The Iron Lady Page #7

Another cry arose on shore; and

looking to the wreck, we saw the

cruel sail, with blow on blow, beat

off the lower of the two men, and

fly up in triumph round the active

figure left alone upon the mast.

CUT TO:

DICKENS eyes briefly graze over his AUDIENCE, hesitating on

seeing NELLY

DICKENS (CONT’D)

At length Ham neared the wreck. He

was so near that with one more of

his vigorous strokes he would be

clinging to it, -when, a green vast

hillside of water, moving on

shoreward, from beyond the ship, he

seemed to leap up into it with a

mighty bound and the ship was gone.

CUT TO:

NELLY sinks back in her seat, cheeks flushed, exhausted yet

exhilarated, as if she has been in the very same storm.

SILENCE:

APPLAUSE:

DICKENS comes to, as if out of a trance, exhausted, the

life blood almost seeped out of him.

22 INT. AUDITORIUM. ST MARTIN’S HALL. 1857. DAY. 22

DICKENS with COLLINS consumed by a throng of VICTORIAN

LADIES, a swell of DIGNITARIES waiting to usher him

away-

VICTORIAN LADY:

Truly Mr. Dickens it is

never so alive as when it is

spoken by its author.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 33.

DICKENS eyes catching on NELLY with MRS TERNAN, FANNY

and MARIA.

DICKENS:

(calling over)

Mrs Ternan.

(to VICTORIAN LADY)

Excuse me.

DICKENS hurrying to catch up, desperately trying to

leave the constant WELL WISHERS and FANS behind-

MRS TERNAN:

Mr. Dickens, it was

remarkable. Such control,

such mastery in your

performance.

The WOMEN swarm, DICKENS standing happily amongst

them.

DICKENS:

(hushed)

I am told these readings double

sales.

LAUGHTER:

DICKENS eyes dart to NELLY, in waiting-

MARIA:

It was quite brilliant, Mr

Dickens.

DICKENS:

It was?

FANNY:

Absolutely.

DICKENS:

Miss Frances. We have missed

you.

FANNY:

Not enough it seems.

NELLY flushes, FANNY squeezing NELLY with sisterly pride.

DICKENS charmed by this, MRS TERNAN smiles, deflecting.

MRS TERNAN:

Mrs Dickens is not here today?

DICKENS:

No, not today.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 34.

MRS TERNAN:

What a pity! To have missed it.

You have blown us all off course.

What a storm! It was as if we

were on the heath with Lear.

LAUGHTER.

DICKENS smiles, yet he looks to NELLY, eyes quietly

searching.

DICKENS:

It did not disappoint?

NELLY:

Well-

DICKENS hesitates, latching on to NELLY’s words, like a

dog with a bone.

DICKENS:

I do not like ‘well’.

NELLY flushes, urged on by her giggling sisters.

MARIA:

Nelly has read every chapter

twice.

NELLY:

Yes but-

FANNY:

Nelly, Mr Dickens wants to hear.

NELLY wavers, caught under DICKENS’ watchful eager eye-

DICKENS:

I am ready.

NELLY:

...I may have read every chapter

twice but I didn’t really hear

it..See it..Until now. Hearing

it..Hearing you-

DICKENS:

Yes. Yes.

NELLY:

I felt I was in the storm..I was

there... I was in it..I was on

the beach with Copperfield seeing

the body of his friend, drowned-

(visibly struggling)

It was unbearable-

NELLY moved, DICKENS touched by her emotion.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 35.

DICKENS:

I am glad.

DICKENS delights in NELLY’s obvious connection. MRS

TERNAN seeing this.

COLLINS:

(calling over)

Charles, come and talk to these

gentlemen. I have assured them that

your next novel will be your best.

There is so much anticipation. They

cannot wait- Nor can I!

DICKENS nods, stalling for time, aware of a DIGNITARY

gesturing to him across the room.

DICKENS:

Where will you play next?

