"Just think-- he'll just be on his way to the station now." "In a few hours, we'll be together." "And papa knows nothing about it." "Shh!" "Man:" "I've got to win back some money." "Man 2:" "Five." "Five's the bet." "He's got you fair and square, me boy." "Never mind that." "The class horse will always win in the end." "I say, felix-- didn't you say you had a train to catch?" "Never mind the damn train." "One more hand, eh?" "Still be in time." "What for?" "Oh, didn't you know?" "He's eloping with marie melmotte-- sailing to new york with her." "Is he, by god?" "I thought she was supposed to be marrying me." "Look here, you fellows-- this is all supposed to be secret." "I take it you're game to play on, grendall?" "Absolutely." "Deal, then." "( Train whistle blows ) come and watch the sun go down with me." "I came to tell you i'm leaving." "Obeying your friend's instructions, no doubt." "No." "I shouldn't ever have come here." "I should never have agreed to it." "And you blame me for that?" "No, I blame myself." "So you should." "Not for comin' away with me, but for lookin' at another woman while you were bound to me." "When will you accept that this is over between us!" "It is not over between us!" "Don't you understand?" "I say when it is over-- not you." "And if I defy you?" "Then you should fear for the consequences." "Don't think that I'd hesitate to do in england what I did in oregon." "I still have my pistols and a steady hand." "You don't mean that, winifred." "Why not?" "What have I got left to lose?" "But why should it come to that?" "Paul, you know better than anyone how I can love as well as hate, don't you?" "How could I forget that?" "All you know of love you learned from me." "Do you think it will be easy to find that kind of lovin' with another?" "Listen... stay with me this one night." "But-- no, listen to me-- stay with me this one night-- perhaps our last together-- then go to mexico and start your work there." "And while you are there, consider which woman would you want by your side in that fierce, rough country." "And if you truly believe your little english rose would blossom there, then come back and tell me, and I'll let you go." "Do you promise that?" "I promise." "Now kiss me." "Ooh... best give it up, felix." "One more hand." "You've got nothing to play with, you fool." "I've taken enough of your damned I.O.U.S in this club, grendall, and you can take some of mine." "He's got a point there." "All right." "No... dolly deal." "Damned impertinence." "Five cards." "No changes." "Best show." "Ten thousand." "( All gasp ) are you man enough for that, grendall?" "I am if you are, carbury." "Felix, better to live to fight another day-- deal, damn you!" "Two pairs." "Kings, threes." "Ha ha!" "Beat that." "Ooh!" "That'll be ten thousand." "Anytime convenient, carbury." "You damn cheat." "He had the ace of spades in his sleeve." "I saw him." "Now, now, carbury, it's damn bad form accusing another man of cheating." "A chap should take his losses like a man." "No, I saw him." "You all saw him!" "Dolly?" "Felix, you're embarrassing everyone." "Take it back, there's a good fellow." "But he did-- it's not fair!" "Repeat one word of that, carbury, and I'll have satisfaction from you." "You can name your time and your place, and I'll shoot you through the heart-- by god, I will!" "( All murmuring ) bloody miles grendall... grendall... my money... ohh!" "Vossner:" "Are you all right, sir felix?" "Uh, yes," "I'm perfectly all right." "Just need a breath of air, that's all." "Get you a cab to the station, sir felix?" "Oh, well, that-- no, no." "No, that's-- that's, uh, that's all nonsense." "That's all a dream." "I'm going home to bed." "Good idea, sir." "Wish some of the other young gentlemen had as much sense as you." "Oh." "Thank you, vossner." "Thank you." "Appreciate that." "Good night." "( Clock chimes ) now, best to speak only in french." "And say nothing about the steamboat until we are in the cab." "Ohh!" "Ooh!" "Didon:" "Let me take the case." "Constable:" "Miss melmotte," "I believe." "No, no, no" "( speaking french ) oui." "I'm sorry, miss, but I must persist in asserting that this lady is miss melmotte." "And you, I take it, are elise didon, her servant." "I think you'd both better make up your minds to accompany me back to london." "I won't!" "Why should I go anywhere with you?" "Who are you?" "I'm inspector brown of the liverpool constabulary, and if I were you," "I'd come quietly." "There's a small matter of a stolen check, miss." "You don't want to be arrested and charged, now, do you?" "Oh, didon." "Nous sommes perdues." "Pas moi." "You have no charge against me, I think, sir." "Well, no, miss." "Then let me pass." "Courage, ma chere." "I will tell sir felix what has happened, and he will send for you." "Au revoir, ma petite." "Adieu." "Didon!" "She's got my jewels!" "It's not my fault, anyway." "The fates against me." "Marie will understand" "I don't care if she don'T." "Oh, mother," "I feel ill." "Hi, home again, home again, jiggity-jig." "Unh!" "No call for that." "Oh, dear." "Mother!" "Mother, let me in!" "Mother!" "Felix!" "Why aren't you in liverpool?" "It's all gone wrong, mother." "Oh, your poor face!" "What happened to you, darling?" "Oh, my head!" "So this is your game, is it?" "Here I am, organizing a dinner for the emperor of china, preparing to stand for parliament, and my own daughter steals my money and runs away with it!" "You made me do it!" "Oh, did I?" "I'll be damned if I don't prosecute that young cub carbury." "And what good would that do you?" "Why can't you let me have the man I