"To me, a dollar was a dollar in any language." "It was my first night in the Argentine and I didn't know much about the local citizens." "But I knew about American sailors, and I knew I'd better get out of there." "Put your hands up." "Up!" "Get going." " A cane like that can come in handy." " It is a most faithful friend." "Silent when I wish to be silent, talks when I wish to talk." " That's your idea of a friend?" " That is my idea of a friend." " You must lead a gay life." " I lead the life I like to lead." " You're a lucky man." " I make my own luck." "What are you doing in a neighborhood like this?" "I came down to save your life." "He wouldn't have killed me if I'd give him the money." "But you wouldn't have given him the money." " I don't think I would." " How did you get it?" " Get what?" " The money you would have died for." " Gambling." " I'll leave you here." " Thanks." " Pleasure." " I'll do the same for you sometime." " Save my life?" "Give you a cigarette." "Why don't you go where there's some real gambling?" " Thought it was illegal in Buenos Aires." " Oh, it is." "Oh, I see." "Just like home." "There's a casino about a half hour the other side of town." " Here's the key." " Thanks." " But don't go." " Why not?" "They won't let you use your own dice." "What?" "I didn't think it showed." "A man who makes his own luck, as I do, recognizes it in others." "In any event, they won't let you in without a tie." "The spot is not on your nose yet." " Who's he?" " A loafer." "Would you like a fine perfume, suitable for nobility?" "No, thanks." "We have a talcum powder as soft as raw silk." "No, thanks." " Towel?" " Yeah, thank you." " Hey, who's she?" " A harpy." " How would you classify me?" " Peasant." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." "Ladies and gentlemen, place your bets." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." " Number two, 1000 pesos." " No more bets." "Number two, black." "Number two." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." "Place your bets." "Two chips." "A thousand pesos, sir." " Cut." " What?" " The player's allowed to cut at any time." " Of course." "A thousand pesos." "Cut." "As usual, I made my own luck and I knew just when to stop letting it ride." "Hey, bud, the director wants to see you." "Is Brooklyn across the river here too?" " Hey." " Thanks, peasant." " Where is he?" " Don't worry, bub." "He'll be here." "How would you like 1000 pesos apiece?" "You don't buy your way out of this, bub." "You're in trouble." "Oh, now wait a minute." "All right, Casey, Huerta." "Well, well." "The little man with the sharp friend." "I told you not to bring your dice." ""Well, well" again." "You really had me fooled last night." "I thought you were somebody." "I didn't think you'd just be the manager of a gambling joint." " My name is Ballin Mundson." " Mine's Johnny Farrel." "And I'm not the manager, I own the joint." " And I don't like to be cheated." " There isn't a dice table in the house." "Nobody wins that much at 21 honestly." " I hit a lucky streak." " A very deft way of cutting cards." "Took me years to learn." "Of course you ought to be in jail." "But I suppose I owe you an obligation since I saved your life." "You ought to be more careful about those things." "Now get out of here." "Don't come back." "You know, you're being very stupid." " Probably." " You had me gambling on the wrong side." "I'll be better if you had me on your side." " I don't like my people to cheat." " I cheat with my own money, sure." "But with your money, I wouldn't have to cheat." "Think it over." "You know, I think I will." "How much time do you give me?" "Oh, there's no hurry." "You can take a minute or two." "Excuse me while you're making up your mind." "Not you." "You really shouldn't hit a man when he has his hands behind his back." "You see?" "This way you'll have two friends." "You've no idea how faithful and obedient I can be for a nice salary." "This I must be sure of, that there is no woman anywhere." "There's no woman anywhere." " Gambling and women do not mix." " Those are the very words I use myself." " Now shall we quit talking about it?" " There was one once?" "Get this, Mr. Mundson." "I was born last night when you met me in that alley." "That way I'm no past and all future, see?" "And I like it that way." "He let me ease myself right to the top." "At first, I just watched the play and the check-offs." "By the way, about that time, the war ended." "Great news." "I thought we ought to celebrate too." "Oh, yes, of course." "Well..." "I have to take a trip, Johnny." "I may be gone for a while." "You're in charge of the casino." " You've been promoted." " Faithful service." "Do I get a raise?" " No." "Fair enough?" " Fair enough." " But you do get 5 percent of the profits." " I'll take 7 and a half." "You're sharp, Johnny." "Almost as sharp as my other little friend." " But not quite so obedient." " No?" "My other little friend would kill for me, Johnny." "Well, that's what friends are for." "To us, Johnny." " To the three of us." " The three of us." "Makes me laugh now to think back, me so sure it was just the three of us." "I soon found out, all right." "I remember it was late one afternoon." "I was getting ready for the Saturday night crowd." "Funny I'd remember what day it was, isn't it?" " Isn't it enough?" " For a peasant?" "Mr. Farrel, Mr. Mundson called." "Just got back." " Like you to come around to his house." " Thank you." "After all, I run the place." "He calls me Mr. Farrel." "Isn't that better?" "You'd think a bell would've rung or you'd think I'd have had some instinct of warning." "But I didn't." "I just walked right into it." "Ballin?" "Señor Mundson will be down in a moment." "Thanks." "It's great having him back, isn't it?" "I hope it will be the same, Señor Farrel." "Johnny, is that you?" " Hello, Ballin." " Come on up here." " Well, what are you crying about?" " I feel great." " You look foolish." " I'll show you why." " Where's the canary?" " How did you know?" " How did I know what?" " So you don't know." "Come." "This is where the canary is, Johnny." "Quite a surprise to hear a woman singing in my house, eh, Johnny?" "It's quite a surprise." " Gilda, are you decent?" " Me?" "Sure, I'm decent." "Gilda, this is Johnny Farrel." "Johnny, this is Gilda." "So this is Johnny