The Onedin Line (1971) s01e09 Episode Script

1 # Hurrah for the Black Ball Line # The Black Ball ships, they are good and true # Hey, hey, hey, hurrah-oh # They are the ships for me and you # Hurrah for the Black Ball Line # Once there was a Black Ball ship # Hey, hey, hey, hurrah-oh # That 14 knots an hour could clip # Hurrah for the Black Ball Line # You'll surely find a rich gold mine # Hey, hey, hey, hurrah-oh # Take a trip on the Black Ball Line Hurrah for the Black Ball Gentlemen, we have just received news from Gibraltar that the clipper Maisie Agnes is lost at sea.
Maisie Agnes.
Yes.
As soon as you docked, James, I came to tell you.
How did it happen? I've no details yet.
No more than a letter from Lloyds.
- Are you certain? - Well, read.
- You've told Callon? - Me? Not I, no.
- No.
- And we have debts, James.
Everywhere, debts.
All the time, risks.
Pushing for profit.
Pledging our credit.
It's bound to end badly.
I've told you and told you again, it'll bring you near to disaster.
- Us, Robert, bring us.
- Aye, us.
- It's worse than you think.
- Worse? - And better.
- Oh, for God's sake, James! I was offered the cargo for Gibraltar.
We had no ship available, so I chartered Callon's Maisie Agnes.
A bare boat charge, I suppose, a sum in advance and monthly payments.
His terms.
I accepted them.
And others.
- There was a chance of a profit.
- Well, where's your profit now? To get the cash, I mortgaged this cargo.
Aye.
The cargo of the Charlotte Rhodes.
Every penny of his profits from this last trip.
I told him.
I said they weren't his.
Not his own.
He's not the only shareholder.
And here we've been putting off creditors left and right.
Apparently, he gave a note to Callon on it.
Then and there.
Never thought to mention it! I said so.
Not good enough.
I told him.
- You told him? - Aye.
He never tells you.
You let that brother of yours do as he pleases, come and go as he likes without consulting you.
You're supposed to be a director, too but you might as well be a clerk, for all he ever asks your leave.
James has no responsibilities.
He may jaunt as he pleases.
You cannot.
- Callon? - 'Ere, the girl would do that.
Not as I would do it.
Go on.
Callon.
When you're done.
I can listen while I pack your linen.
What frightens brother Robert even more than usual is Callon wants his shop.
What would Callon want with a ship's chandler's shop? You're getting very grand.
That shop belonged to our father.
Callon wouldn't want it because of that.
- No.
- Well? He plans to build a new dock.
The shop stands in the way of it.
Callon sent to Robert and Sarah and made an offer for the shop.
- Which they refused? - Brusquely.
Now he regrets not having been a bit more polite.
- Ever the hero, Robert.
- Elizabeth, in your condition, - should you not be at home? - Probably.
This time, perhaps you've given him cause for trepidation.
Perhaps.
We owe a lot of money.
Nonsense.
Enough of this talk of poverty, James.
You own a ship, you've half shares in another.
I know Braganza creams off half the profits but you'll buy him out.
When I've paid off some of my debts.
- These debts - We'll pay our debts! - Callon's Maisie was insured.
- Aye.
I insured her.
Thus, the insurance will pay for its loss and the cargo and you'll lose nothing but the profit.
'Ere, I don't need a trunk as well.
- No? - I'm going for a day or two.
The one trunk'll do me.
- But not for me.
- For you? - I'm coming too.
- You're not.
Yes.
Look, Anne, I shall be at the London Exchange, talking with people, busy.
- I shall not.
- What about me? What about you? - So near my time and everyone away? - That's enough of that.
It's not unreasonable.
She might have need of you.
Elizabeth'll give birth with or without my assistance.
She needed no help to conceive.
I never was in London.
And it's time the Onedins looked south.
Damn Onedin.
Damn him to hell.
But after he's paid his debts, Father.
Jumped up tradesman.
There's no trusting any of them.
Damn chandler turns down my very fair offer for his shop.
And that ungrateful sailor loses my prettiest clipper.
Well, I don't imagine it was deliberate.
No.
Well, I was very fond of the Maisie Agnes.
At least she was insured, hull and cargo, we made sure of that.
All those people.
The buildings.
A wealth of elegance.
