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ODD BOOTS (circa August 1920)
Villa Santa Barbara, Cefalu, Sicily.
Dramatis personae: Jonas Black, 48, American millionaire. David Black, 22, child of Jonas Black. Vera Black, 22, child of Jonas Black. Gillette Bing, 28, lawyer, in love with Vera. John Cotton, family lawyer of Black. Young Grand Duke of Vodkagorod, 27 Chancellor Przyscko, 60, American Ambassador to Vodkagorod. Zbrychsky, boot-maker
Chancellor's Story: Princess Fedora, 18-20 Jonas Black, 25, morganatic husband of the Princess. David Black, twins, infants, children of Black and Fedora. Vera Black, twins, infants, children of Black and Fedora. Grand Duke of Vodkagorod, 30 Chancellor Przyscko, 37
Garden party in America, Henley Regatta in England, Soldiers in Vodkagorod, American Marines and street mobs.
There is a garden party at Jonas Black's Long Island mansion. Among the guests is Gillette Bing, a young lawyer who has specialized in detective work. His social position is very good and his excellence in every way attracts general admiration. In particular various trifles contrast him with David Black, to the latter's disadvantage. Jonas, devoted to his children, is annoyed by his son's advantage. Jonas, devoted to his children, is annoyed by his son's inferiority. Vera, David's twin sister, is however as good in her way as Bing is in his.
As a part of the afternoon's entertainment a Japanese has been engaged to show ju-jitsu tricks. Guests compete: Vera is shown as an expert. She throws her brother.
They have also a sort of steeple chase round he grounds. Vera fails to clear the last ditch completely, so that she gets one foot in. She runs laughingly to her father with one of her white boots completely black. Jonas exhibits extreme agitation but masters himself and the amusements continue. Most of the guests depart but Bing stays to dinner, with one or two others.
This scene has been watched by a spy.
During the previous scene Bing has been no more than charmingly polite to Vera, but during dinner and the music and dancing which follow he shows himself very specially interested in her. A fire breaks out in the house and David, who discovers it, lacks promptitude in action, while Bing distinguishes himself and in particular rushes at Vera like a man tackling in a foot-ball game, thus sweeping from underneath a mass of flaming festoons just before they fall on her. Jonas appreciates the likelihood of love between Bing and his daughter. When Bing takes his leave, Jonas goes to the door with him and asks him to accept some work which will involve his absence for a number of years. Bing does not pretend to misunderstand. He says that he loves Vera, reminds Jonas of his family qualifications, his wealth, his brilliance: but Jonas shakes his head and makes it clear that the marriage is impossible. Bing says goodnight. Some distance from the house he dismisses his auto and walks home. His detective instinct tells him that there is a mystery in the attitude of the millionaire. He swears to solve it and win Vera.
The Library of Jonas Black in his Fifth Avenue Residence. It is evening. Vera is lighting her father's cigar. David is sprawling dejectedly in a chair with a cigarette. Jonas asks him what he has been doing. David says he has been at the Club where he met Bing. Jonas thought Bing was out of town. 'Quite right: he only came back yesterday.' 'Where has he been?'
Bing's Story. He represents himself as having been on a hunting trip in the wilds.
What Bing was really doing. He is shown searching registers in public offices, travelling, making inquiries of officials, etc., his idea being to discover the reason of Black's attitude, and has found out that no one seems to know who was the mother of Vera and David.
'What else did you do?' David admits that he played cards with three other men, who are shown as of a dissolute type. Jonas gets up, sends Vera out of the room, takes David to task: 'Either you work like a man in the packing house or I disinherit you!' He then goes to a safe, takes out a will made by him that day. 'In this I have cut you out: EVERYTHING WORTH HAVING GOES TO VERA.' David goes off sulkily to the Club and plays cards again. Jonas leaves the will conspicuously on the table and rings for the servant.
Ephraim P. Wegg in His House. A cable. Wegg takes a black boot from his safe and, after consulting a paper of instructions, goes out.