Farrel." "I've heard a lot about you." "Really?" "Now, I haven't heard a word about you." " Why, Ballin!" " I wanted to keep it as a surprise." " Was it a surprise, Mr. Farrel?" " It certainly was." " You should have seen his face." " Did you tell him what I'm doing here?" "No, I wanted to save that as a surprise too." " Hang onto your hat, Mr. Farrel." " Gilda is my wife, Johnny." "Mrs. Ballin Mundson, Mr. Farrel." "Is that all right?" "Congratulations." "Oh, you don't congratulate the bride." "You congratulate the husband." "Really?" "What are you supposed to say to the bride?" "You wish her good luck." "Good luck." "Thank you." "My husband tells me you're a believer in luck." " We make our own luck, Johnny and I." " I'll have to try that sometime." "I'll try it right now." "Tell him to come to dinner with us tonight." "It's an order." "Come along, Johnny." "We'll let Gilda get dressed." "Look your best." "This will be the casino's first glimpse of you." "I'll look my very best, Ballin." "I want all the hired help to approve of me." " Glad to have met you, Mr. Farrel." " His name is Johnny." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Johnny is such a hard name to remember, and so easy to forget." "Johnny." "There." "See you later, Mr. Farrel." "That's right, Mrs. Mundson." " I'll see Johnny downstairs." " I'll see him at the casino." " For some reason, she doesn't like you." " Really?" " What makes you think that?" " I know my wife." "You do?" "Why would she form an instant antagonism like that?" "Maybe it's chemical." " She'll get over it." " Sure." " When did you meet her?" " The day I left for the interior." " When did you get married?" " The day after that." " Quick." " You should know that when I want something, I..." " You buy it quick." " Do you know anything about her at all?" " It's an odd coincidence, Johnny." "Listen to this." "She told me she was born the night she met me." "All three of us with no pasts, just futures." " Isn't that interesting?" " I think it's fascinating." "What's the matter with you?" "We agreed that women and gambling didn't mix." "My wife does not come under the category of "women," Johnny." " I could've made a mistake." " You did." "Don't make it again." "It starts already." " What's this?" " Tact." "Ballin, will you come up and help me into this thing like a darling?" " See you at the casino." " In an hour." "Ballin." "It was all I could do to walk away." "I wanted to go back in that room and hit her." "What scared me was I wanted to hit him too." "I wanted to go back and see them together with me not watching." "I wanted to know." "I can never get a zipper to close." "Maybe that stands for something." " What do you think?" " I think you were very rude to him." " To whom?" " Johnny." "Was I?" "Oh, dear." "That's one of the things you'll have to teach me, Ballin." "Good manners." "I want you to like him." " You sure about that?" " What do you mean?" "He's a very attractive man, if you like the type." "He's a boy." "Boys have the darndest way of growing up, Ballin." " Almost when you're not looking." " But I'll be looking." " Your shoes." " About time." "Do you wish me to put them on your feet?" " For how much?" " The charge is slight because I find this always a revealing vantage point." "A worm's-eye view is so often the true one." " Quite a philosopher, aren't you?" " One hears rumors." " Really?" " In my department..." "One hears she is very beautiful." "And very young, and American." "You are also young and American." "It will be interesting to watch." "Maybe you should be fired right out on your ear." "Johnny." "Mr. Mundson says to tell you he's..." " They're here." " Thanks." " Say, have you seen her?" " Cut that!" " What did I do?" " You whistled." "I heard you." "After all, she is Mrs. Mundson." "So mind your manners, see." "Yes, it will be interesting to watch." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." " Number two." " No more bets." "Number two, black." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." "Take over." " Friend of yours?" " No, Mr. Farrel." " Going into business for yourself?" " Orders, Mr. Farrel." " Not my orders." " No." "Johnny, I've been looking for you." " Gambling is illegal in Argentina, right?" " Isn't right, but true." " Is that the reason for the pay-off?" " Pay-off?" " Naturally." " Why doesn't it show on the books?" " Why doesn't it come out of my cut?" " You have my complete confidence." " Ask any questions you wish." " I just asked one." "Let's have dinner." "I was forced to leave Gilda alone while I looked for you." " Gilda's too beautiful to be left alone." " You changed the subject." "I've changed the subject." "I found him, Gilda." "Very elusive chap, our Johnny." "Sit down, Johnny." "Good evening." "You're looking very beautiful." " Good evening, Mrs. Mundson." " Can't you return the compliment?" " You're looking very beautiful." " Why, thank you." "If there's anything I love, it's a spontaneous compliment like that." "Because you're so nice, I'll show you something." "My husband gave it to me for a coming-home present." " Isn't it cute?" " Fifty thousand pesos, and it's cute." " Isn't she fabulous, Johnny?" " Fabulous." "Wait, Johnny, let's drink to us." " To the three of us." " To the three of us." " What's the matter, Johnny?" " I get confused." "Confused?" "Why?" "Well, just a few weeks ago we drank a toast to the three of us." "Well, who was the third one then?" "Should I be jealous?" " Hardly, darling." "Just a friend of mine." " It is a him or a her?" "That's a very interesting question." "What do you think, Johnny?" "A her." "Why that conclusion?" "Because it looks like one thing then right in front of your eyes, it becomes another thing." "Well, you haven't much faith in the stability of women, then." " That's right." " One wonders who the woman was who brought our Johnny to this pretty pass." "Doesn't one, Gilda?" "One does." "Let's hate her, shall we, Ballin?" " Let's." "Shall we, Johnny?" " Let's." "Now, that I'll drink to." "Pardon me for a moment." " Anything I can do, Ballin?" " No, I'll be right back." "Now, isn't this something?" "It's a small world in Argentina, isn't it?" " Isn't it?" "Why did you marry him?" " My husband's a very attractive man." " You don't love him." " What was that word again, Johnny?" " You married him for his