Behind the Scenes: The End of the Affair Page #2

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I know.

Didn't want to be quick.

I booked a table at Palmer's.

Can't we stay here?

Well, it's where

we always used to go.

You see,

I've never been back there.

Well, it was never

your restaurant, was it?

- So you still go there?

- Yeah, two or three times a week.

It's convenient.

Let's go.

Thank you. Thanks.

- Sorry about that.

- That's quite all right, sir.

Got my hand caught in the way.

Such a pleasure to see you, sir.

It's been so long,

I thought you'd forgotten us.

- I was afraid you'd say that.

- And you, ma'am.

- It's been a long time too.

- Two years, Alfred.

- There.

- Thank you.

Why did you lie?

- About my coming here?

- Yes.

Why did you want to meet?

I wanted to ask you about Henry.

Henry.

I'm worried about him.

How did you find him

the other night?

- Was he strange at all?

- I didn't notice anything wrong.

I wanted to ask you...

I know you're very busy...

whether you could

look him up occasionally.

I think he's lonely.

With you?

You know he's

never really noticed me...

not for years.

Maybe you've given him reason.

What reason could I give?

What reason did you give me?

None.

- Are you on a new book?

- Of course.

It's not about us, is it?

The one you threatened to write.

A book takes a year to write.

It's too hard work for revenge.

If you knew how little

you had to revenge.

I'm joking.

Yeah, we had a good time together.

We're adults, and we knew

it had to end sometime.

And now we can lunch

and talk about Henry.

I'm sorry.

This was stupid,

and I really shouldn't have called.

That cough needs attending to.

It's only a cough.

Good-bye, Maurice.

Good-bye.

- Your menu, sir.

- Thank you.

I'm sorry, but you have to realize

I'm jealous of everything that moves.

- I'm jealous of the rain.

- How can you be jealous of the rain?

Where did you get it?

Spain.

That was my war, I'm afraid.

It finished me off for this one.

You were shot. How romantic.

Not really.

They put a pin inside me.

I wondered about the limp.

Could I grow to love it?

And have you?

I have never, ever loved anyone

as much as you.

Yes?

A Mr. Parkis to see you, sir.

Show him in.

This way, please.

- I'll be with you in a minute, Mr...

- The name's Parkis.

Mr. Savage's man.

Sit down.

Take a cigarette.

Oh, no, sir.

Not on duty, sir.

Unless, of course,

for purposes of concealment.

But you're not on duty now.

Well, in a manner of speaking,

yes, sir.

I've just been relieved for half an hour

while I make my report.

So there's something to report?

It's not quite a blank sheet, sir.

Have me met

somewhere before, sir?

I don't think so.

Well, like I say, sir...

it's not quite a blank sheet.

But then it never is.

Me and my boy,

we followed the...

Your boy?

My son, sir.

Yeah, I'm teaching him

the business.

I mean, a boy can be useful

in all sorts of ways.

On the day in question, the party in

question went by tube to Piccadilly...

and proceeded

to the Park Lane Hotel.

She seemed quite agitated.

And there met a gentleman with whom

she was obviously quite close...

since they greeted each other

with an affectionate lack of ceremony...

and at one point...

although I cannot be certain of this...

held hands along the bar.

- They held hands?

- Yes, sir.

Gentleman pushed the lady's glass

towards her...

and...

the hand sort of stayed there...

for some time.

Which generally indicates

a squeeze of that nature.

After a short conversation,

they proceeded to a restaurant...

called...

Palmer's...

which was difficult to gain access to,

me being with the boy and all.

But I observed them

through the window.

And after a while,

the lady left...

laboring...

well, it seemed to me...

under great emotion.

Great emotion.

You're sure of that?

Oh, without doubt, sir.

Then I followed her down

Charing Cross Road to Maiden Lane...

where she turned into a church for what

I can only presume was a good cry.

She's not a Roman, is she, sir?

No.

Thought not.

She didn't kneel, sir,

but sat.

From the angle of her face,

I could tell...

tears were an issue.

- Forgive the personal touch.

- Of course.

You see, I liked the lady.

The party in question.

As did I, but you were wrong

about the hands.

The hands, sir?

We never so much as touched hands.

Oh, dear.

- I have made a fool of myself.

- Sarah has that effect.

Mr. Savage

should have introduced us.

Oh, no, sir.

- It was up to me.

- Well, it's not serious.

If you look at it from the outside,

it's quite funny.

But I'm on the inside, sir.

It's not Mr. Savage I'm worried about

so much. It's my boy, sir.

- When I tell him you're the husband...

- But you're wrong.

I'm acting on the husband's behalf.

So you've requested

an investigation yourself?

That's an interesting paradox.

But who's the wronged party then,

sir, if you'll forgive?

Pardon me, sir.

I am slow in such matters.

Both you and the husband have been

supplanted in the lady's affections by...

Another?

Try to think of it

the way I do, Mr. Parkis.

Jealousy can only exist

with desire.

You are on a hunt for desire.

Just regard yourself

as its servant.

Of course, sir.

That's my job.

Thank you.

The vicarious lover, Parkis.

- Good night, sir.

- Good night.

I wondered how much of her

he could reclaim for me.

And, for a moment,

I wished I was him...

shining his searchlight

around her world.

I am a jealous man.

- I'm jealous of this stocking.

- Why?

'Cause it does what I can't.

It kisses your whole leg.

And I'm jealous of this button.

- Poor, innocent button.

- It's not innocent at all.

It's with you all day,

and I'm not.

- I suppose you're jealous of my shoes.

- Yes.

Why?

Because they'll

take you away from me.

I measured love

by the extent of my jealousy.

And as my jealousy was infinite...

Anyone who loves is jealous.

My love should have

been infinite too.

I hate you being unhappy. I don't mind

anything you do that makes you happy.

- If I slept with someone else?

- That's neither here nor there.

I want you to be happy,

that's all.

Maybe you'd want an excuse

to do the same.

- I never would.

- But you do.

- Do what?

- Sleep with someone else.

You mean Henry?

How can anyone be jealous of Henry?

He has you. I don't.

We inhabit the same house.

That's all. You know that.

I'm the shadow he walks around.

And I love you.

I would rather be dead or see you dead

than with another man.

I will never, ever be

with another man.

You may see me dead,

but I will never be with another man.

- We should go down to the shelter.

- Stay here, Sarah.

If a bomb hit us now,

think of what wouldn't happen.

- What wouldn't happen?

- You wouldn't go back to Henry.

I would never imagine

another lover.

- My jealousy would end.

- Would that make you happy?

Do you believe me now?

But sadly, I didn't believe her.

There was a devil in my mind

that would never let me.

And now I had Parkis'boy

playing the devil's game.

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