The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex Page #4

You understand, do you not?

- Penelope.

- My lord.

Have I kept the queen?

Would Her Majesty wait for any man?

- I admire your discretion.

- Only my discretion?

Anything you wish.

Tell her I'm here.

She's not quite ready.

- May I have one moment, my lord?

- Of course.

- Answer honestly.

- Honestly.

Do you...?

Do you love the queen?

- I do, my dear. Deeply.

- I wish you loved someone...

...who loved you better.

- Meaning?

No one. Myself perhaps.

Anyone who loved you better.

Why? Doesn't the queen love me?

She loves you, she loves you not.

She loves you, she loves you not.

Why do you tell me this?

- I'm afraid.

- For me?

I've heard her, walking up and down

her room at night...

...all night long cursing you...

...because she must love you

and can't help herself...

...swearing a terrible revenge

for this love she bears you.

Robert, be careful.

You anger her too much.

Why? Isn't it the same

with all lovers?

Oh, no. I've never cursed you.

But if we were lovers, you might.

So thank your lucky stars we're not.

Don't joke.

I'm afraid.

- Promise you'll be careful.

- I promise.

- I'll tell her you're here.

- There is no need.

When my Penelope

passed me just now...

...her eyes and her lips

looked the softer for kissing.

Was I inopportune?

She's just a thoughtless child.

These little children

have their ways with each other.

Do we begin already

with hints and accusations?

- Why, you know perfectly well l...

- I only know what I see.

Do you find Penelope charming?

Well, there are other men for me,

besides yourself, to love and be loved.

There's always Egerton

or Sir Walter the handsome, the...

The silver-plated?

Well, he'll wear no more silver

at your door.

I knew this silver

would draw your fire.

What did you do?

Come on, tell me. What happened?

Nothing. I think the fashion

suddenly became too popular.

He's gone to change his clothes.

He'll wear no more silver

at your door.

Isn't it strange how one man's kisses

can grow to be like any other's?

Yes, yes. Or one woman's

to be like any other woman's.

- Not mine for you.

- Nor mine for you, you lying villain.

- You deceiver, curse you.

- Curse you and double curse you.

- You devil of brass.

- Silver, darling.

Let me be a devil in silver.

It reminds me of Raleigh.

Raleigh?

Must you forever be thinking of him?

What else do you expect...

...when you prefer the ants

and the squirrels of Wanstead to me?

What's today?

Thursday.

Come again when I'm

in a better mood.

Next Wednesday, say.

Or any Wednesday

later in the summer.

Any summer.

What, you still here?

- Lf I could only walk out that door.

- It's not locked.

If I went, I'd only come back

like a fool, and you know it.

Would you?

- Why didn't you write to me?

- Why didn't you return?

Return? You let it be known

you'd not admit me.

I may have meant it at the time.

If ever a man was possessed of a devil,

you're mine. Why I don't knock...

And if ever a devil tortured a woman,

you're my devil and torture me!

For pity's sake, let us part now

and quickly, or it will grow worse.

- Go, please!

- I'll not go!

Darling.

Come here.

Robert.

Robert, let us be kind for a moment.

No, I'll be kind. You needn't be.

You're young and strangely sweet.

And my heart cries out to you

wherever you are.

And there's something in me

that has drawn you.

But this same lovely, dreadful thing

that draws us together...

...hurts us and blinds us

until we strike at one another.

Yes, dear, but...

This has gone on for a long time...

...and it grows worse with the years.

- It will end badly.

- What are we to do?

You must go away, darling.

I must never see you again.

That's what I said last time

and here I am.

You must love someone else.

I will forgive you.

You mean you'll try to forgive me.

- But I would.

- There'd be nothing to forgive.

I've tried to love others.

It's as empty as ashes.

What others?

- Oh, no one. No one.

- What others?

Oh, everyone. Hundreds of others.

Thousands, if you like.

What are others to me

when I can only hear your voice?

Even your laughter,

mocking me, defying me.

That's what you've done to me.

You've made everything

seem empty away from you.

And with you too.

But what about me

when you are gone?

Darling, if we must quarrel

when we're together...

...why, then let's quarrel.

At least when we do, we're together.

If we are to love, sweet,

we must be silent.

- For, when we speak...

- Then I'll be silent, and you shall speak.

If only sometimes you'd hate me.

If only sometimes, when I'm right,

you'd admit it...

...instead of instantly flying

into opposition, no matter what I say.

But then, my love...

...you so seldom are right.

- For example?

- For example, Cdiz.

Loss of men.

The drain on the treasury.

I might have known

you'd try to dig me with that.

No matter what you think,

what I did there pleased England.

Is it my fame you think of,

my lord, or your own?

Haven't you built your name

high enough?

In spite of your blunder at Cdiz,

there's no name like yours in England.

If we were to ride in the streets,

it's Essex they'd cheer, not me.

Is it for this that you hold me back

from a raid on Spain?

It is because I believe in peace

and have no faith in what wars bring.

The truth is you fear me,

fear what I might become.

I do fear you, because you're flattered

by the praise of fools...

...until you think you'd make

a better king than I a queen.

You think you'd rule England better

because you're a man.

I do indeed.

That's exactly where you fail.

You can't think and act like a man.

I'll make you sorry for those words!

Think like you is what you mean.

And why should I

when my thinking's wiser?

What is your plan?

To take over England? To depose me?

Fiery wench, aren't you?

It's me bringing up.

I never knew from day to day

who my mother was.

It shook me nerves.

You're your father's daughter,

all right.

The same quick temper,

the same hot blood.

Tell me, darling...

...don't I sometimes

wear on you a little?

Never, darling.

And you won't tire of me?

Tire of you?

How could I?

You'd have to say that,

wouldn't you?

I mean, because you

wouldn't want to hurt me.

Because I'm your queen.

And so I'll never know

till everyone else knows...

...and is laughing at me

that I've lost you.

Let me finish, sweet.

When the time comes...

...and I seem old to you...

- You're not old.

I won't have you old.

And you love someone else...

...be kind and tell me.

Will you do that?

You may kill me if I ever say it.

Love...

...may I say one thing more

that may hurt you?

Anything.

Now that you're back

and safe in my heart again...

...the post I have given you

will not content you.

Your blood will be on fire to lead some

new command, some far adventure.

If you hear I need a general anywhere,

promise me you will not ask to go.

Is this what you wanted?

To force me into a cowardly promise?

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