The House of Mirth Page #4

that I owe you money?

You told me that it was all right!

It was all right, is all right.

You're welcome to all of it.

I just want to be thanked a little.

I have thanked you!

Or do you wish for payment in kind?

No!

If I owe you money, I shall pay you!

You owe me nine thousand dollars.

Nine thousand?

I will pay you.

I suppose you'll go

to Selden or Rosedale for it.

Unless you've settled

those scores already

and I'm the only one

left out in the cold.

What more do you have to say to me?

Go home.

Come here, Lily.

I wish to speak with you.

Aunt Julia, it is very late

and I am very tired.

I must insist, Lily.

You're a bad colour, Lily.

This incessant rushing about

is beginning to tell on you.

I don't think it's that.

I've had other worries.

Ah.

The fact is, I owe some money.

I... I have been foolish.

There are bills, not tradesmen

that are pressing.

I paid your dressmaker's

bill for you last October.

But if you owe Madame Celeste

another thousand dollars

she may send me your account.

I owe a good deal more

than a thousand dollars.

A good deal more?

To whom? Do I know these people?

Some by name

others by reputation.

Then they are of no consequence.

These debts that I speak of

are different.

The fact is, I've been playing

cards a good deal.

It's true, then.

You play cards for money.

Do you play on Sundays?

You are hard on me, Aunt Julia.

I've never really liked cards

and one hates to seem priggish

and one drifts into doing

what others do.

I have had a dreadful lesson.

If you help me out this time

I promise -

You need make any promises.

It's unnecessary.

I offered you a home, I didn't

undertake to pay gambling debts.

You don't mean to say

that you won't help me?

I'll not give the impression

I countenance your behaviour.

Aunt Julia, I will be disgraced!

I consider

that you ARE disgraced, Lily.

And now I must ask you to leave me.

This scene has been

extremely painful to me

and I have my own health to consider.

Tell Jennings I'll see no one

until tomorrow afternoon.

- And then only Grace Stepney.

- Grace!

Yes, Aunt Julia.

I don't care.

I couldn't go to my room.

I hate it so.

Lily, what has happened?

Can't you tell me?

I thought that I could manage

my own life

but I have been foolish, Grace.

Foolish to the point

of being compromised.

By whom? Mr Selden?

No, not Mr Selden.

I have been careless

and imprudent about money.

I am frightened to think what I owe.

Grace, you know Lawrence.

If I asked him to help me

told him why

would he loathe me

if I told him everything?

No, you must not do that.

He is like other men.

They have minds like moral flypaper.

They can forgive a woman

almost anything

except the loss of her good name.

If you wish to keep

your reputation intact, Lily

tell him nothing.

But he must have spoken to you

about me.

What does he really think of me?

We have never discussed you, Lily.

I have no idea what Mr Selden thinks.

But I must trust in his good faith.

I will write to him

and ask him to come.

- Good night, Grace.

- Good night, Lily.

Lawrence!

Lawrence!

Jennings, is my aunt downstairs?

No, Miss Bart.

Mrs Peniston left for Richfield

early today, with Miss Stepney.

Oh. Thank you.

Would you have this sent at once

to Mr Selden at the Benedick?

Yes, miss.

Serve tea at four in the sitting

room and show Mr Selden in.

- Yes, Miss Bart.

- Thank you.

Mr Rosedale.

Pretty well done.

Yes, very well done.

Why do you put up this kind of bluff?

Why aren't you straight with me?

I know that there have been

times when you've been worried.

A girl like you

shouldn't have worries.

You are quite right, Mr Rosedale.

I have had worries.

I have been careless about money.

I'm offering you the chance

to turn your back on those forever.

I know you're not in love with me.

You're not even fond of me. Yet.

I am very much flattered

by your offer.

But I should be selfish

and ungrateful

if the reason for accepting

your generosity was financial.

Miss Bart, I generally

get what I want in life.

I've attained a social position

and I have the means to maintain it.

Now all I want is the woman

the right woman

to share both with me.

Now I know you have a fondness

for luxury and amusement

and to not have to settle for it.

I can provide the style

and the means of settling.

You are mistaken

on one point, Mr Rosedale.

Whatever I enjoy

I am prepared to pay for.

I have spoken too plainly.

I didn't mean to give offence.

You must give me time

to consider your kindness.

Goodbye, Miss Bart.

You will consider my proposal?

Of course.

Yes?

'Are you alone, Lily? '

Yes, quite alone, Bertha.

Everyone has gone away.

My aunt to Richfield

everyone else to Europe.

'Except Lawrence Selden

who's gone to London.'

How unsophisticated of him.

'Will you join us

on a cruise to the Mediterranean? '

Well, I'm not sure that I'm able to.

'You'll be doing me a service

you're so attentive to George

'listening to his old stories.

'You alone have the fortitude

to take interest.'

Nonsense, George can be charming.

'Good. You'll come, then? '

Yes, it'll be delightful. Goodbye.

- Mr Selden.

- Mrs Fisher.

Do join us.

What brings you to Monte Carlo?

I finished my business in London

so I decided to come and renew

my objective interest in life.

You are not so removed

from being manipulated

by the strings of society

as one might think.

Mrs Fisher, none of us are.

We're starving to death because

we can't decide where to lunch.

Of course one gets the best things

at 'The Terrasse'

but all the Americans go there now.

I do believe the Dorsets are back.

It's their yacht -

The Sabrina. Oh yes.

"Je fais souvent

ce rve trange et pntrant

"d'une femme inconnue

et que j'aime, et qui m'aime

"et qui n'est, chaque fois

ni tout fait la mme.

"Ni tout fait une autre

et m'aime et me comprend

"car elle me comprend

et mon coeur, transparent.

"Pour elle seule, hlas!

Cesse d'tre un problme

"pour elle seule, et les

moiteurs de mon front blme.

"Elle seule les sait rafrachir

en pleurant.

"Est-elle brune, blonde

ou rousse? Je I'ignore..."

He's reading Verlaine to her now.

In French!

Well

what's the use of mincing matters?

We all know what Bertha

brought Lily abroad for.

The Silverton affair

is at the acute stage.

It's necessary that George

be distracted, surely Lily does it.

A clever woman would know

just when to play her cards right

but Lily's never been very clever

in that way.

I do hope there hasn't been a row.

Where the devil are they?

Bertha! Bertha!

How was London, Mr Selden?

More agreeable than New York?

In some ways, yes. Nevertheless

I stopped over to see you.

To see me? Or to see an older friend?

I beg you to leave the yacht.

To leave? What do you mean?

What has happened?

Nothing. But if something should

why be in the way of it?

How would you think

that I would leave Bertha?

You have yourself to think of

you know.

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