Three Coins in the Fountain Page #6

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- Isn't she lovely, Mother?

- You failed to do her justice.

Dino, bring my blue shawl.

It is chilly.

Uh, but, Mother,

you have your blue shawl.

Take it away. It is warm.

Go away, Dino. I want to talk

to Maria alone for a moment.

- Will you have a cigarette?

- No, thank you.

[Clears Throat]

It's a lovely day, isn't it?

I want to tell you,

I was predisposed to like you.

You were? Why?

You have made my son happy.

For that, I am grateful.

Oh, I shall not live forever.

It was a matter of concern to me that he

should depend on me for understanding.

- Well, I really haven't...

- My son tells me you are half Italian.

Oh, yes, uh, actually three-quarters.

Your father?

Yes, but, um, l-I really didn't know him.

He died when I was a baby.

A pity. My son also lost his father

when he was a child.

You both have an early tragedy

in your lives.

It is good that two people

should start with understanding.

Yes, l-I guess so.

Dino, you are much too quick.

Now, Mother, I shall tell you

something that will amaze you.

Do you know

that she plays the piccolo?

I am amazed.

Well, I don't, really.

I'm just beginning.

Oh, you are modest.

Dino, bring us some wine.

We shall drink a toast.

Do you know what wine she likes?

Lacrima Christi!

- No!

- Yes.

- Yes?

- Yes.

- No.

- Yes!

I'm very glad

that you like my mother.

How could I help but like her?

She's the only woman I've ever trusted

completely... until I met you.

Oh.

- [Emergency Brake Sets]

- [Engine Off]

There is something I would

like to say to you, Maria.

Yes?

But first I should like

to explain to you that...

what experiences I have had

in my life before...

have left me... suspicious.

But you're not

the least bit suspicious.

- That's one of the things I like about you.

- I hide it well.

But always beneath...

there was cynicism.

I say "was," because since knowing you

it is gone.

Oh, Maria,

it is good to be free of doubt...

to find someone

that you can trust completely.

- Dino, l-I think...

- No, wait.

First I want

to tell you something.

Here, where the heart asks

only to be trusted...

I must tell you, Maria, that l...

Dino, please don't say anything more.

Could it be possible that

I misunderstood how you feel?

- Oh, no.

- Then why should I not speak?

Because there's something

I have to tell you first.

This may hurt you,

but I must say it.

Oh, Dino.

I've lied to you

from the first moment we met.

I've done nothing to restore

your faith or your trust.

I went after you

with a well-organized system.

- You are making a joke.

- No, I'm not.

Look. Look, l... l...

I made a record...

of everything about you...

what pleased you

or what displeased you.

And then I pretended to like

everything that you liked...

music and food, everything.

And you... you were as trusting as a lamb.

You didn't have a chance.

- I cannot believe this.

- Well, it's true.

Look, I don't know opera

from boogie...

or Lacrima Christi

from Corpus Christi.

And I loathe the piccolo.

Dino, if...

- I'm sorry.

- [Engine Starts]

- Anita! When did you get back?

- Last night.

- Does Maria know?

- Yes.

Oh, I'm glad to see you. We've looked

for you in every hotel in Rome.

Maria told me. I've been

in the country with Georgio's family.

We're trying to get Burgoyne

to take Georgio back.

He'll apologize to you for all those

nasty suspicions before you leave.

He owes me no apology.

Anyway,

I'm going home as planned.

What about Georgio?

What about him?

Had you thought of staying

and marrying him?

He doesn't think we should.

But you're obviously

in love with him.

Well, he's dreadfully poor.

Even with his job,

he can barely support himself.

He'd have to give up his studies

or take me to live with his people.

He says either way it wouldn't work.

- Well, how do you feel about it?

- [Sobs]

Oh, my darling!

I'm so sorry.

Is there anything I can do?

Just leave me alone, please.

- Well, what are you doing?

- Packing.

I can see that. But why?

I'm going home.

I'm going back with Anita.

He hasn't even tried to see me.

Oh, dear.

Never knew I could feel this way.

It's pretty awful.

I know it is.

It's awful, for both of you.

I hope you won't mind

being alone in the apartment...

but I couldn't stay on, you know.

Of course not.

I'm glad I'm not young

and vulnerable anymore.

- [Knocking]

- Yes?

I have brought the signorina

a present.

Why, Louisa, how nice of you.

Thank you.

- [Kitten Mewls]

- Why, Louisa!

Whatever made you do this?

Oh, he's a dear little thing.

We have worried about

your being alone, signorina.

Is he old enough to be

taken away from his mother?

Oh, yes.

My sister say the age is right.

She's... How do you say?

Oh. A maiden lady.

She has many cats.

She would not be without one.

She talks to them

from morning till night...

just as if they were people.

Does she, indeed?

I will bring you a box

to take it home in.

Thank you, Louisa.

[Kitten Continues Mewling]

[Loud Meow]

Oh, no, my friend.

It hasn't come to that yet.

You're dear and small.

But I'm not going to turn to you

out of loneliness.

- Good morning, Miss Frances.

- Good morning.

- Where did that come from?

- Louisa gave it to me.

- Why?

- Why shouldn't she?

All the old maids in Rome have cats.

I've seen them in the evening in the courtyard,

feeding them leftover spaghetti.

That sounds rather waspish.

Will you be able to type up

last night's pages for me this morning?

Yes.

- Is anything the matter?

- No.

You seem a bit curt this morning.

I've come to a reluctant decision.

- I'll talk to you about it later.

- Moral cowardice?

Very well.

I've decided I want to

go back to America.

[Chuckling]

Why?

Well, why shouldn't I?

- Have I done anything to offend you?

- No.

Then you have no possible reason

for wanting to go back to America.

I've been away for 15 years.

I want to go home.

- Would you like a holiday?

- No.

I'd like to finish this work for you.

Then I'd like to go

have my passport checked.

This is nonsense.

What would you go back to?

You've no relations.

You'd live alone in a hotel room,

go to concerts on Sunday...

and work for some dull-witted

business executive.

- What is attractive about that prospect?

- Nothing.

- Nevertheless, I am going home.

- Oh.

What about me?

How am I going to get along without you?

I've come to depend upon you.

I dislike change.

I dislike new faces.

Friends of mine are going back,

and I want to go with them.

Maybe a hotel room alone in New York

will be hard to take.

But the prospect of becoming

a lonely old maid...

with a life behind her,

a stranger in a foreign country...

isn't much to look forward to either.

And who knows?

Perhaps some nice old man

will want to marry me after all.

Have you ever considered

the possibility of marrying me?

Every woman considers that prospect

with every man she meets.

I'm quite serious.

I would guarantee you

the companionship you want.

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