love?" "What good is all the money in the world if I can't have what I like!" "What's the good of money?" "!" "You wouldn't say that if you were picking rags in the gutters of frankfurt!" "What do you know about it?" "!" "Ow!" "That hurts!" "I've been very good to you!" "You've had your share of everything that's going." "Carriages, horses, bracelets, brooches, and I don't know what else." "You are an ungrateful little minx!" "I never asked for any of those things." "I don't care a straw for bracelets and brooches!" "So what do you care for, huh?" "Someone to love me!" "That's all." "That fop doesn't love you!" "He doesn't even love your money enough to get himself to liverpool!" "So from now on, you will do as I say." "You will marry lord niddderdale." "I know better than you what's good for you!" "Marry him, and you'll have a position in the world that nothing can take from you." "I don't care about that!" "I love felix and he loves me, and I'll never marry lord nidderdale!" "And you can shake me and beat me all you like!" "You can chop me up into little bits if you like!" "You won't change my mind-- not one little bit!" "You little... you little jade!" "Well?" "!" "( Snoring ) marie:" "Nothing venture, nothing have." "Felix:" "Yes, but we might venture everything and end up with nothing." "You'll have me." "( Gasping ) hetta, what are you doing?" "Nothing, mother." "Nothing?" "With your brother nearly at death's door?" "He's not as bad as all that, surely." "See for yourself." "No, no, mother, please, don't!" "No, mother!" "Aah!" "You see?" "Your poor brother, beaten nearly to death by six ruffians!" "I believe there were eight, in point of fact." "Mother," "I think perhaps i could take a little brandy and water now." "What shall we do?" "What shall we do?" "All our plans have come to waste." "We are ruined." "And you're precious little comfort to me." "Oh, I wish i'd been childless." "Mother, how can you say that?" "If you please, m'lady, mr." "Broune is waiting downstairs." "Oh, thank god for mr." "Broune." "Six ruffians, were there?" "Six or eight." "Great, rough brutes." "Six or eight bottles is probably nearer the mark, isn't it, felix?" "Lady carbury:" "Is there any chance that his attackers will be apprehended?" "Attackers?" "The story I heard- -was that your son and marie melmotte stole a check for 250 pounds from the girl's father, and sir felix then went and lost the money in a game of cards at the beargarden club." "The girl was brought back from liverpool by the police, and melmotte is threatening criminal proceedings against sir felix." "Oh, mr." "Broune, what shall we do?" "The money must be repaid, and soon, to avoid criminal charges being brought." "But how can that be done?" "Felix has had every penny from me." "I have nothing left." "This elopement was to be our passport out of poverty." "Let me go and talk to melmotte." "See if anything can be done." "Mr. Broune, would you?" "250 pounds." "Well, well." "You're a fool if you think you're going to get it back from that young scoundrel." "I tend to agree, mr." "Melmotte, but I happen to hold his mother in a very high degree of respect, and, I may say, affection." "Oh, so that's it, is it?" "Well, then, she's a very lucky woman." "Ha ha ha!" "Tell me, mr." "Broune." "You don't think i'm a bad sort of chap, do you?" "Melmotte and company have put a great deal of money in people's pockets." "That is, if the value of the railway shares continues to rise." "There's no reason why it shouldn't, is there?" "None that I know of, mr." "Melmotte." "Well, then-- it would do no harm for you to say something of the kind in your newspaper, mr." "Broune." "You may have heard that I'm standing for parliament in the westminster constituency." "Very public-spirited of you, mr." "Melmotte." "That's just what i think myself." "But your colleague, mr." "Alf, don't seem to think so." "With his little hints and insinuations in that rag of a paper he edits." ""The evening pulpit"-- well... that's what I think of his paper... and that's what i think of him!" "I hear he intends to stand for parliament against me." "I trust you wouldn't be lending your support to such a carping little guttersnipe as that." "Look here, mr." "Broune-- 250 pounds is neither here nor there to a man like me." "Why don't I convert it into railway shares, hmm?" "A generous man like you deserves to share in the general prosperity of our great enterprise." "I'm not at all sure that would be proper." "This is strictly between ourselves." "In fact, you can forget all about it if you like." "You just leave it to me, and if you should come into a little nest egg later on, who should deserve it better?" "On second thoughts," "I don't think it would be proper at all." "Mr. Broune-- good afternoon." "I'd like to continue further with you, but I've got a canadian delegation waiting." "And then there's the chinese." "Croll!" "Mr. Broune is just going." "Mr. Broune." "Good afternoon." "A pleasure to see you in the city, sir, at any time, sir." "Uh, thank you, sir." "One moment please, gentlemen." "Thank you." "What?" "Hmm?" "What?" "It can't be done, mr." "Melmotte." "( Exasperated ) what can't be done?" "Best forget all this about parliament." "Best take the profit and move on-- like we always do." "Not this time, croll." "This time I am setting down roots." "I'm going to be an english gentleman, and no one can touch me then!" "Haven't I bought pickering park off old longestaffe?" "You haven't paid for it." "We don't have to pay for things, croll!" "Leave that to the little man." "Let him have a few more shares, he's not going to make a fuss-- he wants to keep the price up, same as everyone." "It can't last, mr." "Melmotte!" "It can last, croll." "And it will last, because everybody wants it to, and everybody has a share!" "You've let that boy go to mexico." "He'll come back and say there isn't any railway." "And who's going to believe him?