1 Nowhere in all history can be found a more amazing character than George Bryan Brummel, the friend of Princes, the arbiter of fashion and the social ruler of England during the reign of George III. 2 And nowhere in all fiction can be found more romance than was crowded into the life of this penniless commoner, whose natural charm and studied insolence made him the greatest dandy of all time - the immortal "Beau" Brummel. 3 It was in the year 1792 that the greatest personages in England were assembled for the wedding of a tradesman's daughter. 4 The bridegroom, Lord Alvanley, Colonel of the Tenth Hussars, - offering rank and position at court in fair exchange for wealth. Lord Alvanley ... William Humphrey 5 The bride, Maid Margery. ... Mary Astor. 6 Just a young man of no importance - a Captain of the Tenth Hussars. George Bryan Brummel - ... John Barrymore. 7 "I did not think to see you wearing a bridal gown for another." 8 "You know how they forced me to give you up!" 9 His Royal Highness, George, Prince of Wales. 10 The Prince of Wales. ... Willard Louis. 11 Her Royal Highness, Frederica Charlotte, Duchess of York, sister - in-law of the Prince of Wales. ... Irene Rich. 12 "My dear one, I cannot ask you to come with me." 13 "And yet - how can I let you go?" 14 "Take me with you!" 15 "My heart is all I have to offer - and that I lay in the hollow of your little hand." 16 Margery's mother, ambitious, relentless. ... Clarissa Selwyn. 17 "Would you ruin us for this nobody?" 18 "Only a person come to wish my daughter luck on her wedding night." 19 "Perhaps this sixpence may bring him luck." 20 "The Prince is waiting! Is His Royal Highness to be insulted?" 21 Revenge was all he thought of now. He would use his charm, wit and personal appearance in a game against the society which had robbed him of his love. 22 At the 'Sign of the Hawk and Chicken', the Prince of Wales entertained the Officers of his regiment on the eve of their departure for Manchester. 23 "Lord Henry, I hold a number of your I.O.U's." Lord Henry Stanhope ... Richard Tucker 24 "I shall take pleasure in destroying them - if you will give me your place next to His Royal Highness." 25 The landlord's wife. ... Betty Brice. 26 "Egad, sir, what a beautiful woman!" 27 "Your Royal Highness may be able to hide in that closet." 28 "My good man, I did not ring for you." 29 "Your wife has just been kissed - she has never been kissed by a gentleman before." 30 "Did my wife have the honor, sir, of being insulted by you - -" 31 "- - or the Prince of Wales?" 32 "You can say anything you like about the Prince -" 33 "- - but be careful of my reputation." 34 "By George! You're a better beau than I am - George!" 35 "By George! I believe I am - George!" 36 "I should like to ask Your Royal Highness' permission to resign from the Army." 37 "Have you no wish to serve your country?" 38 "Not in Manchester, sir." 39 "Your Royal Highness would not be there." 40 "Come, Beau Brummel, wish your brother officers a pleasant sojourn in Manchester." 41 "Impossible, Your Royal Highness!" 42 "We would not be there." 43 Thus the Beau staked his fortune on the favor of a Prince, who in 1811 ruled England as Regent. 44 His house in London was the rendezvous of the smart world. The dandies of the town flocked to his dressing room to learn the latest scandal or the latest style. 45 As a protest against the tax on powder, the Beau had set the style for natural hair. 46 "I could not think of trusting my top hair to anyone but Jean - -" 47 "- - or my temples to anyone but Henri - -" 48 "- - or the tout ensemble to anyone but Jacques." 49 "Mortimer, when is your master going to pay me?" Mortimer .. Alec Francis 50 "I have no master, Mr. Abrahams, I am a Gentleman's gentleman." Abrahams .. Roland Rushton 51 "His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales." 52 "Parkyns, Mr. Brummel never allows anyone to raise his voice!" 53 "This person has un- doubtedly called to ask for financial assistance." 54 "You will oblige me greatly by leaving my house at once." 55 "Will you arrange a little supper for tonight, George, and invite some friends of the female persuasion, - say at eight?" 56 "Make it eight-thirty." 57 "Very well, George - now won't you fix me one of your new cravats?" 58 "The snuffbox I gave him! Then he still 'thinks' of me a little!" Lady Hester Stanhope ... Carmel Myers 59 "Mr. Brummel thinks only of you, Lady Hester." 60 "George, dear, I could not stand your neglect!" 61 "Your husband is in the next room." 62 "How can you doubt me - you know my heart is in the hollow of your little hand." 63 "Lady Hester came here hoping for a glimpse of Your Royal Highness." 64 "Please note that I will see Lady Hester tomorrow at four." 65 To deal with the infatuat- ion of a woman, the jealousy of a husband and the caprices of a Prince required tact. 66 "My dear Lord Henry, I fear I shall not be able to come to your house again." 67 "You see - I am in love with your wife." 68 At Dowling Green. 69 "I will divorce my wife, and I shall expect you to marry her." 70 "What a pity Lord Henry is such a poor shot!" 71 "My dear Lady Hester, will you do me the honor to marry me when you are free?" 72 "But - if you accept me - I shall hate you like the devil!" 73 "A divorce and remarriage would hurt my position at court." 74 "What do we care for scandal? You do love me!" 75 "I love you more in this moment than ever before --" 76 "-- when I tell you that I have never loved you at all." 77 "Fool! Do you think I care about anything but my own position at court?" 