A Night at the Opera Page #6

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- It is I. Rodolfo.

Come in.

Do you mind my dropping down?

No, of course not.

Only, I was just going to take a nap.

- Rosa, why do you do this to me?

- Do what, Rodolfo?

Whenever I want to see you,

you make some excuse.

You will not dine with me, ride with me,

or even take a walk with me.

But, Rodolfo, you know how busy I am.

My debut in America.

Have you forgotten that it was I...

who brought about your debut in America?

No, I haven't forgotten.

Then why do you treat me this way?

Rodolfo, I must ask you to leave.

Come now, my dear. Be sensible.

If you ask me,

I think she's being very sensible.

Baroni.

Now I understand.

You did not tell me

you had a previous engagement.

Now you know it.

And I apologize.

Now, permit me to withdraw.

In a boudoir, two are company,

three a crowd.

- Just what do you mean by that?

- Please, Riccardo.

Surely I have made my meaning clear.

Riccardo!

You have not heard the end of this.

- I'm sure I haven't.

- You may be very sure.

- Good afternoon, Mr. Driftwood.

- Good afternoon.

- Ready for the opening tonight?

- Am I?

That's all right, boys.

I was young myself once.

Thank you.

Good morning, Mr. Driftwood.

- How are all my songbirds?

- Fine.

Splendid. Sing well tonight, now.

Waiting for you, Mr. Driftwood.

Step right in.

Thank you, Otto.

- Nice day, isn't it?

- It has its points.

Here you are, sir.

- Thank you, Otto.

- That's all right, Mr. Driftwood.

What's all this? What's going on here?

You mean, what's coming off here?

- You can't do that.

- Wanna bet?

But that's my office.

I'm taking orders from Mr. Gottlieb.

Go see him about it.

I'll see Mr. Gottlieb,

and I'll break you, my fine fellow.

Go see Mr. Gottlieb.

What's the meaning of this?

If you think that I'm going to...

If you're busy, I'll return later.

Just a minute, Mr. Driftwood.

We have some news for you.

News? For me?

Mrs. Claypool has decided to dispense

with your services immediately.

Dispense with my services?

She hasn't even had them.

I warned you, if you continued to associate

with those men...

everything would be over between us.

And you've been associating with them.

How do you know? You couldn't find them.

You've disgraced me,

and the entire Opera Company.

As Mrs. Claypool's

new business manager...

I must request you to get out and stay out.

Just a minute. You can't fire me

without two weeks' salary.

That's in section 10-A of my contract.

I find that you have overdrawn your salary

for the next six months.

- In that case, I'll take one week's salary.

- You'll take nothing. Get out.

If that's your best offer, I'll get out,

but I'm not making a nickel on it.

As for you, Mrs. Claypool,

I withdraw my offer of marriage.

And that goes for you, too.

The thanks I get

for working my fingers to the bone.

- All right, Otto.

- Just a minute.

This car is for officials. Take the stairs.

- The stairs?

- Yeah.

Why, that's four flights.

I can't walk all that distance.

All right. I'll help you.

- Now there's room.

- That's all I needed.

I'm certainly glad I met you boys.

First you get me fired,

then you get me thrown out of my hotel...

and finally you push me off a park bench.

There's one consolation.

Nothing more can happen to me.

Get off of the grass.

I was wrong.

People drink too much water, anyhow.

I'm certainly glad you came along.

When I met you boys, I had a good job

and was about to marry a rich widow.

Now I can't even sit on the grass.

I'd give you my seat, but I'm sitting here.

That's an offer.

I'd like to think it over for a couple of days.

Where can I find you?

Don't worry.

Wherever you are, you'll find us.

I'm sick of that.

Let's meet somewhere else.

It's Rosa.

At least I can get my bench back.

Don't feel so badly, Riccardo.

I can't feel cheerful

about being such a hoodoo to you.

We all make things bad for you.

What's the matter?

What do you think?

Lassparri. He's get Rosa fired.

- Lassparri?

- He won't let her sing tonight.

What do you know about that?

We've got all day to think of some plan.

And believe me,

the way I think, it'll take all day.

- Good evening, Tim.

- Good evening.

Plenty for you tonight.

- Thank you.

- You're welcome, sir.

What does this mean?

Just the man I want to see.

Gottlieb, these are the worst cigars

I ever smoked.

Yes, and your ice isn't cold enough, either.

Get out of here, all of you.

I shall send for the police.

Just a minute.

I'll tell you what we came here for.

We make you a proposition.

So you're willing to give yourselves up?

Yes, if you let Rosa sing.

I'm managing director,

and Rosa does not sing.

But the rest of your proposition...

giving yourselves up,

that rather appeals to me.

Give me police headquarters.

Sergeant Henderson, please.

Hello, toots.

What are you doing here?

This is Mr. Gottlieb's box.

He couldn't come,

so he gave me his ticket.

And he couldn't get dressed,

so he gave me his clothes.

Shorty, will you toss up that kelly?

Attaboy. Here.

Get yourself a stogy.

Who's ahead?

Open the door.

Get me police headquarters.

Mrs. Claypool,

have you seen Mr. Gottlieb?

No. Isn't he backstage?

He's disappeared.

We can't find him anywhere.

You didn't look in the right place.

He was to make a speech

before the curtain went up.

That's the cue.

You'd better say something.

But I never made a speech in my life.

- All right, I'll take care of it.

- You?

Ladies and gentlemen...

I guess that takes in most of you.

This is the opening of a new opera season.

A season made possible

by the generous checks of Mrs. Claypool.

I'm sure the familiar strains of Verdi's

music will come back to you tonight...

and Mrs. Claypool's checks

will probably come back in the morning.

Tonight marks the American debut

of Rodolfo Lassparri.

Signor Lassparri comes

from a very famous family.

His mother was a well-known bass singer.

His father was the first man to stuff

spaghetti with bicarbonate of soda...

thus causing and curing indigestion

at the same time.

Now, on with the opera.

Let joy be unconfined.

Let there be dancing in the streets...

drinking in the saloons,

and necking in the parlor.

Play, Don.

I'll take this side.

It's none of my business...

but I think there's a brace of woodpeckers

in the orchestra.

Don't give up, boys. The cavalry is coming.

- I'll see you later.

- What are you doing?

It's all right. It's just the Tarzan in me.

That Schweinehund.

Peanuts! Get your fresh

roasted peanuts, folks!

They're nice and hot! Get your peanuts!

Here you are!

There you are, you...

What are you laughing at?

- Those clothes don't fit you.

- Why you...

You're getting to be

a good shot, Tomasso.

The opera starts.

Now we really go to work.

The curtain's up.

- They've started.

- Now, don't worry.

Someone open the door here!

Let me out of here!

Herr Gottlieb.

- Where are they? Where did they go?

- What?

"What," he asks me.

- Did a couple of men come up here?

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