Transcripts - Forever Dreaming

'Who in the world are you?'

'I am the greatest magician of the age.'

He m*rder*d her. Dig up his bones. Let him be punished for...

'The magician of Hanover Square!'

Mr Norrell!

(Applause)

I am come, Sir Walter, to offer you my help in our present difficulties.

You mean the w*r?

Yes.

'There's a wonderful street magician, Vinculus. He's all lies and doom.'

I met a man under a hedge who told me I was a magician.

Then buy these two spells from me, sir.

"One spell to discover what mine enemy is doing presently."

'Why on earth would you want to do that?'

'These are horrible, Jonathan.'

'Sir Walter's bride is dead.'

£1,000 a year and quite dead.

It is a very dangerous thing to bring someone back from the dead.

'It has not been done in 300 years.'

Aaargh!

'Should I agree to restore this beautiful young woman to life, what would be my reward?'

(Woman screams)

Miss Wintertowne!

My Lord.

'A miracle. The magician of Hanover Square has restored the young lady to life and to dance.'

(Thunder rumbles)

(Man whistles)

(Man coughs)

L'ennemi arrive! Aux armes!

(Bell rings)

Allons-y!

IN FRENCH:

(Applause)

Well done! The hero of the blockade!

You, sir, are a hero!

You showed those Frenchies!

Is that Gilby?

Hello, there!

Gilby!

No, they cannot hear you, my Lord.

Can we see what Wellington is up to?

(Applause)

(Horse brays)

Good God!

Of course, the most useful thing would be to have a magician on the spot.

The Peninsula. Mr Norrell?

I-I am a poor traveller.

What about Nelson, for another resurrection, sir?

Bring him back to life.

He was always the Navy's man. Surely, Mr Pitt...

Crowd: Lord Marlborough!

Sir Walter Raleigh!

I'd say Clive of India.

No, no, g-gentlemen, this magic is extremely dangerous.

Consider the condition of Mr Pitt's body and indeed, Lord Nelson's.

Ah, yes. I suppose they must have both come a deal unravelled by now.

But I can furnish more blockades, gentlemen...

All manner of weather spells.

.. and, and, and I-I have in mind a line of sea beacons, magical defences to ensure that these islands can never be invaded again.

(Applause)

However... it is my belief that we should do all in our power, even in a time of w*r, to ensure that English magic is... respectable.

Er, indeed?

Assistance from the Government in putting down disreputable, old-fashioned magic, the banishment of street magicians and the like, would help me wonderfully for the matter in hand.

Do the business you have offered, Mr Norrell.

My Government will assist you in any way you wish.

We shall be the closest of companions, sir.

Starecross Hall, formerly the shadow house of Miss Absalom.

I think this will suit our purpose nicely, don't you?

In strict accordance with our contract, we should not be doing this at all.

I did not sign that contract.

What an awful lot of work.

Yes, but there is so much history here to inspire the pupils.

Mr Honeyfoot.

To think this house was built with stones from the castle of the Raven King himself.

Up there will make a splendid refectory for the boys.

I think there is... someone performing... magic...

(Foreboding, ethereal music)

(Gate creaks)

(Ghostly singing)

What in hell do you think you're doing here?

'John.'

John!

Mr Segundus! Mr Segundus!

I said, what in hell do you think you're doing here?

Jonathan!

You, you with the twice-turned sleeves.

Jonathan!

Sir, I would beg you to speak to this gentleman with more respect.

We're here to view this house. It is for sale.

You were in my dream.

The dream, sir, was mine.

I lay down here on purpose to dream it. I'm rather of the opinion that in England, a gentleman's dreams are his own private concern.

Jonathan, calm down. You'll give yourself a nosebleed.

It cannot be the same dream.

Arabella, I no longer have nosebleeds.

I have not had a nosebleed since I was 17.

Of course it was the same dream.

A lady in a blue gown with stars on it?

Miss Absalom, the enchantress?

Yes, Miss Absalom the ench... Of course Miss Absalom the enchantress! This was Miss Absalom the enchantress' house!

Now, really, this is most frustrating. I'd finally managed to summon her, and I cannot now remember how I did it.

How can I call myself a magician if I cannot control the magic I do?

You summoned her, sir?

Yes, and you, you frightened her away.

What?

But... nothing like that has been done in England for...

