THE WfimeG‘ I‘hesi: fed the D03!“ @f M. A. MECHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY- REM imime»)! 1 9‘62 54-. THE 9:. LIBRARY Michigan State University THE WEDDING BY (5.) . Rita Burney AN ABSTRACT Submitted to the College of Communication Arts of Michigan State University of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Speech 1962 Approved This drama. Thee the six corn; read and st: It i ease, if 031 burdened b} A Plafl‘rig‘i and sn- '1‘; i“ 110! is the translated going to c has no an: it is to i to 503m de Can hilVe ‘ to affect Th. of how an ABSTRACT This thesis includes an original play and some thoughts about drama. These notions about drama were developed both while I wrote the six complete and individual drafts of this play and also while I read and studied more than one hundred plays by the masters. It is my notion that the best plays are plays which relieve and’ ease, if only temporarily, the unnamed anxieties and strivings man is burdened by, each epoch having its own peculiar anxieties and yearnings. A playwright can do this only if his play truly reflects the anxieties and strivings of his age. In such a play the anxiety is not overcome, nor is the striving consummated, they are only made concrete; they are translated into something seeable, nameable, something which one is going to come to grips with at last._ As Chekov says, the playwright has no answers; he can only describe what exists. But what a relief it is to be able, for once, to see it all clearly, to be able to come to some definite and Specific conclusions. The author of such a play can have written thusly only if he wrote without a self-conscious desire to affect an audience. These ideas are discussed in more detail, along with discussions of how an author does this sort of "translation writing" and of what it is exactly that he is translating. There are also comparisons made between this sort of play and plays that are written with the self- conscious purpose of affecting an audience. i In uri' write the tra the play and earlier draft to the ideal. ii In writing this thesis I attempted, as well as I was able, to write the translation sort of play. I compare the different drafts of the play and conclude that my final draft is an improvement over the earlier drafts, but that it is still only a short way along the road to the ideal. Chapter I. INTRODUCTION: STATEMENT OF PURPOSE TABLE OF CONTENTS II. TEXT OF THE WEDDING . III. EVALUATION . APPENDIX 0 O I O O O Page 100 103 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: STATEMENT OF PURPOSE This is an original play. It was conceived in September, 1956. This play is the last of six revisions, each of which was an individual and complete draft. The results of this creative experience have been the play, and an attitude toward the creative process which I would like to explain. One's personality, or nature, or conceptual apparatus, capable of only certain characteristic perceptions and reSponses, reduces all potential eXperience to one kind of experience, the kind that it is his particular capacity at each particular time of his life to perceive and reapond to. So that a person at any time, is open only to certain experiences, and all other experiences are distorted to fit his then outlook. The fact that one is this particular way and that, as a con- sequence, one is always having a similar type of experience aids in causing a person to have a strong and pervasive inner (or subconscious) sense of the nature of the world, and the world includes the person himself and his relationships in the world. This sense is a person's vision. And through his life as he and/or the world around him changes, it also changes. This vision is what a created work of art (I am Speaking only of plays) is based or built upon, or, rather is made 223 2;; or again, has as its heart. The vision is at the heart of a man's heart, so to Speak, and, as such, is that which the imagination has as 1 its raw materia (It forms subco the conscious a When we picture of what tionships then (in its essenc Eressmg thing, static, for th Sense of what place, from o: a Sense that 1 he has a Sens: certain stabll but it happen film] a differ formerly he h be has a Stab sel.;es are dj as he was Che 2 its raw material, the imagination being the tool of the subconscious. (It forms subconscious raw material into dreams without the control of the conscious mind, which would attempt to make sense out of it.) When.we reach the end of a created work we have a single, whole picture of what the author feels the world is and what kinds of rela- tionships there are in that world. A created play