Complete Works of F. Scott Fitzgerald (Illustrated) (505 page)

The Doctor
: Professor Jaffé? (
Jaffé nods
) Thank God you’re here. We have so few cases like this down here.

Jaffé
: Where is she?

The Doctor leads the Professor into the cottage.

Bobby
(
to Koster with feeling
): Good work.

Koster
: Now stop worrying. Got a cigarette? (
Bobby gives him one
) How did it happen?

Bobby
: Too much exercise — I should have known. If anything happens now —

Koster
: Death’s no stranger to us, old man. He tried to meet us at the front, didn’t he? — but he never quite managed it. Now Jaffé’s helping too. It’s going to be all right.

The nurse comes out on the steps.

Nurse
(
to Bobby
): Dr. Jaffé sent word to you that she’s going to be all right.

She goes in. They look up at a lighted window of the Inn where the shadows of the Doctors move on the blind. Koster claps Bobby on the shoulder.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

171 PAT’S BEDROOM. SUNNY AND CHEERFUL.

An old music-box is tinkling “Wann die Soldaten,” and Pat is sitting up, dressed, in an easy chair. She is thin and pale, but her face lights up when Bobby comes in. He lays a bunch of anemones in her lap.

Bobby
: Roses, violets and lilies. How are you — very strong?

Pat
(
proudly
): This is the fourth day I’ve been up.

Bobby
(
sitting down
): Well, there’s been some trouble.

Pat
: What?

Bobby
: Nothing serious — Fraulein Muller stubbed her toe. (
bending toward Pat
) Darling, you look —

Pat
(
laughing
): Only that?

Bobby
: On that new bed?

Pat
: What new bed?

Bobby
(
tantalizing her
): One of the guest beds she had to get so quickly. Darling, you look —

Pat
(
curious
) Guest bed? Why?

Bobby
(
carelessly
): Oh, for Lenz and Koster.

Pat
(
sitting up
): Have they come back?

Bobby
: They insisted on being here today. Pat, dear —

Pat
: (
more and more curious
): Why?

Bobby
: To see it happen, of course. You look —

Pat
(
wild with curiosity
):
What
happen?

Bobby
: Our wedding.

The music box becomes gayer as Lenz and Koster walk in, smiling.

Pat
: What is this? Gottfried! Otto! (
Lenz and Koster each kiss one of Pat’s hands
) In the first place, if Bobby and I got married, Herr Breuer would do you an injury.

Koster
: No he won’t, the twerp. Our license was renewed yesterday. Breuer has withdrawn all opposition.

Pat
: In the second place — I’m in no condition —

Lenz
: No condition to be left alone. That’s what we thought.

(
the music-box stops
)

Pat
: In the third place, Dr. Jaffé said — that I might have to go away — (
she falters
) — to the mountains — this Fall.

Bobby
(
with passion
): All the more reason to marry me now — (
their eyes meet with meaning
) — while it’s still summer.

Pat covers her eyes with her hand — then looks up smiling mistily. There are tears in Lenz’s eyes as he winds the music-box noisily.

Koster
: I’ll get them. (
at the door
) All right, Fraulein.

The music-box tinkles out a delicate waltz as if for the wedding of a marionette, as the Burgermeister, Fraulein Muller, two servants and the little boy and girl from the beach come into the room.

FADE OUT.

172 FADE IN ON:

A SMALL YARD OR AREA-WAY —
 — in back of a rundown brick house. Afternoon. An old-fashioned cellar door opens, and four men, one of them Lenz, come out cautiously into the yard and proceed toward a gate. As they open the gate, two shots ring out — one of them splinters the gatepost, another knocks off Lenz’s hat. The men run — we follow Lenz over a high board fence, and then —

DISSOLVE TO:

173 BOBBY’S ROOM IN HIS BOARDING HOUSE

Koster and Jupp are engaged in putting into place some of the things from Pat’s apartment. Matilda, from the garage, is cleaning. As the following scene takes place, they set down a couch, put attractive drapes on tables and bureaus and a fine coverlet on the bed, set up a white lounging chair, hang curtains that are already on rods, transforming — within a short time — a notably bare room into a pleasant and cheerful one.

Koster
(
setting down his edge of the couch and looking at his watch
): I wonder what’s keeping Lenz. The newlyweds will be rolling in any minute.

Matilda
: Such a difference the lady’s furniture makes.

Koster
(
looking around
) Yes. It’ll be nice here.

Lenz’s Voice
(
from the doorway
): For a while, anyhow. (
THE CAMERA PANS TO HIM
) For a little while this room will be a little center of warmth and light — (
he comes forward into the room
) — in a world of hopelessness and despair.

Koster
: What’s the matter with your hat?

Lenz removes it and regards the bullet hole.

Lenz
: A peephole from here to eternity. (
he sails it out the door
) I oughtn’t to bring ill omens here. (
he takes a bottle from his pocket
) Cognac from Alfons.

Koster
: Who shot at you?

Lenz
: Oh, I’m fair game. What’s known as a dangerous man.

Jupp
(
at the window
): By Golly, they’re here!