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Ha ha ha ha ha!" "Croll, the emperor of china is coming to dinner at my house!" "Hmm?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "( Both laughing ) now, who's waiting outside?" "The canadians, isn't it?" "Ha ha ha ha!" "Send them in!" "Let them all come." "Ha ha ha!" "Mr. Montague!" "Miss carbury." "I got your note." "I wanted to see you before you went away." "Why didn't you come to welback street?" "I didn't think-- do you think i don't care about you?" "I do care about you." "( Whistle blows ) get in, you'll miss it." "Think of me." "Wait for me, hetta." "Marie:" ""Dearest, darling felix" ""I hope you are thinking of me, as I am of you." ""They say you have deserted me, but I won't believe it" ""until I hear it from your own lips." ""Papa keeps me here like a prisoner." ""I don't even know how I can send you this note" ""now didon is gone." ""Papa is at me again to marry lord nidderdale," ""but I never will-- nor anyone else," ""so long as I know you still love me," ""as I love you and kiss you a hundred times." "Your own marie."" "Do you like mr." "Brehgert very much, georgiana?" "He's all right," "I suppose." "I think he looks kind... but not handsome." "My felix is very handsome." "He's beautiful." "His skin is so soft, and he smells so sweet." "I could spend all day kissing him all over." "Really, marie, that is more than I should wish to know about your feelings for sir felix carbury." "Do you think you will be married to mr." "Brehgert?" "I don't know." "He wants to marry you, doesn't he?" "Yes, he does." "And he would be able to offer me every comfort." "But could you love him?" "I think I could... like him." "I certainly wouldn't care to kiss him all over." "But I'm sure that would not be required." "There is another consideration." "I hesitate to mention it in your mother's presence... but mr." "Brehgert is jewish." "He makes no effort to conceal it-- he speaks of it openly, without shame!" "Why should it be something a person should be ashamed of?" "It does seem rather hard, but there it is." "Mr. Brehgert says all that is changing now." "And indeed," "I think it may be." "So perhaps after all the world is changing for the better." "So very hard to know what to do for the best." "But I must be married." "( Sighs ) you chose not to be introduced to me at lowestaffe-- but now you seek me out." "I wonder why?" "I must have seemed discourteous at lowestotte." "Please believe," "I only sought to avoid causing more embarrassment and distress." "To yourself, or to me?" "No matter." "Why are you here now?" "I'm here on behalf of my cousin, miss henrietta carbury." "She has sent you here?" "No." "No, she knows nothing of my visit." "Indeed, she knows nothing of your existence." "So...you haven't told her." "Mrs. Hurtle, paul montague has told me that he is in love with my cousin, and that he wants to marry her." "He has also told me that his association with you is a thing of the past." "Can you confirm that?" "Why should I tell you anything about myself?" "I assure you, I have no desire to pry into your life." "My only interest is in my cousin's happiness." "And your own, perhaps?" "If you can tell me that there is no longer anything between you and mr." "Montague, then there is, perhaps, no need for my cousin to know of your past involvement with him." "Or even of your existence." "I see." "So... can you give me that confirmation?" "No, I can'T." "I won'T." "Paul montague has shared my bed." "Oh-- does that shock you?" "I beg your pardon." "Yes, he has shared my bed." "And now I have let him go to mexico and told him to make up his mind which of us he wanted." "And if he chooses miss carbury, there will be a heavy price to pay." "I don't need a champion to protect my honor, mr." "Carbury." "I can do that for myself." "I won't let him jilt me, mr." "Carbury-- and he knows it." "So... why don't you go and tell miss carbury just as I told you." "You'll be doing your duty, and doing yourself a bit of good." "We have a common interest, don't we?" "Yes." "And it is because of that interest that I can't tell her." "It would be dishonorable to take such an advantage." "God!" "You english gentlemen." "Well, maybe I'll write to her and tell her myself-- would that let you off the hook?" "I think you had better not." "But I can't advise you what to do." "No, you can'T." "Good day, mr." "Carbury." "Ruby:" "Come with me my sweet young thing and I'll give you my golden ring la la la la... oh, lord... squire carbury." "There's 50 brace of pheasant, 100 chickens--yes, good." "25 swans?" "You think that's enough swans?" "You can't eat swans, man." "Swans belong to the queen." "Well, then, how about peacocks?" "I'll inquire, sir." "Mr. Melmotte-- what sort of meat do you think they eat in china?" "No matter." "The emperor can make do with good old english beef, eh, longestaffe?" "Yes, yes." "Mr. Melmotte, we haven't got all day." "A thousand apologies, gentlemen, but this is a very busy time for me." "What's this, croll?" "Election expenses, mr." "Melmotte." "You don't say." "What it costs to buy a seat in parliament, you might as well buy the palace of westminster outright, at this rate." "Well, there you are." "Anything to keep the voters happy, eh?" "Now, gentlemen... so