Night and the City Page #5

Harry Fabian is in my way

because of you. You fed him money-

I can withdraw that money,

and then you will be free to deal with him.

You miss the point,

Mr. Nosseross.

It isn't your money

that keeps him alive.

Harry Fabian

is not a competitor.

As long as he keeps his promise to promote

only Greco-Roman wrestling...

his business failure

is certain.

The public simply won't buy it,

but the point is...

my father would still believe

that Harry Fabian is an honorable man...

and I can't touch him.

He's unpunished, and I'm not satisfied merely

to see him become a hustler once again.

- Neither am I.

- Just a minute. We haven't finished.

I'll deliver Fabian

to you.

Your father shall learn

that Harry Fabian is not an honorable man.

Hello, Phil.

Sorry to be late.

So many things to take care of.

Business, business, business.

Why'd you ask me

to meet you here?

- I'm afraid of Kristo. You're not.

- You bet I'm not.

He came to the gym last Monday.

You know what he said?

"Go to Montreal, which is in Canada."

You know what I did?

Had the bouncer toss him down the stairs.

- He crawled like a sewer rat.

- I'm sure.

There's one thing to settle-- the hundred quid

for the final payment in the arena.

- We're all set.

- Harry, I brought you here to tell you...

that I'm withdrawing

from our partnership.

- What?

- I'm advised that your kind of wrestling can't succeed.

This Greco-Roman,

it won't draw flies.

But you can't back out now.

You've invested a lot of money.

I'm sorry.

I'll take the loss. And that's final.

Phil, wait! Phil.

Phil, wait.

Why are you backing out?

Everything's in the palm of my hand. Why?

I refuse to throw

good money after bad.

- But you know what this means to me, Phil.

- Harry. Harry.

This is my last word

on the subject.

Get a box office attraction, a big name,

then you'll get the money.

What do you mean?

Well, I know nothing

about wrestling...

but I'm told there are men

who are big draws.

- Men like, for instance, the Strangler.

- The Stra--

But I can't.

Gregorious would leave me.

If you don't, I'm forced to leave you.

And then where are you?

As I see it, Harry, your only course

is to keep moving right ahead.

Go on, get the Strangler.

That's your first problem.

Then I'm sure you'll have no difficulty

in persuading any wrestler to meet him.

Seems to me you have

no alternative, have you?

All right, I can do it.

I can do it. I'll do it.

- But will you give me the money to get the Strangler?

- Of course I will.

I'll back you without limit.

I consider it a sound investment, dear boy.

All right.

Give him another of the same.

Gin for me.

- Hello, Beer. What's the good word?

- Well, hello to you.

Hey, word's all over town

that you made Kristo turn tail.

- How'd you do it?

- Brains, chum. Brains and guts.

- There's no stopping you now, eh, Harry?

- Never was.

- Where's the Strangler?

- He's joined Madame La Posh's circus for dinner.

Look at him.

- Ain't he a cute sight?

- Yes, very cute. Very cute.

Uh, Beer, uh...

how much do you get for the Strangler

when he fights for Kristo?

- That all depends.

- Fifty quid. That's what you get.

All right, now that I've shown you managers

that Kristo's all bubble and squeak...

I'm ready to throw

a little business your way.

Next week the Strangler

fights for me-- 100 quid.

Hey, you ain't in such a cushy spot

after all, are you, Harry?

You really need the Strangler, don't you?

Two hundred quid,

Harry.

All right, all right. Two hundred it is.

The Strangler fights Nikolas.

Nikolas?

Hey, that's a good show.

But how are you gonna make

old Gregorious swallow that?

Don't look surprised

at anything that happens.

Come on.

Keep your mouth shut.

No, no, no, no, no.

I'd do it to oblige you, Beer.

But Gregorious wouldn't let

the Strangler within 10 feet of him.

You know what he did to him that morning?

Threw him out of the gym.

The Strangler

fight Nikolas?

Why, that clown isn't fit

to breathe the same air as Nikolas.

- Hey, you, I kill Nikolas. I break him in pieces!

- Well, hello, Strangler.

You kill! You break!

You didn't do it that morning.

Your boy's quite a comedian.

I saw Nikolas take

one step toward him...

your boy turned white

and took two steps back.

I step back from that dancing boy?

Next time I see him, I'll kill him.

You can see him now, brave man.

He's at the gym. Why don't you drop in?

Oh, yes, yes, yes. I know.

You're having dinner.

- Uh-uh.

- Hmm.

Oh, if I move here,

you give me wrist lock.

If you move here,

I give you head lock.

Move.

Be a brave boy.

Move.

Hello, boys. Why don't you both move?

It's time to go home.

No, no, no, no, no.

Just few minutes rest, but plenty work.

Strangler, what's the matter?

You crazy?

You, Nikolas!

I crush you!

- Now, look, I threw you out ofhere once!

- Call me clown!

We don't want you here!

Get out!

Come and fight, dancing boy.

What, are you too afraid?

- Get out!

- Beer, take him away. Get him out of here.

You-- You old woman.

Why don't you let him fight me? Come fight!

Wait! Wait!

All right!

All right, you'll fight him.

Nikolas will fight you.

But a match, in public,

with a referee.

Gregorious, we've got to show 'em.

Once and for all,

we've got to show 'em.

We'll let Nikolas

break this clown in half.

Yes.

- I let my boy crush you.

- Crush me?

Beer! Take your boy

in my office.

I'll be in in a minute.

Gregorious,

it's the only way.

We'll let Nikolas finish him

and his whole cheap circus, once and for all.

Once and for all.

- Harry, you're--

- Shh.

Harry, you're sensational.

You're a wonder.

Do you know what

you've just done?

You've just cooked up the biggest

wrestling match London will ever see.

- How'd you do it, boy?

- Just brains and guts.

You're clever, Harry, and no mistake.

And you're quick too.

- How quick can you pay me that 200 quid?

- Mickey, hold your breath.

Be back by the time you read the contract,

with the 200 quid.

Have yourself a drink.

Here, use my pen to sign it.

Harry, boy,

I don't know how you do it.

Phil, I've done it. Beauty versus the beast.

Yesterday versus today.

You'll get 1,000 percent

on your money.

- I told you never to come here.

- I've got the Strangler.

- Is this the truth?

- He's at the gym right now with his manager.

Go ahead. See for yourself. Call my office.

Temple Bar, double-0, 0-1.

Double-0, 0-1.

Yes, sir! Strangler and his manager

sitting at my desk.

Sitting at my desk.

Contract's ready, ready to sign.

And all he wants is...

two hundred quid.

So you've got

the Strangler, hmm?

- And he's in your gymnasium at the moment.

- That's right.

Wonderful, Harry.

You really are a wonder,

no mistake.

- I knew I could count on you.

- Sure.

Hello?

Mr. Nosseross here.

I want to talk

to Mr. Kristo, please.

Thank you.

I'll hold on.

- Kristo?

- Yes, dear boy. Kristo.

There comes a time when a lad must learn

the true facts of life... and death.

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