The World of Henry Orient Page #4

- I shouldn't.

- Waiter.

- No, not yet.

- Check.

Darling, listen. Who on earth

is gonna take the least possible interest

in two very respectable people

going about their own business

on a dull Sunday afternoon in New York?

Put this down. "Honourable Henry

eat much chow-chow. "

Yes, O mysterious Cherry Blossom.

Also...

"Very generous.

Lets lovely waiter keep yen-yen. "

- Yen-yen?

- Change.

Tip-tip.

They're getting up.

What's the matter, darling?

Don't you think I'd better wait in here

while you get us a taxi?

All right. Don't go away.

Hey, taxi!

Hold it right there, will you, chum?

Won't be a second.

- He tell humble rickshaw to wait.

- Yes, yes!

- Hey, where'd the young lady go?

- She just ran out the back door.

- She just... ran out the back door?

- Yeah.

Stanford, Connecticut.

164, East 64th Street.

This is fabulous, Val.

Absolutely fantabulous!

Here's the first letter he ever wrote me.

"O, heavenly Valerie,

"O, moon of my delight... " He'd call you

the same thing you call him?

Why not? He's supposed

to love me the same way.

"How do I love thee?

Let me count the ways.

"I love you to the depth and breadth

and height my soul can reach. "

Say, that is neat!

You could really be a writer.

I got the general idea from Elizabeth

Barrett Browning. But isn't it wonderful?

- Are you gonna answer it?

- Tonight. Is that the magazine?

And I have all my notes

from the restaurant.

And the cigarette the waiter gave us.

- No filter.

- He's not scared.

- Does it tell where he lives?

- On East 64th.

"A typical day begins at noon, awakened

by his valet with lotus-blossom tea. "

Look.

Five, four, three, two, one...

And now he's just opening his eyes.

Isn't that fantastic?

And now he's just beginning to sit up.

Good morning, Jeeves.

Good morning, sir.

I do hope you've slept well.

Very well indeed. Thank you, Jeeves.

That lotus-blossom tea smells ravenous.

Thank you, sir. I make it from the highest

grade lotus blossoms - fresh, daily.

It's exceptionally scrumptious.

You're crazy. He's not English.

Then what?

"His breakfast is always a seasonal fruit,

melba toast, a coddled egg. "

- What's that?

- We'll ask Emma later.

"And black coffee. At one o'clock

he begins his daily constitutional,

a brisk walk up Fifth Avenue. "

- We'll take the Fifth Avenue bus.

- We can follow him the whole day.

Don't forget the magazine,

so if we lose him we can read it.

Wait a second.

- These are cool. Where'd you get them?

- Oriental bazaar. Aren't they neat?

Hello?

Hello?

- He's still there.

- Did you talk to him?

- When he said hello I hung up.

- He's got a very masculine voice.

Like Gregory Peck's. If he doesn't

come down soon, we'll buzz him again.

- I'll call him next time.

- OK.

- Hello?

- Hello, Henry. It's me.

Why, darling. Where are you?

What are you kids

hanging around here for?

We're waiting for our mother.

The note said

they were gonna let her out here.

- Let her out of what?

- Out of the car.

They're bringing her back this afternoon,

the note said. To 64th and Lexington.

What are you talking about?

The men that took her off are bringing

her back and we're waiting for her.

- Are you trying to kid me or something?

- No. That's exactly what the note said.

- Show him the note, sister.

- I left it with Mademoiselle.

You mean that your mother

was, like, kidnapped?

No, they didn't grab her.

They just sent a message backstage

that a friend wanted to meet her

after the show in the Bronx.

When she got there, they tied her up.

You can always get a ransom for a star.

What's your mother's name?

- Jayne Mansfield.

- That's your mother? Jayne Mansfield?

- They're gonna let her out here?

- That's what the note said.

How about Mr Mansfield, your father?

Where's he at?

Dead.

- I'm sorry.

- It's all right.

We're used to it now.

How about getting a few cops here

and grabbing these monkeys?

- We couldn't do that.

- One condition was not to tell the police.

Yeah, but I didn't make

no promise like that.

No, no, you mustn't, really!

They might find out

and do something terrible to her.

The cops, they know

how to handle a deal like this.

Believe me, you mustn't. Promise.

What's going on? Will you get up?

What's the matter with you?

- Promise you won't do anything.

- OK.

But that's a fine thing for people to see,

like you're praying to a fella.

- Thank you, sir.

- I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do.

I'm gonna keep my eyes open,

just in case.

The minute that you spot the car,

you scratch your head.

Which one?

Either one. Just scratch your head

like it itches, that's all. OK?

You're gonna get us in jail yet.

Get me the police department.

- What time does his train leave?

- It's just left.

Then what are you waiting for, my

darling? Just take a taxi and... step on it.

My darling.

Honourable Henry, if you only knew

what Golden Bells goes through for you.

- Who's Golden Bells?

- Me. I'm tired of Cherry Blossom.

Avanti.

Shut the door.

You know what this is?

No.

- You.

- I?

Take off your hat and sit over there

against the last rays of the sunset.

That was out of my memories of you.

And now you...

The curl of your hair.

The soft curve of your cheek.

The burnt umber in your sultry eyes.

The bare bronze of your shoulders.

The sweet warmth of your throat.

Those satin arms.

Twin poems.

Go on. Read some more.

Let's see. "On returning

from his daily constitutional,

Henry Orient plunges into his work

with the dedication of a truly great artist. "

"Friends say it is not unusual for him

to spend hours perfecting his technique. "

Gee.

Please... I'm frightened.

Play for me again, will you?

I've a copy of my poem here.

You've no idea how long

I have dreamed of this moment,

since I heard your voice on the telephone.

Please, Henry, I'm frightened.

Darling, there's no need to be frightened.

Nothing to be frightened about.

Stop!

You know what? I thought

you were gonna jump out of the...

- What's the matter?

- You see those kids?

Aren't they cute?

Those kids are everywhere we go.

That day in the park. At my concert.

In front of the spaghetti joint last Sunday.

Paul! Close the curtains, quick!

- Did he see you?

- Who?

- Your husband.

- Is he out there too?

- Didn't you see him?

- No.

No.

- What am I going to do?

- Listen. Listen.

Did you or did you not

see your husband out there?

No, I didn't see him. Didn't you?

Then what the hell is the idea

of yelling his name at me like that?

I meant those children.

Didn't you say they were following you?

- I never said...

- I mean in the park and last Sunday.

And out there now watching.

You must be out of your mind.

That's what you said, isn't it?

Always when we're together.

You said your husband

didn't suspect anything.

I didn't think he did. But how can you tell

what your husband is thinking?

He's peeking, see?

I'm sure of it now. It's exactly

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