Love Letters Page #6

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- Hello. Hello.

- I thought you were in London.

- Got back Monday.

- Good to see you back again.

- Thank you.

Hello.

I've been trying to get you for hours.

Singleton has disappeared.

Is she at your house by any chance?

No. She isn't here.

She went out this morning

without saying anything.

And she hasn't come back.

You wait for me. I'll be right in.

There's a train in about an hour.

What's that, Dilly?

Well, say "hello" or something.

How long have you been here?

About an hour.

I heard the telephone ring.

But I was afraid it would be Dilly.

So I didn't answer.

I hope she'd give up before you came in.

Now, Singleton!

Oh, no. No, please. No, wait.

Hello, Singleton.

Hello, Alan.

Why did you come here?

Because I was afraid you'd

decided never to see me again.

Why would I decide that?

Then it was quite all right

for me to come here.

And you shouldn't be

so shocked and embarrassed.

Singleton,

one just doesn't do these things.

It's done.

It's quite proper.

I know it looks as if I...

I was running after you.

As if I were in love with you.

But you see I know you're

in love with someone else.

With Victoria Morland.

You told me that.

- So you can't suspect me...

- What?

Of making it personal.

You see, in a way,

Victoria Morland is my chaperone.

You just came here impersonally?

Not exactly.

I wanted to see you.

Singleton, look. Dilly is wearing

herself to death about you.

I'll have to call and tell her where...

Why don't you want me to tell her?

She'll make me go back.

Don't you intend to go back?

I suppose I'll have to.

I'm so glad.

No use asking how or why.

If she wants to do something,

she just does it.

I suppose all the advice

I gave you was of no use.

No use whatever.

Yes, I'll bring her back myself.

I'll put her on the train.

And keep her there until

we get to London.

Right.

Oh, Alan, please.

Not the train that leaves in an hour.

All right.

The train that leaves in two hours then.

- My manners are bad. So are yours.

- Why?

A host shouldn't be so anxious

to be rid of the guest.

He shouldn't show that he's annoyed.

Singleton, you think I'm annoyed?

Yeah.

No.

Good.

I don't think I could ever suspect

you of anything personal.

Look at yourself.

Oh.

That's because

I walked here from the station.

I'm not used to country roads.

You walked all the way here

from the station?

Un-huh.

You must be starved, Mack!

No no. Mack gave me a lunch.

Oh, you've met the old gargoyle?

We had a wonderful time together.

Yes, we did.

He was much nicer

than you were about it.

Really?

Yes, he was much happier to see me.

Well, I'm sure he couldn't

have been as surprised.

Incidentally,

how did you get my address?

Your brother spoke

about it at the party.

Oh, you've got a good memory.

You don't have to be afraid

to speak of that, Alan.

It's no secret.

I know I have no memory.

I suppose Dilly told you about it?

Yes.

Is that why you're afraid of me?

I'm not.

Yes, you're. I can feel it.

But you mustn't be.

Since I have no past,

I have no future.

Only a moment. Only now.

So we can enjoy it

without obligations or regrets.

Singleton, I'm not afraid of you.

Ever since I came back from the war,

I've wanted to be alone.

I've been miserable with other people.

You're the first one with whom

I feel at peace.

Because you're broken up inside,

almost the same as I am.

You've been through the war.

And you can't bear to look back.

I've forgotten.

And you don't want to remember.

That's the only difference between us.

But you're so calm. You have such a...

You have such a contagious serenity.

I wish I could catch it.

You're so happy.

I'll tell you my secret.

Just two words.

Be yourself.

You're afraid of that.

Everybody is.

But I... I have no choice.

I can't be anything but myself.

I've lost the past.

I've lost the fear of people.

What are you laughing at?

I thought you needed protection!

You're teaching me

how to protect myself.

We could be good friends, Alan.

You're in love

with Victoria Morland and I...

Tell me about Victoria.

I'd rather not talk about it.

You love her very much?

Desperately and hopelessly.

You know, for a moment,

I was almost envious of her.

Singleton, you mustn't think about it.

Someday you'll be

very happy with her.

I don't mind because right now

you're happy with me.

- Aren't you?

- Mm-hmm.

Alan, you'll come to see

me every once in a while?

Of course I will.

But don't write to me. Just come.

It frightens me to receive a letter.

Why does it frighten you?

I don't know.

Maybe it's because I can't write.

Can't write?

No, I can read.

But I've forgotten

how to make handwritten letters.

Dilly wanted to teach me.

But not want to learn again.

- I'm afraid of it.

- Why?

I don't know.

All right, Singleton.

I promise never to write to you.

Good.

Oh, I forgot to say goodbye to Mack!

- Goodbye, Mack.

- Better hurry. We're late.

Yes. I'm coming.

Oh!

What's the matter?

I broke my heel.

Now we'll really miss that train.

Oh, no. We won't.

- This is wonderful.

- Hmm.

Wonderful!

You'll be carrying me like

this all the way to London!

Just what I'd like second best.

What's first best?

Not going to London at all.

There.

You know,

that's the difference between us.

You're unhappy because that

can never happen again.

And I am happy because

it's happened once.

Oh!

Find her. Please return.

No questions asked.

You're not really angry with me,

are you, Dilly?

What use would it be if I were?

- Good night.

- Good night.

Dilly!

Can you arrange for me

to see Beatrice Remington?

What are you thinking of?

I know what I want to do.

Please arrange it as soon as possible.

And tell her all about me.

Except about the letters.

Good night.

Wait. Please.

Miss Remington, here's your visitor.

Young man, you wish to speak with me?

I'm Alan Quinton. Mrs. Remington.

I was a friend of Roger Morland.

We served together at the front.

I'm not concerned with the past.

It's as dead in me

as it is to that girl.

Dead and buried..

Sit down.

- And come to the point.

- Thank you.

What do you wish?

I wish to marry Singleton.

I expect you realize

what you're doing.

Fully.

The girl you call Singleton

is not alive.

Not a woman.

Not herself yet.

She may never be.

May I ask

how you're prepared to face this?

I can only tell you

that we love each other.

If we try to escape,

it'll be much worse for both of us

than anything that can

happen in our marriage.

The prospect of a lifetime

with a woman in that condition

isn't an easy one, is it?

But what if she were

to regain her health?

Mightn't that be worse for you?

Much worse.

You're proposing to marry

two different women at once.

Singleton and Victoria Morland.

Only one of them

can give you her consent.

Will Singleton's consent

be binding on Victoria?

If and when Victoria

comes back to life again,

Singleton will cease to exist.

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