Servant of Jonas Black brings his slippers, removes his boots and exits from library just as Wegg rings door bell. Servant deposits boots of Jonas inconspicuously in hall and admits Wegg and takes his card in to Jonas. Wegg silently deposits black boot beside the boots of Jonas and follows butler. Black receives card inscribed 'Ephraim P. Wegg', and is struck with extreme agitation, but finally tells butler to admit Wegg. Wegg enters the Library, but merely bows and goes out again with the astonished butler.
The face of Jonas is distorted with a spasm of agony. The butler hears the library bell ring again, but finds Jonas outside the door. The millionaire points to the boots and after terrible convulsions falls dead. A doctor pronounces that he died of apoplexy. Vera faints and is taken to bed by the housekeeper. David is summoned from the club and questions the butler as to details. They now notice the third boot, which is feminine, black and very small. David suspects a crime, calls up the club and asks Gillette Bing to come around, also to bring the family lawyer, John Cotton, if he should be at the club. Bing finds Cotton and they go to the house. David says: 'If there is a crime I want you to prove my alibi, for only a few hours before my father's death we quarrelled and he showed me a will disinheriting me.' Cotton looks surprised. David points to the will. Cotton hands it to him with a smile. David reads it with amazement. The packing house and all other property are left to David, Vera gets only 'The contents of the library safe'. This is a little safe in the wall. Cotton knows the combination and opens it with a key from Jonas' bunch. In it is a casket of ancient workmanship. They open it. It contains one white boot. Bing brings the other boot. Save for the colour they are a pair. David reiterates: 'He told me he had left everything of value to Vera in that will; he must have been insane.' Bing says: 'No, I do not know why or how but in comparison with that boot his millions are only trash.' Bing examines the boots for the maker's name and finds on one 'Flack, London', on the other 'Zbrychsky, Vodkagorod'.
David is shown at his father's lying-in-state—a scene of repentance and resolution to make good. He is shown as managing the business with interest and efficiency.
Vera is shown disconsolate, nervous, irritable, overcome with lassitude. She takes out the white boot. Ultimately she decides to visit the make and see whether he can throw any light on the mystery. She pretends to go for a holiday with her maid; but arranges with the latter to conceal her absence and goes off to Vodkagorod.
The spy follows her.
Vera in Vodkagorod. She finds the town in a very excited state. The Grand Duke, with a brilliant staff, is riding down the street. He is evidently unpopular with the majority of the people, but nobody dares make any demonstration. His officers are, however, very brutal; and in a turmoil so created, Vera is hustled down side streets, and she gets back to her hotel through a poorer section of the city, where she finds soap box orators, evidently inciting the people to dedication.
The Boot-maker's Shop. The bootmaker recognises the boot as having mane many years previously for the reigning princess. He mentions that the princess died on May the first, and Vera is struck by the coincidence of the date of her father's death. The boot-makes explains that the Grand Duke has seized the throne by a coup d'ètat, and the old Chancellor, Przyscko, whose portrait is on his will and whom every one loved and trusted, has been disgraced. The boot-maker goes on to lament the death of the princess. Her portrait is also on the wall. The boot-maker suddenly turns to Vera, thrusts the boot almost in her face and cries: 'How did you come by it?' Vera is embarrassed by his manner, then, as by a mysterious impulse, they both turn their eyes to the portrait, which strikingly resembles Vera. They gaze bewildered and, while they do so, a young officer enters the shop, sees the boot lying on the counter, thrusts it under his cloak and goes out unperceived. The boot-maker tells the story of the boot—it was not an ordinary boot; it had a secret receptacle in the heel. He turns to the counter—it is gone! The summon the shop assistants—no one has seen anything.
The Palace. While Vera has been in the shop, the Grand Duke in his palace has been receiving information from the spy that has trailed Vera. The Grand Duke, three parts crazy with drink and bad conscience, acts violently. At his command, his Captain of Police, with some trusted men and the spy, raid the boot-maker's shop and arrest Vera. The Captain demands his boot. He refuses to believe the story of the theft. He arrests everybody he can see and threatens to extract the truth by torture.
