The Old Maid Page #8

...marrying a girl who is so free

with her kisses.

- That's not true. That's not true.

- It is true.

There is nothing I could say to keep

him away if he really cared about you.

He would have cared

if you had not sent him away.

I'd have made him care and now I can't.

I'll never forgive you. Never.

Go to your room, Tina.

I'll go...

...but before I go...

...you've got to know I'm sick

of your spying...

...fault-finding and meddling.

- No.

You can say what you want to

because you understand me and I love you.

But she's just a sour old maid

who hates me.

- Tina.

- I'm young and attractive.

And in love, while she's old

and hideous and dried up...

...and has never known anything

about love.

I'm sorry, Mommy.

Come up and say good night to me.

Delia. Delia.

Delia, why don't you turn up the light?

I wanna talk to you.

There's no fire there.

I'm taking her away.

- What?

- Yes, I'm taking Tina away.

It's what I should have done from

the beginning, the very beginning...

...when I asked for your help

and allowed you to interfere.

I see my mistake now.

Do you realize what you're saying?

I'm going to take her somewhere

where we're not known.

Among plain people living plain lives.

Somewhere they won't know

she's a foundling.

Where she can find herself a husband

and make herself a home.

You'd take Tina away from me now?

Away from you?

Away from... From the life

you've made such a sacrifice to give her?

Oh, it would be too cruel.

Even more cruel to her than to me.

What is there ahead for her here?

A girl without a name,

without a penny...

...living among cautious people

like the Halseys and their kind.

Delia, you've done a great deal for us

in your way and I'm very grateful.

But you see what it's come to tonight.

No.

No, I haven't done all I could

but I'm going to now, if you'll let me.

If you mean using your influence

with the Halseys...

...thank you, no. I don't wish

a compulsory marriage for my child.

It isn't that.

It's something I've thought since

the two of you came here...

...to be with me and Tina began calling me

Mommy because Dee did.

I'll adopt Tina legally.

Adopt?

You adopt Tina?

If she has my name, the Ralston name

and part of the Ralston fortune...

- Why haven't you mentioned this plan?

- I wasn't sure of how you'd take it.

If Tina's to be happy,

her position must be made unassailable...

...financially and socially.

- I refuse.

But, Charlotte,

it won't be like giving her up.

We... We can both go on

loving her together.

No. No, this has gone on

long enough, this... This mistake.

- I'm going to take her away.

- Then you are going to sacrifice her...

...when she might have everything

she wants and you want.

The boy she loves, a home of her own.

Tina said Lanning will love her

if she wants him to.

She can make him love her

if there's no reason why he shouldn't.

And if she has money of her own

and the Ralston name...

...why, the Halseys wouldn't dare

find her a bad match for their son.

- Mommy, are you coming up now?

Tina.

I'm sorry.

Delia.

Delia, go on up to her.

And tell her tonight.

She'll be glad to hear it.

Oh, Tina.

Hurry up.

Mommy, do turn around and start us.

Oh, we must stop here.

This is sacrilegious.

Oh, but we're only rehearsing.

Oh, that thing. It's like me.

- It's getting old.

- Let it run down, Tina.

- You've rehearsed a dozen times already.

- Oh, but it's fun.

- Feel. My heart. Yours too?

- Mm-hm.

Oh, Mommy, darling, you're so sweet.

We can rehearse this thing

a hundred times, if necessary.

This is one wedding

that must be perfect.

- It is perfect.

- Thank you, darling.

- And then the minister will say...

- And then I'll say, "I do. I do. I do. "

- Well, I get to say it first.

- And then... And then...

You know, Delia, she's really too happy.

When she talks, she laughs.

When she walks, she dances.

She sings and runs about flinging

her happiness into our faces...

...until I'm afraid for her.

Dora, I told cook to count

on 200 plates of ice cream tomorrow.

- Yes, miss.

Two hundred?

Charlotte, you've been wonderful.

She's taken over every detail.

You're so sweet. You've taken

trouble as if it was your own wedding.

Thank you, Tina. I don't think

there's anything further to be done tonight.

- Except to go to bed.

- The bride is to be sent to bed.

- Say good night to Lanning.

- Go to bed now.

Oh, but, Mommy, I'm not sleepy.

You can rest whether you sleep or not.

You should go up now.

I'll go.

- Come to the gate with me.

Not tonight.

It's late. Say good night to her.

All right. Good night. Good night.

Only at the front door.

You must be tired.

Sit down and rest.

The doilies. I wonder if the new ones

arrived. Maybe they were sent upstairs.

- The doilies? But haven't we enough?

- Oh, we'll manage perfectly, Delia.

- Tina. Tina, it's late.

- Yes, Aunt Charlotte.

Good night, darling.

Well, he's gone.

- I'm going up now.

- Yes, do, darling.

Will you come up and say good night?

Of course.

Because tonight...

...it is just like Dr. Lanskell said...

...I am much too happy.

And I'm just a little afraid,

though I pretended I wasn't.

It's been so hectic

since you adopted me...

...and Lanning's parents decided

we might get married.

They've been very sweet to me.

If you hadn't cared

to give me your name and the money...

...they wouldn't want Lanning to care.

Oh, nonsense, darling.

But I know, Mommy.

I know what I owe you.

I owe you everything.

Everything and I'm glad.

I used to wonder who I really was

but I don't care now.

I'd rather have my mommy for my mother

than anyone in this world.

Tina. You mustn't say such things.

Your Aunt Charlotte's been

as much interested as I've been.

- And just as generous to you.

Yes, I know.

She gave me my wedding veil.

She asked me to wear the wedding dress

she was going to wear too.

But I didn't, I told her I wanted

to wear Mommy's.

The one Dee wore at her wedding.

It seems odd anyone ever wanted

to marry Charlotte.

There you are tired, chatterbox.

I won't sleep until you come in

and tell me good night.

- And I've told you I'll come. Run along.

- All right.

- Good night, Tina.

- Good night.

Mommy, look.

Mommy gave this to me besides

all her other presents.

She's always worn it. That's the very

first thing I remember in all my life.

A beautiful lady. Like a princess.

It's very pretty.

I love it.

Good night. You were always very kind

to me when I was little.

I remember that too. Good night.

Don't forget, Mommy,

I'll be waiting. Good night.

Good night, Aunt Charlotte.

Hurry, Mommy.

Well, good night, my dear.

Dr. Lanskell?

Come here a moment.

Do you remember when I stopped Charlotte

from marrying Joe?

At the time it was a sacrilegious thing

to lay a hand on another person's destiny.

I thought it was a mistake.

But one never knows what was

a mistake and what was not.

We can't turn back the clock

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