Kings Row Page #4

No, no,

there's something more to it than that.

Some mystery about Cassie herself.

Dr. Tower said something once,

"Each of us live in multiple worlds."

It's like that with her.

Say, you're getting to be

a regular philosopher.

No, I'm not.

I've learnt a lot from Dr. Tower, though.

- Not enough yet, I guess.

- He's crazy, isn't he?

No, he's brainier than the rest of men

in this town put together.

Well, there's something crazy

about that house.

I feel like a dog when I go there now.

I like him, Drake.

Yet, when I think about Cassie

and the way he makes her live...

Gosh, I'm all mixed up.

- Come in, Parris.

- Good afternoon, sir.

Something on your mind?

Dr. Tower, I'm going to ask you a question

perhaps you won't like answering.

- Then I shan't answer it.

- Is Dr. Gordon a good doctor?

Not a very a tactful question, young man,

nor a very ethical one

for a young doctor-to-be to ask.

Ever since I can remember

I've noticed things.

When I was just a kid,

there was Willy MacIntosh's father

who died from shock

during an operation without anesthetic.

There have been other cases,

Ludie Simms.

You know the widow

the men all wink about?

Dr. Gordon operated on her,

now one whole side of her face

is horribly paralyzed.

There've been others.

Now he's attending my grandmother.

I can assure you

that in your grandmother's case

he knows his business.

I'm glad to hear you say that, sir.

- Trust my judgment, do you?

- I know you know.

Maybe you're a fool, Parris Mitchell.

- Like a cup of coffee, my boy?

- Yes, sir.

Parris, I began this work with you

with decided misgivings.

It's only fair to tell you now

that I've enjoyed it.

- Let the devil take the hindmost, eh?

- I guess I'll have to, sir.

Oh, it's not too bad

a philosophy sometimes.

- Hope you like your coffee black.

- Thank you.

- Oh, have you read this?

- Yes, sir.

I didn't understand it entirely, I'm afraid.

Well, it's a new field.

They've even a new word for it:

psychiatry.

It's something I never thought about.

I mean, for a doctor

to want to cure diseases

of people's minds instead of their bodies.

- I suppose it a pretty big field, sir.

- Maybe too big.

Maybe a hundred years off.

Of course, one never knows.

There's a stir in Vienna now.

I don't want to push you

one way or the other,

but if you are interested,

I have some other material.

You had medieval history

in school this year, didn't you, Parris?

Yes, sir.

You should pay some attention

to 12th and 13th centuries.

A man's discomfort, his real discomfort

in this world began not long after then.

- But I always...

- Oh, I know, soap.

Macadamized roads,

dentistry and freedom of speech.

- Yes, yes, sir.

- Negligible factors.

In the 13th century, man was happier

and more comfortable in his world

than he is now.

I'm speaking of psychic man

and his relation with his whole universe.

I get it, sir. Everything was so simple then.

That was it, Parris. That was it.

But now, in this modern,

complicated world,

man breaks down under the strain,

the bewilderment,

disappointment and disillusionment.

He gets lost, goes crazy, commits suicide.

I don't know what's going to happen

to this world

in the next hundred years or so,

but I can guarantee you

life isn't going to get any simpler.

Worry and doubt bring on a belly-ache.

Mankind's building up

the biggest psychic belly-ache in history.

I'd better stop this.

I seem to be in a vein of

epigrammatic sententiousness today.

I was thinking, as you were talking...

No, I don't guess I better say it.

Go ahead, there's no one listening but me.

Well, you were saying that man gets lost.

It seems to me that these lost people

have kind of fooled themselves

clear out of the world of reality.

And the right way

is to fool them right back in again,

like catching a rabbit

that's strayed out of its pen.

You get his attention on something else

and he doesn't see the gate

and the first thing he knows

he's back home again.

Did you read that phrase somewhere?

"Back home again in the pen"?

No, sir. I must have made it up.

It won't surprise me, young man,

if you become a good doctor.

Maybe even a brilliant one.

Now, you run along home

and I'll get these entrance applications

off to Vienna.

I've enjoyed this afternoon very much, sir.

I like your politeness, Parris.

You're a credit to your grandmother.

And you're going to be a credit to me, too.

I'll try to be, sir.

If I had a son, I'd want him to be

as nearly like you as possible.

Yeah, yeah, that is good.

That is better than you know, Parris.

Such a waste of talent

for you to become a doctor.

Excuse me.

- Anna, how is she today?

- The same.

The weather will be cooler soon.

If you'll excuse me, Professor Berdorff,

- I don't feel like finishing.

- Yeah.

Dr. Gordon came here twice today.

Anna.

- How long has this been necessary?

- How stupid, I left it.

Anna?

For several weeks, Parris.

- Cancer?

- Yes, Parris.

Why wasn't I told? Why have I been

kept out of this like a child?

Madam wished it.

She wanted you to finish your studies

without worrying.

She made me promise.

She thought

she would live through September.

And she won't? Is that what you mean?

It's impossible that she could live

more than a few days.

- Only a few days?

- Yes, Parris.

Parris.

Oh, Parris, I had to see you.

Weren't you scared here

in the dark by yourself?

A little. You know I wouldn't have

telephoned just now

- if it wasn't important.

- Well, let's go back to your house?

No, I had to get out of the house tonight,

I couldn't stand it.

- Cassie, what's the matter?

- Can't we just walk here in the trees?

I never realize how little you are

till I walk with you.

Oh, you've just gotten to be awfully tall.

It seems a long time ago since

we walked home this way from school.

Look, Parris, the pond.

I'd forgotten how lovely it was.

You know something?

I used to think of this as our secret lake.

So did I.

How odd it is that we should both...

Or perhaps it isn't odd at all.

You'll be going away pretty soon now.

Yes, I guess so.

I'll miss you.

Will you really, Cassie?

So much I don't know

what will become of me.

- I adore you, Cassie.

- Don't.

Even now,

don't say anything you don't mean.

I don't even know how I feel about you.

I haven't known

since the day you came to our house

and I opened the door.

I know I just never think of anyone else

but you, but...

- Why whenever I ask...

- I didn't come here to be questioned.

- I can't understand you. Sometimes...

- Don't talk about it, please.

- You said you had something to tell me.

- Did I?

Parris.

You know I wouldn't do

anything to hurt you, don't you?

- What is it that frightens you?

- It's...

- I'm...

- Tell me.

I don't think

they're treating you right, Parris.

That's it.

Parris, your grandmother is dying

and they don't tell you.

I thought you ought to know.

I was afraid of what the sudden shock

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes