Part 10 of 14
[Dr. Lao] Welcome, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the final showing of the Circus of Dr. Lao. Tonight we present to you what they call in the language of France the piece de resistance.
In the words of Philosopher Mencius, "You ain't seen nothing yet!"
[Lean Cowboy] You can say that again, doc!
***
[Ed Cunningham] I'm sorry.
[Angela Benedict] Hello.
[Ed Cunningham] You remind me of someone.
[Angela Benedict] Oh?
[Ed Cunningham] A woman I know. Her name's Angela Benedict. Same height. Same weight. Same general features. Ever meet her?
[Angela Benedict] No, but I've heard of her.
She's supposed to be a most unpleasant person.
[Ed Cunningham] Oh, no.
Now, whoever told you that? It's a lie. Angela is ... well, you see, Angela has got a problem.
[Angela Benedict] What kind of a problem?
[Ed Cunningham] The worst kind, same as mine. Loneliness.
[Angela Benedict] Oh.
[Ed Cunningham] It's the worst thing to happen to a person. You see, people think that Angela's hard. People think she's cold. But she isn't hard and she isn't cold. She's soft and warm. She's afraid to let anyone know.
[Angela Benedict] Well, that sounds very odd to me.
[Ed Cunningham] No, it isn't odd at all.
I'm trying to tell you, loneliness can do that.
[Angela Benedict] Then, of course, it isn't any of my business, ...
but why don't you and this person become friends? I mean, if --- if you're both lonely ...
[Ed Cunningham] She doesn't like me.
And it doesn't make any difference now. The town we live in will be deserted in a few weeks.
[Angela Benedict] They haven't decided yet?
[Ed Cunningham] Just pretend they haven't. I'm pleased to meet you, Miss --
[Angela Benedict] Call me Angela.
[Ed Cunningham] Angela. Beautiful name.
***
[Apollonius of Tyana] You were born with a great love for humanity, Clinton Stark,
but this love soon turned to bitterness and contempt. Why? It's because in all your years,
you've never been able to understand that perfection exists only as an ideal.
[Clint Stark] Who's interested in ideals? Get the money. That's what counts.
Hold it out to the people. They'll grab at it.
That's the truth. There's nothing in between.
[Apollonius of Tyana] Oh, but there is. Life is sharing.
You began with an extreme notion of man's good, his strength and his nobility. You ended with another extreme, equally false.
The notion of man's evil, his weakness and his ignobility. Now you are involved in proving that point.
[Clint Stark] I'm proving it pretty well, I'd say.
[Apollonius of Tyana] If you believed that, you wouldn't need to reassure yourself every day. Look at you now, gloating over a victory which is a defeat. A defeat for all the ideals you once held sacred.
[Clint Stark] They'll vote to sell.
[Apollonius of Tyana] What have you shown but your own greed, your own sick hunger for self-destruction?
If they sell their town to you, you'll realize an extensive profit, because you alone know a railroad's planned for this area within the year.
[Clint Stark] How'd you find out?
[Apollonius of Tyana] I am Apollonius of Tyana.
[Clint Stark] Did you tell anyone?
[Apollonius of Tyana] That would have the effect of altering the future.
Five cents, please.
[Clint Stark] Am I going to win?
[Apollonius of Tyana] Yes.
***
[Angela Benedict] I can't figure out how he managed to get so much into this tent. It seems to be bigger on the inside than it is on the outside.
[Ed Cunningham] Dr. Lao is a remarkable man.
[Dr. Lao] Peanuts.
[Lean Cowboy] Hey! How soon's the show gonna start?
[Dr. Lao] Almost instanter.
[Fat Cowboy] How much is peanuts?
[Dr. Lao] One penny.
[Fat Cowboy] I'll take a bag.
[Dr. Lao] Out of a nickel. Pass that up, please.
[Man] How much is the popcorn?
[Dr. Lao] What's that?
[Man] How much is the popcorn?
[Dr. Lao] Popcorn's free.
[Man] Right here!
[Dr. Lao] And now, on with the show!
[Toothless Cowboy] Ride him, sonny, ride him!
Ride him, sonny.
[Mrs. Howard Cassin] For me?
Oh, thank you. Nice man.
A real gentleman.
[Man] He's blind.
He can't see. He can't see.
***