Man of the World

---

Well, well, well!

Jimmie Powers.

You old son of a gun.

I'm afraid there must be

some mistake.

You trying to kid me,Jimmie?

What do you know?

He's trying to kid me.

L-Let me get this straight.

You mean to tell me

you're notJimmie Powers?

I'm afraid that's exactly

what I mean to tell you.

Well, I've heard everything.

Say, if you aren'tJimmie Powers,

I'll-- I'll eat your hat.

Well, in that event,

I suppose I really owe it to you

to make assurance doubly sure.

Hmm.

Hmm.

Oh, as I thought.

I am not Mr.Jimmie, uh, uh--

what was it, uh-- Powers at all.

Well, I'll be whatever it is.

Of course,

now, I might be mistaken.

Perhaps I should take up the habit

of carrying my birth certificate

around with me.

Come on,Joe.

I told you not to take

that last double Bronx.

If you gentlemen will excuse me.

Please convey my compliments,

to Mr., uh, uh, uh, what's-his-name,

and tell him that I don't really

resemble him on purpose.

Good day, gentlemen.

Oh, come on,Joe.

I never heard of

anything like it before.

Jimmie Powers.

And he says he ain't.

You could be mistaken,

couldn't ya?

No, I couldn't.

Why, he was the managing editor

of that newspaper

back in Springfield.

I used to--

Six years ago.

I used to run into him every day.

And then he got into

some kind of a jam and--

just disappeared.

What kind of a jam?

Well, the way I got it was that

he-- he was playing nature's nobleman

to somebody or other...

that fell down on him,

and so he took the rap

and said nothing.

Maybe he was trying to

high-hat you just now.

Not theJimmie Powers

I used to know.

Why, he was the most promising

newspaperman in the country.

Oh, what of it?

It's no skin off your back, is it?

Uh, Mr. Taylor, please.

Michael Trevor calling.

Mr. Taylor said

you were to come right up.

Room 309, sir.

Thank you.

How are you, Mr. Trevor?

Glad to see you.

How are you, Mr. Taylor?

Come on in. Sit down.

Thank you.

Well, it's nice to see you again.

I tried to call you up myself,

but I didn't know where

to get hold of you.

I guess I was a little tight

that day I met you at the Ritz.

Oh.

I kind of forgot

to get your phone number.

Well, I got yours.

So, here we are.

Yep. Here we are.

Have a drink?

Oh, thank you, no.

I, uh-- I had a purpose in phoning you

this morning, Mr. Taylor.

Aside from my desire

to see you again, of course.

Glad you did.

I'll try to be as brief as possible.

I don't know if you know

very much about me.

Oh, sure, I do. You're just being modest.

Oh, thank you.

I've heard a lot about you,

Mr. Trevor.

Yeah?

They tell me you're over here

writing a great novel.

Ah. I wish I could be as sure

of that as they are.

Well, all I know is that

some four years ago I quit being

a newspaperman in America.

Now I'm over here to see

if I can really write.

You've been in Paris four years?

Mmm.

I wish I could stay

over here four years. Hmm.

I've only been here a week.

For the most part, we have

a very nice crowd of Americans

living here in Paris permanently.

Paris is certainly a liberal education.

Isn't it?

I thought I'd seen a lot,

but let me tell you.

These Frenchmen--

Uh, French.

And how!

Unfortunately, there are

a few Americans living in this town

who are not exactly all they might be.

Frankly, there's only a handful,

but they're what I've come

to see you about.

There was a little redhead

at the Folies-Bergere the other night.

And let me tell you--

Ah, yes. I know. I know.

Now, uh, these fellows

I'm talking about, Mr. Taylor,

live by their wits--

and by other people's

lack of them.

I ran into one of them last night.

He helps get out

a weekly paper here,

printed in English.

No good here.

Me, I didn't come to Paris to read.

Uh, this paper isn't

circulated much in Paris.

It's meant chiefly

for American consumption.

This fellow was drunk,

and he talked too much.

Much too much.

Among other things, he showed me

a copy of an item they're going to run

in their next week's issue.

I... put it in my pocket

when he wasn't looking.

Well, fine.

Just leave it here,

and I'll read it.

Well, I think you had better

read it right away.

It's, uh-- It's about you.

About me?

Mmm.

Well, what's it say?

Well--

Shall I read it to you?

Sure.

It says,

'"Tis a pity that some of

our compatriots are so naive

and lacking in worldly knowledge.

"Surely Mr. Harold Taylor,

the soft coal baron

of Stratford, Pennsylvania,

"could not have been aware

of the identity of the very blonde

and very beautiful young woman...

with whom he seemed to be

on such intimate terms at Zelli's

the other morning at 4::00."

Uh--

"With whom he seemed to be

on such intimate terms at Zelli's

the other morning at 4:00.

"Those in the know

were forced to smile broadly...

"as this strangely assorted couple

left the restaurant...

"arm in arm.

Watch your step, Harry boy."

We, uh, got so well acquainted

that day at the Ritz, Mr. Taylor,

that I thought I'd take the liberty

of bringing this item to you.

You could do those of us

living here a great service.

We know who gets out this sheet.

And what we would like you to do...

is to take this item to the police

and get the whole gang arrested.

Arrested?

Exactly.

You're a man of the world,

and you know that the kind of fellow

back of a thing like that...

can't last 1 0 minutes

if the police are put on his trail.

Police?

You could put him where he belongs::

behind the bars.

Say.Just a minute.

If I-- If I go to the police,

it'll get in the papers, won't it?

Probably.

Well, that's something

I don't want any part of.

Ah, but, Mr. Taylor--

I can't afford to have this item

get back to America.

And I-- I can't afford to

let it be known

that I had it stopped.

Well, I'm sorry.

It's always the same old thing.

Every time we get something

on this fellow that could send him to jail,

the victim is unwilling

to prosecute.

I'd like to help you out,

but-- but I can't.

I suppose not.

Well, I'm sorry

I wasted your time,

Mr. Taylor.

I'll say good day.

Good-bye.

Oh. Oh,just a minute.

Uh, wait a minute.

How would I go about

getting this fella

not to print this little item?

Well, I don't know.

I don't suppose

it would be very difficult.

You think not?

It would be worth something

to me not to have it appear.

Say, I wonder if

you'd do me a favor?

Most certainly. If I can.

How about, uh,

you seeing this fellow for me?

My seeing him?

Yes. He'd probably listen to you,

where he wouldn't to me.

Chances are he'd

try to hold me up for more.

Of course, uh, I'd be prepared

to pay something for it.

Pay him, of course.

Oh. Oh. I didn't mean, uh--

Say, you'd be doing me

an awful service

if you'd help me out on this.

Well, I'll certainly be glad

to do anything I can.

Ah.

Suppose a couple of thousand? Uh--

Wait a minute.

Comment?

Don't pull up your flag.

Comment?

Why do I always

have to get chauffeurs

who don't speak English?

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