The Devil-Doll Page #6

Frank! What did you find?

Not a sign of anything.

Guess she planned to blow this place up

before she mailed her confession.

Well, that's the end of Madame Mandilip.

We're pretty smart, eh?

Got everything pinned on Lavond,

only to find out it's the work

of a crazy old woman.

Taxi? Taxi?

- Taxi.

- Yes, monsieur. Sorry, monsieur.

Step right in, monsieur.

Aren't you afraid of losing customers

by such devotion to the newspapers?

I'm sorry, monsieur. I'm usually on the job,

but I just happened to be interested

in this story of Paul Lavond.

- Would you care to read it, monsieur?

- No, thanks, I've read it.

- Where to, monsieur?

- Drive anywhere you want to.

That's a very dangerous order

to give a taxi driver, monsieur.

Yes. But you're not

an ordinary taxi driver, are you?

Toto?

That's all I am now, monsieur.

But one day soon I hope...

- How'd you know my name was Toto?

- Because I...

My name is Paul Lavond.

Now, now, careful, Toto.

Don't let me startle you.

Drive somewhere we can be alone.

- I promised to meet Lorraine at sundown.

- How is she?

Have you seen her since the papers?

No, monsieur, I didn't like to talk

to her about it at the laundry

- in front of all the others.

- Yes, I know, Toto.

You don't know what your freedom

means to me, Monsieur Lavond.

Yes, I do, Toto.

That's why I've got to talk to you,

but alone.

When I want to be alone, monsieur,

I always go to the tower.

It's so far above everything

and everybody.

- The Eiffel Tower, Toto?

- Yes, monsieur.

Now that I have my freedom,

my exile must commence all over again.

- You can see that, can't you?

- I'm trying to.

Well, at least you can understand

why I can't rejoin my family.

Yes, yes, I can see that.

But it all seems so unjust and unfair.

All you've done, you've done for them.

I'm so sorry, Monsieur Lavond.

Oh, I wouldn't be.

I'm rather happy about it.

You can marry Lorraine.

My fortune will be restored to her.

And you can live

contentedly together ever after.

- That's a proper ending to a story, isn't it?

- Lorraine. I forgot.

What?

This is where she's going

to meet me at sundown.

I didn't mean to trick you, monsieur.

I merely thought it would please her.

I still do.

Whatever may happen afterwards.

Oh, Toto, it can't be.

Why, even when I was innocent,

her hatred of me hurt a good deal.

And now that I'm guilty,

her belief in me would hurt even more.

And if the police should ever... Oh, no, no.

- I'm going.

- But where?

At least you can tell me that.

I could send you your money and...

Where I'm going, Toto,

I won't need any money.

Goodbye, and remember I expect you

to take good care of my little girl.

Watch your hats.

- Toto, have you seen the papers?

- Yes, dear.

- Then you've read about Father?

- Yes.

- Aren't you ashamed of me?

- Of course not.

Well, I am, terribly.

I'll never forgive myself never. I...

I'm sorry?

- Are you Lorraine Lavond?

- Yes.

The daughter of Paul Lavond?

- Yes. He's my father.

- May I speak freely?

- Yes, of course, monsieur.

- Where are you going, Toto?

I'll be right here, dear.

Won't you sit down, mademoiselle?

I was waiting for you

because our friend here

was good enough to tell me

he was going to meet you.

- Why?

- Well, in searching for you today,

I was fortunate enough

to be directed to him.

You see, mademoiselle...

- I'm a friend of your father's.

- Is he in Paris?

- I served many years with him in prison.

- Where's he now?

- As a matter of fact, we escaped together.

- Oh, please tell me where he is.

I'll search for him, anywhere.

You see, I've hated my father all my life,

and now I've got to find him

and beg his forgiveness.

And ask him to come home with me.

I don't think he ever

really thought you hated him.

- Are you sure?

- Yes.

But he can never come home to you.

My dear child, your father is dead.

Yes. He passed away in a swamp

during our escape from prison.

The last thing he did was

to write a letter to his mother,

which I have given to Toto.

He sent me with a message to you.

He told me if I ever saw you,

to take your hand and tell you

that he loved you very dearly,

and that all those years in prison

he'd watched you grow,

talked to you,

laughed with you, dined with you,

and that he sent you a kiss.

Then, he said,

this was the most important thing of all.

He told me to tell you to forget him.

To find happiness and keep it.

To marry and to give your children

all the love you might have given him

if he hadn't been taken away from you.

It's very kind of you

to bring me this message.

Yes.

Little bit foolish, too.

The police are still after me.

Well, goodbye.

- Goodbye and good luck.

- Thank you.

Well, I better be going.

The sun's almost down.

It'll be up again tomorrow.

Will it? I wonder.

- Goodbye.

- Goodbye.

Toto,

I have the strangest feeling

I've seen him somewhere before.

- You have.

- Where?

He was in the laundry looking for you.

There were so many people around,

he got afraid.

On account of the police, I mean.

- That's how he came to find me.

- Perhaps that's it.

I don't remember.

Remember me?

Oh, Toto.

- It's a nice evening, monsieur.

- Yes.

Probably the nicest evening of my life.

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