300 years.

Oh, well.

I-I got the idea by reading about Paris Ormskirk, you see.

Ormskirk's spells never worked.

Well, they never worked for anyone.

Not even Ormskirk!

Are you magicians?

We were both members of the York Society, sir, madam.

Our brotherhood was alas closed by Mr Norrell.

Oh, him. The patron saint of English booksellers.

"Ah, sir, you've come too late.

"I did have a great many magical books at one time,

"but, alas, I sold them all to a learned man of Yorkshire."

You mean to say you have done all this without books?

In a few months?

Well, I... I do have one book.

My wife gave it to me.

Your husband is a marvel, madam.

Oh, I know nothing of magic.

Do take an egg before he eats them all.

So, tell me, what brings you two to Starecross?

Mr Segundus has it in mind to establish a school for magicians.

Oh.

Could do with a school of magic.

I-I cannot make it do as I wish, you see.

'Tis a continuous leak, an accident.

Then you should apply to Mr Norrell, sir.

Huh.

No, no. In the Raven King's times, sir, his times, when there were no books of magic, a young fellow with a talent would knock on the door of an older magician, and ask to be apprenticed.

Gentlemen, you of all people should know that Gilbert Norrell does not look favourably on other magicians.

Not theoretical magicians, to be sure, sir.

Have you read his periodical, The Friends Of English Magic?

Huh, it's about the most ironical title for anything I ever heard of.

But you are his equal, Mr Strange.

You are his equal.

Well?

"Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell."

It sounds very well.

We shall write to him on your behalf, sir.

Look at what one magician has been able to accomplish.

Only consider what two might do.

'He was no more a magician than I'm the Duchess of Devonshire.'

(Laughter)

In every provincial newspaper, there's two or three reports.

I read in the Bath Chronicle, there was a man called Gibbons who turned two housebreakers into mice.

Believe me, my Lady, there was no magic. We examined it.

It was mice all along.

All these stories prove false in the end.

There is no magic but Mr Norrell's.

There is no-one, my Lady.

In order to perform his extraordinary deeds, Mr Norrell shut himself away for years and years, reading books!

Because I think you must be a little lonely.

Oh, one is never lonely when one has a book.

Agh!

(People gasp, cutlery rattles)

(Oh, beg your pardon, sir.)

Oh, I'm so sorry, Mr Norrell.

Stephen, would you mind?

(She sniggers)

(Sorry.)

Allow me, sir.

I'm most humbly sorry, sir.

Lady Pole's servants have arrived with her from Hampshire.

They are... country people.

I've not had the training of them.

"Country people"?

They bring with them the most absurd superstitions.

I do not know why.

They have it in their heads that the house is haunted.

Bells where there are no bells and such the like.

It is really very inconvenient to the proper running of the household.

There.

The only thing he was able to make disappear was claret.

(Laughter)

What is it?

We should go dancing.

Yes, of course we should, dear, but perhaps later.

No, I should like to dance now! Come.

I'm being asked to dance, I cannot refuse my wife.

Um, Lord Liverpool, will you join us, please?

Dancing, everybody.

So, slow down. I'm coming.

(Laughter)

(Bell rings)

(Bell rings)

(Bell rings repeatedly)

'Grant me half her life.

'Half a life is better than none.'

Good morning, my dear.

Good morning.

Shall I fetch your glove?

Are you well, Emma?

Yes, Sir Walter. Quite well.

(Church bells toll)

(Clock chimes)

Forgive me, I must be at the house. There is a dance tonight at Lady Godesdone's?

I'm tired of dancing. I'm sick of it.

I do not wish to dance any more.

My dear.

Mr Norrell.

S-S-S-Sir Walter tells me you have not quite been yourself.

Yes. Um....

Well, so, you see... it began two or three nights ago. I...

There was once a Christian named Julius Caesar, who...

Forgive me, um... who... who landed in England and was met by three gentlemen, all named John Hollyshoes.

Sir, forgive me...

Forgive me, that was not what I meant to say.

Please, say what you wish.

Would you like a glass of water, my dear?

No, um...

The master of the castle of Pity-Me had a magical ring that was stolen by his daughter and eaten by a Christian goose at St Matthew's feast.

Forgive me.

Mr Norrell... Walter... please, please.

As much as it pains me to say it, sir, I do not believe that whatever has distressed her ladyship is within my power to remedy.

