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Introduction Video Transcripts

 

Emma Woodhouse

Emma: Welcome to Highbury. I am so delighted to have so many dear and wonderful friends join us here tonight. Are you engaged, dear? Or single? There shall be many eligible bachelors and bachelorettes here tonight. I hear Lady Susan is on the prowl for her latest husband. I wonder if Henry Crawford is still single after that unpleasant business with Maria Bertram. One thing is certain though. Tonight will be an evening to die for. Everything must proceed according to plan. 

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Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney:

Catherine: A ball! At Highbury! Why, I have never been to such a grand estate. I wonder what terrible and awful things must have happened there. 

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Henry: sarcastically, goading her on Indeed, for there must be terrible things there. With so many people assembled in one place, there’s bound to be some sort of dark crime or collusion. What if someone were to be murdered?

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Catherine: Henry, how dare you! If you speak like that, others might think we wish them ill...although, if something terrible were to happen, you and I would be the best suited for solving the mystery. I mean, we read so many novels. 

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Henry: chuckling Yes, dear. Quite right. 

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Wickham and Lydia

Lydia: Darling! Darling! Oh, darling, there you are! Hurry up! We have to be at Highbury by supper time. If we miss the dancing after the banquet, I will be most put out.

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Wickham: Yes, darling.

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Lydia: Oh, and I suppose you will be gambling again after dinner?

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Wickham: As if I could, with a wife. Although, I hear that Willoughby will be there. He owes me a bit of a coin.

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Lydia: Oh, there you go on again about who owes what. Hurry up. I want to dance! 


 

Henry and Mary

Henry: With a sigh or groan. Mary, there’s nothing to do. Nothing to be done. It seems we’re doomed to see only one another in this dreadful house for quite some time. I’m longing for diversion.

 

Mary: Henry, brother, Miss Woodhouse has invited us to a very small select gathering, where we might make some introductions. This, this might just be the thing. Hands him the letter.

 

Henry: A letter? A gathering? Oh, it seems parlor games are to be in order! Perhaps we could convince them to put on a little play…

 

Mary: Oh, brother, not this time. We are to make a fresh start. As long as we can avoid any old acquaintances, this might be just the thing! 

 

Henry: Surely no one from the old place will be showing their faces so soon. Perhaps the Crawfords can return to society after all. 

 

Mary: I shall write Miss Woodhouse directly 


 

Lady Susan:

Lady Susan: Oh, how kind of Miss Woodhouse to invite both myself and my sweet daughter, Frederica! I must pack at once. Alhough, it would give me the most painful sensations to think that the party might be brought low by Frederica’s melancholy...perhaps I shall attend alone. 

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