Angel Page #3

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The young lady didn't believe

in the institution of marriage.

- But you persuaded her.

- Oh, no.

Begging your pardon, sir, it was you, sir.

And you, m'lady.

- We?

- We?

I took the liberty of citing you both as an

example of how beautiful marriage can be,

and that convinced her.

- Did you hear that?

- Maybe we should stage a rousing quarrel,

so we won't feel quite so responsible.

- That's a lovely idea.

- What shall we quarrel about?

Well, I might say I'm a neglected wife.

No, darling. I'm afraid we couldn't quarrel

about that because I'd agree with you.

Oh, anyway, it's bad.

Complaining wives are such a bore.

We can find something better.

I have it. You're jealous.

A very charming woman is in love with me.

- I could believe that.

- Thank you.

But I wouldn't quarrel about it.

I would do just the opposite. I would try to be

twice as charming as the charming lady.

I'm sure it wouldn't be difficult for you.

- Oh, you're an angel.

- Thank you.

- Frederick?

- Yes, dear?

Someone is in love with me.

I'm crazy about him.

I've decided to leave you.

I'm already packed.

I wonder what you would do.

I certainly wouldn't quarrel.

It would be too late.

Darling, isn't it a shame?

Here we are, two intelligent people,

and we can't find anything to quarrel about.

- We're complete failures.

- Perhaps we are.

I'm sure we are.

We might just as well face it.

We're a hopelessly happy married couple.

Hm.

- What's that?

- Oh...

Just... just something I made up.

That's nice.

It's beautiful. Darling,

I didn't know you had so much talent.

- Let's hear the rest of it.

- Oh, no, no.

- Come on. Don't be timid.

- No.

- Let's hear it.

- I'm not in the mood.

- Temperamental artist, eh?

- No, not exactly.

But you see, I don't know

what the end is going to be.

You've certainly found a lovely beginning.

- Almost too lovely.

- Oh, you must finish it.

It's not so easy. Well, I don't know.

The beginning is so beautiful,

I wonder if the end matters.

It's an old tune, but it's still good.

Of course, I play it badly.

But you danced divinely.

- I'm not such a good dancer.

- You were a rotten dancer.

You stepped on my toes

and you ruined my shoes.

But still, I say you danced divinely.

Ah.

What's the matter?

You took me back to Vienna.

Now, was that nice?

What was the name of that little hotel?

Hm. I don't remember the name

or how we got there.

- All I remember is...

- It was glorious, wasn't it?

- And what a hotel.

- Let's forget it.

Oh! Oh, no. I could never forget it.

The service was too awful.

They had every inconvenience.

Do you realise there was no lift?

We climbed four flights of stairs.

Sometimes two at a time.

What a hotel.

And when we got to the top of the stairs,

what did we find?

Two small, badly-furnished rooms.

- Were there two?

- Certainly, there was a sitting room, darling.

Oh, Christopher, I'm so excited.

This is the thrill of my life.

I don't wanna miss a thing.

You must tell me who everybody is.

- Afternoon, Mr Breckinbridge.

- Oh! Is that Mr Breckinbridge?

- Yes, yes indeed.

- Oh, my.

Very modest man. You wouldn't dream

he's Lord Straighton's butler.

How do you do, Mademoiselle Maupois.

- Lady Fellingham's personal maid.

- You don't say.

This is so fascinating,

seeing all these people in the flesh.

- Love me?

- Insanely.

Hello, John. Interesting case.

He was Lord Aldergate's valet for 20 years,

but it didn't last.

They differed in their political views.

Situation finally became impossible when

Lord Aldergate joined the Labour Party.

- Hello, George.

- Hiya, Toots.

Oh, hello!

- Who's that?

- Er... an American chauffeur.

Now, let's see if I can find Lady Barker.

There she is.

In the black dress,

in front of the staircase.

What has happened?

She seems a bit upset.

- It's nothing serious?

- No, no.

- Just a headache, but it's annoying.

- I'll go with you.

No. I'll lie down for an hour and be all right.

- You go back to your guests.

- Pardon me. May I?

- It's for Consolidated Press.

- Yes.

- Thank you.

- I'd rather not.

- One second.

- Please, no.

- I'm sorry. Some other time.

- Thank you, sir. Yes.

I hope you don't mind

but I'm not in the mood for a picture.

- I know I don't look well.

- That's all right.

Are you sure I can't take you home?

Positive. You stay and have a good time.

- Take her Ladyship home. Drive carefully.

- Yes, sir.

- Oh, how is your wife?

- She'll be all right. Just a headache.

- Don't forget Saturday.

- No. One o'clock.

One o'clock. Right.

- There's your ticket, old man.

- Oh, thank you, Tony.

- I wonder if you're right about Landslide.

- I think she's the best bet of the day.

Oh, I'm getting a lot of interesting fellows

together for Saturday.

Good. Which one is Landslide?

Oh, yes. There she is.

- Who's going to be there on Saturday?

- The Duke of Amesbury,

Earl of Avonborough, Argentine

ambassador, about 20 of us.

Pleasant luncheon?

Yes, very nice, very nice indeed.

I'm glad of this opportunity

to meet you, Sir Frederick.

- I've been looking forward to it.

- Thanks.

I've a feeling you and I might find

some very interesting things to talk about.

I'm quite sure we could.

Yes, these are very exciting times.

- Sir Frederick...

- Yes?

I wonder if you know who I am.

Well, certainly. Devon's told me

about you. You're his house guest.

- You were in India for quite a while.

- Right.

I still wonder if you know who I am.

Mr Halton, aren't you?

Yes. Doesn't that name

mean anything to you?

I'm sorry. I'm at a complete loss.

Sir Frederick, you once deliberately

stole my overcoat.

- I beg your pardon?

- But I helped myself to a pair of your gloves.

This... sounds like a mystery story.

No, no, just a war anecdote.

Oh! What was your regiment?

- I was in the Warwickshire. 10th Battalion.

- I was Leicesters. Machine guns.

I don't think the two regiments

ever came together.

Neither did we. But during 1916 and 17,

you went to Paris several times on leave.

Yes, that's right, I did.

You were very young.

- And she was charming.

- Who?

Paulette.

Do you mean...

Paulette Fouchardire?

Paulette Fouchardire.

Modiste. Third floor.

Hem stitching and embroidery.

Are you Poochie?

Yes, Schnoogie.

Well!

Let me have a look at you.

- You didn't have a moustache then.

- No.

Your picture was on the small table...

- Next to the little silver box...

- With the bird on top.

- And when you opened it...

- It played O Sole Mio.

Ah, she was lovely, wasn't she?

- Paulette Fouchardire.

- Mm.

Oh... what a rotten trick Napoleon

played on her great-great-grandfather.

Mm. If Napoleon had kept his promise...

- After the Battle of Valenciennes...

- Which Grandpapa really won.

Grandpapa would have

married the Duchess of Parma.

And Paulette would have become

the Princess of Naples.

I wonder whatever became of her.

To the Princess of Naples.

The Princess.

That's very kind of you, Lady Burnstead.

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