Suddenly, Last Summer Page #5

-Go on.

-Go on where?

Anywhere.

To the first memory you come to.

My first memory?

It was once at a Mardi Gras ball.

The Mardi Gras ball? Yes?

My very first memory.

It was last spring.

Before last spring, I remember...

...nothing, nothing at all.

It's as if my life began

and ended that night.

Tell me about it.

At the ball...

I was taken there by some boy

who got too drunk to stand up.

I wanted to go home. My coat

was in the cloakroom.

They couldn't find the check for it

in his pocket. I said, "Let it go"...

...and started out for a taxi.

Then somebody took my arm and said:

"I'll drive you home."

As we left the hotel, he took off his

coat and put it around my shoulders...

...and then I looked at him.

I don't think I'd ever

seen him before then, really.

He took me home.

He took me another place first.

Near the Dueling Oaks at the end

of Esplanade Street.

We stopped. I asked what for.

He didn't answer.

Just struck a match

to light a cigarette...

...and I looked at him,

and I knew what for.

I think I got out of the car before

he got out of the car, and we...

...walked through the wet grass

toward the great misty oaks as if...

...as if somebody were...

...calling for help there.

And after that?

I lost him.

He took me home.

Then he said an awful

thing to me. He said:

"We'd better forget it.

My wife's expecting a child."

I just entered the house

and sat there thinking a while.

Suddenly, I called a taxi and rushed

back to the Roosevelt Hotel ballroom.

The ball was still going on.

I thought I'd gone back

to pick up my borrowed coat.

But I hadn't. I hadn't gone back

for that at all.

I'd gone back to make a scene

on the floor of the ballroom.

I didn't pick up Aunt Violet's

old silver fox in the cloakroom.

I rushed right into the ballroom,

spotted him on the floor...

...ran up to him and started to...

...beat him in the face and

the chest with my fists till...

...cousin Sebastian took me away.

Miss Catherine.

Miss Catherine.

She's here. Miss Catherine's here.

In spirit as well as flesh.

And now you want to play a game.

Look at pictures?

Tell you the first thing that comes

into my mind, my poor deranged mind.

All right.

That shadow on the wall.

What does it look like to you?

Like a shadow on a wall.

I thought we were gonna play a game.

All right.

I see forests.

Trees, a girl.

And those trees are

the Dueling Oaks...

...and that tormented figure is

the girl, Catherine, losing her...

...honor.

I'm trying to make you

feel sorry for her.

I hope I am.

I am sorry.

I believe you really are.

Tell me about your cousin Sebastian.

He liked me, so I loved him.

How? I mean, in what way

did you love him?

The only way he'd accept.

-I tried to save him, doctor.

-Save him from what?

Completing a sort of image

he had of himself as...

...a sort of a sacrifice to...

-...a terrible sort of a...

-God?

Sebastian, who was gentle, kind...

...saw something not gentle, not kind,

in the universe.

Something terrible in himself.

What was it?

Can you tell me?

-One day at Cabeza de Lobo...

-Where?

That's where we were last summer.

That's where...

That's where Sebastian died?

Yes.

How did he die?

They say a heart attack,

but I don't remember.

I really don't.

You see, afterwards,

I was hysterical, taut.

Said things I don't remember.

That's why I'm here.

Because I say things people don't...

...and then I don't even remember.

Try to remember.

You and Sebastian, last summer...

Try to remember.

The beach was very white.

Oh, how the sun burned.

It was like the eye of God watching us.

Burning, burning.

There was no air that day.

The sun had burned up all the air.

Outside it was like inside a furnace.

-Then they came.

-Who came?

From all parts of the beach.

And that awful noise they made.

The noise of musical instruments

all made of tin.

Who is "they"?

And that... That music.

That awful music.

I hear that music!

I still hear it!

It's getting closer and closer!

Sebastian!

-What happened? What happened then?

-I don't remember after that!

Stop that this minute.

Stop that noise.

-Doctor, I must see you at once.

-Get out of here.

Sister, get out and don't

come back until I call you.

I can't remember.

-I can't remember!

-lt's all right.

Don't worry, it's all right.

But I have to, I want to!

Then you will.

Will you help me?

-lf you let me.

-Yes.

I shouldn't have done that.

Why not?

It was a friendly kiss, wasn't it?

Maybe it wasn't.

Maybe now you'll think

that all those...

...stories about the gardener are true.

Whatever's true, we'll find.

I want you to know that

I can look attractive...

...if I had my hair done and if...

When I'm at Lions View,

may I wear a pretty dress?

If you like.

Just imagine, once again

to be able to do...

...one thing I'd like.

Come out here, son.

I want you to see something.

Take a good long look.

Tell me, what do you see?

Old tires, tin cans,

and a "Drink Nehi" sign.

That's the past you're looking at.

Thanks to a certain young man

from Chicago...

...there'll be a new building

on that lot...

...devoted to psychosurgery, dedicated

to the memory of Sebastian Venable.

I wish I were that optimistic.

I've been working with

the lawyers and accountants.

And we're getting, listen to this...

...in big, round, beautiful figures,

$1 million.

-Just like that, no strings attached?

-No strings attached.

She wants you, and nobody else,

to do the operation on her niece.

You can't blame her for that.

There isn't anybody better.

Something horrible happened

to that girl last summer.

Some dreadful, traumatic experience

of some kind.

What?

I don't know.

I haven't found out yet.

And she refuses to allow herself

to remember.

She's gonna have to be made

to remember it.

Come in.

Excuse me, Dr. Hockstader.

Mrs. Holly and her son are here

to see the new patient.

Have them wait in my office, will you?

-How's Miss Catherine?

-She looks lovely.

She had her hair done this morning.

She's wearing her own clothes.

I've never seen clothes like

that girl's got. From Paris!

Thank you, Miss Benson.

I'll be along.

But she's a patient. You can't

let her wear her own clothes.

I put her in the nurses' wing.

I don't want her in the ward.

The nurses' wing?

I know I'm taking a risk...

...but for a while I don't want her

to feel she's a patient.

I want her to feel she's free of

restrictions, free of being watched.

This is very unorthodox.

So is insanity.

That's why we're here.

Your whole approach has little

to do with neurosurgery.

-For the time being.

-That's what this new building is for.

Dedicated to neurosurgery.

Yes, I know.

Mrs. Venable thinks you're prepared

to go ahead with the operation.

Yes, I know.

Cathy's in there?

George, hold me now.

I'm so nervous, I could jump

clear out of my skin.

Well, don't, Mama.

Kitten.

Miss Benson, why don't you

go to lunch now?

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