All This, and Heaven Too Page #8

you must go to your mother and ask her.

Oh, I couldn't do that.

When I marry, I don't want to be like Mama.

- Isabelle, you shouldn't say...

- But that's just it. That's what frightens me.

Seeing Mama the way she is,

I couldn't even talk to her.

But you, I wish you'd tell me.

Well, Isabelle,

there isn't very much I can tell you.

I have never been married, you know.

Haven't you ever been in love?

Well, I've had the love of my children.

But I mean the other kind of love.

Does it always make people unhappy?

What can I say?

If love is right,

it is the most precious gift in the world.

But you must be sure, very sure,

that it is right.

For if it isn't...

...there is no worse agony.

Nothing more bitter.

Nothing more Ionely to be imagined.

Thank you, dear mademoiselle.

I feel so much better already.

I'm sorry I was such a baby.

Oh, but you weren't, darling.

And we'll talk about it more tomorrow

if you want to.

Go to sleep now, Isabelle.

I will, mademoiselle.

Good night.

Good night, mademoiselle.

Monsieur.

I'm sorry.

I stood it down there as long as I could.

The smiles and bows and hypocrisy.

How are the children, actually?

Very well, monsieur. Their studies...

I miss them.

And they miss you.

They think about you.

They wonder. I wish I knew if I was right

when I agreed...

Has madame told you our plans

about next Saturday?

No, I have not seen madame

for several days.

I'm rather glad she didn't tell you,

for it's good news.

We're taking the children to Melun

for the holidays.

Oh? I've heard so much about Melun

from the children.

It is your home.

Yes.

Yes, it's my home.

It must be beautiful in the country

at this season.

How good it will be to get away from...

From here.

The first snow.

Yes, it's come early this year.

How like a fairyland

it makes the garden look.

Why are you smiling?

May I share

whatever pleases you so much?

You will think I am very silly, I'm afraid.

But standing here like this

with the snow falling...

...reminds me of something

I used to know.

Do you remember

the little round glass globes that...?

Oh, yes, I know.

With a snow scene inside.

We had a paperweight

on the desk at home like that.

You shook it and the snow whirled out

from nowhere in a blinding storm.

Yes, that's exactly what I mean.

Then if you looked closely enough...

...the whole rest of the world

seemed to be...

...obliterated and shut out.

I'll tell the children about Melun.

I'm sure they'll be delighted.

Thank you, mademoiselle.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Good evening, monsieur.

I trust you had a pleasant time.

- Who are you?

- I am Charpentier.

- Charpentier?

- Your new valet, monsieur.

Since when are you my valet?

Since this evening when the marechal

was kind enough to engage me.

- Oh? The marechal engaged you?

- Yes.

How thoughtful of the marechal.

- Shall I prepare you for bed now?

- No, thank you.

- I'm capable of preparing myself for bed.

- Is there anything I can do for you?

Yes, you can get out. Tell your master

I'll give him a report of my activities.

- But...

- Good night.

Good night, monsieur.

Who is it?

It's only me.

It's very late.

Oughtn't you to be sleeping?

I ought to, but I couldn't.

What about you? Oughtn't you to?

Or couldn't you, either?

- What do you want, Pierre?

- This is from the master.

Now, now, not so eager.

You stand there on tenterhooks

for a minute or two.

- Was that meant for humor, Pierre?

- Humor's a wonderful thing...

...and we shouldn't waste any of it

that comes our way.

For instance, in a way,

there's humor in the master...

...sending me out

in the middle of the night...

...to buy trinkets

for the pretty governess.

- There is no humor in impertinence, Pierre.

- That's another thing, impertinence.

It's a privilege that comes with old age

and partly makes up for other losses.

I'll give you a little bit of impertinent

but good advice, mademoiselle.

Run. Run out of this house for your life

if it's not too late.

I haven't the least idea

what you're talking about.

I'm talking about a man who has a wife.

- How dare you.

- Now, now, you must forgive an old man...

...for talking so plainly.

But I watched you

come into this difficult household...

...and I know what your presence

has meant to the children and to monsieur.

I've loved him ever since he was a little boy

running around at Melun.

He's a fine gentleman, mademoiselle.

Yes, he is, Pierre.

And I think you're a fine person too.

That's why I dare

to speak to you like this.

Don't you know there has never been

a word between the duke and myself...

...that couldn't be shared

by all the eyes in the world?

But your feelings, could they be shared?

Yes, of course.

Then why do you stand at this window?

Not now, but so often.

What is it you see from here?

Is it perhaps the lights

in the other wing of the house?

Look, mademoiselle, there on the left,

the lights in her rooms are burning...

...and there on the right,

the lights in his room are burning.

And between them is that long passage

where the lights never burn.

Suppose some night you saw

that passage lighted.

Could you share your feelings then

with all the world?

- You had better go now, Pierre.

- Yeah. Yeah, I'll go.

I'll go because I see it's too late

to give you any warning.

You're caught in the net

and you don't even wish to escape.

Good night, mademoiselle.

Then if you looked closely enough...

... the whole rest of the world

seemed to be obliterated and shut out.

Now, you look after the duke

and the duchess.

George, you take care

of mademoiselle and the children.

Put the master's luggage

in the other carriage.

Hasn't madame's luggage come down?

Not yet, monsieur.

Well, I'll see about it.

I hope there will be lots of snow.

- Hello, all ready?

- Oh, Papa.

Are we really going?

We certainly are,

as soon as your mother is ready.

Did you pack enough

woolen stockings for yourself?

- I hope Marie will go sleigh riding.

- What time will we arrive?

Frances, the children are wait...

- I understand, madame. May I go now?

- Yes. Yes.

Excuse me, Monsieur le Duc.

May I have Pierre come for your luggage?

Theo, last night I poured my heart out

to you in a letter.

I crept to your door.

I'm forbidden to enter...

...and stooped

and pushed it under the sill.

- I received it, Frances.

- But look...

...you didn't even open it.

Oh, Theo, do you suppose

this empty pretense is what I'd hoped for?

Last night I begged you to come to me.

I'd hoped that we might start

this journey today united as we once were.

Theo, have you completely forgotten

the life we once shared together?

If you're unhappy, Frances,

I'm truly sorry...

...but I swear, I never intended you pain.

Oh, no, you only say that.

In reality, you delight in torturing me...

...as one day, heaven willing,

I will torture you.

- We'll be waiting for you in the carriage.

- You needn't trouble.

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