Deception Page #2

...of a poor struggling musician

who could earn more as a maid.

Here, a Tang Horse, fit for a museum

and paintings and furs and your dress...

...and this.

What sort of a place is it? Answer me.

What sort of a place is it? Answer me.

- Don't. Don't.

[SIGHS]

Forgive me.

I'm not myself.

But tonight...

...the concert was a strain.

The shock of seeing you...

...such hope, such...

You see...

...there, in that place where I've been...

...there was no refuge

anywhere but in sleep.

oh, Karel.

Do you know what kept me alive?

The hope of finding you.

And finding...

...it wasn't true.

oh, Karel. Karel, don't talk like that.

You're ill.

I knew you had no money.

I knew what happened after the last war.

Yes, I saw it when I was a boy.

I saw what happened to the girls.

Decent girls like you.

I should never have come here.

oh, Karel. Karel, are you mad?

There's nothing.

I didn't want to have to

tell you but I took pupils.

oh, rich and untalented pupils, I'm afraid...

...but I gave in and I've been teaching.

Which we swore we would

never do, remember?

Pupils?

- Yes.

And over here, rich pupils give

presents you just can't imagine.

Schatzi.

Darling.

Aren't you ashamed?

I've always been so

frightened of your jealousies.

And you promised me you never would be.

Here.

Things seem too good

to be true one moment.

The next minute they seem too black.

Karel, look at me.

There's nothing in the whole

world except us, is there?

Nothing.

Nothing.

Nothing.

[PHONE RINGING]

Hello?

oh, thank you.

Hello, Alex.

You're calling very early.

What time is it in California?

Heh. Alex, you shouldn't have nightmares.

Wrong? of course not.

oh, but that isn't true.

There is something, not wrong but...

Well, I had intended to write to you about it.

I hardly know how to tell you.

Something quite

overwhelming has happened.

I'm going to be married.

oh, someone I've known for years.

Someone I love very much.

Alex, I implore you, don't take it like this.

But I can't help it. How else could I say it?

However I'd say it, it would be wrong.

That's impossible, Alex. We're

going to be married at once.

[SIGHS]

I know I've messed this up

terribly. I'm truly sorry.

I never should have told

you over the phone.

Hollenius.

Hollenius?

Hollenius?

- Yes.

Hello, darling.

Hollenius, the composer?

- Yes, I have to finish dressing, Karel.

You know him?

Well, he's been teaching, sort of.

The piano?

Nonsense. Not Hollenius.

Well, composition more, or...

or, I don't know, just music.

He's been awfully good to me, so I thought

I really ought to let him know about us.

But tell me, was there

anything wrong over the phone?

Wrong? What would be wrong?

Karel.

oh, how sweet of you.

[CHUCKLES]

Remember, remember Marie, the

flower seller on the Ringstrasse?

And all the cunning

little bunches of flowers?

He hung up, didn't he?

Yes. I'll put these in water.

Darling, they are sweet.

Now, let's see.

My coat and hat.

Was he? Was he angry?

I expect he thinks you've kidnapped me.

Probably thinks you have a large

black mustache and dance the rumba.

We've lots to do. We must tell

people. We must go to the city hall.

The quicker we know what day

we're going to be married...

...the quicker we can

invite people to the party.

Haven't you someone you want to invite?

Just one.

- Who?

You.

oh, Karel.

[MUSICIANS PLAYING JAZZY

vERSloN oF 'BRIDAL CHoRUS']...

...[GLASSES TINKLING]...

...[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]...

Ladies and gentlemen,

to the bride. - oh- ho-ho.

WoMAN 1:
Happiness, Christine.

And to the groom.

WoMAN 2:
Congratulations.

And may they know every happiness

that can spring from talent and love...

...and trust.

- That's sweet of you, Mr. Day.

[GLASS CLINKS]

CHRISTINE:
Music, please.

[PLAYS BADLY]...

...[LAUGHTER]...

...[LAUGHTER STOPS]

A party indeed.

Hollenius.

- Madame. How do you do, Harnitz?

Thank you.

- Crispin, I'm delighted to see you.

Well, I hope I'm welcome, my dear.

You look as if you were seeing a ghost.

How did you get here so quickly?

Quickly?

I have the impression I'm too late.

That object, I presume, is a wedding cake.

Champagne, all very fitting.

I infer a husband.

Make me acquainted with him.

Karel. My husband, Karel Novak.

My dear sir...

...I wish you all the joys that we less

fortunate men must be content to imagine.

Thank you.

- This, of course, is Hollenius.

Thank you.

- You do us a great honor, Mr. Hollenius.

oh, no, she's my daughter,

my ewe lamb. Heh.

It'd look very odd if I

were not at her wedding.

Uh-huh.

The Louis Roederer, no?

Yes, we opened it for

this evening. - Mm- hm.

For all and sundry.

I don't know where there's another

dozen of that year procurable.

Still, it's a great occasion.

[ICE CUBES RATTLING]

A great occasion.

And yet I wish she'd put it off a little.

- Put it off?

Why?

- oh, so that I might have given her away.

Pollard.

- Don't go.

So to speak, her nearest male relation.

After all, what could be closer than

the relationship of master and pupil?

Except, of course, husband and wife.

Are you gonna give me that champagne...

...I went to such incredible

trouble to get hold of?

Yes.

They tell me that bridegrooms

are a very nervous kind of cattle.

You look extremely

nervous, if I may say so.

Do I?

- Mm-hm.

My dear, you know I never

drink on an empty stomach.

Get me something to eat, my child.

- Cake?

HOLLENIUS:
No, no, no,

not that ridiculous thing.

Now, if there's some caviar? Hmm?

Yes, yes, in here.

Is it decently chilled?

And I abused the poor creature

so abominably over the telephone.

You did? - Mm-hm.

An outburst of fury.

Uncontrolled possessiveness.

Call it jealousy, if you will.

You know, I remember well the

day when she first came to me.

Four years ago, wasn't it, Christine?

CHRISTINE:
Yes.

- Hmm.

All eyes and talent.

You can't imagine how

skinny she was then.

oh, but of course, you knew her. Yeah.

You were in love already.

The little minx concealed it from me.

Why should I have interested

myself in such a creature?

I ask you. Why?

- Well, why?

You said I had promise.

- And I was right.

Four years of coaxing, bullying,

pleading, suggesting, implanting...

...and there's a quality.

She's... She's an artist.

It was no trifle to be told, just as she

was coming into existence musically...

...that she's in love, she's marrying...

You haven't any champagne.

- Nothing else matters to her.

I was prepared to excommunicate her.

Anything. That, of course,

was before meeting you.

After all, why shouldn't she have a

husband? You have him, my dear. Hmm.

Have a dozen of them. Sooner or later

you'll come back to your old teacher.

You'll realize that

nothing matters but music.

Everything passes but music. And me.

We are more optimistic, Mr. Hollenius.

We shall see. You play

something for him, my child.

Something he hasn't heard before.

I'm sure you have still much...

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