The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996) s01e03 Episode Script

Come on, Fergus.
What's come over you? You're not usually so eager to get to church.
Feeling sinful, are we? It's so good to confess.
-Or there's someone you wanted to see? -Hmm.
The Reverend Millward.
Could you not find yourself a clean shirt, Fergus? Showing me up like that.
''And the righteous shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, ''and after the manner of women who shed blood, ''because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.
'' WOMAN 1 : Her husband's alive.
WOMAN 2: She's gone back to him last night.
''And the company shall stone them with stones, ''and dispatch them with their swords, ''and they shall slay their sons and daughters, and burn their houses with fire.
'' Helen? Helen? Markham, what do you want? Come to finish me off? I couldn't stop him.
He pushed right past me.
It's all right, Anne.
I don't believe Mr Markham's come to murder me.
Have you, Markham? It's all right.
You can go.
Is it true? Is what true? Helen.
Has she gone? Yes.
Yes, she has.
You're lying.
In the circumstances, Markham, I shall overlook the rudeness of that remark.
She'd never go back to him.
On the contrary, she left for Grassdale last night.
Why? She owes him nothing.
Mr Huntingdon is ill and wanted to see his son.
My sister, as you know, has a strong sense of her moral obligations.
What kind of a brother are you? Oh, what a mess! (Footsteps approaching) Mr Huntingdon is resting.
I hardly think it would be wise to disturb him now.
Your room is ready for you.
You don't like me, do you? Recent events have hardly warmed my disposition towards you.
After all, I'm only a yeoman farmer, hardly good enough for your sister.
Arthur? Seems a waste to be doing all this when we're not staying.
Hmm.
You're surely not thinking of staying, are you? I don't know.
Thank you, Miss Myers.
I really don't think wine will alleviate my husband's condition.
I'll take that.
It is you.
I had such strange fancies, I thought I was dreaming.
Yes, Arthur, it's me.
I knew you'd come back if only to gloat.
I came because you gave me no choice.
I sent for the boy.
I don't want you with your Christian charity hoping to gain yourself a higher seat in Heaven, dig a deeper pit for me.
-Where is he? What have you done with him? -He's safe.
You can see him when you're better.
He's my son.
I want to see him now! No.
This is delightful, isn't it? You never hoped for such a glorious victory.
DOCTOR: The internal inflammation is well advanced.
I can't say I'm surprised.
Will you never learn, Mr Huntingdon? I thought so.
There must be no more of this.
It is the only damn thing that keeps me alive.
If you go on believing that, you'll give work to the sexton, not to me.
Miss Myers.
Where are you taking him? Mr Huntingdon asked especially to see his son.
I will say when Mr Huntingdon can and cannot see his son.
Arthur, go and play outside.
Now that I am here, I hardly think Mr Huntingdon needs two nurses.
Do you? Especially one that seems more concerned with his whims than his welfare.
I can't see it.
What does it say? You know what it says.
You'd rob me of my son again, would you? (Huntingdon sighing) Damn thing! It's no good.
I'm too ill.
I can't.
Then you must be too ill to see your son.
Oh, you are determined to heap coals of fire upon my head.
Where is it I have to sign? This is no more than blackmail.
Where's your Christian charity now? Forcing me to sign away the care of my own son.
There.
Are you satisfied? Now can I see him? Arthur.
Is that you? Come here, boy.
Come here, where I can see you.
-Do you know me, boy? -Yes, sir.
Well, who am I, Arthur? My papa.
That's right.
That's right.
Papa.
I'm your papa.
And are you glad to see me, boy? Yes, sir.
You're not.
You've made him hate me.
How can you do that? He's my only son.
I have not made him hate you.
Liar! I can see it in his face.
I have perhaps encouraged him to forget you.
Forget me? Forget me! Let me have a look at you.
You're my little man, aren't you? Yes.
You've grown.
(Horses trotting) He were that drunk, he asked the landlord if he could recommend him to HELEN: So began the final chapter of our marriage.
Months passed slowly and I grew weary of my life.
My greatest source of unease in this time of trial was my son, whose father delighted in nurturing all the vices a child can show.
In a word, to make a man of him.
(Men talking and laughing loudly) HARGRAVE: This boy must learn.
HATTERSLEY: I think he's got a taste for it.
HARGRAVE: He must be inducted.
HUNTINGDON: First he must learn to drink.
Arthur, try this.
Come on, boy.
Just taste it.
Come here.
Listen to me.
''Tilly Tit, they say, has wit.
'' -Hattersley, don't -Come on, listen to it.
Shut up, Hargrave.
-Go on, boy.
-Repeat it, boy.
''Tilly Tit, they say, has wit.
'' ''And some, they say, have felt it.
'' Huntingdon, I don't think this is the kind of thing Nobody cares what you think, Hargrave, so just shut up.
''And some, they say, have felt it.
'' ''She walks as if she rules the ship.
