The Mad Magician Page #2

L'm afraid I have to go.

I thought Karen was meeting you here.

She's supposed to, but she's late.

I have an appointment

at the Hudson university lab.

They're doing some pathological work

for the department.

Make my excuses, will you?

Of course.

Hi, don.

Hello. You've met Mr. ormond.

- Yes.

- Lieutenant.

And I'm sure you've heard

of Mr. Rinaldi, the great Rinaldi?

Master of the black arts.

Magician by royal appointment

to the court of the king of Spain.

L'm sorry. That's his billing.

Next week, Jersey city.

Meet lieutenant Bruce,

of the detective bureau.

A detective. Lt's a pleasure.

I trust it remains a pleasure.

L'm glad to know you,

Mr. Rinaldi.

- Excuse me. I was just leaving.

- L'll tell Karen.

Please, and tell her I'll meet her

for dinner at Tony's restaurant, 6:00.

- So long.

- Thanks.

Ah. The mysterious buzz saw.

It looks very real, very dangerous.

It's no wonder you kept it a secret.

Go ahead, don.

Show him how it works.

He's a magician.

He should know how it works.

The girl's body drops through the trap.

Then, when you pretend to fix her hair,

the dummy head comes up,

and the real girl

slips out of the machine.

Very good. But it needs a showman

to present it to an audience.

It was presumptuous of you

to think you could do it.

Only an amateur could be so brash.

But I'll make you famous, my pet.

In my hands you'll become a star.

Now, look, I'll send a moving Van to pick

it up this afternoon and deliver it to me.

L'm bringing my show

to the 44th street theater next month,

and I want to start rehearsing this trick.

I'll give it top billing

on all my posters.

The 44th street theater.

Of course.

Ross owns half interest in my show.

Well, I have a matinee in Jersey city.

- Good-bye, Ross.

- Good-bye.

Good-bye, gallico the great.

So that's why you took

the trick away from me.

I could have stopped you

before you booked your first date.

But why didn't you?

Why did you let me go on?

You needed a lesson.

You belong here, not in the theater.

When I stumbled onto you, you were a two-bit

concessionaire with a broken-down carny outfit.

All you had was a leaky tent

and a bag full of cheap tricks.

I had a lovely wife.

She was the only reason I took a

second look at your flea-bitten show.

The only reason you brought me here

and gave me a job.

She was a lot different then.

For one thing, she had an innocent mind.

But to you, that meant ignorance,

and so you did your best to change it.

She had one great weakness,

a consuming hunger for rich living,

and I couldn't give her that.

If you'd left us alone,

she might have gotten over it,

but you catered to it, built it up.

I could see her change

before my eyes.

It was no surprise

when she asked me for a divorce.

You seemed willing enough.

She didn't try to deceive me.

She told me what she wanted,

and I let her have her way.

It couldn't have bothered you much, or

you wouldn't have stayed here onthejob.

I loved her, Ross.

Oh, yeah.

That's funny, isn't it?

Yes, it would be, to you.

I knew you, even then.

I knew what could happen.

I stayed on the job to pick up the pieces.

You're lucky

i took her off your hands.

Look how she's behaved

since I've married her.

Gallivanting all over Europe,

spending my money like water.

I haven't seen her in six months.

Didn't try to deceive you?

You stupid fool.

She's always been a trollop.

She double-crossed you from the first,

just as she double-crossed me.

Don. don, what's the matter with you?

Keep away from me.

You took everything.

Everything I ever had.

My wife! My brains! My self-respect!

Everything but the air I breathe.

Gallico the great, magician

extraordinary. that's funny, isn't it?

Gallico the clown.

Gallico the stupid fool.

There's one trick

you've never seen, Ross.

That no magician has ever dared to try.

But I can't do it alone.

You've got to help me.

In fact, you'll be the star.

- don. Stop it! Don't! - Gallico the

great, the magician extraordinary.

- Why don't you laugh at me now?

- Don, the blade.

- Go on! Laugh!

- Don, the blade!

Laugh! Laugh!

Go on! Laugh!

You crazy murderer.

- Laugh! Laugh!

- Murderer! The blade!

- Laugh! Laugh!

- Don, the blade!

"Lau9h! Laugh!

- don! don!

Laugh! Laugh!

Laugh!

Who is it?

It's Karen.

One moment, please.

Hello, don. Ls Alan here?

No. He couldn't wait.

He had an appointment.

Oh, dear. I know I'm late,

but I couldn't help it.

I got a job today,

working at Siegel-Cooper's store.

Oh. Alan said he would meet you

at Tony's restaurant at 6:00.

It's almost that now.

Karen, I want to make you out a check

for the time you spent in rehearsal

and two weeks' salary in addition.

Oh, well, forget it, don.

I know what this thing has cost you.

No, I want you to have your money,

the same as the others.

If there's any change in my plans,

I'll let you know.

Look, don, why don't you

come to dinner with us tonight?

It'll do you good.

No, thanks, Karen,

but I have something else to do.

Good night, Karen.

Good night, don.

Illusions, incorporated.

Yes, this is Mr. gallico.

Who is this, please?

Dean's Van and storage?

Yes, I have a consignment for Mr. Rinaldi.

I'll be here tonight.

I'll have it ready for you.

Karen.

- Hello there.

- Hello.

Don, you changed your mind.

Karen, you left your bag at the studio

and took mine by mistake.

There's something in my bag

that's very, very valuable. Where is it?

Oh. don, I...

What's the matter?

What have you done with it?

I left it in the cab.

In a cab?

Do you remember the driver?

No, it was just a hansom cab.

It's all right. The driver

will turn it over to the police.

Waiter, bring my check.

- Did you bring a young lady

to this restaurant? - Nope.

- How long have you been here?

- About a quarter of an hour.

Did you see a hansom cab

leave a young woman here?

Nope.

- Did you?

- Nope.

I did.

- That was ed Burke's rig.

- Where did Burke go?

He picked up a couple who wanted

to take a turn through the park.

- Go after him. If you find him,

I'll double that. - Yes, sir.

Let's go.

Hey! Ed! Pull up a minute.

Whoa.

Are you the driver who dropped this

young lady in Tony's restaurant?

- Yep.

- She left a black leather bag in your cab.

- She sure did.

- Well, that bag belongs to me.

There's nothing to worry about, mister.

I gave it to a cop.

- You gave it to a cop?

- Yeah, a cop.

The cop at the kiosk, back at Van

cortlandt drive and Fordham road.

He'll turn it in at his station.

That's what he said.

Giddap.

Fordham and Van cortlandt.

Yes, sir.

- Hello, don.

- Hello, Karen.

I saw your lights from the street.

Oh, are you going

to the victory celebration?

Victory celebration?

Yes. Hudson won from parnell,

and there'll be some sort of hijinks

on the campus tonight.

You know, some kind of a bonfire

and a snake dance.

That's not for me, Karen.

Here, sit down.

I hope you've forgiven me

for carrying off your bag.

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