The Portrait of a Lady Page #3

[COUGHS]

By great good luck, Dr Matthew Hope is in town,

and I shall make sure of his coming down to Gardencourt.

There's... an express train at 2.45,

and you shall come with me or not, as you prefer.

I shall go with you. I'll pack now.

[SIGHS]

I'm not at peace about Isabel.

I fear she may marry one of these Europeans, and I want to prevent it.

What a rage you have for organising people.

I simply want her to marry Mr Caspar Goodwood.

He's followed her all the way from Boston.

He was here, last night.

In Pratt's? [DISHES SHATTER]

Mmm. It was a little plot of mine.

Is she very fond of him?

If she isn't, she ought to be.

He's simply wrapped up in her.

Three months ago, she gave him every reason to suspect he was acceptable,

and it's not really of Isabel to go back on a friend...

simply because she's changed the scene.

Isabel... was cruel? [TAPPING GLASS]

She gave him no satisfaction.

Her only idea was to be rid of him.

Poor Mr Goodwood.

[DOGS BARKING]

[SILVERWARE CLINKING]

Sir Matthew, he had some kind of seizure last night,

but I feel a dreadful cold coming on.

- You will leave me a powder?

- Of course.

Oh, my great friend from Rome has arrived.

You will stay for tea?

[PIANO PLAYING]

It's very beautiful,

and your playing makes it more beautiful still.

You don't think I disturbed Mr Touchett, then?

His room is so far away, and I play just...

just un peu des doigts.

No, I... I should think that to hear such lovely music...

would make him feel better.

I'm afraid there are moments in life...

when even Schubert has nothing to say to us.

Would... would you play something more?

If it will give you pleasure, delighted.

[MUSIC STARTS]

[MUSIC STOPS]

Are you the niece, the young American?

- I'm my aunt's niece.

- C'est bon. We're compatriots.

I'm Madame Merle.

[MUSIC STARTS]

[DOG PANTING]

[LIGHTLY SNORES]

Mmm.

[DOOR CLOSES]

Who's that with me?

Is it my son?

Yes, it's your son, Daddy.

- Is there no one else?

- No one else.

Cigarette.

What you should do when I'm gone...

is to marry.

What do you think of your cousin?

Do I... do I understand you to propose that I should marry Isabel?

Well, that's what it comes to in the end.

Don't you like Isabel?

Yes, very much. I like Isabel very much.

- I've thought a great deal about it.

- So have I.

I don't mind telling you that.

You're in love with her, then?

I should think you would be. It's as if she came over on purpose.

No, I'm not in love with her, but...

I should be, if... certain things were different.

Things are always different from what they might be.

I shall not live many years...

but I hope long enough to see what Isabel does with herself.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes