"Would you put the bags here, please?" "Give me a hand with this." "Will there be anything else?" "No, thank you, William." "Right you are." "And welcome back, Miss Kalman." "Thank you." "I'm glad to be back." "Will you be all right?" "It's Doris and Carl's day off." "I'll be all right." "Very good, Miss." "Hello, Doris." "Hello, Carl." "Nice entrance." "I thought it was your day off." "We thought you were a burglar." "Lucky for you that I'm not." "We heard a noise." "We didn't get a cable you were coming back today." "That's why we didn't meet you." "I didn't decide to come until this morning." "Something the matter?" "Have a nice trip?" "All right." "That's no meal for you." "I'll get you something hot." "No, that's all I want." "Go on about your business." "We don't have any business." "We were only going to have tea and then go to the movies." "Then go." "I've got some nice lamb chops and some little French peas." "Go to the movies." "No, no, Doris, tomorrow." "Would you like a nice massage?" "Tomorrow." "I'll get you some hot milk." "No." "N-O, no." "G-O, go." "I'm staying here." "Ring if you want something." "I didn't expect to see anybody." "I'm not back from the grave." "Good evening, Mrs. Munson." "What are you doing here?" "Good evening, Doris." "Why aren't you in Majorca?" "Because I'm here." "How's Alfred?" "Fine." "I can see you're here, but you should be in Majorca." "Mr. Munson and I are changing here." "Just put out our evening clothes." "Yes, madam." "And then go." "Very well." "Aren't you and Doris getting on?" "We get on fine." "Now, what's wrong with you?" "You planned to be away for the whole winter, and here you are, back again after 10 days." "I didn't find it interesting." "Is it possible that the trouble isn't with Majorca?" "Possible." "What happened to the colonel that you wrote to me about?" "That looked like a Greek statue." "He talked like one." "I don't think he knew more than a dozen words." "Scotch and soda and one or two more." "You were impressed with him when you first met him." "I hadn't heard the dozen words." "What you expect from a man?" "There's a limit to how entertaining they can be." "They should be able to talk a little, simple sentences." "You told me he was good-looking and that he danced beautifully." "That's all a woman's entitled to." "You can always read a good book." "Dear little sister, go wash your mind with soap." "I'm not your little sister." "I'm the older." "This is a side of you I've never seen before." "Sort of maternal white slaver." "I'm not sympathetic." "You've plenty of beaus." "You're beautiful, talented, and famous." "You're an actress who's the envy of everyone who knows you." "But then they don't know me." "What about David Wilson?" "Why don't you marry him?" "I don't love him." "Why not?" "I don't know why not." "I tried to love him." "I just don't." "Someone will turn up." "When?" "Do a play." "You're much happier when you're working." "I don't feel like it." "Come along with us." "You'll feel much better in a girdle." "Where are you going?" "To a banquet." "Sometimes the speaker is very interesting." "I remember the last one." "The Dutch ambassador spoke for an hour and 15 minutes in Dutch." "Go on somewhere afterwards." "Oh, why, lord?" "Anna!" "What a surprise." "Hello, Alfred." "Delicious cold cream." "You get that brand." "You're looking bloomy." "So are you." "How is the foreign office?" "Muddling through." "Dear, how's everything at home?" "Fine." "Come along." "I'll help you get dressed." "You're feeling sorry for yourself." "I am not." "I feel sorry for you." "She's coming with us." "She's not." "You're more than welcome." "The Dutch ambassador, I think of him often." "I told you, he's not going to be there this time." "Is he?" "That was an official state dinner." "This one's going to be interesting." "You see?" "Who is it for?" "For the hard-currency countries." "There will be a number of speakers who will... speak." "On hard currency?" "Yes." "The Dutch ambassador's growing on me." "It's not that bad as it sounds." "I go no place where they don't speak Dutch." "It might be better if I stayed behind with Anna." "She's acting so gay I know she's depressed." "She's not!" "The door was open." "Hello, Philip." "Darling, I want you to meet Mr. Philip Adams." "This is my wife." "How do you do?" "And my sister-in-law, Miss Anna Kalman." "How do you do?" "Miss Kalman is no stranger to me." "I've seen you often on the stage." "I'm a fervent admirer." "Why, thank you, kind sir." "I once stayed over an extra day in Liverpool because you were billed to appear, but performance was canceled." "I'm sorry." "But I made some money out of it." "I'm glad." "I would've gladly traded the money for the performance." "Would you care to see the performance now?" "I'll play all the parts." "How much money was it?" "I asked Philip to come up here and change his clothes." "He's in from Paris." "Just for the dinner." "I had no idea you'd be back." "That's perfectly all right." "I could go to a hotel." "You're more than welcome." "Well, it's rather an imposition." "I owe you something for Liverpool." "And where is Mrs. Adams going to dress?" "There is no Mrs. Adams." "Well..." "Do we have to go to this silly old dinner?" "The speaker will bore us, and they won't miss us." "They'd miss him." "He's the speaker." "This happens to me all the time." "I once asked a butler at the French embassy if he cared to waltz." "He waltzed divinely." "You're right about the speech being dull." "I've heard it." "Well, we can go on to some other place afterwards." "It's the only hope for the evening." "What do you say, Anna?" "I couldn't go." "Why not?" "For one thing, I'm not dressed." "Neither are they." "We'll race them." "I couldn't possibly be on time." "It doesn't matter if we are late." "We've got the man with the speech." "They can't start without him." "She needs coaxing." "You coax her." "I'm an extra man." "You'd make the dinner come out even." "How many people are going to be there?" "600." "599 people in a room does look untidy." "That's all I wanted, an intelligent reason." "You change in there." "Last one dressed is last." "Whitehall 0-0-1-1." "Who in heaven's name is that?" "Stop breathing so hard." "I didn't know it showed." "Who is he?" "What is he?" "And speak slowly." "He's a very bright gentleman." "We are hoping he will accept a job in NATO, and we're not having much luck." "Hello, Harris?" "This is Mr. Munson." "One more for our table." "A place card for Miss Anna Kalman." "Next to Mr. Philip Adams." "Fine." "Well, what about this Mr. Adams?" "What do you want to know?" "Everything." "And I mean everything." "I don't think he's romantically attached, which is what you're hinting." "I'm not hinting, I'm asking." "How do you know that?" "We've had dinner together." "He's been alone." "So were you." "That proves nothing." "That's right." "I don't know what he does after he leaves me." "I'll follow him next time." "Of course, he hasn't any money." "You'll notice we're giving this dinner about money." "He's the speaker." "He must have some connection with it." "There must be something the matter with his health." "Hardly." "He beat the squash champion at my club last weekend." "You've got to be pretty healthy to do that." "There must be a catch in it somewhere." "He couldn't have escaped this long." "Well, we're anxious to get him into NATO." "There aren't many like him available as public servants." "I'm not interested in the public." "So you see, we find ourselves, in a small dilemma." "We have spiraling inflation on one hand, and contracting credit on the other." "But even that is no real cause for alarm since we are actually the purchasing agent and consumer at the same time." "I therefore suggest that we let the ratio of block currency equal the long-Term commitments of the participating NATO countries." "He's as bad as the Dutch ambassador." "I can't understand one word." "The tariff considerations would no longer be affected by internal evaluations nor- and I can't emphasize this too strongly would any single currency be obliged to look to another for its health and stability." "I submit this is only fair." "Good evening, Miss Kalman." "Glad to see back." "Good evening, Oscar." "Nice to be back." "My, it's later than I thought." "But you have time for a drink." "Certainly we have." "It's early." "I'm afraid we haven't time for that drink." "I have an early appointment tomorrow, and Philip here is meeting half the French cabinet at 10:00." "He's sleeping on the bullet train." "Thank you." "I'll drop you at the station." "It must be out of your way." "I can take a cab." "It's only a few minutes." "No trouble at all." "We'll get our bags and run along." "Do you want to change here?" "I can change on the train." "Thanks." "Isn't that awful." "What's awful?" "Stop playing games." "Don't tell me you don't like this one." "Why, he talks and everything." "He's all right." "He's interesting." "Interesting?" "All these years married and never once, and now I have a confession to make." "At dinner, I thought he was pressing his knee against mine." "It turned out to be a table leg." "I was disappointed." "You're a big talker." "Anna, we're off." "Good night, Mr. Adams." "I had a nice evening." "So did I. I've never had a better time." "And I enjoyed your speech very much." "I'm crazy about hard currency." "I'm afraid you're going to have to wait an hour at the station." "Just about." "What's that?" "You're not going to sit in the station for a whole hour." "I have some papers I can go over." "That's ridiculous." "Wouldn't it be all right if you left the door open?" "Yes, we could do that, and you can go over your papers right here." "I would be keeping you up." "I'm not a bit sleepy." "Alfred, it's getting late." "I'm not going to press you any further." "You know how badly we want you to take the post." "Whatever you decide, the secretary wants me to thank you." "Please don't." "I'm flattered." "I'm honored to be asked." "Good night, Mr. Adams." "Anna, darling." "Good night, Mrs. Munson." "Alfred..." "Good night, Anna." "They seem to have forgotten." "Would you like to take your coat off?" "Like a drink?" "A short one." "I seldom drink after dinner." "What?" "Scotch and soda, please." "Are you going to have one?" "I don't think so, but you have one." "I like a man with a glass in his hand." "It's becoming." "In that case, I'll gladly hold it." "You have to sip it once in a while, too." "That's part of the picture." "I'm quite impressed the foreign secretary's asked you to take a post you don't want." "Is it something you can talk about?" "It's not that important, really." "I just finished a 30-day job with NATO, and they've asked me to stay on." "I know it's a public service, and my conscience bothers me a little, but there's an exciting new project in Mexico that attracts me." "I'd prefer that to being tied down to a desk job in Paris right now." "Have you ever been in Mexico?" "No, I haven't." "It isn't too bad once you get used to the water." "So I hear." "Couldn't you try the NATO job just for a while to see if you like it?" "Once I took it, I'd be obligated to stay." "That's policy." "You can understand that." "I see." "Any advice?" "If you go to Mexico, drink bottled water." "I'll do that." "I understand where people slip up is in brushing their teeth." "Bottled water there, too." "Really?" "That seems such a lot of trouble." "Yes, it does." "Take the job with NATO." "Brush your teeth with anything." "That might decide me." "Have you ever lived in Paris for any length of time?" "No, I haven't." "There's an interesting social life once you adjust yourself to it." "You, being single, would be in great demand." "There's quite a shortage." "Then, of course, you could spend your weekends in London." "I've never really enjoyed myself in London." "How dare you, sir?" "London is my adopted home." "I didn't mean to be disrespectful." "I'm sure it's all my fault." "May I inquire where you are from?" "San Francisco." "It's delightful, but it's so far from everything." "That depends upon what is everything." "Our theater, our Opera, our museums." "When were you in a museum last?" "I go daily." "In that case..." "We're not as isolated in San Francisco as you think." "The stagecoach makes it fairly regularly now." "We get the New York shows." "Not the same year, but eventually." "We have opera." "Not much, but enough." "I take it you're not an opera lover." "Really, it escapes me." "On the other hand, we have a whole ballet season." "That does not escape me." "You like the ballet?" "I do, indeed." "Very much." "Would you like to go Saturday night?" "I have regular seats." "I'm a married man, miss Kalman." "I'm sorry." "I'm awfully sorry." "It's perfectly all right." "You see, when I first came in this evening, I said there was no Mrs. Adams." "I meant there was no Mrs. Adams with me in Europe." "There's no Mrs. Adams dressing." "It's been on my conscience all evening." "I must say, you've been palming yourself off as a single man." "I must've sounded quite idiotic, blurting it out like that." "Not at all." "It was very proper and pertinent." "Rather vain, too." "Vain?" "Why?" "Well, the implication was... that you wouldn't be able to keep your hands off me." "That sounds pretty silly, too." "Well, you'll never know now." "That's right." "If you felt that, why did you have to warn me?" "Because those are the rules between grown-up men and women, or should be." "Trouble is, the game is so one-sided for a man." "Yes..." "I think it is, too." "Well, you're a rarity." "I don't believe I am." "You are." "Oh, you are." "I speak from vast experience." "Men usually don't mention at all that they're married." "Or if it's something you know, then they tell you that they are misunderstood, or separated, and can't possibly get a divorce." "The last one is the most popular this year." "Really?" "Well, I'm afraid this changes my status here morally." "You're not compromising me, If that's what's bothering you." "You'd have to spend the night." "The law is quite clear on that." "Ipso facto if you spend the night." "I was in a play once that had that in it." "It doesn't seem fair to the woman." "I hope there are loopholes." "You have a well-developed sense of chivalry." "I mean it as a compliment." "I'll take it as a compliment." "I've had a very enjoyable time." "So had I." "I must tell you this." "I've been sorely tempted to break the rules, and I've been debating it all evening." "Evidently your honor is stronger than my beauty." "I am separated from my wife, and I can't possibly get a divorce." "That's the same line all the others are pulling this year." "How the devil could I say it without saying it?" "I can't help the fact they're all using it so much." "There's no copyright on it." "I know." "So good night." "And thank you again." "The desk, please." "Oscar, this is miss Kalman." "Has the gentleman who left my apartment come out of the elevator yet?" "No, ma'am." "The elevator's just on the way down." "Let me speak to him, please." "Excuse me, sir." "Miss Kalman would like to speak to you." "Thank you." "Hello?" "Good seats to the ballet are hard to get." "Will you come?" "I'd like nothing better." "6:00 then." "Good night." "I'll take the afternoon plane." "Good night." "It's 6:00." "Dear, you've had enough coffee." "Drive carefully." "Wipe your glasses and hurry up." "Good evening." "Hello." "You're very prompt." "Am I?" "Yes, you are." "I used to work in a bank." "Some of it hung on." "Thank you for the beautiful roses, but you sent far too many." "I like yellow roses." "You're quite welcome." "Shall we go?" "It was rather muggy in Paris." "It was muggy here, too." "Really?" "Yes." "I made dinner reservations at both The Mirabelle and The White Tower." "You have your choice." "They don't suit you?" "Yes, they do." "They're very nice restaurants." "It never occurred to me that you would make reservations from Paris." "I arranged something." "You did?" "Well, fine." "I hope you approve." "I'm sure I will." "A friend is taking us to the players club." "I see." "It's quite a treat." "I thought it was something unusual for you." "And since I'm not a member, I coaxed a friend to invite us." "Thank