The Go-Between

'The past is a foreign country.

'They do things differently there.

'I've spent a good part of my life

running away from that country,

'keeping its painful

secrets locked away...

'.. buried deep.'

Why have you become such a dull dog,

when I gave you such a good start?

It was you that let me down.

You flew too close to the

sun, you got scorched.

It was you who made me this

creature of ashes and cinders.

But you've had 50 years to get over it!

'He was right.

'I have lived in the shadow of the past...

'.. afraid it would ruin my life.

'It has.'

Master Marcus.

Come on, frogspawn!

I'll show you our room.

Is it bigger than your

dirty old cave at home?

Oh...

About the same.

Come on!

Father says this is the

grandest house in all of Norfolk.

Is your father here?

No. He's stuck in the city

for the summer. Making money.

I don't want you boys to get too hot.

Perhaps you should go and get yourself

a jolly nice glass of lemonade.

Ah! Marian, my dear.

- Hugh will be here on Saturday.

- Hmm. That's nice.

Hugh coming?

He's staying till the end of

the month, perhaps longer.

Are you sure, Mama? You know

Trimingham never misses Goodwood.

Well, I think this year he means to.

So, Leo. Marcus tells

me you are a magician.

No, not really. Only at school.

He put a curse on Jenkins and Strode

and they fell off the house roof and

broke every bone in their bodies.

They were dreadful bullies.

He could have killed

them, if he'd wanted to.

In fact, it was jolly

decent of him not to.

How powerful you must be, Leo.

I hope you're not going to curse us here.

Oh, no. I wouldn't do that.

Can you put a spell on the weather, then?

It would be lovely to have a hot summer.

Well, I don't know...

I'm sure it's within your powers.

Couldn't you do it, just for me?

In the name of Virgo,

I command the weather to obey me.

Make it a hot summer, the hottest ever.

You can't catch me!

What are we going to do to

combat this frightful heat?

No, no, no -- walk,

don't run, Marcus dear.

Haven't you anything cooler to wear, Leo?

I may look hot, but I'm

quite cool underneath.

Did you leave your summer clothes at home?

I expect Mother forgot

to put them in my case.

Why don't you write and

ask her to send them?

Oh, that would take too long.

Let me take him to town

tomorrow, get him a new outfit.

You'd like that, wouldn't you, Leo?

But I haven't much money...

That doesn't matter. We've got some.

Don't forget, he has the

things at home, Marian.

We'll give them to him

as a birthday present.

Your mother wouldn't mind

that, would she, Leo?

When is your birthday, by the way?

The 27th.

Of this month? How splendid!

Now we can all give him something to wear.

Bags I the ties!

Why don't you wait till Monday,

when Hugh will be here?

Then you could make up a

party and go together.

It wouldn't be any treat to Hugh.

He wouldn't want to go trailing

around the shops with Leo and me.

Besides, by Monday, Leo

will have melted into butter,

and all he'll need will be a muslin bag.

Are you sure you wouldn't

rather wait till Monday?

Quite sure.

But of course, if anyone would

like to come with us...?

Then I suppose we can go, Mama?

Of course.

How beautifully these are mended!

I wish we had someone who

could mend clothes like this.

My mother does it herself.

Those clothes you have at home

don't really exist, do they?

They do, but they're rather old.

We can't afford new ones.

Well, it'll be our secret.

Can I get a cup of tea, please?

Yes, of course.

Thank you.

Anyone would think you'd

never been on a train before.

Leo, I have a few errands to run.

Can you manage on your own for an hour?

I'll see you back at the station.

All aboard!

3.42, calling at Halesham,

Croxham, Brandham...

'Let me look at you.'

Perfect.

Oh, darling Leo, look at you.

What a cool customer he looks!

Just like a cucumber.

And the same shade of green.

It's Lincoln green. He

might be Robin Hood.

And there's his Maid Marian!

- Do you feel different?

- I feel quite another person.

Let me look at you, Leo.

I think it does very well.

Did you see anyone in town?

Not a cat.

We were hard at it the whole

time, weren't we, Leo?

Yes, we were.

Well, he'll be much cooler now, anyway.

What a cheek! He must

know he's trespassing.

- Goodness! I think he's naked.

- Well, you'd better not look.

Ah, it's Ted Burgess, the

tenant at Black Farm.

We don't know him socially, of course,

but he mustn't think us stuck-up.

Whoever he is, we're going to change.

It takes us a long time.

He doesn't swim badly, for a farmer.

I didn't know anyone

were going to be here.

I shan't be long.

Well, don't hurry on our

account. We'll, um...

We'll swim further up.

Oh, by the way,

Trimingham's coming tonight.

Er, he'll probably want to

come and check on the harvest.

I shouldn't be a bit surprised.

Well, I... I think I put him at his ease.

Oh, oh, my hair!

My hair's come down, it's all wet!

I'll never get it dry! I'm coming out.

Is that man going?

Yes. It's quite safe now.

Oh.

Hello, Leo.

Do you know him, Marian?

I don't know, I might have

met him. I don't remember.

You're here, though.

That's the main thing.

Come on.

Welcome back, my Lord.

I trust you had a comfortable journey?

- Perfectly tolerable...

- That's Trimingham.

He was wounded by the Boers.

He was shot in the face.

It's never got right.

He owns this house. Father is

just renting it at the moment.

Mama wants Marian to marry him.

- Mrs Maudsley, you're looking as

radiant as ever. - How kind of you.

But why, if he's so ugly?

Because it's such a good match.

Marian?

Bring his Lordship's bags upstairs.

I don't think we've been introduced.

My name's Trimingham.

- How do you do, Mr Trimingham?

- Oh, just plain "Trimingham" will do.

Aren't all grown-up men called Mister?

Oh, well, doctors aren't, or professors.

That's a title they have.

Ah. Well, I suppose I have a title too.

It's Viscount Trimingham.

But "Trimingham" is quite

sufficient in ordinary conversation.

You can call me Hugh, if you

prefer. I don't charge extra.

You haven't told me your name.

It's Colston.

Mr Colston? Or Viscount?

My Christian name is Leo.

Really, it's Lionel, but

everyone calls me Leo.

Does Marian call you that?

I noticed you were talking earlier.

Yes, she does.

Well, then so shall I.

Do you like her -- Marian?

Enough to do something for her?

Anything.

Well, then take her a message.

Say I've got her prayer book.

She left it behind on the pew.

Marian?

- Hugh asked me to tell you...

- WHO asked you to tell me?

Yes, Hugh asked me to tell you...

WHO asked you to tell me

what? I don't understand.

Marian. Don't tease the poor boy.

She knows exactly who you mean, Leo.

- Trimingham says he's got your prayer

book. - Oh! - You left it behind.

How careless of me. Please thank him.

Why don't you go back and get it?

I'll fetch it later.

Marian said thank you.

- Is that all?

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