money." " That happened to come with him." "Well, that's a great way to make a living." "That wouldn't be the big pot calling the little kettle black, would it?" "I was down and out." "He picked me up, put me on my feet." "Now, isn't that an amazing coincidence, Johnny?" "That's practically the story of my life." " Hello." " Good evening." "I am Captain Delgado." "I would like to ask permission to dance with your lady." " The answer is no." " The answer is yes." "I'd love it." " But the young man..." " The young man would love it too but he can't afford it." " Women can be extremely annoying." " You're in again." "Maurice Obregon, at your service." "So that's your name." " I've been watching you for weeks now." " That makes us even." "You don't gamble, you don't drink." "What do you hang around here for?" "The atmosphere has always interested me." "Now it positively fascinates me." " You could be a professional dancer." " I am." "I mean, I was." "That's against our union rules." "I always observe the rules and regulations." " How is it that I have never seen you?" " I didn't dance here." " Where?" " America." " This is not America?" " I mean New York." " Your young man, is he too...?" " He's not my young man." "Well, the expression on his face says that he wishes he were." "The rules and regulations, remember?" " The rules are changeable, my lady." " They change with the wind." " Everything all right?" " Quite all right." "Who are the two krauts?" "Seen them before." " Messenger boys." " Whose?" "I wanted to know if you were in trouble." "I'm in serious trouble." "My wife seems to be missing." " She's dancing." " You shouldn't have allowed it, Johnny." "She wanted to dance." "What do you want me to do?" "She's not my..." "She's your wife." " Go get her." " Now wait a minute." "She's your..." "That's exactly the reason, Johnny." "A husband always looks a bit ridiculous dragging his wife from another man's arms." " I'll get her, Ballin." " Thank you, Johnny." "Pardon me, but your husband is showing." "Thank you." "Perhaps again." "Until that sometime, I shall only miserably exist, señora." "There's something about Latin men." "For one thing, they can dance." "For another thing..." " What's your telephone number?" " It's..." "Never mind, I'll give you mine." "Cuyo 3017." "Cuyo 3017." "What did you say to him?" "I just told him if a man answers, hang up." " Wasn't that all right?" " You can't talk to men here like at home." " They don't understand it." " What?" " They think you mean it." " Mean what?" "Doesn't it bother you that you're married?" "What I want to know is, does it bother you?" "I'm beginning to think I've misjudged your Johnny, Ballin." "He can be quite sweet." "So protective." "He takes care of all things that belong to me." " He runs the joint." " He runs the joint." "You're to take care of me because I belong to the boss." "How will you like that?" "Well, I do all kinds of odd jobs." "I'll bet this is the oddest job you ever had." "Now, then, before we were interrupted, I believe we were about to drink a toast." "So disaster to the wench who did wrong by our Johnny." " No, Gilda?" "You won't drink to that?" " Why not?" "Disaster to the wench." "She had what it took to say it, but I knew it scared her." "I knew it would haunt her." "Anyone as superstitious as Gilda, out loud, asking for disaster." " Hi." " You're still dressed." "Yes." "Anything wrong?" "Everything's wonderful." "But zippers throw me." " May I help?" " Thank you." "You'll have a maid in the morning." " Will she be old and ugly?" " Those are your orders." "I think that's good business to surround yourself with ugly women and beautiful men." "Yes." "You knew him before." " Who?" " Johnny." " Johnny Farrel?" " Johnny Farrel." " You knew him before." " No." " Don't lie to me." "Don't ever lie to me." " I'm telling the truth." "I didn't know him." "I don't think I've ever known him, Ballin." "I see." "You're a child, Gilda." "A beautiful, greedy child." "It amuses me to feed you beautiful things because you eat with such a good appetite." " But I shouldn't make any mistakes?" " No, you shouldn't." "If you're worried about Johnny Farrel, don't be." "I hate him." "And he hates you." "That's very apparent." "But hate can be a very exciting emotion." "Very exciting." "Haven't you noticed that?" " You make it sound..." " There is a heat in it that one can feel." "Didn't you feel it tonight?" " No." " I did." "It warmed me." "Hate is the only thing that has ever warmed me." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." "No more bets." " Number 13 black." " That's me!" "This has been going on for years, and I didn't know about it?" " One is not always so lucky." " I am." "Watch out, the superstitious have an old saying..." ""Lucky at cards, unlucky at love." It's a good thing I'm not." " Not what?" " Superstitious." " Keep it for me." " Yes, Mrs. Mundson." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." " Number two." " No more bets." "Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen." "Place your bets." " Got a light?" " Yes, Mrs. Mundson." "It is so crowded, and yet so lonely, isn't it?" " How did you know?" " You smoke too much." "I've noticed." "Only frustrated people smoke too much and only lonely people are frustrated." " Well, aren't you cute?" " Cute?" "Me?" "Awfully cute." "I think I'm gonna like you." " Oh, I'm sorry." " Nothing personal, I hope." "No, I was just tossing away my frustration." "And it landed right on me." " Maybe that means something?" " Oh, it does." " It means we're gonna have a drink." " No, I..." "On the other hand, I'd love to." "Now we'll see." "See what?" "Whether you are a gentleman, as you say, or a peasant, as I say." "The beautiful one is at the bar." "She will probably have trouble." " Really?" "What kind of trouble?" " A man." "He's very good-looking." "Your source of income is in his office." "He will probably have trouble." " What kind of trouble?" " Also a man." "Not so good-looking." "Now we know." "You are what I said." "Any losses that you incurred were reimbursed across the casino tables, regularly and generously." "Yet you continue to sell tungsten wire to the Bendolin Company." "But Mr. Bendolin can't manufacture electric light globes without tungsten wire for filament." " He can't continue in business..." " We don't