Fire Down Below Page #7

- Whats happening, lieutenant?

- He's stI'll out there.

Weve done everything that we can,

but it's just no use.

Then theres no chance

of getting him off?

None.

Hes stI'll on there.

They couldn't get him off.

What are they waiting for?

Theyre waiting for it to blow up.

You stay here, miss.

You come with me.

- Where?

- Out there.

You and I have got something

to say to that boy.

- I told you to stay behind.

- He might want to see me.

And if he does, I want to be there.

Let the lady come if she wants to.

We better stand off a little.

This ships getting awful warm.

What do you think?

Is there anything I can do?

No, maam, everything you

could do, you already done.

You hate me, dont you, Jimmy Jean?

Yes, maam, I do.

Tell him what you told me.

Doc here says he could get you

out of here if youd let him.

Did he tell you how?

Yeah.

- Tell him what you said.

- I said you wouldnt be alone.

Id take care of you.

We'd take care of you.

Irena and me.

Forever.

- Did she say that?

- Yeah, shes waiting now.

Shes in the launch out here

by the bow.

You want me to get her

and let her tell you herself?

Keep her out of here. Nobodys

gonna have to take care of me.

I told you what hed say, doc.

I know.

Listen. Ive done everything

I can for you, son.

Now I want you

to do something for me.

- What?

- Im a religious man, Tony.

I believe in the word of God

and in the power of prayer.

I believe in grace

and punishment for sin.

When I read, 'VVengeance is mine,

sayeth the Lord"'...

...I believe thats exactly

what it means.

I know why you came

to this island, Tony.

I know what the gun

in your locker was for.

I dont want you to face

the moment ahead of you...

...full of hatred and revenge.

I want you to forgive him, Tony.

Oh, hes no good, I know that. He's

done you great harm, I know that too.

Hes a betrayer...

...and a blasphemer and a liar.

Wherever he goes, he leaves

a path of ruin behind him.

But I want you to forgive him.

Let me tell you something, doc.

If I had a gun in my hand,

Id kI'll him this minute.

And if I had a son,

Id curse him...

...if he didnt promise me to spend his

life tracking him down and kI'lling him.

If I had a brother, Id swear

I'd never let him rest...

...until he promised me

that hed get him.

And if I had a wife...

...the only way that she could ever

prove that she loved me would...

Okay, doc, youve had your chance.

Now let me have mine.

You get out of here.

Tony and I have some things we have

to say to each other. In private.

- Tony?

- Go on.

Im all the things the doc said, kid.

Plus a couple more

he neglected to mention.

But Im not gonna

leave you alone now.

I warned you we were

doing the wrong thing...

- ... that first night we saw her, didnt I?

- Yeah.

I knew it in my bones.

Im hunchy.

Its a funny thing, though.

I never have hunches...

...when something goods gonna

happen to me, only bad.

Id be a great guy to consult to know

who was going to lose a horserace.

Does a man get a drink in this place?

To the good years.

I was straight with you

for a long time, Tony.

- I thought so.

- I was.

Im gonna be straight with you now.

You did me a lot of good,

and Im grateful to you.

You picked a great way to show it.

Until you came along, I was a rummy.

Floating around the islands,

getting rolled whenever I was drunk.

Getting beat up in bars.

But nobody in the whole world

to care whether I lived or died.

Then I saw Irena, and I...

I knew they were bringing

the curtain down on me.

I never wanted anything so bad

in my whole life, Tony.

Maybe it was because

we were so much alike.

She got hers in Berlin...

...my whole life has been Berlin.

Give me the bottle.

Only, naturally, like all the rest,

she went to you.

I thought,

'Well, give him a little time.

The games always

over for him by 4:30.

He plays again next Saturday

out of town. '

Then you came to me and told me

you were gonna marry her.

That night I tipped off the customs.

Im ashamed of it. It's the dirtiest

thing a man could ever do.

- And Id do it again, Tony, if I had to.

- And the doctor says forgive!

But I was wrong.

You want to know why?

- Why?

- Because I didnt have to.

Because two days later,

after it was too late...

...to stop you or call off the customs...

...she came to my hotel room,

where I was sitting half-drunk...

...with a three-day beard

on my face...

...and she got down on her knees,

and she kissed my hand.

She told me she couldnt

go through with it with you.

Shed made a mistake.

She couldn't marry you.

You were young and gentle

and offered her safety.

Only she didnt want safety,

she wanted me.

And shed go anywhere and

do anything I wanted her to.

- Youre lying!

- Want me to get her right now...

- ... and have her tell it to your face?

- Go get her!

Tony!

- When I say go, you jump with me.

- Listen...

...you might as well know something.

This doesnt change anything.

And if I pull through this,

Im stI'll coming after you.

Go!

We must get him to a hospital, quick.

How could he have gotten out?

I thought you said he couldnt move

for at least another five days.

I know what I said, but hes a young

man, and he recovers fast.

Doctors.

I saw him. Hes coming here.

He's picked up a gun.

Dont you think you'd better

get out of here?

No, not really, doc.

Sit down, Jimmy Jean. Have a drink.

No, thank you,

I'll have mine at the bar.

- Oh, come on, sit down.

- I'll warn this man...

...but I wont drink with him.

Jimmy Jean has a highly developed

moral sense.

Rare in this day and age.

Simone, bring us another glass.

Were expecting a guest. We...

- Now, Tony...

- Thats all right, doc.

We were expecting you.

I want to talk to you outside.

Alone.

Im ready.

Sit down. We have nothing

to say to each other.

Like the man says, some days

you win, some days you lose.

Drinks are on me.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes