Love and Death on Long Island

:02:13

[ Man ]
It is so difficult
to know where I should begin.

:02:17

Especially when, unlike you,
I already know the ending.

:02:22

But let us say that this story
began with the end of another,

:02:26

far, far from the surf
of Long Island.

:02:31

For many years, I had
absolutely no public life.

:02:35

I had said, "No,"
to interviews so often,

:02:38

it was widely
regarded as my forte.

:02:41

Then, just once--
on impulse-- I said,

:02:46

"Yes."

:02:50

Does the 20th century
play any part in your life?

:02:52

I'm sorry?
Do you, for instance,
use a word processor?

:02:56

I'm a writer. I write.

:03:00

I don't process words.

:03:02

[ Interviewer ]
So, who do you write for?

:03:05

Myself.
May I ask why
you're here today?

:03:08

Well, I was
wondering that myself.

:03:10

But... your...
colleague was... a friend...

:03:14

of my late wife, who translated
for the World Service.

:03:17

And, of course, I do have
a faint interest as to how
these things are done, you know.

:03:22

You've never been
tempted to write for radio?

:03:24

Or television?
I'm afraid not.

:03:27

Would you permit your work
to be adapted for the screen,

:03:29

now that even
E.M. Forster's been done?

:03:32

Oh, I'd prefer
not to be done.

:03:34

[ Interviewer ]
But he's been done rather well,
don't you think?

:03:36

I've-- I've no idea.

:03:40

I haven't been to the pictures
for quite some time.