wish him to continue." "Isn't that clear to you?" "But he's the only outlet for my product in this territory, Mr. Mundson." "If I don't sell to him, I can't continue in business." " Don't you understand that?" " Perfectly." "And that doesn't matter to you, does it, Mr. Mundson?" "On the contrary, I sympathize with you deeply." "Life is very difficult for the defenseless ones of the world." "Yes, as you say." "Thank you, Mr. Mundson." " We're in the gambling business." " Leave me alone." "I never heard of a game played with light globes." " Let's join Gilda for a drink, shall we?" " Sure." "Hey, you better let me case the joint first." " "Case the joint"?" " See if the coast is clear." "I didn't like the look on the defenseless one's face." " That mouse." " I didn't like the look on his face." "All right, Johnny." "Gilda was right, you are protective." "Sure, that's me all over." "Give me five minutes." " Gilda." " Maybe you didn't notice I'm dancing." "You were dancing." " Hey, what's the idea?" " Oh, you'll get used to it." "I've never finished a dance in here yet." "When Ballin comes down, I want you sitting in a booth alone." "It's Ballin who objects to my having friends?" " What I want to know is who's this guy?" " Johnny Farrel." "He runs the joint." "This is Gabe Evans, all the way from New York." "Isn't he pretty?" " Just darling." "Now get him out of here." " But I like him." " If he leaves, I go with him." " That's all right with me too." "Well, what's keeping you?" "Not a thing." "Let's go where we can have some fun." " Like I said?" " Exactly like you said." "Didn't you hear about me?" "If I'd been a ranch, they would've named me "The Bar Nothing."" " The coast is clear, I take it?" " Very clear." "Look, Ballin, I'm a big boy now." "You can tell me things." "Gilda warned me that you'd grow up." "By the way, where is she?" " Gilda?" " Yes, Gilda." "She was bored." "There's an American picture in town." " She went to see it." " Alone?" "Who would she go with?" "She doesn't know anybody here." "You'd know more about that than I would, wouldn't you, Johnny?" "Bad form to make a scene in public." "The ocean would have been quieter." " Only fools ruin themselves gambling." " Gambling?" "What else?" " Come on home." " What happened to him?" "Come on." " Did he kill himself, Johnny?" " Yes." "When a man becomes weak enough to accept a bribe he's already a dying man." " Didn't bother you, did it?" " That he killed himself?" "No." "But it did bother me that you were afraid." "Oh, no, I was amazed." "I realized that something could happen to me." "That's why I'm going to tell you something." "Come in." "Over here, Johnny." "Remember this, Johnny." "Remember this too." " Could you do it now by yourself?" " Yes." "Eight, left, 24 right, two left, 17 right." "You're the only one who knows the combination." "If anything should ever happen to me there are papers there, signatures and instructions how to carry on." "Thanks for not letting me down." "You're not just the owner of a gambling joint." " You know what a cartel is, Johnny?" " I think so." "A trust, a monopoly of some kind, isn't it?" " An international monopoly." " Big business, huh?" " Monopoly in what?" " Tungsten." "That doesn't impress you." "I don't know much about it, if it's worth getting shot at for the pleasure of monopolizing it." "A man who controls a strategic material can control the world, Johnny." "Whoa, now." "The world's a pretty big place." "Made up of stupid little people." "Well, if anybody can do it, I'd lay 8-5 you're the baby who can." "And you'd win." "Now let's go downstairs and have a drink." "With you and Gilda on my side..." "You are on my side, Johnny?" " I told you that." " And Gilda?" " What do you mean?" " Women are funny little creatures." "I don't know much about them." " Odd things are important to them." " Really?" "I bought her, Johnny, just as I bought you." "Well, she knows that, doesn't she?" "That's just it." "Money doesn't mean very much to Gilda." "If she should become restless..." "I'm mad about her, Johnny." "Mad." " What do you think of that?" " I think it's great." "Because she is on your side, Ballin." "I'd lay 8-5 on that too, and I'd win." "I'd better be getting back to the joint." "Know what?" "I have the funniest feeling we're not alone." "Maybe we're haunted." "Maybe if we go inside, it'll go away." "Besides being pretty, you're positively intelligent." "Come on." "No." "You know, I have the funniest feeling somebody said something." "Maybe the lady forgot to tell you her husband lives here." "For a long, long time, I've taken husbands little by little in small doses, so that now I've developed complete immunity to them." "You're through for the evening, son." "Scram." " So he runs this joint too, does he?" " I said, scram." " For two cents, I'd..." " You'd what?" "Great, hitting a man when he's drunk." " He shouldn't get drunk on my time." " On your time?" "I thought that was settled." "I take care of everything that belongs to the boss." "What's his is yours?" "You went to a picture show tonight, alone." "Really?" "Would you like to know whether I enjoyed it?" "That's your story." "That's what I told Ballin, what you'll tell him." " Making me deceive my husband." " I got some news for you, Gilda." "He didn't just buy something." " He's in love with you." " Is that so hard to understand?" " You won't do anyth..." " I've got some news for you." "I'm going to do exactly what I please, when I please." "I was true to one man once, and look what happened." " I made up my mind then..." " This isn't about us, it's about him." " Really?" "You don't say so." " Now get this straight." "I don't care what you do, but I'm going to see to it that it looks all right to him." "From now on you go anywhere you please, with anyone you please but I'm gonna take you there, pick you up and bring you home." "Get that?" "Exactly the way I'd take and pick up his laundry." "Shame on you, Johnny." "Any psychiatrist would tell you, your thought associations are revealing." " What are you talking about?" " They'd say that means something." " Did you hear what I said?" " You'll take me there and pick me up." "All to protect Ballin." "Who do you think you're kidding, Johnny?" "I hated her so, I couldn't get her out of my mind for a minute." "She was in the air I breathed and