Separate Tables Page #2

anatomy with romance?

Well, that shouldn't be too difficult.

Well, I'm obviously not going

to get any work done.

Come on.

The dinner gong'll go in 15 minutes.

Well, where on earth

are we going to walk in 15 minutes?

Oh, Charles, how dim can you be?

Well, I ratherthink

we better play billiards.

Go in, you blighter.

Bad luck, Mr. Fowler.

Oh, well, I only play for exercise.

That'll be a shilling, please, Mr. Fowler.

- You'll ruin me, Miss Meacham.

- Come on, Charles. They've finished.

I'll take all your money.

Poor Mr. Fowler, has he ever won?

Once in 1948.

It was her Christmas present to him.

There's stuffed pork tonight.

We ought to be ready forthe gong.

That, I expect, is young Ridgewell at last.

What is it?

- A new arrival, apparently.

- Great Scott!

- What is it, Miss Meacham?

- You should see foryourself.

Slim as a willow,

dressed like a Parisian model

and not a day over 30.

This place is turning into a regular nursery.

Oh, 6 suitcases.

- And all matching.

- And a hatbox.

Mayfairfrom head to foot.

Can't think what she's going

in a place like this.

Good evening.

- Mrs. Shankland?

- Yes, that's right.

Good evening. I have your reservation.

Will you sign there, please?

- My American address or my English?

- English, please.

Could you tell me

if Mr. Malcolm is in?

Mr. John Malcolm?

He's out at present.

He'll be in for dinner.

- Was he expecting you?

- No.

No, I'd like to surprise him.

Well, I won't say a word.

Edgar?

- How long will you be staying?

- Well, I'm not quite certain as yet.

- Could I let you know later on?

- Yes, of course. Number 12.

I'll book you injust fortonight then.

Dinner's at 7:
00.

You'll hearthe gong.

- Edgar will show you to your room.

- Thank you.

- You're the new one, aren't you?

- Yes.

- You're overthere.

- Oh, thank you.

Hello, Miss Cooper.

Major, dinner's nearly over.

Aren't you going in?

No, no. Mea Culpa.

Mea Culpa.

I'm so late, I think

I'll give it a miss this evening.

Everything all right?

Everything's fine,

Everything's on the top line.

The fact is, I got to thinking

about those memoirs,

and time rather ran away,

I'm afraid.

I, ah... I found 1 or 2, ah,

portable typewriters.

- Oh, good, good.

- Yes.

I don't suppose the, ah, West Hampshire

Weekly News is much read, is it?

What?

Mrs. Railton-Bell takes it every week.

Does she?

Whateverfor?

Well, there's not a lot goes

on in the world.

Even in West Hampshire,

that she cares to miss.

And she can afford four pence

forthe information.

Yes, I suppose so.

It's funny, though, I've never actually

seen her reading it, have you?

There's a lot of stuff she has sent it

she doesn't read.

Most of it she leaves

on this table.

You mean, her copy's been

here all the rime?

No, Major, that will be sent

up with the evening papers.

Oh, well, dash it all.

I've gone and wasted four pence.

For nothing, what, what?

I mean, I could have borrowed hers, eh?

Oh, sorry, Miss Cooper, mustn't

keep you gossiping.

Well, thanks again.

- Cheery-bye.

- Major.

I thought you said we were

going upstairs.

Darling, we'vejust finished dinner.

Well, I don't see

what that has to do with it.

Hmm? Well, this is more important, dear.

That's terrible thing to say.

There, now.

You better wipe the lipstick off.

The old girls might notice.

Even the old girls knowthe facts of life.

They may knowthem,

but they don't like them.

You know,

if you would only marry me,

we wouldn't have to worry

about the old girls.

In fact, we wouldn't have

to worry about anything.

We could lead a nice, normal,

peaceful existence, and...

Oh, damn, here they come.

Not so much the pork as the stuffing.

Excuse me.

Good evening.

Look at them.

There's your normal, peaceful existence.

Sh... darling.

Conventions and marriage...

I don't want to end up like them.

Will you shut up?

They'll hearyou.

I've figured it all out.

Life isn't meant to be dreary,

it's meant to be exciting.

Will you shut up?

Bed.

I'm on... I'm on the trickiest duct

in the whole human body.

Now, please...

Bed.

Come on.

Good... good night, ladies.

Good night. Sleep tight.

Surely, a somewhat

unnecessary remark, Gladys, dear.

Oh, They're... They're old friends.

Th-they'rejust here to study.

That's what they told Miss Cooper.

I think it most unwise of her

to have them here.

Even at opposite ends of the corridor.

Quite obvious they were making love.

How do you know?

He was putting a handkerchief away

with lipstick on it.

Oh, well, perhaps they are in love.

So why don't they say so?

I hate anything furtive.

Now, what were we talking about?

Oh, good gracious.

Oh, please shut that door,

there's a most terrible draft.

A draft?

Bless my soul, so therejolly well is.

- He's so amusing.

- He's drunk.

A brilliant observation,

Mrs... Railton-Bell. Brilliant.

- I'm sure she didn't mean...

- Oh, tut, tut, tut, lady Matheson.

It's nice to have a champion, thank you.

But she's right. Irish whiskey.

Hello, Sibyl,

how are you this evening?

Fine.

But if it hadn't been forthe Irish whiskey,

I'd have never broken my record.

I made it back here

from the bar at the Feathers

in 6 minutes flat, instead of the usual 10.

Of course, I had the wind at the back.

But as you and I know,

Mrs... Railton-Bell,

we cannot deny

the propulsive powers of Irish whiskey.

Now, scotch, on the other hand...

Mr. Malcolm, did you come in

through the French windows?

Miss Cooper, I cannot tell a lie.

You knowthat is strictly

forbidden after 7:00.

I'm sorry, I... I'd forgotten.

There's mud all overthe floor.

Will you please hang this

in the proper place.

Yes, Ma'am.

Also, wipe yourfeet in the mat

provided forthat purpose.

Yes, Ma'am.

I'm so sorry.

I shall see this doesn't happen again.

I must say, quite frankly, Miss Cooper,

I've never understood

how you could tolerate such boorishness,

and have done all this time.

In a hotel, one must

tolerate all sorts of things.

I suppose so.

But one hardly expects to find

that kind of person in this kind of hotel.

Why he should have selected

the beauregard as a permanent residence

is quite beyond me.

He was stationed near here

during the war, I believe.

He used to stay here then.

Ah, he writes very nicely.

I read an article of this once,

Just out of curiosity. It was about labor.

Have you ever read...

I have no curiosity

about the working classes.

- How many have you had?

- 2, well, 3.

Definitely not more than 4.

I'm sorry, Pat.

I know I shouldn't.

You knowthat I love you, don't you?

Very sincerely.

That sounds like

what a brother says to a sister.

Sister? You know my feelings

foryou go beyond that.

Just howfar beyond, John?

Well, I had a dim recollection

we were engaged, or hadn't I?

I rather wondered if you had.

- What's the matter?

- I don't know what you mean.

Come on, now something's the matter.

After all, most women feel rather

odd about a proposal of marriage,

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