Where on earth have you been?
- Am I your wife? - Of course you're my wife.
Your husband, he has sold you to me
in exchange for a piece of wood.
She's dead. The corpse lying upstairs is no longer your wife.
The bargain is done.
- They are very beautiful. - I aim for the book to be a work of beauty.
What do you consider so dangerous about this book, sir?
Everything. Mr Strange's book is the most dangerous of all.
God damn him! Norrell!
Mr Norrell!
I pleaded, sir, on any condition, that he help me bring my wife back.
What was the magic? Tell me. Why will you not tell me? I know!
What is the matter?
I have a message for you... nameless slave.
I should take something of the lady's to signify my claim.
Will you pass me my little box?
- Excellent. - I shall summon a fairy.
I've tried every spell I know. The difficulty is to see and hear them.
There was one present who perceived him very clearly
Why could he, when I could not?
- Was this fellow a magician? - No, no. This man was just mad.
You cannot propose that you purposely become a... a lunatic.
Sir! Open this door!
But how does one work up a little madness in oneself?
Sir?
Ah, good morning, good morning. How many have we sold today?
- Ah, 60 or 70. - Very good.
The only problem with having a fugitive author is knowing where to send the money.
A great many people have come twice and bought a copy both times.
- Excellent. - Some of them were not happy.
Be advised by me, sirs!
Do not buy your books from here. They are liars and thieves!
I am John Murray, sir. We rob no people here.
Mr Tantony and I have come all the way from Nottinghamshire
- especially to buy Mr Strange's book. - Then be my guest and buy one.
We bought one not ten minutes ago.
To replace the one we bought not ten minutes before that.
Mr Tantony put the first one in his pocket
and before we had reached Great Pulteney Street, it had gone!
This is what I mean! Did you see it just go pop?
- What on earth is this, sir? - Theft.
Norrell. Norrell!
He will pay for this act. He shall pay for the new edition.
He shall pay for the advertisements!
And that will give him greater pain than anything else!
Wait till Strange hears about this!
Argh!
No, no, no, Signor. Signor, I must insist.
We've come a long way to visit...
What an airy situation you have here, ma'am.
You must be able to see all of Venice.
I am Dr Greysteel.
This is my daughter, Flora.
Perhaps, ma'am, you remember Mr John McKean of Aberdeenshire?
He sends us to say he hopes you are well
and to pass on every good wish for your future health.
May we take back some report to Mr McKean, ma'am?
Oh!
We have disturbed her.
Beg your pardon, madam, for having come unannounced.
My daughter and I will return at a later...
...at a later...
...date.
Prego, signore.
- No! - Mandragora. Henbane.
No, I need more. What you gave me before was not strong enough. Not strong...
I am Magician-In-Ordinary to the British Army, sir. I'm engaged upon important research!
- Might I help? - I... I need...
No!
Tell him I have money.
He says these things bring death, madness.
Yes, madness is what I want. Madness is what I want.
I do not think he wishes to serve you.
My name is Flora Greysteel. This is my father, Dr James Greysteel.
Er, my name is Jonathan Strange.
What is it that brings you to Venice, Mr Strange? Army business?
My wife died.
Venice was always a city she particularly longed to visit.
Oh, Mr Strange.
And I am studying. Experimenting. New magic.
- With what object? - I wish to secure myself a fairy servant.
We should be going.
Il conto, per favore.
I am working to uncover the magic which might bring such a spirit forth.
I have tried everything. None of it with the slightest success.
But are they not wicked creatures?
Is it not very dangerous to entrust yourself with such a disreputable companion?
To be sure. Fairies are naturally full of mischief and exceedingly difficult to control.
Were I to succeed, I should have to proceed with caution.
Besides, their knowledge and power are such
that a magician cannot lightly dispense with their help.
- Not unless that magician is Gilbert Norrell. - What a very interesting topic.
What brings you to Venice?
We came to pass on greetings lo an old lady related lo one of my colleagues,
but sadly we found her indisposed.
- She is mad, poor woman. - Flora!
Cats. I am sure, Mr Strange, I saw her eat a bird.
Please.
Perhaps you could use your magic upon her?
I do not think so. My tutor says that magic cannot cure madness.
