Cobra

1
There are times when
  friendship becomes
the most important thing
in a man's life, stronger
than love, equal to any
sacrifice - - even that of 
love itself.

2
On the terrace of the
   Café del Mare.

3
Vittorio Minardi, a
   gentleman - -
by profession - -

     - Hector Sarno

4
"I am told Count 
Torriani is here -
will you point him 
out to me?"

5
"Signor, we see a great
deal of you here - -
but not much of your
money."

6
"I have a little account 
to settle with young 
Torriani. As soon as 
he pays me - -"

7
"But you don't even 
  know the Count!"

8
"Yes, but he knows 
my daughter - - I
have a letter - -"

9
In scrapes or out of them,
there was always some-
thing magnificent about
the young Count Torriani.

       - Rudolph Valentino

10
"You'd better meet 
him outside. I want 
no rows here."

11
"Just tell Torriani I'm
waiting. He'll give you
fifty lire to let him
out by the side door."

12
"You must get me 
 out of here!"

13
Jack Dorning knew
 but one word in
Italian - the name of
his hotel.

    - Casson Ferguson

14
"Ah! Ha! Conte Torriani
- alla fine vi ho trovato!"

15
"Ah! Ha! Count Torriani
- so at last we meet!"

16
"No understand -
I'm an American 
- Americano."

17
"Bah! Non mi pigliate
in giro! Io sono il
papa di Rosa!"

18
"Ba! You cannot fool 
me! I am Rosa's papa!"

19
"I speak English.
 Can I help you?"

20
"You've made a mistake
- - the signor is an 
American."

21
"I'm Torriani - the fellow
    he's looking for."

22
  Next day in the 
    ancient palace 
of the Torriani.

23
"You ought to be 
in my business -
selling antiques."

24
Rosa Minardi, her
  papa's pride - -
and sole support.

 - Claire de Lorez

25
"Women - - always
women! If only I
could get away from 
them all!"

26
"But this chalice is worth 
ten times what you ask.
Cellini himself made it."

27
"Honestly, I hate myself
for this. I try to behave
- but it doesn't run in 
the family."

28
"There's the one who 
started it all - women
and trouble, trouble
and women!"

29
"My husband!"

30
"That is my inheritance
- - that, and this old,
debt-ridden palace."

31
"With your knowledge
of antiques, you could
be very useful to me
- that is, if you really
want to get away."

32
"You mean - go to 
America with you?"

33
"Yes - and I promise
to keep you too busy
to think of women."

34
Rodrigo had sailed for
  America with the 
best intentions in the
world.

35
"Here, look at the one 
with the torch - she's
much safer - -"

36
The firm name of 
  Dorning and Son
- Jack's heritage - was
a synonym for excel-
lence and worth.

37
Jack's secretary -
   Mary Drake.

- Gertrude Olmstead

38
"Count Torriani is to
be our expert on 
Italian antiques."

39
"We have some really
beautiful things here."

40
"Yes - so I see."

41
"I don't think New
York's going to be
so lonely after all."

42
"You're fond of the 
theatre, aren't you?"

43
"Why, yes, I go 
 quite often -"

44
"- with my mother."

45
Henry Madison, manager
 of Dorning and Son.

       - Henry Barrows

46
Mrs. Huntington Palmer,
 the art dealer's joy
and her husband's despair.

         - Lillian Langdon

47
"You are sure this is
  real Capodimonte?"

48
"It is quite genuine. I
have the companion 
piece at home."

49
"I'll take it!"

50
"I'll be glad to have you
see my collection, Count
Torriani. I have some
really fine things - to say
nothing of a charming
niece!"

51
Torriani soon found
 that New York was 
no place to escape
women.

52
"Oh, shut up! Elise
has been flirting with
that indoor sheik all
evening."

53
"Listen, you! I brought 
that girl here for 
myself - -"

54
"There's that young 
Italian count I told 
you about."

55
Mrs. Palmer's niece,
  Elise Van Zile, was
among New York's most
prominent and unsuc-
cessful husband-hunters.

            - Nita Naldi

56
Jack Dorning's apartment,
  which he shared with
Rodrigo.

57
Sophie Binner - "And
  believe it or not,
she's a lady!"

      - Eileen Percy

58
"Keep quiet? - - Say,
you can't quit me
cold without paying
- and paying big!"

