"How." "And a special word to all you ships at sea." "I've been examining this new, blue, Sioux canoe for two." "It is perfect for the brave who wants to take his wife out for a moonlight ride." "It tips quite easily." "Of course, this was used before the invention of sash weights, but I'm sure American Indian knowhow triumphed." "This is apparently a souped-up job for I noticed this had a 1620 chassis with 1750 paddles." "It also has bucket seats, and naturally, being an American vehicle, you steer it from the left." "I shall now emulate the vanishing American while we have tonight's story, after which I shall paddle back." "I'm dreaming." "I'm dreaming." "I..." "Why is it so hard to wake up this morning?" "Why should I feel so strange?" "It's that dream." "There's nothing wrong." "You're the happiest girl in the world." "Isn't that silly?" "For a minute I couldn't remember who I was." "You're Lucia Clay, you're 26." "And Allen says you're very lovely." "Why did I do that?" "Why am I so frightened?" "I love the fog." "I remember." "I remember the first night I met Allen." "Good party, isn't it, Lucia?" "Why, John, I thought you always considered parties a waste of time." "Not this one." "Allen Bliss is here." "Allen Bliss?" "Yes, he's the one from the Boston Trust" "I hope to form that shipping corporation with." "They like the idea of representation here in San Francisco." "I've told you about that, haven't I, Lucia?" "Yes, John." "You'll like Bliss." "He's not only smart as a whip but he's thoughtful, too." "How do you mean?" "He's given me what I consider the perfect plan for our honeymoon." "Well, that is thoughtful of him." "Wait till you hear his idea, Lucia." "On our honeymoon we'll visit every single one of the stock exchanges in Europe." "Now what do you think of Mr. Bliss?" "Make all the shipping deals you want with him, John, but tell your rich, old Mr. Bliss to stop incorporating my honeymoon." "Lucia, you're a beautiful dancer." "Why thank you, John." "Let me get you some punch." "Yes, that would be nice." "Well, Allen!" "We were just speaking of you." "Hello, St. Rogers." "Lucia, may I present Mr. Bliss?" "Allen, this is Miss Clay, my fiancée." "How do you do, Miss Clay?" "How do you do, Mr. Bliss?" "I was just telling Lucia of your idea for our honeymoon." "I hope you'll forgive the impertinence, Miss Clay." "There's nothing to forgive." "I think it's a splendid idea." "We'll send you a postal from every single one of the stock exchanges." "Won't we, John?" "You bet we will." "St. Rogers, may I have your permission to ask Miss Clay for this dance?" "Yes, of course." "Of course." "May I have the honor, Miss Clay?" "It will be a pleasure, Mr. Bliss." "Will you excuse us?" "Certainly." "Now then, tell me, Mr. Bliss, where are the most romantic stock exchanges?" "I have begged your pardon once, Miss Clay." "I'll continue to do so till the end of my life." "It was a mistake." "Oh?" "Well, St. Rogers told me that you and he had everything in common." "If that were the case, you'd have loved my honeymoon." "You know perfectly well St. Rogers would rather see the sunrise on a dollar bill than on all the Alps in Switzerland." "Aren't you a businessman, too, Mr. Bliss?" "I just do it for money." "I don't love it the way St. Rogers does." "To think I had visions of you as being a sort of a cash register with a bustle." ""Old Mr. Bliss," I said to John." "Am I forgiven?" "Am I?" "I love the fog." "What fascinates me is the unexpectedness of it." "To walk along and not know what your life may hold one step from now." "You like that?" "Don't you?" "Yes, but I'm not a banker." "I always thought they liked to know what was going to happen next." "I thought I was forgiven for that mistake about your honeymoon?" "You are, Mr. Bliss." "You know, your honeymoon should begin on a foggy night like this on one of those ships down there that's calling out." "And then move slowly out into the fog, and sail and sail, until one day the sun comes up and burns the fog away." "Where am I then?" "The Fortunate Isles, of course." "There's no other place that's suitable for you, Miss Clay." "You're very nice to say so, Mr. Bliss." "But what would St. Rogers do in the Fortunate Isles?" "No banks, no bonds, no mergers." "Only the sun and the sky and the everlasting sea." "You sound as if you like the ocean." "I learned to sail almost as soon as I could walk." "On my eighth birthday my father gave me my first sailing boat, and I've still got it." "And if ever the day comes when I'm man enough to tell banks and bankers what I think of them," "I'm going to get in that boat and I'm going to set sail for the Fortunate Isles." "Maybe we'll meet there." "Do you think you can get St. Rogers to go?" "Beg your pardon, Mr. Bliss." "Yes?" "It's Boston calling long distance on the telephone, sir." "I can't take it now." "It's Mrs. Bliss, sir." "Tell Mrs. Bliss I'll be there in a minute." "Very good, sir." "Mrs. Bliss?" "My wife." "How