Apparently the Aureates found it a magically useful condition.
Well, who are we to say that madness is a curse?
For many people - poets, for instance - it's a gift.
Perhaps that's how those wild magicians thought of it.
Yes.
A gift.
Yes, perhaps that is the way to think of it.
Well, this has been most pleasant.
Flora?
.l' Then I shall go through it
Come here.
"The nameless slave shall wear a silver crown." Huh? What about that?
- Does that make any sense to you? - No man in England could be a slave.
You keep telling yourself that, Your Majesty.
- Where did you come by this talk? - Open this door and I'll tell you.
I have an important assignation with a tree. I am to meet someone there.
I cannot set you free. You're imprisoned here with good reason.
I have the keys to your freedom, nameless slave, if you have the keys to mine. Come on.
And what freedom can you grant me, sir?
Freedom from the fairy.
He is coming!
He is coming for you!
Free me and I will free you.
Have you heard nothing of Mr Strange?
My lady.
Mr Strange has disappeared. He has escaped from gaol.
No-one has any clue where he may be found.
- Perhaps we should write to Mr Norrell. - Perhaps you might cut my throat.
- My lady... - I wish to go to sleep.
And all you men leave me in peace.
Leave.
Now we hear the Johannites have seized yet another mill, in the name of their ancient King!
The Raven will return, they say.
The North will rise against us! What does the honourable member have to say about this?
After all, it was he who ushered magic back into our country!
And he who planted these seeds in the minds of common men!
He who unleashed these... these magicians upon us.
Order!
One... One a seditionist who incites riots, implicated in the mysterious death of his wife...
Order!
...and the... and the other a thief!
Order!
Mr Norrell, it is beyond the pale, sir.
You have used your magic to gain access to people's homes,
to rifle through their property and to destroy every copy of Mr Strange's book.
- What possessed you to do it, sir? - Do you think I had any choice?
I do not know. The general opinion is it was because of the squabble with your former pupil.
- It was done for the country’s good. - Well, it has done you very little good.
And it has done me no good at all. Good morning.
Where is Strange?
I cannot discover it. He is not here. You are the only magician in England now.
Do you think Mr Strange would let such an act go unanswered?
I need to know where he is.
Can you not find him by magic?
He does not wish to be found. Is there no gossip on the streets?
Where is Christopher Drawlight?
Oh, how pleasant it is to be here amongst old friends.
And to be chatting in this way, as if no time had passed at all
and... nothing whatever had happened.
- We would like to know where Strange is. - If you've heard summat, spit it out.
Oh, well, somebody said
he had been in Geneva, or Italy. I do not recall exactly.
Erm, the... the brother of the hat maker in the next... cell...
...heard that Mr Strange is acting very oddly.
He takes certain...
...powders and preparations. - Of what kind?
Oh, they are all the fashion, sir, you know, amongst the poets.
The kind of thing to provoke visions of palaces in Xanadu,
or Christ stuck up a tree, and such like.
We want you to go after him. Your debts will be paid. Find him.
I wish to know to whom he speaks and of what he speaks.
I wish to know what his plans are. I wish to know what magic he does.
There is talk that he is attempting to make himself mad.
I do not wish to be in the company of such a person.
Mr Drawlight...
...I can conjure terrors, sir, of which your mind cannot conceive.
Find Mr Strange, and stay with Mr Strange,
or you will live a very long time, sir, and every moment of your life
you will regret that you did not do as I asked.
Find him and discover what he is doing.
She seemed brighter this evening, Father. Do you not agree?
- I think our visits are helping her very much. - Can we not move on to Genoa?
At least it will be drier and there won't be so many art galleries.
Oh. I would quite like to stay in Venice a little longer, Papa, if I may.
I see Mr Strange is a widower.
- I do not want a repeat of... - No, Papa.
I have certainly learnt my lesson about running off with poets.
Unfortunately, my friends did not stay to perform introductions. My name is Strange.
Yours, madam, though you do not know it, is Delgado, and I am delighted to meet you.
I have a proposal for you, madam.
I am able lo give you your heart's desire, and in return you shall give me mine.
I must insist that you put off your dinner for a moment and attend to what I am saying.
