The Woman on the Beach Page #3

You're nice.

It's been good to know you.

Miss Geddes to see you, sir.

Have her come in.

Thank you, Jimmy.

- Okay.

Hello.

Hello.

When you didn't show up last night...

...I thought you might not mind helping me with some of these things that look important.

How are you?

I'm all right.

Now, first...

Oh, yes! Here it is.

Do I have to pay this invoice to get the 10-day discount or...

...or do I wait for the statement at the end of the month?

Well, you wouldn't expect a beach cowboy like me to know much about invoices, would you?

I'm sorry, that...

...that isn't much help, is it?

You needn't be sorry.

I deserve it for lying to you.

I didn't really want help with these.

When you didn't come by last night...

I got to thinking and decided I'd been wrong.

If you want to get married...

...I've got on a dress.

By...what line of reasoning did you arrive at that decision?

Well, Mary Wernecke said...

I just did, that's all.

Mary Wernecke! I thought so.

You know, you people are all trying to take care of me.

But nobody tries to understand what...

Well, you think I'm sick. That's it, isn't it?

Why yes, I guess it is.

Are you really sick?

- I'm all right. It...it's just that...

Well I thought if we got married...

It doesn't matter what I thought. It was a silly idea anyway.

- Maybe it wasn't.

- Oh yes it was. You don't know.

As a matter of fact it's...

...silly for me to even think of getting married.

Well...in that case, I certainly don't know what I'm doing here.

What are you doing here?

Nothing.

It's quite a hideout.

That's what I thought. It was a secret of mine.

I come here to be alone.

To get away from that house. Now it isn't a secret anymore.

Are you sorry?

No...

No, I'm not sorry.

You said we're something alike.

I think you deserve to share this old wreck. How do you like it?

Well, it's not very shipshape.

It's cosy.

I should think there might be a few rats around here...

- I never thought of that!

Scott...I've been thinking...

You mustn't see me anymore.

I'm no good for you...

I can't go on inflicting my unhappiness on you.

Thanks heavens he missed it.

- He saw it, all right.

- Why should he pretend to be blind?

To hold you. You said yourself you'd have to pay for what you think you did.

For a painter like Tod to make believe he's blind...

...To give up his work for any reason is inconceivable.

Well I can believe anything about him. Look at the way he treats me!

Insists I come to the house, be his friend, and then he makes fun of me. And you.

Just as if he were watching us.

That's his way. The way of an insanely possessive man.

A man without eyes to keep a check on me...And on you.

- He knows we're here.

- Then why did he go on?

Peggy...

If I could prove to you that Tod really wasn't blind, would you leave him?

Of course!

You would?

Yes, of course I would.

Hello, Scott!

Come on in.

My wife's coming to town to do some errands.

Did you type all those pages?

No, I have to rely on Peggy for that.

As a matter of fact, I have to rely on Peggy for almost everything.

What are you writing?

Oh, nothing.

Nothing.

Just to pass time.

I have to ride up by the cliffs. Would you like to go with me?

Why, I'd love it!

It would be wonderful.

It's like making a trip to another country.

Nothing like a change of scenery, huh?

- That's right.

You know Scott, more and more I realize that a man's eyes...

...are just the tools of his brain.

And if he loses them, it's a question of finding something to take their place.

Now you know all our secrets.

But I guess they're safe with you.

- Here...I'll walk along with you.

- No, no...You ride.

I'll catch hold of the saddle. What color is your horse, Scott?

Black.

- Black, eh?

A good horse? Fast?

Yes.

- Good.

You go ahead. I'll keep up with you.

- Aren't you tired?

- Not the least bit.

Are we far from the edge?

Not very.

- About how far?

- Oh...about 50 yards.

Don't you think it's about time you put that imagination of yours to work?

Sure!

I can very well see the color of the water.

The sun's a little pale today...

...and the water's gray

instead of its usual blue.

Off here, the dunes are bathed in a rosy glow.

Perfect setting for an oriental fairy tale.

You want to stop here or should we go on?

Let's go on...

Not too close to the edge.

We're on the edge of the cliff, aren't we, Scott?

You know very well where we are, don't you?

I know I'm still on the cliff...

Just exactly where I don't know, of course.

Well, this is where I leave you.

Where are you going?

I'm going to the village. You don't need me.

You can find your way.

Sure, I'll be all right.

Thank you, Scott.

It's a wonderful walk here.

Tod!

You guys get some water to throw on him.

You know, it must be pretty rugged

when a painter goes blind.

I remember when he went blind.

Our schoolteacher said you couldn't hold a great talent down and...

...he'll find something else to do.

I wonder if he's dead?

That'll keep him asleep for several hours.

When he wakes up, he'll probably be in some pain...

...but the nurse will give him another shot.

Now, don't worry about a thing.

He's pretty badly bruised, but that's all.

I'd like to write out a prescription.

- Over there, Doctor.

I was so sure that he wasn't blind...

I wanted to make him admit it.

So you could be free.

Mrs. Butler!

Miss Jennings will stay here tonight. Will you go to town and get the medicine?

- Of course, Doctor.

- That's fine.

Your husband has great courage, Mrs. Butler.

Boric acid. Solution or powder?

Solution, 4 percent.

I...I remember last time you called me...

Right after that fight you had with young Bill Geddes.

When will you be back, Doctor?

When I finally got to see Bill Geddes...

...I realized I should have gone to him first!

Bill is certainly no weakling, but your husband...

When will you be back, Doctor?

Oh...I'll look in again tomorrow morning.

Bill left home right after that.

He seemed terribly anxious to get into the army.

I wonder why, Mrs. Butler?

- I'm sure I don't know.

I believe I'll take a last look at those bandages before I go.

Now it's nothing at all, I tell you. Nothing at all!

Tod's had this sort of thing before and he will again.

Scott!

Hi, Lieutenant.

YOu won't find Miss Eve. She ain't home.

She's gone to the city. Mrs. Wernecke is inside, though.

Thanks.

- Mother, it's the Lieutenant!

- Mother, it's the Lieutenant!

Eve's not here.

If you don't stop that, I'm going to take you all home and put you to bed right now!

You'll see...

Mrs. Wernecke...

You and the Chief are old friends of Eve's...

You must have known her brother Bill.

Why of course, Lieutenant. Otto's known them ever since they were children.

He used to work for their father.

Well, perhaps you could tell me something, I...

I heard some people talking.

Was there ever anything between Bill and...Peggy Butler?

All right, what are you so nosy about? You remind me of your father!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes