Belle of the Nineties Page #5

From now on, you're gonna be

my special problem.

And I ain't gonna neglect you.

TIGER:
That's what I wanna hear you say.

TIGER:
When can I see you again?

Anytime.

- Good night.

- Good night, Ruby.

[Sad instrumental music]

Good night.

Trying to outsmart me, what a laugh that is.

Fooling with one of the smartest dames

he ever put his arms around.

I sees you and Mr. Tiger is together again.

You think we're together,

you're a bad judge of distance.

Why, if he was the last man on earth,

I wouldn't...

- I wouldn't...

- The last man?

Maybe I'm taking in

a little too much territory.

EBEN:
Who's the cause of all sickness?

ALL:
The Devil.

EBEN:
Who's the cause of poor crops?

ALL:
The Devil.

- Who's the cause of all evil?

- The Devil.

- What did the Devil ever do for us?

- Nothing.

Not a thing. I'm going to take up

a collection to fight the Devil.

And I want you all to show me

how much you hate him.

[Crowd cheering]

[Spiritual music playing]

- Where's that music coming from?

- That's Brother Eben and his flock.

He preaches bad sass to the Devil.

I was thinking if you won't be needing me,

I'd like to go to that meeting tonight.

- You can go after I'm dressed.

- Yes, ma'am.

Mr. Brooks sure been good to you.

Wasn't you just a little bit nervous

when he gave you all those presents?

No, I was calm and collected.

There was no reason for him giving me

all those wonderful presents.

I don't know him much better

than I know Shakespeare.

Shakespeare? I don't remember

any Mr. Shakespeare calling on you.

- That was before you came with me.

- I see.

It's gonna hurt,

but I'm gonna give all those jewels back.

RUBY:
That is if I get them back.

JASMINE:
What?

I'm saying I shouldn't have taken them

in the first place.

When it comes to refusing jewellery,

I got about as much willpower as a flea...

that's weak.

JASMINE:
All my life

I've been looking for a man...

that's big, handsome,

and got plenty of money.

What you've been looking for is three men.

- Are you in love?

- Uh-huh.

JASMINE:
What kind of husband

should I get?

Why don't you take a single man?

Leave the husbands alone.

RUBY:
And that's one to remember.

JASMINE:
Yes, ma'am.

I still don't understand why you is giving

Mr. Claybourne all those jewels back.

I'm going to stop this thing

before it goes too far.

I could like him very much.

I don't think I'd make him happy.

And people would talk.

JASMINE:
What could anybody say

about you, Miss Ruby?

People get reputations

from people talking about people...

when they don't even know the people.

Yeah, saying things that ain't true.

Give me my pocketbook.

When you go to that prayer meeting

say a little prayer for me.

Yes, ma'am, I sure will.

Here, put that in the collection,

and be sure not to take any change.

No, ma'am.

EBEN:
[Singing] Pray, children

Pray, pray children

and you'll be saved

WOMAN 1:
Preach it, brother, preach it.

MAN 1:
Tell it now, tell it now.

EBEN:
[Singing] Pray, children

Bow down, bow down.

WOMAN 2:
Yeah, Lord, yeah, Lord.

[Singing lively spiritual song]

Bow down, bow down.

WOMEN:
Tell it, now, tell it now.

[Singing] Oh, I'm gonna drown

down in those troubled waters

They're creeping round my soul

They're way beyond control

And they'll wash my sins away

before the morning

They say that I'm

one of the Devil's daughters

They look at me with scorn

I'll never hear that horn

I'll be underneath the water

Judgement morning

Oh, Lord, am I to blame?

Must I bow my head in shame

if people go round scandalising my name?

I'm gonna drown

down in those troubled waters

They're creeping round my soul

They're way beyond control

And they'll wash my sins away

before the morning

[Spiritual song continuing]

Preach it, brother, preach it.

[Singing] Oh, Lord, am I to blame?

Must I bow my head in shame

if people go round scandalising my name?

I'm gonna drown

down in those troubled waters

They're creeping round my soul

They're way beyond control

And they'll wash my sins away

before the morning

EBEN:
Are you a sinner?

WOMAN 4:
No, I'm not!

WOMAN 5:
Yes, yes!

Hallelujah!

MAN 2:
Yes, my soul is God's.

JOE:
Come on, Tony, hurry up.

We'll be late for the fight.

All right, Joe.

Come on, give me my furs.

What are you doing there?

Watching that gambling man. He may cheat

on dice but he won't cheat on me.

RUBY:
You want him to be a good man.

JASMINE:
He is a good man.

RUBY:
You mean he's a good man.

JASMINE:
[Laughing] That's it. Yes, ma'am.

I hopes you enjoy the big fight.

I will, if everything goes the way I want it to.

I know you is dying for the Tiger Kid to win.

That reminds me...

Brooks Claybourne has been losing

a lot of money gambling.

RUBY:
I want you to tell him not to bet

on the Tiger Kid...

because the only way to get even

is to bet against him. Understand?

- Yes.

- Yes, what?

- Yes, ma'am.

- No. What did I just tell you?

JASMINE:
You want me to tell the Tiger Kid

he can't win.

No, no.

JASMINE:
I knows. You want me to tell

Mr. Brooks to bet on the Tiger Kid.

Never mind. I'll attend to it myself.

- Go get my jewel case.

- Yes.

[Knocking on door]

Come in.

ACE:
I see you're all ready.

RUBY:
Yeah. Got the seats?

In the Tiger Kid's corner.

That's where you wanted them, isn't it?

Betting heavy on him, ain't you?

Never made heavier bets in my life.

It ought to be easy money for you today.

- Shall we go?

- Yeah.

Now, Ace, I want you to put these

in a safe place. I've been robbed once.

Oh, yes.

I don't feel like wearing them

and I don't want to take any chances.

All right, I'll put them away.

- All right.

- Yeah. Just a minute.

- Ready?

- I'm more than ready.

ANNOUNCER:
Ladies and gentlemen...

the main bout this afternoon

for the Championship of the World.

In this corner, introducing the champion,

Battling Burke.

In this corner, the challenger,

from St. Louis, the Tiger Kid.

The referee.

[Bell rings]

SPECTATOR:
Get in that fight.

[Bell rings]

You're doing swell, Tiger.

- Got a lot of money on you. Get it over with.

- Just a few more rounds.

Give the crowd their money's worth.

Sure, this is only the 27th round.

Ace, give him time.

Go after him fast this round, champ.

You can nail him.

Yeah, if I can find him.

[Bell rings]

Ruby, looks like a knockout.

[Crowd cheering]

[Bell rings]

- Give him the bottle.

- Oh, Tiger.

Ace, have you heard any more

about my diamonds?

No, I haven't, but I ought to hear something

any day now.

[Bell rings]

[Crowd cheering]

What's the matter with you, Tiger? Get up.

With only four seconds to go.

Can you imagine?

You could knock me over with a feather.

I've got three down on him.

BROOKS:
Gentlemen, I was very lucky.

MAN:
I'll say you were lucky.

Might've been different

if Ruby Carter hadn't told you who to bet on.

MAN:
Glad I didn't bet any more.

BROOKS:
Thank you, gentlemen.

MAN:
I've got a few dollars left anyway.

I'd like to figure this thing out.

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