this is it... pickering park." "My little place in the country." "Uh, not yet, old chap." "We haven't seen your money yet." "I'm not sure you will, young man." "Madame thinks it would be very cold and drafty, and I'm inclined to agree with her." "Now, my people have had a look over it." "You've let it get into a shocking state, longestaffe, you ought to be ashamed of yourself." "Now, look here, sir!" "Ah, but the situation is good." "No, the situation is very good." "I'll tell you what i have in mind." "I think the best thing... would be to pull it down and build new." "Build a proper place, eh?" "When you have completed the purchase, you will be free to do what you like." "Until then," "I must request that you return the title deeds." "You borrowed them only to peruse them." "You're not backing out, are you?" "No, no!" "But it's most irregular." "Good!" "Yes, we'll knock it down and build new, no half measures." "An english gentleman must have a decent country place, and this will be mine!" "If you'll excuse me," "I have many pressing matters of business." "Croll!" "Croll:" "Yeah, coming, mr." "Melmotte." "Excuse me, gentlemen." "Aah." "Courage, mon brave." "Man:" "There's carbury." "Felix:" "Morning." "Man:" "The audacity of the fellow!" "How can he show his face?" "Ah, sir felix, sir." "Morning, vossner." "Yes, I'm mucu ask." "Take it you've come to remove your belongings, sir." "Yes, yes, all in good time." "Who's up in the card room?" "Can't go up there, sir." "What the devil do you mean?" "Get out of my way." "Hey, dolly." "Ah, mr." "Longestaffe." "Could you... look, old chap." "I'm afraid you can't go up." "Why the devil not?" "Well, the thing is, you've been blackballed." "That unfortunate business with grendall." "He was the one that was cheating, not me!" "Why isn't he blackballed?" "!" "I say, vossner-- thought this was supposed to be a member's club." "You damn scoundrel-- come back here!" "I say, dolly," "I'm not standing for this!" "Felix, this is dashed embarrassing." "Before you leave, sir felix, message for you." "No hard feelings, sir?" "No hard feelings?" "I'll see you damned, vossner." "Very good, sir." "Dolly:" "Dashed embarrassing, the whole thing." "Now, listen, felix." "The thing is," "I shall have to cut you now, or I shall be blackballed, too." "But you're my oldest friend-- what am I going to do?" "Leave england." "Continent." "Dieppe." "Ostend." "Boulogne." "You'll take to it like a duck to water." "Lie low for a bit, come back later." "Yes, but who am i going to go with?" "How can I pay my fare?" "Sorry, old boy." "I've got to go in now." "No hard feelings." "Oh, lord!" "Is there one person left in the whole world who still cares for me?" "( Piano plays dance music )" "( sighs )" "I've missed you so much." "I thought you didn't want to see me anymore." "I was only angry 'cause you said you wouldn't marry me." "You didn't mean that, did you?" "No." "No, no, no." "Mrs. Pipkin thinks you lead me astray." "But I said you're not like that." "You're an honorable gentleman." "Quite right." "Look here, ruby-- how would you like to go abroad?" "Calais, boulogne-- paris, even." "Oh, felix, you darling-- when can we go?" "Not just yet-- all my cash is tied up at the moment." "A chap called melmotte's got some of it, and a chap called grendall's got the rest." "You get it back from 'em as quick as you can." "Squire carbury's gonna tell grandfather and john crumb where I am." "And john'll be after you, he will." "If he thinks you've been taking advantage of me." "And you have, haven't you?" "Ruby, we'll be off to paris just as soon as I can raise the spondulicks." "Shall we be married there?" "Well, yes--yes!" "In time, y'know." "Oh, felix!" "I do love you!" "Look here, ruby, it's an awful crowd here-- how about a little private supper, just the two of us?" "I'll arrange a room, shall I?" "Oh, I don't know." "Well, we are engaged, aren't we?" "All right." "Go on, then." "( Ruby giggling ) roger:" "Well, I found her, john." "She's living with her aunt, mrs." "Pipkin, at islington." "And is she comin' home?" "I think you'll have to ask her that yourself." "Women are strange, mr." "Carbury." "They can be very contrary." "They can be deceived by appearances." "But we must believe they will see what is right for them in the end." "The thing is, she want to better herself-- but she could better herself with me, mr." "Carbury." "The ness has been in' ev so o ll.." "she could have a big house on the hi if she wand it." "Tell her, john-- not me." "That's what I'll do." ""Dear paul" ""your letter gave me great joy." ""I think of you often in mexico," ""and wish I were there, too," ""exploring that wild, open country." ""Do please write again soon." ""I know how busy you must be," ""but I long to know about the work you are doing and to hear news about the railway...."" "paul: "Montague to fisker." ""The survey is finally underway." ""I am ordering equipment for blasting and tunneling," ""and preparing to enlist the workforce." ""As payments have still not come through," ""I am paying men out of my own pocket." ""This cannot continue," ""and I have demanded melmotte expedite funds" ""with all speed." ""This is a great country." ""This is great work we do, and history will thank us for it."" "Another telegram from mr." "Montague." "You'd better send him some money." "It's time that young man grew up." "There's more to this world than his little railway." "I'm going to make a little speech tonight when the emperor of china comes to dinner." "They're all going to be sitting at my table, croll." "All of the society snobs, all