Lolita Page #10

a rearsome bucky goat no more.

Tremble not, little nymph.

You see before you a weary goat.

The bewitcher is bewitched.

Look, Semiramis, look!

Yes, the goat removeth his horns.

Let us take him to the Dark Kingdom.

Yes.

To the Dark Kingdom, away, away!

Why, good evening, Dr. Humbert!

Miss Starch! Good evening!

- Did you enjoy the performance?

- Very much. I enjoyed every minute of it.

I wondered if the symbolism

wasn't heavy-handed at times.

I know what you mean,

but weren't the boys and girls charming?

They were, weren't they?

And particularly little Lolita.

She was quite perfect.

You must be awfully proud of her.

Yes, I am. You know, her performance

took me completely by surprise!

She made me promise not to watch

any of the rehearsals.

They're so intense at that age.

She must have worked awfully hard.

No wonder you decided

to suspend her piano lessons.

After all, there are only...

I beg your pardon, did you say,

"suspend her piano lessons"?

Yes.

- Do you play, Dr. Humbert?

- Hardly at all now.

Didn't she have a lesson with you

last Saturday?

No.

Nor the preceding Saturday?

No. She called to say

she was busy rehearsing.

Busy rehearsing?

As a matter of fact,

she hasn't had a lesson for...

...let me see, four weeks!

I hope I haven't spoken out of turn.

No, no, not at all.

I must have misunderstood.

By the way, Dr. Humbert,

there's so few people in Beardsley...

...who appreciate music,

I was wondering, sometime...

...if you'd like to come by

I could play something for you.

Yes, of course, certainly I will.

Thank you. Excuse me now.

- Good evening, Dr. Humbert.

- Hi, Dad!

- Wasn't it wonderful?

- How did you like it?

There's a party for the cast and author.

- Everybody's invited.

- I must take Lolita home.

- Our starlet's had enough excitement.

- They all want to meet you!

I wouldn't want you to miss

any more piano lessons.

- I haven't missed any.

- You know what I'm talking about.

Say goodnight.

This isn't a regular party, it's a cast party.

Come on.

- This is the cast party...

- We'll discuss it later.

Brewster...

...go and get some Type "A" Kodachrome.

Okay.

- You're not going upstairs.

- Yes, I am!

- We must have a talk.

- Let go!

- You're hurting my arm!

- Stop shouting!

You let me go, you jerk! Let go of me!

Sit down! Now you're going to answer

a few questions.

You've got a big, fat nerve

dragging me away.

- Stop that silly noise!

- Who do you think you are...

...not letting me go to the party?

- Stop that shouting.

- I don't care if the police do come in here.

All right, now the doors are shut.

Come on, shout!

Let's hear how loud you can shout.

Come on.

Now perhaps you will tell me.

What were you doing on Saturday

between 2:
00 and 4:00 in the afternoon?

I went to my piano lesson.

- That's a lie.

- It is not.

I happen to know you haven't been

to a piano lesson for four weeks.

Yeah? Just ask Miss Starch.

I asked Miss Starch.

How do you think I know?

She told me. I saw her tonight.

Didn't you see her at the performance?

Yeah.

Now tell me.

What have you been doing

these afternoons?

- You really want to know?

- Yes, I do. I really want to know.

All right. I'm going to tell you

the real truth, what I've been doing.

I've been going to extra rehearsals.

That's the most fatuous lie

you could possibly think up.

Don't say any more.

I know what you've been doing.

You've been with this leading man

of yours...

...this Roy, isn't that so?

You're sick.

Stop! Don't throw those silly,

silly cliches at me.

Don't tell me any more.

You've been with this boy?

- Come on, tell me.

- You need help.

- You're imagining things.

- Shut up, Lolita. Stop that silly talk.

Lolita.

Now, if you swear to me that this isn't true

I promise that I will believe you.

I won't swear anything.

You'll never believe me, no matter what.

I will believe you.

No, you won't. You won't believe me.

I'll forget the whole thing.

I'll never question you about it again.

No, you'll never believe me.

Why should I swear to you?

All right, I believe you.

It's partly my fault. I realize that.

It's something that's happened

on account of this horrible place.

These people poking their noses

into our business...

...and I never see you anymore,

with your soda fountains, and your extra...

Stop doing that!

But we could leave this place perhaps.

Yes, there's nothing to keep us here.

We haven't any obligations here.

We don't owe rent to anybody.

We could just pack up our bags.

Tonight. We could go now.

I could take you for a wonderful trip

round the country.

You can't leave here.

Why not?

You've got to work. What about your job?

My job doesn't mean anything.

I could always publish articles...

My book's going to be published soon.

It's a wonderful idea.

I have to go to school.

What about my education?

What sort of an education

do you think you're getting here?

You got a much better education

when you were travelling around with me.

Well, the play has two more performances

next week.

Don't start talking about the play.

That's what's just come between us.

That's what started this whole row.

Don't you want to get back

to where we were...

...before we came to this horrible place?

Don't you want to come away with me?

No!

I hate you!

You want to stay with this filthy boy!

Yes!

- Why can't you leave me alone?

- Shut your mouth...

...you horrid little psychopath!

- Let me go, you creep!

I promise you one thing:

You're not going to see

these filthy boys anymore.

- That's one thing that...

- I've got news for you.

I'll do anything I want to,

anytime I want to...

...with anyone I want...

- Shut your filthy mouth!

...and you can't stop me!

- Shut up!

- Miss Le Bone.

- Dr. Humbert, may I come in?

What can I do for you?

This is a little awkward to say, but I'm...

I thought you ought to know, this noise,

I can hear every word next door.

Well, we were having a family row.

The child's voice is very shrill

when she gets upset.

Yes, of course, I understand perfectly,

but, well, I...

I happen to have company and he's

a minister of the church, and you know...

Perhaps you can convey

my apologies to him.

We were quarrelling about piano lessons.

Hello, dear!

Hello, Miss Le Bone.

Goodnight!

- What a pretty getup!

- She was in the school play tonight.

Yes, of course, the school play.

Dr. Humbert, I do hope...

...you don't think that I'm presuming

on our good neighbor relations, but...

...I should tell you

that the neighbors are beginning...

...to get curious about you and your girl.

- I can't think why they should do that.

- Well, you know how people talk.

I must get back to my guest.

Would you care to join us?

That's very nice of you, thank you,

but I'll take a rain check on it.

Oh, right.

Well, goodnight!

Goodnight.

Come on, we're going home.

- Wait.

- I forbade you to go to the party.

I wasn't going to.

- Who were you talking to?

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