But the doctor's found nothing. Not even a cold.

Is it not part of the magic?

Whatever ailment her ladyship has seems to me to be more spiritual than physical and so belongs to neither magic nor medicine.

What is her ailment?

I'm sorry. I can do nothing for Lady Pole.

Magic cannot cure madness.

(Echoey creaking)

What do you mean by summoning me here?

What have you done to Lady Pole?

I am bringing my lady to a ball. A gentleman must prepare.

I summoned you because you cheated me.

I have kept to the terms of our agreement.

Half her life.

Yes.

But I thought she would just live to 40 and then seem to die.

I never said so.

I have done what you asked and now I may come and go as I please.

If you were truly concerned for Lady Pole's happiness...

I do not care about her happiness, I care about the success of English magic.

Her husband is my champion and you are bringing him very low.

It is entirely mysterious to me why you prefer the help of this person... to mine.

What if he were to mistrust me?

Then I shall raise him up, to some lofty position.

He shall be Prime Minister.

Or Emperor of Great Britain, perhaps?

No, I merely want him to be pleased with me.

Her husband will never know.

No-one will ever know where she is when she sleeps.

Half her life... that was our bargain.

I wish for you to return to your lands.

I wish for you to go there and never come back.

And I was going there when you summoned me so rudely and in such ignorance of the proper customs and forms of magical etiquette.

I could teach you these proper forms.

I can teach you to raise up mountains... crush your enemies beneath them.

Yes, and you can shackle English magic to your whims.

You can steal English men and women from their homes and you can trap them in a world of your degenerate race.

Well, I forbid it, sir. I forbid it.

(Clock ticks)

(He sighs heavily)

(Bell rings)

(Bell continues to ring)

(Bell rings)

(Bell rings loudly)

(Birds flutter)

(Wind howls)

A person may call and call in this house and yet no-one comes.

There is to be a ball, tonight, at Lost-Hope... and look at me.

(He mutters)

How can I meet my lady like this?

I'm sorry, sir.

Nobody told me you were here.

I must say, my own ignorant fellow has not half your skill.

This is exactly the sort of task I like, sir.

How splendid we look.

But I have taken you for a servant in this house.

That is quite impossible.

As your reward, Stephen... as my gift...

I invite you to join us at our ball tonight.

Do you accept?

Thank you, sir.

The bargain is done.

Will you pass me my little box?

It is a token I wish my lady to wear.

I invite you to our ball, tonight.

(Bell rings)

The bargain is done.

Mr Black?

Mr Black?

I am so troubled by this bell, sir.

It calls to mind everyone I have ever known who's d*ed.

Geoffrey.

I have accepted a position at the Duchess of Devonshire's.

Are you all right, Mr Black?

I ache.

As does a man who's been dancing all night.

Well, I wish you the best of happiness of it.

Alfred... it is your task at this time to lay out the silver for Mrs Brandy to polish.

Alfred is going back to Hampshire, sir.

To look after his uncle's chickens.

This looks like a magician's house to me.

Do you remember my mother?

Just.

She used to bring me to London when I was small.

An escape from Father, I suppose.

I'm sure my husband will be kinder than hers.

He will do his best.

Come. Let's see that you're ready.

Never met a magician before.

Not a real one.

A gentlemen's magazine is an odd place to write about magic.

Mr Murray's Friends of English Magic is the only reputable periodical.

It's personally approved by Mr Norrell.

Yes, I-I-I have read it.

Mr Lascelles is the editor.

Perhaps it was reading the Friends that made you decide to become a magician?

No.

No, to own the truth, sir, I'd not even heard of Mr Norrell.

I-I met a strange man under a hedge.

Well, this is all most entertaining and strange, but the fact of the matter is, that it really won't do.

Oh?

Mr Norrell is the only magician in England, sir.

That is a fact.

It's understandable for an idle chap to want to amuse himself in this fashionable way.

I should be very glad to see some of Mr Strange's magic now.

Mr Norrell...

If he would favour us.

Mr Norrell, please.

Let the man do his trick, sir.

Nothing would give me greater pleasure.

This is one of my own spells.

Oh, Mr Strange.

Oh, my dear Mr Strange, this is remarkable.

I have never even heard of such magic.

This is not recorded, sir. This is not in S...