you." "That's very thoughtful of you." "It's unusual for the weather to be so muggy this time of year." "Yes..." "I read an article the other day... that claimed the world's weather was changing." "Really?" "That's interesting." "Yes, isn't it?" "Evening, Miss Kalman." "Good evening." "Here she comes!" "Miss Kalman, please." "Can I have your autograph?" "Just one moment, Miss Kalman." "Please." "Excuse me." "Miss Kalman, please, for my daughter." "She lives in Australia." "Would you write, "To Kitty Kins"?" "That's her name." "It's her nickname, really." "Her name is Catherine, but we all call her Kitty Kins." "She'll be just thrilled to get it." "I am so sorry." "The pen leaks, it's my husband's." "I am sorry." "Good evening, Miss Kalman." "Good evening, Albert." "I have a message for you." "Mr. Whitehead phoned and asked to be excused." "His aunt is ill." "Would you dine without him and please forgive him?" "Of course." "Poor man." "This way, please." "Thank you." "Shall we have something to drink?" "Yes, please." "A scotch and soda." "The same." "Albert, the ballet tonight." "Please get us out in time." "It shall be our responsibility." "I hope Mr. Whitehead's aunt is all right." "He has no aunt." "A fabrication to get around the house committee." "Do you think you're putting it over on Albert?" "No one ever puts anything over on Albert." "I didn't think so." "To the Alberts of this world who have shown tolerance." "Bless them." "Amen." "It's 7:25." "Why haven't you got Miss Kalman out?" "She's late." "I tried attracting their attention half a dozen times." "They waved me away." "I was 12 years old, and my father took me to seea performance of Camille." "That was the experience of my life." "That poor frail woman, dying of tuberculosis, coughing into her handkerchief, sending her lover away." "I cried so loud, you could hardly hear the actors." "The next day, I convinced the students that we should give Camille as our school play with me playing Camille, of course." "A 12-Year-Old Camille, and rather..." "My mother believed in four big meals a day for growing children." "It wasn't exactly what Dumas had in mind when he wrote the play." "Frankly, Henry VIII would've suited me better." "Nothing else, Albert." "Thank you." "Excuse me, but the ballet." "It's 7:30." "7:30 now?" "Albert, you should have told us." "Now we're going to be late." "Good night." "It's all right." "It's on Mr. Whitehead." "Good night." "Thank you." "There can be no one seated until the termination of the first scene." "Isn't she wonderful?" "She looks beautiful." "She's a wonderful actress." "Excuse me." "Is there any standing room left?" "All gone." "I'm sorry." "Why don't you try the gallery?" "We did." "Just two, perhaps." "All standing room's sold the fire department allows." "I'm sorry." "I know how Romeo and Juliet comes out." "It's sad." "Do you think Mr. Whitehead can afford this second cup of coffee?" "Thank you, Albert." "Were you always interested in finance?" "No." "As a young man, I didn't display any banking tendencies at all." "And my allowance was always overdrawn, which is a very bad sign for a banker." "My first love was music." "I always wanted to be a violinist." "Did you really?" "Yes." "And I worked at it." "And when I was 13 years old, my professor thought I was ready to give a concert in our music academy." "All my relatives came to cheer, and all the relatives of the other students not to cheer, and I was announced from the stage." "Wild applause from my relations." "I walked on in my new blue suit," "Put the violin to my chin, and the audience began to laugh." "Small titters at first, but it grew." "They laughed before you played?" "Before." "But why?" "I'm left-Handed." "It seems that left-handed violinists make people laugh." "Miss Kalman, we've been following you." "We weren't sure it was you." "May we have your autograph?" "Did you ever try to play the violin right-Handed?" "Yes, I tried, but I found myself moving the violin instead of the bow." "Shall I see you to your elevator?" "Yes." "Good night." "Would you like to come in for a drink?" "Yes, I would." "Hello?" "Regent 8-9-4-7, please." "Good morning." "Good morning." "How did you sleep?" "Fine." "And you?" "Fine." "What are you doing?" "I'm considering getting up." "I'm going to take a shower and shave and take you to a lavish lunch." "Why don't you come up here instead?" "My talent is cooking." "I'll do that." "Come in." "The door is open." "I'm in the kitchen." "Servants' day off." "Look out, the chef is very temperamental." "Sit down." "Drink your juice." "Eat while it's hot." "I'll wait." "Start." "Good manners spoil good food." "I've decided to take the NATO job in Paris." "I'm glad." "Hello?" "Hi." "10 seconds late." "Last night it was seven, the night before, five." "I can see the handwriting on the wall." "You're cooling." "Hardly." "How was your day?" "Fine." "How was yours?" "Fine." "Anything new?" "Nothing special." "There was a little something." "What was it?" "You're ready to be impressed?" "Fire away." "I just had dinner with the president of France." "No!" "What did you have to eat?" "Lamb chops." "What did you expect?" "Something more pretentious, befitting the occasion." "It wasn't an occasion for him." "He eats every night." "How did you come to be invited?" "The ambassador took me." "It's customary for a new man." "Tell me everything that happened." "Small talk, really." "You must have discussed something." "Well, let me think." "Oh, yes." "Is it worthwhile putting saccharine in coffee instead of sugar?" "That took up most of the evening." "The president said it wasn't." "He's wrong." "The finance minister said he was wrong, too." "It wasn't an out-and-out quarrel, but it was a strong difference of opinion." "That's off the record." "Off the record?" "You fit fine in diplomacy." "Don't I?" "Something else happen?" "No, nothing." "Oh, yes." "Wait a minute." "Come to think of it, someone mentioned your name." "Really?" "Who?" "Who was that?" "Oh, yes, it was the president." "It seems he's seen you often on the stage, and he thinks you're charming." "That was his exact word." "Charming isn't a very strong word." "Not in the theater." "The president isn't in the theater." "That's right." "The ambassador thought you extremely talented and exciting." "That's much better." "And I agreed with both of them." "You see what a diplomat I am?" "I found a play I like." "I have decided to do it." "I'm glad." "We are right for each other." "We are good for each other, my darling." "We are, we are." "Sleep well, my love." "Good night." "Good night, dearest." "Now, come on, hang up." "Right." "Good night." "Good night, dearest." "What are you in town for?" "Just some errands." "What are you doing with yourself?" "Rehearsing." "Is that all?" "What more would you expect?" "I'm just curious to know what you did with your day apart from rehearsing." "If you're interested, I get up in the morning, and I brush my teeth, and then I have breakfast, and I read the morning paper." "What about Mr. Philip Adams?" "What about him?" "He was here last weekend, and he's taken a permanent suite one floor below you." "How do you know?" "Alfred." "Philip told Alfred he was here?" "Not Philip." "Scotland yard." "Scotland yard?" "They don't allow new members of NATO to wander around without knowing where they go." "Anything else they know?" "Everything else they know." "You can takemy word for it." "The country's come to a fine state - peeping toms, spying." "I didn't come here to show you that I'd been snooping." "I've got something unpleasant to tell you, and I'm dreading it." "What is it?" "Philip Adams is a married man." "I know." "How do you know?" "He told me." "He told you?" "Is he getting a divorce?" "He never can." "I'm over 21." "Are you doing the right thing?" "I don't know." "I have no choice." "I did have in the beginning, but not now." "You love him?" "Terribly." "Don't you hope to marry him?" "Yes." "It's never out of my mind." "May I ask the purpose of your visit?" "Business or pleasure?" "Pleasure." "Holiday?" "That's it." "Darling, I'll miss you terribly." "I'll