The Razor's Edge Page #10

[ Isabel And Maugham Laughing ]

And where will you and Larry

go on your honeymoon, my dear?

- Greece, isn't it?

- Mm-hmm.

Greece?

It ought to be lovely there this time of year.

Lovely.

- How about a liqueur, Gray?

- Yes. I think I will.

- Ah, yes. This. Sophie?

- No, thanks.

You're very foolish, my dear.

It's excellent.

- No, Uncle Elliott. She doesn't want it.

- Gray?

- A little glass for monsieur?

- Uh, bonjour, Albert.

No, alas. It's forbidden me.

My doctors won't let me touch alcohol.

Un peu de Persovka

can do monsieur no harm.

Persovka? Persovka!

[ Chuckles ]

I'll just have a look

at the bottle.

[Maugham ] I'm sorry to hear

you've been ill, Elliott.

You ought to

take care of yourself.

Ah! Persovka.

[ Sniffs ]

Mm!

It can't hurt me for once.

Just a drop. Mm.

Two drops, perhaps.

We used to drink it at the Radziwill's,

when I stayed with them for the shooting.

[ Laughing ] You should have seen

those Polish princes putting it away.

They'd drink it by the tumbler.

Never turn a hair.

I don't care whether Sophie's on the wagon

or not, she must try this.

It's an experience

no one can miss.

It's like listening

to music by moonlight.

I'd rather not.

Isabel?

- Nice smell.

- Mm.

That's the herbs

they put in it.

Oh! Very good. Can we have some of this

at the apartment?

Certainly. I'll have

a few bottles sent around.

What did you say

it was like, Uncle Elliott?

"Like listening to music

by moonlight"?

It is!

'SDhie?

- Yes?

I saw the most divine

wedding dress at Molyneux's.

Let me give it to you

for a wedding present.

- Uncle Elliott and me.

- What?

That's very nice of you, Isabel, but Sophie

has one already picked out.

Don't be stuffy. Let us give her a dress.

I'll arrange a fitting.

- May she?

- Certainly. It's very nice of you.

- Thank you very much, both of you.

- Not at all. Not at all.

Suppose you pick me up

tomorrow at 3:
00, at the apartment.

- Larry, you know the address, don't you?

- Yes, I know the address.

Oh, good heavens.

We don't want you!

You're only the groom!

[Chuckles] I'll see you at 3:00.

[ Isabel ] Yes, it was a lovely party.

No, of course I didn't.

I behaved like an angel.

I always do.

Oh, how silly!

Stop imagining things.

I meant every word of it.

Yes. Yes!

Tomorrow. At 5:
00.

-[ Hanging Up Phone]

-[ Footsteps]

That was Somerset Maugham

on the telephone.

He always gives me the queerest feeling,

as if he were leading

other people's lives for them.

I daresay that comes

of being a novelist.

- Here.

- Oh!

Thanks.

Mr. Maugham...

[ Laughing ]

I called him a stuffed shirt

that night, didn't I?

What does it matter? That's all past.

You weren't yourself.

Your mind was miles away when I came in.

Where was it? With Larry?

- No. Right here. I was thinking.

- What?

You always wanted

Larry for yourself.

I've always wanted

to see him happy.

You hate me for marrying him,

donlyou?

No. I don't hate you at all.

I'd hate anyone or anything that came in

the way of his happiness.

- I'll be a good wife.

- I hope you will.

- I was before.

- I know you were.

Sophie, don't

misunderstand me.

I don't!

What are we getting into?

Coffee? Ice?

No, thanks.

I'm going to have a drink.

Oh, look! Uncle Elliott

sent the Persovka.

The what?

Don't you remember?

He raved about it yesterday.

Oh, yes.

The Persovka.

Poor Uncle Elliott.

He exaggerates about so many things,

but for once he's right.

I love the color. Like the green you

sometimes see in the heart of a white rose.

Poor Sophie.

I haven't had a drink

since that night in the Rue de Lappe.

It must be awful, just

to break off completely, all at once.

Sometimes,

when I've been alone, I...

I wanted to shake

the house down!

But I quit...

- Yesterday at the Ritz was tough going.

- I know. I saw it.

Did you? Did I show it?

Only to me, I think.

It meant something to me.

Larry, you mean.

Larry's happiness.

He's good.

He's really good, Isabel.

I was gone.

Lost! Gone.

This is my only chance.

I know that.

- Excuse me. ls the car here?

- Yes, madame.

- Could we talk more?

- Of course. As much as you want.

Will you wait for me? I've got

to pick up Joan at the dentist's.

I promised I would.

Your baby.

- How old is she now?

- Seven.

Here.

She's lovely.

Linda would have been

nine in November.

This November that's coming.

- Stay here.

-[ Sobs ]

I'll be back,

and we can talk.

[ Sobbing Softly]

[ No Audible Dialogue]

[Tango:
Man Singing In French]

[Singing Continues]

[Poung]

[ Speaking French ]

[ French ]

[Singing Continues]

If you see Sophie MacDonald,

the American, tell her I'll be back later.

-[ French ]

-[ Switching To French ]

[ French ]

[Jaunty Piano Playing ]

[ French ]

-[ French ]

- Persovka, mon chri.

Hi, big boy!

Please. Pass me some Persovka.

Persovka, mon chri.

[Continues In French ]

[ French ]

- L'Amricaine. Au Narghil.

-Where's that? O1] est-ce?

[ French ]

- I speak English from London.

- Very well. Come along.

- Take me.

- Parig:
I, mon seigneur.

[ French ]

It's better I do not go in, monsieur.

I will wait for you there.

[Algerian Music Playing ]

[ French ]

Come on, Sophie.

Let's get out of here.

Hello, Larry!

Come on. Join us!

Persovka!

You must try some.

It smells nice.

[ Slurring ]

Like listening to music by moonlight.

Come along, Sophie.

Up you go.

[ Bottles Clattering ]

[ Speaking Native Language]

Come on, Sophie.

Come with me now.

I'll buy you a drink someplace else.

[Groans In Pain]

Take your hands off me!

I don't need you!

I don't need anyone!

[ Sophie Screams]

[Scuffling, Yelling ]

[ Screams ]

[Yelling In French]

A la rue!

[ Screams ]

[ French ]

[Maugham Narrating ] That was the very

last I saw or heard of Sophie MacDonald

for almost a year.

As a matter of record,

it's the very last any of us knew of her.

I settled down at my cottage on the Riviera

near Cap Ferrat to finish my book.

And then, one day, the police

of Toulon sent for me.

[ Men Speaking French ]

Monsieur Maugham.

Bonjour, Monsieur le Commissaire.

Good morning,

Monsieur Maugham.

I see Monsieur Maugham

wears the Lgion d'Honneur.

I have that distinction.

I must apologize

for being obliged to inconvenience,

a person of your distinction.

I assure you, nothing could make me

happier than being of service to you.

Now, about this.

Yes. This is a very dirty business,

monsieur.

It appears that the woman,

Sophie MacDonald,

had a very evil reputation.

She was brutally murdered.

What?

Her body was fished

out of the harbor.

The throat was cut

from ear to ear.

Dreadful.

[ French ]

How does it happen

that a person of your age

and respectability should be

acquainted with such a character?

- I knew her very slightly.

- This volume was found in her room.

If you will examine

the autograph page

you will see it hardly suggests

that your acquaintance with her

was as slight

as you claim.

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