Shooting Livien

I have always thought the care of your sister and brother

too great a burden to place upon a young woman of your tender years.

Oh, I'm not saying you've done badly by Helen and Tibby, dear.

- Just for yourself. - Aunt Juley!

What sort of people are these Wilcoxes, Margaret?

- I don't understand. - I don't know any more than you do.

We met them in Germany. Then they invited us to visit them when we came home.

Then Tibby got hay fever and Helen went on alone.

Paul and I are in love.

Mother, are you aware that Paul has been playing the fool with that girl?

They do not love any longer.

Do you think personal relations lead to sloppiness in the end?

It's been a disgusting business.

- Did you hear the concert? - I did, yes.

That lady has quite inadvertently taken my umbrella.

Oh, goodness gracious me, I'm so sorry!

That is where we live.

- Miss Schlegel! - It's the Wilcoxes again.

They've taken a flat across the street.

I should like to give you something worth your acquaintance.

But I don't want a Yuletide gift, Mrs Wilcox.

I suppose Mr Wilcox is quite independent himself.

He has such a strong character. A very fine nature, really.

Come down with me now to Howards End. I want you to see it.

Some other day?

Forgive me, I came, I'm so sorry!

- Why, Ruth! - It is a lovely surprise!

Miss Schlegel, our little outing must be another day.

For as much as it hath pleased Almighty God in his great mercy

to take unto himself the soul of our dear sister here departed.

We therefore commit her body to the ground,

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust...

..in the sure and certain hope of a resurrection unto eternal life,

through our Lord, Jesus Christ...

..who shall change the body

that we be like unto his glorious body

according to the mighty work,

whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself.

Mr Wilcox, I'm so dreadfully sorry.

Miss Schlegel. You are very good to come.

Very good.

KNOCK AT DOOR

The post's come, Father.

Thanks. Put it down.

- Was breakfast all right? - Yes, thanks.

Charles says do you want The Times?

No, I'll read it later.

Ring if you want anything, Father, will you?

I've all I want.

Father's eaten nothing.

I don't understand.

That is only a covering letter from the matron of the nursing home.

- Yes, I see that. - The other is from your mother, sealed inside...

Yes, yes, I'm sorry, Father.

I don't understand. Who is Miss Schlegel?

- Miss Schlegel? - Yes.

She came down to the funeral service. She visited your mother at the nursing home.

- I know who she is. - She was a sort of friend of mother's. - Oh. - Yes. - But what does it say?

"To my dear husband,

I should like Miss Margaret Schlegel to have Howards End."

What?

No date, no signature.

It has been forwarded from the matron of the nursing home.

- Now, the question is... - But it can't be legal.

Houses ought to be done by lawyers, Charles, surely.

Give it to her, Charles.

Why, it's only in pencil! I said so. Pencil never counts.

We know it is not legally binding, Dolly. Please, don't interfere.

- The question is... - But she can't have meant to give Howards End to Miss Schlegel.

I agree, it is very unlike her.

You don't think Miss Schlegel...

Whether she unduly...

Oh, no. I don't think that.

- Don't think what, Father? - That she would...

That it is a case of undue influence.

No, no, to my mind the question is...

It's your mother's condition at the time that she wrote.

The house meant so much to her.

It isn't like her to leave it to an outsider, who'd never appreciate it.

- The whole thing is very unlike her. - What about Miss Schlegel?

Presumably she knows. Mother will have told her.

She got twice or three times into the nursing home.

Presumably she is expecting developments.

What a horrid woman. Why, she could be coming down to turn us out now!

- I wish she would. I could then deal with her. - So could I.

But she won't come.

You're all a bit hard on Miss Schlegel.

Your mother admired her, and Miss Schlegel was very kind to her.

She was kind to visit your mother, when she was ill.

- That Paul business was pretty scandalous, though. - I want no more

of the Paul business, Charles.

- Upon my soul, she is honest. - But those chrysanthemums.

- Or coming down to the funeral at all. - Why should she not come down?

Certainly she should not have sent such flowers,

but they may have seemed the right thing to her.

And for all you know, they may be the custom in Germany.

Oh, I forget she's a German. That would explain a lot, I suppose.

But she isn't a German. She is only half-German.

But what about this letter?

Surely she had no claim on Howards End? Even if mother...

The letter is in pencil,

and your mother cannot have been herself when it was written.

There we are.

Charles, I'll take the newspaper, now, please, if you have finished reading it.

- I jolly well wish she would come down here. - Charles! Will you give me that newspaper?

