廊桥遗梦 第二十章 英1

孙祎卓

EXT. WINTERSET - MAIN STREET - DAY
Richard and Francesca drive up to the general store to buygroceries. Francesca heads for the store as Richard crossesthe street.

　　FRANCESCAWant anything special for dinner?

　　RICHARDHmm. How about that brown sugar meatloaf you make?

　　FRANCESCA(smiles)Okay.

　　She enters the store.

　　INT. GENERAL STORE - DAYFrancesca makes small talk with the grocery lady as she buyswhat she needs.

　　EXT. MAIN STREET - DAYFrancesca places a bag of groceries on the front seat of thetruck, then gets in herself to wait for Richard. She takes adeep breath and removes a handkerchief from her bag to wipethe sweat from her face. She freezes -Through the windshield, she sees ROBERT standing beside histruck across the street, staring at her. Her heart stops.

　　For a moment, she isn't even sure he's real.

　　The town moves about its business around them. But neithernotice or care. Whatever safety or forgetfulness she felt isgone. Her feelings burst through. She sits there helplessbefore him -- willing to go or stay depending on what he did.

　　He begins walking towards her. She prepares herself. Her lifewill change -- it has to. There's not turning back.

　　But the closer Robert gets, the clearer he can see that sheis crying. And he stops.

　　Without any words, he realizes what taking her with him wouldmean. With just a glance, he sacrifices her. With their eyeslocked in the middle of Main Street -- in front of the wholetown -- they smile and say goodbye.

　　Robert returns to his truck. He drives off down Main Street,taking the first left.

　　Moments later, Richard throws the feed bag into the back ofhis truck and gets in. Francesca is wiping her eyes.

　　He doesn't notice. He drives off in the same direction asRobert.

　　FRANCESCA (V.O.)For a moment, I didn't know where Iwas. And for a split second, thethought crossed my mind that hereally didn't want me -- that it waseasy to walk away.

　　As they pass the corner where Robert made his left turn,Francesca turns to look and sees:

　　ROBERT'S TRUCK IS PARKED just off the corner. As if he had todrive away to get out of sight, but couldn't bring himself todrive any further.

　　The sight of him hiding there breaks Francesca's heart, sheturns away from her husband to hide the tears.

　　EXT. JOHNSON HOUSE - DAYWE REPLAY THE OPENING SCENE FROM THE MOVIE:

　　Carolyn is in the yard picking vegetables. Her parents driveup in their truck. She steps out with her bag of groceriesand walks briskly into the house. Richard follows more slowlywith his bag of feed, stopping at the gate to pick up thebutton from Francesca's red dress.

　　INT. KITCHENFrancesca enters and places her groceries on the counter. Shetries to compose herself. She sees the radio before her. Sheturns it on. The Dinah Washington song "I'LL CLOSE MY EYES"evokes every feeling of love and loss within her. She beginsto cry.

　　She hears Richard enter the house. She stands out of sight,holding her hand to her mouth to muffle her crying. She hears:

　　MICHAEL (O.S.)Dad! You bought the wrong feed!

　　RICHARDWhat!?

　　She hears Richard exit the house.

　　EXT. LUCY REDFIELD'S HOUSE - NIGHTA hand knocks on a door. Lucy Redfield opens it to findFrancesca standing there with a cake.

　　FRANCESCAHi. I'm Francesca Johnson. I justfeel awful I haven't come to visitsooner. I hope I'm not interruptinganything. Is it too late?

　　Lucy is shocked and moved at the same time.

　　LUCYNo. Not at all.

　　FRANCESCAI was wondering if... maybe you'dlike some company.

　　(almost manic)I baked a cake!

　　Lucy looks at the cake. She's a little dazed by all this.

　　LUCYUh... sure. Please. Come in. I'llmake coffee.

　　Francesca enters. Lucy closes the door.

　　CUT TO:

　　EXT. IOWA LAKEFRONT - DAWNMichael continues reading beside Carolyn as the sun rises.

　　MICHAEL"We became inseparable, Lucy and I.

　　The funny thing is, I didn't tell herabout Robert until years later. But,for some reason, being with hersomehow made me feel it was safe tothink about him. To continue lovinghim. The town loved talking about thetwo of us but we didn't care. Andneither did your father. Which Ithought was a lovely thing. Ireceived Robert's letter and myphotograph soon after. I alwayswondered if your father found them.

　　I was never quite sure..."INT. KITCHEN - EVENINGAt dinner, Richard remembers the button he found.

　　RICHARDOh, Franny, is this yours?

　　Francesca sees the button. She speaks her original lines MOSas HER NARRATION is hard:

　　FRANCESCA (V.O.)I almost told him. In that moment Ifelt as if I couldn't hold it back.

　　If he really loved me maybe he'dunderstand.

　　She returns to her meal. The family eats in silence.

　　FRANCESCA (cont'd; V.O.)But love won't obey our expectations.

　　Its mystery is pure and absolute.