the food I ate." "At first I thought I was just dreaming it." "I'd been hearing her voice in my sleep for nights anyway." "Then I realized..." "Oh, good morning." "How very pretty you look in your nightgown." " What are you doing here?" " Singing to my friend." " Isn't that all right?" " How long you been here?" " How long?" " Five verses." " What are you doing here?" " Listening." "I just finished work and..." " Did you hear about that poor cow...?" " Get out of here." "Get back to your washroom where you belong." "Put a beggar on horseback, huh, Uncle Pio?" "Well, here's the laundry, waiting to be picked up." " Where have you been?" " Swimming." "I bet you don't believe me." "I bet Ballin won't either, unless you're there to back me up." "You went swimming with me." "Didn't we have a good time?" " Swimming." " That's what it says here." "Where's your bathing suit?" "Under this." " Want to see?" " I'll get dressed." "I hate to drag you out this time of the morning but it's your idea, you know." "Why don't you make it easy on yourself and let him find out about me?" "Or are you afraid of what he might do to me?" "Johnny." " I am." " What?" " Afraid." " You?" " Johnny, I wish I'd never..." " Never what?" "Getting married on the rebound is so stupid." " Rebound from what?" " You." "Because you don't know a man you've only known one day." "He doesn't know you either." "That way you start even." "All fair and even." "Would it interest you to know how much I hate you, Johnny?" "Very much." "I hate you so much that I would destroy myself to take you down with me." "Now I've warned you." "Now that's all fair and even." "All fair and even." "Would it interest you that I know why you're here at 5:00 in the morning?" "I told you, I'm the laundry." "I'm simply obeying instructions." "Now who's kidding who, Gilda?" "Now that you've delivered me don't you want to wait and get a receipt from the man?" "Ballin." " You're up." " Yes." " Late to bed, early to rise..." " Let Gilda talk, Johnny." "I thought I could sneak out and get back without waking you." " No." " We went swimming." "You were asleep." " Yes?" "All of a sudden, I just had to go swimming." "It was so hot." " You weren't worried, were you?" " Yes." " I'm terribly sorry." " Is that what's making you so nervous?" "Nervous?" "No, I..." "A terrible thing happened to me." "No wonder I'm nervous." " What happened to you?" " I lost that beautiful clip you gave me." " The one that cost so much." " Is that all?" "Isn't that enough to make a person nervous?" "A clip can be replaced." "Thanks for being so nice about it." "I'm terribly sorry." "A clip can be replaced." "You see, I thought I had lost you." "Me?" "Not a chance." "And that couldn't be replaced." "Shall we have a drink before I start to cry?" "You see, Johnny doesn't think that would be a tragedy, if you lost me." "Statistics show that there are more women in the world than anything else." " Except insects." " Johnny." "On that charming observation, I shall walk out." "Just to change my clothes." "I want to have breakfast with you." "Oh, by the way, I want to mention that Johnny is a terrific swimmer." "This morning he out-distanced me beautifully." "But someday there will be a return match, and then look out, Johnny." " Johnny." " Yeah?" " You'll have to teach me how." " How to what?" "Swim, what else?" " Sure." "Any time." " Apparently you're very good at it." "Pretty good." "Did you teach Gilda how to swim, Johnny?" "I taught her everything she knows, Ballin." "Does that satisfy you?" "Wait, let's take that trombone part over once again and make it a little cleaner." "Julio!" "Julio!" "You can't tell me where to put nothing!" "These are things which some merry-makers add to their costumes." "I wonder if you'd care to make a choice?" "You have a great sense of humor, haven't you?" " Which one would you suggest?" " I would suggest whatever you wear you will start out as this and end up as this." "Really?" "How did you figure that out?" "Tonight it is the beautiful one's party all the way." "She has changed the decorations, she has changed the orchestra." "It isn't too much to think that she will change..." "I warned you once." "You didn't seem to hear me." "Now you're through." " Through?" "With what?" " The casino." "Your job." "You're fired." "You are mistaken." "I will be here after you are gone, Mr. Peasant." "You asked me one time what a great philosopher like me is doing in the washroom." " Now I will tell you." " Go on." "Because to my department comes all the gossip, and that way..." "He's not here." "No one is here." "You see..." "We should have had that "private" sign on the stairway printed in German too." "Or maybe you can't speak Spanish." " But I assure you, it does say "private."" " That's right." "We intend to see Mr. Mundson." "He's been avoiding us." "Didn't you hear?" "Mr. Mundson is allergic to messenger boys." "The American Indian, as always walks into something that does not concern him." "That's an old American custom." "Mr. Mundson is having an invited party tonight." "You are uninvited." " Tell the old man to go away." " No, you go away." " We intend to see Mr. Mundson." " You said that before." "I said..." "Get him on the telephone, please." "Why didn't you say what you wanted?" "Mr. Mundson, this is Mr. Farrel." "Some people wish to add these to their costumes." "In my collection, I have two lovely heads of pigs, if you..." "No sale, Uncle Pio." "They'll just use their own faces." "Oh, Ballin?" "There are a couple of nice kids here with German accents." "I think they'd like to make an appointment with you." "By the way, one of them has a gun in my back." "Tell them..." "Tell them to come here in an hour." "And Johnny, you come now, will you?" "Immediately." " Listen, Maria." "Carnival." " Yes, little one." "Carnival." "What does it mean, Maria, exactly?" "Carnival is the last three days preceding the Lent which, in Roman Catholic countries is given up to feasting and merry-making." "Then comes the fasting and the penance." "In other words, make hay while the sun shines." "You have a strange language, little one." "Oh, I mean, three days of sowing wild oats and then comes the harvest." "You know, Maria, I have the funniest feeling." "Don't tell anybody, but I'm most awfully superstitious." " Don't tell anybody." " No." "But I