'' ''And looks as if she smelt it.
'' Go on, boy.
Say it.
Go on.
Say it, boy.
That's it.
ALL: ''Tilly Tit, they say, has wit ''And some, they say, have felt it.
'' Arthur.
''She walks as if she rules the ship, ''And looks as if she smelt it.
'' HARGRAVE: He's your boy, Huntingdon.
There's no doubt about that.
Why didn't you laugh, Mama? -Make her laugh, Papa, make her laugh.
-Oh.
-Arthur, how could you? -Stay! Stay where you are.
I'll not let you freeze all the sunshine out of his heart until he's as cold and gloomy as his mama.
He's my son.
I'm going to make a man of him.
Do you hear me? A man.
HELEN: I was a slave and prisoner in that house.
We lived together as strangers with a mutual understanding that there was no love, friendship, or sympathy left between us.
Arthur, come and read to me.
My son's education was the only pleasure of my lonely life.
I was determined to cure him of the bad habits his father had taught him.
Where were we? Here.
Right.
''Dear me, come into the light and let me have a look at you.
''So they all went into the house, and then they put'' Remember his name? -Hop O' My -Hop O' My ''Hop O' My Thumb ''on the table.
''It was such a big table.
And then'' Forgive me, my dear.
Arthur, there's somebody I want you to meet.
Come here, Son.
Arthur? Arthur, wait.
I regret to say it, my dear, but I fear you are not fit to teach a young, spirited boy.
Arthur, meet Miss Myers.
She's your new governess.
Hello, Arthur.
You needn't worry, my dear.
Miss Myers is a very pious young person.
Her father was a clergyman.
Isn't that right? I'll leave you to it.
Arthur, be a good boy.
Obey Miss Myers.
The boy is so like his father.
Arthur? Arthur? Arthur! Arthur, please! Don't do this to me.
My dear, you have abdicated your responsibilities as a wife, you are inadequate as a housekeeper and you've proved yourself unequal to the duties of a mother.
I hardly feel it is your place to make demands.
HELEN: After the arrival of Miss Myers, I was rarely permitted to be alone with my son.
Lessons and books were abandoned for gaming and guns.
I continued to dream of escape.
I could no longer bear to see my child abandoned to corruption.
Better far that he should live in poverty and obscurity with a loving mother than in luxury and affluence with such a father.
Been in a mood to slaughter birds.
Go on, boy.
The Lord God gave man dominion over fowls of the air, fishes in the rivers, and over every other creeping, crawling thing that creeps and crawls about the face of the earth.
It says so in the Bible.
Ask your mother if it doesn't.
She'll tell you.
Gun.
Today we make war with a pheasant.
Come here, boy.
Now, stay behind me.
When you see a bird, tell me to fire.
Fire.
Hargrave, bird.
Hurry up, man! I'll make a sportsman of you yet, boy.
Now.
Now, go on in.
Show your mama that.
Arthur! What do you think you're doing?! Here's to young Nimrod.
I said we'd make a sportsman of him.
You call it sport? Killing a bird in a cage? Even George could manage that.
No, it's an instinct.
He has the instinct.
Don't you, boy? And what instinct is that? The instinct of a man.
Some more wine, Benson.
Here isn't half enough.
There you go, boy.
Drink it, boy.
Come on.
Come on, boy.
What's the matter with you? Drink it.
-If he doesn't want it, don't force -Quiet! This is your doing! What have you been doing to him, eh? Drink it.
Drink it! Sit down! Benson, see to it.
Now, man! I won't stay here another night.
I could endure it for myself but my son must bear it no longer.
But what will you do? I'm sorry, Rachel.
You must go home or find another place.
I have no home but with you.
Go in now.
Go on.
You'll be missed.
HELEN: My mind was made up.
I decided to return to Wildfell Hall, the place my brother and I were born.
To avoid discovery and evade suspicion, I took my mother's maiden name and disguised myself in widow's weeds.
(Muffled crying) (Men talking loudly) Quick.
Open the gate, Arthur.
As I bade farewell to that place, the scene of so much guilt, so much misery, I felt no shadow of remorse for the husband I left behind.
There was nothing to disturb my joy but the fear of detection.
And every mile we travelled removed us further from that danger.
What are you doing here? You said that once I'd read that, I wouldn't feel the same.
You were right.
Why did you come back to him? I had no choice.
There is always a choice, Helen.
My husband is very ill.
I am his wife.
I have to do my duty.
That man has forfeited all right to be your husband.
-Is this what you've come to tell me? -I came to tell you that I love you.
I love you, Helen.
Please don't.
Happiness is not a sin.
Let God be the judge of sin, Mr Markham.
I fear we are all too eager to think our pleasures must be blessed.
You are determined to misunderstand me, Mrs Huntingdon.
Forgive me.
I shouldn't have come.
Well, you never told me about your mysterious Mr Markham, my dear.
Perhaps I've misjudged you.
