The Razor's Edge Page #3

you have no imagination.

When you're young, your emotions

are violent, but they're not durable.

It's a delusion that absence

makes the heart grow fonder.

With Larry out of the way

and Gray on the spot,

I don't see why Isabel shouldn't

marry him before the year's out.

You've been away

from America too long, Elliott.

You've forgotten that in this country a girl

doesn't marry a man because her mother,

or even her uncle,

wants her to.

That's nothing to be proud of.

As a result of 30 years' experience, I

may tell you that a marriage arranged

with a proper regard

for position and fortune

has every advantage over a love match.

In France, which after all,

is the only civilized country in the world,

Isabel would marry Gray

without thinking about it twice.

Then, after a few months,

if she was still in love with Larry...

That will do. I know what you're going

to say, and the idea doesn't appeal to me.

That's one of the things

I've never understood about you, Louisa.

Though you've lived half your life

in diplomatic society

in half the capitals of the world,

you've remained hopelessly American.

It isn't often that you pay me

a compliment, dear.

- It wasn't meant to be one.

- I know.

I think I'll go to bed.

Elliott, will you lock up?

Yes, dear.

- Good night, Mr. Maugham.

- Good night.

You're very full of worldly wisdom

this evening, Elliott.

Have you ever

known me not to be?

I don't mind telling you

I have a sneaking sympathy for the boy.

He's young, and he wants to sow

his wild oats

before he settles down

to married life.

Very natural and very proper.

I'll keep my eye on him in Paris.

Of course, he must cross

on the Aquitania.

[Elliott Continuing]

I know the captain.

He'll see that Larry sits at his table

and meets the right people.

I'll look for an apartment for him

in a really smart quarter.

- I'll do him proud.

-[ No Audible Dialogue]

I'll give some parties for him.

So many Americans,

when they go to Paris,

get in with the wrong people.

Then they find it no end of a job

to shake them off.

I'll have my chauffeur, Marcel,

drive him about in the Rolls.

I detest the countryside,

but, alas, all Americans

are born tourists,

and no doubt

he'll want to see the sights.

It would be perfect

if I could arrange

for some older woman

to take him under her wing.

- Princess Novemali, for instance.

-[ No Audible Dialogue]

He is young,

and he has a good figure.

I think she'd fail for him

like a ton of bricks.

[ Chuckles ]

In any event,

the busier I keep him,

the less time he'll have

to think about Isabel.

[ Chattering ]

[ Speaking French ]

Anything for Laurence Darrell?

- This wireless came day before yesterday.

- Thank you.

[ Man ] They went through here

about a year ago.

Excuse me. Pardon me. When does

the boat train from the Aquitania arrive?

-11 :
30, monsieur.

- Thank you.

-[ Woman ] Vous parlez anglais?

- Why, of course.

[ Chattering ]

[ Isabel ] Larry! Larry!

[Man Shouting In French ]

Oh, Larry!

Oh, Larry,

I've missed you.

I've missed you so much.

May I ask how

he knew you were coming?

Isabel cabled him

from the ship.

- Are they still engaged?

-[ Chuckles ] As far as I know.

- What about Gray Maturin?

- Still faithful.

I don't believe you played your cards

very well, Louisa.

Ineverhad

much card sense.

- Mother, here he is.

- Oh, how good of you to come.

- So nice to see you. Hello, Mr. Templeton.

- How do you do?

Uncle Elliott, may Larry come along

to dinner with us?

Larry's given me to understand

he doesn't dine out.

He will tonight, won't you?

I will.

That's very good of you.

I shall be delighted.

We'll meet you at the house.

Taxi! Taxi!

Come along, darling.

I've got a million things to tell you.

I'm afraid I haven't a very good account

to give you of that young man, Louisa.

- Oh?

- When he first came over to Paris,

for Isabel's sake,

I asked him to lunch

to meet the sort of people

he ought to know.

- He told me he didn't eat lunch.

- Perhaps he doesn't.

And then, when I asked him to dinner,

he said he couldn't come

because he had

no evening clothes.

If I live to be a hundred,

I shall never understand

how any young man could come to Paris

without evening clothes.

Maybe he just

didn't want to.

That's the most

incredible reason

for refusing an invitation

I've ever heard in my life.

- And where does he live?

- I haven't a notion.

Isabel writes to him in care of

the American Express.

Like a traveling salesman,

or a schoolteacher on vacation.

My own belief is that he's living

in the Latin Quarter with some bint,

who's no better

than she ought to be.

I'm afraid you'll have to write him off

as one of your failures, Elliott.

It might surprise you

to know it, my dear,

but I've already done so.

[ Speaking French ]

[ Continues ]

- Bonjour, madame.

-[ Speaking French ]

She speaks so quickly,

I can't understand her.

She's telling you

that it's an old French custom.

Everyone has to wear a sprig

of lilies of the valley on May Day.

- They're a symbol of happiness.

-[ Chuckles] Merci, madame.

- Merci.

- May Day. Imagine this being May.

That means I've been here

nearly a month now.

Oh, impossible.

It was only yesterday.

I still don't know a thing about

what you've been doing.

Tell me, Larry. You must know

I've been dying to know.

Nothing very exciting.

I've traveled around, read a lot,

gone to lectures

at the Sorbonne and so forth.

Have you found that peace of mind

you were looking for?

No, but for the first time I'm beginning

to see things in a clear light.

What does that mean?

It's rather difficult

to explain.

Even if I try,

you'll only be angry with me.

How much longer do you think

all this is going to take you?

I don't know. I don't know.

It's hard to say.

And after that, what are you

going to do with all this wisdom?

If I ever acquire wisdom, I suppose I'll be

wise enough to know what to do with it.

- You know what Uncle Elliott says?

- Nothing to my credit, I imagine.

He says you have

a cozy little hideout somewhere.

Come and see for yourself. The cozy

little hideout's only a step from here.

- Bonjour, Monsieur Darrell.

-[ Baby Crying ]

Oh, bonjour, Etienne.

- Monsieur Darrell.

-Madame Duval, Mademoiselle Bradley.

- Bonjour.

-Monsieur Jacques Duval.

You see the looks they gave me?

Ruined my character,

that's what you've done.

{Ia va?

- Mm-hmm.

This is where you live?

- You don't like it?

- No.

It's all right.

It's convenient.

How about a cup of coffee?

Larry, how can you bear

to sit here in a backwash,

when America's living through

the most glorious adventure

the world has ever known?

You've been away a year now,

a whole year out of your life.

You just can't go on

loafing forever, or can you?

- It's possible.

- And what about me?

Am I of no importance

to you at all?

You're of great importance

to me, Isabel.

- I love you, and I want you to marry me.

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