Lolita (1962) · 63 quotes
Most-quoted character in Lolita (1962): in 37 of its 63 quotes
Most scenes with: Dolores 'Lolita' Haze (18), Charlotte Haze (7), Quilty (3)
What drives me insane is the twofold nature of this nymphet, a veteran nymphet perhaps, this mixture in my Lolita of tender, dreamy childishness and a kind of eerie vulgarity. I know it is madness to keep this journal, but it gives me a strange thrill to do so. And only a loving wife could decipher my microscopic script.
Professor Humbert Having recently arrived in America where so many Europeans have found a haven before, I decided to spend a peaceful summer in the attractive resort town of Ramsdale, New Hampshire. Some English translations I have made of French poetry had enjoyed some success and I had been appointed to a lectureship at Beardsley College in the fall. Friends had given me several addresses in Ramsdale where lodgings were available for the summer.
Professor Humbert The wedding was a quiet affair. And when called upon to enjoy my promotion from lodger to lover, did I experience only bitterness and distaste? No. Mr. Humbert confesses to a certain titillation of his vanity, to some faint tenderness, even to a pattern of remorse, daintily running along the steel of his conspiratorial dagger.
Professor Humbert Even in the most harmonious households such as ours, not all the decisions are taken by the female. Especially when the male partner has fulfilled his obligations beyond the line of duty. When you wanted me to spend one afternoon sun-bathing by the lake, I was glad to become the bronze, glamour boy for your sake, instead of remaining the scholar. Even there, I'd scoot along after you like an obliging little lap dog -- oh yes, I'm happy, I'm delighted to be bossed by you, but -- every game has its rules.
Professor Humbert She splashed in the tub, a trustful, clumsy seal. And oh, the logic of passion screamed in my ear. Now is the time, but...what d'ya know, folks? I just couldn't make myself do it! The scream grew more and more remote, and I realized the melancholy fact that neither tomorrow nor Friday nor any other day or night could I make myself put her to death.
Professor Humbert Charlotte, there's a man on the line who says that you've been hit by a car.
Professor Humbert You must now forget Ramsdale and push our lot and poor Lolita and poor Humbert, and accompany us to Beardsley College where my lectureship in French poetry is in its second semester. Six months have passed and Lolita is attending an excellent school where it is my hope that she will be persuaded to read other things than comic books and movie romances.
Professor Humbert Our little starlet has had enough excitement for one evening...I wouldn't want you to miss any more piano lessons! You know what I'm talking about!
Professor Humbert The brakes were relined, the waterpipes unclogged, the valves ground. We had promised Beardsley School that we would be back as soon as my Hollywood engagement came to an end. Inventive Humbert was to be, I hinted, chief consultant in the production of a film dealing with existentialism, still a hot thing at the time. I cannot tell you the exact day when I first knew with utter certainty that a strange car was following us. **** how I misinterpreted the designation of doom.
Humbert Quilty, Quilty.
Wha? Wha? What's that?
Humbert Are you Quilty?
No, I'm Spartacus. Have you come to free the slaves or somethin'?
Humbert Are you Quilty?
Yeah, I am Quilty. Yes, sure.
Humbert Shall we have a little chat before we start?
Roman ping...You're supposed to say Roman pong! OK, you serve. I don't mind. I don't - I just don't mind. Come on... [serves again] Roman ping-pong. Kinda tricky serve to handle, eh Captain? Kind of tricky. One of the champs taught me that. I'm not accusing you, Captain, but it's sort of absurd the way people invade this house without even knocking...They use the telephone..
Humbert You really don't remember me, do you?
Have you ever noticed how the ...different champs use their bats? You know, some of 'em hold it like this and everything.
Humbert Do you recall a girl called Dolores Haze?
I remember the one guy, he didn't have a hand. He had a bat instead of a hand. He's...
Humbert Lolita?!
Lo-li-tah. Yeah, yeah. I remember that name, all right. Maybe she made some telephone calls. Who cares?
Hey, you're a sort of bad loser, Captain. I never found a guy who pulled a gun on me when he lost a game. Didn't anyone ever tell ya? It's not really who wins, it's how you play, like the champs. Listen, I don't think I want to play anymore. Gee, I'm just dyin' for a drink. I'm just dyin' to have a drinkie.
Humbert You're dying anyway, Quilty. Quilty, I want you to concentrate - you're going to die. Try to understand what is happening to you.
You are either Australian or a German refugee. This is a gentile's house - you'd better run along.
Humbert Think of what you did, Quilty, and think of what is happening to you now.
Hee-hee-hee...gee, that's a - that's a durl-in' little gun you got there. That's a durlin' little thing. How much a guy like you want for a-a durlin' little gun like that?
Humbert Read this.
What's this, the deed to the ranch?
Humbert It's your death sentence. Read it.
I can't read, ah, mister. I never did none of that there book learnin', ya know.
Humbert Read it, Quilty!
Mmm? 'Because you took advantage of a sinner. Because you took advantage...Because you took...Because you took advantage of my disadvantage.' Gee, that's a dad-blasted durn good poem you done there. 'When I stood Adam-Naked...' Oh! Adam-Naked, you should be ashamed of yourself, Captain. '...before a Federal Law and all its stinging stars.' Tarnation, you old horned toad, that's a mighty pretty...that's a pretty poem. 'Because you took advantage' - Gee, it's getting a bit repetitious, isn't it - 'Because' - there's another one - 'Because you cheated me. Because you took her at an age, when young lads...'
Humbert That's enough!
Say, what you take it away for, mister? That was getting kind of smutty there! [laughs]
Humbert Do you have any last words?
Listen, Mac. You're drunk, and I'm a sick man. This pistol-packing farce is becoming a sort of nuisance.
Humbert Do you want to die standing up or sitting down?
I wanna die like a champion.
Gee, right in the boxing glove. You want to be more careful with that thing. Listen Captain, why don't you stop trifling with life and death? I'm a playwright. You know, I know all about this sort of tragedy and comedy and fantasy and everything. I've got fifty-two successful scenarios to my credit, added to which my father's a policeman. [He turns to the piano] Listen, you look like a music lover to me. Why don't you let, why, why don't you let me play you a little thing I-I wrote last week? [He begins playing Chopin's Grand Polonaise] Nice sort of opening that, eh? We could dream up some lyrics, maybe. You and I dream them up together, you know, share the profits. Do you think that'll make the hit parade? [Singing] Uh, the moon was blue, and so are you and I tonight...she's mine...yours...she's...she's yours tonight...and...and... [runs from the room]
Gee! Gee, that hurt me, that... You really hurt me. Listen, if you're tryin' to scare me, you did a pretty swell job all right. My leg'll be black and blue tomorrow. You know, this house is roomy and cool. You see how cool it is. I intend moving to England or Florence forever. You can move in. I've got some nice friends, you know, who could come and keep you company here. You could use them as pieces of furniture. This one guy looks just like a bookcase. I could fix it up for you to attend executions, how would you like that? Just you there, nobody else, just watching. Watch! You like watching, Captain? No, cause, not many people know that the, ha-ha, that the chair is painted yellow. You'd be the only guy in the know.
Humbert shoots him again]
That hurts!
Yeah, this would be your room. It's what you might call a studio - well, you know, a semi-studio affair ... it's very male - [sigh] - and, uh, quiet. We're really very fortunate here in West Ramsdale. Culturally, we're a very advanced group with lots of good Anglo-Dutch and Anglo-Scotch stock. And, uh, we're very progressive - intellectually.
Humbert That is immediately apparent!
Oh, I do hope you'll want to address our club. There's a nice view from this window - of the front lawn, and a good place for you to do your writing. [gesturing] Shelves for your books...I am Chairman of the Great Books Committee. As a matter of fact, uh, you know, one of the speakers that I had, um, last season, was, uh, Clare Quilty...The writer, TV, TV play -
Humbert No, no I wouldn't.
Oh, he's a very stimulating type of man. He gave us a talk on, hmm, uh, Dr. Schweitzer and Doctor Zhivago.
