The Razor's Edge Page #12

There'll be a thousand people at that party.

It couldn't have hurt her

at least to ask Elliott.

- Leave that to me.

- Don't worry about the bags, darling.

- Mr. Maugham. Larry!

- Hello.

This is a surprise.

I had no idea you were here.

Hello, Gray.

- How is he?

- I'm afraid you've come just in time.

- Oh, poor Uncle Elliott.

- I think he'd like to see you. Come on.

- Larry, you're not leaving.

- I'll be right back.

- Bonjour, mademoiselle.

-[ Both In French ]

It's more usual to come

in by the door, Larry.

Hello. I thought

the room was empty.

And may I inquire

what you're doing here?

- I'm a burglar, dear.

- Fancy that, now.

And I thought for one happy moment

that you'd come here to attack me.

[Chuckles] No, Miss Keith. No, I came

to steal a card for the Princess's party.

- She hasn't asked Elliott Templeton.

- I know she hasn't.

She crossed his name off

on the list herself.

- He's awfully hurt at being left out.

- Well,

if he wanted to keep in with her, he

shouldn't have said those terrible things

about her and her chauffeur.

[ Chuckling ]

The unfortunate part about it

is that they're all true!

- You have nothing against him, have you?

- Oh, no, no.

He's always been very nice to me.

He's a gentleman, and that's more than

you can say about most of the people

who come here to fill their fat bellies

at the Princess's expense.

Oh, come, Miss Keith.

Be a good sport.

Give me a card.

He won't come.

He's dying, and it'll make

the poor old man so happy.

The cards are on the desk.

I'm going to look out of the window

to observe the beauty of the prospect

and what happens when my back is turned,

neither God nor man

can hold me responsible for.

[ Singing Scottish Ballad ]

Thank you, Miss Keith.

[Stops Singing]

Our poor friend is very low.

He was a good man.

His defects were on the surface.

But he was generous of heart

and kindly toward his fellow creatures.

You may go in now.

-[ Knocking At Door]

- Entrez.

A great honor, my dears.

I shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven

with a letter of introduction

from a prince of the Church.

I fancy all doors

will be open to me.

I'm afraid

you'll find the company very mixed.

Don't you believe it.

There'll be none of this confounded

democracy there.

I shall pick and choose my company,

as I always have.

No,no,no.

Please don't draw the curtains.

I always loved

this time of afternoon.

Why don't you have a drink,

my dear fellow?

You always have a drink this time of day.

I have had it.

Thank you, Elliott.

Isabel, if you are going to make a scene,

you will have to leave the room.

I'm a rich man in my way,

and I've left you everything I have.

- Oh, Uncle Elliott...

- Now, now, now. Gray.

Come here.

I understand you have

a job in prospect.

Yes. A roommate of mine in college

has offered me a job in his business.

My idea is to go back

and see if I can raise enough money

to start up my father's firm again.

- It's still in receiver's hands.

- Splendid.

You have the money now,

my boy.

[ Knocks]

A letter for Mr. Templeton, sir.

It's marked "Urgent."

Joseph. You'd better stay.

- Elliott?

- What is it?

For you.

Open it.

What is it?

It's a card

for Edna Novemali's party.

There!

What did I tell you?

- Get a pad and envelope. I'll reply.

-[ Whispering ]

- No, please. Don't bother about that now.

- Why not?

I've always been

a man of the world.

There's no reason why I should

forget my manners as I'm leaving it.

- Are you ready?

- Yes, Elliott.

Mr. Elliott Templeton regrets

he cannot accept

Princess Novemali's kind invitation

owing to a previous engagement

with his Blessed Lord.

The old witch.

Pardon, madame,

but Mr. Darrell wishes to know

if the chauffeur

might drive him to the station.

- Station? He's leaving?

- Yes, madame.

At 10:
30, for Paris.

But he didn't say!

- Yes. Yes, of course.

- Merci.

- Leaving!

- He's going to America.

Oh, really?

How wonderful.

He's going to work his way back

on a tramp steamer.

He would do that.

But it doesn't matter.

At least he'll be home.

I'll see him.

I wouldn't do that

if I were you.

But you're not me.

All my life, I've done the things

other people have wanted me to do.

From now on, I intend to do

the things I want to do.

I intend to see as much of Larry

as I possibly can.

It may cause you

a lot of pain, my dear.

I know.

But it's a pain that's heaven.

Oh, Joseph. Tell Marcel

not to bother about the Rolls.

I'll drive you to the station, Larry.

I'll get the roadster.

Fine, thank you.

- You're on your way again.

- Yes. I'm sorry I can't stay for the funeral.

I have to catch a boat.

- So you're going back to America at last.

- That's right.

And what are you going to do?

I thought I might take

a job in a factory or a garage.

I've always liked machinery,

and besides, when I'm washing a car,

or tinkering with a carburetor,

my mind's free,

and at the same time

I feel I'm accomplishing something.

And after that?

I don't know. I, uh...

I might buy a taxi.

A taxi?

Why not? It's a good life.

You're always on the go.

- You meet a lot of different people.

- Oh, Larry, for heaven's sake!

What you need

is a good psychiatrist.

Sometimes I think you're

completely out of your mind.

Just look what you've done with your life.

And with mine!

What in heaven's name

are you trying to prove?

I'd hoped you'd come back

to the States with us.

Gray's going into business again,

and he'll need all the help he can get.

Larry, you've no idea

what you've done for him.

He spoke of it again,

only yesterday.

You can't see the change,

but I can.

When you're around, he's different.

Much like his old self.

Gray's all right.

He doesn't need me.

But suppose he does?

Suppose something goes wrong again,

and he has another breakdown.

You can't imagine

what he went through the last time.

It wasn't just a matter

of headaches and nerves.

He was sick, really sick.

Larry, I've never told this

to anyone before.

But for months and months,

we had to watch him every minute.

It wasn'tjust losing his money in

the business his father had built up,

it was more than that.

He blamed himself for all the things

that happened to those little people

who trusted him

with their savings.

I honestly believe

if it hadn't been

for the children,

he'd have killed himself.

There's nothing so

surprising about that, Isabel.

I don't suppose there's a man or woman

living today who hasn't felt that way

at least once in their lives.

The wonderful thing

about life is that

most of us

get a second chance.

I got a second chance.

Right at the moment when I thought there

was nothing worthwhile living for.

Do you know what it means to see

another man give up his life for you?

Do you? Have you ever thought what it is

to walk the streets at night,

knowing that you're walking

in another man's shoes?

That someone deliberately died

so that you might go on living?

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