59
"But I haven't the 
money, I tell you,
and you can't stay 
here - - there are
people coming for
tea."

60
"What I'll have to say
will interest your dainty
friends a darn sight
more than what they
have to eat."

61
"I'm sorry, I couldn't 
help but hear - and
if there's anything I
can do -"

62
"Mr. Torriani promised
to lend me a thousand 
dollars, but found he
was - overdrawn."

63
"Will the amount you
mention remove all -
obligations?"

64
"Listen, kid -- a
thousand bucks
will remove al-
most anything."

65
"You certainly have
got a lovely gentle-
man friend."

66
"Rod, you're a puzzle 
to me. You're one of 
the best fellows I've
ever known, but -"

67
"I know what you're
going to say. The
worst of it is, it's
true - -"

68
"Women fascinate me
- as that cobra does 
its victim."

69
"You don't know how 
lucky you are - - to
you all girls are like
Mary Drake - - just
pals."

70
"I'm expecting Mrs. Palmer 
and her niece for tea.
You receive them - - tell 
them I'm sick - dead -
anything!"

71
"Certainly she's a
beautiful girl - -
that's why I'm
side-stepping."

72
"Now watch your step!"

73
"Isn't Auntie here? She
  said four o'clock."

74
"I'll wait for her - if
    you don't mind."

75
"I don't believe you're
 a bit glad to see me."

76
"What a gorgeous
apartment! You
have marvelous
taste - -"

77
"But it isn't mine -
  it's Dorning's."

78
"But you have a great 
many beautiful things 
of your own - I've noticed
the car you drive -"

79
"All Dorning's!"

80
"What a pity the 
wrong people have 
all the money!"

81
"Jack Dorning deserves
everything he has. He
may seem old-fashioned
- - but he's the best
fellow in the world!"

82
"I've just been admiring 
    your apartment."

83
"I'm afraid Auntie's 
not coming. I - I -
must go!"

84
"My car's downstairs
-- Rodrigo can drive
you home."

85
"Oh, I'm afraid - I've 
seen Count Torriani
drive - - he goes so
fast."

86
"You may find me
too slow - but if 
you don't mind -
and Rod -"

87
"Isn't she lucky! I'm
sure Mr. Downing will 
do everything in the 
world to make her 
happy."

88
"That's what any man
should do for the 
woman he marries."

89
"Such a speech from 
you? If you stay in 
America long enough
we'll have you really 
educated."

90
At the end of a year
 Jack Dorning still
believed that he was
the luckiest man in the
world.

91
"We've just figured the
estimate for decorations
on that Philadelphia job."

92
"Fine! I'll take it with
me to Philadelphia
tomorrow night."

93
"What's the matter 
with Rod, dear? He
hasn't been to see
us for ages."

94
"He's working too 
hard - he handles all
our contracts now."

95
"Besides, he's a young
bachelor - and we're
just an old married 
couple."

96
"May I drop you 
 at your home?"

97
"I know what you're 
thinking - but honestly, 
I've been a regular 
saint lately."

98
"That happened 
   long ago."

99
Next day Rodrigo
  thought he had
found a new joy in
his work.

100
"Now I understand why
you haven't been to
see us lately."

101
"No, you are mistaken.
Miss Drake is not
interested in me - -
I wish she were!"

102
"I didn't know you 
could be serious -
about one girl."

103
"Miss Drake, there is 
something you ought
to know about Mr.
Torriani."

104
"He is a charming and
brilliant person, but -"

105
"- you must realize
he is not the man
to care deeply for
any one woman."

106
"Thank you, Mrs. Dorning
- I do like Mr. Torriani,
but not in the way you
mean."

107
"How horrid of you to be
going away tonight! Now
I've no one to take me 
to the concert."

108
"I'm sorry, but it's 
impossible - - I'll be
working here till
midnight."

109
"It was not a secretary
I called this time - -
but a friend."

110
"I'm afraid you
misunderstand our
- friendship."

111
"Oh, I know I've been 
a fool in the past - -
but couldn't you forget
the past?"

112
"Please - let's not
    discuss it."

113
Elise's concert was over
    before midnight.

114
"What are you thinking 
of - to come here at 
this hour?"

