Memoirs of a Geisha Page #7

I was foolish to think

you would barter me away.

Then you made no arrangement

with the colonel?

Please don't insult me again.

If he ratifies our contract...

...then I will be

a man of means again.

There is nothing

I want more, Sayuri...

...than to become your danna.

I already owe you far too much.

- I will not be refused.

- Please.

We are tied to each other.

I know you feel it too.

I never meant to mislead you.

Sayuri...

I do not like things

held up before me...

...that I cannot have.

When you first introduced me

to Nobu...

...I was such a fool to give him

my attention.

- You cannot refuse him. You must not.

- But, Mameha...

What is he to think?

He safeguarded your life.

- So he owns it?

- Sayuri.

I know what it is like to try

and scrape by without a danna.

I will do something, anything else.

Renting rooms?

Scrounging for every meal?

Is this the life that you want?

I want a life that is mine!

Nobu has never treated you

with anything but kindness.

- I don't want mere kindness.

- What?

What more can we expect,

we geisha?

You had feelings for the Baron,

didn't you?

I never allowed myself that.

Don't lie to me.

In time, you learn.

- I don't want to learn!

- Sayuri!

We don't become geisha

to pursue our own destinies.

We become geisha

because we have no choice.

Pumpkin.

What is it? What's wrong?

Nothing. I have a favor to ask,

that's all.

Ask.

At 9:
00, bring Nobu to the pool

on the far side of the garden.

Not a minute before,

not a minute after. Yes?

And, please, do not tell Nobu

that I will be there waiting.

It's a surprise?

Yes, it's a surprise.

Whoa, in here?

What..? No, no, no. Hang on.

Hey, hey, hey. No, whoa.

I think we have done it.

Let's make sure he signs.

Wait!

Are we doing this or not?

Yes?

Chairman.

Chairman!

How could you?

You don't know

what you have done!

But I do.

I do not understand.

Why did you have to bring

the Chairman?

Because I know how you feel

about him.

A long time ago,

you took something from me.

The only thing I'd ever truly wanted.

Well...

...now you know how it feels.

The heart dies a slow death.

Shedding each hope like leaves.

Until one day there are none.

No hopes.

Nothing remains.

She paints her face

to hide her face.

Her eyes are deep water.

It is not for geisha to want.

It is not for geisha to feel.

Geisha is an artist

of the floating world.

She dances.

She sings.

She entertains you.

Whatever you want.

The rest is shadows.

The rest is secret.

Sayuri, quickly.

The teahouse just called.

You are to meet

a very important client tonight.

Who?

It must be Nobu. Yes.

He is going to be

one of the richest men in Osaka.

He wants to honor his promise:

To become your danna at last.

Give me.

It's about time.

Finally, a return on my investment.

Keiko, maybe one day

you will be as lucky.

No geisha can ever hope for more.

Let me see it.

Chairman.

Where is Nobu-san?

He won't be coming.

Is something wrong?

He knows what happened.

It is not in his nature to forgive.

Chairman, what happened

on the island...

Please, you do not have to explain.

But I have shamed myself so deeply,

past all forgiveness.

No. I'm the one

who must be forgiven.

I do not understand.

Perhaps...

...if you had only known the truth...

The truth?

Some years ago...

...I was on my way to the theatre.

I saw a little girl weeping

by the Sunagawa.

I stopped to buy her

a cup of sweet ice.

You knew I was that little girl?

Didn't you ever wonder why

Mameha took you under her wing?

Mameha came to me

because of you.

I wish you could have told me

long ago.

What could I do?

I owe Nobu my life.

And so...

...when I saw he had a chance

at happiness with you, I stood silent.

But...

But I cannot any longer.

I hope...

...it is not too late.

Don't be afraid to look at me, Chiyo.

Can't you see?

Every step I have taken...

...since I was that child

on the bridge...

...has been to bring myself

closer to you.

You cannot say to the sun,

"More sun. "

Or to the rain, "Less rain. "

To a man, geisha can

only be half a wife.

We are the wives of nightfall.

And yet, to learn of kindness...

...after so much unkindness...

...to understand that a little girl

with more courage than she knew...

...would find her prayers

were answered...

...can that not be called happiness?

After all...

...these are not the memoirs

of an empress, nor of a queen.

These are memoirs

of another kind.

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