is not essentially (in its essence) chronological, that is, a developing or linearly pro- gressing thing. A created play is, in its essence, achronological, or static, for the subconscious is outside time and Space. A man's inner sense of what he is and what the world is, is carried from place to place, from one time to another. Moreover, an individual does not have a sense that he is in a state of Sliding, shifting flux. At every moment“ he has a sense of himself as an identifiable and particular entity with certain stable and well-known characteristics. He, indeed, does change, but it happens in an imperceptible way such that one day a man says, "I‘m a different person than I used to be." By that he means that formerly he had a stable self that could be identified, and that today he has a Stable self that can be identified. It is just that these two selves are different from one another. At each moment along the way, as he was changing, he, oddly enough, had a sense of himself as a stable and identifiable entity. Probably there was no time at which he did not know who he was and felt himself to be a changing thing with no stable identity. One day one just wakes up and sees that, somehow, a change has occurred. Psychotics who are deficient in realistic self- identification do not create works that are artistic and meaningful. Works which are Spun out of a man with a Stable sense of himself can be said to be built upon a Single vision. This vision informs the 3 work with unity and integrity so that the end redounds upon the beginning, and each event is related to the one vision Spread through-out the work, thus giving events an organic relationship with each other. People who have a weak sense of themselves or whose vision is of a world lacking stability or order, or so on,create works with an unclear vision or visions that have attendent weakness of stable or orderly relatedness of person with person and event with event. Thus we might account for the theater of the absurd in a day when people feel "lost," and out of relationship and so on. One might ask what can be so important about one man's personal vision, one man's objectification of his sense of himself in a world seen through his private glasses. Isn't a produced work-~a work made consciously and purposefully according to rules and intellectual decisionS-—, one might go on, superior, then, to a created work? First, according to my belief, a man's subconscious attitude is, perhaps un- avoidably, the attitude of his times, of his fellows, and so is not personal in any ultimate way, but is, by and large, an attitude common to all his contemporaries. But, one could reply, how do we, in that case, explain individual differences between works in the same epoch? I answer this way: members of an epoch share a characteristic sense of what man is, what the world is, what relationships are possible and "do, in fact, exist." There are still differences between, for example, different points of view-~the pauper and the prince will show different Sides of the same coin--, different dispositions, different degrees of genius and skill. Notice the difference between ShakeSpeare and his contemporaries, all of whom give us an impression of Renaissance freedom 0f mind and emotion and action. H. Wolfflin, in his Principles g£_Art eerie with unit and each event thus giving ei- have a weak 5e stability or 4 visions that Of person wic the theater c relationshig One in V1510“, one seen throng} CDnSciouSl}, daciSiOns“ according t avoidab 1y, per-503,31 it case ’ expl what man 1 "d . 0: In fa 3 work with unity and integrity so that the end redounds upon the beginning, and each event is related to the one vision Spread through-out the work, thus giving events an organic relationship with each other. People who have a weak sense of themselves or whose vision is of a world lacking stability or order, or so onacreate works with an unclear vision or visions that have attendent weakness of stable or orderly relatedness of person with person and event with event. Thus we might account for the theater of the absurd in a day when pe0ple feel "lost," and out of relationship and so on. One might ask what can be so important about one man's personal vision, one man's objectification of his sense of himself in a world seen through his private glasses. Isn't a produced work--a work made consciously and purposefully according to rules and intellectual decisions--, one might go on, superior, then, to a created work? First, according to my belief, a man's subconscious attitude is, perhaps un- avoidably, the attitude of his times, of his fellows, and so is not personal in