are you planning on going away?

{Gaslight, 1944}


Back in Brian Cameron's house, the policeman Williams questions whether Mrs. Anton will even see him. 


Cameron says, his eyes lighting up with a sudden thought, "I think maybe there's a way!"  And he goes to a set of file drawers and opens one, to get something.


At the Antons' home, with the husband (or "the master" as the servants call him) out, (working on composing his music), Paula meets Brian Cameron, on the stairs.




At first she tells him to "Go away, I can't see anyone."  And she tells the cook, "Elizabeth, I didn't ask him to come here!"


Brian Cameron uses his low-key but considerable charm and attitude of good-will and asks her to look at something he has brought with him. 


He hands her this glove, and he tells her he saw Alice Alquist perform at Covent Garden when he was 12 years old, and was taken backstage to meet her.  And she gave him the glove.






Paula brightens, and wilts a little with relief -- (Just for a minute, something that's not nerve-racking, or weird!)...Paula and Brian Cameron go upstairs to the sitting room where the piano is, and Paula takes out a single glove that's been stashed in there:  she holds up the glove Cameron brought, and marvels, "All these years, the admirer she used to make such a mystery of!"




She becomes serious again, and apprehensive, though, when Cameron says, "Tell me something, Mrs. Anton.  Are you planning on going away somewhere?


PAULA:  Go away?  Why, no.  I have nowhere to go.  (thinks for a moment)  Unless my husband sends me away.  Is that why you came here?  To take me away?


CAMERON:  Are you as frightened as all that?


PAULA:  I'm sorry.  I haven't talked to anyone for a long time.  I can't talk to you, either.  I'm not -- I'm afraid I ...


CAMERON:  You're afraid you're going out of your mind.  Well, I'm here to prove to you that you're not.







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