Separate Tables Page #3

especially if they hear it once rather late

at night and the man's had a few drinks.

All right, well announce it

publicly, right now.

Oh, John.

- What?

- There's someone...

Yes?

Despite the hour and the drink,

you did mean it?

You go and have your dinner.

I told cook to keep you something hot.

Let's walk down to

the beach tonight.

Darling, I can't.

I... I've got to close up...

Let's walk down

to the beach tonight.

Well, you ask me again when you...

when you've had your coffee.

Miss Meacham.

Oh, you in at last?

Thank heavens.

The pork's off, Mr. Malcolm,

and the goulash is drying out,

but we kept you some soup.

What a pity young Ridgewell wasn't here.

He'd have enjoyed the turnover.

The Cook's acquiring a lightertouch

with her pastry, don't you think?

Notjudging by the tarts

we had at tea yesterday...

cannon balls, simply cannon balls.

Here we are.

Tuck into that while I get the goulash.

Not but what I wouldn't think

you'd had your liquid already.

What are you doing here?

Surprised?

I gave up being surprised

by you 5 years ago.

You gave up a lot of things 5 years ago.

- Is this youryearfor looking up old husbands?

- Only the special ones.

If you must know, I ran into some

friends of ours at a party in London.

- Friends of ours?

- All right, mine.

They said you were having

a pretty rough time getting along these days.

That's why I'm here.

I wanted to help you.

Well, that's really touching.

I'm overwhelmed.

Goulash.

- Aren't you going to eat your soup?

- I'll have 2 bowls tomorrow.

Tomato aspic tomorrow.

Oh, don't take long, will you?

My friend's waiting.

Now, is there anything else?

You find it impossible to believe.

I care about what's happened to you.

- Not impossible, Ann, just incredible.

- Call it selfish if you want,

but I'd feel much better if I could

make up in some way forthe past.

What is this, a bribe

to ease your conscience?

Now, look, John, I...

I'm not saying who was right

wrong over what happened.

I'm only concerned

seeing you like this.

You'll forget all about it

by the time you reach London tomorrow.

- Tomorrow?

- You are leaving in the morning?

- Well, yes. Yes, of course. It you like.

- Fine. That's settled then.

What do you possibly do here?

I enjoy one great luxury...

being left alone.

Well, it's a quaint spot

you've picked out foryourself.

Yes, your last husband

would've done wonders with this place.

Interior decorator, wasn't he?

When he worked.

How long were you married to him?

- 2 years and 6 months.

- Beats us by 3 months.

- Cruelty again, wasn't it?

- A legal device.

You mean he didn't break down

the bedroom doorto get at you, hmm?

No.

He didn't try to kill me, either.

I sawthe headlines of the divorce.

Educating, but not nearly

so sensational as ours, you'll admit.

Oh, you were you interested enough

to read about it.

Reading worthless items is

a bad habit I picked up in prison.

You see, there was nothing else to do.

My wife never came to see me.

I only did what I thought

was best foryou.

You know something, Ann?

No one I know of lies with such sincerity.

Ow, if you'll excuse me.

Do you know what I think?

I think you've found a new girl.

- The morning train leaves at 10:45.

- You must like her a lot.

I do.

I'm going to marry her.

John...

Don't misunderstand.

I think it's rally wonderful

you've found someone else.

I didn't mean any harm.

- That's when you do the most damage.

- We all make mistakes.

- You specialize in them.

- Only little ones, though.

I still have a scat on the side of my head

to remind me of one of yours.

Most, I suppose.

Not all, though.

Well, I...

I may not see you in the morning.

- Shall we say goodbye now?

- I think we've said it.

I'm awfully glad to see you again, John.

What are you laughing at?

Oh, John, that was an innocent kiss.

You have nothing I want.

I'm happily engaged to be married

and came to England to meet his family.

He's everything I want in a man.

He doesn't have to turn wild

beast to prove it.

Now you must feel as foolish as you look.

John.

If you didn't want to see the program, dear,

you should have said so.

Caught in the act, what, what?

I'm terribly sorry, Mrs. R. B.

The fact is, there was something

in the Evening Standard

that I particularly wanted to look at.

I'm afraid I appropriated your copy.

Would you mind very much

if I borrowed it for a minute or 2?

That isn't the Evening Standard

you're looking at, Major.

It's what?

No. It's the West Hampshire Weekly News.

Well, I'm blithered.

Absolutely blithered.

What an astonishing thing.

I must have pulled out

the wrong paper, I suppose.

Mea culpa. Mea culpa. My fault.

- I can't understand how I did that.

- Neither do I. There's quite a difference.

Yes, indeed.

The West Hampshire News

is hardly my cup of tea. What, what?

Well. Ah, is it all right then,

if I borrow your Standard for a little while?

If you return it.

Jolly decent of you, Mrs. R. B.

Thank you so much.

Well, afterthat, I think I'll go

and take a look at somejolly.

I understand there's a new quiz program on.

A small boy of 9just won over40 pounds.

Yes, I... I hear he's very clever.

Shall I be seeing you in there,

then, dear Miss R. B?

Oh, yes.

Oh, no, I... I forgot.

I have to write a letter.

Oh, oh, I see.

Well, cheery-bye, both.

I wish he wouldn't use that revolting expression.

It's so common.

But, of course, he's such

an awfully common little man.

Oh, no, mummy.

Do you think so?

He was in a very good regiment.

You can be in the horse guards dear,

and still be common.

I don't know what you see in him.

Oh, it... it'sjust that I like

all his stories about the war

and the desert and the regiment,

and he's seen so much of life

and I haven't.

I don't know what you mean by that,

dear, I'm sure.

Oh, well, I only meant...

I'm sorry, mummy.

Of course, I realize that you must occasionally

miss some of the little gaieties of life...

the balls and cocktail parties,

and things that a few other lucky young people can enjoy.

- I do my best, you know.

- Yes, I know you do, mummy...

There was Scotland last year, and our

Scandinavian cruise the year before.

Yes, I... I know mummy, I know, and please,

please, don't think that I'm not grateful.

- It... it's only...

- Only, what, dear?

If only I could do something.

And, mummy, there's an advertisement

in the newspaperfor a telephone operator.

My dear, we've been overthis so often.

You'd never stand it,

even for a few days.

You rememberJones and Jones?

Yes, but it was so stifling hot there

in the basement of Jones and Jones,

and this... thisjob

in the newspaper is different.

Now, you're not a very strong child.

You must try and get that into your head.

Your nervous system isn't nearly

as sound as it should be.

Y-you... you mean my 'states',

but... but I haven't had

one of those for a long time.

I know, dear. You've been very good,

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