78 "Thank you. You have saved me from doing something commonplace." 79 Yuletide at York House - when the Beau held sway as the first gentleman of Europe. 80 "How do you like my coat?" 81 "I say, George, do you call that thing a coat?" 82 "What would become of you if anything should happen to your friendship with the Prince?" 83 "I should cut the Prince and make the Duchess the fashion." 84 "Mr. Brummel, you are wasting yourself. You have the qualities of a great leader, yet you choose to play the part of court jester." 85 "I am a nobody without rank or fortune. I attract attention by insolence and hold it by scandal." 86 "Things would have been different, Your Royal Highness, had I known the tenderness of a real woman." 87 "A woman to sit beside my fire, to move among my things - to bless them with her touch." 88 "A woman like Your Royal Highness!" 89 "Mr. Brummel treats you as a brother-in-law." 90 Because of the growing coldness of the Prince - the Beau decided to take his own advice and make the Duchess the fashion, so invited her to one of his charmingly indiscreet midnight suppers. 91 "Her Royal Highness - - the Duchess of York." 92 "I did not come to reproach you, but only to warn you." 93 "You have an enemy at Court - someone I dare not name. He has heard of your appointment with the Duchess and threatens to tell the Prince." 94 "What do I care for enemies?" 95 "How can I make you understand?" 96 "You must listen to me - I have loved but one woman in my life." 97 "I loved you then - I love you now - I'll love you always!" 98 "But - the Lady Hester?" 99 "I was lonely - she was amusing." 100 "And - the Duchess?" 101 "I was lonely - she was kind." 102 "Lord Alvanley, you've always wanted this tailor's dummy - take him." 103 "The Beau's false chivalry has deceived many a woman. I would be more faithful." 104 "I place my heart in the hollow of your little hand." 105 "Could you forget him if I sent him to France -" 106 "- as Ambassador?" 107 "Lady Alvanley, I will see you to your chair." 108 "I promised myself that pleasure." 109 "I had forgotten, George, you were a Prince." 110 "Prince or no Prince, you are wasting your time." 111 The Prince - incited by the Beau's enemies and resenting his insolence - gave a dinner to a group of intimates at Carlton House. 112 "Duchess, the Beau loves too well - and for too short a time. Beware!" 113 "You are fortunate, George. No one ever tells a woman to beware of you." 114 "I have decided to send my good friend, Mr. Brummel, to France, as Ambassador." 115 "Frankly, we are tired of our dear Beau's scandals - but scandal is all the rage in France." 116 "What a success Your Royal Highness would have in France." 117 "Come, my dear, tell Mr. Brummel you'll be happy to see him leave for France." 118 "You have been drinking George - control yourself!" 119 "I fear I must call my carriage. Wales, ring the bell!" 120 The Mall - where the world of fashion waited to see of the Prince would carry his quarrel into the open. 121 "Sup with me after the play tonight, Lord Byron. I want all my good friends with me." 122 "Who's your fat friend?" 123 "We've waited long enough for our money. Now we'll put him in prison." 124 The game had been played and could never be played again. 125 "I have come to say good- bye, Lady Alvanley. I am going to Calais." 126 "My creditors have promised me a free lodging in jail." 127 "I shall be quite fashionable in Calais - spending my time between London and Paris." 128 "I will be honest with you. The Beau's day is over." 129 "I am the same poor nobody who left this garden on your wedding night --" 130 "-- only more poor, more hopeless, more than ever your lover." 131 The Dover coach. 132 "This was all I could get away with, sir." 133 Soon London forgot to talk about the "Two Georges" - for one had become King of England - and the other - 134 A great day came when the streets of Calais were decked with flags - the city was in gala mood - 135 - for the King of England was passing through. 136 "I had hoped to reach home before His Majesty's arrival. What time is it?" 137 "I understand, Mortimer, we cannot eat our watch and have it too." 138 "Does this come with Mr. Brummel's apologies?" 139 "Please, Your Majesty! Pity and forgive!" 140 "He is ill - broken - near to starving!" 141 "Byng, lend me �100." 142 "Return this money to His Majesty with my compliments." 143 "It is your last service for me. You are dismissed!" 144 That night, for the first time, the Beau served himself. 145 "I saw what happened at the Inn today. I could not stay away." 146 "My garret is heaven, since you have climbed so high." 147 "You never wrote in all these years. Have you forgotten, George?" 148 "You know my husband died." 149 "Will you marry me, George?" 150 "I am old, and changed, and tired of life." 151 "I think I am even tired of love." 152 Years are long! And a mind broken by the weight of loneliness and privation, found refuge in the prison hospital of Bon Saveur. 153 Death kills but once - Life kills many times. 154 And Mortimer, who had been sending money from England, came one day. 155 "Sir, the King of England, your friend George - is dead." 156 "Sir, Lady Margery is very ill." 157 "Mortimer!" 158 "Mortimer, my guests should arrive at eight o'clock." 159 "But I told His Royal Highness to make it eight-thirty." 160 "Margery!" 161 "Mortimer, please seat the Lady Margery." 162 "You will not leave me, Margery?" 163 "Were it the last drop in the cup of life, I would pause to drink - to you."Home