109 atonement 1st part

ATONEMENT Ian McEwan (part 1-2)
BRIONY: I’ve finished my play!
GRACE: Well done, dear.
BRIONY: Have you seen Mummy?
GRACE: I expect she’ll be in the drawing room.
BETTY: I hope you’re not going to be getting under our feet today, Miss Briony,
we’ve got a dinner for ten to prepare.
ROBBIE: Hello pal. I hear you’re putting on a play.
BRIONY: Who told you?
ROBBIE: Jungle drums.
BRIONY: Will you come and see it?
ROBBIE: I’m not sure that would be quite...
ROBBIE: Why don’t you let me read it? You used to make me beautiful bound
copies of all your stories.
BRIONY: I still want you to come.
ROBBIE: Let’s see.
BRIONY: Mummy, I need you!
EMILY: Stupendous! It’s stupendous, darling! Your first play!
BRIONY: Do you think Leon will like it?
EMILY: Well of course he will. ‘The Trials of Arabella’ by Briony Tallis.
BRIONY: Cee?
CECILIA: Yes.
BRIONY: What do you think it would feel like to be someone else?
CECILIA: Cooler, I should hope.
BRIONY: I’m worried about the play.
CECILIA: I’m sure it’s a masterpiece.
BRIONY: But we only have the afternoon to rehearse. What if the twins can’t act?
CECILIA: You have to be nice to them. Think how you’d feel if your mother had run
off with Mr. What’s-His-Name who reads the news on the wireless.
BRIONY: Perhaps I should have written Leon a story. If you write a story, you only
have to say the word ‘castle’ and you can see the towers and the woods and the

village below... But in a play it’s... it all depends on other people.
CECILIA: Mm.
BRIONY: Cee?
CECILIA: Yes.
BRIONY: Why don’t you talk to Robbie any more?
CECILIA: I do. We just move in different circles, that’s all.
JACKSON: Do we have to do a play?
PIERROT: Why do we have to?
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ATONEMENT Ian McEwan (part 1-2)
BRIONY: It’s to celebrate my brother Leon’s visit.
PIERROT: I hate plays.
JACKSON: So do I.
BRIONY: How can you hate plays?
PIERROT: It’s just showing off.
LOLA: You’ll be in this play or you’ll get a clout and I’ll tell the Parents.
JACKSON: You’re not allowed to clout us.
LOLA: We’re guests in this house and what did the Parents say we were to make
ourselves? Well? Pierrot?
PIERROT: Amenable.
LOLA: Jackson?
JACKSON: Amenable.
LOLA: Amenable, that’s right.
LOLA: Now, Briony, what’s your play about?
BRIONY: It’s about how... love is all very well, but you have to be sensible.
LOLA: I suppose you’re going to be Arabella.
BRIONY: Well... Not necessarily.
LOLA: In that case, do you mind if I play her?

JACKSON: Lola was in the school play.
LOLA: Do say yes, it’d be the first decent thing to happen to me in months.
BRIONY: Well... all right.
LOLA: I suppose we should start by reading it...
BRIONY: If you’re going to be Arabella, then I’ll be the director, thank you very
much.
LOLA: Sorr-ee!
BRIONY: I’m going to do the prologue.
Prologue.
This is the tale of spontaneous Arabella who ran away with an extrinsic fellow. It
grieved her parents to see their first born
Evanesce from her home to go to Eastbourne...
BRIONY: Yes?
DANNY: Nothing. Just thought I’d watch.
BRIONY: Rehearsals are private, I’m afraid. You can see the play this evening.
DANNY: I’ll have to work then.
BRIONY: Well, I’m sorry, Danny.
JACKSON: Can we have a swim now?
PIERROT: Yes, yes, yes!
BRIONY: No, I don´t really think there´s time.
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ATONEMENT Ian McEwan (part 1-2)
PIERROT: Cecilia will let us.
LOLA: I’m sure a half-hour break would do us all good.
JACKSON: Please, can we go for a swim, Cecilia?
CECILIA: I don’t see why not, as long as you don’t go near the deep end.
CECILIA: Can you do me one of your Bolshevik roll-ups?
CECILIA: Beautiful day.

ROBBIE: I suppose so. Too hot for me.
ROBBIE: How are you enjoying your book?
CECILIA: Not at all.
ROBBIE: It gets better.
CECILIA: I’d rather read Fielding any day. Much more... passionate.
CECILIA: Leon’s coming down today, did you know?
ROBBIE: I’d heard a rumour.
CECILIA: He’s bringing a friend with him. This Paul Marshall. The chocolate
millionaire.
ROBBIE: Are the flowers for him?
CECILIA: Why shouldn’t they be? Leon says he’s very charming.
CECILIA: The Old Man telephoned last night. He says you’re planning to be a
doctor.
ROBBIE: I’m thinking about it, yes.
CECILIA: Another six years of student life?
ROBBIE: How else do you become a doctor?
CECILIA: You could get a Fellowship now, couldn’t you? With your First.
ROBBIE: But I don’t want to teach...
ROBBIE: I said I’d pay your father back.
CECILIA: That’s not what I meant at all.
ROBBIE: Let me help with that.
CECILIA: I’m all right, thanks.
ROBBIE: You take the flowers.
CECILIA: I’m all right!
CECILIA: You idiot! You realise this is probably the most valuable thing we own.
ROBBIE: Not any more, it isn’t.
ROBBIE: Careful!

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