Tonight or Never Page #5

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if they all knew it and accepted it.

It would save tears.

Yes, but I only wanted you.

One at a time, of course.

Oh no, I wanted you, only you.

I couldn't wait to get into my seat at

the opera. I couldn't bear to leave it.

When you first came in here tonight I

hoped for a moment that you had ..

Felt something too, that perhaps

you had caught the spark.

A lot of other men can't take

their eyes off me at the opera.

It doesn't mean anything.

Oh they don't count.

You're a public favorite.

It's their vanity, not love.

Women come after me in droves

but I don't flatter myself that ..

They come after you in droves? Ha. Ha.

Women .. come .. after you .. in droves?

Yes, women come after me in droves.

If you let me tell you why.

I think you're shameless, and brazen.

Just a minute, I will tell you.

No you won't, I won't listen.

I don't want to hear any more

"women come at you in droves".

But I don't want to hear another word.

Not another word, I won't listen to you.

And while I was wondering

how to meet you ..

You came in here and spoiled it all.

Oh I'm .. I'm sorry.

In another minute, I'm going

to take you in my arms.

No, you're not!

Yet I could kill you for coming here.

I want to hunt my women, not

have them come after me.

Oh ..

Oh Nella.

Nella, why did you come here?

Because I was lonely ..

something happened today.

I made up my mind I wanted

to live .. really live.

I wanted to meet someone who ..

who uh .. I thought of you.

So, you came here for no better reason

than curiosity, or to find a lover.

And you thought you'd choose me, huh?

A gigolo .. the Marchesa's gigolo.

Oh, what a thing to do.

Well .. perhaps I wanted a gigolo.

Oh, you did, did you?

Alright then, young lady, you

shan't leave here disappointed.

Oh Jim .. how could you?

Oh, so it's not a gigolo you want?

No, you know I don't.

You were, you were horrible.

The way you grabbed me .. look.

I'll be all marked up, I know I will.

I'll be black and blue and I'm singing

Tosca on Thursday .. half naked.

What a woman.

She's counting the spots.

You like that better?

And this one too.

If you want me to be good,

why don't you help?

No, no .. I'm afraid of you.

I've changed my mind.

I don't want to love a man,

that is I do but ..

You'd get a hold on me and I

shouldn't be able to break it.

Why, I've only known you an hour.

You see what's happened already?

No, you're a man to stay away

from .. now let me get up.

Jim, I really don't

want to get up but ..

I don't want a man who will make me

think as he thinks and do as he does.

And sit by while he lives.

No, I want someone who'll be kind

and sympathetic. A real friend.

No lover was ever a real friend,

that's impossible.

A man who will share my life with me

and have some common interests.

Hmm .. what you want is a piano-player.

No, no, no. I've got one

now, and he's enough.

Really, I'm serious .. I'm in earnest.

Love means .. it means everything to me.

There is no inspiration in my

life. That's what I miss.

But I'm afraid of you. Loving you might

become another kind of slavery.

I'll think it over. Yes, I'd better.

I'll let you know tomorrow.

Oh no.

It's tonight .. or never.

There's the key to the door.

It is three minutes to ten. I'll give

three minutes to make up your mind.

Three minutes to decide something

as important as this? Well, I couldn't.

In three minutes, can send for a taxi.

I'll escort you downstairs, put you in

the car, and you'll never see me again.

But I can't make up my mind in three

minutes .. how impetuous you are!

Please give me a little longer.

If you're here three minutes from now,

you will have to take the consequences.

And what would the consequences be?

You'd be held tight in my arms

and you'd never get out.

Perhaps you had better send for a taxi.

Certainly.

Oh just a minute .. how quick you are?

If I should stay, after all ..

of course I'm not going to.

If you should, it would

mean forever to us.

Because I'd never let you go from

me to another man. Think of that.

You do like to bully a woman. You take

an awful lot for granted don't you?

Not unless I'm forced to.

And you're so possessive.

I'm very possessive.

And I adore you.

You don't.

Shall I show you whether I do or not?

No .. no.

Then ..

I'll call a taxi.

Before I go.

Please kiss me .. just once.

Sweetly, tenderly.

As if we really belonged to each other.

Please call a taxi.

It's too late.

Well .. she showed us

today that she can sing!

Yes, I'm glad .. but Professor ..

Remarkable! That's all I can

say .. remarkable .. strange.

Yes, I can't understand it at all.

Why not?

Because she should have

been all tired out .. today.

Why should she?

Oh Professor, I'm so glad you came.

I want to ask you something.

It's very important.

Did Madame wear her emerald

necklace at the matine today?

I didn't notice.

A crowd in the wings, a crowd in her

dressing-room. I couldn't get near her.

Seventeen curtain calls ..

I cannot find the emeralds!

Nobody ever sang Tosca so ..

The audience rose at her ..

bravos and tears!

She tore at their hearts .. strange.

That's what it was .. strange.

Something has happened.

Something .. has taught her ..

how to cry .. and overnight.

Yes, sir. Many ladies learn

how to cry .. overnight.

Why? What do you mean?

Madame, she ..

I wonder if I should tell you.

Your mistress has no secrets from me.

Come along now, what is it?

Well then ..

She was out .. all night.

From the German Embassy?

She wasn't there.

Where was she, then?

I don't know.

But she came home at six this

morning. She slept the whole day.

She got up just before the performance.

And Professor ..

She was .. singing .. in the bathtub.

I never heard her do it before.

Stop there.

I don't like that "singing in

the bath" business.

And that's all you know?

And I know that I can't

find the necklace.

Well my girl .. I wouldn't hire you

as a detective. No I would not.

Why, my housekeeper would have

known everything, and more.

I'll see once more in the safe.

Good evening Madame.

Ah .. here you are .. at last!

Seventeen curtain calls.

I'm proud of you.

Aren't you happy?

Of course I'm happy.

It was a wonderful afternoon.

You don't seem at all excited.

When you sang like a lark .. no-one

ever sang Tosca like that before.

Never! Never!

Really?

Never.

Madame .. may I speak?

Of course Conrad.

Your singing today,

pleased me very much.

Conrad! You .. you were at

the opera this afternoon?

Oh surely you didn't listen to me

through the whole of Tosca?

Not all through?

I did Madame.

I was wandering in, back of the scene ..

When I heard Madame's voice ..

Ring out as I have never heard it.

I sat down on a piece

of scenery, to listen.

And Madame may not believe me ..

But at the end of the act, I went to the

front and bought a seat in the balcony.

I never believed that Madame

had the divine spark.

I .. I'm afraid I forgot myself.

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