Twentieth Century Page #10

- Clark, our backer.

- Odds bodkins. What are you gonna do?

- Me? I'm gonna get plastered.

- You're gonna get plastered?

Give me that.

Now, Oliver, remember your heart.

You know what the doctor said.

Say, what is this?

- Just a formality.

- We're looking for Mr. Clark.

You got the wrong room.

What kind of a fellow is this man Clark?

Very religious and a little eccentric.

Is anybody in danger?

No, but we want to get him off the train

before we leave here.

Yes?

I can't see you now, gentlemen. I'm busy.

What are you doing there?

As it happens, I'm reading the Bible.

Is him.

Get him.

Help!

Owen! Oliver!

What are you trying to do?

Let him go, you fools!

That' s Oscar Jaffe.

Owen, they're trying to strangle me.

They can't do that to a theater personality.

All right, I didn't know, Mr. Jaffe.

I'm sure you'll excuse this mistake...

but there's a lunatic on board,

I'm sorry to say...

- and we're trying to track him down.

- A lunatic?

- That' s rather interesting.

- Yes. A fellow named Clark.

He had Drawing Room J, right in this car.

He's hiding from us

and he's given us the slip.

He's harmless.

There's nothing to worry about.

Clark? What Clark?

That' s not Mr. Clark,

the patent medicine man?

Yes, a sad case.

They've had him away for over a year

but he escaped from the asylum.

I hope you'll overlook

the inconvenience, sir.

Lily, I've been bamboozled. I didn't...

This is the last time

I'm ever gonna speak to you.

Lily, my beloved...

You've almost made a fool

out of Lily Garland.

If you ever bother me again,

I'll get a gun and shoot you.

Wait a minute. It' s going round.

I'm dizzy. Oliver!

No, crazy, you fake, you lunatic!

I can't stand it. Open the window. I'm hot.

I can't stand it!

I'm going to break down!

Hello, Lily.

Max Jacobs.

Maxie. My sweetheart.

My darling. My angel.

I got a new Somerset Maugham play for you.

Just came out by plane.

Sweet, thas divine. Is marvelous.

Come in.

The Black Watch, sire, with their bagpipes.

- I suppose you're both drunk.

- Drunk or sober, I'm here, ain't I?

O.J., I'm in no mood

for a lot of fuzzy lamentations.

I won't keep you long, Owen.

Just a few words.

There's nothing more to say.

I've eaten dirt and crawled on my face

through the mud till I'm sick.

I got some pride, you know.

That' s the final touch: pneumonia.

It' s typical of my career

that in the great crises of life...

I should stand flanked

by two incompetent alcoholics.

What' s that?

I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to see it.

- Give me that.

- Now you know why I called you.

- Please.

- Yes, to say goodbye.

Owen, he's got a gun.

He's asleep.

That' s just like the Irish.

They always fail you in a pinch.

Listen, you foul Corsican, I've been

skinned alive 40 times under your banner.

Cut it out, Owen!

Do you remember the day, not long ago,

when I was Oscar Jaffe?

Stop it, please.

My outer office filled with celebrities...

cabinet ministers.

I ain't hearing a word you say

until you put away that fowling piece.

Please let' s act like grownups for a change.

Yesterday, Oscar Jaffe,

the wizard of Broadway.

Tomorrow, a foolish old pest...

haunting the theater lobbies

on other managers' first nights.

You wouldn't want

to see me like that, boys?

You'll remember me...

whenever you hear that wild sound

in the night.

This is screwy.

Stop it. I can't stand any more joking.

You've made a drunkard out of me.

Goodbye...

pale messenger of death.

Cold passport to the great unknown.

Mr. Jaffe!

Just an act. He'd keep it up

for three weeks if we stuck around.

Hear those banshees. I don't like that.

Kill himself!

He'll outlive us all.

They always do.

It' s a dark night full of unfortunate sounds.

- What was that?

- He's faking.

Owen. Oliver. I've been shot!

He did it, the lunatic.

Excuse me.

Give me that gun. Where'd he get you?

I don't know. I'm bleeding.

Lie down. Easy now. Take it easy.

I'll get a doctor. Don't move.

I did it in self-defense.

He had the gun and pointed it at me.

It was his life or mine.

Owen, I was aiming at myself. He grabbed

the gun away from me and shot me.

That' s the final irony: killed by a lunatic.

Oscar, is there anything we can do?

Nothing. No prayers.

No, don't talk like that.

They can't hurt you.

You'll be on your feet at the count of nine,

you old wounded lion.

I got a doctor. He's coming in.

- How is he? Breathing?

- Gentlemen, I didn't mean to...

- Keep away from him!

- Stay put or I'll crack you.

Gentlemen, it was all a mistake.

- Don't leave me now, boys.

- Never.

- Anything in the world you say, I'll do.

- Keep them out.

Maestro.

Open up here. Here's the doctor.

Here's the doctor. Hurry, Doctor. He's dying.

Maestro.

- Now you'll have to get out of here.

- He's our friend.

We have a contract with Mr. Jaffe.

Brighten the corner where you are!

Brighten the corner where you are!

There you are.

So often the case,

lots of fright and no damage.

- You mean it isn't serious?

- Hardly penetrated the surface.

What do you mean? I'm weak.

It must be internal.

This is the worst I've ever been through.

You can go back to bed now.

You'll be all right in the morning.

Come on,

I'll help you to your drawing room.

Come on. The doc says you're in fine fettle.

Owen, Oliver, I have an inspiration.

Overwhelming.

- O.J., no more shenanigans.

- You got that contract?

She'll sign it this time.

She loves me.

I could tell that through her screaming.

I must reach that love somehow,

bring her to her senses.

Boys, this is the last thing

I'll ever ask of you.

Go on, Owen, tell her I'm dying...

and don't overact.

Stand by. I'll get her Daisy.

It' s a Jaffe production.

Come on, Oliver, we're going into action.

Here, set that chair, center.

Wait a minute, a little bit off-center.

Fix the lights. We're gonna do this

like the last act of Camille.

We'll get it exactly, O.J.

Is it hitting me?

- How's that?

- Perfect.

I can't believe it.

I couldn't believe it either

when I heard it. Hurry.

I'll be right there.

- Oliver, remember what I told you.

- She's coming.

- Here he is.

- Where is he?

Oscar.

- Who's that?

- It' s Lily.

Bring her to me.

I'm here. My poor Oscar, speak.

Speak to me.

I'm going to go mad.

The doctor says is straight

through the heart. He can't talk very much.

Who is that crying?

- It' s Lily, Lily Garland.

- Lily, give me your hand.

Where's your hand?

Why did you do this?

Why did you do this terrible thing?

It was for the best, Lily. Everyone left...

those that I loved and needed.

It' s getting dark. Don't go for a little while.

Oscar, I did it. I drove you to it.

Dear, lovely Lily. No tears.

It wasn't your fault. I only wish

I could have seen you once more.

Held you once.

- Oliver.

- Yes.

Where's the contract,

the last one I drew up with Lily Garland?

Here it is.

- Boys, can you still hear me?

- Yes.

I want this buried with me on my body...

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