I want you to teach me how to be mad.
You question my wisdom? Now, madam, I will give you what you wish.
But in return, you must give me something to serve as a symbol and vessel of your madness.
Do you agree?
Capital.
Are you ready?
Thank you, madam. I hope you will be very happy.
And I hope I will be too.
Well, that worked.
- Any luck? - I cannot find him.
- You taught him too well. - I did not.
I failed to teach him the most important lesson. I failed to make him see.
He is too much of a magician to stop now.
- And the magic he will do... - Do you recall, Mr Norrell,
when you first came to London, a street-magician accosted you.
Yes. With tales of a... book belonging to the Raven King.
Mm-hm. And do you remember what he said?
It was nonsense. Some irrelevancies about rain making a door,
and the nameless slave shall be king, and other such Raven King gibberish.
When you sent me to get rid of him, sir, I saw the Raven's mark on my cards.
- They were full of them. - I do wish you would throw away those cards.
They are full of ravens again.
The Black Tower.
Well, one thing is certain, madam. You were very mad indeed.
Just a drop or two, I think.
Argh!
I say, do you... You don't happen to have a pinch of snuff on you?
I seem to have mislaid my snuff box.
Kendal Brown is what I generally take, if you have it.
I...
Ow!
I beg your pardon.
Good evening.
I... I know this is a... an odd question, but...
...have I asked you for anything yet?
Snuff.
- Snuff? - You asked me for a pinch of snuff.
- When? - What?
- When did I ask you for a pinch of snuff? - A moment ago.
Ah. Good. Good. Well, do not trouble yourself. I do not need it now.
My name is Jonathan Strange. Perhaps you have heard of me?
It was your, or one of your kind's, attentions to the King of England
that first brought you to my notice.
Such power, sir.
English magic today lacks spirit. It lacks fire and energy.
The glimpse I had of your magic
persuaded me that it was something altogether different.
- I feel we could work together. - I am sure that can be arranged.
I...I dare say your magical sensibilities are... much finer than my own.
My magical sensibilities are, as you suppose,
quite tremendous.
And just now... they inform me
that you have acquired an object of great power.
A ring of disenchantment? An urn of visibility?
- Show me the object. - I... I have nothing of that sort.
I...I bought that in Turin.
No, indeed.
And really there does not seem to be anything here,
apart from the usual objects
that I would expect to find in the rooms of a magician of your genius.
You make no reply to my suggestion.
- Suggestion? - Of an alliance.
You are undecided until you know more about me. That is as it should be.
In a day or two, I will do myself the honour of soliciting your company once again...
...and discuss terms.
It has been a most interesting conversation.
The first of many, I hope.
Yes!
Good morning!
Nameless slave!
The magician has found some way to perceive me.
An alliance! The arrogance of it!
To summon me back and discuss terms.
This stew is excellent.
But these English magicians are always very stupid.
The poor ones desire an unending supply of turnips or porridge.
The rich ones want more riches, or power over the world.
Have some bread.
When he asks for one of those things, I will grant it.
It will bring a world of trouble on his head.
It is sure to kill him.
Oh. Dropped your spoon.
I, er... I must return to London.
May Hake a can and...
...and some... some food? - Of course.
- Thank you.
You may put your head out We are gone.
Here. Did you bring them pies, did ya?
The nameless slave shall wear a silver crown. His words, sir, not mine.
I do not understand how you know such things.
- My book. - What is this book?
It's the book of the Raven King, sir. It tells me your destiny.
And the destiny of the two magicians.
I've told it to them, and now I've told it to you.
My task is done, almost.
Now, I do hope you'll help me keep my appointment with this tree.
The order of it all is about to change, nameless slave. Oh, yes.
Miss Greysteel! Sir, er, may I borrow your daughter for a couple of hours?
Oh. Well, er...
Forgive me, but she is exactly the right size and shape.
That one is very pretty.
It is too billowy. It is not the fashion.
- Italian fashion is sleek and passionate. - I will be guided.
I'm going to see if I can find any English newspapers.
You're so bright this morning, Mr Strange.
- I cannot but think that you have succeeded. - Yes.
- You've summoned a fairy? - I have.