the lords and bishops, all the chairmen and presidents of this and that, all the foreign delegations-- and the prime minister." "I think I'll set them straight about the way the world works, croll." "Man:" "Your imperial celestial majesty... your grace... my lords, ladies and gentlemen-- dinner is served!" "( Gong sounds )" "( guest belches )" "( silverware rattles ) your imperial celestial majesty." "Your grace." "My lords, ladies...and gentlemen." "I hope you've all had sufficient, no one's gone hungry or thirsty?" "( Laughter ) these are great times, and I am proud to be an englishman in these great times." "( Applause ) the mexican railway is a great enterprise, and the profits will fund even greater ones." "Harvesting all the tea in china-- we're going great guns with his celestial majesty on that one." "Opening up the vast russian steppes, bringing civilization to the distant corners of the world." "And what is the engine of this great work?" "Profit-- not charity." "( Laughter and applause ) gentlemen-- it is your duty to make yourselves rich." "That is the way to make the world a better place." "Increase your holdings, buy shares, invest, invest, and... invest again." "And it will be returned to you a hundred fold." "Marquis:" "This is our other chance, boy." "Get a move on." "Ah, miss melmotte." "What do you want now, lord nidderdale?" "Why, to talk to you, you know, and...so on." "Lady julia:" "No, I won't go over" "I can'T." "Didn't she get the tickets for us?" "Yes, but one can't possibly speak to her while she's with that man." "Todd, brehgert and goldsheiner is one of the most respected firms in the city!" "He's a jew, damask." "They're all jews." "But todd's one of us, surely." "Don't quibble." "One can't know him-- it's impossible." "And she knows it as well as I do." "I don't think she's coming over, my dear." "No, I don't think she is." "Don't be distressed." "It takes some people a little time." "Have you spoken to your father yet?" "Not yet." "He's a little old-fashioned," "I'm afraid." "Well, I respect that." "I didn't realize before what a clever, plucky girl you are." "I thought it was a spiffing thing you did, running away like that." "I think you're awfully jolly." "I do, truly." "And I'd be truer to you than that fellow who wouldn't take the trouble to go to liverpool with you." "No--don't speak of him like that." "It won't do you any good." "I love him better than anyone in the world." "And I'll never love you." "Miss carbury." "It was good of you to come." "And lady carbury." "Very good of your father to invite us." "Very gracious of him to bear no hard feelings." "Can I speak to you alone?" "Yes, of course." "What is it?" "Why didn't he come to liverpool-- do you know?" "Well-- doesn't he love me anymore?" "I'm afraid my brother isn't really to be relied upon." "Don't say that." "Everyone says that, and I love him so much." "Will you give him this note, and bring me his reply?" "And tell him i still have my own money." "Of course I will." "I think he's very lucky to have someone who cares so much for him." "I'll do my best with him, miss melmotte." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Behgert:" "If we show a little courage and name an early date for our marriage-- oh!" "I think it's too soon to speak of that, mr." "Brehgert." "I'm sorry if I am over-eager." "You see, I have known the joys and comforts that a happy marriage brings." "And meeting you has brought a great change in my life." "You have given me new hope, new energy." "I believe that i am a new man, thanks to you, my dearest georgiana." "And what does the rest of it matter?" "You're very eloquent this evening, mr." "Brehgert." "Come, then-- let's say september." "Then we can have a holiday in austria-- in vienna." "I think you would love vienna." "I think you would be very happy there." "Longstaffe:" "So this is what comes of letting her come to london and live with the melmottes." "I've been getting a frightful ragging from the chaps at the club about it." "I've a damn good mind to horsewhip the pair of 'em-- and melmotte, too." "Steady on, pa." "The thing is, we rather depend on melmotte." "Shares and so on." "What?" "I'd-- no, I suppose not." "But really!" "Parading herself in public!" "I won't make a show here, dolly." "She'll get a piece of my mind before long." "Cheer up, your celestial majesty." "Whatever goes wrong for you after this, you can always say to yourself," ""I was at melmotte's great dinner," eh?" "( Fireworks exploding ) violets, sir?" "Ah, miss ruggles at home?" "Yes, sir, she is." "There's another lady here would like a word with you." "Hello, ruby." "Mrs. Hurtle and me wants to know what you think you're up to, sir felix." "It wasn't my idea-- shush, girl." "Ruby's my niece, and she's a good girl." "And you've been leading her astray." "And it's not right, and it's not fair." "I say, now, just look here-- but perhaps your intentions are honorable, sir felix." "Well, yes, dash it all-- naturally, of course they are." "Then you mean to marry ruby?" "Well, yes, I suppose i might as well, someday." "Would that be before or after you take her to the continent?" "Oh." "Well, I suppose you'd know all about that sort of thing." "Perhaps I do." "And perhaps that's why i take an interest in ruby." "We women have to stick together, you know." "Mrs. Pipkin and I think that your little fling is all flung out, sir felix." "So--you will not be seeing her again until after you've made the announcement of your engagement in the times." "Ruby:" "I'm sorry, felix, but it's only what you've promised all along." "You