Ninotchka Page #17

LEON:

All right, fight me, fight me as

much as you want, but fight me

tomorrow morning! There's nothing

sweeter than sharing a secret with a

bitter enemy.

NINOTCHKA:

(uncompromisingly)

As a representative of Moscow...

LEON:

Tonight let's not represent anybody

but ourselves.

NINOTCHKA:

It is out of the question. If you

wish to approach me...

LEON:

You know I want to...

NINOTCHKA:

Then do it through my lawyer!

LEON:

(desperate)

Ninotchka, you can't walk out like

this... I'm crazy about you, and I

thought I'd made an impression on

you. You liked the white of my eye.

Ninotchka looks at him for a second, then pulls herself

together.

NINOTCHKA:

I must go.

She starts for the door.

LEON:

But, Ninotchka, I held you in my

arms. You kissed me!

NINOTCHKA:

I kissed the Polish lancer too...

before he died.

As she goes out, we

FADE OUT:

THE ENTRANCE HALL -- LEON'S APARTMENT

FADE IN:

(Note:
We have to invent some brief scene to indicate that

three days have gone by. From this we)

DISSOLVE TO:

The butler opens the door. Swana enters, her manner showing

her complete familiarity with the place.

GASTON:

Good morning, Your Highness.

SWANA:

Good morning, Gaston.

GASTON:

Count d'Algout is still asleep.

SWANA:

(as she walks toward

Leon's room)

That's all right.

LEON'S BEDROOM

The curtains are drawn. The night light is still on. Leon, a

dressing gown over his pajamas, is sound asleep in a big arm

chair. As Swana enters, she sees him with some alarm.

SWANA:

Leon! What in heaven's name...!

LEON:

Huh?

SWANA:

Is anything wrong? Are you ill?

LEON:

No.

SWANA:

Don't tell me the bed has lost its

best friend.

LEON:

I just couldn't sleep. I got up and

went back... and then got up again.

These last few days... whew!

SWANA:

Darling, you're taking my business

affairs far too seriously. Much as

I'd love to rob the Bolsheviks of

their filthy money, I won't do it at

the expense of your health.

Particularly as we know we won't get

much.

(tenderly)

You look so pale... pale but

interesting.

There is a knock at the door.

SWANA:

Come in.

Gaston enters with a breakfast tray.

GASTON:

Your breakfast, monsieur.

LEON:

I don't feel like any breakfast.

SWANA:

Nonsense. How can you fight the Reds

and make yourself agreeable to the

Whites if you don't keep up your

strength.

GASTON:

Shall I draw your bath, sir?

LEON:

Make it ice cold.

SWANA:

Not in your condition.

(to Gaston)

Make it tepid, Gaston... tepid and

tender. And lay out his gray suit.

(to Leon)

Afterwards I'll drive you through

the Bois. Slowly... in Waltz time.

GASTON:

A blue shirt, perhaps?

SWANA:

Blue? Let's offset his mood. Find a

striped one, and brighten it with a

great blaze of tie.

GASTON:

Very well, Your Highness.

Gaston disappears into the bath-dressing room. Swana makes

Leon sit down and seats herself beside him.

SWANA:

Now... here we have two very handsome

soft-boiled eggs. Do you suppose

hens mind what happens to their eggs?

Probably not. They have such unfeeling

eyes. We'll put in a great nugget of

butter, plenty of pepper and salt...

Darling, I haven't seen you for three

livelong days... seventy-two hours!

LEON:

(irritably)

Oh, please, Swana! I don't know

whether I'm standing on my head or

my heels. Here you are blaming me

for neglecting you when I'm trying

to concentrate on another woman and

can't get near her.

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