The Old Maid Page #3

- Clem, you shouldn't be here.

- Did anyone see you?

- Oh, no.

I disguised myself

as a friend of the family.

And as an added precaution,

I sneaked up the back stairs.

- You'll leave us alone.

- Of course.

No, don't.

- Well, how things have changed.

We used to strive to get rid of Charlotte

so that we could be alone, remember?

- There are things I must do.

- Of course there are.

Delia isn't afraid to be alone with me.

Or are you afraid

to be alone with me, Delia?

I didn't want you to regret later

not having seen me.

- Delia...

- Charlotte saw you.

- She told you.

- Yes.

It would have been considerate

if you hadn't come.

I was curious. I wanted to see

if you were as beautiful as the girl...

...I've been carrying in my imagination

these last two years.

Well, you're not. Not that it's your fault.

No one this side of heaven could be

that beautiful or faithful or steadfast.

- I didn't go away. You did.

- That's right.

We were to be married.

My family, even my friends had been told.

You must have known

it would humiliate me.

You knew I wanted to make

a success of myself for you.

I meant to keep that promise,

settle down.

- Have you kept it, Clem?

- No.

Just the same as I always was

and always will be.

I didn't plan to hurt you, Clem.

You haven't,

any more than you've hurt yourself.

That's the pity.

Poor Delia, condemned to a life

of elegant boredom.

I'm not. I love Jim.

Oh, yes, I can imagine that.

Then I can imagine a person

developing a consuming passion...

...for the First National Bank.

It isn't the money. Don't dare think that.

I believe you. The trouble with you, Delia,

is you're too conventional.

You only want what it's nice to want.

I only want

what it's every woman's right to have:

A home and a family,

a decent amount of faithfulness...

...and security from my husband.

What else is there for a woman?

Can you ask me that?

Don't you know what there could be

for you and me?

A little happy poverty perhaps,

but excitement, adventure and us.

All our lives we'll want each other.

Uselessly, cruelly.

I'm gonna pick you up,

take you down the back stairs...

It's too late. I've made my decision.

I'm marrying Jim Ralston.

That's all I'm going to say.

Go, please.

All right.

Marry your nice Mr. Ralston.

Some day when you're bored,

perhaps you have nothing better to do...

...you'll think about the things

you've made us miss.

I have come to take you down.

Hello, Spender.

- How do you do?

- Clem came to wish me happiness.

- Yes, of course.

- By the way, I almost forgot.

I brought this for you.

Funny.

When I bought it, I thought

it was going to be an engagement present.

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