The Corn Is Green Page #6

Ron, I am entering Morgan Evans

for a scholarship to Oxford University

and the Squire is going

to vouch for him.

- Halellujah!

- But they don't have miners at Oxford.

Well, they're going to.

- Well, good night.

- Good night.

Oh, it's you, Morgan.

Miss Moffat is in the study.

- I'll tell her that you are back.

- I don't want to see no Miss Moffat.

You mean, "I don't want

to see Miss Moffat. "

- The double negative, you know.

- Now don't you start.

I like the double negative. It says

what I want the way I like and

I'm not going to stand

no interferences from nobody.

Morgan, I've never seen you

like this before.

No you haven't, have you?

Oh, you're back, Evans.

Have a good walk?

- Yes, Miss Moffat.

- Sit down. I have a surprise for you.

- I will stand, Miss Moffat.

- If you like.

- Good night, Ron.

- Good night.

I'm putting you in for a scholarship

at Oxford.

Oxford?

Where the lords go?

The same.

Oh, by the way. About your Greek.

I've made you a simplified

alphabet to begin with.

It's jolly interesting after Latin.

Have a look at it by Tuesday

so we can make a good start.

Oh, before we go on with the lesson,

I'll find you a nail file.

I'll show you how to use it.

I shall not need a nail file

in the coal mine.

- In the what?

- I am going back to the coal mine.

I don't understand you.

Explain yourself.

I don't want to learn Greek,

not to pronounce long English words,

not to keep my hands clean.

What is the matter with you?

Why not?

Because I was born in a Welsh hayfield

when my mother was helpin' with the harvest.

and I always lived in a house with

no stairs, only a ladder and no water...

and until my brothers was killed

I never sleep except three in a bed.

I know that is terrible

grammar but it's true.

What has 3 in a bed got

to do with learning Greek?

It has a lot.

The last two years I have not had no proper

talk with English chaps in the mine

because I was so busy keepin'

this old grammar in its place.

Tryin' to better myself.

Tryin' to better myself,

the day and the night!

You cannot take a nail file into

the Gwesmor Arms public bar!

My dear boy, file your nails at home!

Besides, you don't go

to the Gwesmor Arms.

Yes, I do, I have been there

every afternoon for a week,

spendin' your pocket money.

And I have been there now,

and that is why I can speak my mind.

I had no idea that you felt like this.

Because you're not interested

in me, that's why.

Not interested in you?

How can you be interested in a machine

that you put a penny in

and if nothing comes out

you give it a good shake?

"Evans, write me an essay;

Evans, get up and bow;

Evans, what is a subjunctive?"

My name is Morgan Evans,

and all my friends call me Morgan,

and if there is anything gets on the wrong

side of me it is callin' me Evans!

And do you know what

they call me in the village?

Ci bach yr ysgol!

The schoolmistress's little dog!

What has it got to do with you

if my nails are dirty?

Mind your own business!

I had never meant you to know this.

I have spent money on you.

I don't mind.

That money ought to be spent.

But time is different.

Your life is just beginning.

Mine is half over.

Two years is valuable currency.

I have 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 have been desperately tired,

I have lain awake making plans.

Large and small, sensible and silly.

Plans for you.

And you say

I have no interest in you.

If I say any more,

I shall start to cry.

I haven't cried

since I was younger than you are.

And I'd never forgive you for that.

I don't like this sort of 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 want to be thankful

to no strange woman for anything.

I don't understand you.

I don't understand you at all.

Morgan!

Come help me down.

Come help me down!

Hello.

I hurt my knee sliding down the roof.

Perhaps I'm invisible.

- Going for a walk?

- I am.

- Do you mind if I come along with you?

- Free country.

Don't walk so fast, Morgan.

You'll have me all out of breath.

- Talking a lot, aren't I?

- Yes.

Well so were you in there.

And I'm not deaf.

Spying, were you?

If people lock me up in rooms

and take the key out of the keyhole

they can't blame me

for listening at it.

- She's wicked.

- Mind your own business.

Listening to the night, Morgan?

Isn't it beautiful?

You like that singing, don't you?

You know, it's funny.

We've never been

by ourselves before.

Didn't know I knew Welsh

before, did you?

You like that song, don't you?

That's why I learned it.

You are different when you sing.

Am I?

What's this? Medicine?

Tastes like rubber.

It's nice though.

You know, you was quite right

putting her in her place like that.

Clever chap like you

learning lesson off a woman.

You don't have to go to Oxford.

A clever chap like you.

That's right.

What a man wants

is a bit of sympathy.

A pronoun is a word used

instead of a noun.

That is correct.

Now notice the sentence:

"James took James' hat

and put James' hat on James' desk. "

- Is it correct?

- No, Miss Moffat.

Write the sentence on your slates

as you think it should be written.

Gwyllam, you seem to be having

difficulty. Can you make a try?

If I take my hat and put it on my desk...

What is wrong with that?

Gwyllam, we're not talking

about your hat,

we're talking about the sentence,

the structure.

The use of pronouns.

I do not understand.

Idwal, you may read yours.

James took his hat

and put it on his desk.

Exactly.

Wyllam, do you understand now?

No, Miss Moffat.

Very well, we'll try again tomorrow.

Class dismissed.

I'm afraid Gwyllam uses

no head for grammar.

It was different with Morgan Evans.

It's not always the hare

wins the races, Mr. Jones.

Indeed not, Miss Moffat.

But I have seen you struggling

with Gwyllam Hughes and the others.

It was not my intention to start a school

for only those with natural gifts.

You must help all who want to be helped.

The old and the young,

the slow and the fast.

- Oh, Mr. Jones.

- Yes, Miss Moffat.

Mrs. Simon Thomas received

a letter from America.

Would you read it for her?

- Yes, mam.

- Thank you.

- Morgan?

- Come in.

Good evening.

What do you want?

Oh, my boy. I mean no offense.

Has the time come in Glansarno when

a man can't pay a family call?

Miss Moffat sent you.

No. Miss Moffat didn't send me.

You see, old Mrs. Simon Thomas just

down the lane had a letter from America.

And since she cannot read,

I went over there to read it for her.

What has that got to do with me?

Well, you could have read

it yourself and saved me a trip.

True, you have been away

from the school for some time now.

- That is my concern.

- Yes, but...

still, it is a fine thing

to be able to read.

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