- Here, Father. - Thank you, Evie.

Oh, you're back! You're back!

ALL CHATTER

ALL TALK AT ONCE

We'll serve it in a moment. Nancy?

TIBBY AND HELEN CHATTER

Anyway, then, after that we went to...

Helen,

I told you about poor Mrs Wilcox, that sad business?

Yes. I was sorry to hear it.

I had a correspondence from her son, Charles. He was winding up the estate and he wrote to ask

whether his mother had wanted me to have anything.

- Did he? - I thought it very good of him, considering I knew her for so little.

I said that she once spoke of giving me a Christmas present,

but that we forgot about it afterwards.

I hope Charles took the hint.

Yes. That is to say, her husband wrote on.

He thanked me for being a little kind to her.

He hoped that this wasn't the end of our acquaintance,

but that you and I will go and stop with Evie some time in the future.

I like Mr Wilcox.

He is taking up his work. Rubber. It is a big business.

Yes, it is the business of killing black Africans in the Congo.

- Oh, Tibby. - Shut up, Tibby.

Ask your pious, lecturing friends if it isn't.

Women don't understand economics.

I am sure Mr Wilcox is not a murderer.

How do you think they get the rubber out of the trees, hmm?

They get great gangs of natives out of the villages, put them into camps

and set them about pulling the rubber out of the trees,

boiling it in great vats and then they shoot them if they try to run away.

Didn't you tell me that he runs the Imperial Rubber Company

of West Africa or some such company, Helen? That's not in the Congo.

I really don't remember. Certainly he is murdering someone.

It is not funny, you know.

What I wanted to tell you, Helen,

is that Mr Wilcox actually gave me his wife's silver vinaigrette.

Don't you think that is extraordinarily generous?

- It makes me like him very much. - It's lovely.

I suppose the silver doesn't come from an African silver mine.

I'm sure somebody died mining it.

LIVELY PIANO MUSIC PLAYS

Helen, I was just across the street and I saw Charles Wilcox.

You'll never guess what? They're moving out!

What do you think about that?

BELL RINGS

What's the matter, Len? You've not been yourself lately.

- You do love me, don't you? - Jacky, you know I do.

But...

Well? What is it?

Well, just... You will make it all right, won't you, Len?

- Between us, I mean. - I've said so, haven't I?

- Don't be angry. - Haven't I said so a dozen times?

Yes, you have, Len.

It's just Cecile told the most dreadful story today about a girl she knows.

- What's that got to do with me? - Nothing, darling. Don't be angry.

Only...

Only it's not right we keep pretending.

- You will make it all right, won't you, Len? - I can't have you ask me that again!

- I'm sorry. - My word is my word.

I will marry you as soon as ever I'm 21.

- It's not long now. - I know, darling. - I can't keep on being worried!

When a man gives his word... If my brother knew about us...

- I know, Len. I'm sorry. - Haven't I worries enough? Look at that.

- That's another cuff gone. - I'll mend it for you.

That's six miles walking all this week to pay for a new pair!

- I shall be for it tomorrow if anyone notices. - I'm sorry. I am.

I can't breathe in here. It's too close.

LIVELY TUNE

- What the devil are you playing? - Isn't it lovely?

No, it is not. You are giving me a headache.

Both of you are giving me a headache. Do stop quarrelling.

I've another one here called Who Threw The Overalls In Mrs Murphy's Chowder?

- Meg! - Oh, do please stop quarrelling! - Sorry.

MUSIC STOPS

What's in that letter, Meg? Bad news?

Oh, it's only a letter reminding us that the lease has expired

and we have until May to clear out.

I know it doesn't rate as one of life's great tragedies,

we knew it was coming, but it's still a bit of a shock.

Good God. Where will we move?

I expect we'll find some place, Meg. Don't be too downhearted.

Yes, luckily we have some money, too.

- What is it, Annie? - This lady, ma'am. She... - Good afternoon.

Have I the honour of speaking to Miss Margaret Schlegel?

No. I'm Helen.

VOICES CONTINUE OUTSIDE

I don't know why I should be so upset.

It's been such a happy house. Why does it have to be swept away?

- TIBBY PLAYS PIANO - Meg!

Helen? Whatever is the matter? It's all right, Annie.

- How do you do? I'm Miss Schlegel. - Good afternoon, Miss Schlegel.

If I have the honour of addressing Miss Margaret Schlegel...

HELEN AND ANNIE TALK AT ONCE Yes, I'm Margaret.

I have come in search of my husband, Mr Bast, who I have some reason