walk into a crowded room, and someone will be standing the way you stand." "He'll hold his head the way you hold your head, the way you hold your knife and fork." "I don't hold my knife and fork in any special way." "Yes, you do." "You hold your fork straight up as a little boy does." "You do, Arthur." "Hello, Mr. Adams." "How are you this week?" "Fine, thank you." "How are you?" "Now, here, here." "Bless you." "This is terrible." "Oh, my gosh." "All right." "What's the purpose of your visit?" "Business or" "Hello, Mr. Adams." "How are you?" "Hello, again." "How's everything?" "Fine, thank you." "Now you stay down here, and I'll go up and be charming." "And keep your fingers crossed." "Why can't I go with you?" "This is a very delicate and diplomatic matter." "I don't want you to put your foot in it." "I deal with diplomatic matters every day without feet." "Promise not to say anything?" "I won't say a word." "Now wait a minute." "Does it have to be the Sea Witch?" "Why that particular yacht?" "Please, please, it has to be." "I once was a guest on it." "It must be the Sea Witch." "And don't say a word." "I won't." "Good day, miss Kalman." "Mr. Finley's expecting you." "Miss Kalman." "Hello, Mr. Finley." "How nice to let me come on such short notice." "My pleasure entirely, I assure you." "This is Mr. Philip Adams, an American friend of mine." "Mr." "Adams is with NATO." "Really?" "An admirable organization." "How do you do, sir?" "How do you do?" "Mr. Finley spoke to me." "I had to say something." "You're just in time." "Would you like some tea?" "No, thank you." "Would you, sir?" "Yes, please." "He did it again." "I had to do it again." "I saw you in your present play, miss Kalman, and I'd like to take the opportunity to tell you how very much I enjoyed your performance." "As a matter of fact, I saw it twice." "Few months ago and only last week when the duke gave a theater party." "He likes you, too." "I like the part where you stand in the doorway." "Go, you foolish young man, and shut the door behind you." "In the second act." "You missed your true calling." "You should be on the stage." "Well, now, what can I do for you?" "I've heard a rumor that it is possible to charter the Sea Witch." "So I took it upon myself to speak to the captain, and he said it might be possible, but only for the month of October." "But my vacation is the first two weeks of July." "Please, dear Mr. Finley, is there a chance that the duke would let me charter it for two weeks in July?" "I'm terribly sorry you didn't tell me your business on the phone." "I could have saved you the trip." "The duke's not the owner anymore." "He sold the Sea witch." "Oh, no." "I am sorry." "I couldn't be more disappointed." "Never mind." "Cheer up." "It can't be helped." "Come along." "Here's the deed not filed yet." "I didn't handle the transaction." "The new owner's a Philip Adams." "At least you're assured it for the first two weeks in July." "You bought it?" "It was a bargain." "Did you ever see it?" "No, but I saw the photograph." "Why did you buy it?" "We only wanted it for two weeks?" "Because it came with a dock." "That's real estate." "It's very valuable." "I didn't own any in England." "What's that got to do with it?" "You don't own anything in Honolulu, Hawaii, either." "Yes, I do." "Another fellow and I own a canning factory there." "You don't understand these thing." "It's called scattering your risk." "You invest in different places." "Thank you for the tea, Mr. Finley." "But aren't you Mr. Adams?" "Give my regards to the duke." "Goodbye, Mr. Finley." "I know why you spend so much money on me." "Why?" "Your conscience." "You feel you have to make it up to me." "That's not true." "I buy you presents because I like to please you." "I wish you didn't have any money." "I wonder if I would've said that If you hadn't just bought a yacht." "Let's believe you would." "What about this one?" "I don't know." "I like the yellow one, but there's a risk Mrs. Williams has one like it." "Only thing, I don't know if she's wearing it tonight." "You'll soon find that out." "How?" "You can't ask her." "I wouldn't give her the satisfaction." "I simply drop in to see her maid, chitchat with her while she lays out Madame's things, and there we are." "You're a genius, Doris." "Ask them what color dress they're wearing..." "She's so happy, Carl." "She's happy now, but for how long?" "What's the matter with you?" "What's to come of it?" "What has to come of it?" "It can't go on like this." "Why not?" "A man, a wife, another woman." "I think about that." "What a happy surprise!" "You're two hours early!" "I took an earlier plane." "Wasn't that clever of me?" "How nice." "How are you?" "Couldn't be better." "Everything's wonderful." "The play's going beautifully." "When love is right, everything is right." "How true." "What can I do for you?" "Come have some tea." "I had some on the plane." "Have some of mine." "If I must." "Well?" "Out with it." "What do you mean, out with it?" "The reason you are early." "You are the most transparent man I ever saw." "I hope NATO isn't trusting you with any secrets." "You'd be surprised." "Let's hear one." "You would be surprised, Mata Hari." "Just tell me if it's unpleasant or not." "I always look at the end of the book." "I can never wait." "I know." "You have no restraint." "All right." "Begin." "The secretary called me into his office, sat me down, and gave me a cigar" "A good cigar." "That's nice." "And then?" "He wanted to know if I'd accept a change of assignment." "New York." "New York?" "Yes." "That's what I said, New York." "Give him his cigar back." "I told him we had an understanding about my duties." "It would be away, and it would be inconvenient for me to change." "Very inconvenient." "They can't force you." "It isn't like the army." "No, they can't force me to go." "Then everything's all right." "Don't you dare to scare me like that again." "You were definite about refusing, weren't you?" "No, darling, I left it open." "But why?" "I wanted your advice." "Well, you have it." "Yes, you see, I omitted a sidelight." "You do want to hear the case for both sides?" "Not particularly." "The man I'd replace is the author of a very complicated monetary pact." "He's been working on it for years, and now it's just about ready to be closed." "Let him close it." "It takes a lot of negotiating." "Let him." "He intended to." "He was going to New York, but he's dying." "He's just found it out." "And now we know, and we can't let him go." "Now what should I tell the secretary?" "Send someone else?" "I'm the only man capable of handling the work." "You can take my modest word for it." "How long would it be?" "Three months." "Perhaps four or five." "Five months?" "And you've already said that you'd go." "It'll go by quicker than you think." "That's not true." "Why do people always say that?" "It'll be longer than I think." "Much longer." "I feel as badly as you do, darling." "Want to bet?" "When do you leave?" "There's a whole commission going." "We're sailing tomorrow on the Elizabeth." "Tomorrow?" "It is as bad as the army." "I know." "And I won't be with you for your birthday tomorrow night." "And not for the Sea Witch either." "You go, dear." "No, not without you." "I'll miss you so." "Everything is impossible for us this way." "Philip..." "Could you possibly get a divorce and marry me?" "I don't know why I said that." "Please, please forgive me." "I don't know what came over me." "I'm so sorry." "Anna, please" "I had no right, and I know that." "Now you'll always remember that I asked you." "It's all right" "Promise me that you'll put it out of your mind." "You'll forget that it ever happened." "Promise me." "It never happened." "I never said it." "You never said it." "And we'll never refer to it as long as we live." "All right, darling." "I've done it again." "As long as we live" " That's the same thing." "Philip, you are free." "You can go when you please." "I have no strings on you." "I do love you, Anna." "I don't see how." "Why don't you get up and leave?" "I wouldn't blame you." "Come on." "You're very beautiful when you