The Constant Nymph Page #11

I don't know when I'll see you again

to give it to you.

Because I'm going away.

I must.

Lewis!

Florence is having fits.

We gave you up.

Come on, boy.

Horses are leaving the barnyard.

Sorry.

Are you a shrinking violet?

We thought you deserted us.

With all due respect to Beethoven,

the thing gave me a headache.

Oh, Constance, it was his Fifth.

Here's Lewis.

Lady Saunders, General.

Hello again. This is your place.

Oh, no, please.

-The place is packed. Where were you?

-I walked.

He hasn't miss a thing.

The whole thing's very loud and harsh.

Your hands are like ice. Well,

even I'm nervous. Success, Lewis.

Oh, I forgot. Good luck!

-Good luck.

-Same here!

Thank you very much.

-That's Regents Hall coming through.

-Yes. Where do you go?

-With Fritz, to Paris.

-I'll get you something to eat.

All right.

-I've been calling you.

-Yes, Lewis.

You wanted me

to call you, didn't you?

Yes, I've waited so long

to hear you call me.

You're not going to school,

or anywhere else.

Then I'll never be

a great lady.

-You want to be?

-No, no.

I want to be growing up

like sting weeds.

That doesn't sound very nice, Lewis.

You want to be with me,

always, don't you?

Yes, always. Forever and ever.

It's the owl of death

that frightens me.

You must never be afraid.

You must be protected.

-Protected?

-Yes.

But my heart is a very simple heart.

Isn't that some protection?

Yes.

May I protect you, or try to?

There are so many years

between us.

But you belong to me,

even before I was born.

When you were a little boy,

you must have longed for me,

for me to take care of you.

I was on my way to you then.

I'm late, but I'm here.

I've been waiting for you.

Sanger said:
"If Lewis could ever

suffer... or cry..."

Lewis...

#When I am dead,#

#another love will cheer thee.#

#The sun will rise...#

#...as bright tomorrow morn.#

I'm afraid!

The words frighten me!

#The birds will sing...#

#though I no longer near thee...#

#...must lie forlorn,#

#lie forlorn.#

#When I am in my grave,#

#the flowers blowing...#

#...shall make thee garlands

twenty times as sweet.#

#Beauty will live,#

#...though I must sleep unknowing...#

#...beneath thy feet,#

#I must sleep beneath thy feet.#

Where's Mr. Dodd?

Where is he?

-He left.

Where's Dodd?

-He went before it finished.

Did Florence go with him?

I didn't see her.

She left just after.

We'll stop by our house

for a nightcap.

-Your cab was just driving away. Lewis--

-Excuse me.

Roberto, where is Miss Tessa?

Darling, I must talk to you

for a moment.

-I can't go on with you hating me.

-How can I possibly hate you?

How can you not hate me?

I've said unkind, wicked things.

-I was jealous. Can you understand?

-Of course I can understand.

I won't stand in your way

another moment.

And I want to tell her so

myself. May I?

Why this sudden change?

Because I love you and

I want you to be happy.

This is all my fault, Florence.

I'm the guilty one.

How can you possibly

be guilty?

People don't arrange these things.

Something else does, I'm sure.

I realized that tonight, watching you

in the box, hearing at the music.

Anyone else would have been--

would have--

But you've been gentle and

very honest.

-But that's because you are you.

-My dear Florence.

Don't think that I haven't been

conscious of your quality of--

No, I just happen to exist outside

your inner world and Tessa's.

I understand it very clearly.

You must never be sorry for me.

We're friends, all of us,

aren't we? Always?

-Always, yes.

-Here they are.

Not a servant in the house. Florence

sent them all off to that show.

Go on with your story, sir.

-No, no, Charles, your incorrigible.

I never saw the girl again.

Girl? She was over 30.

-That's right, don't you think, sir?

-What?

About 30.

-She's asleep?

-Yes.

-Is it her bag?

-Yes.

-She's going away?

-Yes.

Did she hear the concert

over the radio?

Yes.

Tessa!

Tessa.

Little Tessa...

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