This is not in Sutton-Grove.

Is it a different colour?

Pick it up. Pick it up, pick it up.

It is backward, it...

That is the reflection.

The real one is in the mirror.

I apologise, sir, I do not know how to bring it back.

To own the truth, I have only the haziest notion of what I did.

Well, how did you do it if you did not know how you did it?

It's like music playing at the back of one's head.

You understand what I mean, Mr Norrell?

Hearing it for the very first time and yet one, somehow, simply knows what the following note will be.

Yes. Yes, I do understand what you mean.
I have taken the liberty of drawing up a plan of study for the next ten years.

It is such a very short time, Mr Strange.

I cannot see that we will achieve very much.

Er... Ten years.

There is rather more to learn than I had supposed, sir.

The practice of magic is full of frustrations and disappointment, but the study is a continual delight.

Where do you begin?

Here we are.

Ah, yes, I see.

Ah, how many centuries is it do you think since two English magicians last sat down together?

I'm not so very clever on magicians.

I only really know the Raven King.

Yes, well, we must have respectable magic, above all.

Let us make that our first task.

The magio-historian, Valentine Munday, has many failings but he is very strong on the Magicians of the Golden Age, the so-called aureates.

I am sure we will get from him the last time an English magician took an apprentice.

I have his book here.

You wish me to read this book, sir?

Yes, indeed.

Then you must give it to me.

Yes.

And Chester's Language of Birds.

My favourite book. Here we are.

(Laughter)

What is that? Most peculiar sound.

I think Mr Norrell is laughing.

We shall have to do something about this "friendship".

I was wondering when we will come to the magic of fairies?

I mean to say that, well, for example, Lanchester here quotes a book by Ralph Stokesy detailing the spells by which he found his fairy servant, Col Tom Blue.

Well, I, I, I, I don't know that.

I do not have that book.

On the contrary, sir, you've made a note of the shelf reference.

No, I do not have that book.

Er, um, yes... Perhaps, perhaps I'm wrong.

Stephen! Stop them, Stephen! Stop them.

Argh!

My lady. My lady, be calm.

What is it?

Be calm.

My dear? What might I do?

These bells. These bells. They summon me.

They call me to the dance and I must go through the mirrors.

Bells?

St George's. They struck seven and it sent her to this.

Perhaps you have tired yourself. Stephen.

No!

Please.

No!

Yes.

No, I must not go to sleep.

Come on.

No! No! No! No!

Stephen, my dear fellow. How noble you look.

Seeing you so, I know you are truly destined to be a king.

The nameless sl*ve shall be a king in a strange land.

I have... I have certainly dreamt of you.

Lost Hope is no dream. It is the finest of my mansions.

You are merely under an enchantment that brings you each night to join our revels.

We have been dancing there for days and days and days.

Forgive me, sir.

If you were to find it in your heart to release...

No. That is impossible, the bargain was made.

I do not know what I've done to deserve such kindness, sir.

I'm sure I've not done anything at all.

Sir?

Yours are the most excellent manners, Stephen.

Sir.

(Ballroom music)

Lady Pole?

Lady Pole!

Lady Pole!

Lady Pole!

Lady Pole!

I do find it q*eer that he is so against the Raven King and the whole notion of fairies.

The Duke of Roxburghe has d*ed.

It says here that he has a lot of debts and a very large library.

I mean to say we are not to touch upon it at all.

It seems to me the key to everything.

I need to find out more about that. You need your own books, Jonathan.

There's a myth that the Raven King wrote a book.

We ought to visit your aunt.

We should thank her for finding Mary for us.

Who?

New maid.

Do we have a new maid?

You're greatly changed by your occupation, Jonathan.

I'm sure a month ago you would have certainly noticed a new maid.

It's like attending a priest's seminary and being taught nothing about God.

In fact, being given the distinct impression that God is wholly irrelevant.

What do you mean I would certainly have noticed a new maid?

Sir Walter Pole, sir.

Excuse the interruption, Mr Strange.

Madam. Er, we have a problem with our blockade.

Three French destroyers have slipped through.

We do not know where they are.

Er, I believe Mr Norrell has gone...

We do not have the time to find Mr Norrell, sir.

Our boats must catch the tide. You will do, will you not?

Um...

Come in.

Dratted watch must be fast.

Sorry?

