Mrs. Talmann Quotes in The Draughtsman's Contract (1982)

Mrs. Talmann: She does not fret father, or if she does you well know the cause is your indifference - a house, a garden, a horse, a wife the preferential order.

Mrs. Talmann: When your speech is as coarse as your face, Louis, then you sound as impotent by day as you perform by night.

Mrs. Talmann: Your inventory, Louis, is unlimited. Like your long, clean, white breeches, there is nothing of substance in either of them.

Mr. Neville: Madame, who is this child who walks the garden with such a solemn look on his face?

Mrs. Talmann: That is my husband's nephew, Mr. Neville.

Mr. Neville: He attracts servants like a little midget king. What is his patrimony, madame?

Mrs. Talmann: His father was killed at Aufbergensfeld. His mother became a Catholic so my husband had him brought to England.

Mr. Neville: To be raised as a little Protestant?

Mrs. Talmann: He was an orphan, Mr. Neville, and needed to be looked after.

Mr. Neville: An orphan, madame, because his mother became a Catholic?

[to her husband, Louis Talmann]

Mrs. Talmann: Your speech, Louis, is becoming meteorological.

Mr. Neville: Four garments and a ladder do not lead us to a corpse.

Mrs. Talmann: Mr. Neville, I said nothing about a corpse.

Mrs. Talmann: I will stay dressed, Mr. Neville; you will not.

Mrs. Talmann: Your innocence, Mr. Neville, is always sinister.

Mr. Neville: Well, that was ingenious.

Mrs. Talmann: Since when has adultery been ingenious? You are ridiculous, Mr. Neville.