The Barretts of Wimpole Street Page #10

When you have repented your wickedness

and are ready to ask for God's forgiveness,

... and mine, you may send for me.

Come in.

Wilson, shut the door, please.

Wilson...

Are you my friend ?

Your friend ?

Yes, I'm very much in need of friendship and help at the moment.

Oh, I'm that fond of you

I'd do anything to help you, miss Ba.

Good.

I'm going to marry Mr. Browning.

Marry ?

Shhh.

Does he know ?

No, and he mustn't. Nobody must.

I should just think not indeed.

Oh, Miss Ba.

I'm that glad.

After we're married we're going to Italy.

And Mr. Browning would like to know if you'll come with us.

To Italy ?

Yes. Will you come ?

Well, miss, I don't see as how I can help meself.

Not that I hold to foreign parts, I don't, but...

husband or no husband,

you'd never get to Italy alive without me.

Thank you, Wilson.

Now, I want you to take a letter right to Mr. Browning.

You'll have to take a cab at once.

A cab ?

Yes, go and get all your things.

I'll have this finished by the time you're ready.

Hurry !

But Miss Ba...

... is it to be at once ?

No, probably not for a month or so.

Be quick, though.

Yes, miss.

But Miss Ba...

If it's not to be for a month...

Yes, Wilson, I know I'm absurd...

but I made up this courage.

Besides, I believe Mr. Browning will be glad to get my letter.

Oh, I'm sure he will, miss.

Miss Wilson, has anything happened ?

What is it ?

Miss Ba sent this for you, sir.

Oh.

Oh, it's all right, sir.

Wilson, I...

I was afraid that... perhaps...

If you don't mind, sir...

I think it's splendid.

Oh, thank you, Wilson, thank you.

Thank you, Wilson.

If you don't mind, sir.

Wilson, I knew she'd do it.

I had no right to be afraid.

I wasn't really afraid.

Oh, no, sir.

Wilson, do you realize that you are the bearer

of the greatest good tidings since

they brought the good news from ------ ?

You wait here, Wilson.

I'm going upstairs and tell the good news to my mother.

I'm going to tell it to everybody.

Oh I wouldn't do that, sir.

You wait here and then we'll go back

together in triumph to Wimpole Street.

Perhaps we'd better have music, a band or something.

You're not to do that, sir.

The master's come home.

What's that ?

Mr. Barrett, sir. He came home.

Oh, Miss Ba.

Shhh.

Oh, Miss Ba, you can't imagine...

What did he say ?

Well, miss, he's a most unusual man.

There he stood giving me orders.

Telling me what you and me was to do.

Really, miss, I don't know what your married life is going to be like.

Wilson, was he pleased when he read the letter ?

He was that pleased, miss.

What did he say, how did he look ?

I want to know everything.

Well, miss... He couldn't say a word at first.

He seemd all kind of choked up, like...

Oh, Wilson.

Wilson, he was happy that I...

Yes, miss, he was that happy. You should have seen his face.

And then he started running

around with timetables and those things.

And he says you are to wear

your ordinary travelling clothes to the church.

Church ?

Yes, miss, you're going to be married tonight.

But, Wilson. That's absurd.

Tonight ? How can we ?

I don't know. But we're going to.

He's going to get a vicar and a special license.

And as soon as we're finished packing,

we're to meet him at the church.

So I might just as well start packing.

But Wilson, how can we ?

Don't ask me, ask him.

What dresses are you going to pack, miss ?

Wilson, do you want to drive me mad. You know we can't.

He says you can.

Oh, miss. There's a lot I'd give to be here...

... when the master finds out you've gone and got married.

Don't Wilson, don't. The very thought terrifies me.

Wilson, put back those things and give me time to think.

You know it's out of the question.

I'm not prepared and I...

Wilson ! Put back those things.

Oh, miss, you did give me a turn.

Be quiet.

Ba !

What on earth is the matter ?

Why, nothing.

Nothing. It's just...

... it's all been so upsetting.

I don't believe that's all.

Look at Wilson.

You've startled us.

Wilson, will you come back in a little while ?

Is there something you want to say to me, dear ?

Yes.

Papa threatened to turn me out of the house

unless I swore on the Bible not to write or see Surtees.

Well, I'm going to break that Bible oath.

Are you, dear ?

Yes, and I shall glory in breaking it.

I shall see Surtees every day when we leave.

And when we're in the country I shall write to him.

And if papa asks me, I'll go out of my way to lie to him.

I see. Why do you tell me this ?

Because I want you to say

that I'm a wicked, deceitful, perjured, loose woman...

... so that I can fling the words back in your face.

Oh, Ba.

Ba, darling, I didn't mean that.

I'm not myself.

I'm all love and hate.

I don't know which is the worse torture.

Oh, my dear. You think I don't understand, but I do.

I do.

And I implore you, dear, never lose hope.

Never lose courage. Never.

The master.

Ba, there is something.

You're as white as a sheet.

What is it ? Is there anything I can do ?

No, no. Don't speak, don't ask me anything.

You know nothing, you understand ? Nothing, nothing.

What's the matter with that woman ?

Wilson ?

Yes. And you.

Nothing, papa.

Where have you been ?

Nowhere.

Where are you going ?

To Aunt Hedley's.

Is that the truth ?

Yes.

Remember your oath.

Yes.

Are you going to keep it ?

Yes.

I want to speak to your sister. You may go.

Do you know why I've come back ?

No, papa.

Because I cannot bear to be estranged from you.

You should have come to me to beg

my forgiveness for your wicked and cruel words.

But in spite of my sense of right

and justice and duty I had to come to you.

And I despise myself for coming.

I despise myself, I hate myself...

Oh, no, no, no.

Oh, papa, can't you see,

won't you ever see that strength may be weakness ?

And that your sense of justice,

duty and right are all mistaken and wrong ?

It's been my heavy cross that those whom I was given to guide and rule

have always fought against the right which I knew to be the right.

And was in duty bound to impose upon them, even you.

Even your mother

My mother ?

Yes, your mother.

You, my eldest child, were born of love and only love.

But the others, long before they came,

love died out and fear took its place.

No, no...

Fear. And all because I saw the right and did it.

Not that she ever opposed me ever once.

Oh, dear God, what she must have suffered.

Ba, my dear, don't, don't.

I shouldn't have spoken about it.

Take your hands from your face.

Don't look at me like that. You don't understand, how should you ?

You know nothing of the brutal tyranny of the senses and how

even the strongest and best are driven by it to hell.

Would you have abetted your sister...

Henrietta's in love !

You dare speak of it in the same breath ?

Her, love ?

You ignorant little fool,

what do you know about love ?

Love. Desire.

It's time a little reality were brought into your dream of life.

I won't listen to you.

You must ! You shall !

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