cry." "Oh, I'm sure." "Pink eyes are very becoming." "Listen to me." "Tomorrow night at midnight, let's drink a toast to your birthday." "Will you remember?" "I'll drink, all right." "At the first stroke of Big Ben, raise your glass." "Where will you be?" "I'd like to picture you." "The fireplace." "That's usual." "I did it in a play once." "I was wonderful in it." "That must be Margaret and Alfred." "They know, of course." "Yes." "Alfred feels very badly about it." "He should." "He was the one who tricked you into NATO." "Hello, dear." "Hello, Margaret." "Hello, Anna." "Hello, Judas." "There was no other choice." "I could've given you a list of names, yours on top." "As soon as he told me, Anna, I said, "why can't you go?"" "Her exact words were, "why in hell can't you go?"" "He told me he wasn't bright enough." "Philip is supposed to be very clever about money." "I haven't seen any evidence of it." "I think he's going to bankrupt England and America." "Never mind." "We'll have a lovely time tonight." "We don't want you two to be alone." "Why not, may I ask?" "You're taking the wrong attitude." "The time will go much quicker than you think." "I told you." "Everyone says that." "I'm going to get dressed." "Women." "I wish I were going with you." "Let's go to the club." "I think I ought to stay here." "They won't come out of that room for a couple hours." "I'll give you a game of snooker." "A game of what?" "Snooker." "What's that?" "Come on." "I'll show you." "The group that's sailing tomorrow is using the four days on the ship for discussion." "I'm not in on that." "Would anyone object if I fly?" "No, certainly not." "Oh, dear." "Because I'd like to spend those few extra days here." "Of course." "You see, tomorrow at midnight," "Anna and I had planned to drink a toast to each other." "She thinks I'll be on the high seas." "And you'll walk in the door?" "Yes, that's the idea." "That ought to surprise her." "It should do." "That's very romantic." "I didn't mean that disparagingly." "I envy you your touch." "But it's my belief that success with women is something that you're born with." "You're not entitled to any of the credit." "I hope I'm not embarrassing you." "Not at all." "An interesting subject." "Yes, and quite popular." "There's one thing I'm very curious about." "I'm hesitant to mention it to you for fear you'll be offended." "Then perhaps you shouldn't." "I'll just have to chance it." "All right, if you must." "Thank you." "As I said, I'm just curious..." "Why do you pretend to be a married man when you're not?" "How did you know?" "They made quite a security check." "Do you intend to tell Anna?" "What do you take me for." "Her brother-in-law, for one thing." "But I'm not her guardian." "You must admit that it doesn't sound honorable." "Then let me make my position clear to you." "Actually, it's clear enough." "No, no." "Obviously it isn't." "Now, come along now." "Now just try to follow this." "Let's just take a usual case." "A man meets a woman." "He's attracted to her." "He courts her." "They're old enough, and she favors him." "Eventually she'd like to get married." "He then says I am not the marrying kind." "Do you admire such a man?" "No, I don't, but go on." "I, too, don't care to be married." "On the other hand, I don't care to give up women." "I understand that." "Since I have no intention of getting married," "I feel honor-bound to declare myself in the beginning." "But before the favors?" "Certainly before the favors." "That's where the honor comes in." "How do I declare myself?" "By saying I will never marry?" "What woman really believes that?" "If anything, it's a challenge to them." "What do you do?" "I say I am married." "I'm married, and I can't get a divorce." "Now our position is clear." "There can't be any misunderstanding later." "It sounds reasonable." "It is reasonable." "I think NATO has got you in the wrong job." "I know there's a big hole in your argument." "I haven't come to it yet, but there must be." "Why must there be?" "You've got it all wrong." "You're the exception." "Most people do get married." "I don't resent that." "That's very tolerant of you." "I merely ask them to respect my indifference." "You're just against marriage for yourself." "Indeed I am." "And whether you believe it or not, I love Anna." "I love Anna as I've never loved before." "But I wouldn't marry any woman if you held a gun to my head." "I haven't got any gun." "Anyway, I don't think it's a brother-In-Law's place." "It has to be a blood relative." "Come on." "Let's go home." "Hello there." "I'm back." "Where's Philip?" "He's downstairs in his apartment getting dressed." "When Philip gets off the Elizabeth, I'm going to meet him on the dock." "I'll fly while he's sailing." "What's that?" "You heard me." "You heard her." "I was hoping I didn't." "Well, you were wrong." "What about your play?" "It's a big hit now." "They can get somebody else less expensive." "They won't mind." "They'll be delighted." "Anna, be practical." "I am practical." "I will not be separated from him for five months." "You're talking like a schoolgirl." "A schoolgirl can afford to wait five months." "See that expression on her face?" "The first time we saw it, she was 4 years old." "We couldn't budge her then." "Did Philip ask you to come to New York?" "No, he'd never." "He'd be too concerned about my reputation." "He's the most considerate, unselfish, honorable man that ever lived." "I'm burning candles for him." "You say something." "You're a diplomat." "Talk her out of it." "What do you advise?" "Be brilliant." "Just start me off." "Please, don't say anything, Alfred." "I'll have to say this much." "There's no use your flying over to New York to meet the Queen Elizabeth when she docks because he won't be on her." "He won't?" "He has his own surprise." "As you two are drinking toasts to each other at midnight tomorrow, he's coming through that door." "So you'll have another three days together." "There, you see?" "Three whole days." "That's enough, isn't it?" "No, that's not enough!" "He's so wonderful." "He's..." "Oh, Margaret." "Oh, Anna." "I'd like not to have told you this, and in some way, I shall get the blame for it, I'm sure." "But there's no use your flying over there to meet him at the dock if he isn't going to be on the ship in the first place." "That's going to be my story anyway." "Anna, pull yourself together." "I don't like to be told secrets." "Whenever anyone says to me," ""Would you like to hear something confidential," I always say no." "And I've never regretted it." "Oh, Margaret!" "This is going to be quite a day." "He's so wonderful." "No, he's not." "He's no good." "He's been fooling you." "Anna, he isn't married." "What did you say?" "He's single." "He's a single... bachelor." "Yes, this is going to be quite a day." "How dare you?" "But it's true!" "I know it's true." "How do you know?" "I saw it in a Scotland Yard report on Alfred's desk." "What the devil do you mean by reading things on my desk?" "You've no right to take advantage of your position as my wife to endanger the security of our government." "I forbid you to come into my office unless you're announced and I am there." "Shut up." "I was down on my knees asking his forgiveness because I asked him to marry me." "On my knees!" "How dare he make love to me and not be a married man!" "Damn!" "Astonishing." "What was that?" "Perfume bottle through the mirror." "You know, when you come to think of it, It's all very strange." "It was perfectly all right when he was married, when you'd think that it wouldn't be, and now that we know that he's single, when it should be all right, if you know what I mean, well, it isn't." "Do you follow me?" "No, I don't follow you." "I guess we better call the party off." "I'll make our excuses." "No." "We'll not call off the party, and you're not going to tell him anything." "We'll spend the evening just as we had planned," "as if nothing had happened." "Don't you think it'd be much bet" "As if nothing had happened." "That's what we are going to do." "Delicious steak." "Never tasted better." "How's yours?" "It's very