《南方与北方4》台词

FOUR Go on! Get out and don't come back! Go on! Go on! And don't show your face in here again! Although the autumn is turning chilly, I am still determined to take my daily walk. I cannot persuade Father to join me. He has been very cast down since Mother's death. He keeps to the house and his own company and he has very few visitors to disturb him. That man Higgins is here. Show him up, Dixon. If you saw his shoes, you'd say the kitchen was a better place! He can wipe them, surely. I've been looking for work. Been keeping a civil tongue in my head and not minding who says what back to me. I'm doing it for him, of course, not me. Boucher. Well, not for him. He doesn't need my help where he is, but his children. But I need your help, Master, if you'll give it. Gladly! But what can I do? Well, Miss here has often talked about the South. I don't know how far it is. But if I can get down there, where food is cheap and wages are good and people are friendly, maybe you can help me get work there. What kind of work? I'm good with a spade. You mustn't leave Milton for the South. You couldn't bear the dullness of life. It would eat away at you like rust. Think no more of it, Nicholas, I beg you! Nicholas, have you been to Marlborough Mills for work? Aye, I've been to Thornton's. The overlooker told me to be off and told me to go away, sharpish. Would you try again? I, I should be so glad if you would. Mr. Thornton would judge you fairly, I am sure, if given the chance. It would take my pride. I think I'd rather starve. If you can think of anything, Master. Well, of course, of course. Thank you! I'll bid you goodnight. I am sorry, Nicholas. You'll find your shoes by the fire. He is a proud man. Still, there are qualities to be admired in these Milton men. Maybe…God has found His way here after all. If only he and Mr. Thornton could speak man to man! If he could forget Mr. Thornton is a master and appeal to his heart! My word, Margaret! To admit that the South has its faults and that Mr. Thornton has his virtues! What has happened to bring about such a transformation? Mrs. Thornton. Thank you for sparing the time to visit us. My father is detained but he'd be touched by your kindness. Thank you for your kind messages. We're so grateful. My aunt has sent me details of a little Italian tune that Miss Thornton asked me about. Miss Hale. I'm afraid I did not visit to indulge Fanny's thirst for light music. I have a duty to perform. I promised your mother that if I knew you had acted wrongly I would offer you advice, whether you chose to take it or not. So, when I learned from one of my servants that you had been seen out after dark with a gentleman. I thought it right to, to warn you against such impropriety! Many a young woman has lost her character… Mrs. Thornton! I'm sure my mother never meant me to be exposed to insult. Whatever Mr. Thornton has told you… My son has told me nothing. You know nothing of the man you rejected. If he has any knowledge of this, he keeps it to himself as any man of honor would Of course, I don't doubt it. I cannot give you any sort of explanation. I have done wrong but not in the way you imagine or imply. I did not approve of my son's attachment to you. You did not seem worthy to me. But I was prepared, for his sake. Your behavior on the day of the riots exposed you to the comments of servants. But by the time my son had proposed you'd changed your mind. Maybe this other lover… You must think very little of me, madam. I can't claim to be sorry you refused my son. No, I'm glad. Especially now, when you expose yourself to gossip and ridicule. I won't listen to you any more. I refuse to answer your questions. Excuse me! I need to talk to you, sir. I can't stop now. You've seen the new figures? I'd hoped to reduce the bank loan by now. It's a pity so much is tied up in the new machinery. I needed the machinery. We were doing well. We had large orders. I needed the cotton in bulk. I expected to be able to fulfill the contracts. You've been back to work for a good while now. But we're still behind with the or ders and we'll not catch up for…It's not looking like we will catch up. Well, the bank can extend the loan. Temporarily. But we'll have to be careful. I don't think anyone has ever accused me of being careless! Or frivolous! Forgive me! I don't know how I could have prevented this or what to do next. Well, there are more modern financial procedures. Investments. I could let you know when I hear of any such schemes. Speculation? I'll not risk everything on some idiot money scheme. Well, if matters carry on like this, you might not have anything left to risk. Sir? Good Lord! Are you still here? Yes, sir. I want to speak to you. You'd better come in, then. What do you want with me? My name is Higgins. I know who you are. What do you want? I want work. Work? You've got a nerve. Hamper'll tell you I'm a good worker. I'm not sure you'd like what he says about you. I've had to turn away 100 of my best hands for following you and your union. And you think I should take you on? Might as well set fire to the cotton waste and have done with it. I promise you I'd not speak against you. If I found anything wrong, I'd give you fair warning before taking action. I'm a steady man. I work hard. How do I know you're not just planning mischief or maybe you're saving up money against another strike? I need work, for the family of a man who were driven mad. He had his job taken by one of those Irishmen you hired. Your union forced me into hiring those Irish. Much good it did me! Most of them have gone home. If I were to believe your reason, I can't say that I'm inclined to. I'd advise you to try some other work and leave Milton. If it were warmer I'd take Paddy's work and not come back. But come winter the children'll starve. If you knew of any place away from mills, I'd take any wage for the sake