she is quite well, thank you, Father.

-Good.

(DOOR OPENING)

My apologies for calling so unexpectedly

but I could not rest without knowing

that Miss Elliot had not taken cold yesterday.

Oh, how exceedingly kind of you, Mr Elliot.

Ah, my dear sir, give me leave

to present my daughter Anne.

But this is extraordinary.

Our paths have crossed before, Sir Walter,

at Lyme not a week past.

-Not that I could expect Miss Elliot to remember.

-Indeed I do remember, Mr Elliot, very clearly.

How extraordinary that we should be guests

at the same inn at the same time.

Yes, it is.

One might almost say...providential.

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