廊桥遗梦 第十一章 英2

孙祎卓

　FRANCESCAMy children. And Richard didn't likemy working.

　　ROBERTDo you miss it?

　　FRANCESCAI don't know. I've never thoughtabout it... what was the mostexciting place you've ever been to?

　　Unless you're tired of talking aboutit.

　　ROBERTYou're asking a man if he's too tiredto talk about himself? You don't getout much, do you?

　　Francesca smiles, a little embarrassed.

　　ROBERTI'm sorry. That was...

　　FRANCESCA(overlapping)No. It's all right. I just meant, itmight be a little dull for you,telling all this to some housewifein the middle of nowhere.

　　ROBERTThis is your home. It's not nowhere.

　　And it's not dull.

　　Francesca smiles again, this time relieved.

　　ROBERTLet's see -- my favorite place...

　　Francesca settles in to listen, never taking her eyes off of him.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)Well, it's the obvious choice, but Ithink I'd have to say Africa. It'sanother world. Not just the peopleand the cultures but the land, thecolors you see at dawns and dusks --and the life there. It charges everymolecule of air.

　　Francesca is fascinated, being drawn into his imagery.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)It's tangible -- the moment to momentof life and death, the co-habitationof man and beast, of beast and beast,who'll survive, who won't -- andthere's no judgement about it. Noright or wrong or imposed morality.

　　It's just life. It's a voyeursparadise really because those animalsdon't want anybody in their business.

　　You can watch but at a distance.

　　(excited)I remember one time I was on a truckheaded for the Niger.

　　Lights begin to dim as Francesca is so taken in by his story,she begins to actually see what he is describing.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)We were driving north. The truck wasold so I guess the sound of the motormuffled this kind of rumbling in thedistance -- until finally, it was uponus like, like a hundred thunder clapsall at once...

　　CU on FRANCESCA as WE BLEND THE SOUNDS OF AFRICA and --CUT TO:

　　EXT. AFRICA - DAYRobert and a driver are in a truck driving north. Robertturns to look out the window and sees:

　　A HERD OF GIRAFFES AND GAZELLES AND WATERBUCKS AND ZEBRA arerunning in the grasslands to the right of the truck. Robertexcitedly instructs the driver:

　　ROBERTGet us closer!!

　　The driver veers off towards the stampede as Robert opens hisdoor and makes his way to the flatbed part of the truck withhis camera. The truck takes its position within thisbreathtaking force of wildlife, as giraffes, zebras andgazelles surround it -- all going in the same direction.

　　Robert stands in the truck, shooting as fast as he can. Thetruck races to keep up with the animals. Robert is so pumpedhe can hardly catch his breath. Suddenly, the force andbeauty of these creatures causes him to lower his camera. Heis unable to film it because it overwhelms him. He juststands there in awe and lets out a primal scream. The animalsgradually veer off to where the truck can no longer follow.

　　Robert watches them disappear into the distance.

　　CUT BACK TO:

　　INT. JOHNSON KITCHEN - NIGHTFrancesca has seen all of this in her mind. Robert smiles ather, sensing how in tune with the story she was.

　　FRANCESCAMy God. How I'd love to see that.

　　ROBERTThey have safaris for tourists now.

　　Maybe you can convince your husband.

　　Francesca smiles. There is an awkward pause between them.

　　ROBERT (cont'd)It's a beautiful night. Would youlike to go for a walk?

　　FRANCESCAWell, it's kind of buggy out there.

　　ROBERT(rises)Have no fear. This Shoshone MedicineWoman taught me how to make bugrepellent tea out of tree root.

　　FRANCESCAYou drink bug repellent?

　　ROBERTNo, you rub it on you. I have some inthe truck. Don't go away.

　　She shakes her head. He runs out the screen door, not lettingit slam. Francesca looks like a teenager with first dateexcitement.