115
"Why do you treat me
this way, Rod? I've
written you, I've shown
you in a thousand ways
- that I love you!"

116
"Aren't you forgetting 
that your husband is 
my best friend?"

117
"I've made him happy
- haven't I the right
to a little happiness
too?"

118
"I know a place - where
we can be alone - -
together and happy. I
dare you to come with
me!"

119
"You are infamous -
you are poisonous -
like a cobra!"

120
"I dare you to hold
me in your arms 
and repeat that!"

121
"I dare you to kiss
me - and then let 
me go!"

122
"No, Elise, I can't --
I've been a cad to 
have come this far!"

123
"Hello - Jim? - this
     is Elise -"

124
"- yes - well, I'm at
the usual place -
I'll wait."

125
Next morning, Rodrigo
     was dreading the 
ordeal of facing his friend.

126
"I'm - I'm sorry
for what I said
yesterday."

127
"Why be sorry? You
were quite right."

128
"I was hurt by a spiteful 
thing somebody said - I 
shouldn't have listened."

129
"Please don't --
whatever was
said against me
I deserve!"

130
"Rod, I got home at
eight this morning
-- and found Elise
hadn't been there
all night."

131
"You're right! She must
have spent the night
with some friend - but
I've called everyone I 
could think of."

132
"If anything happened 
to Elise I'd go mad!"

133
"I can't get any trace 
of her - - for God's
sake, Rod, where can 
she be?"

134
"Don't worry - I'll see
if I can't find out 
something."

135
Rodrigo's one desire was
  to confess everything
to his friend. But he dared
not tell Jack what sort of
woman the wife he adored 
had been.

136
"I am afraid of a nervous 
breakdown - he must be
watched every moment
- - the slightest shock
might unsettle his brain."

137
"Somebody ought to
take care of you -
you haven't closed
your eyes for days."

138
"Isn't there any news
of Elise - haven't you
found out anything?"

139
"Nothing."

140
If Rodrigo told Dorning
the truth it might kill
him - meanwhile, day after
day of suspense was near-
ly as fatal.

141
"That was very thoughtful 
of you, Mary. Thank you."

142
"Isn't it splendid that Mr.
Dorning is so much 
better? He could never
have lived through it
without you."

143
  "You give me more 
credit than I deserve."

144
"I've discovered the 
truth - about Elise."

145
"Yesterday I went through 
her papers for the first 
time and found - letters 
to Elise - - from other 
men."

146
"I know now that she 
frequented the Van
Cleve hotel."

147
"I also found a letter 
from you - refusing 
the love that she 
had offered you."

148
"But you don't realize
- it was I who took 
her to the Van Cleve
the night she died. I
tried to tell you -"

149
"You did everything 
you could to preserve 
an ideal - that never 
existed."

150
"I cannot stay here 
now - I am going 
away."

151
"We must both forget.
Go away for a while
- to Italy. But - come
back."

152
His absence abroad had
  taught Rodrigo that
there is no grief a man
of courage cannot conquer
in time.

153
"I am glad I wasn't
entirely forgotten."

154
"You'll see a marvelous 
change in Mr. Dorning
- thanks to Miss Drake."

155
"Do you mean he is
really - - interested
in her?"

156
"Have you seen Mary?"

157
"I should say I have -
and she's sweeter and
more charming than 
ever."

158
"She's more than that.
I can't tell you what
she has meant to me."

159
"Is it - serious, Jack?"

160
"It is with me - I love
her with all my heart
- - but with her I'm
afraid there's some-
one else."

161
A moment's hesitation -
and Rodrigo determined
to sacrifice the one pure,
clean love he had ever 
known.

162
"You are wrong. I - I
am sure Mary does
care for you."

163
"What on earth have
you been doing to 
Jack? I've never seen 
him so happy."

164
"Why shouldn't he be
- everybody loves him."

165
"You seem changed,
too. Did you have a
pleasant trip?"

166
"The time of my life!
You should have seen
the adorable little
blonde I met on the 
boat going over."

167
"And in Italy there were 
all my old friends - and
a half dozen new ones."

168
"I was wrong - you
haven't changed at 
all."

169
"Of course not - - I
shall never change."

170
"Please tell Mr. Dorning
that I will not be back
- - today."

The End