Three Strangers Page #6

Sir Robert, how much do you

know of my husband's affairs,

That is, his affairs

outside the office?

All I know about him

is his work.

He's intelligent,

trustworthy-

Not his work,

But isn't it true that

in government services,

A man's deportment away from

his work is equally important?

Oh, not unless

it's scandalous.

But that's exactly what I'm afraid of

- A scandal.

All my hopes for him,

all my dreams...

Oh, sir Robert, you must

advise him, talk to him,

Make him see.

He'll listen to you.

You're his superior.

In that case, I shall have to

know what to advise him about.

Oh, he'll come back

to me.

I know he will...

As soon as

the new wears off.

She's nothing but a

passing thing in his life.

But it's more than I can bear

to see him throw away everything,

His entire future, for

something that is only passing.

David.

Hello, Crystal.

Why did you ask me

to come here tonight?

What good can possibly

come of it?

Must a wife

have a reason

For wanting to see

her own husband?

After all, you are

still my husband.

Is it necessary to keep

reminding me of that?

I thought there were some things

you wouldn't want to forget.

Do you remember

when we were in china,

All the strange places

we visited?

How everything we shared

was so new and exciting?

Till the excitement

wore off.

That didn't take very long,

as I remember.

And then you began to concoct

your own forms of excitement.

I told you

I was sorry.

Oh, I don't suppose

you can help it.

Emotions as violent as yours

aren't apt to be very stable.

No one man could hold

your interest for long.

Except you, David.

In spite of the way I've

acted, you still belong to me.

You're the only one

I ever really wanted.

That's the way

it seems to you now,

But I don't think you

really know yourself.

You only want

what you can't have

For as long as

you can't have it.

That isn't true.

I didn't come here to discuss

this sort of thing.

I had a faint hope that you

might have changed your mind-

Don't let's

talk about it.

You know I don't

believe in divorce.

If only you believed

in something.

I was forgetting... you do

believe in her, don't you?

I was so alone.

I had to have something

to turn to.

May I have a light,

please?

Are you afraid

of me?

Haven't I reason

to be?

Then sir Robert

told you?

Everything.

Even his regrets.

He wasn't the only one

that had regrets.

David, you don't think I

did that to hurt you, do you?

Didn't you?

No, I didn't. I did it for you, for us,

To bring you

to your senses.

I can fix things

with sir Robert.

Oh..

I love you,

David.

You must believe me.

I love you.

Don't be

afraid of me.

I can give you everything that you want.

I can make you happy.

Give me a chance.

I'm more to you than

she'll ever be.

Why didn't you do it?

Are you afraid?

No. That's

what you want.

You'd even give your

own life to destroy mine,

But I won't let

you do it.

Drew Detective Agency.

Mr. Drew?

Yes. Speaking.

This is

Mrs. Shackleford.

Yes, Mrs. Shackleford?

I wonder if you could get

me some further information.

It's about a friend

of my husband's.

Yes, a woman.

Please, it's

much easier for me

If you don't hold

anything back...

Even if it's unpleasant.

But, janet, darling,

there's nothing new.

It's just that

I don't see much hope.

She'll never change

her mind. Never.

Well, then the worst

that can happen

Is we go on as

we are now.

Oh, that isn't so bad,

is it, David?

Darling...

Been? You're putting it in the past.

Janet,

I'm thinking of you.

Sometimes I feel that

the only decent thing

Would be for me to get out

of your life and stay out.

David, you've no right

to speak for me.

Then there's

your family.

You'll be going back to

Canada still unmarried.

What'll they say?

They're my family.

Suppose you

leave them to me.

But, janet, darling,

much as I love you,

We can't go on

like this forever,

Neither married

nor unmarried.

It's bound

to end badly.

David, you've tried everything

with Crystal, haven't you?

Everything.

Well, then,

let me see what I can do.

You go to Crystal?

My dear, you know

how she's behaved.

Do you really imagine she'll

be any different with you?

Maybe she's in love

with you, David.

And sometimes love makes

people behave very badly.

Love-she doesn't know

the meaning of that word.

Well, anyway, the most

she can do is refuse,

And we can't be

any worse off.

No. I forbid you

to see her.

Darling, I only

- Only want to protect you.

Crystal's a very

dangerous woman.

I don't want you

within her reach.

David,

I feel very tired.

If you don't mind, I think I'd

like to go back to the hotel now.

Very well, my dear.

Your maid let me in.

Hope you don't mind.

I'm Mrs. Shackleford.

Oh. It's very strange, Mrs.

Shackleford, your coming here.

Just today I asked David

if I might go to see you.

But of course he was

against it, wasn't he?

Yes.

And he probably invented

all kinds of reasons.

How like a man,

how like David.

What do you mean,

Mrs. Shackleford?

You know,

miss Elliot,

I had no idea you'd turn out

to be this kind of a person.

What kind of

a person?

Well, so completely

without guile,

So honest

and trusting.

What a shame.

What do you mean?

Huh. Someone has to

tell you the truth,

And since David evidently

doesn't have the courage-

Tell me what?

Mrs. Shackleford, I feel you're

implying all sorts of things.

Would you mind speaking

quite plainly?

Very well.

But you'll forgive me

if what I have to say

Isn't pleasant

for you to hear.

When David and I

had some differences,

Little things that seemed

important at the time,

And he went alone

to Canada,

I'm sure he thought in his

heart that he could forget me.

There he met you.

Forgive me,

miss Elliot,

But I had no one to help

me through my loneliness.

I just waited and prayed

for him to come back,

And finally, he did.

You were with him.

The first night he

arrived he came to see me.

Did he tell you that?

Yes, of course.

Why should

he have concealed it?

He went to ask you

for a divorce.

That's true.

When David came to see

me that night,

I think he sincerely believed

that he was in love with you

And that he wanted

to be free.

But, when he left me

the next morning,

He wasn't

at all certain.

Mrs. Shackleford, I don't see

how you dare say such a thing.

Aren't you forgetting

he's my husband?

But... David loves me.

No, he didn't.

It isn't true.

He's very fond

of you.

But tell me

the truth, miss Elliot.

Is David the same as

when you got to england?

Or has he changed...

just a little.

No, he hasn't.

I don't know what

you're talking about.

But you must.

No... no, I don't think

you've ever suspected.

Every time I've been

with David

I've begged him

to tell you...

That it was only

fair to you.

But he's afraid

of hurting you,

And so he keeps

putting it off.

You're making

all this up.

David tells me everything.

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