廊桥遗梦 第十二章 英2

孙祎卓

　MICHAELNice? He's trying to sleep withsomebody's wife.

　　CAROLYNI don't think so. Not yet anyway. Andbesides, something like that doesn'tmake you a bad person. He reminds meof Steve in a way. Steve's weak,immoral and a liar but he's still areal nice guy. He just shouldn't bemarried.

　　(laughs)At least not to me. You gettinghungry? I'm hungry.

　　Michael nods, then speaks with sincere compassion.

　　MICHAELI had no idea it's gotten that bad,sis.

　　CAROLYNOh, don't feel sorry for me. Please.

　　No one's forcing me to stay.

　　MICHAELThen why do you?

　　CAROLYNAnd do what? Live alone? Go back toschool? Find someone else? Start amagazine for confused woman? ... Whatif I can't do any of those things?

　　Michael can't answer her. Carolyn looks through the cabinets.

　　CAROLYN (cont'd)There's not much here to make.

　　MICHAELLet's go into town and get a bite.

　　We'll take the books with us.

　　Carolyn nods. Michael looks for the next notebook, checkingthe dates.

　　INT. CAR - EARLY EVENINGMichael drives as Carolyn opens the next notebook and reads:

　　FRANCESCA (V.O.)"We sat sipping brandy. I thought ifanybody walked through the door nowthere'd be no explaining it. But Ididn't care. And I loved that Ididn't care. I almost wanted it tohappen. Then there'd be no turningback. I wanted to be like him. Ilived this life of his. We talkedabout his wife and I was jealous --not of her -- but of his leaving. Hisfearlessness. He knew what he wanted.

　　How did he do that.

　　CUT BACK TO:

　　1965INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHTFrancesca sips her brandy. Robert sits in the easy chair.

　　FRANCESCADo you mind if I... ask you why yougot divorced?

　　ROBERTNot at all. I wasn't around much...

　　So why did I get married? Well, Ithought it was a good idea at thetime. Have a home base. Roots. Youcan get lost moving around so much.

　　FRANCESCASo what happened?

　　ROBERTI never got lost. For some reason,I'm more at home everywhere than atone place. So I decided I'll think ofmyself as some kind of world citizen.

　　I belong everywhere and nowhere. I'mkin to everyone, and no one inparticular. See, once you get intothe habit of not needing anyone, it'skind of hard to break.

　　FRANCESCAYou must get lonely at times.

　　ROBERTNever touch the stuff. I've gotfriends all over the world. Goodfriends I can see when I want, if Iwant.

　　FRANCESCAWoman friends, too?

　　ROBERTI'm a loner, I'm not a monk.

　　Francesca averts her eyes, before continuing her investigation.

　　FRANCESCAYou really don't need anyone?

　　ROBERTNo, I think I need everyone! I lovepeople. I want to meet them all!

　　I just think there are too many outthere saying "This is mine." or"She's mine." Too many lines havebeen drawn. World's breaking apartbecause of man's weakness for sometestosterone conquests over territoryand power and people. He wantscontrol over what deep down he knowshe has no control over whatsoever andit scares him silly.

　　FRANCESCAWhy doesn't it scare you?

　　ROBERTI embrace Mystery. I don't knowwhat's coming. And I don't mind.

　　FRANCESCADo you ever regret it? The divorce,I mean.

　　ROBERTNo.

　　FRANCESCADo you ever regret not having afamily?

　　ROBERTNot everybody's supposed to have afamily.

　　FRANCESCABut -- how can you just live for whatyou want? What about other people?

　　ROBERTI told you, I love other people.

　　FRANCESCABut no one in particular.

　　ROBERTNo. But I love them just the same.

　　FRANCESCABut it's not the same.

　　ROBERTThat's not what you're saying. I knowit's not the same. What you're sayingis, it's not as good. Or it's not asnormal or proper.

　　FRANCESCANo, I'm just saying --ROBERT(interrupting)I'm a little sick of this AmericanFamily Ethic everyone seems to behypnotized by in this country. Iguess you think I'm just some poordisplaced soul doomed to roam theearth without a self-cleaning ovenand home movie.

　　FRANCESCA(irritated)Just because someone chooses tosettle down and have a family doesn'tnecessarily mean they're hypnotized.

　　Just because I've never seen agazelle stampede doesn't mean I'masleep in the world.

　　ROBERTDo you want to leave your husband?

　　Francesca is completely stunned and thrown off guard.

　　FRANCESCANo. Of course not.

　　(rising, upset)