The Seventh Veil Page #3

He can't do anything.

Peter would take care of me now.

And then I heared his key in the lock.

- Nicholas!

- Good evening, Franchesca.

It's rather late for you to be up?

Yes, I suppose it is, but I must talk to you.

- Won't you wait till the morning?

- No, it's important.

Very well.

- Nicholas!

- Won't you wait me inside?

I'm sorry.

En..

Well, now, what was it you

want to say to me?

I don't know how to start.

Why not start from the begining?

Like the usual way, isn't it?

Well, it's nothing usual about this..

so I start from the end...

Nicholas, I'm engaged.

oh...

Oh, good night.

Nicholas...

- Did you heard what I said?

- Perfectly!

But... don't you understand?

I found a man I love

...and I want to marry me

he asked me and I said yes. -Go to bed!

Franchesca, before you go to sleep

pack a bag, we're leaving for Paris

in the morning.

Paris?You mean you're taking me to Paris?

- Yes?

- But I can't go.

I won't go.

I want to stay here with Peter.

What can I do in Paris.

You'll carry on with your studies.

I won't!

I won't go I tell you!

You can't make me.

I don't care whether I ever play again.

If you take away me from Peter

I wouldn't play again, I mean it!

Why can't you be kind to me..

Why are you treating me as though I was a child?

- Because you are!

- I'm not!I'm a grow-up woman. I have my right to live my own life.

I know what I want.

You're just trying to take it away from me!

The only thing I really cared for!

- I won't go, I won't! I won't!

I said how old are you!

Seventeen.

Exactly, until you're 21 you're

in my care.

I'm your guardian. Your legal guardian.

Do you understand what that means?

No.

It means you can't marry without my

consent.

You can't even leave this house without

my permission.

If you do, I can have you brought back

by the police, if necessary.

It's my duty to seize you behave properly

and don't make fool of yourself.

Is that clear?

Yes.

Go to bed.

Go to bed.

From that moment, Nicholas never left me

out of his sight.

Until seven years before I saw Peter again.

Seven years of music.

Paris, Vienna, Rome

Seven years of Nicholas planning my life.

Turning into his dreams for concert

pianist.

We lauched and dined in crowded restaurants.

We're always alone.

Of course you can't play tennis.

It will ruin your hands.

Nicholas was always reminding me of taking

care of my hands.

Take care of your hands.

They're your only wealthy asset.

Nicholas was always at my #.

never left me alone for a day.

I don't suppose anyone never live such

a sheltered life with Nicholas?.

Always think of your hands.

They're your most precious possession.

Nicholas never let me forget to be a pianist

Never risk coming...

Always talk music and my hands.

Always look after your hands.

Remmember.

You must take care of your hands.

My precious hands.

Your hands, your hands...!

Take after your hands.

No!No!No!

Spread your skirt!

Let the knee drop right down!

Now try it again!

Smile!For heaven's sake, smile!

And remmember, bow to the conductor first..

and to the audience, all of us.

At last, Nicholas desicded that I was

ready for my first concert appearance.

It's in Venice.

Everyone was very kind.

and sinerely only came all the way from Rome

to hear my debut.

They're lovely, thank you.

Your're ready?

Yes, Nicholas!

Don't forget you wait for #

in the platform.

Take your time

Don't give signal until you're ready.

- You've got a handkerchief?

- Yes.

Turn around.

And around.

Let me see the front.

No hems in the embroidery.

- Don't let happen again!

- Yes, sir.

I happen to be a very old friend of Miss

Cunningham.

- Franchesca!

- Susan!

Darling

You're susan brook, isn't it?

Dear, how clever of you to remember me

after all these year.

Darling, I married.

Franchesca and I were in school together you know.

Darling, you haven't change a bit.

Now you're famous pianist.

I only saw your name on bills

this afternoon. I said to my husband

He's my second.

The first was #.

This one is arch treasures.

- so much nicer, don't you think?

- You are dreadful.

I said to my husband.

"I was in school with that girl!"

and he said "may not be the same one"

You know how silly men are I said to him

"Yes, it is!I may be a panist too"

Then I told him that screamly funny story

how you failed your music exam, remember?

It was when we were in school.

One day we go to catch frogs

and I falled in the water

We got found out. The whole thing was

my fault of course.

But the head miss was absolutely leave it.

and insist on caning her hands #

Darling, do you put that down?

Of course I couldn't be careless.

But the joke of the whole thing was

Franchesca was sitting for

a music exam that same afternoon.

She played nothing on earth.

Failed miserably.

Just thing Franchesca failing her

first music exam.

- Isn't do funny?

- what's the matter, Franchesca, is something wrong?

Nothing, Nicholas, thank you.

Oh, did I say something I should not?

Well, I mustn't interrupt you anymore.

I'll go front and listen.

Darling, you must call me one day.

I'll introduce you all my husband's relatives.

Terribly old people.

Quite frighteningly rich.

Goodbye, darling!Don't forget to ring me!

I shall never forget it, never.

That awful fear of my hands.

I could almost feel my finger swealing

as I played.

- I know it's nonsense but I really did feelit.

feel it. -Yes.

I'm sure you did.

You never saw Peter all these time?

No.

I managed to write letters from Paris

but the letters came back marked "Gone away".

Somehow I didn't mind.

I knew it sounds foolish.

But in some strange way, I knew that one day I must

we must get back to London again.

And when we did, I'd find Peter waiting.

I knew exactly how it happened and sure

enough.

I was in my dressing room

in the opera house, Copenhagen.

I was going to play the show.

And the door opened, Nicholas came in

He always came in without knocking.

That's how short of him

Cable from London,

They want you for the ab'tour, do you want to go?

Why ask me?You usually settle this things

without consulting me.

If I intended to save your trouble.

You know you do excatly you please.

- Can I, Nicholas?

- Of course!

You mean.. I can refuse this offer?

- Any offer?

- Of course. If you wish to.

No, I think I should like to go.

I'll wire them now.

That night when Nicholas came to collect me

after the concert.

He knocked my door.

Come in!

It is the first time I ever remmber him

doing so.

You're ready?

Almost.

If you like to down to the Viking?

If you like.

- We can go to the Retender, if you rather.

- No, the Viking will do.

Franchesca there is something I

like to say to you.

Yes, Nicholas?

You said tonight that I never consulted

you of anything.

It doesn't matter.

It does. If I have done so

because I want your life to be smoothest and easiest as possible.

to save your worry.

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