any ultimate way, but is, by and large, an attitude common to all his contemporaries. But, one could reply, how do we, in that case, eXplain individual differences between works in the same epoch? I answer this way: members of an epoch share a characteristic sense of what man is, what the world is, what relationships are possible and "do, in fact, exist." There are still differences between, for example, different points of view--the pauper and the prince will Show different sides of the same coin--, different dispositions, different degrees of genius and skill. Notice the difference between ShakeSpeare and his contemporaries, all of whom give us an impression of Renaissance freedom of mind and emotion and action. H. Wolfflin, in his Principles g£_Art ——..— AJ- 4 History, SSpecially the Preface and Introduction, has a thorough dis- cussion of the inter-relationships between the artist's perception and his style and the mode of his times. Second, what do we mean when we Speak of what is important? In general, when discussing the importance of a work of art, we assume that the work must be important £25 the Spectator. This assumption leads us to certain notions about the nature of a work of art, for example, it ought to teach, or it ought to delight, etc.1 What other reason, one might ask, is there for writing a play, if not to have some effect upon an audience? But the created work, the work written out of a vision, seems to be, as I have suggested, a mere expression of an attitude and seems to have had no Spectator-directed purpose. But I believe that the created play hp§_an effect on an audience that only 353 because of what it is, can produce, and that this is a most profound effect, although this effect is only by the way and was not purposefully arranged for. Thus a created play has importance, but not purposefully so. Following from this is the conclusion that telling a writer what his play ppghp_ £p_gp.is anti-creative advice. One should tell a writer what his play gpghp_gp 23, Those who want to analyze created plays might find it helpful to take into account the fact that the author did not have an audience-directed purpose. But, to digress for a moment, how is one to tell the difference between the completely created and the completely produced, and plays that are a little of both, and in the last case, where it is created and where produced? For one thing, produced plays have one thing in common, 1Horace- Epistle to a Friend--a common attitude toward art during the Renaissance and after. 5 at bottom their peOple are lifeless and the events are contrived. Created plays give an appearance of rulebook plotlessness--Chekov, ShakeSpeare, Webster--, or of rulebook sensationalism--Euripides, Webster, ShakeSpeare--, or of real, alive, human beings--Marlowe, Chekov, ShakeSpeare. But how can one be sure? Does the play yield to analysis in such a way that at a deep bottom we find there is some attitude having to do with the world and one's place in the world and that, then, every word, every appearance and exit of a character, every relationship, every event embodies or is part of the embodiment of this attitude? Then that play is created. At the bottom of Chekov's plays, we find the attitude, growing from the particular in his first play to the general in his next to the last play, that man pggdg, longs for, contact with others--a man with another person in his first play; the individual with the world in his last--but that this contact, because the other is corrupt, is irrevocably destructive to the individual. In his last play he seems to have been destroyed himself. And his projected plan for his next play, never written, is one smacking of escape: the play is laid entirely on a ship bound for the Arctic. After one has seen what his vision is, accusations of plot- 1essness leveled at Chekov appear utterly ridiculous. His plays are organically unified so that not one word or action is unrelated or un— necessary. His is a more ultimate sort of plot. What is this effect, then, that I Spoke of as peculiar to the created work? Aristotle Speaks of catharsis. My notion, a reSponse to Aristotle's suggestive ideas, is that people living their lives in the midst of Striving they are not clear about, about whose outcome they may feel anxious, or peOple living their lives feeling other name- less anxieties of one sort or another, cannot take all of their life 6 into clear view, cannot clearly grasP their problem. The lessons of the past remain unemphasized, vague; the present is a welter of experience, the parts difficult to see each in its prOper place and relationship; and the future is a mystery. But