THE DEPARTURE

The Hotel Lobby. Florence moves to a small table where she is served tea. "Welcome" banner and flags absent. A garlanded Buddha attended by staff. The Arbiter is present. Guests come and go. Journalists. Porters cross with luggage, etc.

ARBITER
And the final moves will determine the winners -- and the losers.

(Freddie enters and approaches Florence)

FREDDIE
Florence? I came to say goodbye
(no reply)
Because I'm staying here! For a while, anyway. Anything but chess for me now. It looks like this place is good for everything but chess!

(They embrace, it’s formal, cool, an awkward silence. Then, ever-buoyant, Freddie spots the Russian couple.)

FREDDIE
Hey, Anatoly -

(He ascends to Anatoly and Svetlana on the balcony and talks to them. Walter approaches Florence.)

WALTER
SO IN THE END OUR HERO WON...
BRILLIANTLY!
SURPRISED US ALL -
HE PLAYED AS WELL AS HE HAS EVER DONE.

FLORENCE
NO SURPRISE --

WALTER
HE SEEMS UNABLE TO WIN
WITHOUT THE ADDED THRILL OF CHANGING SIDES
IS THERE NOTHING MORE YOU HAVE TO SAY?

FLORENCE
NO, YOU WOULDN'T LISTEN ANYHOW
AND WHAT I FEEL TODAY
HAS NO EASY EXPLANATION
HASN'T THIS BEEN A GREAT ACHIEVEMENT?
LOSING YOUR MAN AND NOTHING IN RETURN!

WALTER
Not my man - your man. Anyway, Anatoly's return to the Soviet bosom is a very decent gesture if I may say so - he has virtually guaranteed us - er, you - your father. He must have done it for you, he'd hardly have done it for me.

DON'T BE SO QUICK TO PUT US DOWN
WE'LL GET YOUR FATHER OUT SOON
That is, as long as he is still alive, but if he’s not we’ll still get -

FLORENCE
What - what did you say?

WALTER
Well, we can't be sure that he's alive but you couldn't be sure that he was dead, so you're no worse off.

Walter hands Florence her airline ticket then backs away. Molokov, Svetlana, Anatoly and Freddie enter from elevator. Molokov greets Walter who is glad to get away from Florence.)

FLORENCE (quiet, bitter)
Playing games!

(Svetlana moves towards Florence and after a moment’s consideration extends her hand. Florence takes it. Then Svetlana departs with Walter, Freddie, Anatoly and Molokov. The stage empties of guests, journalists and staff etc. But Anatoly pauses.)

YOU AND I

(Anatoly and Florence - the farewell embrace)

ANATOLY (re-entering)
KNOWING I WANT YOU
KNOWING I LOVE YOU
CANNOT COMPARE
WITH MY DISPAIR
KNOWING I'VE LOST YOU

FLORENCE
I'VE BEEN A FOOL TO ALLOW
DREAMS TO BECOME
GREAT EXPECTATIONS.

ANATOLY
HOW CAN I LOVE YOU SO MUCH
YET MAKE NO MOVE?

BOTH
THERE WILL BE DAYS AND NIGHTS
WHEN I'LL WANT YOU MORE THAN I WANT TO
MORE THAN I SHOULD
OH, HOW I WANT YOU

YOU AND I
WE'VE SEEN IT ALL
CHASING OUR HEARTS' DESIRE
BUT WE GO ON PRETENDING
STORIES LIKE OURS
HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS

ANATOLY
YOU COULD NOT GIVE ME
MORE THAN YOU GAVE ME
I DON'T KNOW WHY
I'M STANDING BY
WATCHING THIS HAPPEN

FLORENCE
I WON'T LOOK BACK ANYMORE
AND IF I DO - JUST FOR A MOMENT.

ANATOLY
I CAN'T IMAGINE A TIME WHEN I WON'T CARE.

BOTH
BUT HERE WE ARE TODAY, AND IT'S OVER
HOLD ME AND TELL ME
WE'LL MEET AGAIN
WHY WON'T YOU TELL ME?

ANATOLY
WHY IS IT OVER?

FLORENCE/ANATOLY & GUESTS
YOU AND I
WE'VE SEEN IT ALL
CHASING OUR HEARTS' DESIRE

FLORENCE & ANATOLY
BUT WE GO ON PRETENDING....

(They embrace for the last time and part, Florence up in an elevator, Anatoly out of the hotel)

CHORUS
STORIES LIKE OURS
HAVE HAPPY ENDINGS

(The globe of the world; the two children, the mother, wise men, princes. The Arbiter bows. The two children spin the globe of the world.)

THE END