- What was the creature like? - A very odd fellow, With silvery hair.
Much like ourselves, but, yes, a very odd fellow indeed.
Imagine what can be done. You will transform England.
Well, I suppose so. I had not thought much beyond...
I have not yet made the bargain.
Ah, that one. That one.
Will you teach me to do magic, M Strange, once it is restored?
Gladly.
I shall teach all the women and all the poor men magic.
I will give England back its heritage. I shall be quite in the mood to do it.
Will you put the Raven King back on his throne?
There are some who say that the Raven King is not a man but an idea.
That he is not one magician, but several.
You must take me dancing.
I'll take this one.
This concerns you, Mr Strange.
He has destroyed my book.
A fugitive, sir? From what?
A misunderstanding.
It is nothing. I shall settle it.
Grazie.
- Arrivederci. - Arrivederci.
I hope you will like this, Arabella.
I have been thinking about your proposal, and I perceive it to be an excellent plan.
And to show you how sensible I am of the honour,
I will bring you anything you desire.
- Anything? - Anything.
And this would be in the manner of a binding agreement?
As I understand, you could not deny me something once I had named it?
Nor would I wish to.
Riches, dominion over all the world? That sort of thing?
Exactly.
And you would only have lo give me a little token in return.
Well, I do not want any of those things.
I want you to bring my wife back from the dead.
Please.
That cannot be done.
Yes, it can. I know that it can. There is magic in faerie that can bring humans back to life.
- Indeed. - So?
- But it requires... certain circumstances. - Then let us fulfil them.
- You do not have her corpse to hand? - It is in England.
- And the lady has been dead some time? - Two and a half months.
- Sir... - I regret to tell you...
...that it would be quite, quite impossible
for me to bring your wife back from the dead.
I am sorry.
But I've...
I've been working for it all this time.
I have sacrificed a great many things.
- I had done it all in the fervent hope that you... - ...would bring my wife back to me.
Oh. Well, that is a shame.
I've pictured it...
what it would be like to see her again, sir.
The smell of her... the image of her face in my mind,
all these things that I'm beginning to not quite remember.
And every day that she went further from me,
I consoled myself with the thought...
...that she will be close to me again.
Please.
Come. There must be something else you desire?
A kingdom of your own? A beautiful new companion?
I do not understand.
- There was a woman in England, Lady Pole. - Lady Pole was a different matter entirely.
Princess Pauline Borghese is a most delightful woman.
I can have her here in the twinkling of an eye.
Who was the last English magician you dealt with?
- What did you do for him? - You do not wish to know.
Norrell.
These matters are not important.
Who was the last English magician you dealt with?
I do not have to tell you that.
- What token did he give you? - I do not...
Bring it to me!
Bring me what you gained from your last dealings with an English magician.
No. It is worthless, utterly.
A binding agreement, I think you said?
Bring it to me.
Where did you come from? Show me.
Good God, sir.
What are you doing here?
- Do you not know he hates you? - Stephen?
Excuse me.
I beg your pardon.
Mr Strange.
- You've come here to help us. - What?
I'm Lady Pole. You've come hereto save us.
Us?
Bell?
This cannot be.
You did not know?
Am I dreaming?
Bell.
Bell, are you alive? My love.
Do you wish to dance with me, sir?
That would be my pleasure.
- Bell! - Hm?
Stop!
Leave us.
Arabella!
- Give me back my wife. - She is gone.
Disenchant her!
I demand that you give me back my wife!
I have already given you what you asked for. Now I will claim what is mine.
No! Stop!
It has taken... all my strength.
I have dealt him such a blow.
Thank you, Stephen.
What have you done?
You been to other lands? Have fun did you?
Everything is lost.
- You must tell me what I should do. - Just accept your destiny.
That is what I have been doing. You are mad.
You tricked me into giving you your freedom by telling me you offer me mine.
You offer me nothing! Show me this book.
Show me this book if there is one!
My rotten, no good, bastard father...
...was stupidly entrusted to deliver the book of the Raven King to a man in the Derbyshire Hills.
The last man in England who could read the King's Letters.
Unfortunately, en route,
he got himself embroiled in a drinking competition with a blacksmith in Sheffield.