As he rushes toward the door —

CUT TO:

174 THE OLD TAXI —
 — drawing up at the door. Bobby helps out Pat who has been reclining against a mass of pillows. Jupp rushes up, bows, smiles and begins taking out bags.

Bobby
: Hello, Jupp. Now, darling, I’m going to carry you upstairs.

CUT TO:

175 BOBBY’S ROOM

Koster tying on an apron and putting the bottle on a tray. Lenz starting “Ubers Meer Gruess Ich Dich Heimatland” on the phonograph.

The door opens, and into the transformed room walks Bobby, carrying Pat in his arms. Koster starts forward clowning — but he can’t, and suddenly they are all silent and very moved.

Pat
(
bravely and with vitality
): Hello — Comrades.

Koster
(
with feeling
): Welcome home.

FADE OUT.

176 FADE IN:

A TAXI STAND

Bobby, in the old taxi, pulls up at the end of the row, gets out, lights a cigarette. A big driver gets out of the taxi in front and approaches Bobby.

Taxi Man
: Hey, fella, you better get out of here.

Bobby
(
innocently
): Why?

Taxi Man
(
truculent
): You ain’t got no cap. We got too many guys already.

Some other taxi men come up.

Bobby
(
pleasantly
): Friend, I haven’t taken in five marks all day. That’s why I came here. I’ll buy some drinks for an entrance fee.

Taxi Man
(
angrily
): We don’t want no outsiders. Get going!

Another Driver
: Ah, let him alone, Gustav.

Gustav
(
furious
): I’ll count three. One —

(
Bobby sizes him up
)

Bobby
(
stalling
): Wouldn’t a whiskey taste good?

Gustav
(
unbuttoning his coat
): — two —

Bobby
(
losing his temper
): Oh, shut your fat face!

Bobby slams him, connects; Gustav goes down and out.

The Other Driver
(
with admiration
): It won’t hurt him. He’s always asking for it.

They put the man in the cab, and we

DISSOLVE TO:

177 THE INTERIOR OF A CAFE.

BOBBY AND THREE DRIVERS AT TABLE

Bobby
: I’ve been driving in the factory district.

The Friendly Driver
: This is a good stand. More money than anywhere else in this rotten city. I’m an actor. Pete here is an architect.

Bobby
(
smiling
): I’m in distinguished company. Is there much work at night?

Architect
: Sure — lots of drunks. A taxi-driver’s best friend is a drunk.

Gustav comes in, glowering.

Friendly Driver
(
to Bobby
): It’s all right. Keep quiet.

Gustav approaches menacingly; suddenly sits down. Bobby pushes a glass toward him.

Bobby
(
smiling
): Your drink.

Gustav gulps it, calls the waiter.

Gustav
(
gruffly
): Same again all round. (
to Bobby
) Lucky punch.

Bobby
: Cracked my thumb.

Gustav
: Good.

The waiter appears.

Waiter
: Two taxis at the hotel.

Two of the men get up and move out. The phone rings again.

Gustav
(
raising his glass to Bobby
): Good luck, Maxey Schmelling.

Bobby
(
drinks — puts down his glass suddenly
): Excuse me — I forgot something.

(
he goes into the phone booth
)

CUT TO:

178 DR. JAFFÉ’S EXAMINATION ROOM

Pat sitting up on the table buttoning her waist — Dr. Jaffé writing in a notebook as the phone rings.

Jaffé
: I saw you four weeks ago.

Pat
: That’s right.

Jaffé picks up the phone.

Jaffé
(
after a moment
): Yes, Pat’s here now.

CUT TO:

179 BOBBY IN THE CAFE BOOTH

He hangs up, waves at Gustav and rushes out.

DISSOLVE TO:

180 JAFFÉ’S OFFICE

Jaffé and Bobby, standing in the foreground. Pat talking to the secretary by the far door and out of earshot.

Dr. Jaffé
(
gravely
): There has been no change. She must go to a sanitarium in October. A year ago, she seemed so much better. Now —

(
he gestures pessimistically
)

Bobby
(
slowly
): The world is full of healthy people who ought to be chloroformed. And this happens to her.

Jaffé
: There’s no answer to that one. (
he puts his hand on Bobby’s arm
) I ask your pardon for being able to do — nothing.

(
they turn toward the door
)

Pat
(
grateful
): Goodbye, Dr. Jaffé.

Jaffé
(
affectionate
): Goodbye, my dear.

Pat and Bobby leave the office. CAMERA TRUCKS in front of them down the corridor toward the elevator.

Bobby
(
unnaturally earnest
): You’re getting better.

Pat
(
quickly
): Don’t. I don’t want to know anything — until Autumn. The elevator clangs open.

Elevator Boy
(
raucously
): Down!

DISSOLVE TO:

181 CLOSE SHOT — A CHESTNUT BRANCH

It flutters in a sudden gust of wind — its leaves falling.

CUT TO:

182 A NEWSPAPER —
 — blowing along a pavement. ANGLE WIDENS TO SHOW:

183 A SHOPPING STREET —
 — on a cold Fall day. Show-windows with fur coats on exaggerated mincing dummies of rich women. Bobby and Pat strolling.