in the theater all is given definite- ness, clarity, a beginning and then an end following from the beginning. It is their anxiety and/or striving they see on stage, put there, in objective form, by an author who shares this anxiety and striving with them. He doesn't give them answers, he just makes it definite and clear for once. He turns nameless anxiety into concrete fear. He turns the uncertain grepings and yearnings of himself and his audience into a simple struggle to attain a prescribed goal. For the time the audience is watching this play their burdens of anxiety are eased. There is something seeable, nameable, something which one is going to come to grips with, concretely, Specifically, and finally wrest a victory or defeat out of...once and for all...at last. The moment at which the striving achieves failure or success, the moment at which the anxiety is laid to rest or seen to be justified is the moment after which release from tension, or catharsis, occurs. There has been tension because the audience has "identified", that is, what is happening on stage is an objectification of the deepest, most real happenings in the audience's own lives. They gaps because it i§_about them. Produced plays may entertain in the sense that they provide idle amusement or escapist diversion. But the created play eases our burdens and are, therefore, ultimately engrossing and entertaining. ‘We leave a created play truly refreshed, relieved, at ease, even if only temporarily. 7 The man who creates such a play writes it in his time, out of the attitude of that time. Such a man writes from his heart what his epoch has caused to be in his heart. And also, when a man is noble enough, his vision rises above the attitude of his own times and becomes a vision which, in its wider generality, can contain the troubles and woes in the lives of his brothers in other ages, age after age. If the author's imagination's translation of this vision into peOple-in-relationship-in-a-play is an accurate translation, and if it is not embellished so much that it becomes twisted, devious and in- direct, then his play will, by the way, have this profound and pro- foundly important effect on his audience. He did not have it in his mind to cause this reSponse. But because he wrote the way he did, his play can and does cause this reSponse. We must cherish such works and show gratitude to their authors, who may not think of us, but who, as it happens, give gifts to us. Ht. Brokenshire John Brokenshir Phyllis Brokens Mildred James Malcolm James 34:8. Grouse Martin Jack Carl Anne FElicia Today, Conne. CHAPTER II TEXT OF THE WEDDING CAST OF CHARACTERS Mr. Brokenshire John Brokenshire Phyllis Brokenshire Mildred James Malcolm.James Mrs. Grouse Martin Jack Carl Anne Felicia Today. Connecticut. An elderly man Mr. Brokenshire's middle-aged son John's wife John's Sister Mildred's husband The cleaning woman The best man The groom A neighbor The bride; Phyllis' and John's daughter Mildred's and Malcolm's daughter PLACE The Brokenshire's living-room. SCENE The Brokenshire's living room with terrace to the right through French doors in down right wall. Up center is large archway into hall. To the left, in the hall, are stairs leading to the second floor. Above the Stairs is a door leading to the study. To the right off the hall is the kitchen. Hall leads off left, above stairs, to front door. A window in the left wall of the living room. On each Side of the archway, in the living room, is a lowboy. Down center is a couch. Down right, below the French doors, is an easy chair. Down left is another easy chair. Above the couch, and right, above the French doors, is a bridge table with four chairs around it. On the terrace is a round table with several chairs. The terrace goes off right to the driveway. This room is lightly furnished and there is no naturalistic substantiality about it. The mode of the play is impressionistic rather than realistic. Attl Are 1 ‘gj Dijzl Id; THE WEDDING Act I Two days before the wedding. Early evening in June. Anne enters from hall right. Jack and Martin come behind her. Carl next. Felicia follows. They come down towards the living-room. They move among each other. CARL QUIETLY. Anne, you get some Sleep now. You have dark rings under your eyes. ANNE I know. I know. CARL Are we going to see each other later? MARTIN Why don't you come back around nine, Carl? CARL Are you going to be up then? MARTIN I'm only going to lie down for a half hour. I have some more work to do. ' CARL Are you going to go to Sleep, Anne? ANNE I will. I will. Shh. JACK Don't tell him to shush. ANNE I didn't say anything. JACK Be