The Corn Is Green Page #5

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I mean, a patron...

...in the sense that Lord Bolingbroke

was Pope's.

The pope?

Alexander Pope, the writer.

Yes, well...

...think of Shakespeare.

- I will.

- He dedicated The Rape of Lucrece...

...to the right honorable

earl of Southampton.

"Your Honor's in all duty,

William Shakespeare."

A rape?

I'd just as soon not have the family name

connected with a rape.

Southampton, his name will live forever

because of the help that he gave...

...to a poor and helpless writer.

I never thought of Shakespeare as poor.

Some say his father was a butcher.

You see, Southampton realized

that the boy had genius.

And he fostered it.

He...

He backed him like a horse.

Now, wait, a horse.

- A horse.

- And you think that...?

Now, wait, wait, wait,

wait just a minute, just a minute.

Why shouldn't I have my writer too?

My little pit pony writer, eh?

Why not, indeed. But what do you mean?

I don't under... Oh, yes, yes.

Now I understand.

What a wonderful idea.

Typical, isn't it?

Everyone finally having to scream

to you for help.

- Scream away, dear lady, scream away.

- Well.

- There's a scholarship going.

- Scholarship to where?

- Oxford.

- Oxford.

A scholarship to Trinity College Oxford.

I've got a brother at Oxford.

- No.

- Yes. I'll write to him.

Why not let me compose

the recommendations for the boy?

Save you the trouble,

you have so many problems.

- Then we could post it immediately.

- I've got a better idea.

Why don't we all have dinner together

this evening and talk about it then?

You and Miss Ronberry,

Jones and the boy.

What's his name, Pope?

Pope.

How kind you are.

Nothing.

I'm glad you came to your senses.

Safe home. See you later, 7:30.

Thank you so very much, squire.

Drive off. For heaven's sake, drive off.

Bye-bye.

That man is so stupid,

it sits on him like a halo.

Evans.

Are you here?

I'm here.

Present for you.

What is it?

Greek book.

What do I want with Greek?

I'm entering you for a scholarship

to Oxford.

Oxford?

Trinity College Oxford. Get your cap.

Wash your hands.

We're having dinner with the squire.

Don't want no fancy dinner.

Don't need any Greek.

- Oh, yes, you do.

- No good to me in the mine.

What did you say?

I was born in a Welsh hay field

when my mother was helping in the harvest.

And I always lived in a small house

with no stairs, only a ladder. And no water.

And until my brothers were killed,

I never sleep except three in a bed.

Well, what on earth has three in a bed

to do with learning Greek?

It has a lot.

You can't carry a book of Greek

into the Gwesmor Arms.

But my dear boy,

you don't go to the Gwesmor Arms.

Oh, yes, I do.

I've been there every afternoon this week

and I've been there now...

...and that is why I can speak my mind.

Well...

I had no idea you felt like this.

Because you are not interested in me.

Not interested in you?

How could you be interested

in a bloody machine?

You put a penny in and if nothing

comes out, you give it a good shake.

Evans, Evans, Evans.

My name is Morgan Evans,

and all my friends call me Morgan.

If there's anything that gets on the wrong

side of me, it's people calling me Evans.

The schoolmistress' little dog.

That's what they call me in the village.

What's it got to do with you

if my hands are dirty?

Mind your own business.

I...

I've spent money on you.

I don't mind that.

Money is meant to be spent.

But time is different.

Two years of valuable currency.

I've spent two years on you.

Ever since that first day, the mainspring

of this school has been your career.

Sometimes, in the middle of the night...

...when I've been desperately tired,

I've lain awake making plans.

Large and small.

Sensible and silly.

Plans for you.

And you tell me

that I have no interest in you?

If I say any more, I shall start to cry,

and I haven't cried...

...since I was younger than you are,

and I'd never forgive you for that.

I'm going to that dinner.

I am going out.

I don't care for this conversation.

Please, never mention it again.

If you want to go on,

be at school tomorrow.

If not, don't.

I don't want your money,

and I don't want your time.

I don't wanna be thankful

to no strange woman for anything.

Take your foot away from that door.

I don't understand you.

I don't understand you at all.

Sweetheart

The man in the moon

I'm going to marry him soon

It'd fill me with bliss

Just to give him one kiss

But I know that a dozen

I never would miss

Mom's gone out, you know.

To one of her meetings.

The rest has all gone out to dinner.

It's funny. We've never been

by ourselves before.

You don't have to go to Oxford.

Clever chap like you.

- Talking a lot, aren't I?

- Yes.

I think she's wicked.

- Mind your own business.

- I won't, you know.

I like to know about everything.

I like to do the things I like.

I like sweets.

Don't care if it does make me fat.

It's funny, isn't it?

First time we've ever been alone together,

just when I'm leaving.

- Leaving?

- I'll be gone tomorrow.

A friend of me mom's

has found a place for me...

...at the house

she works at in Cheltenham.

Will you miss me?

I've got some scent on my hands.

Like to smell them?

It's lovely. It's lily of the valley.

Don't you want to?

You want to, don't you?

Then behind some dark cloud

Where no one is allowed

I'll make love to the man

In the moon

She doesn't understand.

What a man wants is a bit of comfort.

You always look at me

like I wasn't there.

You see me now though, don't you?

Naughty. Can't you wait a bit?

You're a big, wicked boy, aren't you?

I can tell.

The sort to drive a girl wild.

Good morning, Miss Moffat.

Good morning, Morgan.

We'll... We'll work in the study.

Yes, Miss Moffat.

You will sit for your Oxford examinations

on the 1 st of November.

- We haven't a minute to waste.

- I understand all of that.

Good.

- Very pretty, Bessie.

- Stylish, yes.

All Miss Ronberry.

I hope Cheltenham doesn't let you down.

I think my future lies in the city.

I'm not the school type, you might say.

Experience is more my line.

You know, something going on.

- Goodbye, Bessie.

- Goodbye.

- Good luck.

- Thank you.

- Goodbye, all.

- Bye-bye, Bessie.

Up I go.

Just so you don't go down.

- Cheers.

- Don't you worry about me.

Well, she's gone, and the Lord be praised.

Oh, you don't mean that. You'll miss her.

I shouldn't think so. I don't like her,

you know? I never have.

- But, Mrs. Watty, your own daughter.

- I know.

But I've never been able to take to her.

First time I saw her, I said no.

- You're not too tired, are you, Morgan?

- No.

I mean, in the head.

No, I don't think so.

I'm a bit worried, of course,

now and then, about the...

Examination, yes, but confident.

Well, yes. I try to be.

You should be. You're absolutely up to it.

I'm scared too,

but I'm secure about you.

The main thing in any challenge

is to keep your head.

If you come to something you feel

you don't know, skip it for the moment.

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