Ten Cents a Dance Page #5

hours it's all up with me.

What have you done?

I borrowed some money from the office.

I thought I could pay it back.

But they're looking over

the books tomorrow and...

Oh, Barbara, I gotta get

out of here, I tell ya.

Eddie...

How much money did you take?

The first time was a thousand.

And they kept asking me for more...

Why?

Margin, margin...

Oh, you wouldn't understand.

Now it's...

Now it's five thousand.

If I had a gun I'd kill myself.

Five thousand dollars.

What did you do with the money?

With the market.

I didn't think there was any risk.

There were a lot of big bankers in on it.

O got the tip from my pal Ralph Sheridan.

I...

It was you I wanted it for, Barbara.

Me?

I didn't need anything.

I never asked you for anything, Eddie.

I know what you were thinking.

I've watched you. You

didn't think I was looking.

I want you to live in a right kind of a

home, have the right kind of clothes.

I wanted you to have everything.

I had everything, Eddie.

Now you're married to a thief.

Well, I'm glad we kept

that wedding a secret.

You'll be alright.

You won't be mixed up in this.

Yes, I will.

If there's anything coming to you...

I want half of it.

Good or bad.

You mean it doesn't make any difference?

Sure it does. It makes

this much difference.

You're in trouble and you need me.

What good am I to you now?

Oh, what'll we do, what'll we do?

I don't know...

I don't know, Eddie,

but one thing we won't do.

We won't run away.

We'll get the money somehow.

If we only had a couple of weeks.

But only 48 hours.

Oh, don't, please, Eddie.

It'll be alright.

Oh, don't, please, Eddie.

It'll be alright.

We're in a jam, but...

we'll get out of it somehow.

Just don't let's get panicky.

An awful lot can happen in 48 hours, Eddie.

An awful lot.

What floor is Mr. Carlton's apartment on?

Sixth floor.

Thank you.

Which one is Mr. Carlton's?

Right over there, miss.

Oh, thank you.

Is Mr. Carlton in?

No, miss, he's out.

When will he be back?

I don't know, miss.

Well, I'll wait, if you don't mind.

Does Mr. Carlton expect you, miss?

Yes, he does.

This way, please.

Hello.

Hello.

What time is it?

Four o'clock.

Oh, my goodness. I've been here since one.

I'm sorry. I didn't know you were coming.

I didn't know myself until about

thirty seconds before I got here.

An impulse?

Something like that.

I hope you'll forgive my dropping in

like this without any warning or notice.

You can always drop in on me

without any warning or notice.

I'm deeply flattered and honored.

It's nice of you to say that.

You see, I didn't think I'd

meant anything to you.

I wasn't even sure I'd ever see you again.

Well, neither was I, but...

I don't know, somehow tonight

I got to thinking of you.

That's funny. I was thinking of you too.

Between drinks.

Can I offer you something?

Oh, yes.

It's rather a hard couch you picked there.

To tell you the truth I was so tired

I could have slept standing up.

Oh, I dreamt of clocks chiming

and I smoked lots of your cigarettes.

I hope you found the right brand.

Oh, yes.

Say, this is a swell place you have here.

Oh, it's all right.

Gets a bit lonely at times.

Lonely?

My first wife.

You never told me you were married.

Oh, yes indeed.

That one didn't last long

enough to really count.

And um...

and so you tried again?

I was a glutton for punishment.

That wasn't successful either.

And so I keep these as reminders.

Of what?

Of the one thing I've

learned in a long life.

And what's that?

The only love letter to write to a woman.

Pay to the order of and fill in the name.

Oh, I don't think that's true.

I've lived longer than you have.

Yeah, but I began young.

Well, here's looking at you.

You said you were thinking of me tonight.

What were you thinking?

I was just trying to analyze what there

is about you that interests me so.

I think I've discovered it.

What is it?

You're the only woman I know

who doesn't want something.

You know, the very first time I saw you...

That didn't count, you know...

You were plastered that time.

Yes, I guess I was.

But I saw very clearly, I think.

Those men you were dancing with...

You absolutely looked at

them with hate in your eyes.

That's the way I felt about them too.

But there was something else.

What?

Hunger.

Yes, that's it.

Hate and hunger.

That's what interested me so.

I have thought that way myself.

You know, I wondered what you were going

to do when I sent you that dress.

And when you returned

it I was awfully glad.

I wanted you to make this trip with me,

and when you said no...

I was glad again.

But the biggest kick of all

is the fact that you haven't got

your hand out always saying...

"Give me, give me, give me..."

That's the one thing...

Let's have another drink, huh?

Alright.

You know, it's very peculiar,

I've been thinking of you all day...

wondering what ever became of you.

I inquired for you at the Palais des Danses

but no one seemed to know where you were.

You do like me, don't you?

Why, you know I like you...

If you do, I want you to say it.

Barbara, I like you more than that.

Oh...

Don't, please.

I...

I wanna tell you why I

came up here tonight.

I...

Well, I...

I must have five thousand

dollars before noon tomorrow.

Can you let me have it?

Yes, I suppose so.

Do you mind?

Well...

to be perfectly frank, Barbara, I do.

You know, it's only a loan.

Yes.

It is. On the level it is.

I wouldn't have asked you

if it wasn't a matter of life and death...

You know I'm working now and...

Well, I make quite a bit

and I'll pay you back.

Ten cents a dance?

That's fifty thousand dances.

Oh, no...

I won't ask you to do that.

There's something I'll miss.

I thought perhaps that you

liked me on my own account.

Not just my checking account.

But I do.

That's why I came to you.

Yes...

With great affection.

Five thousand dollars' worth.

Alright, I'll let you have the money.

I'll never forget that as long as I live.

Shall I come to the office?

No, I'll let you have it here.

Well, then I'll come back later.

Barbara...

Do you remember our little

meeting at the hotel?

Do you remember our little

meeting at the hotel?

You led me to believe you were

a very direct sort of person.

Now since this happy little visit

has developed into a business affair...

I'm going to be direct with you.

I'm not going to lend you the money.

I'm going to give it to you.

You once said that you never took something

for nothing, do you recall that?

What do you think of me?

What does it matter?

What difference does it make?

Alright...

I'm awfully sorry, Barbara.

So am I.

This is once in your life that you'll

have to take something for nothing.

Because there's nothing I want from you.

Only this.

Who do you want the money for?

Please, don't ask me that.

I...

Well, I... I want the money for myself.

Oh, now, Barbara...

Come on, now, tell me.

What do you want it for, or who?

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