The Face Behind the Mask Page #3

400... And how much will the doctor charge?

The fee for the operation actually

depends on exactly how much has to be done.

Then there are the hospital charges.

But Doctor, altogether how much?

I can only tell you that a doctor's

minimum fee is 1000 dollars.

1000 dollars!

But of course time makes his fee higher.

In your case it might cost

several times that amount.

Will you want the temporary mask made?

Yes, Doctor.

I will be back with the money.

I can't understand it.

The alarm didn't ring and yet

the wires weren't disconnected or cut.

What am I running here,

a police force or a kindergarten?

Or are you all supposed to be on a picnic?

I'm telling you this mob must be caught.

Now they may be smarter than you are once in a while,

but not week after week. That is impossible.

What's the matter with you, O'Hara?

You never laid down like this before.

Are you dead?

Ghost robberies, phantom robberies,

mysterious robberies.

Call them what you like!

But we're the laughing stock of the press.

Ridiculed by every citizen in town.

That telephone gets overheated with "ha-ha"s.

And I don't blame them!

- So you used to look like that, huh, Johnny?

- Yes, and I will again.

That was made from my passport picture.

Boy, them doctors are terrific.

I told you they could fix you up.

Hand me the mask, Dinky.

Soon I won't have to wear a mask at all.

Soon my face will be fixed as good as new.

When?

Dr. Cheever returns Saturday,

and I have the first appointment.

Did you go to the Bank, Dinky?

Oh, yes.

Hello?

It's Benson.

Yes, tell him to spot Harry with Watts and to keep

watching me during the opera.

When I'm after them they'll know what to do.

And you know where to wait for us.

Hello, Benson.

The boss says to watch for him.

He'll give you the nod.

He'll be in Box 27-A.

I tell you gentlemen, Opera

is really a very fine institution.

You should cultivate it more, Dinky.

I certainly would, if they made us

a gift like this every night.

There must be 4... I'll bet there's

5000 dollars here.

- That was a full house.

- Every seat taken.

But they give a lot of passes away to them places.

Finish counting it, I don't think it's over 3500.

Well, there's 2790... 2795...

Put down that money, Dinky.

The rest of you stay where you are.

Hello, Jeff. When did you get out?

Johnny, this is Jeff.

Who's that guy?

This is Johnny, he's our new boss.

What's the matter with his face?

His face was burned. That's a mask he's got on.

Never mind my face!

Heard of you, Mr. Jeff.

I guess you did. You'll hear more of me now.

This wasn't a bad job tonight.

But you're not taking over, even

if you have been using my boys.

Because I'm back on the job.

We've been doing all right with him.

Nothing's going to stop it.

We're going to live just as swell.

Only we'll change one thing.

We don't need him.

All right, boys. Come on.

Listen, Mr. Jeff, aren't you a little hasty?

You see, we don't need you, you need us.

These were your boys.

They're mine now.

We all still can work together.

We all can be friends if you

want to play friendly. It's up to you.

I'll cut you in, starting with this deal.

And Jeff, I think that's being very generous.

What do you say?

All right.

Even if I don't like it,

maybe I can take it this way.

You're very wise, Mr. Jeff.

None of us can do without friends.

Get some drinks, Dinky.

We are going to celebrate Mr. Jeff's return.

If only you had come to me immediately after the accident.

Then it is difficult.

I'll be frank with you. It's almost impossible.

- No!

There's hardly anything for the graft to adhere to.

You see, the muscles have been destroyed.

And that means the blood supply is cut off.

The nerves are dead.

Then you... could not fix my face?

Not even in a year?

Your degree of burning is so bad, so complete...

That I don't care to raise any false hopes for you.

I could perform a skin grafting operation,

covering perhaps an inch at a time.

But I could only do that once every 6 months.

Your case would take approximately 30 such operations.

That would mean 15 years at least.

15 years...

Why don't you look where you're going?

I'm so sorry, please excuse me.

Forgive me, please.

I wasn't looking.

Let me help you.

Thanks ever so much.

I shouldn't be allowed to go about like this, but...

I can't afford a guide dog.

Not on my salary.

What-you work?

Yes, I string these beads for a department store.

I like it.

You see, I've only to work with my hands

and I can think about everything

in the world while I'm doing it.

And since when...

I mean, how long have you been...?

Ever since I was a little girl.

Do you think we found most of them?

I think so.

Here is one more.

Thanks ever so much.

Let me help you.

If you don't mind, it's not far,

just a couple of blocks.

I'll carry this.

Please don't look around too much.

I'm afraid it's a mess.

It's always like this on Saturdays.

That's when I go to the store

and pick up new beads.

I never seem to have time

to clean up before I go.

Just set them down here.

Do you live here alone?

Yes. I'm afraid I'm very dull

company for most people.

And anyway, it's wonderful to be independent,

not having people feel sorry for you.

And I like this room.

It's so cheerful.

Don't you think so?

Yes, very.

But the chief advantage is

my neighbors' taste in music.

Do you like music?

Yes I do, very much.

I can hear the radio, it belongs

to the people next door.

They like the same things that I like.

Won't you sit down, please?

Thank you.

I'm talking too much. I'm boring you.

I've a strong intuition about people.

I seem to feel what they're thinking.

You want to go.

Am I right?

Oh, no. But right now somebody is waiting for me.

That's different.

Then I wasn't quite right this time.

If you don't mind, Miss Williams,

I'd like to come back.

Would you really? I'll be glad.

And thanks again for helping me.

- Hello, Jeff.

- Hello, Johnny.

I've got something here, something big.

I thought maybe the two of us

could figure it together.

Listen to this:

"Charpenters Ltd. have just

paid a fortune in customs duty

on a shipment of diamonds from Africa.

This is the largest consigment of gems

ever received in this country during the last 6 months. "

It's a cinch.

Do you want me to get the boys together?

Yes. You get the boys together...

I'll be busy til about 5 this afternoon.

Ah, now wait a minute. You're not taking

the plane up again, are you?

No, I'm not going to be doing any flying today.

Careful...

This is the place I was telling you

about when we were up in the plane.

The part with the oak trees?

It's so beautiful...

The leaves are just beginning to fall.

There's nothing here but quietness...

and peace.

And us.

Wouldn't it be odd if we were absolutely

what I saw from the seat?

Just the two of us in the whole world.

Sometimes I wish I could see

the world the way you do.

Maybe then I would imagine myself

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