quiet, will you. SHORT PAUSE. MARTIN We shouldn't do so much. We ought to stOp going so hard during the day. 10 ll FELICIA All that hot sun. PHYLLIS OFF RIGHT. Are you children going to bed, please! ANNE Yes, mother! PHYLLIS Well, go then! I have to get this house cleaned up! ANNE Yes, mother! GOES QUICKLY UP THE STAIRS. EXIT. PHYLLIS I'll set up the scrabble set so you can do something quiet this evening when you wake up! CARL Well...I guess I'll see you later, then. MARTIN See you later, Carl. EXIT UP CENTER HALL INTO STUDY. SHUTS THE DOOR. JACK STARTS SLOWLY UPSTAIRS. I guess I'll go lie down for awhile. CARL See you later, Jack. JACK See you later. EXIT UPSTAIRS. CARL Are you coming Felicia? FELICIA I guess so. THEY START OFF, RIGHT. CARL CALLS. So long. SILENCE. PHYLLIS ENTERS FROM.RIGHT WITH BRIDGE TABLE. Ybu go on now, children. Get some rest. CONTINUES DOWN INTO LIVING-ROOM. Come back later and have a nice game of Scrabble with us. CARL I guess we'll see you later than, Mrs. Brokenshire. You go on now, VIEW, ABOVE l Good-by, Aunt ' Get a good res as, GROL'SE cc sinus in Il-t seams UP as; 3T5. Grouse. .. moms AI Til. I've got to 3 THE TABLE. I Come later or you help me i". BRINGS BOX TC games, Mrs. I Just turn the E reception OUtSide' 0 all] They're expe. Oh yes? Whe hell i I s t d . get b SOmeOne If y0u Could 12 PHYLLIS You go on now, Carl. Get some rest. SETS UP TABLE, BY DOWN RIGHT WINDOW, ABOVE FRENCH DOORS. FELICIA Good-by, Aunt Phyllis. SHE AND CARL EXEUNT RIGHT HALL. PHYLLIS Get a good rest, Felicia...! MRS. GROUSE COMES IN RIGHT CARRYING BRIDGE CHAIRS. BRINGS THEM TO PHYLLIS AND THEY SET THEM UP AROUND THE TABLE. PHYLLIS SETTING UP BRIDGE CHAIRS AROUND THE BRIDGE TABLE. Look in the lowboy, Mrs. Grouse...Is the game there? MRS. GROUSE LOOKING AT THE BOX IN THE BOTTOM OF THE LOWBOY. Scrabble? PHYLLIS I've got to get the lazy susan. FINDS IT IN THE RIGHT LOWBOY. COMES BACK TO THE TABLE. If this heat doesn't stop...PUTS REVOLVING TRAY ON THE TABLE. That caterer's coming too early...I've got to tell him to come later or else all the food is going to Spoil...Mrs. Grouse, can you help me here please. MRS. GROUSE BRINGS BOX TO THE TABLE. I don't know anything about this kind of games, Mrs. Brokenshire. , PHYLLIS Just turn these little tiles over...I don't know why I wanted to make the reception myself. It's going to be too hot for pe0ple to go outside...I'm not going to have enough room... MRS. GROUSE They're eXpecting a cooler weather in a couple of days. PHYLLIS Oh yes? Where did you hear that? MRS. GROUSE 0n the television. PHYLLIS Well, it'd better be cooler weather in two days or I don't know...I'll get someone to drive you home. MRS. GROUSE If you could. Y: is 9‘1 Wm. TU I .U. .. .. c. Has 13 PHYLLIS I'll get one of the boys. GOES TO STUDY DOOR. KNOCKS. Martin...Martin. MARTIN Yes. PHYLLIS Are you up? MARTIN Yes. PHYLLIS Could you come out for a minute please. I want you to do something for me. MARTIN I'll be right there. MRS. GROUSE I'll come in day after tomorrow. PHYLLIS Yes, I'm counting on you. I want the house spotless. MRS. GROUSE I could come in tomorrow. PHYLLIS Oh no. With these wild Indians. Martin! MARTIN Yes. Here I am. MARTIN COMES FROM STUDY AND ENTERS THE LIVING ROOM. PHYLLIS It's a good thing you're Sleeping in the study. I don't have to wake everybody up when I want you. MARTIN What time is it? PHYLLIS It's after eight. Martin, would you drive Mrs. Grouse home for me? I've got so much to do this evening yet. I want to get started. You could be a great help to me if you'd do that. MARTIN Yes. I wouldn't mind. Is She going right now? PHYLLIS Are you sure I didn't wake you? l4 MARTIN That's all right. You didn't wake me. PHYLLIS The car's in the driveway. Let me get up the key. EXIT RIGHT THROUGH HALL. MARTIN Do you live far? MRS. GROUSE Just down the road...I got a bad back. MARTIN Oh? MRS. GROUSE It's all right when I'm doing house work, bending, moving around, don't you know. It's just when it gets locked in one position. MARTIN Oh, I see. MRS. GROUSE If I walk home a half mile I can't move when I get there. I got to lie down in the bed and have hot compresses. My daughter does them for me. MARTIN Can't the doctor help you? MRS. GROUSE I don't go to the doctor. I ain't got no money to throw away on them doctors, don't you know. They bleed you white. And they never do you no good anyhow. You're worse off when they get through with you. I could tell you things about doctors... I PHYLLIS REENTERING. You'll come in Sunday morning, then, Mrs. Grouse. THEY WALK TO THE FRENCH DOORS. Thank you, Martin. MARTIN That's all right. HE AND MRS. GROUSE EXEUNT THROUGH FRENCH DOORS. GO RIGHT OFF TERRACE. MRS . GROUSE Good night, Mrs. Brokenshire. I'll come back Sunday morning early, then. PHYLLIS Good night. Good night. Hurry back, Martin. They'll want to play as soon as they get up. 15 MARTIN FROM OFF RIGHT. All right! PHYLLIS Shh! Shh! CAR DOORS SLAM.AND CAR DRIVES AWAY. ANNE COMING DOWN THE STAIRS. Mether...? PHYLLIS GOING ACROSS LIVING ROOM TO HER. Anne, why aren't you Sleeping? ANNE I can't...WALKS INTO LIVING ROOM AND OVER TO THE FRENCH DOORS. PHYLLIS FOLLOWS HER. ANNE STANDS LOOKING OUT AT THE TERRACE. Why is it so hot? Why can't it be cooler? GOES OUT ONTO THE TERRACE. PHYLLIS STANDS IN THE DOORWAY. It'll be cooler. I wish you'd go back upstairs and rest some more. You weren't in bed for more than half an hour. You had a very active day today. ANNE I wish it were Sunday already. PHYLLIS It's just two more days. ANNE I can't believe I'm going to get married. PHYLLIS What's the matter? ANNE Nothing...Nothing's the matter. PHYLLIS Then why are you crying? ANNE I'm not crying...I'm not crying... PHYLLIS You're over-excited. It's natural for a bride to feel nervous before her wedding. ANNE No... PHYLLIS I wish you'd lie down for awhile longer, Anne. YOu look very tired and pale. . i n. . it. _ .i A ,,. _ .. . e. . . \ r V A. _ . on O ., a . . _ . o , I . .o . - .~ A l . u c . g i I D h I . n i . . .. . . Q Q .7 u. . U _ u A, l A , I n . , e . u ‘ v u U - I . . . . . I . I u. l y“ i , i i L . .- . . . . .. .. _ .. . H , 16 ANNE It isn't that...! PHYLLIS I don't like to see you looking like this, Anne. I wish you'd please rest for awhile before the others get up. ANNE Oh, mother, please don't... PHYLLIS Well, look what you did today. You swam and played tennis and went walking... . ANNE It isn't that...It isn't that! PHYLLIS Then what is it? It's got to be something! I can't stand it when you act like this! When you get so nervous. Why do you always have to get nervous like this? ANNE I'm not going to get married. I know it. Something terrible is going to happen. PHYLLIS No it isn't! Nothing terrible is going to happen. You're going to get married and you're going to have a lovely wedding. And you and Jack are going to be very happy. And that's all that's going to happen... I don't know why you talk like this...Sit down here. I'm going to get you some hot tea if you're not going to go back to bed. Just forget about those silly ideas and think about what a happy life you're going to have. Everything's going to be all right. There's nothing that's going to happen to you. Believe me. We love you. We wouldn't let anything happen to our little girl...Now you sit here and I'll be right back. EXIT THROUGH LIVING ROOM.AND HALL TO RIGHT. ANNE SITS ON TERRACE. JACK COMES SLOWLY DOWNSTAIRS AND WALKS OVER TO THE FRENCH DOOR. JACK Oh...I was wondering where you were. ANNE AFTER A MOMENT. Why don't you come outside? JACK All right. STEPS OUT ONTO TERRACE. ANNE Did you have a good sleep? l6 ANNE It isn't that...! PHYLLIS I don't like to see you looking like this, Anne. I wish you'd please rest for awhile before the others get up. ANNE Oh, mother, please don't... PHYLLIS Well, look what you did today. You swam and played tennis and went walking... ANNE It isn't that...It isn't that! PHYLLIS Then what is it? It's got to be something! I can't stand it when you act like this! When you get SO nervous. Why do you always have to get nervous like this? ANNE I'm not going to get married. I know it. Something terrible is going to happen. PHYLLIS No it isn't! Nothing terrible is going to happen. You're going to get married and you're going to have a lovely wedding. And you and Jack are going to be very happy. And that's all that's going to happen... I don't know why you talk like this...Sit down here. I'm going to get you some hot tea if you're not going to go back to bed. Just forget about those silly ideas and think about what a happy life you're going to have. Everything's going to be all right. There's nothing that's going to happen to you. Believe me. We love you. we wouldn't let anything happen to our little girl...Now you sit here and I'll be right back. EXIT THROUGH LIVING ROOM AND HALL TO RIGHT. ANNE SITS ON TERRACE. JACK COMES SLOWLY DOWNSTAIRS AND WALKS OVER TO THE FRENCH DOOR. JACK Oh...I was wondering where you were. ANNE AFTER A MOMENT. Why don't you come outside? JACK All right. STEPS OUT ONTO TERRACE. ANNE Did you have a good sleep? l7 JACK . I didn't sleep at all. SHORT PAUSE. I want to tell you something. ANNE I know what it is. JACK I don't think you do. ANNE Yes I do. YOu don't want to marry me. JACK That's not it. ANNE I know you don't love me anymore. JACK I do. Who