American Embassy. The young officer arrives with the boot and a courier is sent to the Chancellor to call there, which he does.
The Prison. The boot-maker is tortured before Vera's eyes and she is told that her turn will come next.
The Palace. The Police Captain reports his partial failure to the Grand Duke, who is infuriated. Strikes him and says that the Chancellor is at the bottom of all this trouble. 'Bring him here, dead or alive!'
They search the house of the Chancellor and by knouting a servant learn that he has gone to the American Embassy.
The Police Captain is naturally frightened and returns to the Grand Duke, who roars: 'Fetch the dog out!'
The Police Captain goes to the Embassy and demands the surrender of the Chancellor. The U.S. Minister, speaking from the window, refuses and unfurls the Stars and Stripes. The Captain collects soldiers and proceeds to attack the Embassy. American Marines return the fire vigorously. After many are slain, the Police Captain calls a truce and says: 'We have Vera Black in prison and will kill her at once unless you surrender the Chancellor!'
The young officer who stole the boot is greatly agitated, asks the Minister to gain time by talking; while he goes to the roof of the Embassy, takes a flying leap onto the next house and so gets away. He goes to the Palace and gains admission to the Grand Duke on pretence of news of the fight, and tells him that he has a means of making Vera confess everything if he will come along himself.
Vera has been tortured by thumb screws and is now on the rack.
The fight at the Embassy has begun again and a squad of soldiers has been sent to shoot Vera. One of them makes various attempts to destroy their discipline and thwart their action.
The Grand Duke enters with the young officer. The soldiers are actually aiming. The young officer (Bing) threatens to shoot the Grand Duke unless he stops them. The Grand Duke, completely taken aback, does so and tries the ruse of courtesy with Vera; pretends that he had no idea what was happening and orders her release. The young officer is taken off his guard, the soldiers attack him and master him after a desperate struggle in which several are killed. The Grand Duke turns with renewed ferocity on Vera and orders his men to shoot her, but the young officer cries that she is their lawful princess. The soldiers will now obey neither party and the Grand Duke throws himself furiously on Vera to strangle her. But she, by a trick of ju-jitsu, dislocates his arm and then hurls him backwards to the floor, where he lies stunned. In the first shock of surprise Vera and officer escape, followed by some of the soldiers. A couple assist the Grand Duke.
Officer and Vera start for the Embassy, officer telling soldiers he will there make everything straight.
As they go, the boot carried aloft on a bayonet attracts many people, other soldiers fall in, persuaded, and it is quite a large body that reaches the Embassy. The Captain, seeing himself overmatched, orders: 'Cease firing!' and allows Vera and the young officer to enter the Embassy.
The Chancellor seizes the boot and is wildly overjoyed. His anxious, irresolute manner changes to one of confidence and power. Przyscko from the window harangues the crowd, saying that he will call a parliament that afternoon and install the princess in due course. The Grand Duke has rallied his supporters and attacks with new vigour, cavalry charging the crowd. The Duke is shot dead. This ends the affray. The Minister invites Vera, the Chancellor and the young officer to lunch and the Chancellor tells his story.
Lunch with the Minister. 'Twenty-four years ago the Princess Fedora, who had not yet come to the throne, was travelling incognito in London on diplomatic business, to find an English prince for her husband. She was as strong minded as she was beautiful and elegant. (Two or three episodes may be introduced to indicate her independence.) In particular she had the smallest and most delicate-shaped foot in the world. I was in attendance on her as equerry.
Fedora had a cottage by the river; she used to sit on the landing stage and fish. One very hot day she was sitting there under a big parasol and went off to sleep. Two young men passed in a canoe, members of the Harvard crew which had come over to row at Henley. They could see nothing but the parasol and the feet of the princess. One of the youths pointed at them and made some jesting remark. The other indignantly replied: 'I'll marry the woman in these boots.' They paddled up to ask how far it was to Taplow, as a pretext. The princess, waking and lifting her parasol, fell in love with the youth who had sworn to marry her at first sight. He tells her of the rowing match next day, which she watches. She greets him after the contest. They slip away from the banquet and get married secretly the next day. Six months after the princess' father died. She knew that the announcement of a morganatic marriage would cost her her throne. But she took Jonas Black back to Vodkagorod in her suite. A year afterwards it was necessary to let me into the secret as a child was going to be born. The necessary concealments were successfully carried out. Twins, David and Vera, were born.
