Tom and Viv Page #5

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My husband's reading

to some friends in our new house.

You should be there, Ma'am.

Oh, I know them all off by heart.

It's his fifth book of poems.

Wonderful.

700 people bought the last one.

Proper best seller.

Sometimes I feel

you're my only friend, Louise.

- But you know so many people.

- Oh it's Tom they come to see!

What about your family?

Oh well they just say um...

poor Tom, he's got his hands full.

I'm glad about Mr Eliot, though

being so busy and important.

Oh he's in a spin alright, yes.

Ever since he left the bank

and took the job in publishing

everyone wants to see him.

Like bees round a honeypot,

I hardly ever see him now.

Isn't that awfully difficult?

Oh I never think about it, Ma'am.

Just something for idle hands.

As we have discussed before,

the uneven flow from the pituitary glands

somehow feeds down to the ovulation cycle.

But in addition to this

Vivienne has what I prefer to call...

...a febrile disease of the mind.

And that is why I have asked

Dr Miller here today

to explain the condition.

In fact, we consider it

a secondary form of mental disease.

And it is notorious in

attacking young women of exceptional gifts.

The patient fails to understand her

social position and her duty to society.

She becomes vulgar and impulsive

and frequently shows a

rebellious disregard for propriety.

And it is this condition

the law and the medical professions

define as moral insanity.

Insanity?

Technically, yes.

Thank you.

TELEPHONE RINGS:

Hello, T.S. Eliot's office.

Mr Eliot, please.

Who is this?

Who's speaking please?

Would you tell him his wife is calling?

One moment, please.

I'm sorry Mrs Eliot but Mr Eliot isn't...

your husband's not here just now.

I know perfectly well he's there!

And working too hard to keep you in a job,

that's what he's doing! Now...

Is this some deliberate

attempt to provoke me?

Get me the chairman at once,

I want to speak to Mr Faber immediately!

I'm terribly sorry,

but I'm under strict instructions

- not to allow anybody...

- Oh for God's sake!

I am coming over this instant!

I am opposite this building

and I am going to make

the most awful stink you ever heard.

I only wanted to leave

a small bar of chocolate for my husband.

Anything for me?

Thank you.

Oh!

I thought I'd take you by surprise!

A very pleasant surprise indeed.

How very good of you to visit.

We'll be undisturbed here.

What has she done?

Hurry, yes.

VIV GROANS:

I'm so sorry...

I'll never do it again, I'll be good.

Leave me, leave me.

Oh I'm so ashamed.

I'll be good.

I'm sorry.

- Forgive me.

- Tom...

Don't look at me.

What is it that you want?

I want nothing.

That's precisely what you have.

You can't go on like this, neither of you.

What is it that you want?

I am married to a woman that I love...

...but everything we do

together falls apart.

I crave companionship...

...but I am completely alone.

CHURCH CHOIR SINGS

I'm sorry Madam,

there's a private ceremony.

- I'm sorry I can't do that.

- I'm Mr Eliot's wife

- I've a right to be here!

- I'm sorry, the bishop's...

Ephpheta, quod est... Adaperire...

In Odorem suavitatis...

Please excuse me!

I, Thomas, renounce the

devil and all his works.

The vain, pomp and glory of this world...

...the carnal desires of the flesh.

I believe in the Holy Ghost

the Holy Catholic Church,

the Communion of Saints...

...the Remission of Sins,

the Resurrection of the Flesh...

...and everlasting life.

Ego te baptizo in nomine patris.

Madam, please!

Et filii...

The door is locked!

...et spiritus, sancti.

VIV RETCHES:

Tom.

It's only 6 o'clock.

I'm going to Communion.

I thought you might stay a while.

I can't.

I um...

I, I seem to be...

I seem to be free today if there's

any work you need typing up.

I have a secretary who does all that.

Taxi!

- Why Vivienne!

- Hello Vivvie!

Hello, Vivienne.

No, no you've made a mistake

you're confusing me with that

other woman who is so like me.

She's always getting me

into terrible trouble.

- How absurd!

- And if you don't go away this minute!

Don't be silly, you are Vivienne Eliot!

I am not Vivienne Eliot.

I never have been, is that clear?

- Yes!

- Yes it is.

- Is it?

- Yes it's perfectly, perfectly clear.

- Huge mistake, of course.

- You are not Vivienne Eliot.

One simply has to fight tooth and nail

to get a cab at this time of day.

Dear Mr Eliot, thank you for

your reply of the 16th.

The faculty is naturally delighted that you have

accepted the chair of poetry at Harvard University.

Tenure will be for one year

commencing September, 1932.

Would you be kind enough

to relay your travel plans

so that arrangements for

suitable accommodation can be made?

Yours sincerely, G.T. Lowell,

President, Harvard University.

Oh look, there he is!

- Hello!

- There she is!

Dear friend!

Great white hunter!

- Dear Vivvie, look at you, you look marvellous!

- And you're huge!

Tom my dear fellow, marvellous to see you!

Look at you, look at you both!

So, how's England treating you, Tom?

Aces all round. New house, new car.

Same wife!

Tell us about Africa.

- Well uh, totally huge, swimming with gin and elephants.

- Yes.

Natives speaking English to a man.

Oh Tom I must tell you,

I met this American filly in Mombasa

and she was actually

reading one of your books.

- Oh, splendid!

- Ecstatic, who'd have believed it?

Right here. - 'Oh God', I said,

'that's old Tom, the frartris!'

Well, worked wonders in

the old courtship front.

- Knew poetry would come in useful one day.

- I'm glad to be of use, Maurice!

I say, super motor!

So, what have you two been up to?

Oh, endless parties.

All Tom's friends come over.

Students banging on the door

at all hours for autographs.

And bishops by the truckload!

- Oh, Tom's one of us now, British citizen.

- Hoorah!

Welcome aboard!

- Thinking about kids next, I shouldn't wonder!

- Oh, I don't know about that!

We do have cats, though.

- Both still crazy about chocolate?

- Absolutely mad about it.

Ah, you both sound so happy!

We are.

That's it?

Yes.

Mums, Tom's whole career is at stake.

He gives lectures to

the Archbishop at Lambeth Palace.

- All that'll go up in smoke!

- Maurice, please.

No, no. Short memory these top people.

Tom can't take her anywhere. He's terrified

in case she causes another awful scene.

I mean, she's sending letters around town

accusing all and sundry of trying to seduce him!

- Ask Tom!

- Thank you, Maurice.

First the letters, then the car

and my teeth will never be the same again.

Sometimes she gets car sick.

I know it's not an excuse,

but you might have told her about America.

I left the letter where she could see it.

I thought it best.

So the first thing she knows

of your going to America

for who knows how long,

is a letter on the dining room table?

I can't pretend anymore.

She's sick.

All the doctors say the same thing.

She's running around town

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