Three Strangers Page #2

You've both been

very kind.

It was a pleasure,

Missus-er...

Shackleford. Crystal Shackleford.

I go by the name of west.

Johnny West.

Arbutny is mine.

Jerome K. Arbutny.

We'll be back to share

in the sweepstakes.

I'll expect you.

Good night.

Good night.

Good night.

Oh, mister,

didn't you

forget something?

What?

My 3 shillings.

Oh, that.

If I may speak frankly, this has been

A most unsatisfactory evening.

Say, that couldn't

be-

Of course it is.

The photograph.

I never forget a face. It's Shackleford.

She certainly works fast,

that Kwan Yin.

As far as

I'm concerned,

I never want to see

this place again.

Unless of course

the ticket wins.

Hello, Crystal.

David!

I knew it.

I knew

you'd come back.

You expected me?

Oh, not tonight,

of course,

But sometime,

sometime soon.

Well, I, uh, my boat

just docked tonight.

I thought you might

still be up.

And you came to

see me right away.

Oh, David,

I'm so happy,

I'm so terribly

happy.

As a matter of fact, I-

I have something

rather important

I wanted to talk over

with you.

Yes? Well,

that can wait.

Until the morning,

at any rate.

Morning? But, Crystal,

In view of everything

that's happened between us-

Everything that happened was

my fault. I know that now.

I'm terribly sorry

for what I did,

And I want to ask

for your forgiveness.

I don't hold anything

against you, Crystal.

As far as I'm concerned, the

past is over and forgotten.

Then let me make it

up to you

For all the selfish,

hateful things that I did.

I've missed you terribly,

and you must have missed me.

Don't, Crystal.

Because in your heart-

You're making it very difficult for me.

It's best

I speak plainly.

What you want

is impossible.

All that's over

and done with.

We needn't go into reasons.

You know them as well as I do.

Reasons? B-But I'm

a part of your life.

You can't change that.

During the time

you've been away,

I've found other interests, a new life.

I'm only

staying here

Until my new appointment's

been confirmed.

I'm up for

an important post

With the dominions

office.

You're not telling me

everything, are you?

Well, as a matter

of fact-

Who is she? I know

there's someone.

Yes, there is. She's

a girl I met in Canada,

One of the old families of Montral.

She came back

with me.

Aren't you afraid

of a scandal?

Scandal?

Yes. Suppose the

dominions office

Would get wind of

this... outside interest?

But you don't

understand, Crystal.

Janet isn't

an outside interest.

I want to marry her.

Isn't that a little

premature

Inasmuch as you have

one wife already?

Oh, legally we may

still be married,

But we haven't lived

together for a long time.

Under the circumstances,

does it seem unreasonable

That we should arrange

for a divorce?

Does she know you're

a married man?

Naturally.

Oh, but of course

you'd tell her.

You're so honorable.

Oh, please, Crystal,

don't let's have any scenes.

I've had enough of them

to last the rest of my life.

You like everything

to be sugarcoated!

"Civilized" is the

word you always use.

At least there's

no reason why

We shouldn't be kind

to each other.

Kind?

Do you imagine you're being kind to me?

After hoping

and praying-

Yes, praying that

you'd come back

And that we could be

together again.

This is all you

have to say to me,

That you want to

marry somebody else.

You think I'd give you up

just like that? You're wrong!

I'll never give you a

divorce as long as you live!

In that case,

I don't think

There's anything more

for us to say.

Still Kwan Yin, eh?

Still an idol

instead of a soul.

How little you've

changed, Crystal,

In spite of all

your fine words.

Well, Alfred,

I disagree with

this boy.

It's very simple: a

life of good drinking

Is worth the years

of fainting.

It's stupid.

At least 10 years

of fainting.

What is it?

We're closed.

Woman:

is Johnny there?

Oh, Johnny.

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny.

You got to come back

to the room.

I will, I will,

I will,

But not before

I've finished my drink.

The Chinese say that haste

is the one unpardonable sin.

Oh, Alfred, anything you do

for this lady, you do for me.

It's a very special

friend of mine,

As the best friendships are made

on short acquaintance

And last a very

brief time.

This is miss Icy.

This is Mr.

Alfred Bluecrown,

my favorite

innkeeper.

Pleased to

meet you, miss.

Same here.

Johnny, you shouldn't have done it.

Gabby's awful sore. Why

did you slip out on him?

Oh, I'd become

unpleasantly aware

Of my presence

in that room,

So when Gabby went

out in the hall,

I went outside

to lose it.

How did you find me?

I looked in 10 pubs.

Sorry for

the other night.

Anyway, you didn't

get in no trouble?

No, I was but a face

in the crowd.

That's not quite true-

I- I was recognized,

I was picked out

from the rest.

What?

Oh, not by a bobby.

Not even by a person,

for that matter.

It was ordained by fate

In the image of

a Chinese goddess.

You've had too much

to drink.

We're going back

to the room.

Shh! Johnny.

Shh.

Good evening,

Mrs. Proctor.

Good

evening.

You know, Gabby will be

so glad to see us.

Gabby.

It's me, Icy.

It's me,

Johnny.

Yes, he'll be

very happy.

Very happy...

Happy Chinese

new year to you, sir.

Now where have

you been?

Celebrating.

Where was he?

Blue crown.

And that was only

the last stop.

You're drunk.

Taken in sufficient

quantities,

Liquor will make you

intoxicated.

Do you want to put the

rope around your neck?

And mine?

And Fallon's?

No, that's

the hangman's job.

He'll get paid

for it.

Johnny.

You always-

Leave me alone!

I didn't want

to do it,

But he don't learn!

Johnny, Gabby don't

want to hurt you.

We ain't stopping you

from drinking.

You can drink all

you want to in here.

Only, please, Johnny,

You mustn't get drunk

on the outside.

Mustn't get drunk

on the outside.

It's a wonder we

don't go batty,

What with you

on our hands,

In a fix

like this.

In times of trial

a dictator says,

"This, too,

shall pass away. "

Is that of any

consolation to you, Gabby?

I can't even trust you

when I turn me back.

Any more gin left?

As if you didn't have

An whole distillery

in your belly as it is.

From now on, you're not

setting foot outside this room.

You ought to be ashamed.

Fallon gives us money

to keep out of sight.

You have to get drunk

on it and show yourself.

Fallon.

What's it to me?

What's it to you?

Plenty, that's what it is.

One man by himself

can hold out.

But when there's

two or 3,

They can be played

against each other.

And one of them

always spills.

Isn't it lucky

I'm innocent?

And if I'm known

to be innocent,

Will I then hang

quite as high

As you or Fallon?

If you show yourself

And get picked up

and spill-

If we get nabbed

on account of you-

Yeah?

I'll swear to it you're

as guilty as Fallon or me.

You'll hang,

I'll see to that.

Gabby, I'll get him

some gin.

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