...The bathroom's back here, right next door. Well, we still have that good old-fashioned quaint plumbing. It should appeal to a European. [She flushes it to demonstrate] WOOSH! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Oh, excuse the soiled sock! I see that you're interested in art. In that case, in that case, you really must see, uh, the collection of reproductions I have in my bedroom. Voila!...Du-fee, and there's my little Van Gock, Monet. Is Mme. Humbert, umm...?
Humbert There's no Madame. We are divorced... A happy divorce.
When did all this happen?
Humbert About a year ago, in Paris.
Oh, Paris, France...You know, Monsieur, I really believe that it's only in the romance languages that, uh, one is able to really relate in a mature fashion. In fact, I remember when the late Mr. Haze...yes, he's passed on. But, uh, when we were on our honeymoon abroad, I-I knew that I'd never felt married until I'd had myself addressed as seniora.
Humbert You're in Spain?
No, Mexico. He was a lovely human being. A man of complete integrity....Those are his ashes. It's very difficult for a woman, an attractive woman alone, you know, ha-ha.
My yellow roses. My - daughter....I could offer you a comfortable home, a sunny garden, a congenial atmosphere, my cherry pies.
...
Humbert I think it was your cherry pies!
I have a proposal. What say you I, uh, teach you some of the new steps, huh?
Humbert Oh Charlotte, I don't even know the old ones. And you do this so very well, I'd much rather sit down and watch you. Very good.
Oh come on, Humbert. Ah, Humbert Humbert, what a thrillingly different name.
...
A little more joie de vivre! You know, when you smile like that, you remind me of someone. Oh, ah, a college boy I had, uh, a date with. I went dancing with him. A young, blue-blooded Bostonian. Oh, my very first glamour date. And you know, in certain lights, you remind me of Harold..I adored Harold, I really did. I swore at the time I would never marry again. I don't think I will, but, uh, it wouldn't be fair to his memory, do you think?
Humbert No, one doesn't always find such loyalty these days.
Shouldn't life be for the living? What think you? You see, I'm a strongly emotional woman. Very strongly emotional. Oh, don't be afraid of hurting me...Take me in your arms! Oh, I can't live in the past, not any more Hum, not any more.
Hi!
Darling, did you come back for something?
Mona's party turned out to be sorta a drag. So I thought I'd come back and see what you two were doing.
Humbert We had a wonderful evening. Your mother created a magnificent spread.
Humbert I will never give away any of your secrets.
Well, for that, you get a little reward. [She dangles a fried egg above his open mouth] You can have one little bite.
I have a surprise.
Humbert The Farlows have been arrested?
Mona Farlow is leaving for summer camp tomorrow. Lolita is going with her....isolation from boys would be the best thing for both of the girls this crucial summer.
Humbert Do you think that the camp is the answer?
Oh, frankly Hum, I do. And it's all arranged. The Farlows and I phoned the camp long distance, and I did all the shopping this ...Is something the matter with your face?
Humbert Toothache!
Oh, you poor man.
Well, I guess I won't be seeing you again, huh?
Humbert I shall be moving on. I must prepare for my work at Beardsley College in the fall.
Then I guess this is goodbye.
Humbert Yes.
Dear, the door is locked. Sweetheart, I don't want any secrets between us. It makes me feel insecure.
Humbert Can't this wait 'til I come out of here?
I suppose. Hum, what do you do in there so long? I want to talk to you.
Humbert I haven't been here long. In point of fact, I only just came in.
Were there a lot of women in your life before me?
Humbert I've told you about them already.
Well, you didn't tell me about all of them.
Humbert Charlotte, if it would make you any happier, I will sit right down and I will make out a complete list of every woman I have ever known. Will that satisfy you?
Ohh, I'm lonesome...I think it's healthy for me to be jealous. It means that I love you. You know how happy I can make you.
Darling, I don't care about any other woman. I know that our love is sacred. The others were profane.
Humbert Yeah, sacred. That's right. That's what it is, hmmm.
Oh Hum, hum-baby, you know, I love the way you smell. You do arouse the pagan in me. Hum, you just touch me, and I-I go as limp as a noodle. It scares me.
Humbert Yes, I know the feeling.
Do you believe in God?
Humbert The question is, 'does God believe in me?'