And the Queen, not a stone's throw from us at this moment.
The size of this room.
I'd not have taken anything half so costly.
- This afternoon - I shall be at the Exchange.
I shall be out shopping and walking and looking.
- Not in London.
Not alone.
- When you're free, then.
I want to see Whitehall, the Palace, a tea garden, shops, theatres Thea 'Ere, you'll not set foot inside a theatre.
- James.
- Yes, Anne? Just stop being soso curmudgeonly.
It was not a situation which I relish, I can assure you.
Do I have the honour of addressing Mr Henry Chubb? Yes, sir, I am Chubb, but you have the advantage of me.
- No, you have the advantage.
- I beg your pardon? It's Captain Onedin, that chartered the ship.
- You're Onedin? - Yes.
And your advantage Is that this is Captain Goody, late master of the Maisie Agnes.
Who seemingly talks to you before he reports to you.
Come now, you must not take offence with Goody for that.
I'm not easy to offend, in the circumstances.
Those circumstances are why Captain Goody is with me now.
I left word at the docks for him to wait upon me as soon as he landed in England.
- May I ask why? - They directly concern you, I'm afraid.
How? I heard word first from our agent in Gibraltar.
I wrote, on the instant, to your brother.
- Word of what? - Of, er, what happened.
Captain Goody had a cargo out but was under your orders to trade and buy a cargo home.
I know my orders.
So does Captain Goody here.
I've got the manifest here, sir.
I loaded 600 bales of cotton, tubs of leeches, Indian corn, oranges, dried nuts, silk, gum, opium, dates.
You understand, sir, a mixed cargo.
- I picked up as and where I could.
- But But, along with this, Goody carried half a score kegs of powder.
Gunpowder.
- The powder blew, eh? - Yes, sir, and hulled us forward.
We were lucky to escape.
A Dutch frigate picked us up.
Yes, yes.
Your book, though.
- It's, erma question of insurance.
- Aye, it was insured.
- We underwrote it, yes.
- Well? He says you weren't covered for the powder.
Of course I was.
Paid the premiums meself, under special arrangements with the owners.
Two policies - a general hull policy for the ship and a separate cargo policy, which gave the master specific freedom to carry whatever cargo he saw fit.
No, not powder.
There was no specific provision for powder.
No provision forbidding it, either.
I have discussed this with my partners but they are adamant.
We are deeply sorry but gunpowder is in a special category of dangerous cargoes requiring special cover.
You did not have such cover.
Thus, neither morally nor in law, are we bound to pay you.
I am so sorry.
Are you trying to worm your way out of paying for my cargo? - I understand your anger.
- Anger? You haven't heard the beginning.
I'll take you through every court in the land! Can you afford that? Neither can we, therefore, afford to pay out on either policy, Captain.
God's blood! You, you don't mean you cannot mean that you hold me responsible for the ship and my cargo? You are responsible, yes.
James, you startled me.
James, what is it? Wife for what you've paid for this, a family might eat for a month or more! James.
And did you forget that I told you it was not proper - to walk the streets of London alone? - James! James, I did not Stop repeating "James" like a croaking old parrot.
Croaking? Old? I'll not believe you think I'm either.
I did not walk, I took a hansom.
I've not spent above a few pounds.
Really, I've done nothing so terrible.
Something bad has happened to you, James.
What is it? Anne, we're ruined.
That's impossible! We're ruined.
Tell me.
The insurance is invalid, you see.
Some technicality.
I'm responsible.
I cannot pay.
I shall be made bankrupt.
Callon will enjoy to bankrupt me.
- What do you want? - Oh, I didn't know your wife was with you.
My wife knows what transpired today.
- Well, if it's not convenient - Out with it, man.
Erm, I've had a trying day.
Well, it's simply that I I wanted to apologise.
- For? - Well, for carrying powder, I suppose.
You weren't to know.
I might have done the same myself.
That's handsome of you, sir, thank you.
I said to Mr Chubb it seemed deuce harsh of him.
These rich young men.
He's responsible to his partners, no doubt.
- He gave you that impression.
- Is it not so? Answerable to some degree, assuredly, but of course he is the senior partner.
His father was before him.
- He controls the firm? - Well, yes.
He's the senior partner.
Is he, now? How very civil.
Eris Captain Onedin awaiting a reply? - Now, what was that? - A paper.
