The Draughtsman's Contract Page #6
- R
- Year:
- 1982
- 108 min
- 1,921 Views
belonging to your father...
...found on the road to Southampton?
The first assumption is...
...that the horse has no business
being there without my father...
...and why is it wounded...
...and what does
that imply for my father?
And the second assumption
...since a saddle-less
horse has found...
...its way into
this morning's drawing.
Mrs. Talmann...
...why don't you
now leave the window...
...and come to the basin.
Don't worry...
...your position of superiority
won't be diminished.
I will still have to look up to you.
Since I have taken valuable time...
...to fill this basin
with a little water...
...why not share it with me?
You have a curious
mole, Mrs. Herbert...
...and it is ideally placed.
Does your gardener
catch moles, Mrs. Herbert?
No, he says they
are to be encouraged...
...for good luck and the
destruction of one's enemies.
They trip up horses, Mrs. Herbert.
You will not persuade Mr.
Porringer to persecute them.
A curious man...
...and ideally placed.
Ideally placed for what?
Why for persuading
a fine white horse...
...from Southampton
to go lame in the leg.
You have nothing to fear
from Mr. Porringer, Mr. Neville.
He watches you for his own amusement.
As I do you, Madam.
You seem nonetheless to be curiously
keen to protect your gardener.
It is not you...
...but his breeches
that are his best defence.
A man in red breeches
could scarcely be considered...
...an inconspicuous conspirator.
Unlike that other fool who behaves
like a statue when you least expect.
Away from the house, Mr. Neville...
...I feel I grow
smaller in significance.
Madam, what signifies,
does not grow smaller for me.
Your significance Mr. Neville
is attributable to both...
...innocence and
arrogance in equal parts.
You can handle both
with impunity, Mrs. Talman.
But you will find that
they are not symmetrical.
You will find that one
weighs heavier than the other.
Which do you think is the heavier?
Your innocence, Mr. Neville...
...is always sinister.
So I will say that the
right one is the heaviest.
Your dexterity is admirable.
You spend too much
time with Mr. Neville.
How is that?
The man is a pariah.
He eats like a vagrant
and dresses like a barber.
What compliments.
As for his servant...
...he looks like a
fleece with a foot disease.
Don't you think
Mr. Neville is knowledgeable?
About what?
About what, Madam?
I could take your
silence as provocation.
And why should I wish to provoke you?
To excite me to think
that you might wish...
...to compliment Mr.
Neville with more than praise...
...for his knowledgability.
The complexity of your
speech does you credit...
...but it far exceeds the
complexity of any relationship...
...I might have with Mr. Neville...
...which is indeed very simple.
He's a paid servant of my mother's...
...bound by a contract.
That is all.
I'm encouraged by my
mother to see him honour it.
Is his pleasure in your
encouragement so necessary?
Although Mr. Neville has qualities...
...he is neither as intelligent nor...
...as talented as he thinks.
Both characteristics you have
observed from the start, Louis.
Though I admit more by
prejudice than by observation.
I understand that you will be
leaving us tonight, Mr. Neville.
With Mrs. Herbert's permission...
...I will be leaving after
the arrival of Mr. Herbert...
opinion on the drawings of his house.
If my servant has
obtained a vehicle...
...I will be leaving in the morning.
And, of course, Mr.
Neville, the sooner the better...
...as you expected me to say.
You Sir, have acquainted me
with your opinion on drawing...
...on horticulture, the
Roman church, childbearing...
English life, the history...
...and politics of
Lubeck, and the training of dogs.
So I am in a fair position...
...to anticipate your
opinions to my departure.
with such devoted hospitality?
Mr. Talmann...
...I have been treated
with as great hospitality...
...as I could wish for
in Mrs. Herbert's house.
Your drawings are full of the most
unexpected observation, Mr. Neville.
Looking at them is a kin to
pursuing a complicated allegory.
Are you sure this ladder was there?
- Indisputably.
And what's this? It looks like...
- Whatever it is, it was there.
Mrs. Talisman will confirm it.
How is that?
How will my wife confirm it?
encompassing in his statement.
I can, however, confirm
the sighting of a ladder.
It is propped against my father's
with drawing-room.
It is indeed Madam.
You have an exact knowledge.
As exact a knowledge as though...
...you had placed it
there yourself, would you say?
Mr. Neville, if ever I had
such a mind to...
impossible to have lifted it.
It would have taken...
...two men.
Away!
What do you want, Mr. Clarke?
Can you come with me, Sir.
It's important.
It is most important that
I speak with you.
I cannot now, Thomas.
I am in a position to insist.
After what has happened,
Take care of affairs yourself...
...or in the last resort,
ask Mr. Talmann.
Telling Mr. Talman what is on my
mind will not help you.
What do you mean?
I am sure I'm shortly to be accused
of the murder of your husband.
I'm determined to confront that
eventuality well protected.
Who will accuse you?
Firstly, I think will be
your son-in-law...
...abetted and witnessed
probably by his servants.
How can that be?
- I need your assistance.
To what end?
If my son-in-law believes that you're
guilty of the murder of Mr. Herbert.
Leave me.
Maria!
Calling your servants
is not going to help.
What do you mean?
Maria!
I mean the draughtsman's contract.
What of it?
Maria, call Mr. Talmann.
I mean your contractual
obligations to Mr. Neville.
What of them?
You are disingenuous beyond words.
Don't bother to call Mr. Talmann.
Fetch me instead a...
Fetch me nothing.
I'm not thirsty just at present.
Now...
...Mr. Noyes,
what are you inferring?
I am to be unjustly and
unscrupulously accused...
...of the murder of your husband.
On what grounds?
That I was the most
likely person to have done it.
I was the only person,
except your servants...
...to know of Mr.
Herbert's return on Friday.
I am culpable because of my known
feelings towards your husband.
That is ridiculous, there was...
I am the only person in the group of
people you are about to mention...
...who was not at home
awaiting the arrival of Mr. Herbert.
And, further, because of my known
feelings towards you.
Is all that sufficient reason?
There is more.
Mr. Herbert's study is
mysteriously littered...
...with papers and
my gloves are there.
Now against this conspiracy...
...I need your protection...
...and more.
If you're guilty,
Thomas, you shall have neither.
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Submitted on August 05, 2018
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"The Draughtsman's Contract" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Jul 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_draughtsman's_contract_20113>.
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