The Wings of the Dove Page #4

l'm frighteningly clever,

aren't l ?

Anyway, that's not the prow.

That's the stern.

No. That's the prow.

That's the stern.

- That's the prow, and that's the stern.

- No.

- l think they should

demolish the whole place.

- How can you say that ?

lt's true.

lt's a very good idea.

- You'd knock down the basilica ?

- l'd raze the whole of St. Mark's.

-You're just arguing for the sake of it.

-Not at all !

Think of all the wasted space.

Thousands of square feet for two cafes

and a handful of myopic tourists.

- And what would you build instead ?

- Houses for the poor.

Oh, that's completely unfair.

That is so unfair !

- Why ?

- Because you're using

an emotional argument.

- How could l possibly disagree ?

- Well, don't.

- Agree with me and admit you've lost.

- Never !

- You've lost.

- Never.

- You've completely lost.

You've totally lost.

- l have not lost !

He didn't say he'd visit.

He just said we'd meet.

There's no reason

why l can't go to him.

- You can't go out in this rain.

- Why not ?

What could the rain

do to me ?

Si ?

l was going to come and see you

when the rain stopped.

The rain hasn't stopped

for three days.

Come in.

Susie thinks

you've been avoiding us.

Why would l do that ?

That's exactly what l said.

What have you been doing

in your hideaway ?

Pacing the room.

Drawing on the windows.

Packing your bags ?

And unpacking them.

Why did you stay ?

Really.

l have nothing to go back to.

Your work.

Oh, l don't believe in any

of the things l write about.

l fake passion.

l fake conviction.

l believe in you.

Why ?

l just do.

l have a good feeling.

A good feeling ?

Yes.

l think everything's going

to happen for you, Merton,

sooner than you think.

How do you know ?

With certain people, l know.

Are you all right ?

l was trying to impress you.

l'm going to make a fool

of myself tonight.

l know it.

You're drunk, aren't you ?

Not as drunk as l'm

pretending to be.

- How are we going to get you home ?

- We're not.

- We're going to get you home first.

- Milly.

- l'm walking you home.

- No, you can't.

l can.

All right, then.

You walk me there,

and l'll walk you all the way back.

Fine.

l know

it must be difficult to write...

when you're with her

all the time,

but please try,

if only to reassure me.

ln my head l follow you

around the streets and canals.

Sometimes l see you touch her,

and l'm suddenly scared.

This square doesn't

look familiar.

l'm walking you home.

That's the agreement.

All right.

Are you sure you know the way ?

- Yes.

- Ah !

So that must mean that you're

taking me the long way around.

Why would l do

something like that ?

l dread to think.

Milly,

- is this really a good idea ?

- And now we go back.

- We have to go all the way inside.

Milly--

l told you l was going to

make a fool of myself tonight.

l don't want you to.

l'll only let you

take me home...

if you promise

to come see me tomorrow.

l promise.

And the next day.

- And the day after that.

And even if you don't

write back,

read this letter again

and again,

and every time

she looks at you,

and every time she smiles,

don't forget

l love you more.

Where is everyone ?

- Why isn't anyone working ?

- Don't be upset.

Of course l'm upset. How can they

restore it if no one's working ?

You can always come and see it

another time. lt won't go away.

Milly ?

- Milly ?

Milly ?

Milly ?

My dearest Kate,

everything l've done,

l've done for you,

only it gets harder every day.

She's alive, Kate,

more alive than anyone

l've ever known.

My dear Kate.

Such a pleasure.

What could be so urgent ?

- What is it ?

The lady's a little fatigued.

- Nothing's wrong ?

- Nothing's wrong.

Bye !

l want to talk to Miss Theale.

She wants to see no one.

- Tell her it's me.

- She said no one.

She's very tired.

Has anyone else been to see her ?

An Englishman ?

Miss Theale had a visit

this morning.

Lord Mark ?

Tell Miss Theale

l came to see her.

Tell her.

Grazie.

Basta. Cosi. Grazie.

ls she sick ?

Yes.

ls she dying ?

Did you know ?

Will she see me ?

l think so.

lf she asks you, just say no.

Tell her it isn't true.

What isn't true ?

What Lord Mark told her.

What did he tell her ?

That you've been with Kate,

all the time.

All what time ?

From the beginning.

l saw him in the piazza...

at Florian's,

through the window.

l hardly know him.

- Why did he tell her that ?

- He wanted to marry Milly.

He knew she didn't want him.

She told him. He knew that.

What did he want ? Did he want to

hurt her ? Did he want to kill her ?

- How did he know about Kate ?

- Kate must have told him.

That can't be true.

Who else knew ?

l was hoping you'd find

a way to see me.

All you had to do was ask.

l couldn't do that.

lt had to be a little difficult.

You look well.

Apparently not.

You've heard l'm ill ?

Yes.

l went out yesterday morning.

l feel better in the mornings.

lt's such a big city, but l thought

l might see you wandering around.

l thought the same.

Where did you go ?

San Marco, the Rialto.

All the places we went together.

Maybe we just kept missing each

other-- me turning the corner

just as you went the other way.

l thought of that

so l stayed in the same place...

and waited for hours.

And we still

didn't see each other.

When will you go

back to London ?

l'm not going anywhere.

What will you do here ?

The same things we did before.

Do l look like l can

climb a church scaffold ?

You can do anything you want.

Not any more.

l can't fool myself forever.

lt isn't true, Milly,

what he told you.

- lt isn't true.

- Look what Mark brought me from London.

- Milly, please listen.

- Look at the print on the box.

lt's Ophelia drowning,

or someone dying, anyway.

-He didn't notice until the last moment.

-Milly.

You should have seen him.

He was so embarrassed.

- He kept trying to turn the tin

on its side without me noticing.

- Milly.

He never does anything

quite right.

He came here to hurt me,

and he brought me a box of biscuits.

What he told you--

it isn't true.

l told him that myself,

and then l sent him away in the rain.

But you believed him.

Milly ?

- What can l do to persuade you ?

- Don't.

We're beyond that,

you and l.

l love you.

Both of you.

l'm so sorry.

l'm so sorry !

''My heart is sore pained within me...

''and the terrors of death

have fallen upon me.

''Fearfulness and trembling

have come upon me,

''and horror

hath overwhelmed me.

''And l said, 'Oh, that l had

wings like a dove...

'''for then

l would fly away...

and be at rest.'''

Merton ?

You couldn't hear me ?

l was next door.

When did you get back ?

Fortnight.

Fortnight on Friday.

Well, l couldn't rush

to you, could l ?

l was keeping

to our wonderful system.

- She was my friend too, Merton.

- Of course she was.

Our great friend.

- The three of us--

- Stop it.

Why did you tell Lord Mark ?

- Tell him what ?

- About us.

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