have the funniest feeling that this is it." " "lt"?" " I mean that for me too, it's carnival, Maria." "Gilda?" " Yes, Ballin?" " May I come in?" "Of course." "I'm going to be delayed." "Johnny will take you to the party." " What's the matter?" " With me?" "You're very excited about something tonight, my beautiful." "Perhaps it's in the air." "Perhaps you shouldn't have opened the window." "Close it." "There." "See how quiet it is now?" "See how easily one can shut away excitement?" "Just by closing a window." "Remember that, Gilda." "Oh, I want to have a look at you in your costume before you go." "I see you're going to carry a whip." "Have you warned Johnny, so he can also arm himself?" "Nobody could ever dance like you, Johnny." "When a person dances with you it's like they're a part of you, Johnny." "It's like..." "You haven't improved any, have you?" "You always did talk your head off all the time you were dancing." "You used to say, "For Pete's sake, Gilda, one thing at a time."" "Then you used to say:" ""Talk or dance, but don't do both things at the same time."" " You used to say..." " I still say it." "I have to keep talking, Johnny." "As long as I have my arms around you, I have to keep talking." " I might forget to dance, Johnny." " What do you think you're trying to do?" "I'm not even trying very hard, but I'm doing it." "Doing what?" " Push my hat back, Johnny." " It's all right." "Push it back." "You're out of practice, aren't you?" "Dancing, I mean." "I could help you get in practice again, Johnny." "Dancing, I mean." " Good evening, Mr. Farrel." " Thanks." "Obregon." "I'm in again, as you put it." "Practically Old Home Week." "We're all here." "Yes, we are all here, Mr. Farrel." "I would suggest that you see Mrs. Mundson goes home." " You would suggest?" " There's gonna be trouble." "I would suggest you see that she's out of here before the unmasking at 12:00." " You sound like a very bad melodrama." " Excuse me." " What are you doing?" " Oh, Johnny..." "Here's the comic relief." "Now the drama's complete." " Was that a crack?" " What do you want?" "I got a letter for you." "She said she was sorry she didn't get to say goodbye." "No bad news, I hope?" " She left with..." " What's that to you?" "Nothing, believe me, but you sure act sore about it." " You'd think she was your..." " Back on the door." " Check everyone comes in." "Get that?" " Okay, okay." "But she didn't come in, she went out." "Lose something, Mr. Farrel?" "I didn't even know you'd arrived." " But obviously I did arrive." " Obviously." " Where's Gilda, Johnny?" " She's around somewhere." " Hard to keep track in this mob." " Find her for me, Johnny." "Sure." "I won't guarantee how long it's gonna take." "I'll wait." "I'm a great one for waiting, Johnny." "Take your mask off." "It's time to unmask." "It might be a good idea for us to go home, Ballin." "Why, because a man drank too much?" "It was one of the messenger boys, and he didn't drink too much." " He was murdered." " Good, saves us the trouble." "Did you keep your appointment with them?" "No, I missed them." " Did you find Gilda?" " No." "Find her, take her home." " I'll stick with you." " No." "In chemin de fer, you play for the full stake or you pass the shoe." "You can't rule the world by passing the shoe." " I think we ought to go home." " Do as I tell you." "Take Gilda home." " I..." " I told you once I expect my little friends to be obedient." " Speaking of little friends..." " Don't." "Wait for me at home, Johnny." "I may need both of my little friends tonight." "Okay, Ballin." "This is Mr. Mundson speaking." "Call the flying field, tell them to proceed as instructed." "Is that clear?" "Proceed as instructed." " Ballin was wrong, wasn't he?" " About what?" "He said you can shut out excitement by just closing a door." "You can't, can you?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "I was just mentioning how quiet it was in the house." "There isn't anybody here but us, you know." "Everybody's celebrating Carnival." "What about it?" "I was just mentioning it." "Good night, Johnny." "I couldn't get it out of my head what she said about nobody being in the house but us." "I thought of Ballin back in the casino, fighting for his life." "And this little..." "I knew that all his plans, all his dreams of greatness would be wrecked because of what she was doing to him." "I knew he wasn't strong enough to throw her out." "I knew it was up to me." "I had to get rid of her for him." "Gilda." "Get your clothes on." "You're getting out of here." "Are we, Johnny?" "Are we?" "Not we." "You!" "You do hate me, don't you, Johnny?" "I don't think you have any idea how much." "Hate is a very exciting emotion." "Haven't you noticed?" "Very exciting." "I hate you too, Johnny." "I hate you so much that I think I'm going to die from it." "Darling..." "I think I'm going to die from it." "You left it open when you came in." "Ballin." "Africa's more than 2000 miles away." "I don't think he'll make it." "I don't think he intends to try." " You managed it." " Naturally." " The sea plane is waiting?" " Yes, sir." " You ran into some trouble, boss?" " An unfortunate murder." "The detective, Obregon, knows that I did it." "I'll stay away as long as necessary and then I'll go back and attend to something." "In the will we found, Ballin had left everything to Gilda with me as sole executor." "I finally had them in my hands the little pieces of papers that Ballin said would let a man rule the world." "At first I was puzzled because it didn't seem like much." "The tungsten mine, a few patents, a dozen or so small corporations joined together to form one organization with Mundson at the head." "But then I saw the potential power of such a group." "Saw how it could grow and spread and gobble up anyone who dared stand alone against it." "You have come a long way to find out what is gonna happen to your association." "I've told you." "Now you can return having found out that nothing has changed." "Nothing." "I'll carry on where Mr. Mundson left off." " Anything else, gentlemen?" " Just one thing." "It always seemed to me that no one man should head our organization." " It's better if..." " You heard the will." "I'm the sole executor." "It's gonna be business as usual." "Mrs. Mundson is the sole legatee." "Mrs. Mundson is in no condition right