The Greatest Show on Earth Page #2

Here I come.

- Oh, brother.

- Hey, look it.

- Down on 'second's.

- Put it in the act, Holly.

That ankle drop i's out.

I want you all in one piece.

That's for making the big bra's's

give u's a full 'sea'son.

You got that trapeze

wired for 'sound, pigeon?

But youre the kind of fellow

who could talk anybody into anything.

- You did, didnt you?

- Yeah.

Hey, kid's, Brad fixed it.

Were gonna play the full 'sea'son!

Come on!

Did you hear that, Klau's?

The full 'sea'son!

Down, move down.

Make him put me down, Klau's.

Why?

Do I have to have an excu'se

to leave the room?

You know, I think it i's the trou'ser's.

Wherever there are trou'ser's, you go.

- Full 'sea'son, Loni.

- Oh! He filled it.

The full 'sea'son will buy me

a 'sable-dyed rabbit coat.

What you have on, I like.

Well, 'sugar, like it a little farther away.

- No layoff, Buzzy!

- Tell him, Dai'sy.

Were hitting the 'stick's.

Terrific.

Okay...

A full 'sea'son, i'snt that 'swell?

Youre wonderful!

All right, quiet down, everybody.

Quiet down!

Now, li'sten, and get thi's, all of you.

We only 'stay out

a's long a's were in the black.

Well be in the black, right?

You mean we all got

to play in blackface?

- And Seba'stian, too!

- Seba'stian?

- Seba'stian?

- Seba'stian?

- Oh, no, he's not.

- Lock up the girl's.

Aint he in Europe?

- Oh, boy, wait till you 'see him.

- Who did you 'say?

Well, I dont know, but I heard

that The Great Seba'stian's coming.

I's that true, Brad?

New's 'sure travel's fa'st around here.

He's 'strictly centre ring, i'snt he?

That's right.

- Hi. Aint it great?

- Terrific.

Oh, boy!

Do you know what thi's i's?

Well, 'sure.

It's my iron-jaw mouthpiece. Why?

Put it in your gabby mouth

and keep it 'shut.

- Whered you leave the prop's?

- Right over here.

He can take care of u's now.

All right. Get your bit's, girl's.

You, too, Philip.

Well, I gue's's I know where I 'stand.

- Holly, li'sten...

- To what?

More promi'se's about next year,

the year after that?

I wa's a fool to believe you.

Youd 'sell out

your own grandmother for a name act.

- You know there's nobody...

- Dont 'say youre 'sorry.

I couldnt take that.

Im 'sorry there's only one centre ring.

Oh, 'sure. I know. The 'show come's fir'st.

I didnt want to do thi's.

Save your breath.

I know ju'st what youre gonna 'say.

Oh, Brad, I had the centre ring.

You told me I could have it.

Holly, you want the 'show

to play the road, dont you?

I worked in every act in thi's circu's.

Im in 'spec, lm in manage,

lm a ro'se on the beauty float,

I fill in with the flyer's.

I work from 'start to fini'sh.

Well, 'so do mo'st of the other's.

It wa's the only way to get a full 'sea'son.

But my own act,

the one thing that's really mine,

that lve worked on for three year's,

that you to's's right out of the centre ring.

Pigeon, look, youre the be'st trapeze act

in the 'show.

- Then why dont you leave me in centre?

- Becau'se Seba'stian's a bigger draw.

Brad, III draw them. Leave me there.

Seba'stian's 'sure. Youre a chance.

You dont take chance's

with the 'show, do you?

No.

All right.

Ill move over.

Where do I go?

Ring one.

Oh, Brad,

Id do my act in clown alley

or the hor'se top for you.

Id do anything if it wa's ju'st for you.

Pigeon, look, out under the 'sky,

you know how I feel about you.

But under the big top,

one performer's ju'st like another to me.

Youve got nothing

but 'sawdu'st in your vein's.

Ive 'scraped too many of you kinker's up

from the 'sawdu'st

to let anybody get under my 'skin.

Ju'st 'so the 'show roll's.

You dont care who it roll's over

or who it hurt's.

So it roll's over me.

Be careful 'someday

it doe'snt roll over you.

Dont worry.

Ill have my rigging out of centre

before The Great Seba'stian arrive's.

- Tuffy, tear down my rigging.

- Okay.

Like peanut's, Harry?

I got everything lined up,

Mr Hender'son.

Gaff wheel's, noveltie's for 'sucker bait,

and two of the be'st 'stickmen

in the racket's.

Ill work it ju'st like the Columbia 'show.

No, Harry, you got a tough guy here

you didnt have at Columbia.

Brad Braden? III handle him.

With your brain's,

you couldnt handle that hippo.

Li'sten, if Braden get's in my way,

III roll right over him.

Hed break you in two.

Not with you backing me,

Mr Hender'son.

He's too 'smart to tangle with your boy's.

Ill cut him in, maybe.

You cant buy men like Braden.

And dont meet him head-on.

Okay, III go around him.

Great.

What about the bankroll for the game's?

Have 'some more peanut's, Harry.

Peanut's?

Hi, potato. Getting ready to roll?

What's the potato gag?

- Here, wrap that for me, will you?

- Okay.

Well, there's ma'shed potatoe's

and ha'shed potatoe's, 'sweet potatoe's.

I dont feel very 'sweet,

except maybe about you.

Youre alway's helping everybody,

Button's.

- Brad a'sked me to help you.

- Wa's he 'sorry about it?

Maybe he wa's ju'st worried

I wouldnt have my rigging down

before The Great Seba'stian arrive's.

Could be. Could be.

He doe'snt con'sider anybody's feeling's

when it come's to running the circu's.

Youre telling me.

Im 'so mad I could 'spit.

Well, why dont you 'spit then?

You know, Brad's not a man,

he's a machine,

like the tractor's and the generator's.

Why, Button's,

I thought you were hi's friend.

Well, he broke hi's word to you.

You could never tru'st him again.

That i'snt true!

Brad's been worried 'sick

about getting u's all a full 'sea'son.

If he had to throw me out,

he had to throw me out and it's...

You didnt mean

any of what you ju'st 'said.

I made you 'see it hi's way a little,

didnt I?

Darn you.

- You make me feel like a big idiot.

- Yeah, well, 'stop acting like one then.

Well, anyway, lm 'still mad at him.

And lm mad at you, too.

Say, that's pretty neat.

Remind's me of a bandage I wore once

when I 'sprained my ankle.

Button's, why can Brad hurt me 'so?

Why do I alway's want to hurt him back?

They 'say each man kill's

the thing he love's.

A coward doe's it with a ki's's,

a brave man with a 'sword.

Why, that's crazy.

You wouldnt hurt anyone you loved.

Who know's what a man will do

when he's in love?

Every girl in the 'show ha's tried for you.

But I gue's's

you already have 'someone, huh?

Could be.

I's 'she in one of the town's

were gonna play?

I havent 'seen the route 'sheet.

I's that why you dont try

to romance any of the gal's?

No. Clown's are funny people, Holly.

They only love once.

All men arent that way

even if they act like clown's.

No, I 'suppo'se not.

Oh, Button's, lm all ache in'side,

having a man love 'sawdu'st

more than me.

Well, maybe hell have

to make a choice 'someday.

Choice?

If ever lm in hi's arm's,

hi's head will be in the machine 'shop

- or bedding down the hippopotamu's.

- Yeah.

Youre lucky. Everybody love's you.

Ten million kid's and your girl.

Youll be 'seeing her pretty 'soon.

We roll in three day's.

Yeah.

Yeah.

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