Doctor Who (TV Series)

City of Death: Part Four (1979)

Catherine Schell: Countess Scarlioni

Quotes 

• Doctor Who : The silent type, eh? I once knew a boy like you. Never said a word, very taciturn. Well, I said to him, there's no point in talking if you've got nothing to say. Did well in the end, though. Name of Shakespeare. Ever read any Shakespeare? Countess?

  Countess : A little.

  [opens a panel and takes out a book] 

  Countess : Hamlet! First draft.

  Doctor Who : What? That's been missing for centuries.

  Countess : It's quite genuine, I assure you.

  Doctor Who : I know. I recognize the handwriting.

  Countess : Shakespeare's.

  Doctor Who : No, mine. He sprained his wrist writing sonnets. Wonderful stuff. "To be or not to be, that's the question. Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles and..." Take arms against a sea of troubles? That's a mixed - I told him that was a mixed metaphor and he would insist!

  Countess : [giggles]  Oh Doctor, I'm quite convinced that you're perfectly mad.

  Doctor Who : Only Nor-norwest. Nobody's perfect. If you think I'm mad because I say I met Shakespeare, where do you think your precious Count got that?

  Countess : He's a collector. He has money and contacts.

  Doctor Who : Contacts? Human contacts? How much do you really know about him, eh? I think rather less than you imagine.

• Countess Scarlioni : Oh, Doctor, I'm quite convinced you're perfectly mad.

  The Doctor : Only at my worst. Nobody's perfect.