The Talk of the Town Page #6

- Well, I don't know what to say.

- I realize...

But all I'm asking now

is that you will consider it.

- Yes, I will, thank you.

- That's wonderful.

- Here we are.

- All ready?

- Come on, Miss Shelley.

- That's good.

My dear professor.

- Did you make these, Joseph?

- Not bad, eh?

- Why the soup plates? There's no soup.

- No soup, eh? No soup.

Joseph, while strolling in town...

No, that's a bad beginning.

My dear Joseph, to cement the bond

that binds our happy family together...

...what could

be more fitting than...

Borscht! It's that rubber band.

Pulaski's, I'd know it anywhere.

- Wait a minute. I won't get a taste.

- Fancy you thinking of that.

With an egg in it.

- You scared me, professor.

- Is that the kind your mother made?

- What?

- Is that the kind your mother made?

- Yeah, almost. Here we go.

- Use the cup.

I'm an old hand at this, don't worry.

Nectar, Miss Shelley. Nectar.

Don't spill it.

Give me lots, I love it.

What are you going to do?

- Call the police.

- No, no you won't do that.

Professor...

...I'm sorry I spoiled your party.

There's no use discussing my case.

I'm afraid not, Joseph... Leopold.

I have a duty to perform

and I must do it.

When he hid in that attic,

he didn't know who you were.

Nora.

Here we have the two

schools of thought, professor.

This time in action.

That telephone to you means

law and order. And to me...

...I've got to stop you using that

telephone. By violence, if necessary.

Yes, I see. That's bad.

I have a very warm feeling for you,

but I must use this telephone.

If you do, professor,

and I am as fond of you as a brother...

...I'll be compelled to knock you down.

No!

Please, professor, let's be sensible.

I should regret that too. I've never

been fonder of a man in my life, but...

Operator?

Give me the police station.

- Hello, is that the police?

- No, please!

- Oh, Leopold.

- Nora, I'm sorry, but...

Cover the house.

He's up there. Come on.

Take that room, sergeant.

Take the other room, Ed.

Does Mr. Lightcap live here?

Mr. Lightcap?

Mr. Lightcap!

Speak to me, sir.

Pardon me, sir, are you the doctor?

Yeah. See that he gets rest and quiet.

- Why, Tilney.

- Are you all right?

You. You knew it was Dilg.

All those lies, attentions,

just for Dilg.

You and Sam Yates.

- You planned it all, didn't you?

- Mr. Lightcap, take it easy, sir.

You're a silly, dangerous girl.

You had me feed and lodge

a notorious fugitive from justice.

You endangered a lifetime's

career for a stupid gesture.

- Michael, let me tell you...

- Our association is at an end, Nora.

That's a tip-off.

You had to get good and sore

before calling me by my first name.

- Miss Shelley.

- "Nora" when you're angry, remember?

- That will be all, Miss Shelley.

- That will not be all.

Dilg is innocent, regardless of

all the reasonable evidence...

...dredged up by lawyers.

I'd rather be hated

by 40 frozen legal giants like you...

...than turn him over to those

bloodthirsty idiots of Lochester.

You were right to grow a beard.

You were an old man all your life.

Don't ever shave it off, Mr. Twilight,

somebody might think you were alive.

Come on, Sam, let's get out of here.

When did you hide Dilg in that house?

- I didn't hide anybody.

- Oh, you didn't?

- When did you first know he was there?

- Last night, just before you did.

Showed up in the kitchen, hungry.

Care much for borscht, Miss Shelley?

Do you care much for borscht?

That's funny. I bought some

yesterday at Pulaski's.

With an egg, perchance?

Why, yes!

The professor said, "With an egg."

- The professor was with you?

- Pulaski didn't leave that out, did he?

- The professor wanted it with an egg?

- With an egg.

Dilg has been buying it there

for years with an egg!

Are you trying to tell me the professor

bought that borscht for Dilg?

I'm telling you he didn't know who

he was buying it for. But you did.

That's quite a statement.

What kind of statement

would you care to make?

I'd say that two men liking borscht

with an egg in it, is amazing.

I've never heard

of such a thing before.

If any scandal attaches to Lightcap's

name out of this incident...

Just a few questions

we must have answers to.

Senator, these questions have nothing

to do with Professor Lightcap.

But they bear strongly

on a lady named Nora Shelley.

Yes, well, go on, Mr. Scott.

Get it over with.

How did the assault take place?

I was going to the telephone to call

the police, and he hit me from behind.

How did you recognize Dilg?

From a newspaper picture.

- At that very moment I was unwrapping...

- Borscht?

Yes, yes, I never can pronounce it.

You had never seen

Dilg before last night?

He said so, didn't he? I won't tolerate

that tone toward Dean Lightcap.

You'll end by dragging him into this.

Tilney, pack Mr. Lightcap's things.

Tilney, leave things as they are.

I came to write a book and I will do it.

They have every right

to ask me questions.

Dilg was found on the premises.

Now, Mr. Scott, go on.

How did you happen to go to

Mrs. Pulaski's for the borscht?

Miss Shelley and I were strolling by.

I suggested buying some.

Do you mean to say that you went in

to get borscht for yourself?

Yes, I love it.

I have loved it for years...

...especially with an egg in it.

He loves it.

Okay.

That's all.

- Hello!

- What did you have to say?

I know you're anxious to go,

so I'll be brief.

I was held for questioning, I was

questioned, and they just said...

..."Miss Shelley, you are free to go."

I don't know why.

Your daughter goes off one night

to the country house...

...and then you find her

in the police station.

- They haven't found him yet, Sam?

- Not up to 15 minutes ago.

It's a miracle that lunatic

didn't kill you.

It's a morning of miracles.

They wouldn't have let me go if Lightcap

hadn't lied. I can't believe he did.

You go on, Mother, I'll go with Sam.

No. You need sleep and so do I.

I can't have you gallivanting around.

Phone me if anything happens.

Tilney, what are you doing?

We never have flowers, sir.

- The odour is distracting.

- I know, but just for a change...

After all, it's spring in the country.

Just leave them where they are.

Yes, sir, Mr. Lightcap.

- Tilney.

- Yes, sir?

Why does a man lie?

Well, sir, he just

comes by it naturally.

The best of men, in self-protection,

or to carry out a desire of their heart...

But to lie against your principles

that took your whole life to build...

- Maybe we'd better go back to Boston.

- No.

I came down here to write...

...but I can't write.

I don't understand it.

Tilney, where's my hat?

Hello, Sam.

Hi, Mike. What can I do for you?

You can stop being critical of me,

both you and Miss Shelley. It's unfair.

Well, we'll try to stop.

Dilg's escape is lawlessness and riot.

I can't get into this. I can't even

afford to have an opinion about it.

And yet there are things

whirling around in my brain.

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