And, when challenged, proceeded to eat the book.
Four years later, I was born...
...with it written all over my infant body.
You... are the book of the Raven King.
I was born with this, just like you was born with that.
Now, meaning is written on our skin, nameless slave.
Indeed. My skin means that any man may strike me in a public place
and never fear the consequence.
It means no matter how many books I read, how many languages I master,
no matter how diligently I work,
I will never be anything but a curiosity.
It means that I am nothing.
Nothing.
And my skin means the opposite of yours.
My skin means that you shall be raised up on high, nameless slave.
It means that your kingdom is waiting tor you and that your enemy shall be destroyed,
It means... that the time has almost come.
Let's go for a stroll... and find my tree.
Mr Strange is in Venice. Drawlight met a party on their way back to England
- who said they had seen him there. - Well, do we know what he's doing there?
He is spending a great deal of time in the company of a family by the name of Greyfield,
or Greystone. He has fallen in love with the daughter.
She is a disgraced young person who followed Lord Byron to Italy
and had to be rescued by her father.
What does it say of his magic?
He has been heard saying he plans to trap himself a fairy,
and to return to England with it to confound Mr Norrell and restore magic to its rightful place.
- Well, can he do it? Can he do that magic? - I do not know.
I do not know what Mr Strange is capable of.
I hope he has had the sense to listen to what I told him.
We must leave London.
It is necessary for me to be at Hurtfew.
I need my books.
I need all my books.
Is that... Is that Venice?
What does this mean?
This is all my doing.
It's all my doing.
We must pack our bags at once. Mr Strange has gone mad.
They say he has cursed the city.
Pardon. Pardon.
Flora!
Mr Strange?
Jonathan?
Jonathan.
My wife is alive...
...yet not alive.
Not dead. Enchanted.
This is what they do. They steal those we love and trap them away forever.
I have betrayed her. I should have seen It. I should have known what Norrell had done.
What are you doing here? Get away from here. You are in danger!
From whom? You?
Norrell was right. He lied and yet he told the truth.
These things are dangerous and beyond our control.
Do you understand? You must go.
They spy on me, the fairy and the butler.
They will see you and take you. You must go. Get out! Get out of here! Get out!
I have work to do. I'm cursed.
- What is this that surrounds you? - It is the fairy's curse.
He's imprisoned me in a tower of Eternal Night. Where I go, it goes.
It is drawing the life from me. I cannot by any means escape.
Can I not help you?
Perhaps. But not now.
When the time is right, you will know.
But now you must leave... and be safe.
Mr Strange, this is killing you.
- Go. Get out of here. Go! - Flora!
Stand back, sir. We are leaving.
I must save my wife. Why was I made a magician if not for this?
Sir, Miss. What have you learnt?
Is... Is it true that he has turned people into glass and thrown stones at them?
Young lady, you are his special friend. What is he about in there?
- Do you wish to be shot? - No.
Then behave differently.
This may be to our benefit.
If this creature has imprisoned him, then he will be unable to do his magic.
- And our next concern is to get to Hurtfew as... - Creature?
The fairy spirit.
- You believe it? - Of course I believe it.
It is ridiculous.
Fairies?
What are you doing here, Mr Lascelles? Have you listened to nothing I've ever told you?
Sorry.
Have you heard it?
- What? - The mirrors.
If one requires the presence of a servant, sir, one rings!
There. Listen.
I know it is often thought sense to give the servants a degree of latitude, sir, but...
All the mirrors in the house are the same.
Then they must be smashed.
No, no, no, no! On no account must you do that!
Forgive me, sir. Lord Liverpool and Sir Walter Pole are here.
Are you leaving us, Mr Norrell?
Do not tell me you are not leaving Venice, Flora.
You will tear my heart in pieces
going after these dangerous... dangerous men.
You do not know what they are capable of.
I beg you, pack your...
What is that?
It is from Mr Strange.
- Drawlight.
Drawlight.
- I see you. - Argh!
- Come here.
- Come.
There it is, nameless slave.
There.
This is where we shall meet our destinies, nameless slave.
It does not look a place of pleasant destinies.
Nevertheless, I have it on good authority there shall be a meeting here.
Who are we to meet?