But if I ever found out that you didn't believe in God, I think I would commit suicide. This is a Sacred Weapon, it's a tragic treasure. Mr. Haze purchased it when he found out he was ill. He wanted to spare me the sight of his suffering. Happily or unhappily, he, he was hospitalized before he could use it. Darling, you know, I have a most ambitious fantasy.
Humbert What's yours?
I would love to get hold of a real French servant girl, you know...and have her come live in the house...We could put her in Lo's room. I've been meanin' to make a guest room out of that hole, anyway.
Humbert And where, pray, will you put your daughter, when you get your guest or your maid?
You know, I've decided to send her straight from camp to a good boarding school, you know, with strict religious training, and then on to college. It's going to be you and me, alone forever. [Humbert's face falls] Darling, you've gone away.
Humbert You know, I've missed you terribly.
I haven't missed you. In fact, I've been revoltingly unfaithful to you.
Humbert Oh.
But it doesn't matter a bit, because you've stopped caring anyway.
Humbert What makes you say I've stopped caring for you?
Well, you haven't even kissed me yet, have you?
Humbert You mean, uh...
Yeah.
Humbert Well, yes. You see, I-I-I-I-I, I'm quite sure that they'll manage to find a cot for us. I asked them downstairs in the lobby to find a cot.
A cot?
Humbert Yes.
You're crazy.
Humbert Why, my darling?
Because, my darling, when my darling mother finds out, she's going to divorce you and strangle me.
Humbert Yes, now look, now. I have a great feeling of, um, tenderness for you. While your mother is ill, I'm responsible for your welfare. We're not rich, but while we travel, we should be obliged - we should be thrown a good deal together - two people sharing one room inevitably enter into a kind of, um, how should I say? A kind of, hmm...
Aren't you going to go down and see about the cot?
Hello, heh-heh, heh-heh. Hello.
Humbert Oh, you're addressing me?...I thought there was perhaps someone with you.
No, I'm not really with someone. I'm with you, heh-heh. I didn't mean that as an insult. What I really meant was that, uh, I'm with the State Police, uh, here, and, uh, when I'm with them, I'm with someone, but right now, I'm on my own. I mean, I'm not with a lot of people, just you. Heh.
Humbert Well, I wouldn't like to disturb you. I'll leave you alone if you prefer it.
No, you don't really have to go at all. I like it, you know, because, uh, I don't know what it is. I sort of get the impression that you want to leave but you don't like to leave because maybe you think I'd think it'd look suspicious, me being a policeman...You don't have to think that, because, uh, I haven't really got a suspicious mind at all. I look suspicious myself. A lot of people think I'm suspicious, especially when I stand around on street corners. One of our own boys picked me up the other week - he thought I was too suspicious standing on a street corner and everything. Tell me something, uhm, I couldn't help noticing when you checked in tonight. It's part of my job - I notice human individuals - and I noticed your face. I said to myself when I saw you - I said, 'That's a guy with the most normal-looking face I ever saw in my life'...It's great to see a normal face, because I'm a normal guy. It would be great for two normal guys like us to get together and talk about world events - you know, in a normal sort of way...May I say one other thing to you? It's really on my mind. I've been thinking about it quite a lot. I noticed when you was checking in, you had a lovely, pretty little girl with you. She was really lovely. As a matter of fact, she wasn't so little, come to think of it. She was fairly tall, what I mean, taller than little, you know what I mean. But, uh, she was really lovely. I wish I had a lovely, pretty tall, lovely little girl like that, I mean...Your daughter? Gee, isn't it great to have a lovely, tall, pretty little, small daughter like that, it's really wonderful. I don't have any children, boys or little tall girls or anything. I'm not even...Heh-heh, may I say something? I thought you was looking a little uneasy at the desk there. Maybe I was thinking that you want to get away from your wife for a little while. I don't blame you. If I was married, I'd take every opportunity to get away from my wife.
Humbert She had an accident.
That's really terrible. I mean, fancy a fella's wife having, a normal guy's wife having an accident like that. What happened to her?
Humbert She was hit by a car.
Gee, no wonder she's not here. Gee, you must feel pretty bad about that. What's happening? Is she coming on later or something?
Humbert Well, that was the understanding.
