The Pumpkin Eater Page #6

- We forgot to phone the removaI.

- Hello! What's going on?

- Nothing.

- Eh? Let me see.

- No.

- Let me see.

- You can't!

Oh, there's a pile of old sheets

in the cupboard.

- We never use them.

- Throw them away.

- Put it down.

- All right.

Hey, what are you writing?

" Love, Jake"?

What a funny thing to put!

They' re a beautifuI lot of flowers.

- Nice of everyone to have sent them.

- Mm-hm.

- Did you write thanking them?

- Mm-hm.

- Have you written to the Conways?

- Mm-hm.

Good. Good.

Ooh!

Oh!

Oi!

- Oh, my dear.

- Darling, give me a kiss!

Keep that upright.

- Let the gentleman get by.

- That one?

No, that stays.

That's just about the lot, then.

- Hello.

- This is Bob Conway.

- Who?

- Conway. Beth's husband.

Mr Conway. How are you?

I'm afraid Jake's at the studio.

- Actually, I wanted to...

- Could you hold on for just a minute?

Mrs Tedd will be waiting

at the house.

- Mrs Tedd. Right. Thank you.

- Thank you. Sorry.

Could you have tea with

me tomorrow? I want to talk to you.

I don't think I could manage.

I'm taking the children to the zoo.

- Splendid! What could be nicer?

- What?

- I mean, why don't I see you there?

- All right.

Why don't you meet us all

at that tea place by the penguins?

- Perfect!

- Fine.

I shall look forward to it.

Thank you.

- See you there about 4:00.

- Bye, now.

Bye-bye.

Don't you look pretty in that dress!

What animals do you like best?

- Mark?

- What about you, huh?

Penguins!

- Aren't they delicious!

- May we see the bears now?

- All right. But stay with Nanny.

- Elizabeth!

Elizabeth, come here!

Come here, Elizabeth!

- Well, how are you?

- Fine.

This is nice. I hope you don't mind

my gate-crashing the party.

Oh, no. Not at all.

Well, why don't we have some tea?

Miss?

I bet you were surprised

when I phoned, weren't you?

I think that secret meetings

are rather fun. Don't you?

- That depends on what they' re about.

- Ah, too true.

Ah. Now, we can have

brown bread and butter and jam,

brown bread, butter and marmalade,

scones, toasted tea cakes,

lettuce or cucumber sandwich,

cakes, gateaux, Welsh rarebits.

- Anything you like. Isn't that true?

- What?

- We can have anything we like.

- Oh. Anything that's on there.

Yes. Well, what's it going to be?

- Just tea.

- Just tea? Is that all? Really?

Well, tea for two and, uh...

Tea for two.

Wait. What about lemon tea?

Look, it's on the menu.

- All right. Lemon tea.

- Lemon tea for two.

You know, I nearly missed that.

Nearly missed it on the menu.

I didn't see it, and then suddenly

I looked and there it was, lemon tea.

Well, how are you?

You look marvellous.

Yes? Thanks.

- You' re in pretty good trim yourself.

- Yes, I am, frankly.

As a matter of fact,

I'm always on top of the world.

Quite rested now, are you,

after your stay in the nursing home?

- Yes. Thank you for the flowers.

- Oh, not at all.

Beth and I thought a lot of you.

Yes, we did. A great deaI.

Especially quite recently.

Ah, lovely! Thank you.

Thank you.

This is fun, isn't it, like this?

Just the two of us... all alone.

You' re an intelligent woman.

Why don't we make a habit of this?

What do you think?

I'd have to ask my husband.

Oh, yes, of course.

We' re married, aren't we?

Yes. And that reminds me

of what I wanted to talk to you about.

I'll tell you what it is.

It's nothing much.

It's just that, um...

a letter has come into my hands.

I won't bother to tell you how.

Well, anyhow,

I've got this letter on me, you see.

I mean I've got it on me now,

in my pocket, you see.

Can I read you some of it?

- Why?

- It's from my wife.

"Jake, baby,

how are you, honeylamb?

"Are you still managing without me?

Poor darling!"

Mummy, look! Look at the bears!

" Don't let your eyes stray to those

luscious bits hanging around the set.

"They are no good

when it comes to it, as well you know.

" I'm saving myself for you,

like you told me,

"although it's pretty difficult.

" I'm only waiting to soothe you,

honeylove.

" How brave, courageous and tough

you are to face it all alone. "

I've been checking up.

He rang her this morning.

Did you know that?

At the studio, he sent her flowers

every day, you know.

He's crazy about her, ducky.

He's mad about her.

He can't keep off it. Before Beth,

there was that other one.

What was her name?

Doesn't matter.

UntiI she got fed up with him.

He's not much good in bed,

I understand.

- Let go!

- You had an abortion. You know why?

Because Beth's good at heart.

She would have left him.

He made you have it

so he could keep Beth.

Well, she told me, for God's sake!

She a lovely girI.

She's gonna starve for me.

She's gonna starve.

I wouldn't touch her,

even if she came crawling.

- I want to go home.

- If he sees her again, I'll fry him.

- I'll boiI him. You tell him.

- No.

He's not a grown man, your husband.

He's a puking boy.

He can't lay a girI without the world

knowing it. He makes Beth sick.

I made her swear on the baby's head

that she was telling the truth.

If ever I hear his voice,

I'll pull it out of his throat.

You tell him to keep off, well off.

- Tell him yourself.

- Tell me something.

Is it true that he likes to...?

- Did you sleep with her?

- I've told you.

- Did you sleep with Philpot?

- It's years ago.

Did you?

Yes. Of course I did.

- You told me you hadn't.

- So I lied. So what?

- What did you expect me to do?

- Here, in the house?

I can't remember. Yes.

Often?

As often as we could.

Well, what's the point?

What the hell does it matter?

- What about the others?

- What others?

- The others!

- There weren't any others.

How many?

Half a dozen, a dozen.

What do the numbers matter?

When you were here

or when you were away?

Away, if that's what you want to hear.

- If it's true.

- All right, then. When I was away.

You live in a dream world,

you know that?

Why did you marry me? Why?

- Answer me!

- You know why.

- What do you think of marriage?

- It doesn't exist.

So what? What do you mean?

It doesn't matter what I think.

It exists. That's what I think.

- Why did you go to bed with Beth?

- Oh...

- Didn't you ever try not to?

- Yes.

Yes.

When I was in the nursing home,

didn't you mind?

Shh! I minded.

I went to see you every night.

- And met her afterwards.

- This is ridiculous!

Where did you meet?

- It's not true.

- Near the nursing home?

Somewhere.

What are you trying to do?

You' re not exactly

a modeI of faithfulness yourself.

I was never unfaithfuI

to anyone in my life, ever!

What a bloody hypocrite you are.

Did you stay the night?

I wish you'd shut up.

I wish you'd die!

How should I die?

I don't know. Leave me.

I can die here.

What shall we do?

Nothing.

I love you.

I've always loved you.

He says you love her.

He says you make her sick

with your love.

He's crazy! He's a madman.

Was Philpot the first

or were there others before?

- There weren't.

- How many? Who?

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