Weird Woman Page #2

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Is it something important?

Sure, it's important. It's a leg

up to bigger and better things.

The schoolmaster has little

enough to look forward to.

If he passes up a chance

at advancement, he's a fool.

I hope you're not married

to a fool, Paula.

Now, my dear,

here's what we'll do tomorrow.

First, I'll show you

over the campus.

We have everything, from a

lover's lane to a haunted house.

Then, I'll take you down...

Take it easy, Casanova.

That's a lot of territory for a

little guy who gets a Charley horse

from reading

the football scores.

Some of the laughter has gone

out of her. What is wrong?

Have I failed to help her

fit into her surroundings?

I've done everything

I could, and yet

she lied to me.

Good morning, Professor.

Oh, hello. This is a surprise.

What are you doing here so early? I

came to talk over a matter of business.

You don't mind discussing

business with me, do you?

Of course not.

You said we should be friends,

Norman, and you're right.

We both have to live in this

little island of culture,

and we might as well

be civilized about it.

Oh, I'd like nothing better.

Now,

about this matter of business.

Well, the student

employment registry

said that you'd asked for Margaret

Mercer to do some work for you.

Yes, I did.

I had her do some research for me

about a year ago, and she was very good.

Well, she's assisting me in the

library now. I've trained her, and...

Oh, but this won't take very long,

and she's familiar with the work.

Well, that's what I wanted

to talk about.

I'm familiar with the

work, too. Let me help you.

Then Margaret's routine

won't be upset.

Thank you, Ilona, but, well,

I'll need someone who can

take shorthand rapidly.

Norman, you don't have

to be afraid of me.

Let me work with you.

Things don't have to be

any different, do they?

But they are different.

I'm married now.

All right, so you're married.

I'll forgive you that.

If you want a little doll that grew

up in the jungle, it's all right.

Can't I get it through your head

that I'm in love with my wife?

You were fond of me once.

Ilona, you're out

of your mind.

Maybe I am. I don't care.

I don't even care anymore what

people are saying. Laughing at me.

Oh, stop it.

I never asked for such devotion

from you, and I don't want it.

Now stop being melodramatic.

Get your things together, Margaret.

You're going up in the world.

Oh, what do you mean,

Miss Carr?

I'm lending you to Professor

Reed, by special request.

You mean, he asked for me? He

wouldn't take no for an answer.

Oh, that's wonderful.

Right away?

Oh, by all means, we mustn't

keep the professor waiting.

You might clear the desk first,

if it's not asking too much.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Oh, I'm so thrilled.

I'll take these books

out to the stack.

Oh, he's so brilliant.

There are some things I cleared

out of the vault for you.

He's so sweet

and so considerate.

And there's something

so dynamic about him.

I'd try to curb my enthusiasm

if I were you.

Men of the world sometimes misunderstand

a pretty girl's hero-worship.

Hey, Maggie. Maggie, I want to see

you... Not now, David, I'm busy.

Well, what's the big rush?

David, I'm going to work for Professor

Reed again. Isn't it wonderful?

Yeah, what's so wonderful about

it? Well, he is, if you must know.

He's the most brilliant man

on the campus.

Present company excepted,

of course.

David, must you be a dope all your life?

"Present company excepted, of course. "

Why, if you lived to be a thousand you'd

never be able to write a book like his.

You'll be lucky if you

can pronounce the words.

But, Maggie...

But, Maggie...

Bye.

Well, how do you like that?

Hello, David.

Oh, hello, Miss Carr.

Sorry, I guess I kind of barged

right in. That's all right.

After all, you'll be hanging around

Professor Reed's office after today.

Say, what's she

in such a lather about?

What does she have to go

to work for him for?

Wasn't she doing

all right here?

Well, she may do even better

there. Besides, he asked for her.

Why?

Why not?

Sometimes a young and pretty

girl can be a great inspiration

to a mental giant

like Professor Reed.

Well, she's my girl, and he'd

better keep his hands off her.

What a thing to say.

Are you taking his course this

term? Yeah, he'll probably flunk me.

Maybe Margaret can put in

a good word for you.

You know, a woman's influence.

I'll manage for myself.

Reporting for duty, sir.

Oh, but I thought that you...

But didn't you expect me?

Why, Miss Carr said

that she couldn't spare you.

Oh, but you did ask for me?

Yes, I did.

Here, you go through the mail.

Oh, Professor Reed,

you're really glad Miss Carr changed

her mind and let me come, aren't you?

Of course.

A little surprised, but I

think you will be a great help.

Politics, that's all it is.

Politics.

Well, politics or not,

Norman Reed is certainly the

fair-haired boy around here now.

Well, I don't know why.

I read his book, and I don't think

it's really as good as Millard's.

Well, there's nothing like

having a little doll-faced wife

to spread around

charm for you.

You don't think Norman's

getting all this recognition

because of Paula's

pretty face, do you?

It might have helped.

Look at the way my own brother,

the dignified Dean of Men,

trots around after her.

Well, Septimus has always fancied

himself a gallant with the ladies, Ilona.

I don't like it.

Paula's got him wrapped right

around her little finger.

And another thing, Evelyn,

that little doll-faced wife of

Norman's is really a witch wife.

No.

It's true. I've watched her.

I have seen the little

things she does.

She told me herself that the old

nurse who brought her up on the islands

was a high priestess of some sort.

Do you believe in that sort of stuff?

I don't know, but she does.

And she's making it work,

isn't she?

This isn't Norman's

first year at Monroe.

He hasn't had this kind of

success before.

I believe she's

in the back of all this.

Evelyn,

you've got to do something

to make her leave Monroe.

Leave Norman, if necessary.

If you don't, Millard will never

get that sociology chairmanship.

She'll see to that.

She'd sacrifice everyone just for

the sake of her precious Norman.

But Millard has seniority over

Norman. He's studied for years.

His whole world is wrapped up

in his work, in advancement,

and I can't have it

crumble about him. I can't.

David, I wish you wouldn't

always be hanging around here.

Well, why not? You used

to like my hanging around.

Suppose Professor Reed came out and

saw you sprawling all over the place.

A fine opinion he'd have of you.

Yeah. What difference does it make?

He's probably gonna flunk me

anyway. I should think he would.

I understand you sleep

through half his lectures.

Well, perhaps I don't find him

quite as fascinating as you do.

Well, if you must know,

being around a man like Norman

makes some sophomores

look pretty sophomoric.

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