I perceived that much for meself.
Best you don't know.
Oh? - That should be enough.
- For what? If it isn't, some of your finery needs must pay for our bill.
Will you ignore my every question? If it's your intention to wine and dine Mr Chubb to persuade him to change his mind, you'd stand more chance with me in company.
Gentlemen will be more civil in front of a lady.
It's not my intention to persuade him.
I doubt he's a man to be persuaded.
It's my intention to get him rolling drunk.
Then, if he will comply politely, all well and good.
If not, you'll trick him into signing that paper you have folded in your pocket? - Yes.
- I see.
- I'm not proud of it.
- And you thought to keep it from me? - Yes.
- Then you know me not at all, James.
Oh? I have the alternatives very clear in my mind.
Ruin, bankruptcy and the debtors' jail are not to my taste.
I'll set aside nice scruples.
You know, you're a rare fellow.
Am I? Why? Let's finish this at least.
Ah, no heeltaps now.
There.
A rare fellow, Onedin, because, do you know, you haven't once mentioned all evening the subject which I know must be on your mind.
There's time enough for that later.
'Ere, time for another bottle, too.
See how you like this plan - we'll have another bottle here, or somewhere else, - and then it'll be time enough.
- For what? For what? For Kate's, man, Kate's.
- And that's Kate? - Kate.
Rich as Croesus.
Unlovely as a Gorgon with a voice like a frog's, ears like a wild goat's and eyes like a hawk's.
Don't let her catch you looking, she'll ask us to leave.
Kate, who caters to the tastes of the richest young men in London.
Who asks 20 guineas for a bill of fare that would be elsewhere half a sovereign.
- 20 guineas? - Yeah.
Not one penny more for catering Kate, bawd of them all.
- Unlovely but much loved.
- What, she? Loved as you love a skilled musician or a master cook, or the Captain who saves your life at sea.
Young Mr Chubb has been here several minutes and he's still unattached.
Are you not well, Mr Chubb? Never better, thank you.
Is your health good? I'm as well as I can be while I worry over you.
- We were talking of you.
- Of me? On those estates of yours, do you shoot crows with woods full of plump partridges? My favourite meat is venison.
It's not at its best too young.
You might present your friend to me.
- The devil, no.
- Yes, you're honoured.
When we came in, you were engaged, talking to nobility, no less.
Him? I sent him away.
I don't know how they let him in again.
He doesn't know enough to take his boots off.
- Marked your carpet, did he? - Marked? So it's carpets for you tonight, eh? Curtains, carpets or couches, ma'am, 'tis all one to me.
I await your expert guidance.
I'm no bailiff to carry away the furniture.
I can't account for the furniture but there's a baggage or two here would follow you.
- And you, Captain? - Who, me? Kate will show you where to sling your hammock.
- But first things first, eh? - Very well.
Laura! Laura, my dear, come here.
Laura, may I present Mr Chubb? Mr Chubb, Laura.
We've had the pleasure, ma'am.
I'm delighted to renew your acquaintance, Laura.
Kate tells me you're a fancier of fine furniture.
I should very much enjoy to see your bed.
Captain Onedin, Kate, you'll see him well berthed? Berthed? Bedded, anyway.
- Well, Captain? - Ma'am? Kate.
Henry teases me with his ma'am.
- Yes, well Kate, then.
But, er - But? I'm afraid I cannot afford the sort of pleasures you offer.
You've not the look of a man with nothing on his mind but pleasure.
I had you down as a prude or a man preoccupied or even as a man too far gone in drink.
Now you tell me you can't afford my prices.
- That's so.
- There's no credit here.
- That's true.
- Oh, a dog that bites.
Look, I'd just as soon sit and wait.
I'm sure your friend would pay your score.
I'd rather not be indebted to him.
He's not my friend.
I thought as much.
What do you want with Henry Chubb? - We have business together.
- What sort of business? - None that's your affair.
- You're most suspicious, sir.
- Perhaps.
- I begin to be suspicious, too.
I suspect you're all those things.
A prude, short of money and suspicious.
- You must think of me what you will.
- I will.
Though there never was a prudish sea captain.
Do you own your ship? - Presently I do, aye.
- Presently? Would you sit with me? Aye, if you wish.
You intrigue me enough to break a rule.
