Desire Page #6

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Madeleine. What a lovely name.

Much nicer than Countess.

Please forget the Countess.

There is no Countess.

Just Madeleine.

And Tom.

Madeleine, do you mind if I ask you

a very personal question?

No, please, what is it?

Are you eating those eggs?

No.

Thank you.

You get a marvellous appetite in Spain.

What a country! What eggs!

What's the matter?

Nothing. Just looking at you.

How do I look in the sunlight?

Bad, very bad.

As a matter of fact, so bad...

...that I wish

the moon would soon come out again.

Do you realise

that you are now my prisoner?

No car, no telephone,

hours to the nearest railroad...

...and a train only every two days.

You frighten me and we're alone.

All by ourselves.

Two days ago,

I didn't know anything about you.

Two days ago, you didn't even exist.

You're wrong, I did exist,

but I didn't live.

It's crazy, isn't it?

But wonderful.

A certain Mr. Bradley comes from America.

That's all I know about you.

All I know about you is you stole my car...

...and I'm insane about you.

Olga?

Hello, Madeleine.

Please. Why did you come here?

That's a fine way to greet a sweet old lady.

I could be your grandmother.

And if your grandmother came here,

what would you do?

You would offer her a brandy, of course.

- Straight?

- Please.

Brandy's the only thing I am straight about.

You know...

I never drank until I went to gaol.

Thanks.

You know,

people wouldn't be so afraid of dying...

...if they could take

a bottle of brandy with them.

Did Carlos send you?

Yes. And he's pretty sore at you.

I don't care.

Now come on,

you could have answered his wires...

...and they really need you in Madrid.

I've some good news for you.

We've a great chance

of selling the necklace.

I'm afraid you have to find someone else.

I'm not going.

Not going?

No, I'm through with you, and Carlos,

and all the others.

I need another brandy.

There, now I'm sober again.

Carlos told me all about the American.

Is he still here?

That's none of your business.

You're quite right.

It is none of my business.

But it is my business

to see that you get right back to Madrid.

Now, Madeleine,

you know Carlos as well as I do.

He has a very kind soul...

...but as his record shows,

there is a very mean streak in him...

...and he can be pretty nasty.

Very nasty.

Why didn't you stay in the car?

You promised to let me handle her.

Before I tell you what I plan to do with you

in case you refuse...

...allow me to compliment you.

You're looking more beautiful than ever.

- Love must be a wonderful thing.

- It is, Carlos.

It gives you strength and courage,

something to fight for.

I have something to fight for, too.

You know these pearis, don't you?

They feel cold when you touch them,

but they're not cold. They're hot.

They're burning a hole in my pocket.

And I have to get rid of them

as soon as possible.

Now look here, Carlos.

You helped me when I was in need,

and you were very decent about it.

Then you asked me to get the pearis for you

and I did. Now we are even.

Mathematics isn't my strong point.

I only know that I absolutely need you

to sell those pearis.

Now go pack. We're leaving.

- Yes, but in different directions.

- Oh, no.

No, in the same direction.

Now, Madeleine, no matter how close

you may be to this American...

...don't forget that

you and I are closer still.

We're strung together

on the same rope of pearis.

Countess.

It was very gracious of you to elevate me

to that lofty station...

...and I hope Your Highness

won't be too insulted...

...but I have definitely made up my mind

to remove the crest from my stationery...

...my lingerie, and my life.

- Goodbye.

- Oh, no.

- Let me go.

- Why don't you call for help?

Why don't you call for your friend?

Why don't you?

Why don't you bring him here?

Why don't you tell him?

It must be hard for you.

I know how you feel, Madeleine.

It really is serious, isn't it?

For the first time in my life.

He must be a nice young man.

Where is he? I'd like to meet him.

Don't you dare.

Why? Are you afraid?

Why don't you tell him about yourself?

I will.

Oh, no. You think you will, but you won't.

The words won't come from your tongue.

I tried it once myself,

and it won't do, my dear.

Some years ago,

I was sick in a hospital in Vienna.

There was a charming doctor.

He was a fine man.

We thought a great deal of each other.

I used to dream what you are dreaming now.

Then, right in my dreams,

I'd feel a hand falling on my shoulder.

Sooner or later it falls,

and I'd hear myself saying to him:

"I must go downtown

on important business. I'll be back soon. "

And then under my breath I'd say, "Soon.

"10 years. 20 years.

"Life. "

I still dream of him now and then.

I still have it.

- I didn't spoil it.

- Stop it!

What are you going to tell him?

I don't know. I'll think of something.

We are sailing, we are sailing...

We are sailing the 28th...

The 28th we...

We are sailing, we are sailing...

We are sailing the 27th...

The 27th we're sailing...

Tom, I just had a message from Madrid.

Well, that's nothing.

I just got an answer from Paris.

Everything's okay.

Oh, darling,

in a few days you'll be in Detroit.

Now I've warned you.

Don't want you to be disappointed later.

There's no glamour about me.

I'm not a king, nor a prince, nor a count.

Not even an Elk.

- Tom, I have something to tell you.

- I must tell you something.

I have a confession to make, Madeleine.

I lied to you, and I think you should

know it before we get married.

I told you I make a $150 a week,

and I only make a $125.

- But, Tom, all this is not important.

- No.

I have something even more embarrassing

to tell you.

You'll find out

when you get to Detroit anyway.

I'm not the general manager.

I'm only the third assistant.

And my father's not the postmaster.

He's only a mailman, so...

You see, Madeleine,

you better think it over.

What do you say?

Well...

...what would you say if I lied to you?

If you found out I'm not a countess?

Listen, I'd marry you

if you were a princess or a queen.

I'm not a snob.

But you are a countess, aren't you?

- That doesn't mean anything.

- It means more than you think, Tom.

I've been thinking about it a lot.

Castles in Spain are very beautiful,

but they don't last.

They blow away and then comes reality.

Reality? We love each other, that's reality.

No. It's a dream.

We come from different worids.

There's a wall, a high wall between us.

There's no use fooling ourselves.

I just had a message from Madrid

that brought me down to earth.

I see.

But let's be grateful.

We had a gorgeous week together,

seven heavenly days.

Seven dreams, a beautiful adventure.

Adventure?

I see.

Turn on the moon, turn off the moon.

Don't leave me like this, Tom.

These are our last moments together,

the way we'll always remember each other.

That's all right.

I told you to think it over and you did.

I can't blame you. You're right.

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