damned, interfering-- just so, sir felix." "And you'll remember an engagement is binding on the gentleman, won't you?" "I'm sure we'll all look forward to reading the announcement." "I say, look here, ruby-- everything and everyone has just turned against me!" "I mean, it's not jolly well fair!" "Let him go, ruby." "He'll be back, one way or the other." "Hetta:" "Ah, felix." "Now what?" "More bad news?" "Better news than you deserve." "Ohh... well, what am I supposed to do about it all?" "Marie melmotte loves you very much, goodness knows why." "She still wants to marry you, even though you let her down." "What's the point?" "It's all no use now." "She's giving you another chance, felix." "It's all no go, hetta." "A man can't marry a girl when all the policemen in the country are badgering her." "If you had an ounce of courage, you would." "She's of age, she has her own money-- if you really cared, you could." "Well, I don't really care, all right?" "Now, will you leave me alone?" "You told that girl you loved her more than anyone in the world, and she believed you." "A fellow has to say that sort of thing-- more fool her for believing it." "Can't you imagine what she must be feeling now?" "Haven't you any heart at all?" "It's not my fault!" "You all put me up to marry her, and just because it didn't go off all serene," "I get nothing but reproaches." "I never cared for her." "So am I to tell her that you've giving her up?" "Just as you like." "Don't care." "Oh, thank god all men aren't like you." "I think you'll find a lot of them are." "Your precious paul montague, for one." "Fisker." "Fisker:" "Listen, paul, uh, this is the way the land lies, all right?" "I have enough to pay them until the end of this week." "And then, uh, that's it." "Finish." "What are you saying?" "There's no more money." "I mean, not for the railway-- leastway, not for the present." "What's happened?" "Has the share price collapsed?" "No." "My god, the shares have gone through the roof." "It's just that the, uh... it's that the money is needed elsewhere just now." "What the hell is this about, fisker?" "!" "Are we building a railway or not?" "!" "I didn't go into this to get melmotte into parliament!" "Mr. Melmotte appreciates what you're doing." "And I--I appreciate it, too." "And rest assured, you are gonna be well taken care of, paul, you're gonna be a rich man when we sell out." "I don't want to sell out," "I want to build this railway!" "I know you do." "And we will one day." "But just-- just not today." "And not tomorrow, either." "You know, melmotte, he's a genius... how shall I put it-- he's just not a railway-minded type of fella." "He's a damn scoundrel, and so are you." "Hey!" "Hold steady, partner." "You and I have been through a lot together." "I'm not about to desert you now, and there is a good side to all of this." "Go along with it, and you and I will come out clear millionaires." "We're all set to start up another company--of our own." "There's more than one way to skin a cat, you should know that by now." "So what you're saying is that this whole enterprise has been set up as a gigantic fraud." "And you want me to go along with it." "Well, I won'T." "What are you gonna do?" "Are you gonna bring this whole thing down around our ears?" "Is that it?" "That's exactly what I'm going to do." "Brehgert:" "The bank of todd, brehgert and goldsheiner to advance a sum of 750,000 pounds at 7% per annum to a new company, the melmotte submarine cable company, the security being an equivalent sum in mexican railway shares," "at present valued 4 pounds, 10 shillings." "You understand, of course, that in the event of the railway shares declining in value, we should ask for other security, or even call in the loan." "That's perfectly all right." "In any case, they're not going to fall, are they?" "You think the railway's all right, don't you?" "I wouldn't be risking the bank's money if I didn'T." "But it is my duty to point out the conditions of the loan, you understand." "Of course." "Croll." "Come on, get on with it, croll." "Take a glass of brandy with me, mr." "Brehgert?" "No, not for me, thank you." "Not now, I-- ah, yes, of course." "Mr. Longestaffe, eh?" "Come." "I shall walk with you." "The happy event soon?" "I hope so." "A perfect match." "I never saw a women so more in love." "Ah, no." "Ha ha." "You flatter me." "I think she likes me well enough, and I have love enough for the two of us." "And money, eh?" "Ha ha ha!" "Well, this is the real world we live in." "I think we can make each other happy." "Who's this, now?" "Do we know you?" "I am hetta carbury, mr." "Melmotte." "I am here to see your daughter." "Oh, yes, I know you." "You're that young rogue's sister, aren't you?" "You come to plot another elopement, eh?" "No, sir." "I didn't think they'd try that game twice." "Well, come on." "Young lady for miss melmotte... young gentleman for miss longestaffe." "You came." "You are so good." "I knew you'd keep your word." "( Clock chimes )" "( labored breathing ) tell me the truth now-- whatever it is." "Has he given me up?" "Yes." "I'm afraid he has." "What is it?" "Has he lost his courage?" "I don't think he has much of that, has he?" "But I have enough for two--tell him that." "I am ready to try again, if he will." "Miss melmotte," "I don't mean to be cruel, but you asked me for the truth." "( Tearfully ) yes." "Say it out." "He told me to tell you that-- he doesn't care for you." "That he never cared for you." "I'm so sorry." "He never cared for me?" "Then why did he tell lies about it?" "What a brute he must be-- what a wretch." "Why should he break my