Midday, no bells.

Uh, the bells in this neighbourhood are no longer rung.

Why ever not?

My wife's illness has left her nerves in a sad condition.

The tolling of a bell is very distressing to her.

I shall not detain your husband long, madam. Perhaps a tea?

Seed cake?

Oh, Arabella does not care for seed cake, it is a thing that she particularly dislikes.

Arabella is not a three-year-old, Jonathan. Go.

The locating of objects is a particularly imprecise form of magic, that I have not yet mastered.

Indeed. Well, I'm sure you'll do your best.

Mr Norrell seems particularly disinclined. Er, through here.

Oh, I beg your pardon.

Don't think of going. It is so rare that I see anyone.

So many mournful little boats and buildings and skies, they seem to lose the people.

Venice is a labyrinth.

A vast and beautiful labyrinth, to be sure, but a labyrinth no less.

I would give anything to go there.

If you had spent eternity, as I have done, wearily parading up and down dark alleyways, you would feel differently.

I'm Arabella Strange.

My husband has the, erm, honour of being Mr Norrell's assistant and pupil.

Norrell?

Mm. We've heard much of the great friendship that he's extended to you.

Norrell is no friend to me.

I would be better dead than as I am.

Looks to me as though they have headed for the West Indies.

And there I think Captain McBrien has gone in search of them, if that would make sense?

I should take this to Mr Norrell.

Does he ever speak of my wife?

I...

No, sir. He is a very modest man.

He will not speak of her to me neither.

It is a closed subject.

Tell me, does your husband perform magic by himself or only under Norrell's eye?

Well, if there's anything that your Ladyship would like me to ask Mr Strange on your behalf, if there's any service that he can do...

What I have to tell you is more for your husband's sake than mine.

I fear I am lost.

Mr Strange should know what kind of a man he is dealing with.

What was done to Lady Pole?

How was it done?

There are many books that I am not yet permitted to read.

Is there any way in which it may be undone?

Undone?

I fear neither of us can bear it much longer.

I will enquire. I cannot promise an answer, sir.

Thank you.

I should warn you, I have made many attempts to tell people of what has been done and I have not yet succeeded.

In 1607, there was a silversmith named Redshaw who lived in the Kingdom of Halifax, West Yorkshire, who inherited a Turkish rug.

(She struggles to speak)

He woke to find the carpet covered in legions of tiny people, about two inches high.

They rode white polecats and were battling with knives and forks.

I'm sorry, that is not what I meant to say.

Madam, may I implore you deeply to say nothing of what you've heard here today?

When anyone new comes to the house, Lady Pole is excited to these... outlandish speeches.

It is of great distress to Sir Walter that anyone should know of this private grief.

I hope they will let you come again, Mrs Strange.

I see no-one.

Or rather I see roomfuls of people and not a Christian amongst them.

Except for Stephen, of course.

I'm sorry, my Lady.

It's hardly your fault. Goodbye.

I do not understand why Sir Walter would have come to you, Mr Strange, when it was only the matter of an hour or two.

There was some urgency about the tides.

It really was an ill-mannered thing, especially since I was engaged in attempting to establish his wretched sea beacons.

And of little use since you can hardly have found the ships.

You did not find the ships, did you?

They wish this in an impossibly short time.

1,000 miles of coast are surround...

Er, er, it will take years.

Do you wish me to assist you, sir? Where do you begin?

Portsmouth, naturally.

And you're using Belasis?

I'm adding Pevensey's spells of Ward and Watch. There.

May I ask a question?

I mean to say, Sir Walter is primarily concerned that I should put a bell on them.

A bell! I ask you!

I'm so sorry. What was your question?

Well, I read more and more of the Raven King.

Is not fairy magic useful?

It's usefulness is much exaggerated and the dangers are much under-estimated.

But what are the dangers?

Mr Strange, please believe me when I say that almost all forms of respectable magic are perfectly achievable without the assistance of anyone.

What have I ever done that needed the help of a fairy?

I do not know.

The question was rhetorical.

But does not all English magic come from the Raven King?

Who was stolen away to a fairy court and who was raised and learnt his magic...

The Raven King rode out of these lands 300 years ago.

Abandoning us, and abandoning English magic.

If we cannot make his name and the name of his fairy servants utterly forgotten, then it is our duty, yours and mine, to broadcast our hatred of him.

