Leave Her to Heaven Page #3

- Certainly. We can go in the library.

Will you excuse us?

Mrs. Berent, Ruth.

Dick. Dick, is it true?

- I'm so happy for Ellen. For both of you.

- Thank you.

That's all very well, but what I want

to know is when and how?

- Well....

- I'm sorry, Russ. Really, I am.

I never expected you to come here

in the midst of a politicaI campaign.

- When do you plan to be married?

- As soon as possible.

Would it be convenient for you

to postpone it untiI the fall?

UntiI after election, you mean.

It wouldn't do me much good

for the news to get out...

...that I'd been jilted

and thrown aside like an old shoe.

Oh, come now, Russ.

Surely there's no politicaI significance...

...in the fact that a lady

has changed her mind.

I don't understand it, Ellen.

I always knew you'd never marry me

while your father was alive.

But after he died, I thought...

Well, I thought there might be a chance.

What happened?

I'm in love.

We intend to get married at once.

Tomorrow.

Don't look so downcast.

I'll still be able to vote for you.

Perhaps you don't think I'm good enough

for you or romantic enough.

People thought I was marrying

into the Berent family for reasons...

...but that's not true.

I want you to know

that I had only one reason.

I want you to know

that I was in love with you.

I'm not a man who loves often, Ellen.

I love once.

Thank you, Russ.

That's quite a concession.

I loved you...

...and I'm still in love with you.

That's a tribute.

And I always will be.

Remember that.

Russ, is that a threat?

Now, look here, Ellen...

Darling, will you marry me?

Why, you unpredictable little...

And I'll never let you go.

Never, never, never.

Ellen, there he is.

Danny.

Dick.

Dick!

Easy, boy, easy.

Oh, Dick!

Hey, you've put on weight.

- I believe you've actually grown.

- You look sort of different yourself.

Get my telegram?

Yeah, but I didn't sleep much

that night.

I kept thinking, "Now he's left

the ranch, and now he's in Chicago. "

I kept seeing that train

coming nearer and nearer.

- I counted every turn of the wheels.

ELLEN:
May I come in?

Hi, Danny.

Hi, Ellen.

I hope you like her, Danny, because

if you don't, we'll send her right back.

Oh, please don't let him fire me,

Danny. I like this job.

Don't you worry.

If he fires you, I'll hire you.

Thank you.

- Were you surprised to get my letter?

Not a bit. I knew what was

in that letter even before I opened it.

I just kept reading it over

and over again, just to sort of...

- Get used to the idea?

- Yeah.

I was trying to picture

what kind of a place Taos was...

...how long a honeymoon is.

Ellen didn't like Taos.

I thought Warm Springs would be

better for a honeymoon.

I hope you can stay a while.

We're going to take a cottage

right here in Warm Springs.

- And live here, you mean?

- That's right.

That's Ellen's idea.

That's the way she wants it.

Gosh.

Well, Mrs. Harland.

I think I can feeI safe in saying

the job is permanent.

Thank you, sir. I always does my best.

I trust you'll find the soup

to your taste.

It's sheer understatement

to call this ambrosia soup.

I call it consomm la patchouli.

When you hire a cook,

teach her the recipe.

I have no intention of hiring a cook

or a housekeeper or any other servants.

- You mean for the present.

- Ever.

- Idiot.

- I don't want anybody else but me...

...to do anything for you.

I want to keep your house and wash

your clothes and cook your food.

A born slavey.

I don't want anybody else

in the house but us.

- Ever?

- Ever.

Well, but suppose in the naturaI course

of events....

- Well, that's different.

- And what about Danny?

Well, that's different too.

Only three people have been

to Back of the Moon:

Me and Dick and Thorne.

- Who's Thorne?

- Leick Thorne. He's a woodsman.

He helped build the house, the dam,

the boathouse and all.

He takes care of the place.

I'd like to get hold of some

of Richard's baby pictures.

- Could I, do you suppose?

- Yeah, there's a whole album full.

A lot of college yearbooks

with loads of pictures of him.

Only, there's one he doesn't like

to show to anybody.

Why not?

Well, it's got a picture

of Enid Sothern in it.

Who's she?

The one they voted

the best-looking girI.

- Was she really beautifuI?

- Not as beautifuI as you are.

Thank you, Danny.

Won't it be wonderfuI

when you can go back to schooI?

Gosh, yes.

- What schooI did you go to?

- Same one as Dick.

- Boarding schooI?

- Yeah.

- Oh, that must be fun.

- Sure is.

Uh.... Has Dick been busy lately?

Yes, he's been working awfully hard

on his book.

We mustn't interrupt him.

Besides, have you forgotten

our secret?

Danny.

Dick. Dick.

Danny. Danny.

Now we can, all three of us,

go to Back of the Moon.

Can't we, Dick? Can't we?

You bet we can. You bet we can.

It's way up north, miles from nowhere.

I know all about that place.

I've heard about it plenty from Danny.

- He can't wait to get up there again.

- I know, that's my problem.

Dr. Mason, my husband is planning

to leave for Back of the Moon...

...as soon possible,

and he wants to take Danny with us.

So do I, of course.

- What's the problem?

- Well, it's so remote up there.

Wild and rugged

and miles from the nearest town.

The facilities are primitive.

There isn't a telephone...

...in case we need a doctor for Danny.

I'm sure he won't need

a doctor up there.

- Or medicine?

- Or medicine or anything.

- What about schooI?

- That can wait.

I must say Danny's progress

has been rather remarkable.

I don't know how you did it.

You must've willed that boy to walk.

But don't you see, doctor...

...my husband will be busy

a good deaI of the time writing...

- ...and with nobody else...

- Isn't somebody there?

- Somebody by the name of Thorne?

- Yes, but he's leaving, and so it'll be...

I assure you, I don't want

to shirk any responsibility.

I'm thinking only of Danny, and I...

No, that isn't true.

I'm thinking a little about myself too.

I know you'll understand, Dr. Mason.

I gave up my honeymoon

to come here...

...so my husband could be

with his brother.

But he's been working,

and the burden's been on me.

I've spent hours here every day.

I was glad to do it.

It was no sacrifice at all.

I love Danny as much as he does...

...and I'm just as happy as he is

that Danny's doing so well.

But after all, he's a cripple.

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to say that.

I'm sure you didn't.

I didn't mean it.

Of course not.

I'm afraid I haven't been

too well myself lately.

Mrs. Harland,

what do you want me to do?

I want you to tell my husband it would

be better for Danny to stay here.

But that isn't true. It's much better

for him to go to Back of the Moon.

But it could do no harm for him

to stay here or go back to schooI.

If you'll tell my husband...

- Why don't you tell him?

- Because coming from you...

- Richard.

- Hello, doctor.

Oh, Richard, I've got

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