Beat the Devil Page #4

Used to be mine.

- Yours?

- Yes.

I brought old Charles over

from Fouquet's.

You know, the old Fouquet's,

to run it for me.

Then when I decided

to pull up stakes,

I bought him this restaurant

we're going to.

Least I could do

to show my appreciation.

Well, here we are.

Charles!

Wait here a minute

while I rout old Charles out.

He doesn't know

we're in this neck of the woods.

Charles!

Heh.

He must think

we're extraordinarily naive.

Knew all those people.

Owned that vast villa.

Bought this place because

he liked the fellow's cooking.

What utter balderdash.

Well, perhaps he did.

I beg leave to doubt it.

Did you notice his wife?

She seemed to me rather

a sensitive little woman.

Really embarrassed

by all that rot.

I'm sorry, signor,

as you see, we are closed.

We do not open

for another two months.

Charles, what's going on here?

This place is falling to rack and ruin.

The placed is closed. We'll have

to dine in the hotel after all.

Monsieur Dann.

Monsieur-

Monsieur Dann.

Madame. Why did you not let me

know you were coming?

You did not say you were

with Monsieur Dann. Heh-heh.

Nothing is closed

to Monsieur Dann.

Good to see you again,

Charles.

It's been too long,

Monsieur Dann.

Not since the night

you left the villa. Ha.

Remember your farewell party?

I've tried ever since

to forget it.

Remember how in the morning

we escorted you

to the train

with violins playing

and everybody cried

like when a king

you love very much

leaves his country.

Aren't you dressed yet?

Do I appear

to be dressed?

Do dress, do hurry.

It's the most wonderful day,

and Billy wants us to drive out

and see his villa.

Uh, his former villa. Hm.

Obviously, I can't go.

I've got a chill on my liver.

What a miserable place

to be ill.

And you forgot to pack

my hot water bottle.

You packed it.

Gwendolen,

I distinctly remember-

Hello.

Oh, hello.

No, I-I'm afraid we can't.

Harry has

this wretched chill and-

Uh, give me the telephone.

Chelm here.

Yes.

Quite.

Absolutely.

A hot water bottle.

That's very,

very good of you, old boy.

Now, look here, Dannreuther,

would you mind very much

if my wife went alone?

She enjoys this sightseeing sort

of stuff, you know.

Splendid.

Splendid.

I'll send her along.

You know, Gwendolen, nowadays

one simply cannot afford

to dismiss people just because

they're not one's sort.

One has to try

and bridge the gulf.

After all, it's a new world

we're going into.

One's got to take it

as one finds it.

Face it.

Use it.

Master it.

You know,

I- I've seen Americans

on the street and in the cinema,

of course, but I-

I've never talked

to one before.

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