- Is it he who intends to be king? - We shall know soon enough.
He's coming.
He's coming!
One thing is clear, Mr Norrell.
Great Britain already has a mad King.
A mad magician is the outside of enough.
You have repeatedly asked for commissions, sir.
Well, here is one.
Stop your pupil in any way you find appropriate.
- Do not you dictate terms to me. - I beg your pardon?
I have warned you of the dangers disrespectable magic can pose.
I told you Strange should be tamed.
But you encouraged him and you ignored me.
What is that sound? What does it mean?
It means he has trafficked with creatures that are the enemies of Great Britain, of Christianity,
mankind itself.
It means wicked, mad magic.
It means... catastrophe.
You are the only magician in England. You are our magician.
We will not disregard your advice again.
You must do something to stop him!
I'm not entirely sure I can.
Hello?
Scus...
Uh... pardoni...
Abracadabra!
Why do you spy upon me? What have I ever done that is secret?
Mr Strange...
Jonathan, I have always been your friend.
They made me do it.
Lascelles and Norrell are afraid of you, sir.
They would do well to be afraid. I have been mad. Did they tell you that?
- Er... - It is true.
But I have learnt many things in the Darkness, I cannot do this alone.
- I have brought you here to help me. - Oh, good.
- Did you feel it? - Feel what, sir?
All the doors shook. Someone is trying to open them.
- Come, Stephen. - The magic of Englishmen, fairy.
The magic of Englishmen is coming back.
- Who is this? - What did I tell you, nameless slave?
Destiny. Didn't I tell you the hour had almost come?
What in the world do you think you are talking about, you ridiculous creature?
What on earth do you do with him?
I tell him his fortune. I tell him that he will be king.
That he will be free from you.
And how did you come by this fortune, little pig-person?
My book.
Englishmen and their books.
Perhaps you had been better advised to sell your book and buy a nicer coat.
This is John Uskglass's book, fairy, and it tells the fortunes of us all.
- And what is your fortune? - I don't know, but it's better than yours.
I doubt the truth of that.
He has been most impertinent, Stephen. And he is very ugly indeed.
Let us kill him.
Oh, no, sir, please. No!
Try what you like, fairy.
You will discover I am very hard to kill.
Are you indeed?
For I must confess that it looks to me as if nothing would be easier.
Do you dance, rogue?
- Lady Pole is not mad. - No.
She appears mad but that is Norrell's fault. He summoned a fairy spirit
to raise her from the dead and in exchange he gave it all sorts of rights over her.
This same creature has threatened the liberty of the King of England
and has enchanted at least two more of His Majesty's subjects, one of them my wife.
Your first job is to tell John Childermass what I have just told you and to give him this.
It contains a gift for Lady Pole and my instructions.
He must not give it to her before I send the word. Not before then. Do you understand?
Perfectly.
I am opening the doors. I am returning magic to England.
Your second task is to get this letter directly to Lady Pole.
Of course.
- When you say you are returning magic to... - It's easier than I thought.
All of the Raven King's old alliances are still in place.
These birds are my messengers.
Sent to remind the stones and the sky and the rain of their ancient promises.
I am flinging open the doors and allowing magic back in.
The world will be changed, Mr Drawlight.
And if you do not do as I say, all the magicians in England will rise up and destroy you.
Do you understand me?
I thought there was only one, now that you are here.
I thought there was only one magician in England. Perhaps I... I was mistaken.
All the men and women who ever wanted to be Norrell's pupils are magicians.
John Childermass is another.
Segundus another. Honeyfoot.
The members of the old societies.
England is full of magicians.
Norrell silenced them, but they are magicians nonetheless.
Deliver these three messages
and I shall take no revenge upon you. I shall not harm you.
Oh, thank you. Thank you.
Three? Erm, Mr Strange, I...
- You have only... only given me two. - Three messages.
You must deliver three messages.
Yes, but... but what is the third?
Tell Norrell...
...I am coming.
Argh!
He told me I would be free. He told me I would be king.
Of course you will, dear Stephen.
He has it written all over him.
What more does it say?
It says the magicians will fail.
It's a very old prophecy.
Come, Stephen, it is no matter.
Let us return to the dance.