Desire Page #2

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- Your name, please?

- Mme. Duvalle.

Mme. Aristide Duvalle.

Aristide Duvalle, the famous jeweller?

Yes, I am his wife. Do you know him?

I've never had that pleasure,

but of course I've heard of him.

Who hasn't in Paris?

That's what makes it so much worse.

Doctor, I...

It's too terrible to speak of.

No. Come, come, come now.

Do you want me to have you for a patient?

You're right. I must be calm for his sake.

You see, all of a sudden,

for the past few weeks...

...my husband has been suffering from...

Well, I suppose

you would call it hallucinations.

Can you tell me the symptoms?

They are different.

- He has an obsession about money.

- Who hasn't nowadays?

But better times will cure these things.

I doubt if you have much to worry about

if it's just a question of money.

But it isn't.

Doctor...

It's too embarrassing.

You are talking to your doctor, madame.

When we were married,

he was such a strong, virile man...

...and now...

Doctor...

...sometimes he imagines he's a schoolgirl

running away from school.

Oh.

And do you know,

he has given up pyjamas...

...and taken to wearing nightgowns?

I don't like that.

I don't like it, either.

It's all so hopeless.

Not at all, madame. Modern psychiatry

has a way of dealing with these problems.

Believe me, a few careful treatments...

...and we'll have him out of his nightgowns

and back into pyjamas in no time.

- He belongs in them.

- Unquestionably.

Now shall we make an appointment for him?

That's not so easy to do.

He has grown so suspicious of people.

The commonest of symptoms.

I'm sure if I managed to bring him here

and he found others around...

Is there any chance he could see you alone?

After office hours,

I occasionally make an exception.

Shall we say tonight, maybe at 6:00?

Very well, let's say tonight then, at 6:00.

- I don't know how to thank you.

- By not worrying too much.

I'll try not to.

- Goodbye, Doctor, and thank you again.

- Goodbye, madame.

Doctor, there's one other thing.

I don't know how important it is, but I think

I should mention it before you see him.

Just imagine,

this very shrewd, honest man...

...for whom everyone in the business worid

has the highest respect...

...again and again presents bills to people

who don't owe him anything.

- Dementia praesenilis.

- It's frightening.

He does it everywhere,

and to people he never even met before.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he comes

in here and presents you with a bill.

Don't worry about that, madame.

I'll take care of the bill.

- Just leave it to me.

- I shall, Doctor.

Come in.

I'm sorry, my husband is late.

I'm sure he'll be here any minute.

No hurry.

I have some work to keep me busy.

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