- Would you drink some wine? - No.
You must let me buy you some.
Too late for politeness now.
Bring some brandy from my private stock.
I shall drink champagne.
Help me to rise, Captain.
And let us see if we cannot come to some better understanding.
Well, there, my captain, you've had a little too much to drink, is that it? Yes, there we are.
Now, you just sit still and you'll feel better.
Face as white as snow but you look fine.
Ah.
Our friend, Henry Chubb.
- James, you don't look altogether well.
- I'm fine, thank you.
Kate, you didn't James, what did you have to drink? Chubb, we have, um, to talk.
You gave him your brandy, you harridan! I'll have the police on you! - You won't.
- I will.
Can you stand? - I'm fine, really.
- One moment, Henry Chubb.
I have something here you might like to read.
Yes, it's yours.
Chubb, it's Yes, isn't it? It truly is.
- Is he drunk? - We were not abstemious exactly, but he is rather ill than drunk.
Ill? I am sorry this should happen.
Yes.
You'll have to help me with him, get him into bed.
- Should we fetch a doctor? - No, he should be all right by the morning.
What is it, then? I'm deeply conscious of the impropriety, madam.
Impropriety? Your husband, hors de combat and you Oh.
I am a man of total discretion.
I only hope the management You are not quite sober yourself, sir, it seems.
This is scarcely the occasion for frivolity.
Help me.
- Thank you, Mr? - Er, Chubb, ma'am.
Yes.
Well, thank you, Mr Chubb.
I have a letter belonging to your husband.
Oh? Perhaps you would be good enough to return it to him in the morning? In the morning, yes.
It is not signed, I'm afraid.
Is it not? It may seem a great joke to you, Mr Chubb, but for us, this represents nothing less than ruin.
- As bad as that? - Yes.
- I did not know.
- And do not care.
I care.
I don't doubt you bankrupt men in excess of finer feelings.
You do me something less than justice.
Do I? Good night.
It is not my fault that your husband failed properly to insure his ship.
And is it his? You cannot ask me to pay out so huge a sum for nothing more than sentiment.
I ask nothing, Mr Chubb.
Ma'am.
Your husband is fortunate in his wife.
Please convey my most sincere regrets and tell him to consult his lawyers.
Will they help us? I very much fear they will not.
- You cannot bankrupt us.
- I can and will.
And be pleased to do it.
Here.
Please you, Father, but shall we get advantage? I should say so, yes.
We get the shop and the rest of his assets will nearly cover what they owe us.
Mm.
But not all.
The difference will be well worthwhile to force that sailor off the sea and stop him undercutting me.
Thisthis paper.
You've That paper I've kept for this very day.
You sign it where it's marked.
- That is my livelihood.
- You've got no choice.
If you don't, I'll take ã10 off that figure for every day that you shillyshally.
You'd best, it's our original offer and you'll not do better anywhere else.
I-I should talk to James.
This is all his doing.
As for Master James, we'll bankrupt him all right.
And I'll see him sent to jail for debt.
You can think yourself lucky that he hasn't taken you down with him.
- Perhaps he has.
- Not if you sign.
- Why do you say that? - Huh? Oh, we have James, that is, set up companies.
I'm with him on their boards.
We're both directors.
Limited liability companies? Limited, fiddlesticks.
We won't press you.
That had slipped my mind, Father.
Sign the bill, Onedin.
- What slipped your mind, Edmund? - Later, when Mr Onedin's signed the bill.
Not later, now.
You tell me now, what? A limited company, by act of parliament, is one in which the personal liability of the directors is limited to the amount of its share capital.
Yes, I've heard of that.
Written by lawyers and scoundrels.
But every man's debt's his own.
The Onedins haven't got a penny except what's in those firms.
I beg your pardon, Father, but it's not so simple.
We can talk about it some other time.
- Presently - No, now! You'll tell me now.
Since you enjoy to contradict your father, I've no doubt Mr Onedin would find it very edifying.
Very well, Father.
Not James, but Onedin Line Limited chartered our clipper.
If we sue, we bankrupt that.
Then other creditors will gather for their pound of flesh.
Of which we are by far the largest.
Just so.
But James will have arranged it so that at any time, most money would be owed to his other company.
So his largest creditors would always be Onedin Warehousing, against which we have no claim.
We can press for payment.
