Florence Nightingale Page #3

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nailed to an existence where you talk about

nothing but who's coming to dinner!

- What's happened?

- She said no.

- To Richard?

- Yes, she called it slavery.

Slavery!

But, Flo, you know you could have done

anything you liked with the poor man.

Look at Mama,

and the way she manages our dear Papa.

- Half the time he has no idea what's...

- Yes, Parthe, that will be quite enough.

Florence, you know l never asked you

to be anyone's slave.

l have been very indulgent.

l'm sure my mother never considered

what l thought.

The least you can do in common courtesy

is to listen to me.

l'll go out and l'll find work.

- Oh, my dear young lady...

- l will.

Think of me as your son, your vagabond son.

l won't cost you a penny.

lsn't that good? Marriage is expensive.

- lmagine the savings.

- l know what you have in mind.

This absurd notion of becoming a nurse,

which l will never agree to.

That is God's way for me.

Oh, don't bring God into this again!

lt has nothing to do with him and you know it!

l will not allow you to disgrace yourself...

emptying slop buckets,

living at the beck and call of lechers and drunks!

Have you any idea what goes on in hospitals?

No woman of character would ever...

Yes, dear?

Fanny, my love, the Colonel's just leaving.

What shall l say to him?

Tell him there's no tyranny like

the petty tyranny of a good English family!

She said no to Richard.

Why does she have to spoil everything?

You have to speak to that girl, Wen.

Yes.

FLORENCE:
After that, everything changed.

Dismayed but resigned, my parents gave in

and l set about acquiring the largest

hospital experience man or woman ever had.

ln truth, l lost Richard, but l gained my freedom.

And yet, l confess if l were to see him again,

even now...

l don't understand it,

l'm ashamed to understand it,

but not one day has passed

without my thinking of him.

(Knock at door)

Flo... Are you all right?

lt's nothing.

l'm over it - the Crimean fever, l mean.

l was quite ill.

Guess who's here.

Sidney!

He just arrived from Westminster.

- He has news!

- Really?

l knew he'd get the government to see sense.

FLORENCE:
Nothing?

- Nothing at all?

- My dear,

the British public has had quite enough

of the ''Crimean Catastrophe''.

lt's over.

No, no, it's only just begun -

the catastrophe, l mean - with our silence.

You must help me, Sidney, you absolutely must.

You always have.

You can do it again. l know you can.

Otherwise these last two years

will have been for nothing.

Florence, l'm no longer Minister at War.

Just a plain old humble Member of Parliament,

making occasional speeches.

Oh!

Very fine ''occasional'' speeches, Sidney,

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