To let it be known everywhere our abhorrence of his corrupt nature and his evil deeds.

Forgive me, Mr Strange, I have a, I have a headache, I have a terrible headache.

Yes, yes, of course.

Gentlemen.

You should read this.

The Duke of Roxburghe...

Is dead.

Should we, um...

No, no. Let us wait.

Oh, well.

Ah, there you are.

I hope you do not mind me bringing you here, Stephen.

Oh, do not concern yourself about him.

He can neither see nor hear us.

He attempts to summon me, but I do not allow myself to be seen.

Look, he is just as stupid as the other one.

The other one?

And very nearly as ugly.

What?

Bell? Bell!

Yes, darling?

Sh, sh.

Can you hear voices next door?

I could swear I heard one person call the other stupid and ugly.

Really? I think two old ladies live on that side.

Well, we should be going soon. Norrell is not likely to be late.

Jonathan, do you remember the first spell that you cast?

The spell to find out what my enemy is doing presently?

That was only the name of the spell on the little scrap of paper.

Sir?

Do you remember who you were shown? Who your enemy was?

How could Mr Norrell be my enemy?

Come, dear, we must be ready to leave for Portsmouth.

What a strikingly attractive woman.

Sir.

The Government's situation is, I'm afraid, madam, about as bad as it could possibly be.

The French are everywhere, triumphant.

Our allies have discovered their mistake and become our enemies.

Trade is ruined by the w*r.

The harvest has failed for two straight years and the King has gone mad again.

Everywhere things are going to ruin. Apart, of course, from magic.

Magic has become a booming industry.

It is done. The sea defences are now in place.

I cannot see anything.

You will not see anything. They are invisible.

But they are there.

It is done.

Huzzah to Mr Norrell. Hip hip...

Huzzah!

Huzzah.

Huzzah to baffling the French Navy! Hip, hip.

Excuse me.

Huzzah!

Well, congratulations.

You must be exhausted, an extraordinary feat.

What about these beacons, sir?

Why did he not put a bell on them?

Will they work, do you think?

If Mr Norrell says they work, then...

You really think it will repel the French?

I believe Strange and Sir Walter accord very well together.

They are men of a similar temperament.

How are you finding Portsmouth, sir?

I dislike Portsmouth intensely.

(Knocking)

(Knocking)

Jonathan.

(Knocking)

Jonathan.

Beg pardon, sir.

The Port Admiral has sent to say that a packet ship has run aground upon Horse Sand.

Right.

The other magician has a headache and will not come.

Right, well tell the Port, whatever he's called...

Admiral.

Tell him to wait, I'm coming.

Don't dozens of ships go in and out of here every day?

How did this happen?

Presumably, the invisible beacon.

So, the boat's on her side. Um, shall I just turn her up?

Good God, no. You'll split the keel in two. They'll all drown.

A fresher breeze will move her at high water.

Well, I can make a fresher breeze. We've done that.

No, good God, what are you thinking?

It's coming sou'west, you'll batter her on the sands.

They'll all drown.

What is the sand called?

The sand?

The thing... What the ship is standing on, the Horse's something.

It is a shoal and it is called Horse Sand. Excuse me.

Good.

What the hell are they?

They're called horses. I made them out of Horse Sand.

Hot rolls and marmalade, anyone?

Morning, sir. Gentlemen.

Do you still have that newspaper?

Yes, Henry. I do.

We should send Mr Strange to the Peninsula.

Norrell won't be pleased.

Norrell never is.

Send him to Portugal?!

I'm astonished you would even suggest such a thing.

Every man must be prepared to make sacrifices for his country in time of w*r.

Many thousands have already done so.

Yes, but they were soldiers.

Though I dare say a soldier is valuable in his own way.

Have you considered, sir, the great respect it might achieve for English magic?

But nothing is more likely to evoke the Raven King and all that mischievous, reckless sort of magic than the sight of an English magician on a b*ttlefield.

People will start to think that we consort with fairies and talk to owls and bears and... No, sir.

No, no, no, I'm afraid not.

Mr Strange must stay and assist me and learn.

And nothing will sway me from this. Nothing.

They are going to sell the Duke of Roxburghe's books.

Well, now that he is dead, the first concern of the new Duke will be the estate's debts.

