The Devil-Doll Page #3

that scoundrel of yours I suppose?

Well, you'll catch this fish first

and these along with it

since you're so stored up for bait.

Oh, good evening.

Lorraine, take care of the customer.

- Good evening, madame.

- Good evening, my dear.

Why, you seem very tired.

Oh, no. I was just rushing

to finish my tub on time.

How soon do you want this?

Tomorrow?

No, no, my dear. The end

of the week will be plenty of time.

Oh, fine.

One skirt. Three blouses.

Your hands seem chapped.

You should put lotion on them.

I know one of the very finest...

Toto has a new taxi.

- Mademoiselle Lavond, I believe.

- Yes, Toto?

I bring you the honor of driving home in

the Fortuna Taxi Company's third vehicle

on which I have just paid

the first installment.

- Is the second paid for yet?

- An insidious detail.

We capitalists must take risks.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

- Right, Madame Mandilip?

- Absolutely.

You see, Madame Mandilip

understands economics.

Oh, here you are, my pet.

Give this number to your suitors.

Reliable service day and night.

No rear sight mirrors,

free parking time in the Bois.

I hear your grandmother is ill, my dear.

I should so like to pay a call on her.

Oh, it's just the weather, I think.

It's been so cold and damp.

Yes. I feel quite ashamed of myself

for not having called before, but

I've been so busy getting my shop ready.

Well, I must be going now.

Good day, my dear.

- Goodbye, madame.

- Good day.

Here you are, madame. It's nice to know

a reliable firm when you need a taxi.

Yes, indeed. And thanks.

You have my best wishes

in your new venture.

Thanks, and the same to you.

Never overlook a chance

to improve business. That's my motto.

- What's the matter?

- That woman.

- Madame Mandilip?

- Yes.

She's somehow pathetic and kind.

She almost makes me want to cry.

Look, I feel just the opposite

from that right now.

Will you be the first fare in my third taxi?

I'd love to. If you'll give me

just three minutes to finish my tub.

In three minutes, Dame Fortune the Third

will be at your service.

All right.

- Do you like her?

- Oh, she's lovely.

Get inside, mademoiselle.

Do we have to go up in the tower to talk?

Was love ever so humiliated?

Here I am taking you up near heaven

where all angels belong

- and you protest.

- Toto.

Watch your hats.

Going down!

Toto, really,

why did you bring me up here?

Don't you remember?

This is where I first gave you

complete ownership of myself

and a half interest

in the Fortuna Taxi Company.

- There was only one taxi then, remember?

- Yes.

It was April and we could smell

the chestnut blossoms

all the way from the Bois. It was so...

I told you then how I felt about things

and that you shouldn't

waste your time on me.

It's grand to be up here

when your thoughts are all jumbled.

Don't things look different?

Everything seems so small

and unimportant from up here.

But I don't live up here.

I live down there.

Our world's what we make it, Lorraine.

You know, you're not making

the best of yours.

- I make it as I see it.

- Yes, I know.

But you're too sensitive.

It hasn't been pleasant, Toto,

to be pointed at, singled out,

despised as the daughter of a...

It does something to you

when you're very young.

Something that grows up with you.

It got so that I hated to go to school.

- Hated even to... To leave the house.

- Yes.

Kids can be pretty brutal, can't they?

And now since the escape,

it's started all over again.

Pictures in the paper, our movements

watched, people whispering.

Oh, don't let that get you, darling.

You're above all that.

- Do you wonder that I hate him?

- Don't hate, Lorraine.

Oh, not for what he's done to me,

but to my mother.

The mental torture,

the poverty he brought her.

Toto, I think I should tell you the truth.

My mother didn't just die.

- She killed herself.

- Yes. I know.

And even that

doesn't make any difference?

Nothing could make any difference.

But, Toto, I could never escape

from the fact that I'm his daughter.

I could never ask any man

to share that with me.

Least of all you. I love you too much.

Toto, we'd better go.

You might as well kill a person

as frighten them to death.

The frosty weather hasn't done

your flowers any good, has it?

Those violets are rather pretty.

How much are they?

One franc, madame.

They're unusually large this season.

Yes. I'll take a bunch.

- Thank you, madame.

- Madame.

Come, come. Move on. No loitering.

I'm watching Lavond's mother's place.

We're certain he's in Paris.

Yes?

Come in.

Lorraine?

- It's all right, Mother.

- Paul.

Much as I love you,

you mustn't come here anymore.

Ever since that first night, I've been

terrified that someone would suspect.

But there's no reason

why Madame Mandilip

shouldn't come and visit you.

Come along, Mother.

Sit down. Don't worry.

You shouldn't come so late, Paul.

Lorraine will be home

from work any minute.

That's just why I'm here.

As a matter of fact, she knows I'm coming.

You've been talking to her?

Yes. I saw her today

in that filthy laundry she's working in.

But you didn't tell her?

You didn't let her know who you were?

No. Not yet. But I'm going to tonight.

I can't stand it any longer.

But she's so bitter, so resentful.

I know. Poor child.

But we can't blame her for that.

Those three swine.

Paul, listen to me.

If you must tell her,

let me talk to her first, slowly, gradually.

- It's so dangerous, Paul.

- Yes, I know, Mother.

- Grandmother.

- It's Lorraine. Be careful.

Grandmother!

Why, what's... Oh, it's you. I thought

something had happened to Grandmother.

I'm so sorry. I'm used to locking my shop.

It was stupid of me.

I'm so glad. Come on and sit down.

- Are you enjoying yourself, darling?

- Yes, dear.

We've had a delightful little chat.

Oh, how lovely.

Oh, that's sweet of you.

Violets are Grandmother's favorite flower.

- Violets?

- Why, yes.

I remember Mother telling how...

I'll put them in water later.

- What's the matter, darling? You cold?

- Just a little chilly.

Well, we'll have a blaze in just a moment.

Not much firewood for a franc nowadays,

is there?

Aren't prices awful?

My yard's just littered with packing cases.

- You must let me send you some.

- Oh, no, we couldn't.

Well, why not?

I have to pay to have it carted away.

Well, in that case, we'd be very grateful.

What a beautiful woman.

Yes. That was my mother.

- This is a lovely rosary.

- It's mine.

Yes, I know. I mean...

I knew it must be.

I gave my little girl one just like it.

She was so proud of it.

They tell me I was, too, when I got it.

Something happen

to change your feelings toward it?

Please, Madame Mandilip.

I'm sure you know who we are

and all about us.

The rosary was given to me by someone

whose name we never mention here.

- Your father.

- I have no father.

You're very young to be so bitter.

- Don't blame me. Blame him.

- Lorraine, your father was innocent.

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