heart like that?" "I hate to say this about my own brother, but he isn't worth breaking your heart over." "He was never worthy of you." "He wanted my money." "That was all." "And all the rest was lies." "What brutes men are." "I think you should forget about him, marie." "Forget about him?" "!" "How shall I do that?" "I must think of him, but I'll hate him-- tell him that!" "Tell him I said he's a false-hearted liar and I trample him under my foot like that!" "I despise him!" "Despise him!" "They are all bad, but he's the worst of all." "Papa beats me, but I can bear that." "Mama reviles me, and I can bear that." "And he could have beaten and reviled me and I'd have borne it, if only he'd love me." "Well, that's all done." "( Sobbing )" "I'll marry nidderdale or anyone they say, and I'll make his life a misery, whoever he is." "I'll laugh at him and take as many lovers as I please, laugh in his face about it!" "But I will never truly love anyone!" "No, I'm sure that you will." "Not all men are like my brother." "Do you love someone?" "Yes, I do." "And does he tell you the truth?" "Well, I think-- no, I'm sure he does." "I was sure of felix." "I shan't ever fall in love again." "Your brother has ended all of that." "Did he really say he never cared for me?" "Well, tell him i hate him and despise him till my dying day." "And I wish he were dead." "Butler:" "Mr. Adolphus longestaffe and mr." "Adolphus longestaffe." "Dommage, monsieur." "My husband is not here." "No, madam, but please, don't disturb yourself." "I am here to see my daughter." "Oh." "Papa." "Dolly." "I wish you had told me you were coming." "I could have introduced you to mr." "Brehgert--he's just left." "Brehgert?" "Papa, I wrote to mama this morning, and mr." "Brehgert was to come to you." "Come to me?" "Why should he come to me?" "Papa, mr." "Brehgert and i are engaged to be married." "You mean to tell me you've engaged yourself to a jew?" "Mr. Brehgert is a very well-respected banker, papa." "And a very wealthy gentleman." "He is a regular visitor to this house, and has made himself most agreeable." "I knew I should never have let you come to melmotte." "You are pleased to do business with him yourself!" "Business is one thing, but this?" "Are you out of your mind?" "!" "Apart from anything else, he's nearly as old as I am." "He is 50, father." "And you've written to your mother?" "I have." "It'll kill her." "Now, listen to me-- you'll go home to caversham and you'll stay there, and you'll not see that man again." "Father, I am of age." "I can make my own decisions." "If you persist in this, that's the last you'll see of your mother and me." "And me, georgie." "It's not on." "Heaven and earth, you of all people, that used to take such a pride in yourself!" "I'll take you down to caversham myself tomorrow." "You'd better leave this house today and come to my hotel in jermyn street." "I won't do it, papa." "You can and you shall!" "Now go and pack your things this minute!" "Papa, I shall be very sorry never to see you and mama again, but if that is the condition you make, so be it." "I have engaged myself to mr." "Brehgert, and I intend to go through with it." "I should have thought you would be glad to get me off your hands." "Mr. Brehgert cares for me." "As his wife, I shall never want for anything material." "He is not as i should have chosen... but beggars can't be choosers." "At least I shan't be withering away at caversham." "Damn you, girl!" "Do as I say!" "No, father." "I should rather be buried alive!" "You will take your daughter away with you now, monsieur?" "No." "Because she refuses to go with me." "Ohh... dommage." "Telegram from mr." "Fisker." "It didn't work, mr." "Melmotte." "Mr. Montague is coming back, and he's got his rats up." "I should think fisker would have had the nous to handle a fellow like montague." "Oh, well, no matter-- what can he do?" "What can he do?" "He can bring down the company." "And ruin himself in the process?" "I don't think so." "I say we should be thinking about shutting up shop." "Shut up shop?" "Ha ha!" "No" "I'm not shutting up shop." "A day after tomorrow i shall be member of parliament for westminster." "I am indispensable to the nation's prosperity, and by the time young montague gets back to england," "I shall be a national treasure." "( Clock chimes ) ah... they're expecting me at the hustings." "Mr. Alf:" "There's a funny smell been wafting over london this last year." "I'll tell you what it is-- pie in the sky, that's what it is." "( Laughter ) mr." "Melmotte"s pie in the sky!" "And a lot of people believe that he's full of money." "You and I know honest men have to work for their money." "It don't come raining down out of the sky." "I believe there's nothing in mr." "Melmotte's pie but a lot of hot air!" "Is there really a railway in mexico?" "Nobody knows." "I mean, for certain, nobody's seen one." "But I did hear of a bank in vienna had to close down in a hurry because it couldn't pay its creditors." "Not long after that, it's pie in the sky in london." "My friends, do you want to be represented in parliament by a foreign speculator?" "Crowd:" "No!" "I stand for truth and honesty in parliament." "Do my opponent say the same?" "Electors of westminster-- the choice is before you." "Use your common sense-- give your vote to ferdinand alf!" "( Applause ) gentlemen." "If anyone has any accusations against me, let him give his evidence-- let him put up or shut up!" "Some men do things." "Other men stand by and carp and criticize." "Which kind of man would you like to see representing you in parliament?" "( Applause ) electors of westminter, the world is changing fast, and some of us understand it better than others." "We are entering a new age of communication and commerce." "We've had the ottoman empire and the austrian empire, and the british empire, but now there's going to be a new kind of empire!" "A vast empire of trade... that knows no boundaries or borders, no need for armies and navies and wars and conquests." "There will be riches for all!" "And you will all have a share in it!" "( Cheers and applause ) but... you need a special kind of man... a man who understands the way we live now, to lead you into that new world of peace and prosperity." "Well..." "I say to you-- comes the age... comes the man." "( Cheers and applause ) hetta:" "Mama is out at her publishers." "I didn't come here to see mama." "I know." "You look so well." "Was it exciting?" "It was all for nothing." "For nothing?" "Yes, the money's not there." "The man haven't been paid, the mexican railway is a sham." "What will you do?" "Challenge melmotte and... try and drag it all out into the open." "But in the short run, things may turn very bad for me." "If the company goes to the wall," "I shall be penniless." "For myself, that doesn't matter," "I can start again and work my way up, but it puts me in a pretty poor position to say what I wanted to say to you." "And what was that?" "Can't you guess?" "I am in love with you." "I have thought of you every day since" "I've thought of you, too." "I'm almost ashamed to say how many hours I've spent thinking of you." "I think I fell in love with you the first day I met you." "And I would love you just the same whether you were rich or poor." "Will you consent to be my wife?" "Yes, I will." "I will." "Everything quite satisfactory?" "Go away!" "You think that you can cast me off as easily as that?" "You set me free to choose." "I chose hetta." "Then you shall have to accept the consequences." "What will you do?" "I haven't decided, paul." "I may expose you for the blackguard that you are." "Perhaps I shall call on your little english rose and tell her what sort of a man she is marrying." "I might simply call you out and kill you, like I did that other man that betrayed me." "I never betrayed you." "But you see i'm suffering, paul." "And maybe I'd like to see you suffer, too." "I guess you'd like to see me be a graceful loser, like boys from one of your english public schools." "Aren't they taught to be graceful losers?" "But I'm not used to losing, and I don't care for it." "Then you must do as you see fit." "Yes." "That will be my consolation." "I still have feeling for you, paul, but take care." "I am your enemy now." "Roger:" "So-- how did you fare in mexico?" "Not so well as I had hoped." "I'll tell you all about it if you're still willing to hear it after you've heard my other news." "And what news is that?" "I have asked hetta to marry me... and she has consented." "I see." "We both hope that you will give us your blessing." "You want my blessing, you say--my blessing?" "I beg you--for her sake, if not mine." "How could you take her from me?" "I haven't taken her from you." "She loves us both in different ways." "She will always love you as a cousin and a friend." "Don't talk about her feelings as if you own them." "Then let me speak of my own feelings." "Yes, they must ride over everyone else'S." "Do you think no one else has any feelings but you?" "( Sighs ) what use is all this to me now?" "All my life I dreamed of her being here with me." "Bearing my children... why did it have to be her?" "It was her choice." "Not yours, not mine." "Will you at least accept that I meant no harm to you?" "Please, roger, will you at least shake hands with me?" "Please." "You have engaged yourself to paul montague without consulting me?" "!" "I love him, mama!" "Why can't you be happy for me?" "!" "How can I be happy for you?" "!" "What have you got to live on?" "You can bring nothing to the marriage, thanks to your brother's extravagance." "Perhaps mr." "Montague has come into a fortune?" "No, he may even be penniless." "But I don't care about that," "I don't want a society life!" "You silly girl!" "I am not a silly girl!" "Not anymore." "I'm a young woman now, mama." "I understand much more than you think I do." "I shall marry paul whether you approve or not, but I wish you could be happy for me and give me your blessing." "Felix:" "What's all this, mother?" "What's she want a blessing for?" "She's gone and got herself engaged to paul montague!" "Has she, by god?" "Well, she'd better unengage herself, then, as quick as she likes." "Why should I?" "Because I disapprove, that's why." "And as your elder brother and head of the family," "I forbid the match." "You, the head of the family?" "A waster like you?" "You think you have the right to disapprove of paul montague, who's a hundred times more worthy than you?" "Oh, a hundred times more worthy, is he?" "Yes, he is." "Well, I suppose you know he keeps a mistress in a house in islington?" "Felix-- american woman." "Name of mrs." "Hurtle." "Widow." "Very handsome." "He was supposed to be marrying her, but she couldn't get him up to the alter." "No doubt he was intending to keep her on after he'd married hetta." "I don't believe you." "It isn't true, it can't be." "Can't it?" "I'm told that your precious paul montague had her down at lowestaffe, living together as man and wife." "And that was just before he went off to mexico." "Now, you may not think much of me, but that's a bit rich for my blood, and I won't have my sister marrying a blackguard, so you'd better call if off, all right?" "!"