We can distrain their assets of the Onedin Line, but we cannot bankrupt it without losing most of our money.
Then there's only the Charlotte Rhodes.
James has sent the Pampero back to Braganza in Portugal.
But still, if what you say is so, we can get paid and break the Onedins into the bargain while we wait to see if some of this insurance might be paid.
- Father, Robert is here! - No, no.
Let him hear.
You can tell your brother that we'll press him and press him up to bankruptcy.
We'll stop him from trading, we'll distrain the Charlotte Rhodes we'll write to Braganza, warning him to put the Pampero in escrow.
In short, we'll stop you from earning a living until every penny of our debt is paid.
No.
I'm not signing that.
Well, I'll get it later, cheaper.
And what if James declares himself a bankrupt? Him? Never.
No, he'll fight and fight to save himself.
Until it's too late.
I've told them but they won't listen.
I said, "How can I be expected to pay if I'm prevented from earning a living?" - I told them.
- You told them, told them, told them.
Who listens to you? Who listens to the poor? And now we're homeless.
Thrown out on the street because of you and James.
What's to become of us? Where will we go? No! No, I'll not go.
You'll have to make me go.
I'll never leave my home.
Oh, no! Oh, no, please! Where will we go? Please! Robert! Please.
- Ah.
You're in here.
- I'm not comfortable in my house.
I forbade your brother and his wife from my kitchen.
They rail against you every time I show my face.
They were all content to spend your profits.
I had a dismal day scratching around for money.
- With no success? - Just one more hundred pounds.
I should not call ã100 exactly dismal.
Set against a debt of several thousands to Callon, it is.
Just two.
That ship was worth but 2,000.
You've already raised nearly 500 from folk with faith in you.
I ran out of friends with money several days ago.
- And Albert Frazer? - Oh, aye.
150.
I'd hoped for more but what with the coming of the baby and Well, there it is.
Anne this hundred pounds from a moneylender, I've never signed my life away before.
- Do you know what it's for? - To pay our debts.
No, it's not to pay our debts.
I cannot pay our debts and go on trading.
- Then what? - It's for one last hope.
Out, you say? Out where? He didn't say.
To dine, perhaps, or We shouldn't be sitting here.
Homeless and they forbid us their kitchen.
- It's not their fault, Sarah.
- No? Then whose fault is it? - It's James's.
He's reckless.
- Oh, really now, Elizabeth! Is he homeless? Now he's borrowing money quite shamelessly.
And what for? Did you see any of it? - No.
- No.
James only uses people, even family.
He pushes them into his plans and schemes of his own.
He's no thought for anyone else.
- Unlike you? - Me? How can you use a word like "shameless"? Are you homeless? And as for caring for people, how can you trick that poor man into believing that baby is his? Sarah! Of course it's Albert's, whose else would it be? I won't listen to such talk! Won't you, Robert? Why? It's truth.
This baby is Daniel Fogarty's.
I know it and she knows it.
And you know it too, had you but the courage to face one more nasty fact about your family.
- II - You what? I know it'sit's It's long past time decent folks were in their beds.
And she's no right being away from home, not in her condition.
And you - putting silly ideas into her head.
WellI for one am going to me bed.
- At least Sarah? - No.
Not yet.
Sarah and I will wait for Anne and James.
For For what? To ask them straight out what all this money is for.
- Where's the man they posted? - Sleeping, sir.
- All safe? - Aye.
Right, let's get this stuff on board.
All right, lads, look smart there.
- Have the rowlocks been muffled? - Aye.
All's ready.
Oh, no, it isn't.
Anne? Come out of there.
Anne! Come out of there! - James - No, it's impossible.
Somebody's needed to bring the horse and cart back.
James, you will take care? There really is no other way? Yes and no.
- Well, then - Bye, Anne.
Oh, James, I'm sorry but in the dark I knocked over your chronometer.
I think it's still working, though.
Let go for'ard.
You can't mean this! You've agreed the principle, now you'll agree the price.
Not one penny more will I pay for that shop.
It's damn generous in the circumstances.
- I warned you.
- No! You've got no choice, man.
Your brother left you in such a fix you can neither work nor earn.
I need that shop to build my dock.
I'd get it later by waiting.
- Not if the insurance pays up.
- Fat chance of that.
Anyway, that's mine.