said I didn't love you. ANNE But it's something terrible, isn't it. JACK ...I don't know. Maybe it is. SITS. ANNE LOW. I don't want to hear it. JACK AFTER A.MOMENT. But I have to tell you. I should have told you before. ANNE 'What does it have to do with? Is it about another girl? JACK No. It isn't anything like that...Do you have a headache? ANNE No. JACK I've got one. It's been killing me. ANNE You were out in the sun a lot today. Maybe you hurt your eyes. JACK It isn't my eyes. It's the whole back of my head. LOWERS HIS HEAD AND PUTS HTS FACE IN HIS HANDS. It feels like it's going to come Open. 18 ANNE Do you want me to get you some aSpirin? JACK No. STANDS. I think I'll go back to bed for awhile. TURNS TO GO. ANNE Aren't you going to tell me? ' JACK I'll tell you later. Can't I just lie down for awhile? ANNE Of course you can. I didn't say you couldn't. JACK I'll see you later. GOES INTO LIVING ROOM. ANNE Don't bother. I don't ever want to see you again anyway! JACK GOING THROUGH LIVING ROOM...Don't worry about it...It isn't important... ANNE What! I didn't hear what you said! JACK GOING UP THE STAIRS. Never mind...Never mind...EXIT UPSTAIRS. ANNE AFTER A MOMENT GETS UP AND RUNS OFF TERRACE RIGHT. CALLS OUT. Georgianna! Georgianna! MALCOLM ENTERS FROM TERRACE RIGHT WITH MILDRED AND MR. BROKENSHIRE. Where are you going, Annie? MILDRED She's going over to see her friend Georgianna Lee who lives next door. MALCOLM I see. SMOKES HIS PIPE INCESSANTLY THOUGH GENTLY. MILDRED WALKS UP AND FACES UPSTAGE. Winds and breezes, dreams of night; Alight! Alight! My arms and face do you invite! MALCOLM Oh, now, now, come on, Mildred... 19 MILDRED Come, night winds, and stroke my breast! Leave me not alone, unknown, by grief and agony OppreSsed! Oh not alone! Unknown! By grief, by agony Oppressed! MALCOLM Oh, now, now. What kind of thing is that to say. MILDRED I'm Speaking to the night. MALCOLM Now, Mildred. MILDRED To the beautiful, black, beautiful, secret, hidden night...The night out there... MALCOLM ,AFTER A.MOMENT. Oh now, Mildred. MILDRED Look, Malcolm...A shooting star... MALCOLM Oh? I didn't see one. MILDRED Come here. MALCOLM GOES TO HER. Hmmm. MILDRED PUTS HER ARM THROUGH HIS. THEY FACE UPSTAGE. I made a wish. I wished that our dear, sweet, darling daughter Felicia would have a long, rich, happy, healthy, wonderful, beautiful, marvelous life. I wished that She would have good health and love and wealth and a long, happy, happy life and everything--everything--that she wants! MALCOLM She will...she will. She's a good girl...SHORT PAUSE. MILDRED I ought to go in and help my sister-in-law. But I can't move. MALCOLM Mrs. Grouse is helping her. 20 MR. BROKENSHIRE Phyllis probably sent her home already. She never likes to Spend extra money when she can do the work herself. That's a good, Old-fashioned trait you don't see much of in women today. They always like to have somebody else doing for them...And what else have they got to do anyway? They just want to be lazy, that's all. They think it's smart. MILDRED GOING SLOWLY TOWARDS THE FRENCH DOORS. what happened...SITS UP. PHYLLIS 1e doctor said she had a hemorrhage. Her daughter called him. She's aver been to a doctor...He said he took one look at her back...He aesn't know how she's been walking around...He said he could feel it :her places too...it's probably all over her insides...What a horrible ling! MALCOLM >u mean...he could feel it? PHYLLIS 3 doesn't know how she's still alive...how she was walking around.. a said the pain must have...A MOMENT'S SILENCE. MALCOLM ETS UP AND WALKS TO FRENCH DOORS. I haven't been feeling...VOICE FADES. PHYLLIS lat? MALCOLM 1...nothing...nothing...GOES OUT ONTO THE TERRACE AND LOOKS UP AT THE EARS. PHYLLIS 3 says She'll be dead soon...maybe even now...Ihat good woman. She arked so hard...She was here just this morning...I said...I told ildred that...she didn't...like to dust...Oh that poor woman...but abody could wash floors the way she did...the poor woman...the poor sman...the pain Shelmust have gone through...I used to complain about er...if I had only known...I would have helped her...taken her to the actor...but She never complained...just this pain in her back... iscles...I couldn't know...how could I_know...l_don't know about these hings...she came to work...if she could come to work...It isn't my ault...I'm not almighty...I don't know everything...I do what I can.. t's not my fault...How could I have helped her anyway?...What could I_ ave done?...And all these children too...they're so nervous...I don't now what to do...everything seems to be slipping out of my graSp... 