The Passionate Friends Page #5

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Is this difficult?

No.

It's probably very indiscreet,

but it's certainly not difficult.

- We are very pleased to see you again.

- Thank you.

- Have you had your luncheon?

- Yes, thank you.

Your key, sir. No.7.

- I'll have your luggage sent up.

- Good.

- Hello, Miss Layton.

- Good afternoon, Mr Justin.

- We didn't expect you until much later.

- I was lucky with the plane.

- Where's my wife?

- She's out having lunch, I think.

Where?

She said something

about a day in the mountains.

- Did she say when she'd be back?

- No, but she'll be in for dinner.

Splendid.

(Engine starts)

- Are you going to be in time?

- Yes, I think so. Just.

- Back to the hotel, as quick as you can.

- Oui, monsieur.

Will advise you of new position

as soon as I'm able.

Yes, that will do.

Sincerely yours.

I suppose I'd better deal

with that Arnold business.

Tiresome man.

Yes, Mr Justin.

"My dear Arnold..."

They're quite extraordinary

these new binoculars.

Coated lenses, you know.

Marvellous.

"...whatever... sentimental value

you may place upon the shares"

their real value is purely nominal.

"You speak of goodwill..." No.

Don't say that.

But just a moment.

This is fascinating.

(Distant roar of motor)

Let's see...

Ah.

"I don't think I have to remind you

what a doubtful quantity goodwill can be

in a business of this sort."

(Boat motor starts up)

"I think you know me well enough

to understand..."

that I would never allow myself to be

influenced in this or any other matter

by purely...

"financial considerations."

Now, where was I?

(Reads) "...in this or in any other matter

by purely irrational considerations."

Financial considerations.

- I'm so sorry.

- That's all right.

Er... paragraph.

"I'm sure you will have already refreshed

your memory"

from our earlier correspondence

on the subject.

In any case, I do not propose

to refer to it again.

The whole matter must now be handed over

to our legal advisors and...

accountants -

they're interested only in facts.

"Very sincerely yours."

Charming.

(Boat engine idles)

- Is that my wife?

- I think it is.

Good.

Yes, it is.

Will you excuse me for a moment?

- Room No.6, as quick as you can.

- Oui, monsieur. Tout de suite.

- Will you be in time?

- Yes, the station's ten minutes across the lake.

- Could I have my key, please?

- Yes, sir.

Oh, thank you.

Excusez-moi, monsieur.

Don't wait.

I wonder how long it will be

before we meet again.

I was wondering that too.

Will it be another nine years?

I hope not.

I've loved seeing you

and hearing your voice.

- Voil, monsieur.

- Thank you.

What were you going to say?

I was going to say...

I'm glad you're happy.

Goodbye, Mary.

(Motorboat passes below)

(Softly) Howard...

(Babble of voices in different languages)

MARY:
Hello? Ah, hello?

Hello? Hello?

- Allo? Allo?

- Schweizerhof Hotel, Zurich?

- Oui, madame.

- I'm speaking from London.

Is Professor Stratton staying there?

No, madame, we have nobody of that name.

Sorry.

Hotel Metz-Ropa.

I want to speak to Professor Stratton.

This is Mrs Howard Justin.

Oh, I am sorry, madame.

He left this morning.

Do you happen to know where he went?

It's very important.

I'll make enquiries, madame.

MAN:
Yes, madame,

you say the professor is a biologist.

But that's a very vague description.

Very vague.

- Hello? Yes?

- Madame Justin?

The concierge says Professor Stratton

is staying in Geneva.

Oh, thank you. Thank you very much.

(Voices overlap)

- Hello, this is Wilson, Maxwell

and Wilson. WOMAN: Yes?

I understand that you may know the

movements of Mr Steven Stratton.

Ah, Professor Stratton, oui.

He is travelling to Paris tonight.

He will arrive in London tomorrow evening.

- Nine o'clock at Victoria Station.

- Nine o'clock. Victoria.

(Train whistle)

STEVEN:
Darling.

(Tannoy announcement)

- How are the children?

- Wonderful. Longing to see you.

- Professor Stratton?

- Yes.

That's a petition for divorce.

(Train drowns out Steven's speech)

(Train drowns out speech)

MARY:
I don't quite remember what I did

or which way I went.

There are some nightmares

that you don't wake from, that are reality.

- I think I went into some sort of restaurant.

- Thrupence, please.

There was a man who kept asking me

for money.

- Thrupence!

- I don't... really remember.

All I could think of was

that I'd done this thing to Steven.

I had to do something.

I went home, and then remembered

it wasn't a home, but only a hotel bedroom.

And I couldn't sleep.

After that I started to

walk, faster and faster.

Racking my brains for things to say to the

lawyer that hadn't been said already.

He had to do something to stop it.

Something. Anything!

It didn't matter what. He had to, had to...

Aren't you losing your head, Mrs Justin?

No, I'm trying to keep it.

This thing has got to be stopped.

I'm sorry, Mrs Justin,

but I think you'd better face the facts.

You see, your husband isn't suing for divorce

and claiming these damages as an idle gesture,

he's fighting to win.

And he's got a strong case.

But it's absurd!

The earlier associations

and the adjoining rooms...

- We didn't know about the adjoining rooms.

- Yes. But nobody's going to believe you didn't.

- No, I can see that.

- (Clears throat)

I'm sorry.

That was unfair.

Well, er...

What am I to do?

What can I... say to Professor Stratton?

- I hope you're not thinking of meeting him.

- Certainly I am.

- I telephoned him at the university this morning.

- That's most unwise of you.

I... have to see him.

I have to.

Don't you see, this...

this can mean everything to him.

It's his home, his job, his

happiness - everything.

I... can't just not see him.

Mrs Justin...

I suggest you don't keep the appointment.

(Rumble of train approaching)

(Screech of brakes)

Mind the doors!

Mind the doors. Mind the doors.

- Steven.

- I was afraid you weren't coming.

- You're crying.

- Yes.

It's all right, Steven. It's all right.

There'll be no divorce.

I've... I've just seen the lawyer.

Howard has stopped the case.

Mary...

Let's... Let's go into the park.

Well-brought-up women aren't really

supposed to smoke in the street.

It's all right. This isn't the street.

- Did he give the lawyer any explanation?

- No, I...

I suppose he must have decided

to believe me, after all.

That's really all I know about it.

You've had a rotten time, haven't you?

Don't be too nice to me, Steven,

I... don't deserve it.

- It wasn't your fault.

- Yes, it was. In a way.

All my life, Steven, I've...

I've been hard.

I've been a little hard.

No. You haven't.

You...

You are happy, aren't you?

Yes, I am.

- What about you?

- I just wanted to make sure.

You haven't answered my question.

What about you?

- Are you going back to him?

- I...

I don't quite know. I...

I don't know... what I'm going to do yet.

He...

He's been away. I...

I think he's coming back today.

I remember in Switzerland...

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