He will be looking for something to sell, and yes, as you know, he does have a very fine library with many magical volumes.

What you afraid of now?

Book sales generally the thing most calculated to please you.

Yes, but that was before.

When no-one in England had the least interest in books of magic but myself. Now I fear a great many people might try to buy them.

And he has a copy of Revelations of 36 Different Worlds.

I've been after that for years.

But if these books are bought by someone else, you may complain to the Ministers.

It is not in the interest of the nation that books of magic should be in anyone's possession but your own.

Oh, except Strange, of course.

Oh, I had forgot Strange.

But surely Mr Strange would understand that it is proper for the books to be mine, would he not?

Oh.

Mr Strange is a gentleman.

He will behave as a gentleman and expect you to do the same.

If the books were offered privately to you alone then I expect you may buy them.

But if they are auctioned, he will feel entitled to bid against you.

And how do you suppose these books will be sold?

By private transaction or by auction?

Both: Auction.

Mr Strange, please.

Your leaving is of great pain to me, sir.

It is of great pain.

I hope, sir, that your change of heart does not result from any offence I may have given you?

Oh, no, no. Mr Strange, in the past I've feared the appearance of another magician, but when it happened I was in fact delighted.

I fear I am sending you to the w*r unprepared.

In which case...

I wonder if I might take some books with me?

Books?

I fear I shall need books, if I am to perform magic.

I should not imagine I would need to take more than about... 40.

40!

Yes, you couldn't carry more than 40.

Carry them about?! No! No, they must be in a library.

No, you must put them in a library in a castle.

It is so very dirty abroad.

They shall be little use to him in a library, sir.

He will be in camps and on battlefields and so must they.

Can we not have some sort of iron box made?

Saddlebags.

Thank you, Childermass.

You have done so very much for me, sir.

I hope with all my heart to come back safely and to live as your friend and assistant once again.

Give me your list.

I believe Mr Strange will do very well in the w*r, sir.

He's already outmanoeuvred you.

I wish I had never come to London.

I wish I had never undertaken to restore English magic.

I should have stayed at Hurtfew, reading and doing spells for my own pleasure.

None of it is worth the loss of 40 books!

You are of no help! Why do you make me sleep?

Why does every request you insist that I sleep?

Why can you not control yourself?

You're of no help! Nothing you do is of any help!

Nothing is of the least help. You do not understand.

What is it?

Sir, I...

Stephen, why is the house in such disorder?

You don't understand.

Sir.

Why have you not found new staff?

I, uh...

You are as dull and heavy as the rest of them.

Lost. I am lost.

Lady Pole is to be confined to her room.

Lost. I am lost.

Good morning.

Well, not married a year and he runs away to join the Army.

Wars do not last for ever, Bell.

But they do tend to be dangerous.

Jonathan, when I saw Lady Pole at Harley Street I promised her that I should tell you something.

What is it?

She told me that a man from Halifax bought a new rug and he fell asleep beside the fire and when he awoke he saw lots of little people running about upon it.

Lady Pole is not in her wits.

She hates Mr Norrell, Jonathan.

I must go. I love you, Bell.

I love you too.

Be careful.

I shall write every day. I will look out for you, Bell.

I would rather you look out for yourself.

Ah, ladies and gentlemen. If I could have your attention.

Thank you. Gentlemen.

And we'll begin with an assortment of volumes from the Duke of Roxburghe's library.

This is the second greatest collection of magical books in the land.

And this first lot, who will start me at 200 Guineas?

200 Guineas.

Do I hear any advance on two...? 220 Guineas, sir.

Thank you. 240. 260. 260 Guineas?

280 Guineas. Thank you. 300 Guineas.

300 Guineas. Do I hear any advance on 300 Guineas?

And 300 Guineas.

350 Guineas, madam. Thank you.

400 Guineas. Thank you, sir. 400 Guineas.

500 Guineas.

600. 700 Guineas. 800 Guineas, madam.

Thank you.

800 Guineas. Any advance on 800 Guineas? With the lady.

At 800 Guineas and...

Mr Norrell.

Going once, going twice, and...

Sir, sir, your books. Your books 2,000 Guineas!

2,000 Guineas.

Do I hear any advance on 2,000 Guineas? Going once.

Going twice. And sold.

Mr Norrell. Hanover Square.

No, thank you, no. Excuse me.