good." "Good." "Margaret, you're not eating." "I can't swallow." "Why not?" "I'm just not hungry." "That's a pity." "Nice to be in this place again, isn't it?" "This is where we spent our first evening together." "Yes, dear." "Let's hope it won't be the last." "Ladies and gentlemen, take your places for An Eightsome Reel." "We ought to learn that." "Come on, darling, let's learn it." "It's a party." "Let's celebrate." "Wonderful." "I like that." "That's nice." "What about that?" "Pretty good, huh?" "Look out." "Slippery." "Sorry." "Slippery." "Swing it." "That's it." "Look out." "Over and change." "Hi." "Hey, where you going?" "Wait a minute, fellows." "Hey, fellows, hey, fellows, hey." "Oh, well." "Like that?" "What a performance." "Too bad the critics can't see it." "You know, I'm too old for this sort of evening." "I always was." "Margaret, how about the next dance with me?" "Feeling better, Alfred?" "Yes, fine." "Good." "Your stomach any better?" "No." "This drink I invented" " Bourbon and Bicetol" " It'll never catch on." "What impressed me was the way that you could swallow anything at dinner." "That was acting." "I couldn't eat a thing." "He ate for everybody." "Look at him." "He's certainly in good spirits, dancing every dance, singing." "You'd think that it was his wedding night." "Excuse me." "Anna, I should like to say how much I admire the way you're carrying the whole thing off." "You're sweet, charming, smiling, just right." "When he's in America, you'll write him a little note explaining that you can't possibly leave your play, and the whole relationship will peter out naturally." "No scene, no fuss." "A gentleman asked me to lay this on your table." "Thank you." "A red rose..." "Who sent it?" "David sent it." "He's here." "David?" "Your David?" "Your old David?" "My old David." "Where is he?" "I didn't see him." "He was on the dance floor." "I liked David." "I even fancied him for a moment as a brother-in-law." "I always meant to ask you what happened to him." "What's the matter?" "Anna, what is it?" "I'm sorry that was such a short whirl." "You owe me another." "How's everything at this table, may I inquire?" "Just fine." "Let's all go home now, shall we?" "If we must." "No difference to me." "Yes." "It's getting late." "Call me at home later." "Well..." "I will now draw the first clear breath that I have drawn all evening." "Did you see all that signaling in the elevator?" "Wigwagging over our heads, asking to come up here after we've gone." "We'll just stay the night here." "That's all there is to it." "I guess that's best." "That'll do it to him." "Anna, call downstairs, say we're in the guest room, and you couldn't get rid of us." "Saying good night in the elevator, smirking." "Really, he's not very subtle." "He manages to fool people, people who think they're rather bright." "You have nothing to blame yourself for." "You're a woman, and you were deceived." "It happens every day, oftener." "Not to me." "Even our staying here tonight doesn't settle the whole problem." "He means to surprise you at midnight tomorrow whilst you're supposedly drinking toasts to each other" "In honor of your birthday." "I'd forgotten that." "He's going to be here for three days." "I can't stay for three days." "I can." "I shall have some things sent down." "We'll make it a visit, have a lovely time." "I don't remember inviting you." "What are you saying?" "You will please leave and now." "Leave?" "Leave." "Do you mean to let him come up here?" "Yes, I do." "But why?" "Well, I mean, what for?" "I mean, how could you?" "What have you got in mind?" "None of your business." "Anna, I want to talk to you." "I've known you ever since you were born, and there's one thing about your character I don't admire:" "You go to extremes." "What do you mean to do?" "Look, you're a prominent person." "You have to think of scandal." "You haven't got a gun, have you?" "Shooting is too good for him." "That's how I like to hear you talk..." "No violence." "What do you intend to do?" "Just give us an idea." "We're family." "What is it?" "A rose?" "Yes, a rose, a red rose." "David sent it to our table." "I didn't see him." "Why didn't you tell me?" "Philip." "He wants to know if we're out and if the coast is clear." "We're not, and it isn't, and it's not going to be." "It's not Philip." "It is David." "I asked him to call." "Hello?" "Hello, David." "Certainly I'm alone." "There is no sincerity like a woman telling a lie." "It was nice seeing you again." "Tomorrow night would be fine." "Anywhere you say." "I'm not very keen on going out." "This was a big evening, and when I'm working," "I don't feel like two in a row." "Why don't you join me for supper here after the play?" "For heaven's sakes." "Let's make it 11:30." "Well, that's 11:30." "You've got that right now?" "11:30 here." "All right, David." "Bye-bye." "Won't it be a little crowded?" "You haven't forgotten you've another suitor coming at 12:00?" "I haven't forgotten." "That's all I've been thinking of, his walking through that door and surprising me with another man!" "That's how I was able to keep on smiling at him, to keep from smashing him over the head with a lamp." "What's gotten into you?" "Tomorrow night, I can see the expression on his face, the shock... the unbelief... the horror." "He catches me with another man." "Him - so charming, so handsome, so generous, and still she took another." "How could she?" "It'll be a nightmare that he'll remember the rest of his life." "He'll go over it and over it a thousand times, and each time, it will burn deeper and deeper until he won't have to recall it at all." "It will just be there." "How am I going to exist until tomorrow night?" "And to think how carefully you were brought up." "I'm against it." "It's my considered opinion" "that you're playing with fire." "Alfred's right." "You're overdoing it." "Let's all keep calm." "Let's sleep on it." "Tomorrow, when we're cooler, we'll discuss it rationally." "We're grown men and women." "Well put." "We're all overwrought now." "We're not thinking clearly." "I'm thinking clearly." "No, you're not." "You have the feeling that you're a wronged woman." "I am a wronged woman!" "You know what I mean." "I'm the wrongedest woman you ever saw, and I'm going to pay him back with interest, 2 or 3,000 % of interest." "There he is now, sooner than usual." "So impatient, so flattering." "Anna, we're staying over." "Hello?" "Yes, dear, they've gone." "How nice of you to call and say goodnight." "By the way, why don't you come up for a nightcap, just this once?" "No?" "All right." "Good night." "Oh, good." "It's all right." "He's not coming up." "Of course he's coming up." "He says that so the operator won't know." "So considerate about my reputation." "Get going." "He'll be here any minute." "I'm not going, and you can't make me." "Good night, dear sister." "You're just being impulsive." "I've only got your interests at heart." "I'll tell you one thing." "I shall telephone you every 15 minutes, if somebody doesn't answer the phone, I shall be right back." "Good night, Anna." "I'll send for our clothes in the morning." "Remember, nothing in anger." "Hurry, dear." "If he catches us, we'll be embarrassed." "Why should we be embarrassed?" "He's the one that's sneaking up here." "Remember mama!" "Hello?" "Good evening, darling." "It isn't the beginning of the evening." "It is for me." "Champagne for the occasion." "Some for you." "Some for me." "I'll swizzle it with my nose." "May I?" "Of course." "You dressed for bed?" "I smell perfume." "What happened to that?" "Just a little accident." "It was very thoughtful of you not letting the telephone operator know you were coming up." "That was the least I could do." "It's typical of you, consideration in small things." "You don't think we're fooling anyone?" "Indeed, I do." "The whole building will know." "How could they know?" "The elevator operator." "I used the stairs." "Did you, really?" "Don't start admiring me again." "It's only one flight." "I have here a token of my esteem and regard." "You've given me quite enough presents." "But this is your birthday present." "This