What? In an ambulance? Heh-heh. Gee, I'm sorry, I shouldn't say that. I get sorta carried away, you know, being so normal and everything. Tell me, umm, when you were standing there at the desk checkin' in with the night manager, Mr. George Swine, who I happen to know as a personal friend of mine, umm, I was wondering if, uh, he fixed you up with, uh, sort of good accommodation here...You're quite sure about that, because, I mean, I could really easily have a word with George Swine. Uh, I mean, he's a really nor-normal nice sorta guy and I've only got to have a normal word in his ear and you'd be surprised what things could happen from a thing like that. I mean, he-he'd probably go and turn some of the troopers out so you could have a lovely room - a bridal suite for you and your lovely little girl.
Humbert No, please, I don't want you to take any trouble on my account. We're perfectly comfortable.
But he should do it. It's his job to fix you up with something nice, I mean, you know, he gets paid for doing that thing and when he sees a guy like you coming in, all normal and everything, with a lovely little girl beside him, he should say to himself, 'Gee, I've got to give that guy a lovely sorta comfortable foamy bed to sleep in.' I mean, you know, I just don't like to hear things like that happening because I could go over and really take a swipe at him for not giving you a lovely, comfortable, sleepy, movie-star bed. You know what I mean, heh, I mean, you know, what has he got ya? On the floor or something?
Humbert Well, the little girl is probably asleep already - in the bed - and, uh... [laughs] I don't know why we're discussing this because...
Listen, why don't you let me have a look at the room - at the accommodation that you have, now, and-and-and- really take it in for a second - and then I could come down and have a word with George Swine? It would be so simple.
Humbert: If you'll excuse me.
You're going because you maybe think that, uh, me being a policeman and everything, I think you're sorta suspicious. I-I don't think that at all. I think you're really normal and everything. You don't have to go because of that...You have a most interesting face. Goodnight.
Humbert Of course I need a shave, because I've not shaved since yesterday morning and I'm a man who (needs) two shaves a day.
Hmm. Do you always have to shave twice a day?
Humbert Yes, of course. All the best people shave twice a day.
...I-I learned some real good games in camp. One in particular-ly was fun.
Humbert Well, why don't you describe this one in particular-ly - good game?
Well, I played it with Charlie...Charlie? He's that guy that you met in the office.
Humbert You mean that boy...?
Mmm, hmm.
Humbert You and he?
Yeah. You sure you can't guess what game I'm talking about?
Humbert No, I'm not a very good guesser. [She whispers in his ear and then giggles] I don't know what game you played. [She whispers a few more words]
You mean you never played that game when you were a kid?
Humbert Oh, no.
Hey, let's tell mother.
Humbert Tell mother what?
Humbert No, I don't think that would be very funny.
Why? What difference does it make? I want to call her.
Humbert I just don't think it would be a very good idea. That's all.
Why can't I call my mother if I want to?
Humbert Because you can't!
Why?
Humbert Because - [long pause] your mother is dead.
Humbert Your - mother - is - dead.
Humbert Try to stop crying. Everything's going to be all right.
Nothing will ever be all right.
Humbert I'm sure that we're gonna be very happy - you and I.
But everything is changed all of a sudden. Everything was so, oh, I don't know, normal.
Humbert Lolita, please, please stop crying. We'll do things, we'll go places.
But there's no place to go back to.
Humbert We'll find a new home.
Where?
Humbert Beardsley. My lectureship. It starts in September. It's in Ohio, you'll like it there.
I'll hate it, I know I will.
Humbert No you won't. It's a wonderful place.
But what about all my things back in Ramsdale? And our house?
Humbert We'll take care of all those things.
Promise you'll never leave me. I don't want to ever be in one of those horrible places for juvenile delinquents...And anyway, I'd rather be with you. You're a lot better than one of those places. You will promise, won't you?
Humbert Cross my heart and hope to die. Cross my heart and hope to die. Cross my heart and hope to die.
Humbert I thought we understood. No dates!
What do you mean, no dates?...
Humbert I don't want you around them. They're nasty-minded boys.
Oh, you're a fine one to talk about someone else's mind.
Humbert Don't avoid the issue. I told you, 'No dates.'
It wasn't a date.