do you think I became such an expert on honeymoons?" "May I take you inside?" "No, thank you." "You'll excuse me then?" "Yes, of course." ""The unexpectedness of fog," Allen said." "I met a stranger," "I loved him and I lost him." "All in the time of a few waltzes." "I remember." "That was the first time the foghorn sounded strange and dreadful." "Why?" "What did it mean?" "That sound." "Time is passing." "Things are happening, but what?" "How long?" "Where?" "Oh, yes, that day in Chinatown." "I beg your pardon." "Miss Clay." "Why, Mr. Bliss!" "Didn't I tell you one might encounter anything in the fog?" "A banker or even a Chinese New Year." "Are you lost, too?" "I left the house a few minutes ago." "It was so bright and sunny, I thought I'd walk." "And now look." "I shouldn't recommend any further walking for the present." "I have a much better idea." "What's that?" "Food and hot tea." "In other words, a Chinese restaurant." "Oh, well, I have another engagement." "It's not really that important, is it?" "Well, no." "I'm sorry you haven't been well lately, Miss Clay." "Haven't I?" "So St. Rogers tells me." "There were several parties at which I hoped to see you." "Don't you ever get tired of parties and people?" "Constantly." "But when one is young and in love, who wants a crowd around?" "Is that the way it was with you when you were engaged?" "Quite the opposite as I remember." "Good afternoon." "This way please." "Thank you." "We'll just have some tea to begin with, please." "Yes, sir." "Looking back" "I'm astonished at how little time I ever spent alone with my wife." "It's a great thing that you and St. Rogers can be happy with just each other's company." "Yes, it would be." "I don't quite understand, Miss Clay." "You see, when I said that I was weary of people," "I guess I meant John, too." "I haven't been seeing him lately." "I found out something about myself that night that we met." "I realize that I'm like you." "I want the unexpected." "And that's certainly the last thing I'd ever have with John." "Does that mean your engagement is off?" "Yes." "I'm very glad, Lucia." "Why?" "Because I want you to be happy." "You couldn't ever be happy married to him." "So very kind of you to be so interested, Mr. Bliss." "I called you Lucia." "My name is Allen." "Allen." "You know, in some strange way I feel closer to you than I ever have to anyone in my whole life." "Do you understand that?" "I think so." "You know that I'm married." "I cannot ask anything from you but your friendship." "But that would be very precious to me." "And to me, too." "Shall we drink to the unexpected?" "The unexpected." "And so we became friends." "With Allen everything was new and fresh and wonderful." "What he liked, I liked." "A poem I had loved before became twice as magical to me because Allen loved it, too." ""Straightway I was 'ware" ""So weeping, how a mystic shape did move behind me" ""and drew me backward by the hair" ""And a voice said in mastery, while I strove," ""'Guess now who holds thee?" "'" ""'Death', I said" ""But there the silver answer rang" ""'Not Death, but Love."'" "And there was always the sea and the wind." "Out there was a whole beautiful world with nobody in it but ourselves." "Here's to the unexpected." "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Lucia, what are friends for if you can't tell them your troubles?" "And we are friends, you know." "We promised each other in this very restaurant eight weeks ago." "That's one of the reasons I wanted to see you today." "To celebrate the eighth anniversary of our friendship." "Oh, Allen." "Do anniversaries make you sad?" "No, but..." "I've got something to tell you." "I have something to tell you, too." "But I've got to say this now while I'm able to." "Yes, Lucia?" "I'm not going to see you anymore." "Why is that?" "Well, it's not the reason you think." "I mean, people talking about us." "They are, you know." "My father, my brothers, all my friends." "Even Anna." "Anna?" "Our housekeeper." "She's looked after me since I was a baby." "And I suppose Anna, your father, brothers and friends have all taken it upon themselves to warn you of the evils of knowing a married man." "Yes." "You should hear them." "People!" "But that's not the reason I'm not going to see you again." "I don't care what people think." "I'm only thinking of me." "You?" "Well, you see, whatever people do think and say, all we are is good friends, and I can get along without you now." "But things would get terribly complicated if I ever fell in love with you." "So before I do I'm going to say goodbye." "All right." "You've talked." "Now it's my turn." "Allen, there really isn't anything more to say." "My mind is made up." "Yeah, so is mine." "Do you think I don't know that people are talking, Lucia?" "I'm not a fool." "I told you, I don't care what people say." "Well, I do care, and I'm not going to expose you to it." "And furthermore, I'm not going to let you go." "But, Allen..." "I