No, you sign that and at least you can start again with a few pounds in your pocket.
- It's robbery! - Robbery! You dare say that, you with a brother wanted by the police? Robbery, indeed! - There's no proof it was James.
- Don't be daft.
I suppose the seagulls stole your boat, eh? - But he'll answer for it.
- If you can find him.
Oh, happen the seagulls took him away too, eh? And good riddance to him.
Ah, enough of this nonsense.
Here, you sign this, or else you can sing for your baby's supper and maybe end up in jail yourself.
Come on, now - sign.
No, I have not yet found this ship.
Well, you're not likely to now, are you? As I said to you when you were in Gibraltar last, Captain, there is always a man somewhere desperate enough to run such risks for ã1500.
If my memory serves me right, you said 1500 guineas.
How stupid of me.
But patriotic, yes? If you know how these poor people find it difficult to earn a few extra shillings.
- Oh, I know very well.
- Ah! Have you found me a ship, then? - I have.
My own.
- Ah.
But not under your conditions.
These are the best terms of my principles in this.
They might be for you but they would pay me better.
So? Look, sell to me what you have hidden in a warehouse, I'll transport them and sell to your friends at my prices.
How much? For the whole consignment? ã400, eh? For all those? Ha! This is your British sense of humour.
Oh, well.
Thank you for the tea, eh? Wait.
Just the sight of her may be of some aid to us yet.
Come below.
I want to show you something.
Powder.
Gunpowder.
A shipload of gunpowder and you think to light your pipe? For whom, James? All those firearms - for whom? - Does it matter? - Does it not? - For rebels.
- Against England? - No.
- Will they succeed? - How should I know? - Your guess! My guess is we'll never hear of them again.
- But you will sell them guns? - Yes.
Look, Anne.
Did I wait for Callon or any man to make my fate his business? An hour before the moon and the damned wind drops.
It's coming, sir, it's coming! A-blowing off the mainland now.
Damn, damn, damn, Mr Baines.
Beg your pardon, missus.
All right, Mr Baines, bring her about.
Aye aye, sir.
- Not a sail all day.
- We've been seen, all right.
- Mr Baines! - Sir? We've but two moonless hours tonight, so we must creep in with the dusk.
Aye aye, sir.
How will you know where to land? - We'll show them a light.
- Is it safe without a moon? Safe? Ha - light or dark makes no difference.
Nobody ever quite took a ship here before.
It's uncharted.
- Nigh on dusk, sir.
- Aye.
And if I'm not much mistaken, here comes a sail.
- Staying further out, sir? - No, we have the wind.
It'll be pitch-dark before she comes up to us.
With any luck, they'll never find us.
- Is that a light? - No.
Oh, God.
They've seen us! Can't risk it.
They'd fire on us, sure as death, this near in.
Who are you? We're British and don't speak your damn tongue.
What are you doing so near to the shore? Mind your own business or you'll feel a British cannonball through your hair! We're staying where we are! You go one breadth further in, and I will fire on you.
Fire on us and the British navy will blow your rowboats out of the seas! Now, clear off! Sweet Jesus, I think it's worked.
We shall be watching you.
Aye, in the dark, frog-eater.
Now, heave to, Mr Baines.
We'll just have to sit it out.
Yes.
Not as stupid as he seems.
He can see us against the land.
The light! Where? Ah, I see it.
Let's pray to God he doesn't.
- Right, Mr Baines, make sail.
- Aye aye, sir.
Rocks! Rocks on the port bow! - They're coming after us! Too late to turn back now.
Heaven be praised! He's run her aground and holed her! Well I do believe we may now proceed at our leisure.
- Shouldn't we? - Help them? No.
From where they are they can walk ashore.
And what then? Here.
ã2,000 clear profit.
ã2,000! I've never seen so much money in coin before.
Have you, Anne? - No.
- Well, then, laugh with me, eh? Well, a smile, eh? There.
- Every penny is spoken for.
- I know.
- Or did you forget? - No, no, no.
You know what this means, don't you? This frees me to go back to England any time I please.
- Does it, James? - Well, of course it does.
And what of Callon taking the ship? I've enough money to pay him now.
They'll forgive a rich man anything, eh? No.
Not your brother Robert, nor Sarah, ever.
And you? Anne? You? Prijevodi - Online