A Woman's Face Page #2

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- Who said I had any children?

Well, I haven't.

ATTORNEY:
Thank you.

- You're welcome.

[CROWD LAUGHS]

[GAVEL BANGING]

JUDGE:

Call the next witness.

- Now me?

- Next witness, Bernard Dalvik, restaurateur.

Yes.

And no.

[WHISPERING]

Stop that.

[HERMAN COUGHING]

- It's my chest.

- Bad?

- Awful.

- No talking about the case.

Why, of course not.

- He said watch out for the third judge.

- Not another word.

- And no smoking.

- Right.

What do you mean

"Look out for the judge?"

Be quiet.

JUDGE:
An important point. I'll inquire.

ASSOCIATE:
Yes.

What was this relationship between

the prisoner and Mr. Torsten Barring?

Well, we might refer

to the relationship as...

...romantic.

- Did or did not the prisoner...

...form this attachment

for ulterior purposes?

Yes, sir, at first.

The softer emotions

had never entered her life...

...and then, suddenly...

...like the unfortunate journeyman

in Deuteronomy, verse 17...

...she was hoist by her own petard.

In a word, sir, she fell for the gentleman,

bustle over teakettle.

[CROWD LAUGHING]

Well, sir, you may smile.

You may laugh at that.

And we laughed at first.

But it soon became no joke,

I'm telling you.

For instance, one afternoon,

shortly after she'd met Mr. Barring...

- ... in our offi...

ASSOCIATE:
At this roadhouse?

DALVIK:
Oh, no, sir. That was only one

of several financial irons we had in the fire.

ASSOCIATE:

All of which were perfectly legal?

DALVIK:

Oh, yes, indeed, sir.

HERMAN:

There. How do you like that?

DALVIK:

I don't like it at all.

You wouldn't be lucky

if you played fair.

- I suppose you play fair?

- I did.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Anybody want a massage?

- Where's Anna? In her office?

- She's out shopping.

Shopping? What for?

Another veil, another trench coat, huh?

What the well-dressed gargoyle

will wear.

[DALVIK AND CHRISTINA

SNICKERING]

We mustn't make fun of one

of this earth's unfortunates.

- She may have come in her own door.

- I don't care if she did.

Shh!

What about...

...where you've been?

Mrs. Dr. Segert was home

and I gave her a massage.

- Did you ever see such a beautiful face?

- Shh!

For heaven's sakes, Bernard.

Anna isn't here.

And if I wanna say a woman's got

a pretty face, I'm going to.

Not here, not here.

And speaking of faces, my dear wife,

look at yours.

- Fix your hair.

- What's the matter with it?

Where's the mirror? Oh.

- Never have any mirrors around here.

- Mirrors are verboten here.

Anna has a slight prejudice

against them.

Oh, she has, has she? Well.

DALVIK:
Where'd that ace come from?

HERMAN:
Where do you think?

DALVIK:

From the bottom of the pack, I suppose.

HERMAN:
Well, I'll be.

DALVIK:
Go on beat that.

There. Is that more to your liking,

my lord and master?

Yes.

Now, what about Mrs. Segert?

Mrs. Segert swallowed the bait,

my turtledove.

- When will she be here?

- This afternoon, my pigeon.

- You wanna know something else?

- What?

- She has a pretty face.

- Shut up.

HERMAN:
Come on. It's your play.

Come on. It's your play.

What is this, a card game

or a family row? I'm sick and tired...

ANNA:

Is Mrs. Segert coming?

CHRISTINA:

This afternoon.

My dear, what a becoming hat.

[HERMAN WHISTLES]

What's the matter?

- It's beautiful, my dear.

- It's grand.

- Whiff of spring.

- It's lovely. Lovely.

I know all you dear, sweet people

are lying.

Even the moths were fed up

with my other hat.

CHRISTINA:

My dear, you never looked prettier.

- Really?

- It's divine.

Perfect.

- Christina.

- Yes?

I, uh...

I saw some blouses.

Lacey.

Look.

I bought two more of them

in different colors.

- No. Tsk-tsk-tsk.

- Yes.

HERMAN:

It's my lead.

DALVIK:
Last trick was mine.

Here, 10 of diamonds.

HERMAN:

It was my turn. You played the eight.

DALVIK:

I never had eight in my hand.

ANNA:
You beasts.

- Anna, we didn't do it.

- You dirty, foul, loathsome swine.

DALVIK:
Anna, no.

[GLASS SHATTERS]

TORSTEN:
What's seems to be the trouble?

- Oh, nothing. Nothing.

ANNA:

Why didn't you tell me Mr. Barring is here?

We didn't know.

I took the liberty of entering

by your private door.

Yes, of course.

And you're welcome to.

Your shopping venture

was extremely successful.

Come in, come in, won't you?

- That was a very funny joke of yours.

- Yeah, very funny. Ha-ha-ha.

- Three dead.

- She wouldn't have.

- Wouldn't she?

- She would.

Well, that explains the new hat.

Did you know anything about this?

What would Mr. Torsten Barring

have to do with her?

Yes. What would any man

have to do with her?

- He's handsome too.

- You think so.

Has she said anything to you about him?

Has there ever been any insanity

in the Barring family?

He couldn't be doing this for the police?

- Why, certainly not.

- No.

And why, my dear fellow, should

we have any concern about the police?

That's right. Why should we?

Yes. Why, indeed.

[BUZZER SOUNDING]

Mrs. Dr. Segert.

I haven't got a vase.

The only use I've ever had for one before

is to throw at those numbskulls out there.

[KNOCKING]

The client has arrived.

- I shouldn't come during business hours.

- It's been very interesting, Mr. Barring.

I'm sorry, but some woman wants

to discuss her financial affairs.

- Do forgive me.

- There will be other times.

The exit from paradise.

ANNA:
Mr. Barring?

TORSTEN:
Yes.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

My masseuse directed me here.

She implied you might understand

my particular problem.

DALVIK:

My dear lady, I've devoted my life...

...to the understanding

of particular problems.

I don't quite know how to begin.

Possibly, I may assist you.

- You are married?

- And so happily married.

- My husband is a saint.

- To be sure.

To be sure.

- But, uh...

- Ah.

Some letters of mine were stolen.

I think at a roadhouse.

Oh, very unimportant letters, of course.

Of no possible value to anyone.

Some letters to your husband.

- No.

- Aha-ha.

- Oh, he's so stupid.

- Your husband. I see.

No. No, my friend.

To have lost them.

Some stranger

keeps telephoning me about them.

Incredible. Why should he do that?

He wants 5000 kroner.

Why, that's out-and-out blackmail.

Oh, what shall I do?

I haven't 5000 kroner.

Neither has my friend.

My poor dear woman.

[SOBBING]

Perhaps I can help you.

I have an acquaintance, I won't say friend,

he's a thoroughly bad lot.

But he might contact this blackmailer.

Perhaps in view of the circumstances,

ask for a reduction.

[BUZZER SOUNDING]

Please excuse me a moment.

My secretary.

Reduction. Reduction. You old fool.

- Now, Anna, a little milk of human kind...

- Shut up.

I want 10,000 kroner from that woman.

Ten? You said five.

- I want 10.

- What's the extra five for?

- Because she's pretty?

- Shut up.

The extra five is all for me.

- You mean...?

ANNA:
Shh!

- You mean you won't divide?

- I mean just that.

I take 7000 kroner for myself.

And I want it tonight.

Anna, what's happened to you?

She's in love with a society man.

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