Mr. Arkadin Page #3

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or I might decide to start talking.

I mean it, Guy. And it won't be about Bracco

or anything mysterious like that.

It'll be all about you.

Are you, by any chance,

trying to threaten me?

I'm just telling you

to leave her alone.

- Hi, chum. What are you doing here?

- Just waiting.

Not right under the castle like this,

where we can be seen.

- That castle's kind of hard to get away from.

- I know. And the town's swarming with secretaries.

I'll phone you as soon

as I get away from the ogre.

Look, why don't you take me up there,

introduce me to him and be done with it?

Because we're having fun,

and I'd like it to last a few days, cornball!

- Look! You win!

- Hey!

- I knew it.

- What do I win?

These.

Come on.

- Hey, what's all the rush?

- There are a couple of secretaries back there.

- Checkin' up on you, huh?

- Yes.

- He treats you like he was a jealous husband.

- If Father had his way, I'd never get married.

- You don't have to worry about that, honey.

- Oh, what do you mean?

I'll make you a promise. As long as I live,

I'll never ask you to marry me.

Gee, thanks.

Hey!

- One moment, please, sir.

- I beg your pardon?

Does the Count de Torregon know

that you're here with his invitation, sir?

- Well -

- Don't be dreary, Rudi. Of course he does.

- Raina sent me to fetch you, old boy.

- Oh, thanks.

No, this way. And put your mask on.

That's the form, you know.

- Anyway, where's the ogre?

- I beg your pardon?

- Our host. I would like to see him.

- Well, you can't mean that.

- Why not?

- I've been trying to keep him from seeing me.

- What do you mean?

- Ever since I was caught taking Raina out without

official permission, I've been persona non grata.

Who? All right. So it's a masquerade,

but it isn't Halloween, is it?

What's with all

these crazy Frankensteins?

Now, look, old boy,

you don't understand.

All these people are supposed

to represent the paintings.

Now, some of us have come

as visions and monsters. Goya.

- Who?

- You know Goya.

Glad to meet ya.

- Now what?

- Just a whim of the ogre.

Tell me, do I have to fight

a duel with these two characters?

- No, drink the triple vodka, and you pass.

- Triple-strength vodka?

Sorry, sir.

There are no exceptions.

Father likes his guests to be ready

for a party before it starts.

Savage, of course, but then so is he.

Try and make

a good impression on him.

I'm sorry.

I see you were talking

with our hostess.

- Well, I -

- The young Miss Arkadin.

- Of course I know Raina, Mr. -

- We won't introduce ourselves. This is a masquerade.

- You've known her long?

- Raina? Oh, we've met a few times.

All sorts of people

are always trying to meet her.

In her position,

that's natural, of course.

Fortune hunters, adventurers.

You know the type.

- Oh, sure.

- I thought you would.

Come here.

I have to show you something.

You might be interested.

You know where we are, don't you?

Shut the door, please.

- This is her bedroom.

- Huh?

- Raina's bedroom. You understand?

- Ah, it's a very beautiful room. This whole place -

This is her bed.

Her pillow.

I left this here for her to study.

You can look at it,

if you want to.

"Confidential Report."

It has my name on it.

Oh?

Yeah.

Yeah, my name is Van Stratten,

Mr. Arkadin.

According to that dossier,

you were born George Streitheimer.

Streeter!

My father's name was Streeter.

Your father's identity does not

seem to have been established.

Go on. Read it.

Be sure to leave it for Raina...

after the party's over.

The party seems to be over

already, Mr. Arkadin.

- Who got this up for you?

- Private detectives.

This may seem a considerable investment

to make for a mere gigolo...

a petty adventurer.

You see, my daughter is very important to me.

There's nothing I would -

So I'm a petty adventurer, am I?

And what about you, Mr. Arkadin?

How do you think it would look

if someone got up a dossier on you?

What are you two doing

in my bedroom?

One moment, Raina. I want to be very sure I

understand what your friend here is talking about.

Yeah, it's quite true!

I ran cigarettes, even some gold once.

But what about you,

Mr. Almighty Gregory Arkadin?

How 'bout if somebody got up

a confidential report on the subject of you, huh?

All the dirt, I mean -

from Bracco on down.

- I'm ashamed of you.

- That's just about the idea.

I mean, Father, do you really think

this is the way to -

Guy! Come back.

- What's wrong?

- I don't make a habit of striking women.

- Guy!

- Don't worry. You're safe.

I'm sick of jails,

and there's a law against murder.

- What did you say to Arkadin?

- I haven't seen him, not here in Spain.

- Did you tell him anything about me?

- No. Why should I?

He's got private detectives on me.

You put him on me, didn't you?

No, Guy.

I swear I had nothing to do with it.

Both of you wanted to break things up between

Raina and me. Well, now you've succeeded.

- Where are you going?

- Just leaving, that's all.

- Am I going with you?

- I want to get as far away from here as possible.

Guy, I never once talked

to Arkadin about you.

Oh, and another thing-

I've remembered that name.

You mean that other name?

That woman's name that Bracco told you about?

- Am I going with you?

- Now, don't get smart.

All right, all right.

It was - It was Sophie.

Sophie? Sophie what?

Well, that's just it. I can't remember.

It was- It was something Russian.

Hello?

Oh, I beg your pardon.

I was told I would find, uh, Mr. Van Stratten

there. Will you put him on, please?

- Secretary?

Mr. Arkadin's.

- Mr. Van Stratten?

- Speaking.

Mr. Arkadin is calling you.

I'll put you through.

Mr. Van Stratten,

I'm prepared to talk business with you.

I said I'm prepared to talk business with you.

My car is downstairs.

I'm waiting.

Oh, Van Stratten.

- Mr. Arkadin is waiting for you.

- Thanks.

And now I'm going to tell you

about a scorpion.

This scorpion

wanted to cross a river...

so he asked the frog to carry him.

"No," said the frog.

"No, thank you.

"If I let you on my back,

you may sting me...

and the sting of a scorpion is death."

"Now, where," asked the scorpion, "is the logic

of that?" for scorpions always try to be logical.

"If I sting you, you will die, and I will drown."

So the frog was convinced

and allowed the scorpion on his back.

But just in the middle of the river,

he felt a terrible pain...

and realized that, after all,

the scorpion had stung him.

"Logic," cried the dying frog as he started under,

bearing the scorpion down with him.

"There is no logic in this."

"I know," said the scorpion,

"but I can't help it.

It's my character."

Let's drink to character.

Excuse me, sir, but Mr. Arkadin would like you

to wait for him on the terrace.

This way, please.

I thought you called me back here

because you wanted to talk business.

Your business, Van Stratten.

You told me you knew so much about me

you could fill out a dossier on me.

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