Where Angels Fear to Tread Page #5

No, how could I?

Tjhe fact is I got taken by surprise.

But it doesn't matter? He was

perfectly charming person...

...and his friends are very nice too.

I'm his friend - now.

And I'm his long lost brother.

In England we get up on our high horses,

Here we see what asses we are are.

Things go perfectly

easily all by themselves.

God, what a wonderful night.

So Lilia once said.

What do you mean?

Nothing.

I had a wonderful night too.

Thank you.

Forgive me.

Is Signor Carella at home?

- Come up, come up.

Sit yourself down.

Gino Carella.

Gino Carella.

Where is Perfetta?

You know, but you wouldn't tell me.

It is exactly like you.

Why don't you tell me another

number in the lottery,

and we will be rich.

I dreamed of a red hen.

It means '25'.

But I want to try the dice this week.

So tell me another number.

Oh, you don't care,

As long as you can get the profits.

You do not even say ' thank you Gino'.

Say it.

Or I drop red hot ashes on you.

'Thank you, Gino' - Thank you, Gino.

A message from the signora.

Thank you.

Who is it from?

Miss Abbott to wish me

luck with my interview.

Nice to see that someone has

started thinking about it all.

After last night. I mean...

Can I ask to have tea with cold milk?

Not boiled.

What is 'cold'?

- Freddo. Latte freddo. .

I don't know what she

thought you were doing?

Something, dear Harriet. I

know exactly what I'm doing.

What is it? What frightened you?

Business.

- With me?

Yes. It is most important.

- Before business, you must feel better.

Will you have some wine?. -No.

- Please.

You are surely very busy.

And yes, I'm not very well.

You are not well enough,

and I'm not busy.

I see what frightened you. Come.

What a wonderful child, Signor Carella.

So sweet of you to talk to it in English.

I'm trying to teach him.

Six months? No, five.

I suppose five.

Still, a remarkably fine child for his age.

You mustn't stand. We'll go and

sit in the loggia, its cooler.

and this room is so untidy.

Mr Herriton called on you yesterday.

- I was sorry to miss him.

I had to go to Poggibonsi, it was important.

Can you guess why?

No idea, sorry.

- Guess.

Signor Carella, I'm here on business,

- Please try.

I can't. -I hardly know you.

- But we are old friends.

Your approval means so much to me.

You gave it to me once

before, do you remember?

Yes, but I haven't come

as a friend this time.

So I am not likely to

approve of anything you do.

Surely you approve of marriage?

Marriage?

You shouldn't expect me

to think of marriage.

Yes. -I forbid you. I absolutely forbid you.

- Why?

You have ruined one woman.

I refuse to let you ruin another.

You pretended to me the other

day that you loved Lilia,

but that was a lie, you wanted her money.

Has this woman got money

too? -Yes, a little.

And I suppose that you say you love her?

No, that's not true.

- Then God help her.

What do you want, Signorina.

Why do you suppose she won't

be content, she will be...

...very happy to have me, and

she will do her duty well.

Her duty. -She knows

why I am marrying her.

To succeed where Lilia failed.

Be your slave, your housekeeper, you...

- To look after the baby. -The baby.

Its an English marriage.

I do not care about the money.

I am happy having her for my son.

Marriage, Signor Carella,

is a very serious step.

Can't you manage it more simply?

Your relatives, for example? -In Empoli?

- I would as soon have him in England.

No. It is difficult,

but I must have him with me.

I won't even let my mother

and father stay here.

Why not?

Because they would separate us.

They would separate our thoughts.

He feels that I'm here.

Hey.

He is not much longer than my boot.

Can you believe that one day,

his own boots will be as large.

Please. Do take care.

Father - son.

Is he all right?

Yes, its nothing. If he cries in

silence, that will be frightening.

He thinks that I'm going to

wash him, and he's quite right.

Wash him?

There we go.

Is not he nice? And he's mine.

Mine forever.

Even if he hates me, he's mine.

For he's a part of me.

I'm his father.

Can I help you?

Of course.

It is very kind of you.

Especially in yourbeautiful dress.

Perfetta washes him like

she washes clothes.

Then he screams for hours.

I take all morning.

Can you hand me a towel?

- Yes.

Is there any powder?

- Yes.

Hello.

I got you're note and I'm not offended.

- Signorina?

Signorina.

- I need you here.

Miss Abbott.

Miss Abbott....

She's gone.

Our Business?

- Yes, business.

Miss Abbott, tell you what we want?

- No.

But surely she spoke to you?

Yes, she came for business but

she forgot about it. -So did I.

What is she doing in

Monteriano in October?

I tell you what.

She has cometo deceive us.

No, that's not true.

She may be exasperating but

she's not here to betray us.

What is she doing here?

Where is the baby?

Of course you haven't got it.

Dear sweet,

sweet Caroline does not let you get it.

And we'll run away and...

...trouble the father no more.

And those are her commands.

Miss Abbott has behaved very oddly...

She was crying - it was disgusting.

You must listen, my dear Harriet.

Stop crying. This is important.

I will not stop crying.

- Please, stop.

She has done us no harm.

He assumes she is working with us.

But she's not.

Iif you want the baby you must

make your peace with her.

She has mad quite an impression on him.

She's so good with the baby,

she can bathe it for him.

How disgusting. Anyway...

I can have no appeasement with an enemy.

- Did you......?

It was not what I wanted.

She left while I was...

...Still talking to her.

Like all cowardly people.

She went into the church.

Don't know why she needs it.

Anything more unchristian...

I have nothing to tell you.

Only I've come right round.

If he had found the whole thing

out, I couldn't have kissed you.

I haven't come here to scold you.

What has happened, is what

might have happened to me,

He has led you to believe

that he loves the child.

Yes, he has. He'll nevergive it up.

- Its not settled yet. -It'll never be settled.

Perhaps not, but I must ask you to

stay out of the matter for the moment.

Harriet is furious.

You must promise not to

prejudice our cause by...

...speaking to Signor Carella.

I shan't ever see him again.

- He was charming, wasn't he?

Quite.

- I will go and tell Harriet your promise.

I thing things will quieten down now..

- Why aren't you angry with me?

Because I understand you.

All of you, Harriet,

Lilia, Signor Carella and even my mother.

Yes, you understand

them. You're the only...

...one of us who has a general

view of the whole muddle.

But what are you going to do?

Do? I have another meeting

with him this afternoon.

But that will come to nothing.

- Then we'll have another.

If that fails I shall wire

home for instructions.

We may fail altogether,

but we shall fail honourably.

That's not doing anything. Come out

of the thing as well as you can,

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