saw my lawyer this morning." "I asked him to arrange for a divorce." "Allen." "But your wife, isn't she going to be terribly unhappy?" "No." "If I never saw you again, I'd still want the divorce." "Until a few weeks ago" "I never really knew what love was supposed to be." "If I can't have you, I don't want anyone." "I love you, Lucia." "Will you marry me?" "Oh, Allen." "Allen." "Oh, Allen." "Allen." "Allen loves me." "We're going to be married." "Then why do I feel as if something had happened?" "Something dreadful." "Dreadful." "Anna!" "Anna!" "Anna!" "Oh, Anna!" "Anna!" "Anna!" "Yes, Miss Clay?" "But you aren't Anna." "No, Miss Clay." "Where is Anna?" "Why isn't Anna home?" "You aren't home now." "Where am I?" "What's wrong?" "Where am I?" "They brought you here." "There was an accident." "But if I'm hurt, where's Allen?" "Was he hurt, too?" "Tell me." "Tell me!" "Tell me!" "Now you mustn't get yourself excited, Miss Clay." "Where's Allen?" "I want Allen." "Allen!" "Allen!" "I'll get the doctor." "He'll give you something to make you feel better." "I don't want a doctor." "I want Allen." "If only I could remember." "When was the accident?" "After he asked me to marry him?" "No." "No, I remember now." "It was that night in the restaurant." "Wong?" "Wong, are you sure Mr. Bliss hasn't telephoned?" "Mr. Bliss may be held up by fog." "Very bad." "Mr. Bliss never made lady wait before." "Must be good reason." "I can't wait any longer." "I hope nothing's happened." "Lucia." "Oh, Allen!" "Sorry, Lucia." "It's this wretched fog." "Now, how dare you call our fog wretched." "Lucia." "Allen." "Allen, what is it?" "My wife's changed her mind." "She won't give me a divorce." "Allen." "You mean, not ever?" "Is that why Allen left me?" "Did he leave me?" "Did he?" "No!" "He didn't leave me." "I saw him again." "We were so happy." "Allen, remember how happy we were the last time we sailed?" "We'll still be happy, dearest." "How can we be?" "Unless we just sail off to the Fortunate Isles." "That's just what I have in mind." "What do you mean?" "Why does it have to end?" "You said sail to the Fortunate Isles, why not?" "What are you talking about?" "Yesterday I bought two tickets for us on the Oriental." "It sails tomorrow for Canton." "Tickets for us?" "Uh-huh." "My wife will never miss me as long as I leave her enough money." "But, Allen..." "Do you remember that first night in the fog?" "We said we might meet one day in the Fortunate Isles." "Will you settle for the Orient?" "To Canton, Madagascar, Siam?" "Will that do for the Fortunate Isles?" "Yes, but..." "I'll never get a divorce, Lucia." "I'll never be married to anybody except you." "Allen." "Hold this." "Look what else I got when I bought the tickets." "What's this?" "It's a Chinese wishing ring." "Oh, it's lovely." "The man in the shop absolutely guaranteed happiness." "Just wish and rub it." "Do you love me?" "You know I do." "Then what's to stop us?" "Do you think it was an accident we met that night in the fog?" "No." "Oh, Allen." "I'm so happy." "I don't care what happens." "Let's not take the Oriental." "Let's just sail this right on, like you said." "Looks as though we're going to have our troubles sailing back to shore." "We've got into a dead calm." "Allen?" "You promise to love me forever?" "Forever." "Forever isn't long enough, is it?" "What's the matter?" "It looks as though there's a fog coming up." "Hadn't we better get back to shore?" "Without a wind I wouldn't know just how." "There'll be a breeze in a minute." "It is coming in now." "The foghorn." "There are ships along here, you know." "Isn't there any way we can get back to shore?" "We might use the oars if we knew which way the shore was." "Sounds like the one on Angel's Island." "No, I think it's the one at the Gate." "It doesn't sound like either of them." "Oh, Allen, let's get away from here." "Allen!" "I remember now." "I remember now." "They brought me here after I was hurt." "I know what this place is." "It's a hospital." "Allen was killed." "He was killed just after he gave me the wishing ring." "He told me to wish for happiness." "What's happened to my hands?" "Allen always said I had beautiful hands." "My hair." "They've cut off my hair!" "I must have had a concussion, brain fever." "Is it true, Doctor, that in cases like hers, sometimes the patient becomes quite rational just before death?" "Sometimes." "Hard to say." "I suppose we should notify her relatives." "I didn't know she had any relatives." "They never came to see her." "What was the point?" "She wouldn't have known them." "It's been 50 years since she recognized anything or anybody." "This is all of our first show of the evening." "The second showing follows immediately, and I trust you will leave promptly so that those waiting can get in." "Thank you for allowing us to come into your tepees." "And until next time, good night." "How." "And a special word to all you ships at sea." "I have been examining this new, blue..."