Savage Grace Page #2

So there's no embarrassment

in losing, if that's a concern.

- Do you love me?

- Of course.

Will you still love me when my hair is gray

and my tits are sagging?

Well, of course.

- Do you remember the dog?

- What dog?

- Which dog?

- The one we had in Italy.

Giotto.

I remember when Giotto died.

- He was old.

- No, he wasn't.

In dog years.

- We still have his collar.

- I know.

- Somewhere.

- I know where.

Leo was famous.

Not like you're famous, of course.

Well, I'm not...

For heaven's sake.

You won the Premio Nadal.

You know Picasso, you know Camus,

you know Malraux, you know Dali.

Pilar knows them.

I just write.

What I'm saying, Carlos,

is that Leo's fame, like yours,

was a function of achievement,

came from what he did.

So Leo's stroke of genius

was the notion that the formaldehyde

might stabilize the phenol, give it strength.

But they never mixed. Leo thought,

"Let's try putting it under pressure. "

Poof! Long chain molecules,

Bakelite, plastic.

The telephone, bracelets,

radios, records,

coffins, submarines,

the housing for the atom bomb -

the world as we know it today.

- That was your father?

- No, that was my grandfather.

My father is a crapule.

My grandfather decidedly was not.

- What does Papa do?

- How do you mean?

- Well, Franois at the...

- At the cole?

- Franois asked me...

- You can tell him, "My father writes.

"My father explores.

"My father has

a very refined knowledge of mathematics. "

Oh.

And you can tell him that your mother

was almost a movie star.

Do you find my wife attractive?

Most men do.

But what she doesn't...

what Barbara doesn't realize...

is that women find me...

you know...

attractive.

Some people's fathers,

some people's mothers,

they have to go to an office or a factory

or a store, I guess, every day.

But we are fortunate...

because what we do

is what we love.

What does Franois' father do?

- He works.

- Ah, well, we worked.

I mean, Father worked, Nini worked.

There was no other way.

I kind of had to raise myself,

and then I worked, too - at Filene's.

Then when I could, I left.

I just left.

Nini wanted what was best for me -

only what was best for me.

"Find the mon," she'd say.

She meant "man," I guess,

and she meant "money. "

The rich, they don't have

pet names for money.

Did you know Leonardo da Vinci

wrote backwards?

So you could only read it in a mirror.

- Entrez.

- Hi.

Carlos!

Pilar!

My, you're looking swell!

Gracias.

Mrs. Baekeland, permit me

to introduce Monsieur Souvestre.

Jean-Pierre,

I am so happy to meet you.

Please, come in.

I have been dying to ask you

about Marcel Proust,

your biography of whom

I have yet to read

as my French reading skills

are not what they will be.

It is not necessary

to apologize for that.

Brooks reads the language

like a native.

And our Tony is mastering it every day

at the cole bilingue.

But for poor moi, I must confess,

it's been a struggle, n'est-ce pas?

Understood.

What was I saying?

Oh... yes.

Jean-Pierre,

was Proust truly a homosexual?

Qu'est-ce que tu penses?

So you met Carlos here in Paris?

I was at the Sorbonne, the adoring

graduate student writing about his work.

But then... we woke up one morning

and none of that seemed to matter.

I think I knew he was serious

when he introduced me

to Marcel and Teeny Duchamp.

Oh! I ran into them today,

at I'quipe.

They said they might

stop over... later.

Je peux lui telephoner?

You may be assured

they were only being polite.

I don't want to be impolite, but

M. Souvestre has the early day tomorrow.

He's off to Vittel.

It is regrettable,

but what Mrs. Durn says is the truth.

Un petit caf for the road?

And you've yet to meet Tony.

Excusez-moi.

Monsieur Souvestre, permettez-moi

de vous prsenter mon fils, Tony.

Did I get it right?

Did I get the order right?

The younger is presented to the older,

the less distinguished to the more so.

Exception:
a gentleman

is always presented to a lady.

Exception to the exception: unless the man

is a president, a cardinal or a sovereign.

So, then, it's right.

Well, everyone, this is Tony.

Say hello.

Buenas noches,

seor y seora Durn.

Buenas noches.

Bonsoir, M. Souvestre.

Enchant de faire votre connaissance.

- Bonsoir.

- Told you his French is better than mine.

Perhaps you'd like to read something.

Perhaps Tony would prefer

to get his sleep.

Especially as M. Souvestre

has an early start.

Please.

For me.

Thank you, Tony.

It was gracious of you to volunteer.

You are welcome, seora.

Your mother's a bit tired, as are we.

As, I'm sure, are you.

- Um...

- Then we call it an evening.

As your friend,

Monsieur Duchamp, says...

Your husband or your son

will translate.

Don't you dare.

Don't you dare condescend to me.

F***ing French!

They tell you how to raise your child,

and then they stare at your ass.

Yes, cul -

I know the word!

It's sick.

This society is sick!

Excuse me.

"Move-ez"!

I shall be leaving too.

Tell Tony his father says good night.

Un momento, por favor.

Vos cls.

What are you doing

in my hotel room?

You bribed the concierge,

didn't you?

Hello?

Hello?

Mummy?

Mummy?

- Bonjour, Maman.

- Bonjour.

Who's that boy?

Franois.

From the cole?

From the cole bilingue?

I know where he's from.

When you left, and then when Mummy left,

I didn't want to be alone,

so I called Franois,

and he came over.

We listened to the radio.

It was Boulez -

one of those poems by Ren Char,

which Boulez set to music.

I rather like Boulez,

don't you, Mummy?

I know that some consider him

atonal and all that,

but I think they just don't know

how to listen, or what to listen for.

Your friend leaves.

Now.

Get him a towel.

That wasn't bad, you know.

Tony?

Do you have a cigarette for me?

Black.

I like black tobacco.

But sometimes I yearn for the brown.

- You know how they are.

- What?

- Fussing, always making a fuss.

- Not all women.

Damn near all.

Always telling us, you know.

Always telling us

where to put our c*cks,

where not to...

and so forth.

I don't need to tell you.

You've seen, you know.

So what are you saying?

You'll soon be...

Hell, you're on your own.

I just wanted to give you a piece of...

what fathers tell sons.

Well, thanks.

I mean, your mother was an actress.

In some ways, is an actress.

Will mostly likely be...

Mummy can be histrionic,

but she's not...

Don't defend her.

You needn't defend her.

You love her, as do I,

but for the moment,

we're sitting here,

Brooks and Antony, two men.

Had she been on time,

we'd never have had this discussion.

Do you think she gets stoned?

Well, she's Spanish.

Worth a pull?

After you, pal.

Te gustara fumar?

S.

Gracias.

Taught by experts.

You know what this place needs?

Some music.

- I have one.

- Excuse me?

Once upon a time

a long, long time ago

Wherever you lead me

I would surely follow

Girl, you put me through

some pain and misery

And now you stand here

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