Double Harness Page #6

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- Have you told Denny about this?

- No.

He's nearly crazy with financial

worries as it is.

And I just can't tell him

I haven't paid the rent.

The landlord's going to put us out.

Oh, he's threatening that, huh?

- How much do you need?

- A thousand dollars.

I know it's a lot, John,

but I'll pay it back.

I swear I will, just as soon as I can.

Now, don't get excited. I'll give you

a check and all your troubles will be over.

Oh, John, I hate asking you.

You don't know what this

means to me, John.

I've been nearly frantic for weeks.

That's all right, my dear.

Does Joan know you're in this hole?

Well, I told her a little about it...

but you're so generous to her that she

can't understand why I don't go to Dennis.

If I were you, I don't think I should say

anything to her about this.

All right, I won't.

I can never thank you enough, John.

Valerie, give me that check.

- No!

- Give it to me!

- No, it's all right.

- You don't understand, John.

Did you hear me, Valerie?

Give me that check.

My dear, what are you doing

that for?

Because I won't have my sister

sponging on you.

But she isn't sponging, my dear.

Why, it's the first time

she's ever borrowed a penny.

Well, it isn't the first time she's

borrowed from me.

She's been doing it ever since

we were married.

What did she tell you the money

was for?

- Household bills, rent.

- Rent?

Well, I'm afraid you'll find it's for hats,

and dresses and chiffon underwear.

Is this true, Val?

Some of it's for clothes, yes.

The money they're suing you for,

is that for clothes?

- Yes.

- You see, John,

she's got herself into this mess

through her own selfish extravagance.

Now, I've told her that I'm not

going to help her any longer.

And this time she faced it

for herself.

You're a fine one to talk,

you are.

That's true, Val, Joan's right.

There's just one thing for you to do.

Oh, yes, and what's that?

Tell Dennis the truth about

your debts and...

tell him that I'll get him a loan

from the bank to pay them if he hasn't it.

Tell Dennis, tell Dennis, that's all

any of you think of.

Well, I won't tell Dennis.

I'm not going to be treated

like an irresponsible child.

There are plenty of men

who will give me that money...

and I won't have to pay it back either.

Oh, now don't be a fool, Val.

- Valerie, you wouldn't.

- Why not? Is it any worse than you did?

You got yourself a nice rich man

to shell out the money.

Only you tricked him into marrying you,

which makes it all right, I suppose.

- Oh, that'll be enough of that, Val.

- Oh, will it?

Well, maybe you didn't know

that it was a put-up job...

the night Father found Joan

in your apartment.

Valerie, you're insane.

What do you mean?

Why do you think he went

to your apartment that night?

He went because I sent him.

And I sent him because she telephoned

me she was there.

She had it all planned beforehand to make

you come through and marry her.

Ask her if she didn't.

Just ask her.

Is that true, Joan?

She knows it's true.

Joan, answer me.

It isn't true, is it.

Yes, John.

It's true.

John.

John, wait, please.

I've heard enough.

Never mind.

I'm glad he knows.

I let all the servants go.

Shall we go out to dinner

or shall I have it sent in?

Whichever you like.

Oh, darling, I'm so happy.

- I always thought you'd come back.

- You did.

I don't know why you care.

I don't either.

I sometimes think it's a mulish trait

I inherited from my grandfather.

Besides, I didn't like the way you

were lifted from me in the beginning.

I'm awfully sorry to intrude

like this, Mrs. Page.

But there was something

I had to say to John tonight.

I think you and I are better off

without any further discussion, Joan.

I don't think we are, John.

- I don't think you understand.

- I can understand everything.

I was always surprised that you...

Well, I don't want to talk about it.

Certainly not here.

Shall we avoid any kind of a scene,

Mrs. Fletcher. Neither John nor I...

I don't make scenes, Mrs. Page.

I came here to tell you something

that's very important, John.

At least... it's terribly important

to me.

I've admitted that I tricked you into

doing the honorable thing.

Johnny, then you didn't

walk out on me.

You married her because you had to.

I still see no necessity of going

over it all.

Only this necessity, John.

Ever since we were married I've been

deeply and bitterly ashamed...

of the trick I played on you.

It was a rotten thing to do.

And I always knew the day would come

when I'd have to tell you.

So when Valerie burst out with it

this afternoon, I was glad.

- Glad?

- Yes, I was.

I said to myself, well...

at last he knows.

You see, John, when I first met you,

I had a theory about marriage.

I thought marriage was a business,

especially...

a woman's business.

And love was an emotion.

And like a man, who won't allow emotion

to interfere with his business,

I was determined that love

should not interfere with mine.

My theory might have worked

at that, I think,

if you hadn't had one of your own.

In the face of that opposition I...

I let you in for it.

Because I was so sure...

that once given a chance,

I could be useful to you.

And that I could...

really help you.

Well, your theory has got us

in a swell spot.

It's got me in a swell spot.

Because, you see,

I fell in love with you.

That's really what I came

up here to tell you.

I couldn't let you go out of my life...

believing that I don't.

And until this very afternoon I...

I really thought I still had a chance

to win you over and...

and make you happy.

You succeeded in making me

thouroughly unhappy.

If Valerie hadn't lost her temper

this afternoon,

could you have said that?

I think it's only fair to tell you

that I'm sailing for Europe next week...

and John's coming with me.

Oh.

Oh, then um...

Do you still want the divorce, John?

Or would a technical marriage state

suit your plans better?

That's for lawyers to attend to.

Very well.

I want to reserve two compartments for

New York tomorrow on the Golden Arrow.

Oh... Well, will you get them

for me?

Dinner wait too long no good!

Dinner late!

You better keep it good, somehow!

I say dinner no good, dinner no wait.

Is now or everything all wet.

Bouillabaisse is all wet anyway.

They can't eat now!

Mr. Fletcher isn't even here.

I was told to hold everything

until further orders.

I have the bouillabaisse special.

I promise make everything...

very good!

But isn't good... dinner be bad.

You're getting me very tired.

Now that we've got a real Cabinet

member with us...

- ...we should make him explain inflation.

- Oh, I understand perfectly.

Prices are supposed to go up and up,

aren't they, Mr. Secretary?

Well, that's what's supposed to happen.

Well, I feel sorry for the poor

little American dollar...

over in Europe with nobody

to back it up.

It still seems to be popular

with some people, Sam.

- What did the doctor say?

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