Three Coins in the Fountain Page #7

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You've certainly had time to get used to me.

There would be no surprises.

You know me too well.

I have enormous respect for you.

You add greatly to my comfort.

In fact, you're about the only woman I know

to whom I would make such a rash offer.

A marriage... based on friendship?

The Chinese marry as total strangers.

At least we met.

[Chuckles] And suppose you should

wake up one bright morning and discover...

that I was desperately

in love with you.

Wouldn't you find that

rather disturbing?

The possibility of arousing unsuspected passion

at my age would be not only disturbing...

but rather miraculous.

Would you care to think this over

for a day or two?

Are you sure you wouldn't?

The offer is quite genuine...

if a bit casual.

Then my acceptance

is quite casual...

but a bit genuine.

Thank you.

I'm sure we'll be quite compatible.

- Grazie, Anna.

- Prego, signorina.

- Hi!

- Hi.

I'm just writing my folks that I'm

bringing you home to stay a while with us.

But I'm not going home after all.

- But you said this morning...

- That was a hundred years ago.

I've decided to stay and get married.

- No!

- Isn't it ironic?

You're both so young

and so lovely...

but of the three of us

I'm to be the bride.

- Shadwell?

- Who else?

No!

[Laughing]

- Oh, that's wonderful. How did it happen?

- I don't know.

I really don't know.

After being in love with him for 15 years,

this silly man has asked me to marry him.

Have you ever heard

of anything so absurd?

[Intercom Buzzes]

- Good morning!

- Good morning, Louisa.

I brought these flowers.

Will you put them in a vase, please?

- Is Mr. Shadwell up yet?

- He's up and gone out. His door was open.

Have breakfast ready for him.

He's probably just gone for a walk.

Yes, signorina...

Oh, the signorina has a new dress!

It is very pretty.

Maybe a... a little too young.

Oh, it is spring, signorina!

[Laughing]

You should have come to me

the first time this happened, my friend.

That would hardly

have been possible.

I've had headaches all my life.

What do I do now?

I would advise you to go to America.

Dr. Weisner is there now.

- He has managed, in these cases, to delay...

- No, thank you.

- I have no desire to prolong uncertainty.

- Think about it a while.

I prefer to think how best

to spend this year allotted me.

One is not infallible

in matters of time.

I don't think I shall work today,

Dr. Martinelli.

There's never any preparation

for a death sentence, is there?

There is a lifetime.

That sounds like something

I might have written.

- Good-bye, Doctor. Thank you.

- Good-bye.

Come.

Mr. Hoyt, there's a gentleman here

to see you about something.

Come in, sir.

- Thank you. Mr. Hoyt?

- That's me, sir.

- I'm John Frederick Shadwell.

- Won't you sit down?

That's interesting.

Same name as the writer.

- I am the writer.

- You are?

Well, I'm one of your fans.

- That's good to hear.

- Looking for material for a new novel?

Just information. I want to know what

must be done to ship a body to America.

Well, you've come to the right man.

That's my specialty.

I handle former citizens.

[Laughing]

- You seem to enjoy your work.

- Oh, I don't mind it.

Other vice-consuls have clients

who talk back. Mine don't.

An obvious advantage.

Now then, I should like to know the exact

procedure in having a body shipped home.

Well, first I must have a letter

making the request.

- Who writes the letter?

- That's a good question.

The regulations say a close relative.

Then I must have a certificate

from the doctor...

a notarized report

for the American port of entry...

then permission from the city of Rome

and an export license.

Sounds quite complicated.

Dead or alive,

there's still a lot of red tape to it.

Thank you, Mr. Hoyt.

I shan't detain you any longer.

I assume this is all

for a new story of yours.

- There actually is no body.

- Oh, there's a body, all right.

- Is there? Whose?

- Mine.

Good day, sir.

[Door Opens, Closes]

You were up early this morning.

- You want your breakfast?

- Not at the moment.

- I finished these pages.

- Thank you.

Is anything the matter?

- I've had a very bad night.

- Let me get you some coffee.

I was quite concerned over this impulsive

discussion we had about marriage yesterday.

This morning I realized you could not

possibly have taken me seriously.

Why not?

Because you have too much self-respect

to consider seriously...

the offer of a man who is interested

only in keeping his secretary.

You handled it extremely well,

and my admiration for your tact is boundless.

- Should I have reacted otherwise?

- No.

Of course you should go home,

since it is so important to you.

In fact, the sooner you can make arrangements,

the more convenient it'll be for me.

I want to go to Capri for the summer,

and I'd like to get away as soon as possible.

Aren't you going

to finish the novel?

No, I seem to have lost interest

in it at the moment.

So, if you can book passage...

I promise not to place any more

embarrassing obstacles in your path.

And you do forgive me

for my selfish panic?

Of course.

[Door Closes]

[Speaking Italian]

Yes, signore?

I should like a bottle of scotch,

some ice and a siphon of soda.

Sorry, sir. No bottles.

Why not?

Drinks, yes, but no bottles.

Very well, my friend.

Bring me six double scotches,

and line them up before me.

Very good, sir.

Are you, by any chance,

following me, Miss Frances?

- Yes.

- May I ask why?

Dr. Martinelli called after you left.

I see.

Is what you learned from him the reason

you changed your mind about us?

I suppose it's quite natural

for you to assume that.

But the truth is,

it had nothing to do with it.

It was one of those

unfortunate coincidences.

Oh.

He told me he suggested you return

to America. You will go.

My dear Miss Frances,

my life, my career...

has been founded on facing facts

as I discover them...

never by wishful thinking.

I've no intention of seeking

a dubious year of grace.

But in an extra year's time perhaps the

doctors will have discovered an answer.

Cures must be discovered sometime.

I shall accept my fate with as much

good grace as I can muster.

- What do you intend to do with those?

- I intend to get drunk.

- Why?

- I've been cautious too long.

I'm sorry that you've

learned about this.

But since you have,

you can be of great service to me.

I intend to spend the time I have left here

in Rome, where I've lived most of my life.

But, oddly enough,

I want to be buried in America.

There are numerous details involved that I

should like to leave in your capable hands.

Please don't.

I can't listen

when you talk like this.

Then I shall turn the matter

over to someone less emotional.

[Sobbing]

Your greatest asset has always

been your detachment...

your freedom

from sentimentality.

It'd be a pity if you shattered

that record at the end.

And now,

if... if you don't mind, l...

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