The Comedians Page #8

- This way.

Oh, don't worry about Major Jones.

My wife will look after him.

Come and have a drink. You deserve it.

I think I better not. I better get back.

They're probably searching the hotel.

But the Tontons

must have questioned you.

Yes, they...

Well, I told them

that I was lending you my cook.

Well, I wouldn't like to be in their shoes

tomorrow morning.

In fact, my shoes are gonna start pinching

once the President finds out

where Major Jones is.

I'm sorry, but there was nowhere else

I could take him.

No, I'm very glad. Very glad.

We shall enjoy having him here.

Life is fairly lonely here at times.

Yes.

Oh, all your things are wet.

I'll have them dried in the morning.

These are old friends.

They've played their last game.

We have plenty of cards here.

What do you play?

- Gin rummy.

- Very good. So do I.

Monsieur Brown is here, mon capitaine.

Good afternoon, Brown.

- Why have you brought me here?

- I invited you.

If I'd refused?

Please, come with me.

You will not be wanted, Michel.

Please take a chair.

- I hope I've not inconvenienced you.

- You have. I had an appointment.

Or perhaps a rendezvous?

- What do you mean by that?

- I think you know.

We could be friends.

Really? That's a curious thought.

We can help each other.

The President very angry

with Ambassador Pineda.

For two weeks now, we have brought

every legitimate pressure to bear.

I think Pineda may have to leave Haiti.

His wife, too, of course.

You know Major Jones well.

You could tell him

of the probable consequences

for his hosts.

I think he'd prefer to save his own skin.

We would give him a safe conduct

to the airport and a ticket to New York.

You would drive him to the airport

in your car.

He trusts you. You're English.

Safe conduct?

I suppose

there'd be one seat on the plane empty.

Perhaps.

But Madam Pineda's bed

would be empty, too.

Our Tontons get to know about things,

and servants talk.

He certainly has a way with him,

your Major Jones.

First, Mere Catherine,

and now fun at the embassy.

He even took me in and badly.

So at least

we have something in common.

I wouldn't like to believe that.

For you, $2,000, American currency.

Inflation everywhere.

It used to be 30 pieces of silver.

I want

to thank you very much, Concasseur.

I always wanted to know

the worst about myself,

always wanted to feel

the bottom of the gutter with my toes.

You agree?

You're too simple to be a good tempter.

You're nothing but a flatfoot, after all.

- What happened, darling? You're so late.

- I'm sorry.

What's wrong?

Oh, I had a bad quarter of an hour

with Concasseur.

Oh, damn Concasseur,

he wastes precious minutes.

I have to go soon.

- He knows a lot about us.

- Who cares?

We stopped being prudent long ago.

Look, we're being watched now.

- You trust your servants?

- No, none of them,

except, of course, Pedro.

Your maid watches you, you know that?

What is there for her to see?

You aren't there.

Darling, I really must go.

We have the Brazilian Ambassador

coming over for lunch.

I see.

You know how fat and pompous he is.

Jones does a wonderful imitation of him.

I can imagine it.

Will you come this evening?

Oh, my darling, I can't.

I want to, but I can't.

- Something important?

- Well, I promised Angelito and Jones...

Too bad. Too bad.

Haven't you ever made a promise

you have to keep?

No, never.

As you've told me often enough,

I'm a man without a family.

Don't tell me you're jealous

of Angelito and Jones?

I must confess that

when I brought Jones to the house,

I'd no idea he was gonna become

such a friend of the family.

Manuel likes him. Angelito likes him.

He makes us laugh. He's interesting.

He tells us of his days in Burma.

Othello caught Desdemona

with his tales of adventure.

It's a very old technique.

- You going?

- Yes.

Darling, be careful.

To you,

nothing exists but in your thoughts.

Not me, not Jones.

You're trying to turn poor Jones

into a seducer.

But we do exist, independently.

We can't always play

the parts you've written for us.

Probably a misunderstanding

due to language.

Does Jones speak German, Frau Pineda?

When you want me, I am a woman.

When I've hurt you, I am always German.

Magiot.

Magiot? Let me put on the light.

I had a difficult operation this afternoon.

My eyes were tired.

- Drink?

- No.

I want your company, that's all.

Your mother and I used to sit here often,

talking or silent

or reading.

I would never admit even to myself

that she would die before me.

What are you reading?

"Bernanos, Diary of a Country Priest."

I thought Das Kapital

was more in your line.

Last time I dined with you,

you had Karl Marx on your shelf.

Do you think that was wise?

Papa Doc allows us to study

the theory of communism.

If there were no communists at all,

what help would he get

from the United States?

I think you have something there.

Papa Doc is a bulwark

against communism.

- You're lucky.

- Why?

You have a faith,

even if it's only Papa Marx.

I came up tonight

for more than old times' sake.

- I want help.

- Help from me?

I'm worried about young Philipot.

I had a message from him today.

Does he share your faith?

He doesn't read Karl Marx,

if that's what you mean.

Rebels are not always communists,

unless America insists.

- Where is he?

- In the mountains with a few men.

Untrained, some of them unarmed.

It's happened here before.

They get drunk with courage,

charge a fortified post and die like heroes.

- A happy death.

- A useless death.

It changes nothing.

If only he had with him

anyone with a bit of real experience.

Don't look at me. I don't know

one end of a gun from another.

I was thinking of your friend, Jones.

He had the right sort of experience,

didn't he, in Burma?

He boasts about it often enough.

Keeps the entire embassy enthralled.

He can't want to spend his life there.

Doesn't want to die on the steps, either.

An escape is not too difficult to arrange.

No, no, you'll never get Jones.

He's snug, and he's safe.

Also, he's got the best audience

he's had in years.

You can sometimes trap

a man who boasts.

Perhaps, after all, I will take a whisky,

a light one.

Grand gin. Want your revenge?

I've played enough.

Perhaps Martha would like to play.

Is there any more news in the town?

Have you heard of the latest arrest?

Well, Angelito is asleep.

- Are your drinks all right?

- Magiot says there's been another arrest.

- Anyone we know?

- A schoolmaster.

I used to see him out with his pupils.

What's he supposed to have done?

He refused to take his children

to the cinema.

They are showing the film

of the executions every day for a week.

You mean the kids

have to go and see that?

Papa Doc's orders.

Personally, I feel ashamed,

sitting here drinking this good whisky.

Why should you? We're all right, Jack.

Well, speak for yourself.

As an old soldier, I feel rotten

sitting around, hors de combat.

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