must not be opened before midnight tomorrow night." "I'd like to ask you something." "What?" "Did you give your wife as many presents before you were separated?" "That's not much of a subject." "I'm very curious." "Tell me." "I guess so." "Why do you ask?" "I'm trying to figure out whether you are truly generous or if it is your conscience." "Many people get credit for doing admirable things that they rarely do because they'd feel uncomfortable if they didn't." "I hope that's from a play you're in because it's pretty silly." "It's from the play I'm in now." "I don't remember that." "Now, about this present..." "It looks very expensive." "It's so small." "Well, it is expensive." "I'll take it." "I deserve it." "What is the matter with you?" "You've taken the best years of my life." "Why are you behaving so strangely?" "You've been in a dozen different moods," "most of which I've never seen before." "Mystery, that is my stock in trade." "I'm a woman, you know." "I know." "I'll testify to that." "Will you get into another mood?" "Something less flippant, please." "I'll wait" "What kind of mood would you like?" "Nothing makes a man feel more ridiculous than being sentimental when a woman is not." "You want sentiment, huh?" "You sure it's expensive?" "Well, then, I can do that." "I'm an actress." "You couldn't deceive me." "You'd be surprised." "Oh, darling." "I'll miss you terribly." "I'll walk into a crowded room, someone will be standing the way you stand." "He'll hold his head the way you hold your head, the way you hold your knife and fork." "I don't hold my knife and fork in any special way." "You do." "You hold your fork straight up, as a little boy does." "Now, that is in your play." "You see?" "Well, you are in a strange mood." "What character are you playing now?" "Delilah." "Delilah from the bible?" "I don't see the parallel." "It's my own interpretation." "If I'm going to be destroyed anyway" "Is it going to be that sort of an evening?" "It's only Margaret." "Margaret." "The woman loves the telephone." "What would she have done 100 years ago?" "Probably have sent carrier pigeons." "The skies would have been black with them." "Hello, David." "This is quite a surprise." "You think I ought to..." "Don't you dare leave." "You may wish to speak privately." "Philip, you're not jealous?" "That's not jealousy." "That's just common courtesy." "You're beginning to blush." "No, no." "I'm not alone." "Doris is here." "Doris is leaving." "She's just leaving." "I'm not interested in Alfred's advice." "Oh, Margaret." "Then let Alfred take a sleeping pill." "Good night." "You can come back now, Doris!" "I think I ought to point out to you that I'm not jealous." "I'm glad." "I was so afraid when you left the room just now that you were displeased." "No-Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I was displeased, but that's not the same as jealousy." "I'm a very honest man, and I'll admit that I was displeased at his calling you." "Yes, you are honest, and I'm going to match your honesty." "What do you mean?" "I've been hiding this from you." "Well, what is it?" "A red rose." "Now, where did you get it?" "Where did it come from?" "David?" "I wasn't going to let you know about it." "I didn't have confidence in you." "I'm ashamed of myself." "Did he give it to you this evening?" "Where?" "Was he at the dance?" "Was there a note with it?" "Did he bring it over himself?" "A waiter brought it over." "Then he didn't speak to you." "He did." "When?" "How?" "I danced with you all evening." "I was with you every minute." "When I went to the powder room, he followed me." "He followed you to the p" "Well!" "I will not lower myself to discussing such behavior." "I will merely say that he does not flatter you." "I pictured more of a gentleman." "He's a gentleman." "Take my word for it." "Oh, come now!" "You'd like him." "Yes, you would." "You'd get along beautifully together." "Hardly." "You know, I don't consider myself a snob, but I'm sure there's no one among my acquaintances who follow women to powder rooms." "Maybe I'm wrong." "Maybe he didn't follow me." "Maybe it was just a coincidence." "No." "He was following you." "In any case, did I do the right thing in telling you?" "Certainly, you did." "And you're not upset?" "Not the slightest." "I'm pleased." "Pleased?" "Frankly, I was curious to know what sort of a man he is." "I'm not anymore." "I'm glad." "That's the way to look at it." "What did he say to you on the phone?" "On the phone?" "I'm sorry." "I wasn't asking, But you were explaining about him, and I thought you intended to tell me." "I was just trying to help the conversation along." "I don't mind telling you." "I'd rather not hear it." "I'd like to tell you." "It's of no interest to me whatsoever." "He asked me to go out with him." "And what did you say?" "Here or at the dance?" "He asked you at both places?" "He asked me there, and I said no, and now he asked me again." "And what did you say?" "What do you think I said?" "Absolutely not." "Oh, well." "If you feel like it, why don't you go out with him?" "You're such old friends." "I like you better when you're jealous." "No, I mean it." "You'll be lonely while I'm away." "I won't mind." "I couldn't." "What I like about you is you're so fair." "Yes, I think I am." "I try to be objective." "Sending a rose to the table, that's really adolescent, isn't it?" "He's not very considerate, calling you at this time of night." "He knows I don't go to bed until later." "I'm sorry." "That was the wrong thing to say, wasn't it?" "Try to forget it." "Put it out of your mind." "For an evening at started out well, this has turned into one of the most exasperating evenings" "of my whole life." "Your life isn't over yet." "I think an ex-suitor who doesn't realize he's an ex-suitor and doesn't stay ex'd is the most despicable kind of human being..." "I'd tell him so to his face." "He's taller than you are." "That's enough." "I'm leaving." "Good night, dear." "I'm terribly sorry, darling." "That's all right." "Forgive me, please." "What is it?" "I have a splitting headache." "Don't be irritated now." "It's only your vanity." "I'm not irritated." "Yes, you are." "Don't be." "You're going to leave in the morning, and I won't see you anymore." "I wish I'd left yesterday." "Well, I can't help the headache." "That's why I've been acting so strangely." "I've been trying to hide it." "I'm awfully sorry, dear." "And I haven't been behaving too well." "Yes, you have, considering that you are worried whether I got a splitting headache only after the telephone call, aren't you?" "No more." "Oh, darling." "Good night, dear." "Good night." "Take care." "I will." "And write." "I'll phone." "Your present." "Don't forget." "At the first stroke of midnight" "I'll raise my glass." "Yes, dear." "Goodbye." "I've seen plays with wonderful goodbye lines in them." "I'm trying to remember one." "I've heard them all." "I guess you have." "Goodbye, dear." "Very clever and to the point." "Don't forget." "Tomorrow at midnight." "I'm thinking about it right now." "You think we've overdone the flowers?" "We've never had this many before." "How many are there?" "You told me to get five dozen, and Mr. Wilson sent two." "That's seven dozen altogether." "It is a bit thick, and it smells like a flower shop." "Shall I take some of them out?" "No." "I want them to be noticeable." "They have to stick out." "I want them to be seen at first glance." "Grilled lobster, and I've taken the champagne out of the icebox so it's cold." "Very good, Doris." "I cannot understand why Mr. Wilson hasn't come yet." "What time is it?" "20 minutes to 12:00." "Mayfair 5-1-0-1." "Mr. Wilson, please." "David Wilson." "Could you tell me how long ago he left?" "Did he leave any message?" "He didn't." "Well, thank you." "I don't know what has happened." "Hello?" "Yes." "Who?" "Oh, no." "Yes." "Thank you, doctor." "Remember me to him." "Tell him he has my sympathy." "Thank you." "Is anything the matter?" "They carried Mr. Wilson off the tennis court this afternoon" "with acute appendicitis." "Oh, my!" "He was on the operating table 45 