NELLY:

We are engaged to play in Doncaster

for three weeks.

DICKENS:

So far away.

MRS TERNAN:

It is not Australia, Mr Dickens.

DICKENS:

And what are you playing?

DICKENS his eyes still on NELLY

NELLY:

Two tragedies and a farce.

DICKENS:

A farce!

NELLY:

The Pet of the Petticoats.

DICKENS:

A terrible title but-

DICKENS’ smiles, making his goodbyes-

DICKENS (CONT’D)

..very good races Doncaster.

DICKENS already lost, almost smothered by the assembly of

DIGNITARIES and ADMIRERS and JOURNALISTS waiting on his every

word.

DICKENS looks back, watching the departing TERNAN

FAMILY, eyes searching for

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 36.

NELLY has gone.

23 INT. GADS HILL. 1857. EVENING. 23

A dark, study, heavily lined with bookshelves. DICKENS sits

at his desk, writing letters yet the sense of his mind

elsewhere, distracted.

SUDDENLY a creak of a floorboard, DICKENS looks up-

DICKENS:

(calling out)

Catherine-

The door opens, CATHERINE stands in the doorway-

CATHERINE:

Yes?

DICKENS:

Shall we sit together?

CATHERINE:

If you wish.

DICKENS:

No..If you would prefer not..

CATHERINE:

I did not sleep well last night.

Perhaps I will go to bed now.

DICKENS sinks, a little-

DICKENS:

Yes, of course yes.

CATHERINE makes to go-

DICKENS (CONT’D)

Collins has an idea for Household

Words. A trip to the North. A Lazy

Tour of Two Idle Apprentices. Might

just be a couple of inches in it.

CATHERINE:

Where will you start?

DICKENS:

(beat)

Doncaster.

CATHERINE nods, barely listening, moving on-

CATHERINE:

Turn up the lamp. You cannot write

in this light.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 37.

The door closes-

DICKENS sits alone, reading, staring down at the darkened

page, mind clearly elsewhere.

23A INT. BEDROOM. GADS HILL. KENT. 1857. DAY. 23A

Over DICKENS leaving his dressing room as he moves towards

the bedroom. He opens the door to the bedroom, surprising

CATHERINE putting on her nightdress. Her naked back. She

turns, caught, alarmed. A sense of her shock and

embarrassment.

24 EXT. RACECOURSE. DONCASTER. 1857. DAY. 24

The SWELL of RACEGOERS breath held in anticipation and

just visible amongst them-

NELLY, pretty in lilac bonnet and gloves, pressed

against the wooden fence, waiting. Beside her MRS

TERNAN, FANNY, MARIA, DICKENS and COLLINS close by.

The SOUND OF THUNDERING HORSE HOOVES galloping past

building-

NELLY, DICKENS, COLLINS, MRS TERNAN, FANNY and MARIA all

waving and cheering madly, eyes tracking the STEAMING

GLOSSY FLANKS of the horses passing in a blur, racing

towards a finishing line until-

MARIA:

Nelly, it is yours. It is

yours.

NELLY leaps with excitement, instinctively gripping the

nearest hand, DICKENS’. DICKENS cheering with delight-.

CUT TO:

25 EXT. RACECOURSE. DONCASTER. 1857. DAY. 25

The SPILL of RACEGOERS across the racecourse, counting

their winnings and lost in babbling conversation.

NELLY:

Five shillings..Five shillings.

COLLINS tears up his betting slip in fury, MARIA and

FANNY consoling him, taking his arm, either side.

COLLINS:

It was fixed. It was fixed.

Blue Revisions dated 11th June 2012 38.

MRS TERNAN:

I hope you are not a bad sport,

Mr Collins.

COLLINS:

I’m very bad!

MRS TERNAN:

Then you must win. Shall we bet

again?

COLLINS:

Yes. Again.

LAUGHTER:

DICKENS and NELLY follow, MRS TERNAN close behind.

DICKENS:

So what will you do with your

winnings, Nelly?

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