Humbert It was a date.
It wasn't a date.
Humbert It was a date, Lolita.
It was not a date.
Humbert IT WAS A DATE!
It wasn't a date.
Humbert Well, whatever it was that you had yesterday afternoon, I don't want you to have again.
Humbert Why does she [Michelle] give me these searching looks whenever she comes to the house?
How should I know?
Humbert Have you told her anything about us?
No. Have you?
Humbert You've told her nothing -
You think I'm crazy?
You never let me have any fun.
Humbert No fun? You have all the fun in the world. We have fun together, don't we? Ay, whenever you want something, I buy it for you automatically. I take you to concerts, to museums, to movies. I do all the housework. Who does the-the tidying up? I do. Who does the cooking? I do. You and I have lots of fun - don't we Lolita?
Humbert Completely. You know that.
You know what I want more than anything else in the world?
Humbert What do you want?
I want you to be proud of me.
Humbert I am proud of you, Lolita.
No, I mean really proud of me. You see, they want me for the lead in the school play. Isn't that fantastic? And I have to have a letter from you, giving your permission.
Humbert Who wants you?
Well, ...the drama teacher, Clare Quilty, and Vivian Darkbloom.
Humbert And who might they be?
They're the authors. They're here to supervise the production.
Humbert But you've never acted before.
Oh, they say I have a unique and rare talent.
Humbert And how do they know that?
Well, we had readings. I was chosen over thirty other girls.
Humbert That's the first I've heard about it.
I know. I wanted to surprise you.
Humbert And you suddenly are, overnight, an actress. Well, it's out of the question.
Out of the question?
Humbert I don't want you in that atmosphere.
What atmosphere? It's just a school play.
Humbert I've told you over and over again. I don't want you mixing with those boys. It's just another excuse to make dates with them, and to get together close with them.
You don't love me.
Humbert I do love you.
You don't love me.
Humbert I do love you, Lolita.
You're driving me crazy. You won't let me do anything. You just want to keep me locked up with you in this filthy house!...Someday you're going to regret this. You'll be sorry...
Humbert All right, perhaps I was wrong in the attitude that I took about the school play.
Zat's very big of you to admit that. And whilst you're admitting zat, why don't you alzo loozen up a little bit more in the other two 'd's' yah? The dating and the dance?
Humbert You think that those are equally important?
Dr. Hombards, I'll tell you about the two things. I feel that you and I should do all in our power to stop that old Dr. Cutler and his quartet of psychologists from fiddling around in the home situation. Zat's what I feel. Don't you agree with me?
Humbert It's partly my fault, I realize that. It's something that's happened on account of this horrible place. All these people poking their nose into our business. And I never see you anymore what with your soda-fountains and your extra-c...[she pops her gum] STOP DOING THAT! If we could leave this place perhaps. Yes, there's there's nothing to keep us here. We haven't any obligations here...We could just pack up our bags - TONIGHT! We could go now. I could take you for a wonderful trip around the country!...Don't you want to get back to where we were before we came to this horrible place? Don't you want to come away with me?
NO! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!...WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?...DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO! YOU'RE A NAUSEATING CREEP!
Humbert You're not gonna see these filthy boys anymore, I can tell you that.
I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU. I'M GONNA DO ANYTHING I WANT TO, ANYTIME I WANT TO, WITH ANYBODY I WANT TO - AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME!
You're gonna get us killed. What's the big fat hurry anyway?
Humbert I think he's some kind of a cop.
...
Humbert He can't help us if he's stopping way back there like that. He can't be the police because if he were police, they'd just draw up beside us and start writing a ticket...Maybe it's a special kind of police who are just supposed to follow people.
Yeah, like the vice squad.
Oh, there's no point in going into that! It's all over.
Humbert Lolita. I have to know.
Well, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you.
Humbert ...If you're a sensible girl, and if you want what I've come to give you, you'll tell me what I want to know.
Do you remember Dr. Zempf?...That German psychologist who came to see you at Beardsley.
Humbert Was it him?
Not exactly.
Humbert I didn't come here to play guessing games. Tell me who it was.
