The House on Telegraph Hill Page #4

get an idea like that?

I saw you together at the house.

Well, the fact is that Alan thinks

I've had things too easy all my life.

You know, a rich man's son,

lazy and drinks too much.

Unfortunately, he's right.

- Two pounds mozzarella. The best.

- All right, Tony.

I'll take these too.

Well, I think

this is everything.

I'm sure you have

some good points, Major.

Oh, I suppose so. I'm kind to animals.

Handle a boat pretty well.

And you play

the piano beautifully.

- And I make beautiful circles

on a bar with a highball glass.

- Thank you, Mrs. Spender.

- Let me know how

you like the mozzarella.

- I will, Tony. Good-bye.

Bye. Well, now that that's all settled,

how about lunch?

- I'm afraid I couldn't.

- Why not?

'Cause you're married now?

Believe me, I'm very much

aware of it, and I respect it.

Husbands are husbands,

and friends are friends.

And, who knows? Someday,

you might need a friend.

Some other time, perhaps.

They are expecting me home for lunch today.

- Good-bye.

- Good-bye.

Oh, I'm sorry!

I'm not fast enough for you.

Chris, a little playhouse.

You never told me about it.

I don't play in it anymore.

It's no good.

- Oh, we will fix it and use it again.

- Here's the ball, Mom.

- Come on.

- We had one at home.

- It was so much fun.

- Don't go in there.

Is there something

you don't want me to see?

No, but it's dangerous.

- Chris, what happened there?

- It was the explosion.

Explosion?

What kind of explosion?

My chemical set.

It happened a long time ago.

Come on, Mom!

Let's play some more ball!

Tell me, darling, were you hurt?

No, it was nothing.

It just made a loud noise.

Well, I'm going to ask Alan

to have it fixed.

No! Please don't, Mom.

- Why not?

- 'Cause he doesn't know anything about it.

He wasn't here when it happened.

You won't tell him, Mom, will you?

Of course not,

if you don't want me to.

We'll just keep it between us, okay?

Okay. Thanks, Mom.

- Come on! Pitch!

- Pitch.

Good one!

Throw it overhand, like that.

Margaret?

Margaret?

- Is there something

you wanted, Mrs. Spender?

- Oh.

I'm sorry, Margaret.

I-I was looking for you...

and I couldn't help admiring

this beautiful album.

- Was it Aunt Sophie's?

- Yes.

- She gave it to me.

- Oh.

What is it you wanted, Mrs. Spender?

Oh, I-I just wanted to ask you...

what exactly happened

in the little playhouse?

- The playhouse?

- Yes.

Did Chris take you there?

No. I-I came upon it by accident.

I asked Chris,

but he didn't want to talk about it.

He did say there was an explosion

from his chemical set.

Oh, nonsense.

His chemical set

was just a harmless toy.

He must have stolen

something from the kitchen-

some cleaning fluid or something

that caused the explosion.

Chris thinks Mr. Spender

still doesn't know, but...

of course, you told him, Margaret.

No, I never did.

Margaret, you should have.

Well, Chris was terribly afraid Mr. Spender

would punish him. He begged me not to tell.

But Chris should have been made to

understand never to do a thing like that.

He could have been killed.

Well, he wasn't.

He wasn't hurt at all.

I saw no reason to make

an issue of it then...

and certainly there's no reason

to make an issue of it now.

I'm not trying

to make an issue of it, Margaret.

But, surely, you can't blame me

for being worried and-

and very much concerned.

Concerned. How long have you

been concerned about Chris, a few weeks?

I've been concerned about him

all his life, night and day.

And, now, you tell me

that you're concerned...

about something

that happened years ago.

Even then, it was I

who comforted him, not you.

Thank you for being so frank.

Now I know where we stand.

From the moment I came here,

you've looked upon me

as an intruder in this house.

That's why you dare

talk to me like this.

Well, I'll tell you something.

You're wrong, Margaret.

You are the intruder, not I.

- Are you giving me notice, Mrs. Spender?

- Yes.

I was a fool

not to do it long ago.

Very well.

I'll start packing at once.

- Alan?

- Hello, darling.

I thought you would

never get home.

What's the matter?

Anything wrong?

No, not anymore.

I had it out with Margaret.

She's leaving.

You what?

Have you both gone crazy?

- Do you want to hear what happened?

- I don't care what-

- This is ridiculous!

- But, darling...

you wouldn't say that if you'd

heard how she talked to me.

She acted as if

Chris was her child...

and she even accused me of deliberately

turning him against her and you.

Oh. So it's about Chris.

Well, can't you see, darling?

Margaret is jealous...

because the boy's become

so attached to you.

You should be the first

to understand that.

And you, you should be

the first to understand...

that Margaret and I can never live

together in the same house.

Now, look, Karin.

Margaret has given years

of her life to Chris.

You can't just dismiss her...

like a servant that

stepped out of line.

You're upset now, darling. But when

you've had time to think it over...

you'll realize I'm right.

If Margaret said anything to you

she shouldn't have, she'll apologize.

I'll see to that myself.

Come in.

May I speak to you

for a moment, Mrs. Spender?

Please, come in.

- What is it, Margaret?

- About yesterday,

I should like to apologize.

I said things I shouldn't have.

I'm sorry.

It doesn't matter. Mr. Spender

wishes you to remain. You know that.

But things will be very difficult if you

feel that I can't be trusted with Chris.

What happened between us

has nothing to do with Chris.

I never doubted that you have

Chris's welfare at heart.

It's kind of you

to say so, Mrs. Spender...

but I'd feel better

if you accepted my apology too.

Very well. I accept it,

if that makes you feel better.

Isn't it time to bring

Chris home from the party?

I'm leaving right now.

Oh. Alan.

What are you doing in there?

I-I was just looking around.

- Looking around?

- Mm-hmm.

- For what?

- Nothing, Alan.

Nothing. I-

I just wanted to see

the inside of the playhouse.

- Mom?

- Mom!

- Chris!

Darling, I'm so glad to see you.

- Tell me, did you have

a good time at Jimmys party?

- Mm-hmm.

- Did he like your present?

- Yep.

- Tell me all about it.

- Well, we went out on a pony ride, and-

Karin.

Darling, will you please

tell me what's bothering you?

I'm tired, Alan.

I-I have a headache.

I don't mean now.

I mean this afternoon in the playhouse.

You shied away from me

as if I had the plague.

If I hadn't grabbed you-

I completely forgot

about that wall.

- Forgot?

- I should've had it fixed

right after the explosion.

But I didn't realize

it was such a hazard.

What's the matter now?

You-You know what happened

to Chris in the playhouse?

Well, of course I do.

Wasn't I supposed to know?

Well, Margaret told me

just the other day that you didn't know-

that she never told you.

Oh. Well, you must have misunderstood.

After four years, I don't suppose

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes