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(Baili Ha'i) Scene 4-page 43
Cable: Then your just the man to go back and cancel it. Forget the whole thing OK!
(Cable exits)
Billis: Lieutenant, you and me are going on aboat trip whether you like it or not.
(Billis throws an orange head in his anger in the opposite direction)
- (Brackett Off stage)
- Hay!
- Who the hell threw that?
-
Billis: I threw it! What you gonna do about it.
- (Brachett Walks on past Billis, then turns)
- Yours I believe?
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Scene 5-page 45
(Cable is standing by the table. Breckett salutes and walks past him to
his desk).
- Cable – we’ve got some dope on your Frenchman.(Harbison hands him a file, and Brackett reads from the papers) Marie Louise Island…moved down here 16 years ago…Lived with a Polynesianwoman for about 5 years.. Two children by her… She died…. Here’s one thing we’ve got to clear up. Seems he left France in a hurry.
- He killed a guy. What do you think of that?
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Cable: Might be a handy man to have around.
Harbison: Cabel! (Beckoning Cable to join him at a map)
- (Phone rings) Good send her in.
- No, we haven’t got time for her to change into he uniform.
- Tell her to come in.
- (Rise from table)
- Come in Miss Forbush.
-
Nellie: Captain Brackett, please excuse me…….
- ( breaking in)
- You look fine.
May I present Commander Harbison?
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Harbison: I have the pleasure of meeting Miss Forbush twice a week.
(Brackett looks at him with surprised admiration)
We serve together on the G.I entertainments committee.
- Oh!
- May I also present Lt Joseph Cable – Miss Forbush.
- Sit down Miss Forbush.
- How are the Thanksgiving entertainments coming along?
-
Nellie: Very well, thank you sir. We practise whenever we get the chance.
(She wonders way he has sent for her)
- Now,
- about two weeks ago, you met a French planter.
- An Emile de Becque
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Nellie: Yes sir.
What do you know about him?
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Nellie: Well..I…er what do I know about him?
That’s right.
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Nellie: I..we ..met at the Officer’s Club. He was there and
I met him….. Then I had lunch with him today.
- (getting up and making his way to the front of the table.)
- Yes!
- Now, what kind of a man is he?
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Nellie: He’s very nice…He’s kind…He’s attractive..I er ..just don’t know what you want to know sir.
Harbison: Miss Forbush, Captain Brackett wants to know, did you discuss politics?
Nellie: No sir.
- (A long pitying look at Harbison)
- Would you have discussed politics commander?
- Now, what we are specifically interested in is—er,
- When these fellows come out from France,
- It’s generally because they’ve had some trouble.
- Now, has he ever told you any about that?
-
(She is confused and he tries to help her out.)
What do you know about his family?
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Nellie: He has no family, no wife, nobody.
Harbison: He hasn’t any children?
Nellie: No sir!
- And you say he never told you why he left France?
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Nellie: Yes sir. He left France because he killed a man.
(A sigh of relief from Brackett.)
Harbison: Did he tell you why?
(Brackette moves back to other side of the table)
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Nellie: No, but he will if I ask.
Harbison: Well, Miss Forbush, that’s exactly what we’d like to have you do. Find out as much as you can about him. His background, his opinions, and why he killed this man in France.
Nellie: In other words you want me to spy on him.
Well, I’m afraid it is something like that.
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Nellie: Why? Do you suspect him of anything?
- (Lies do not come easy to him)No!
- It’s just that we don’t know very much about him, and he’s –er.
Will you help us, Miss Forbush?
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Nellie: I’ll try.
- Thanks you.
- You can go now if you wish.
(He starts to take down some notes)
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Nellie: I don’t know very much about him really….do I?
(She goes out)
Cable: He’s kept a few secrets from her, hasn’t he?
- Well you don’t spring a couple of Polynesian kids on a woman,
- right off the bat.
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Harbison: I’m afraid we aren’t going to get very much from her. She’s obviously in love with him.
Cable: That’s hard to believe, sir. They tell me he is a middle-aged man.
- (Brackett closing file and raising from his desk with hands on the table)Cable!
- It is a common mistake for boys of your age, and athletic ability,
- to underestimate men who have reached their maturity.
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Cable: I didn’t mean, sir….
- (Brackett Walks round to confront Cable)
- Young woman frequently find a grown man attractive.
- Strange as it may seem to you.
- I myself am over 50. I am a bachelor and, Cable,
- I do not, by any means,
- consider myself….through.
-
(Harbison is suppressing laughter)
- What’s the matter with you Bill?
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Harbison: Nothing evidently.
Okay Cable, see you at chow.
Oh! Do you play bridge?
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Cable: Yes sir.
Got any money?
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Cable: Yes sir.
Well, I’ll be taking that off you.
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Cable: Yes sir.
(He goes out)
- (Brackett darts a penetrating look at Harbison)
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Harbison: Marie Louise Island is twenty-four miles long and three miles wide.
Let’s say every time they send out a message they move to another hill.
It seems to me, looking at this thing…....
(interrupting)
Realistically!
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Harbison: Realistically…..they could last about a week.
- Of cause, it would be worth it,
- if it were the - right week.
- With decent information, our side might get moving.
- Operation Alligator might get off its can after all.
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Quale: (entering with LARGE BOX)
Here it is sir, I got it.
- (to Harbinson)
- Okay Bill. See you at chow.
- (Harbison looks at the box)
See you at chow Bill.
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Harbison: Oh, see you at chow.
- (to Quale)
- Got the address right?
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Quale: I think so sir.
Mrs Amerlia Fortuna,
25 Hobson Avenue,
Charleston,
South Carolina.
I want to pack it myself.
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Quale: (exiting) Yes sir.
- (Brackett starts to whistle, and opens the package, and shacks out a
- grass skirt. Harbison stands unseen by Brackett.)
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