The Razor's Edge Page #2

a word she says, Mr. Maugham.

Isabel's not a bad girl,

but she's a terrible liar.

Dinner.

- Oh, yes.

- I've seen you before.

Oh? When?

I happened to have a job of work to do,

and I went into the library.

I saw you when I went in there

early this morning.

When I came back

from lunch, you were still there.

- To tell you the truth, I forgot about lunch.

- I couldn't help admiring

-your power of concentration.

-It was that kind of a book.

My dear fellow, you're at the end

of the table with my sister.

- Hello, Gray.

- Hi, there.

Say, Dad tells me you turned down

that job in the office.

Oh, Larry.

Why have you done that?

I thought it over, and I figured

I'd be a disappointment to Gray's father.

- So, I decided I'd better refuse.

- Sorry, old man.

It would have been swell,

us working together.

[Waltz Playing]

Hi, brown eyes. Looks as if tall, dark

and legal is standing you up.

I'd like to catch him trying it.

- You're old friends?

- We grew up together.

I used to play shortstop

on his baseball team.

We used to think we could lick

any 10 kids our size.

- Could you?

- We tried.

Oh, here comes

my young man now.

- Oh, here you are.

- Hello.

This is Mr. Maugham.

Bob MacDonald.

- How do you do, sir?

- How are you?

He's the one who seems to think

he wants to marry me.

I can't see why,

but there it is.

I just happen to be

crazy about the girl.

I wouldn't like him to know,

but just between you and me,

I rather like him myself.

Let's dance.

[ No Audible Dialogue]

- Hello, Isabel.

- Hello.

Larry, why didn't you tell me

that Mr. Maturin had offered you a job?

What?

-[ Gasps ]

- Larry, why didn't you tell me

that Mr. Maturin

had offered you a job?

Answer me.

Answer me.

I thought I'd better not till

I made up my mind one way or another.

- You mad?

- Darling, that's the horrible part about you.

However aggravating you are,

one can't really be angry with you.

Oh, can't they?

Did you see those looks

Uncle Elliott was giving me at dinner?

After all, Larry,

a man must work.

The longer you put it off,

the harder it'll be.

I've got a foolish notion I want to do

more with my life than just sell bonds.

All right, then.

- Go into a law office.

- I don't want to do that either.

What do you want

to do then?

I don't know.

Loaf maybe.

Oh, Larry, don't be funny.

This is serious.

I'm not being funny.

I think it's very serious.

I wouldn't make you miserable

for anything.

But you are

making me miserable.

You see, I love you.

And I love you, Isabel.

[Women Laughing ]

[ Chattering ]

[Music Continues]

Look, Larry, let's be sensible.

A man must work.

It's a matter of self-respect.

This is a young country, and it's a man's

duty to take part in its activities.

Why, Gray's father was saying

only the other day,

that we're beginning an era that will

make the past look like 30 cents.

He said that he could see

no limit to our progress

and that by 1930, we'll be the greatest

and richest country in the whole world.

- Don't you think that's terribly exciting?

- Terribly.

Why, there never was

such a chance for young men.

I... I'd have thought you'd be proud

to be a part of it.

It's such

a wonderful adventure.

I'm sure

you're right, Isabel.

The Armours and the Swifts

will pack more and better meat,

McCormicks will turn out

more and better harvesters,

Henry Ford will make

more and better cars,

-and everybody will get richer and richer.

- What's wrong with that?

Nothing.

Nothing at all. It... ltjust happens

that sitting in an office

and making a lot of money doesn't

interest me as much as it should.

Oh, Larry, don't talk like a fool.

You can't live without money.

But I have a little. That's what

gives me the chance to do what I want.

You're making it

very difficult for me.

Sorry, darling.

I wouldn't if I could help it.

You can help it.

Yes?

The dead look so terribly dead

when they're dead.

- What does that mean exactly?

- Just that.

Are you terribly unhappy, darling?

No. The only thing that makes me unhappy

is making you unhappy.

I don't think I'll ever find peace

until I make up my mind about things.

It's so difficult to put into words.

The minute you try, you feel embarrassed.

You say to yourself, "Who am I to bother

my head about this, that or the other?

"Wouldn't it be better

just to follow the beaten path

and let what's coming

to you come?"

And then I think

of a guy I knew.

A minute before,

he was full of life and fun,

and then,

he was dead.

I've seen many men die,

but this one was different.

It was the last day of the war,

almost the last moment.

He could have saved himself,

but he didn't.

He saved me and died.

So, he's gone,

and I'm here, alive.

Why? It's all

so meaningless!

You can't help but ask yourself

what life is all about

whether there's any sense to it or

whether it's just a stupid blunder!

I hardly know what to say.

It's... It's so unexpected.

Larry, do you think it would help

if you went away for a while?

- I think perhaps it would.

- Then why don't you go?

Because of you.

Larry, let's be frank

with each other.

There's no place in your life

for me just now.

Does that mean you don't want to be

engaged to me anymore?

No, foolish. it means that

I'm prepared to wait.

It might be a year

or even longer.

That doesn't matter.

It might be less.

Where have you

thought of going?

Where?

I thought I'd start

by going to Paris.

I went there

several times on leave.

I don't know why, but I've got it

into my head that there,

everything that's

muddled in my mind

will grow clear.

It's a funny place.

It gives you the feeling that you can

think out your thoughts to the very end.

I think over there I may be able

to see my way before me.

And if you don't?

I'll give it up as a bad job,

come back to Chicago,

and take the first work

I can get.

- Oh, my darling.

- Oh, Larry

I love you.

I love you so much.

[ Elliott]

I cannot for the life of me understand

how Isabel could possibly prefer that

young man to a fine chap like Gray.

I grant you he's good-looking

and his clothes fit.

But imagine,

an opportunity to go in

with Gray and his father

on the ground floor.

IsabeL

Home so early?

Yes.

- What's the matter?

- Nothing.

- Where's Larry?

- Gone. Hello, Mother.

- Did you have a talk with him?

- Yes.

- May I venture to inquire the result?

- He's going to Europe.

I promised to wait for him.

What in the world is

he going to do in Europe?

- Loaf.

- Loaf? Don't be ridiculous, Isabel.

- That's what he told me!

- Really, I have no patience with you.

If you had any spirit, you'd have broken

off your engagement then and there!

What can I do?

I love him.

Come along.

It's all right.

Well, things might be

a great deal worse.

Oh, thank heavens.

Merci, Joseph.

I was just saying, Louisa,

things might be a great deal worse.

- Oh.

- Don't get up. I don't see how.

My poor Louisa,

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