Christmas Holiday Page #4

I tried it myself once. It didn't

do me any good.

But anytime Robert was worried

about something

he just kept pacing back and forth.

Back and forth for hours.

I sometimes think that's

the hardest part for him.

Where he is now with no space.

Three or four steps at the most.

He always loved to move around.

Hardly ever sat down except

when he was absorbed.

Or forgot all about himself.

Listening to music or...

That's where I first met him.

At a concert.

Those days, anytime I had half a dollar,

that didn't belong to the

butcher, the landlady,

or the streetcar company,

I'd go to a concert.

Oh, excuse me, I...

I guess I just didn't realize

it was over.

You know...

Sometimes when a concert's over I get

a feeling I left myself for a long time.

Of course, you wouldn't know it but...

It's the greatest thing

that could happen to me.

I'm the most wonderful person

in the world to leave.

Excuse me, please.

Unfortunately, you can't make a living

out of being absorbed in music.

You know...

Sometimes when I listen to it,

I feel that

there's nothing man is capable of

that I can't do.

And it stops

and it's over.

-Oh, not for me.

When I hear the music, I feel

I feel as if something has been added

to my life that wasn't there before.

I'd like that.

Think you could teach me?

Look...

I'm sorry I...I should have

told you about me.

I just go along talking to

everybody I meet and...

...that I like.

Then after a minute I

say something silly and...

...that's that.

Thanks for the minute.

Do you

do you come here often?

Why not?

They charge admission.

Oh.

I know what you mean.

Believe me, I know.

Look, uh...

There's an all Beethoven program

here next Sunday.

If you'd meet me out front we'll

Well I know the fellow who

handles the advertising here

and he generally gets me

a pass for two for the gallery.

How about it?

Thank you very much.

Is this the pass for the gallery

your advertising friend gets for you?

No, I bought these seats.

You shouldn't have.

-I know.

You'd be surprised. You can get used

to sitting downstairs at a concert.

I know some people who tried sitting

downstairs just once

and now there's no way

you could ever get them...

All right. I'll shh.

Listen, Abigail.

I'm listening.

-You know what that tune is?

Always.

The first song we heard together.

Romantic, ain't I?

Let's dance.

Why won't you stay downtown

and have dinner with me?

I told you. I have a stack of envelopes

at home that high

and I have to have them all

stamped by tomorrow morning.

Why?

So I get paid so I can eat.

Well...

You've got something there.

I told you I worked

in a broker's office, didn't I?

Yes.

Just to show you that

I tell you everything,

the broker's office is foolish enough to

think they can get along without me.

Silly of them, don't you think?

Oh, I'm awfully sorry.

Oh, that's all right.

I get fired quite a bit.

No, I didn't know.

You don't know much about me anyhow.

I think i do.

I'm warning you. You don't.

Just that my name is Robert Manette and

that I work in a broker's office.

For two more weeks.

That's not really a complete picture.

That's one we walked down.

You haven't heard

the name Manette before, have you?

Isn't there a Manette Park

down by the river?

Yes, and there used to be

a Manette Library.

That's before there was

a public library.

And there used to be a Manette Mansion

and there used to be a...

My great great grandfather was

the governor general of Louisiana

long before there was

a United States of America.

In 150 years there hasn't been anything

important going on around here.

There hasn't been anything important in

the whole South that a Manette...

Are you wondering what I'm getting at?

Go on.

My mother hasn't forgotten

for a moment that a Manette...

You know what I mean.

She does.

There's nothing wrong with

being proud of

of your own people.

I wish I had...

Oh, it does something to you.

From the time you're able to see

pretty near you get standards

set for you and ideals

and ambitions that...

Well, you know you're

just not up to them.

I do what I can but

I don't seem to be able to...

It's just that so much is expected

of you because you're a Manette...

You don't understand, do you?

Oh, yes I do.

If you do, you're a genius.

I don't.

Anyway, now you know why

I'm the way I am.

What's the matter with the way you are?

If you think I'm going to tell you,

you're wrong.

You haven't caught on

to a very important thing.

I'm doing my best to get you to like me.

But I do like you.

Very much.

Come on, let's dance.

Oh, I go to work again on Monday.

Oh, that's wonderful.

I know how worried you've been.

Have I seemed worried?

Or trying to pretend you weren't.

I couldn't fool you, huh?

I guess maybe I don't fool

as many people as I think.

I wouldn't be surprised

if even my mother...

She thinks she knows me

better than I know myself.

She probably does.

Which do you like better,

the person I pretend to be or...

The person you are.

You're making a big mistake.

I don't think so.

If you really don't think so,

that would help an awful lot.

The first time Robert asked me

to call on his mother

with him at their home,

I knew it was an important thing to him.

He'd told me so much about her.

I'd never dared imagine

he could be in love with me.

I knew I loved him soon after I met him.

But the most I ever hoped for was

that he wouldn't catch on too soon that

I really didn't belong in his world.

He was so gay, so charming.

So different.

When it was all over, a psychoanalyst

said that Robert's

relations with his mother

were pathological.

All I know is that Robert was the only

thing in the world that she cared about.

He wasn't just her son.

He was...

He was her everything.

I wanted so much for her to like me.

I suppose it was really funny.

Because all the time, there was

only one thing she wanted.

To be able to like me.

To approve of me.

Because I was her last chance to...

...to save Robert.

I've often wondered

what would have happened

if she'd told me

all she knew about Robert

that first afternoon.

Mother, this is Miss Martin.

Miss Martin, my mother.

It comes out even, doesn't it?

I'm very happy to

see you here, Miss Martin.

I'm glad Robert asked me to come.

You may be excused

for a few moments, Robert.

I'd like to talk to Miss Martin alone.

Mother.

All right, I was going.

I think about ten minutes

will do nicely.

Ten minutes it is.

If Mother gets out

the family album, Abigail...

Please don't let her show you

that picture of me as

the naked baby on a bear rug.

I tore up one like that of myself.

So you can count on me.

Thank you, mademoiselle.

Won't you sit down

next to me, Miss Martin?

Thank you.

Robert hasn't been able to talk

of anything but you

since he met you.

Do you always have that effect

on young men?

I really don't know.

He's the first young man

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