minutes." "The operation was very successful." "I'm glad." "The first thing he said when he came out of the ether was," ""Call miss Kalman and apologize for me."" "Wasn't that considerate?" "Considerate?" "What the hell was he doing playing tennis?" "Would you like some lobster?" "No." "It will make you feel better." "No, it won't." "You haven't had anything to eat since before the show." "I'll give you a little." "I don't want a lobster." "I want a man!" "I need a man tonight- Here, right now." "A man?" "Do you want to lift something?" "Carl's outside." "Carl's not very big, but he's very strong." "You'd be surprised." "Carl?" "Shall I ask him to come in?" "Yes." "We'll audition him." "Carl?" "Come in here." "You want me?" "Come over here." "Stand there." "What do you want him for?" "Of course he knows you." "Still..." "Turn the lights off." "It will only be for a few seconds." "Walk around, Carl." "Walk." "Over there." "Up and down." "Can't you just walk?" "Does Carl have a nice dressing gown or robe or something?" "The one you gave him last Christmas." "Bring that." "You can stop walking now, Carl." "Take your glasses off." "Put them down." "Don't you see well without your glasses?" "Not small things, Miss Kalman." "Give it to him." "Walk some more." "I'm thinking of playing a practical joke on a friend of mine," "and I wonder if you care to help." "Certainly, he will." "Practical joke?" "Will anybody be hurt?" "Not physically." "It's none of your business." "I only asked 'cause I'm the one who" "What do you want him to do?" "Exactly at midnight, I want him to open that door and let Mr. Adams see you just for one second, then jump back into the room and close the door behind you." "Mr." "Adams?" "That's who we're playing the joke on." "I wouldn't want to spoil it for you." "I don't think I could do it well." "But there's no danger, if that's your concern." "I've seen many plays in my time, and jealous lovers always have a knife or gun or the poker from the fireplace." "Anyway, somebody's always lying on the floor." "You're a coward." "That's true." "All my life, I've been a coward." "You ought to be ashamed of yourself." "I am ashamed." "Mr. Adams won't harm you." "You can lock the door behind you." "And hide under the bed." "Why am I wasting everybody's time?" "Thank you, Carl." "But I'm going to lock the door." "What did you want me to do?" "All you have to do is to listen for the chimes and come out on the 12th chime." "Just step out." "One step." "Step back and close the door." "And lock it." "Just count the chimes and come out on the last one." "Maybe we ought to have a rehearsal." "What's the matter with you?" "Can't you count to 12?" "I can count fine, but this stepping out and stepping back, it has to be right." "Yes, we need a rehearsal." "What time is it?" "18 minutes to 12:00." "You get in there and listen for the chimes." "Doris will be the chimes and come out on the 12th one." "Right." "The 12th one." "That'll be my cue." "My hero." "All right." "Ready, Doris?" "Begin." "Philip, what are you doing here?" "He'll stand there disappointed." "He'll take a moment." "To understand." "What he sees" "Supper for two, the red roses." "Then he'll look back at me." "I'll look at the door, frightened." "I'll run to the door." "I'll stand in front of it, speechless, hand to my mouth." "What can I say?" "I'll say I'm sorry he had to find out." "I'm sorry it had to end this way." "Then I'll open the package, and I'll say..." "This is a beautiful bracelet." "I hope you can return it." "It is a beautiful bracelet." "Oh, it is." "The one thing you can't call him is cheap, but you can call him everything else." "Maybe he won't take it back." "How was I?" "You were fine, Carl." "You'll steal all the notices." "Time?" "Put the food on the plates." "Go back in the room and do it just the way you did it." "I'm a little bit nervous." "Stop it, Carl." "Go on." "All right, Doris." "I'll be listening." "Philip, what are you doing here?" "What can I say?" "I'm sorry." "Philip." "Happy birthday, darling." "What are you doing here?" "Why aren't you at the fireplace?" "What can I say?" "Don't say anything." "Just listen to me." "I have the most astonishing news." "Darling, we can be married!" "I've just had word from my wife." "She's willing to give me a divorce." "She's fallen in love with a ski instructor in Sun Valley." "Darling, will you marry me?" "What is it, darling?" "What..." "Who is that?" "No, no, no." "Wait a minute." "Calm down." "Now, who is that?" "Oh, Philip." "I knew you were going to say that." "Who is that?" "It's of no importance now." "It's important to me." "Who is it?" "That's Carl, dear." "Carl?" "In a bathrobe in your bedroom?" "That's David." "What am I going to say?" "I don't know." "I'd like to hear it." "What are you going to say?" "I know what I was going to say." "I was going to take this bracelet and say," ""This is a beautiful bracelet." "I hope you can return it."" "Don't you understand?" "No, I don't understand." "And to think I actually proposed marriage." "Marriage!" "But, Philip, you don't understand at all." "Miss Kalman, it didn't go very well, did it?" "There was nothing I could do." "Nothing." "There was nothing anybody could do." "How was I?" "Shut up, Carl." "How was I?" "Somebody tell me." "Please, Carl." "Miss Kalman, maybe if you told him truth..." "I did tell him the truth, and he wouldn't believe me." "It is all over." "Did I spoil something?" "No, not you, Carl." "I did." "With my little hatchet." "I can go to him and explain the whole thing." "Maybe he'll believe me." "Did something go wrong?" "Nothing much." "A small thing." "My life, that's all." "I don't want this bracelet." "It's yours." "This wasn't a gift." "Consider it as payment." "And while you are there, will you please give a message to my rival." "Tell him I'm indebted to him." "I can think of no man to whom I'm more indebted." "Wait a minute." "You can tell him yourself." "Come out." "It's all right." "It's Carl!" "I didn't do anything." "They made me do it." "That was a cheap and shoddy thing to do." "I didn't start being cheap and shoddy." "It didn't become you." "It didn't become our relationship." "What was our relationship?" "Something fine and spiritual." "On whose part?" "On my part!" "I contributed to the fine and spiritual." "You lied and cheated." "You're not married." "You're dishonest." "I was honorable." "I stuck to the rules." "You're not going to bring up the rules again." "What can man go by but rules?" "When you found out I wasn't married, you shouldn't have done anything about it." "That's what a clever woman would've done." "I'd had come around to marrying you." "You notice I did." "You wouldn't have if I hadn't made you jealous!" "I might've proposed a little later, but it was inevitable." "It's not true." "What's inevitable is that we are fated not to be married." "We had the chance for a moment, and we lost it." "It's too bad, too, because I love you very much, and we could've been very happy." "We can still be happy." "I wonder." "Well, I suppose any happiness is difficult enough to find." "It's not too becoming from a woman, but... we are hardly strangers, and knowing your passion for rules," "I'll make the proposition." "If you're willing, I'm willing." "The last two days never happened." "What do you mean?" "I mean we'll go on as before." "And not be married?" "That's right." "That's the most improper thing I've ever heard." "What?" "!" "I can hardly believe my ears." "What are you so shocked about?" "I didn't think you were capable of it." "What is different?" "We're not married." "We weren't before." "But you didn't know I wasn't married." "You knew." "I knew you didn't know." "What's the matter with you?" "How could you ask me to do such a thing?" "Haven't you been following what I've been saying?" "I tell you, women are not the sensitive sex." "That's one of the great delusions of literature." "Men are the true romanticists." "I'd" "What are you crying about?" "Shut up." "Don't cry, Anna." "I love you." "Everything will be all right." "You'll like being married." "You will." "You'll see." "Yes."