The Man Who Could Cheat Death

Oh, dear, oh, dear.

- Good night, officer. - Good night, sir.

Evening, dear.

Whoa, whoa.

Thank you.

He's so charming and elegant. He has such wonderful taste.

Yes, he has, when it comes to models.

Now I shan't be seeing you again.

Of course you will. Just because the statue is finished

that is not a reason why things shouldn't stay as they are.

But I shan't be posing for you anymore.

Surely we are past the stage where we need an excuse to meet.

We have but what about other people?

Have you... Are you going to tell them about us?

Let's not think of other people, hm?

Let's think of ourselves.

Excuse me a moment.

Janine.

This is a surprise indeed.

- How are you, Georges? - I'm fine.

And you look wonderful.

Thank you.

Oh, Georges, this is Dr Pierre Gerard.

- Georges Bonner. - How do you do?

How do you do?

- Janine, it's getting late. - Oh, no, we've plenty oftime.

Pierre and I are on our way to the theatre.

I heard you had a reception here tonight so I asked him to bring me along first.

I'm glad you did.

I was just about to show a few friends my latest sculpture.

Please.

Georges.

This isn't my statue you're unveiling, is it?

No.

Did you ever start it?

No, I'm afraid I left the sketches in Italy.

Shall we go?

I'm glad Mademoiselle Dubois brought you along, Doctor.

Oh, thank you. I've always wanted to see the inside ofyour place, Bonner.

- It has quite a reputation. - A good one, I trust.

Very. Tell me, how many patients can you accommodate at one time?

Oh, not more than 15.

I have the house next to this one, which I use as the clinic.

There is room for more

but I find that the patients I get

require a great deal of individual attention.

- Difficult cases? - Difficult people.

Their money gives them an overblown sense oftheir own importance.

- Yes, I've met them. - Yes, I'm sure you have.

But now I think it really is time that we...

Excuse me.

- Well? - No sign of him, sir.

I waited till all the passengers were gone. He just wasn't there.

- What time is the next train? - In about six hours, sir.

All right.

Make sure you meet it.

Yes, sir.

I am extremely sorry to have kept you waiting.

I would like to say at this stage

that any credit due for what you are about to see

should be laid at the feet of my charming young model.

An artist cannot form a thing of beauty

unless he has a thing of beauty from which to draw his inspiration.

And now there is nothing else for me to do

except to throw myself on your mercy.

- (Man) A most wonderful likeness. - (Woman) Yes, isn't it?

Oh, Dr Bonner.

But it's...

- It's... - A very fine piece of work, Bonner.

- Thank you very much. - It's extremely beautiful.

You wouldn't be interested in selling it, I suppose?

You can see I still have to cast it.

Anyway, sculpting is something I do for my own pleasure.

Having not yet reached the perfection I seek,

I find it quite impossible to give up the completed work,

so I'll keep it.

- Oh? Where? - Oh, not here.

Somewhere I can go occasionally to look at it and...

be reminded of my beautiful young model.

- Are you feeling all right? - Yes, yes, of course.

It's just that I think we ought to go, Pierre.

- Would you mind getting my cloak? - Yes, of course.

Erm...a remarkably fine sculptor, Bonner, don't you think?

Yes, very fine.

I wanted to buy it but he wasn't interested.

Says he always keeps his stuff when he's finished.

- Really? - Yes.

I wonder where... Hello! What's this?

I thought there'd be something else here somewhere.

Mm, a torso. Oh, yes!

Oh, yes, a very beautiful woman she must have...

Terribly sorry.

Very clumsy of me.

Your cloak, Janine.

Thank you, Pierre.

You are leaving?

We are already late for the theatre.

I hope you have a very pleasant evening.

Yes? What is it, Roger?

It's half past six, sir.

Already? Are you sure?

- Yes, sir. I've checked with two clocks. - My watch says ten past.

It must be slow, sir. The time is definitely half past six.

I need a new watch. I need absolute accuracy.

Goodbye.

I am afraid I must ask you to leave now.

You all know that my main duty is the care of my patients.

Their needs must come before everything else.

I would like to thank you all for coming here

and...

and I must apologise if I seem rude

by bringing this party to so...

to so sudden a close.

Strange fellow, Bonner.

Did you know him well when you were in Italy?

- Why? - Oh, I don't know.

It was just that he didn't seem too anxious to see you again.

Yes, it did seem that way, didn't it?

Well, apparently it doesn't worry you very much.

No.

No, it doesn't.

Oh, it was beautiful, Dr Bonner, but beautiful.

- Thank you very much. - Good night.

Ifyou change your mind about selling any ofyour stuff, do let me know.

Good night. It has been my pleasure, I assure you.

What time is it?

- It's a quarter to seven, sir. - Thank you.

Tell Roger, if he has any news for me when he gets back from meeting the train

he can come and wake me.

- Whatever the time is. - Very good, sir.

- Good night. - Good night, sir.

- I thought you had gone. - I want to talk to you.

- Nobody knows I'm here. - I'm sorry but you must go.

But I must talk to you, Georges.

Not now, later.

- I'm very busy. - Not later, now.

I want to know what's going to happen to us, Georges.

Look, Margo, I'll talk to you tomorrow.

It's Janine Dubois, isn't it?

You're in love with her.

- Please leave. - I'm not leaving.

Ifyou think you can just forget me you're mistaken.

I won't let you.

You can't!

You know I love you.

You made me tell it to you time and time again.

You made me humiliate myself.

I'm not going to step aside so you can be with someone else.

Get out. Get out!

Your eyes.

What's the matter with your eyes?

All right, Georges. We'll talk about it tomorrow.

Georges?

- I'm sorry. - Too late.

Too late.

Margo.

I tried to make you go.

I tried...

very hard.

Wait a moment.

Yes?

Hello, Georges.

I saw the statue last night.

Why did you lie to me?

Why didn't you want me to know that you'd started work on it?

Why did you start work on it?

I like to finish what I start.

Oh. Is that why you ran away from me in Italy?

Is that what you call finishing what you start?

My holiday was over. I came back to work.

- So suddenly? - Yes, so suddenly.

There was a case.

It was urgent.

I waited for you to come back to me. I waited for you to write to me.

Then I realised that if I ever wanted to see you again

I had to be the one to make the first move.

Why? Why are you so afraid of loving me, Georges?

I watched you towards the end ofthe holiday in Italy

and you were like a man heading towards something

which he wanted to avoid.

I began to think that I'd won

and that you were going to admit to yourselfthat you really loved me.

Was I right?

All right, Janine. I did fall in love with you in Italy.

This could not be so I left.

- Why couldn't it be? - It just couldn't.

- But you knew how I felt about you? - Yes, I knew.

And you still ran away from it.

I'm not going to give up so easily, Georges.

Oh, tell me you don't want me to give up.

No, I don't...

Oh, I knew I was right.

May I see your statue again?

Yes.

Yes, of course.

It's very lovely.

It's you who are lovely.

I only copied.

Is it finished?

Nearly.