The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

There is one thing that I wish for.

There is one thing without which my happiness in this world

seems impossible.

I was not born to live alone.

I must have someone with me,

and in loving and being loved...

I could be happy.

Annie!

A thousand recollections crowd on me

in my own secret alphabet.

Surely no one has ever doted on another as I her.

I love her,

and her heart is mine.

Ah, Miss Lister.

Do forgive me, Mrs Priestley,

everyone, for my late arrival.

No matter. Let me introduce Mr Lawton to you,

Mr Charles Lawton of Lawton Hall, Cheshire.

Miss Anne Lister of Shibden Hall, Halifax.

A pleasure, miss.

His wife recently died. Most tragic.

Oh. My sympathies, Mr Lawton.

I hope you will find solace amongst us.

Good to see you at last.

Well, you haven't missed much.

A pair of pink-footed geese and some redwings.

Oh, Tib, you must be the only person here watching the birds

and not Mr Lawton.

Mrs Priestley is about another sport.

Such a fine-figured gentleman, Mr Lawton.

I wonder where Mrs Priestley dug him up.

He's an old friend of my father's.

Apparently he has 6,000 a year.

Ah.

So it's you and your sisters who are being paraded.

And do we know how his wife died?

Perhaps he squashed her to death.

Come on.

Are you sure it's safe?

From all but the eyes of God.

Oh, Freddie.

You give the best kisses.

I can live upon hope.

You cannot doubt the love of one

who has waited so long and patiently.

I will be constant

and never feel a wish for any other.

You will come to Shibden.

I will have to save and save and bring you there as my companion.

We will sleep in the blue room and I will drape silk from the ceiling.

It'll be like some exotic tent in Arabia.

I do love you.

What is it?

Well, we'll need servants to fan us.

It gets hot in a tent.

I'll fan you, day and night.

# Wilt thou think of me, love

# When thou art far away?

# Oh, I'll think of thee, love

# Never, never stray #

Miss Lister, forgive me, please.

But, everybody, we have some happy news.

The lovely Mariana Belcombe is to be married to Charles Lawton.

Anne?

Congratulations!

Thank you!

I wanted to tell you.

Marry me.

-Nothing need change. -Marry me!

-You're hurting me. -Marry me and live in shame.

Remember yourself.

Come, dear.

We need to have a toast.

Everybody, to the future mistress of Lawton Hall.

The mistress of Lawton Hall!

I'm so happy for you, my dear.

So, brother, do you think there'll be a good dinner?

We'll come straight back if not.

I have made up my mind always to wear black,

to free myself from the tyranny of fashion.

But today?

Yes, Aunt, today.

I charge you both, as ye will answer

at the dreadful Day of Judgment,

when the secrets of all hearts will be disclosed.

If either of you know any impediment

why you may not be joined together,

ye must now confess it.

Wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife?

I will.

Wilt thou have this man to be thy wedded husband?

I will.

Thank you for coming.

Lovely to see you.

Congratulations.

Anne.

Mrs Lawton.

How remarkable you look.

Well...

It's preferable to being commonplace.

We'll still see each other.

I'll write.

Why?

-Are you coming, Anne? -I'll walk.

Walk?

We're worried about you, Anne.

You've not had a proper meal in weeks.

Should I send for the leech woman?

-No. -Are you sure?

I'm quite well.

Well, you don't look it.

Nothing of you, you're wasting away.

I know what it's like when you lose your friends to marriage.

Be your turn soon,

if you make an effort.

I must no longer think of Mariana.

I shall devote myself to study

and to literature,

and become more eminent than the mistress of Lawton Hall

and everyone hereabouts.

If I once give way to idleness, I shall be wretched.

Bugger.

Nothing for you, Anne.

Good girl.

And how have you employed yourself this morning, Anne?

Mostly with Demosthenes. I feel considerably improved.

Oh, you're that proficient.

I'm a better Grecian now than I ever was.

Should you eat so much, having been unwell? It can't help.

Nonsense, sister. Best thing for her.

I've decided to publish,

and as I have yet to settle on a subject

I must read widely.

I wish for a name in the world.

A husband's name might stand you in better stead.

One year,

still no word.

Oh, that I had a fit companion to beguile the tedious hours.

What if I should, by and by, meet with another?

Such is our imperfect nature

that dissipation may prove more efficacious than reflection.

# Rock of Ages cleft for me

# Let me hide myself in Thee

# Let the water and the blood

# From Thy wounded side which flowed

# Be of sin the double cure

# Save from wrath and make me pure #

How did you find the sermon, Aunt?

I fear I slept through most of it.

It was rather dullish.

Excuse me.

Miss Lister, isn't it?

-I believe you dropped this. -Oh!

How kind.

It was my mother's. I should be devastated if I lost it.

-Miss? -Browne.

Miss Browne. Delighted.

This is my mother.

Miss Lister, how humbled and honoured we are to meet you.

It's a pleasure to make the acquaintance

of the prettiest-dressed girl in church.

Miss Browne!

Thought I spied a suspicious bonnet.

Um, are you all right? You seem out of breath.

Must be the sight of you. I feel a bit giddy at it.

You must take my arm and steady me.

Do I scare you?

You have such a penetrating countenance.

Well, sometimes I'm more anxious

to be penetrating than at others.

Oh, forgive my demeanour.

I have thought of you often since our first meeting.

Thinking of me often and not liking to look at me

augurs well.

For what?

Why, our great friendship, of course.

Tell me. Do you like the poetry of Byron?

-Oh, yes. Perhaps too well. -Oh!

Then already we have something in common.

Get your hot pies here!

I hope you will accept this as a token of affection from a friend.

Byron's Don Juan. Oh, Miss Lister, thank you!

I've written in it.

Get your hot pies!

"To fair Callista." What does it mean?

It derives from the Greek for "most beautiful".

Oh, you have a romantic nature. I admire that.

I find a slight tincture of romance in a character

makes one more agreeable, don't you think?

Oh, yes, most definitely.

Though with your manners and kind attentions,

I can't help wishing you were a gent.

Wish away.

Isn't that Miss Lister?

We rarely see you these days, Miss Lister.

I am devoting myself to my studies.

Greek and Latin, mostly.

To what purpose?