Washington Square Page #3

I never contradict him.

You would hear me abused without

opening your lips in my defense?

My father would not abuse you.

He does not know you well enough.

I'd like us to play for your

father, Catherine. No.

Don't you know yet that

together we have sanctuary?

Come. Come.

It's all right.

Bravo.

He that will not apply new

remedies must expect new evils.

Would you go?

Catherine, I'm...

Forgive me, I'm trembling

like a schoolboy.

I never imagined I'd

be taken like this.

I must... I must confess

I acquired a certain...

veneer during my travels.

But, um, I'd heard tales

of this... this thing,

but I suspected it was an idea...

originated by mercenary novelists.

You know, I find myself...

I find myself performing

the most useless tasks...

in the hope that I'll find a moment's

respite from thinking of you.

I... I'm quite overcome.

Oh, miss, miss.

Let me help you.

Oh, you must be more careful, dear.

On this most happy of occasions,

I would like to congratulate my

daughter and my son-in-law.

- My greatest hope for you both is that

your years together... - Madam? Sir?

- Thank you. - Will be as

happy and as bountiful...

as your mother's

and mine have been.

Well said. Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

I'll do my best for her.

Thank you very much.

Three cheers. Love and prosperity.

To the couple.

Hear, Hear.

Austin, don't you think

he's charming?

So you too believe that he's

paying attention to my daughter...

for her uncommon beauty and wit.

Would this be an inopportune

time to remind you...

was very well endowed monetarily

when you had occasion to marry her?

- You're certainly not suggesting,

are you... - I suggest nothing.

For you nor Mr. Townsend.

I merely state facts.

He's altogether too familiar,

too self-assured. He's...

ravishing, possessed of a rapier

wit and a velvet charm.

While you, dear Austin...

Now, if you are really intent on

gathering inside information,

Mrs. Montgomery,

the much-mentioned sister.

Catherine, do you want

to play with us?

Yes, yes, come along!

Catherine, wait. Martha,

I'd like you to meet Catherine.

My dear Catherine,

I am so pleased to meet you.

Morris has told me so

much about you. Martha...

I am Catherine.

I have heard much about you too.

May I present Alice Almond,

my cousin?

How do you do?

Oh, Catherine, look. We're missing

the ring. Come. Will you excuse us?

- I'm...

- Thank you, Martha.

Yes.

Oh, that's a large piece.

Watch the glass.

Well, I'm a broker, not a waiter.

Oh, here, here. I'm sorry,

I... thank you.

I hope there's enough.

For Alice.

Okay, Alice.

Here we go. Who's going

to find the ring?

- Anyone? - Yours is on

the brink of proposing!

Keep looking.

I met this...

Who's next?

Thank you.

Caroline.

Caroline.

Oh! It's Catherine, is it?

Introduce me.

May I present my brother,

Dr. Sloper?

Oh, my brother...

Miss Penniman,

y... your handkerchief.

Beware the ides of march. We must

meet and plan. Danger is at hand.

Here you are.

Where did that come from?

The cake. You caught

the ring in the cake?

Well, I hope that's a good omen.

Your father is investigating me.

He doesn't trust me, I'm afraid.

I don't see how you could know.

I feel it.

I'm very quick to feel.

Morris.

When my mother and my

brother were taken,

I became father's life.

He must feel...

certain that he has done

his duty towards me.

If I were being pursued by the pope,

he would investigate him too.

If you were being pursued by the pope,

he should indeed have cause for dismay.

It's my size.

- I love you.

- I love you.

How charming.

You've, uh, traveled extensively,

Mrs. Montgomery?

Oh, my brother.

He's collected something from

everywhere he's ever been for me.

Are you close to him?

Oh, yes.

We were orphaned from an

early age and reared each other.

What sort of gentleman

is your brother?

Excuse me.

Thank you, Therese.

It's difficult to talk

about one's brother.

It seems to me it is not when

one has good things to say.

Oh, yes, even then, when such

a great deal depends upon it.

And for your brother,

a great deal does depend on it.

I meant for Miss Sloper.

Please sit down.

Oh, thank you.

- What does he tell you?

- That he is in love.

You can't be that obtuse. It's my

belief your brother lives off you.

Now he means to live off my poor Catherine,

and she's too simpleminded to see it.

If that is truly what you believe,

then your path is a simple one:

Don't let her marry him.

You have daughters?

Yes.

When young men come a-courting, you will

be concerned with their moral character.

Catherine is ill-equipped

to look after herself.

I can't stand by and see her

make so great a mistake.

If I'd throw him back on you, the least

I can do is help with the burden.

I shall take the liberty

of placing in your hands...

an amount for your

brother's support.

No wonder you have such a

great concern about money.

You believe it can buy anything.

Mama!

You'll forgive me for telling you:

It's easy to say when one has not

experienced purchasing power.

People talk greatly about it:

Plain, stupid girl...

with a large fortune...

marrying a handsome,

worldly man without a penny.

Don't they, Doctor?

Imagine the indignity.

Why, people might even think

that you had been taken for a fool.

It's more than a man in your

position should ever have to bear.

You do me a grave injustice.

Do I?

Time will tell the truth of it.

Excuse me.

Mr. Townsend, I hope you

weren't waiting too long.

You can only approximate

how long these things take.

Oh, no. It's a wonderful thing

to have a profession.

Ah, but it's not only a thing one has.

It's a thing one must apply daily.

Yes, but there is tremendous

satisfaction in that application.

As much as in scaling an alp

or riding in a gondola?

Well, I'm sure I wouldn't know,

never having had a profession.

So we're at an impasse,

as they say,

For I've never scaled an alp for being

occupied with applying my profession.

I wish to marry your daughter, Sir.

She is simply one of

the most delightful...

and charming individuals

I've ever encountered.

Mr. Townsend, you must be

very susceptible.

As Catherine's father,

I have, I trust, a just...

and tender appreciation

of her many good qualities.

But I don't mind telling you, I've never

thought of her as delightful or charming...

and never expected

anyone else to either.

Well, I'm sure I don't know what I'd

think of Catherine if I were her father.

I can't put myself in that place.

I speak from my own point of view.

And you speak very well.

Keep talking, sir, for I feel sure you'll

be telling me next of her beauty and wit.

Dr. Sloper, I don't pretend to know...

what alchemy is at work here,

but the fact is, I've never been

happier than these ten weeks.

To introduce magic to a man of science

in the course of a dialogue...

signals that common ground

has long departed.

Well, then... then let me speak

a language you will understand.

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