now to see anyone." "Her husband's death has hit her very hard." "She's asked me to represent her." "However, we need be in no hurry to leave." "There's a chance that she may recover." "Not a chance in the world." "You see, Mrs. Mundson is marrying me this afternoon." "Look, Johnny, it stopped raining." "Maybe that means something." " You haven't got over it, have you?" " Over what?" "Being superstitious." "Come on." "Where, Johnny?" "Not back to the house?" "What kind of a guy do you think I am?" "I don't think anybody really knows that but me, Johnny." "Not even you." "All my clothes are here." "Even my perfume." " You think of everything, don't you?" " Everything." "We're right back where we started, aren't we, darling?" "Right back where..." "Right back where we started." "Johnny, Johnny, that isn't even decent." "What was that word again, Gilda?" "Decent." "I said decent." "That's what I thought you said." "That sounded funny coming out of you, Gilda." "She didn't know then what was happening to her." "She didn't know then that what she heard was the door closing on her own cage." "She hadn't been faithful to him when he was alive but she was gonna be faithful to him now that he was dead." "Hey, what are you doing coming to work tonight?" "I believe in my duty to my job and all, but..." "Good, because you've got one, a new one." "From now on, you're to stick with Mrs. Mundson..." "Mrs..." "Mrs. Farrel." "Whatever she does, wherever she goes, you're to be there." "She's not to talk to anyone and no one's to talk to her." " You get that?" " Gee, is she in danger or something?" "You will be, I guarantee if you don't do exactly as I told you." " Oh, sure, sure." "You were interestingly quiet this afternoon." "What I have to say, I have to say to you." " Not the others." " I'm flattered." "Would you like to know how Mundson came to be the head of the cartel?" " No." " You've seen that the patents are German, haven't you?" " They were." "Originally." "Exactly." "They belong to my principals." "Not anymore." "Three years ago, when it began to seem that Argentina might find it necessary to declare war against us we made an arrangement with Mundson." "We allowed him to buy our patents." "Good idea." "The casino here makes a nice front." "We advanced him the money to buy them from us." "Well, you couldn't have picked a nicer man." "We had an agreement with Mundson." "At the end of the war he'd turn our property back to us." " I didn't find any agreement." " It was a gentleman's agreement." " I see." " And Mr. Mundson wasn't a gentleman?" " He was a madman, Mr. Farrel." "He thought he could rule the world alone." "I know." "We had quite a discussion about it." "She still didn't believe I wasn't coming back." "Every night she got all dressed up and waited." "But a girl like Gilda couldn't stand not knowing the why of things." "So she decided to swallow her pride and come to see me." "That was wonderful." "Yes?" "Hello." "Remember me?" "I'm Gilda, your wife." "Remember?" "You haven't been around lately." "I thought maybe you were an amnesia victim or something." "Got a light?" "You don't look so hot, you know that?" "You're losing weight." "This vacuum I'm living in..." " Mind giving me a reason?" " Not at all." "You've had such a full life up to now I thought a little peace and quiet would do you good." " Give you time to think." " Think about what?" "Would it be too corny to say your sins?" " Yes, it would." " Well, I said it." "You're cock-eyed, Johnny, all cock-eyed." "I figured that's what the deal was." "You're getting even with me for something." "We're great people for getting even, aren't we, Johnny?" " Are we?" " Aren't we?" "I got even with you for walking out on me by marrying Ballin." "That's just great." "The man's dead and..." "And I'm glad." "What do you think of that?" "He was insane, Johnny." " I was afraid all the time." " You acted like it." "Johnny, there's never been anybody but you and me." "All those things I did were just to make you jealous, Johnny." "There's never been anybody but you and me." "Not anybody?" "Not anybody." "What about your husband?" "If you could forget him so easily, you could forget the others too." " But there weren't any others." " Admit them." "Admit them and tell me who they were." "You wouldn't think one woman could marry two insane men in one lifetime now, would you?" "She wasn't scared yet, because she didn't quite realize yet." "Right now she was just plain mad, and she was hitting back." "I want you to try and locate a Mr. Gabe Evans for me." "Try all the hotels in the city, but locate him." "She couldn't find him, so she just reached out for anyone." "They weren't hard to find for a girl like Gilda." "The waiter told him he had a telephone call." "One of my men grabbed him outside." "He never came back." "She found somebody else, of course." "But wherever she went, whatever she did..." "It finally got to her that Buenos Aires was her own private prison." "That's when she decided to run away." "She went to Montevideo, got a job singing in a nightclub." "Started divorce proceedings, and met a man." ""Let forever be tonight"?" " Is that a date, Gilda?" " I can't make any forever dates." "I'm not even divorced yet." "I haven't any right..." "I don't want you to." " Want me to what?" " Get a divorce." "You don't?" "The divorce you get in Montevideo, without your husband's consent will never stand up in Argentina, Gilda." "I don't want to go back to Argentina ever." " What difference does it...?" " Or at home." "You may want to go home sometime." "Wherever you go for the rest of your life, you'll be tied to him." "You'll never be free." "Then it didn't do any good to run away." "No good at all." "Never does any good to run away, Gilda." " Go back to Buenos Aires." " No." "And get an annulment." "Your husband left you immediately after the ceremony." "There's nothing to it." "I'll be with you." "I'll be right by your side every minute." "I'm a very good lawyer, you know." "I have more money than I know what to do with and I'm very much in love with you." "It's kind of a terrific combination, don't you think?" "It's kind of a terrific combination." "The plane leaves at 2:00." "At 2:00 the next day you'll be free." "Darling, utterly free." "I didn't think I'd ever trust a man again as long as I lived, but here I go