GEORGE

...And then with a swift karate-chop

I removed his gun --

You should have been there!

Poor chap didn't know what hit him...



GIULIETTA (interrupting)

Still, George!

If you can't keep your tongue still,

You will have the face of Edith Sitwell!



GEORGE

Ah well, they're happy...

It's for the best anyway...

Let's face it,

He's the man for her,

And I'm the man for you, dear...



GIULIETTA

Don't talk such nonsense --

You'll never stop loving her.

You don't fool me:

You're quite besotted with her...



Stop. Wait. Good. Please...

Still, George...



GEORGE

With my scarf I made a tourniquet --

Shantung silk, but worth the sacrifice --

It stemmed the flow, the arm was saved, and...



GIULIETTA

Still, George,

Rose would seem the kind of lady

Who would live through any blood-bath...



GEORGE

Darling, it's over --

So don't be so cynical.

I don't suppose that you've become a nun

Since last I saw you...



GIULIETTA

Wouldn't you love that!

Perpetual chastity!



GEORGE

So tell me,

Have you found some young Adonis?



GIULIETTA (back to work again)

Stop. Wait. Good. Please...



No, George.



BOTH

Time and light are fading --

Shouldn't we make the most of

Every precious moment?

Life is sweet and slow and still and...



VOICES

I'm not leaving here till I get what I came for...it's a

Scandal...out of my way...heaven help him if he won't

Pay...who are you pushing...I got here first...all I want

Is what's fair...he had better be there...



GEORGE (over the voices)

For heaven's sake!

Who's making all that mayhem?



MARCEL (to GEORGE)

Thank God you're here!

We've got trouble with Rose --



HOTELIER (to MARCEL)

Are you certain that

This is the man?

Running up bills

Wherever she goes!

Is he the one

Footing the bill?

(to the others)

This is the man I was

Looking for,



Is this the man?

This is your man!

DOCTOR (to MARCEL)

Can you be certain that

This is the man?

Is this the right man?



CASHIER (to HOTELIER) This is the man

Who will pay for

The eighty-one phone calls!



I beg of you, pay!

My poor mother is dying!



HOTELIER (to GEORGE)

She loses her job if

These bills don't get settled!

If I lose my job, then...

PHARMACIST (to DOCTOR)

This is the man

Who will pay for

The codeine and dressings!



DOCTOR (to GEORGE)

I've called the police, there

(to GEORGE)

We'll call the police if...



Are eight in the lobby!

CASHIER

The Doge's Suite!

HOTELIER

DOCTOR & PHARMACIST

Beluga caviar!

Twenty thousand lire!

GONDOLIER

You are the man,

I understand,

Who can clear my expenses.

Here they are:

Thirty thousand lire! CASHIER

Forty thousand!

HOTELIER

Fifty thousand!



GEORGE (counting)

DOCTOR & PHARMACIST

Nineteen...

Twenty thousand lire!

GIULIETTA (counting)

GONDOLIER

Twenty-three...

Thirty thousand lire!

GEORGE & GIULIETTA

Forty-eight...

CASHIER

Forty thousand!

Forty-nine...

HOTELIER

Fifty thousand!

MARCEL

George, I'm sorry...She's been very ill.



ROSE

George...George...

My life is draining...

Away...



MARCEL (backing out, to GEORGE)

We'd best be on our way --

We'll leave you three alone...



GIULIETTA

So this is Rose Vibert.

The famous Rose Vibert.



GEORGE

I have to talk to her.

Sit down and talk to her.

This can't go on another day.



Rose, what can I do with you?

Wreaking havoc left and right --

It's absurd!

She must change her ways,

She must pass this passing phase --

Problem child...

Running wild...



Rose, I ought to strangle you!

But there's a style about that girl

That stops me in my tracks.

Heaven knows why she

Wants to waste her life with me...



And yet if she went off,

If she set herself free,

As I've told her she should...

Where on earth would I be?



GIULIETTA

You'd be lost, my friend,

And so would she...

 

ROSE

...And he said to me

He really ought to buy that vineyard...



GIULIETTA

Please, Rose.

Don't you think you ought

To take a little rest

From George's foibles?



ROSE

Well, you'll have to learn to live with it.

That and all his other pet obsessions:

God and Trollope,

Other women...



GIULIETTA

Please, Rose!



George is a remarkable man.

He was there when I thought I had no one.

He saw me through my darkest moments.

He made me talk about my husband.



We had been married five days...

He drove like the wind...

Not any more...



But George was always there,

No matter when or where.

He stopped me feeling so alone...



ROSE

When did you meet him?



GIULIETTA

One evening at Harry's bar --

He wore a silver tie pin

And a smile that was even brighter...



ROSE

I know that tie pin --

It catches on everything!



GIULIETTA

And as for all those paint rags...



ROSE

Heaven help us!



BOTH

We deserve a medal!



ROSE

Nice to see that George has settled in:

Fifteen novels on the go, as always!

Used to drive me to distraction...



GIULIETTA

Please, Rose!



Last year he forgot my birthday,

So I rearranged his bookmarks...



ROSE

George dear, we're talking --

We don't need you hovering.



GIULIETTA

My darling, you're completely right --



We're doing fine without you.



GEORGE (smiles)

I get the picture.

Condemn me to solitude!



ROSE

You'll find some things to keep you occupied.



GIULIETTA

We'll call you if we need you!



ROSE & GIULIETTA

Time and light are fading --

Shouldn't we make the most

Of every precious moment?

Life is sweet and slow and still

And perfect!

All the more, now our man George

Has brought the two of us together!



ROSE

I never imagined she'd be like that --

Your lady friend comes as a sweet surprise...

A wonderfully sweet surprise...



GEORGE

Take a deep breath and prepare yourself...

I've been such a trusting fool...

Those wretched investments I made

Have gone down the drain...

After today, there'll be no more champagne...

The ways of the world are cruel...



ROSE

If I ask a question,

Will you promise...?

You must promise...

That the answer to my question is "yes"...



GEORGE

Yes, I'll say yes...



ROSE

Take a deep breath and prepare yourself...

My mind is in such a mess...

But really, George,

All that I wanted to ask was this:

Would you be willing to marry me?



GEORGE

I've already told you.

Yes.