Perhaps you're not so cold-hearted after all.
Mr Markham has a farm near Wildfell.
We were neighbours.
It was very neighbourly of him to come all this way to see you.
He was very kind to Arthur.
Only to Arthur? You disappoint me, my dear.
You can't imagine how it would revive this sinful spirit of mine to know that you had guilty secrets, too.
ARTHUR: Hargrave, pour me some of that wine.
HELEN: Arthur.
You know, she never gives up, this wife of mine.
Still trying to save me.
Still telling me we can meet again in Heaven.
You, in Heaven? I know.
Can you imagine? Whatever would I find to do there? (Coughing) But you know, I rather fancy I shall make a full recovery.
What would you do then, my dear? Hm? Will you run away from me again? That rather depends on you.
I'll be very good.
(Coughing) Arthur.
Arthur Come here.
Give me your arm, please.
Oh, God.
Open the door.
Oh, you're mighty attentive to me now.
You just wait till you're safe and secure in Heaven, and I'm down there howling in Hellfire.
You won't even dip the tip of your finger in water to cool my thirst.
Get me a drink.
A proper drink, for pity's sake.
One more can't make any difference.
I'm in Hell already.
Now, don't torment with your sermons.
Go.
Leave.
(Huntingdon coughing) Helen? Mr Hargrave.
I hardly know how to talk to you.
Caring for him like this after all that he has done.
You are half mortal, half angelic.
I fear you exaggerate my virtues.
Do I? I am only an ordinary mortal, but dare this ordinary mortal ask you something? Do you never think of revenge? Revenge? You see, Helen, I know that you're not the icy being that you pretend to be.
I know that there are feelings in your nature that have never yet been called forth.
-Please don't.
-Why this constant reserve, Helen? -Are you determined to be his slave forever? -Let me go.
-Why deny yourself the possibility of love? -Stop this at once.
Well, you may call it religion or moral scruples, but I call it wild fanaticism.
Let go! No man has ever dared to insult me the way you do.
I do not insult you, Helen.
I worship you.
My husband may have many vices, Mr Hargrave, but hypocrisy is not one of them.
He does not make a science out of self-gratification as you do.
Or dress it up with affectations of sanctity.
Now, leave me.
And get out of this house.
HUNTINGDON: Poor old Hargrave.
He never did know when to choose his moment.
It's all right, my love.
I'm not offended.
-I sent him away.
-I'm pleased to hear it, my dear.
You deserve much better than Hargrave.
It's curious.
I always tend to love the most unsuitable people.
Do you think so? It's a pity, isn't it? Oh, Helen.
I wish I could take you with me.
To plead for me.
-Keeping an eye on me? -No.
Did you see her? Yes.
And? It's true, she's gone back to her husband.
-Does she love him? -Who knows? I don't know.
I don't think she does, either.
That's not my concern anymore.
Oh, Gilbert.
-You can't catch me.
-Yes, I can.
-No, you can't.
-Yes, I can.
-No, you can't.
-I'm going to get you.
Then I'm going to eat you up.
Oh, I'm going to get you.
No, you're not.
Here I come, and I've got you! -Round and round.
-I'm getting dizzy.
Ohdizzy.
HELEN: I took Arthur away to get the benefit of the sea air at Scarborough.
I cannot go back yet to Grassdale.
There are too many painful associations.
Oh, Frederick, there is such a bitterness of pity for his life and death.
Such a yearning for the emptiness of his whole existence.
I trust time will allay these feelings.
I know I must make a new life for myself.
Mr Lawrence, good day.
ELIZA: Gilbert? Oh, Gilbert.
You'll never believe it.
Me father said yes.
He said yes to the dress, yes to the party, yes to the riverbank and the carriage.
We'll have the best day ever.
(Inaudible) Are you ready yet? We must get there before the bride.
Look, Mama.
It's Mr Markham's.
ARTHUR: What's happening? (Chatter and laughter) (Festive instrumental music playing) (Speech inaudible above music) Hello, Mr Markham.
Don't you think I've grown? Grown? I should say so.
Soon I shall be as tall as you, nearly.
Taller.
You came back.
Yes.
Your husband? Arthur, why don't you go and see if you can catch this boat? He died.
Three months ago.
I see.
I'm sorry.
-Will you be staying long at Wildfell? -I don't know, perhaps.
I thought I could.
What has changed? Everything.
Congratulations.
Why? I hope you'll both be very happy together.
Oh, Helen.
You thought Eliza's married Richard Wilson.
She seems quite enraptured.
And you? I still have my dreams.
Would you give me your hand if I asked for it? How is it Dr Johnson described a second marriage? ''The triumph of hope over experience.
'' -Have you lost hope? -No.
But I have gained experience.
Ask me again in a year's time.
If you still feel the same A year? Where is your constancy? I shall always be constant but How about the spring? No, no.
Next autumn, perhaps.
Well summer, then? Well, at the close of summer, then I'll be satisfied.