INT.
KITCHEN
They eat by candlelight. Neither speaks.
Neither is very hungry.
ROBERT
Would you like a beer?
She smiles and shakes her head. Robert opens
a bottle and takes a sip.
ROBERT (cont'd)
You know what I'd like to do before we leave?
I'd like to take a picture of you -- at
Roseman bridge. Maybe just as the sun's
coming up.
FRANCESCA
Yes. I'd like that.
Pause.
Robert smiles back and takes another sip.
Then, knowing full well what
hangs heavy between them, he asks:
ROBERT
Tell me why you're not coming with me?
Francesca
stops pretending to eat. She looks at him,
having forgotten how well he can read her.
FRANCESCA
No matter how I keep turning
it around in my mind -- it doesn't seem
like the right thing.
ROBERT
For who?
FRANCESCA
For anyone. They'll never be
able to live through the talk. Richard
will never be able to. He doesn't deserve
that. He hasn't hurt anyone in his life.
ROBERT
(getting aggressive)
Then he can move! People move!
FRANCESCA
His family's lived for almost a hundred
years. Richard doesn't know how to live
anywhere else. And the kids...
ROBERT
The kids are grown! They don't need you
anymore. You told me that. They hardly talk
to you.
FRANCESCA
No, they don't say much. But Carolyn's 16.
She's just about to find out about all this
for herself -- she's going to fall in love,
she's going to try and figure out how to
build a life with someone. If I leave what
does that say to her?
ROBERT
What about us? What about me?
FRANCESCA You've
got to know deep down that the minute we
leave here. It'll all change.
ROBERT Yeah.
It could get better.
FRANCESCA
No matter how much distance we put between
us and this house, I bring with it with
me. And I'll feel it every minute we're
together. And I'll blame loving you for
how much it hurts. And then even these four
days won't be anything more than something
sordid
and... a mistake.
ROBERT
(desperately) Francesca, listen to me. You
think what's happened to us happens to just
anybody? What we feel for each other? How
much we feel? We're not even two separate
people anymore. Some people search their
whole lives for it and wind up alone --
most people don't even think it exists and
you're going to tell me that giving it up
is the right thing to do? That staying here
alone in a marriage, alone in a town you
hate, in a house you don't feel a part of
anymore -- you're telling me that's the
right thing to do!?
FRANCESCA
We are the choices we've made, Robert.
ROBERT (rises)
TO HELL WITH YOU!
He
turns his back on her.
FRANCESCA
Robert. Please. (desperate to explain) You
don't understand -- no one does. When a
woman makes the choice to marry, to have
children -- in one way her life begins but
in another way it stops. You
build a life of details. You become
a mother, a wife and you stop and stay steady
so that your children can move. And when
they leave they take your life of details
with them. And then you're expected to move
again only you don't remember what moves
you because no one has asked in so long.
Not even yourself. You never in your life
think that love like this can happen to
you.
ROBERT
But now that you have it ...
FRANCESCA I
want to keep it forever. I want to love
you the way I do now the rest of my life.
Don't you understand -- we'll lose it if
we leave. I can't make an entire life disappear
to start a new one. All I can do is try
to hold onto both. Help me. Help me not
lose loving you.
She
embraces him. He wraps his arms around her.
He whispers.
ROBERT
Don't leave me. Don't leave me alone. Please.
This breaks her heart, knowing how hard
it is for him to say this. She holds him
tighter, until ...
ROBERT
(cont'd) Listen. Maybe you feel this way,
maybe you don't. Maybe it's just because
you're in this house. Maybe ... maybe when
they come back tomorrow you'll feel differently.
Don't you think that's possible?
FRANCESCA I
don't know. Please...
ROBERT I'm
going to be here a few more days. I'll be
at the Inn. We have some time. Let's not
say any more now.
FRANCESCA No.
Don't do this.
ROBERT I CAN'T
SAY GOODBYE YET! We'll leave it for now.
We're not saying goodbye. We're not making
any decision. Maybe you'll change your mind.
Maybe we'll accidentally
run into each other and ... and you'll change
your mind.
FRANCESCA Robert,
if that happens, you'll have to decide.
I won't be able to.
She
cries in his arms. He kisses her as if for
the last time. Then, quickly, separates
himself and leaves the house.
Useful lanuage
items:
knowing
full well what hangs heavy between them
清楚地知道沉重的会是什么。Back
No
matter how I keep turning it around in my
mind 不管我如何思来想去。 Back
They'll
never be able to live through the talk.
他们绝对不会经受得住人们的闲言碎语的。Back
You
begin a life of details.
你就开始了充满琐碎的生活。Back