Well, give me a chance to explain...Do you remember that car that used to follow us around?...Do you remember mother's old flame at the school dance? No, you probably wouldn't remember him. Do you remember the guy that you talked to at that hotel on the way back from camp? He pretended that he was part of that police convention that was there...And do you remember that guy that called you at the hotel?
Humbert The night you disappeared? Yes, I remember him very well.
And yet you still haven't guessed.
Humbert I told you that I'm not playing games with you. Tell me who it was.
It was Clare Quilty.
Humbert Who was Clare Quilty?
All of them, of course.
Humbert You mean Dr. Zempf, he was Clare Quilty?
Well, congratulations. I don't suppose it ever occurred to you that when you moved into our house, my whole world didn't revolve around you. You see, I'd had a crush on him ever since the times that he used to come and visit mother. He wasn't like you and me. He wasn't a normal person. He was a genius. He had a kind of, uh, beautiful, Japanese, Oriental philosophy of life. You know that hotel that we stopped at on the way back from camp. Well, it was just by accident that he was staying there. But it didn't take him long to figure out what was going on between us. And from that moment on, he was up to every brilliant trick he could think of.
Humbert And he did all these brilliant tricks for the sheer fun of tormenting me?
Well, sometimes he had to. Like the German psychologist bit. He had to trick you into letting me be in his play. Otherwise, how would I ever get to see him?
Humbert So that's why you wanted to be in the play.
That's right.
Humbert And all those afternoons you were supposed to be practicing the piano, you were actually with this man?
Mmm, hmm. I guess he was the only guy I was ever really crazy about.
Humbert Aren't you forgetting something?
Oh, Dick. Dick's very sweet. We're very happy together, but I guess it's just not the same thing.
Humbert And I? I suppose I never counted, of course.
You have no right to say that. After all, the past is the past.
Humbert What happened to this Oriental-minded genius?
Look, don't make fun of me. I don't have to tell you a blasted thing.
Humbert I am not making fun of you. I am merely trying to find out what happened. When you left the hospital, where did he take you?
To New Mexico...to a dude ranch near Santa Fe. The only problem with it was, he had such a bunch of weird friends staying there...painters, nudists, writers, weight lifters. But I figured I could take anything for a couple of weeks because I loved him and he was on his way to Hollywood to write one of those spectaculars, and he promised to get me a studio contract. But it never turned out that way and instead, he wanted me to cooperate with the others making some kind of a, you know, an art movie.
Humbert An art movie?...And you did it?
No, I didn't do it. And so he kicked me out.
Humbert You could have come back to me.
Humbert This may be neither here nor there, but I've got to say it. Life is very short. Between here and that old car outside is twenty-five paces. Make them now, right now...Come away with me now, just as you are.
Oh, you mean you'll give us the money only if I go to a hotel with you.
Humbert No, you've got it all wrong. I want you to leave your husband and this awful house. I want you to live with me and die with me, and EVERYTHING with me.
You must be crazy!
Humbert I'm perfectly serious, Lo. I've never been less crazy in all my life. We'll start a-fresh. We can forget everything that has happened.
No, it's too late.
Humbert No, it's not too late...don't tell me that it's too late because it's not too late. If you want time to think it over, that's perfectly all right with me, because I've waited already for three years and I think I could wait for the rest of my life if necessary. You're not giving anything up. There's nothing here to keep you...You're not bound to him in any way, as you are bound to me by everything that we have lived through together - you and I.
I'm going to have his baby in three months...I've wrecked too many things in my life. I can't do that to him. He needs me. [Humbert begins crying] Oh, come on, now don't make a scene. Stop crying! He could walk in here at any minute. Will you please stop crying?
Humbert There are no strings attached. It's only money anyway. It comes from the rent of the house - that's four hundred dollars in cash...I made out a check here for two thousand, five hundred dollars. There's someone in Ramsdale who's prepared to take care of the mortgage of the house. There's the downpayment. That's the payment.
You mean we're getting thirteen thousand dollars? Wonderful. Oh, come on now, don't cry. I'm sorry. Try to understand. I'm really sorry that I cheated so much, but I guess that's just the way things are.
...
Hey, well listen, let's keep in touch, huh? I'll write to you when we get to Alaska.
