Double Harness Page #4

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I have a taxi waiting, Joan.

Father, may I speak with John

for just a moment alone, please?

I'll wait for you downstairs.

I can promise you one thing, John.

I'll do my level best

to make you a very good wife.

All I can promise is I'll probably

make you a very bad husband.

Maybe that's more than I deserve.

Well, I'll come around and see you

tomorrow and we'll discuss the details.

All right, dear.

All ashore!

All ashore!

- Goodbye, John.

- Goodbye.

Take good care of my

big sister, won't you?

Say, what about your big sister

take good care of me?

Goodbye, darling.

- Don't you worry now, you hear me?

- No, I won't. Have a good time.

It's time to hurry, Joan.

- Goodbye, dear.

- Goodbye, darling.

- Don't toss pennies now.

- No, darling.

- Goodbye...

- Goodbye...

- Goodbye!

- Don't forget to write.

You see, I've been a bachelor

all my life...

because I realize that you can't

anchor romance.

You can't tie it up like a boat

to a dock.

As soon as you try, something

happens to it.

All of a sudden, like that, it's gone.

Why didn't you refuse

to marry me, John?

- You could have, you know.

- Why should I?

There's divorce or something.

But how could you be sure

that I'd agree to give you one?

I assumed that your sportsmanship

would at least be equal to mine.

How soon would you like to have it?

At your convenience, my dear.

I don't suppose you want to go on

with this any longer than is necessary.

- Would six months be too long?

- Six months would be fine.

Where do you want to go?

Rio? Paris?

Anywhere.

It doesn't matter.

- Oh, good morning, Della.

- Good morning, Mrs. Fletcher.

- Your father's on the telephone.

- Oh, thanks.

Hello, Father.

Never better. How are you?

Oh, good.

Look, did you talk to our friend

the Postmaster General?

When?

Oh, that's splendid.

Then I can call him up and ask him

to have dinner with us tonight, can't I?

Oh, fine.

Well, you come too, of course.

Uh-huh... What's that?

Only nine holes, now.

All right, darling. Bye.

How do you like married life,

Freeman?

I like it.

I'm glad you did it.

Oh, you are, eh?

- Yes, sir.

- Why?

Well., life is much simpler

for me, sir.

At least it has been so far.

I wasn't aware that your life with me

had been so complicated, Freeman.

The life of any, excuse me, sir, lively

young bachelor in your position...

is likely to be complicated

for his man, sir.

Yes, I suppose that's so.

You don't think you'll miss

all those complications, Freeman?

No, sir.

Besides, marriage is good discipline, sir.

Makes a man less selfish.

If you think so highly of it,

why don't you try it?

Oh, it's not for me, sir.

I need to be more selfish.

You may as well understand, Freeman,

that er...

even though I am no longer a lively

young bachelor,

I haven't given up all my

bachelor privileges.

Life may not be as simple for you

as you seem to hope.

- Is that clear?

- Yes, sir.

Now you may bring me another

piece of toast.

Yes, sir.

And tell the cook that

for the first time in my life...

I'm getting toast just the way

I like it.

Yes, sir.

Mrs. Fletcher showed him

how to prepare it.

I suppose Mrs. Fletcher also

showed him...

how to prepare the Indian curry

we had for dinner last night.

I believe she did, sir.

- Good morning.

- Oh, hello.

- Had your breakfast?

- Yes, thanks, had it in my room.

I know you'd rather have

breakfast alone.

Mind if I have a cup of coffee

with you?

Why don't you?

- A cup of fresh coffee, Freeman?

- Yes, Mrs. Fletcher.

- Thank you.

- And a pot of hot water, Freeman.

Is your coffee too strong?

Oh, it's perfect.

I ordered the hot water for you.

Thank you.

Oh...

What's the 'oh' for?

Nothing, I uh... uh...

I was reading a new recipe for...

tomato surprise.

Your... meeting lasted quite late

last night, didn't it?

Yes, it was after midnight

when I got in.

Did your director show

a gleam of intelligence?

No.

- Things just as bad as ever, hm?

- Terrible?

Could have been worse if I'd been running

the business for the past five years.

I have an idea that might help,

I don't know.

Have I ever told you that Father and the

new Postmaster General are old cronies?

I don't believe so.

Well, they are.

And Mr. Lane is in town just now.

And Father and I wondered...

if maybe he might be persuaded to

give you the government mail contracts.

- That would help some, woudn't it?

- Would it? It would be a lifesaver.

Well, that's what I thought.

So I invited him to dine with us tonight.

And he said he'd come.

Say, that's great, Joan.

What a fair-haired little business genius

I'd be if you could pull that over.

Oh, you'll have to pull it over.

All I can do is to get him here.

And Father's told him what wonders you've

already done with the Fletcher Line.

Hmm...

Due entirely to your confounded nagging.

Do you realize I can't play a decent

game of polo anymore?

Did you know your brother-in-law walloped

a tar out of me at golf last Saturday?

Because I'm all out of practice.

I don't do anything but work.

Yes, and your manager says

that you're enjoying it.

I am, sure I am.

I'm getting a kick finding out that

these financial wizards...

I've always been so in awe of

are mostly a bunch of schoolboys.

Outwardly strutting their stuff

and inwardly scared stiff.

Yes, and you're finding out that you have

a better business head than any of them...

and a more intelligent grasp

of modern conditions.

Oh, you could be a leader, John,

if you wanted to.

Little woman's faith spurs husband

on to big things.

Oh, it isn't faith yet, my fine fellow.

Just hope.

I didn't mean to be touchy.

You've really done something for me,

Joan, in getting me to work.

Don't think I don't know it.

I may hate it sometimes, but...

I appreciate it too.

Well, after all, I guess it's none

of my business.

Why isn't it? Your income will be

considerably affected.

You seem to forget that your business...

will have nothing to do with

my income very shortly.

Well, your alimony then.

Do you think I'd take it?

Do you think that's why I married you?

Now...

don't you be touchy.

Well, I've got to dash.

Hello, where is everybody?

Oh, hello, Val.

In here.

- Hello, John.

- Hello, Val.

- Hello, dear.

- Well, I've got to go. You sit here.

- Thanks.

- Excuse me for bolting, won't you.

- Of course.

- Bye.

Bye, dear.

- Well, aren't you out pretty early?

- Yes.

Well, come on up with me

while I change.

What's the trouble?

Oh, I'm in another mess with Dennis.

- About bills?

- Yes.

We never fight about anything else.

How much?

Over a thousand dollars.

Oh, Val!

Oh, you can't possibly owe that much.

Why, I paid everything off for you only...

only two months ago.

Not everything.

I didn't tell you everything.

Joan, I hate to ask you, but I've got

to get that money somehow.

But I don't have any more money

of my own to give you, Val.

I just can't let you have any of John.

But John will never miss it.

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