Despite all precautions, the Grand Duke, who was constantly seeking a pretext to oust Fedora, discovered the facts. He was, however, unable to prove it and so resorted to violence. He hired men to make an attempt on the lives of the children. Fedora took alarm and sent them to Black's relations in America. The children being twins, the succession was doubtful. Fedora wanted then trained for authority in American environment. She made two wills. Jonas had the right to choose between the twins, by destroying the will which appointed the one he thought unworthy.
Shortly afterwards the widowed mother of Black died. He left Fedora to visit her death bed and the mother lays it upon him as a sacred duty to see personally to the happiness and prosperity of his forty thousand workmen.
Despite her love, which has grown more intense, Fedora insists that Black should only visit her at intervals.
The son of the Grand Duke is a rake and libertine, and Fedora, to prevent him succeeding her consulted me. I was now Chancellor and a law was passed secretly making the children of a morganatic marriage capable of inheriting the throne. She did not dare, however, to announce her own action in marrying Jonas. When the time came a coup d'état would be sprung. The Grand Duke's party being backed by a neighbouring state, discovery of Fedora's plans might mean war.
Jonas and Fedora risk an interview in Paris; they only just escape discovery and decide that they must part forever. The second parting was more cruel than the first. Almost insane with love, they agree to meet in heaven. Because of the incident which brought about their meeting they take boots as symbolic of their love. She had a pair of black boots made containing needles poisoned with aconite, one of these to be in charge of her agent in America, the other of his agent in Vodkagorod. If either died, this agent would present the boot to the survivor, who would thereupon commit suicide by its means.
Jonas Black Did Not Die of Apoplexy. We see the departure of Wegg, Black's horror and despair transmuting itself into a semi-maniacal exaltation, during which he goes to the safe, takes the wills from the boot, burns the one making David king. He then goes outside the door and finds the boot, kills himself with it, returns to the library and rings the bell before he dies. We see the butler answer the bell and find him dead.
The Chancellor's Story Continued. She also had a pair of white boots made, in the heels of which are the evidence of the marriage and the birth of the twins. It is therefore necessary to reunite the white boots in order to establish the claim of the twins to the throne.
We now see Fedora taken suddenly ill and various coincidences, part accident and part due to the intrigues of the Grand Duke's spies, by dint of which she is prevented from making arrangements with the Chancellor to communicate with Jonas. She dies without setting things straight; the Chancellor's telegrams are intercepted by spies in the Post Office and he is rendered powerless to proclaim the heirs. For instance, at her first illness he has cabled Black and the telegram is suppressed. We then see the agitation of the people who demand some one to take the throne, and the conspiracy of the young Grand Duke with the military party, with their final decision to make a coup d'état and proclaim him.
The coup: The conspirators seize strategic points in the city, arrest the Chancellor and other notables; and crown the Grand Duke publicly.
The Lunch Party Continued. The Chancellor asks whether his servant has arrived from his house. The officer on guard introduces him. He has the other white boot. The Chancellor opens the heel and produces the documents. He then proclaims Vera formally as princess and does her homage. Vera acknowledges this and says that the triumph of right is due principally to the young officer who rescued the boot. The Chancellor is surprised not to recognise him, and says: 'Who is our unexpected friend?' The young officer pulls off his moustache and reveals himself as Gillette Bing.
Vera then says, with a flash back to the scene on the Thames (which can be an illustrated sub title): 'My mother's boots brought her her life's happiness: they should do as much for me.' Bing trembles with amazement. She says: 'It is the privilege of princesses to propose.' They are formally betrothed, with the American Ambassador and Chancellor of Vodkagorod as witnesses.
The white boots are shown climbing a radiant ladder into the sunrise.
Two tiny pairs, with wings, fly up to them and follow them.
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