again." "Thanks, Tom." "Thanks." "Tom, this is the Hotel Centenario." "Isn't it all right?" "I was told it's a good hotel." "Why, I think it's wonderful." "Just wonderful." " I'll do it." " Your bags will be up in a minute, sir." "Thank you, sir." "The light switch is right here somewhere if my memory doesn't fail me." "Okay, Langford." "I'll do it anyway." "I'll get an annulment." "I don't need anybody to..." "Didn't Langford tell you?" "There's no annulment in Argentina." "I'll get it anyway!" "I will!" "I'll get an annulment!" "I will, I will, I will!" "I'll get it, I'll get it, I'll get it!" "I'll get it." "Oh, Johnny, please, let me go." "Please, let me go." "I can't stand it anymore." "I don't want anything from you but please, just let me go." "It was a nice touch bringing you back here." " Let me tell you about that night..." " I don't want to hear about that night." "Can't you understand?" "I don't want to hear about that night." " I was waiting for you, Mr. Farrel." " Find anything interesting?" "What are you stalling for?" "Close the joint up if it bothers you so much." "Why do you think we've allowed the casino to stay open?" "A smart cop doesn't arrest a purse-snatcher if the thief will lead him to the bigger crime." " I don't know what you're talking about." " You're head of a tungsten monopoly." "We want to know the names of the participants." "I still don't know what you're talking about." "I'll wait." "You're breaking up in little pieces right in front of my eyes, you know." "Am I wearing you down, I hope?" " You?" " Something is." "Really?" "Well, I'll have to take a look sometime." "I hadn't kno..." "More, more, more!" "I'm not very good at zippers." "But maybe if I had some help..." " I'll help you." " I am an expert!" "No, you guys." "I hate to do this, but you know, Johnny." "Come on." " Leave me alone!" " Come on." " What do you mean by this?" " Now they all know what I am." "And that should make you happy, Johnny." "It's no use just you knowing it." "Now they all know that the mighty Johnny Farrel got taken!" "And that he married a..." "The German has been arrested." "He will give us the information we want." "Now all we want from you are the patents and the agreements bearing the signatures." "Let me tell you why we must know who these signers are, Mr. Farrel." "So they can be prosecuted legally for breaking the anti-trust laws." "You didn't hear a word of it, did you?" "All you can think of is the way Gilda looked at you when you struck her." "You two kids love each other pretty terribly, don't you?" "I hate her." "That's what I mean." "It's the most curious love-hate pattern I've ever had the privilege of witnessing." "As long as you're as sick in the head as you are about her you're not able to think about anything clearly." "All right, Mr. Farrel." "You're under arrest for illegally operating a gambling casino." "I'm gonna let you stay here under protective custody." "Send for me when you can't stand it anymore." "I intend to have those signatures." "I can out-wait you, Mr. Farrel." "You see, I have the law on my side." "It's a very comfortable feeling." "It's something you ought to try sometime." "Eight left, 24 right, two left, 17 right." " You got that?" " I've got it." "That's the combination to the safe." "There's everything in there you want, and there's nothing that I want." "No, that's at the casino, waiting." "When you finally sent for me, I sent for Gilda." " She's going home, you know." " Home?" "Clear home?" "The least you could do is say goodbye and wish her luck." "She makes her own luck." "How dumb can a man be?" "Do me a favor and get out of here before you realize what a heel you've been." "I couldn't bear to see you break down and feel like a human being." "I'm a very sensitive man, for a cop." "Gilda didn't do any of those things you've been losing sleep over." "Not any of them." "It was just an act, every bit of it." "And I'll give you credit, you were a great audience, Mr. Farrel." "Would you like perhaps a tiny drink of ambrosia suitable only for a goddess?" "No, thank you." "Mr. Obregon told me that the place has been taken over by the government." "Don't think about it." "A cigarette, perhaps?" "Blended of the finest tobaccos from the most romantic places of the world." "No, thank you." "It all looks lonely, doesn't it?" "All bad things end up lonely, little one." "I know that, don't I?" "You can keep your silly epigrams to yourself, can't you?" "Hello, Uncle Pio." "I hear you're going home." "I came to say goodbye." "I want to go with you, Gilda." "Please, take me." " I know I did everything wrong." " Isn't it wonderful?" "Nobody has to apologize because we were both such stinkers, weren't we?" "Isn't it wonderful?" "Wonderful." "I didn't intend to come back so soon, but I want my wife." "Johnny." "You thought I died that night, didn't you?" "I had murdered a man and thought it simpler to disappear for a while." "I came to the house that night, to get Gilda, to take her with me." "But I found her occupied with you, Johnny." "I had neither the time nor the inclination for an emotional scene." "By the time the police reached the plane wreckage I was gone to the launch I had waiting." "You didn't see me parachute out." "You weren't seeing very clearly that night anyway." "Emotion is so apt to cloud the brain, isn't it?" "I intended to kill you with this, Johnny." "I thought it amusing to have one of my little friends kill the other." "But now, it won't do because I have to kill Gilda too." "I told you I'd be looking..." "Gilda." "Better get out of here, Uncle Pio, quick!" "You know, I'm a great cop, Mr. Farrel." "I'm certainly a pushover for a love story." "I know the combination of the safe, and I don't know where the safe is." "The safe, where is it?" "It's in his room on the wall, back of the desk." "Thanks." "Say, haven't I seen that cane somewhere before?" "You have." "You shouldn't leave things like that lying around where I can get my hands on them." " He's lying like the gentleman I always said he was." " It was I..." " Keep your mouth shut!" "You two can quit being noble anytime you like, you know." "Because a man can only die once." "And Mundson committed suicide three months ago." "Besides, didn't you ever hear of a thing called justifiable homicide?" "Johnny, let's go home." "Let's go home."