Poldark

WordsKill

Do he think he can buy we off with faggons?

Hush, ye black worm!

Cap'n Ross already be looking after we

by turning a blind eye to us living in his barn.

Do he know we live here?

Course he do!

Bless him for it, maid. And ye, too.

And curse 'ee, ya mizzerly, maazerly mongrel!

Oh, I could leather the arse of him.

HORSE WHINNIES BELL TOLLS

Impressive operation, though,

the smelting works on Trevaunance land.

Mm. Though it is difficult, I imagine, without any actual copper.

Yes. Pity it will shortly no longer be required.

Their mines produce a fraction of what's needed.

At the last four auctions, they were outbid.

And if they get no more copper at the next auction,

surely that's the death knell for Carnmore?

Were I Sir John Trevaunance,

I might regret having a brand-new smelting works on my land,

and my money invested, with nothing to produce.

You should go, dear. Kate'll be wantin' you.

How is the child, Jinny?

She's better, Cap'n Poldark, sir.

Dr Enys say 'tis not the putrid throat after all.

~ That's a mercy. ~ 'Tis, sir.

~ Only this week, there's three dead of it in Sawle. ~ Here.

Take these for you and Jim's mother.

I'm that glad to serve 'ee again, ma'am.

I know 'ee can scarce afford me.

Jinny, if we did what we could afford, we wouldn't get out of bed!

JULIA GURGLES

She has a new tooth coming.

Soon she'll be able to bite like Garrick!

DEMELZA LAUGHS

What's this?

It's from Verity.

When will Verity be home?

This is not Verity's home.

My throat's afire.

Get Mrs Tabb to fetch me a posset.

She's unwell. All the servants are unwell.

I'm not unwell.

93, and the appetite of girl of 20!

If Verity were here, she'd prescribe honey and liquorice.

Dr Choake prescribes leeches.

I've no faith in Dr Choake.

Nor I.

And even less in Verity.

Verity seems content.

So your experiment ended well.

And yours?

Carnmore?

Our hopes are pinned on tomorrow's auction.

We have scraped together enough capital to bid high.

If we get sufficient copper, we'll survive.

If we had more capital, we'd stand a better chance.

I wish to help. Let me help.

We could raise a mortgage on Nampara.

Already raised.

You could sell my brooch and my best frock.

By no means.

We're not yet so desperate that I must steal the gown off your back.

But I would feel better.

If I could somehow make amends...

I'll be home tomorrow.

Tonight I'll stay at the Red Lion.

'Twill go well at the auction.

You'll win all your bids, get all the copper you need,

and Carnmore will be safe.

You're wasting away.

I've no time for feasting.

Since Keren's death, you take no care of yourself.

Since her husband's exile, I try to care for those he left behind.

You've had word of him?

Safe and well in France, with no plans to return.

So you may cease to lash yourself into a frenzy of work.

May I? With this latest epidemic?

The putrid throat?

I'm struggling to contain it. Whole families have gone under.

If the poor were better fed and housed...

It's no respecter of privilege.

Choake has been summoned to Trenwith.

Who has it there?

All of them, I believe.

Can you not call?

They're Choake's patients. He'd resent my interference.

Besides, I lay no claim to a cure.

Sometimes the weak survive and the strong go under.

Stand aside, Mr Poldark. We are on urgent business.

And I won't detain you. I came to enquire after the family.

Is it the putrid throat?

Morbus strangulatorius?

What fool gave you that idea?

We have isolated the symptoms, we have applied remedies,

and they are all on the mend.

So soon?

'Tis merely a question of competent treatment, sir.

They'll be up and about in no time.

ELIZABETH SIGHS

FRANCIS COUGHS

GLASS ON TABLE

I have next to dispose of a dole of ore from United Mines.

50 tonnes.

Sold to the South Wales Smelting Company

for £7, 16 shillings a tonne.

Do you want some bread? Hm?

DOOR OPENS

You've heard the news from Trenwith?

Tell me.

Wheal Busy. Parcel of red copper.

45 tonnes.

Sold to the South Wales Smelting Company

for £8, 4 shillings a tonne.

ALL the servants ill? Not one fit to tend them?

And Dr Choake called away to Truro

and not back till morning.

Wheal Leisure. 40 tonnes.

Wheal Leisure ore is sold to the South Wales Smelting Company

for £7, 19 shillings.

And that concludes the auction for today. Thank you, gentlemen.

DEMELZA SIGHS

If I'm not back by nightfall,

see Julia's milk boiled and that she's put to bed. Hm?

Are we all that remain?

The Warleggans have been most efficient.

I call to order this meeting of the Carnmore Copper Company.

Proceed, sir.

I have to report that today, yet again, we got no copper.

And since the prospect seems unlikely to change...

We bow to the inevitable?

.. it is with extreme regret that I declare

the Carnmore Copper Company dissolved.

Ross! You're becoming a hermit.

Margaret was only saying

how much she's missed you at our little gaming parties.

I've no time for cards these days.

Oh, well, Cousin Matthew will be sad to hear that.

You know Margaret's on her third Lord?

I don't know how, but she sucks the life out of her lovers!

Her instinct for survival is voracious.

And you should know!

She told me she'd once had a fancy to marry you.

Not you?

My sights are set somewhat higher.

And how is your wife?

She was much remarked on at the last ball.

You should bring her out more.

We've no time for socialising, George.

The smelting company keeps you busy?

Wheal Leisure.

Ah, yes.

One of the few mines which still offer prospects for the investor.

I believe some shares are shortly coming onto the market.

And whose are they?

Oh, I understood them to be yours.

But perhaps I was misinformed.

You were.

Verity? Is that you?

No, it's Demelza.

Ross's little bud.

I came to enquire after the family.

They're sick, every last jack of 'em.

And who's to care for 'em with Verity gone?

She'd no business to go. Her duty's here.

'Twas a selfish, cruel thing, she did, to leave us like that.

COUGHING

It goes without saying I would offer a generous price.

I have no control over my partners.

You could approach one of them.

What is it that offends you, Ross?

That we Warleggans have dared to drag ourselves out of poverty

and aspire to gentility?

Poverty doesn't offend me. Nor does aspiration.

But you're mistaken if you think greed and exploitation

are the marks of a gentleman.

You know, one of these days you'll find yourself without means,

without colleagues, without friends,

and with no-one to blame but yourself.

Good day to you, George.

INDISTINCT CONVERSATION

Demelza?

I came to see if I could help.

Oh, that is very kind of you.

I'm in despair.

My poor little boy.

He has these spasms,

then he vomits

and there's relief,

but only for a time, and then it begins again.

You're sick yourself, Elizabeth. You ought to be in bed.

I cannot leave my boy.

I'll stay with him.

I'll stay and look after you all.

ELIZABETH SOBS

The man imagined he could drive up copper prices.

CHUCKLING

And get a "fairer deal" for the mines.

And so he did. Till we became wise and outbid him.