of those children. What, you'd take wages less than others? They have no union, of course. Your union'd judge my Irish for trying to feed their families, yet you'd do this for these children. I'll not give you work You're wasting your time. And yours. I was told to ask you by a woman. Thought you had a kindness about you. She was mistaken, but I'm not the first to be misled by a woman. Tell her to mind her own business next time. How long has he been waiting to speak to me? He was outside the gate when I arrived, sir, and it's four now. Oh! Miss Hale! I must congratulate you. Yes, we are to be married soon! Delighted to see you again, Miss Hale. You must hurry, Miss Hale for my dear girl is busy buying up the whole shop. He is a little grey, but he's very well set up. He's a very good match for us Thorntons. He's been trying to interest John in a speculation. Speculation? Excuse me, I just didn't think that Mr. Thornton would participate in any kind of risky venture. Everybody does it! All business is risk, as my Watson would say. John will have to be more modern in his ideas if he's to keep up. No! You must send the bills to Marlborough Mills. You must not pay for a button. We are quite rich enough! Honestly! Miss Hale could do with having just a little humility her position. She was at Green’s Stopped to congratulate me. She seemed surprised about my wedding plans. She's so grave and disapproving as if we couldn't afford it. I soon put her right. It's not as if she will ever get a husband. She's much older than me. And so severe! I told her about Watson's business proposition and she really turned up her nose at me! She as much as said you wouldn't be interested as if she knew you better than me. So superior. I'll thank you not to discuss my business affairs in the street. What do you know about anything except how to spend money? I know. If you were to take up Watson's offer and join him in the speculation you would be certain to profit! There is nothing certain about speculation. I will not risk the livelihoods of my men by joining Watson's tomfool schemes. If I lose money, how will I be expected to pay off the expense of your wedding? You'll be sorry. Is the speculation so risky? Do you need to ask me that, Mother? It’s very risky. If it succeeds, our financial problems will be over and no one will ever know how bad things are. If it fails? At the moment the payroll is safe. Would you advise me to risk it? If you succeeded, they'd never know. And if it fails, I would have injured others. Would you ask me to risk that? Tell me what to do. Pray for a good summer. People will buy cotton clothes. Pray that some of our buyers pay their bills on time… And pray that Fanny doesn't have time to order any more from the draper's. Are these your children? No, but they're mine now. Did your daughter teach them to read? I think they are teaching her. And these are the children you mentioned yesterday? You didn't believe me? I spoke to you in a way that I had no business to. I did not believe you. I couldn't have taken care of a man such as Boucher's children. I have made enquiries and I know now that you spoke the truth. I beg your pardon. He's dead and I am sorry. But that's the end of it. Will you take work with me? You've called me impudent, a liar, a mischief—maker. For these children, you think we could get along? Well, it's not my proposal that we get on well together Work is work. I'll come. And what's more, I’ll thank you. It’s a good deal from me. And that's a good deal from me. Now, mind you come sharp to your time. What times we have, we keep sharp. And the first time I catch you using that brain of yours to make trouble, off you go. Now you know where you are. Reckon I'll leave my brains at home, then. Was Miss Hale the woman that told you to come to me? You might have said. And you'd have been a bit more civil? Well, my father is waiting in the sitting—room. I thought you might like to know that I have taken Higgins on. I am glad of it. I didn't know that it was you who urged him to come to me. Would it have made you more or less likely to give him a job? I don't know. I'll not withdraw it, if that's what worries you. I wouldn't think you capable of that. I have a better opinion of you than you do of me at the moment, I feel. Margaret, my dear, you’re not obliged to answer this question, but…do you have any reason for thinking that Mr. Thornton cared for you? Father, I'm sorry. You… rejected him? I should have told you. Oh, no, no, no. It would account for him not coming so often to the house. And I do value his company and conversation, especially now…now your mother's gone. But…if you feel uncomfortable in his presence, I'll ask him not to come to the house again. I mean, I'm sure you were honest with him. That's the most important thing. I've done nothing that I wouldn't do again. Thank you. I needed that You're becoming a model employee. Maybe someone will tell the union. I always kept to my time. Ask anybody. No, I'll not give Thornton the chance to give me the sack. Puts in all hours himself.. Sometimes I don't think he sleeps. He's taken an interest in young To saying he's got to have a good education. He's a funny one. I can't make him out. Now you will be drummed out of the union for thinking not so badly about a master! Laugh…at me. C--call me…A comee… C--comical. A… Animal. Animal. What are you doing here? Where's Higgins? Have you had your supper? Mary went to the butcher but she didn't do dinner. Why are you so late? Shift finished an hour ago. What are you up to? Work wasn't finished. We stayed until it was. Can't pay over your time. See you working over your time. You go under, no one else'll take me on and who'll put food in his mouth? He's not had his supper, he's been telling me. Some days there's good meat, other days nothing fit for a dog even if you've got money in your pocket. 继续阅读