Harriet Walter credited as playing...
Fanny Dashwood
- Lucy: It is a very great secret. I've told nobody in the world for fear of discovery.
- Fanny: [greedily] I am the soul of discretion.
- Lucy: If I dared tell...
- Fanny: I can assure you, I'm as silent as the grave.
- [Lucy whispers in Fanny's ear; Fanny's mild disposition changes abruptly]
- Fanny: [turning against Lucy, enraged and horrified] Viper in my bosom!
- Elinor Dashwood: [making painstaking conversation] How is Mrs Ferrars?
- Fanny: My mother is always in excellent health, thank you. My brother Robert is in town with her this season and quite the most popular bachelor in London. He has his own barouche.
- Elinor Dashwood: Oh. You have two brothers, have you not?
- Fanny: Indeed yes. Edward is the elder and Mamma quite depends upon him. He's traveling up from Plymouth shortly and will break his journey here.
- John Dashwood: If that is agreeable to you.
- Mrs. Dashwood: My dear John, this is your home now.
- Fanny: Mrs. Dashwood, Miss Dashwood, Miss Marianne--my brother, Edward Ferrars.
- [Everyone bows or curtsies]
- Fanny, Mrs. Dashwood: [together] Do sit down.
- [There's an embarrassed pause as Mrs. Dashwood realizes that she is no longer the mistress of the house]
- Mrs. Dashwood: We're so happy that you chose to invite Edward to Norland. He's a dear boy. We're all very fond of him.
- Fanny: We have great hopes for him. Much is expected of him by our mother with regard to his profession.
- Mrs. Dashwood: Naturally.
- Fanny: And in marriage. She's determined that both he and Robert will marry well.
- Mrs. Dashwood: Of course. But I hope she desires them to marry for love.
- Fanny: Love is all very well, but unfortunately we cannot always rely on the heart to lead us in the most suitable directions. You see, my dear Mrs. Dashwood, Edward is entirely the kind of compassionate person upon whom penniless women can prey. And having entered into any understanding, he would never go back on his word. He's simply incapable of doing so, but it would lead to his ruin. I worry for him so, Mrs. Dashwood. My mother has made it perfectly plain that she would withdraw all financial support from Edward should he choose to plant his affections in less... exalted ground than he deserves.
- Mrs. Dashwood: I understand you perfectly.
- Fanny: They're all exceedingly spoilt, I find. Miss Margaret spends all her time up trees and under furniture. I've barely had a civil word from Marianne.
- Edward Ferrars: My dear Fanny, they've just lost their father. Their lives will never be the same again.
- Fanny: That is no excuse.