'm getting older...I can't do what I used to be able to do...Why must t be me who has to take the burden of everything?...Why is it always e?...and I know everyone resents my taking the reSponsibility...but hat if I didn't? What if I just let things go on? What would happen hen? Someone has got to take the reSponsibility...someone has got to o it...even if that person isn't perfect...it's better than nothing... t's better than nobody's doing it...Don't you think so, Malcolm? MR. BROKENSHIRE OMES DOWN THE STAIRS. IN HIS BATHROBE. Did you hear anything, hyllis? 74 PHYLLIS ther Brokenshire. What are you doing up so late? MR. BROKENSHIRE don't know. I couldn't Sleep. I thought I heard something...WALKS LROUGH HALL TO RIGHT. ...Everything is quiet enough though. Maybe ‘m hungry. EXIT RIGHT. PHYLLIS .it a minute, Father Brokenshire. I'll help you... MR. BROKENSHIRE LOM.OFF. I'll just warm myself some milk. PHYLLIS ILKS OUT AFTER HIM. I'll make you some toast...You always like toast .th your milk...EXIT HALL RIGHT. Let me help you, Father Brokenshire. MALCOLM I THE TERRACE. Mildred? Is that you? WALKS OFF TERRACE RIGHT. lered? JACK ROM UPSTAIRS. No...I'm.all right... ANNE ROM UPSTAIRS. Lean on me a little more. JACK E AND ANNE WALK SLOWLY DOWN THE STAIRS. Let me hold onto the bannister. don't want to hurt you. ANNE n no. I'm strong enough. I don't think you should exert yourself too uch. JACK 'm not exerting myself. ANNE ut if you use the bannister... JACK h no...I don't think that's...exertion... ANNE HEY COME DOWN INTO THE HALL. Do you'want to rest first? JACK 'm all right, Anne. I want to get outside in the fresh air. 75 ANNE ope you won't over-tire yourself, darling. JACK We can go slowly. ANNE L right, darling. THEY WALK SLOWLY THROUGH THE LIVING ROOM. Can .1 tell me now what you were going to tell me? JACK . . . . it' 8 nothing. . .I was thinking maybe. . . I was thinking about maybe anging my job. Well...actually, of quitting work altogether for hile. - ANNE .y? JACK IEY STAND AND LOOK AT EACH OTHER. Well, Anne.. . ANNE as? JACK ell. . .SHORT PAUSE. ANNE h, darling...SHE EMBRACES HIM. HE PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND HER. JACK . don't know what to do. ANNE lon't say that. JACK ...But I really don't. ANNE Yes you do. You do know what to do. JACK No I don't, Anne. I really don't. ANNE ...Then what's going to become of us? JACK We can just stick with each other. ANNE You want us to stick together? 76 JACK ANNE . don't want to not get married? JACK I want to get married.. .to marry you. ANNE 'll stick together then. JACK IER A MOMENT. LOW. Well, listen. After all...what else can we ANNE LLING BACK. What do you mean? JACK [ISPERS. I mean...I'm not able to quit my job if I want to...I'll :ver be able to do anything I want to...I'm a weakling...I don't know 1ything...I can't do anything...I never will... ANNE Dn't talk like that! JACK HISPERS. I'll never be good for anything...I'm a dead man...I'll go 0 work and.come back...and I'll never know anything or be anything. . . ANNE fhy are you talking like that! It's not true! JACK JHISPERS. It is true...it is true...I'll never be anything...I'm :rapped and caught...my headaches will finish me off...it's all the :ension... ANNE The tension! What tension! What are you talking about! What do you mean trapped and caught! JACK LAUGHS. SOFTLY. By everything.. .by everyone...I'm lost in it...With my headaches. . .LAUGHS SOFTLY. But don't worry. . .everything will be all right...we'll get along all right...It's nothing to worry about... ANNE I think you're going crazy! You're going crazy! Why are you talking like that! 77 JACK 's nothing...it's just the pain...don't pay attention to anything I'm ring. ..we'll be all right...just you believe me...we'll be all right .LAUGHS SOFTLY. ANNE Jack!! PHYLLIS RRIES INTO THE HALL FROM THE RIGHT. HURRIES TO THEM. My God! at's the matter! ANNE .ck! Look at him! He's going crazy! JACK . LUGHING SOFTLY. No, I'm not...we were just talking... PHYLLIS lat is he doing down here? Why is he out of bed? ANNE iat's the matter with him! JACK UMBLING. LAUGHING SOFTLY. It's nothing...it's nothing...don't get pset... PHYLLIS h Anne. HELPS JACK SIT. It's the sedative the doctor gave him. He aid it was very strong and sometimes makes peOple act strangely... low is your headache, Jack? Is it feeling any better? JACK )h yes. Thank you. It's fine now. I'm perfectly all right. ANNE Are you sure! PHYLLIS Oh Anne. COVERING JACK'S LEGS WITH THE COVERLET. You were right there when the doctor told me. ANNE I don' t remember! PHYLLIS Now you get right upstairs to bed, young lady, before 193 need the doctor. FELLS HER FOREHEAD. I think you've got a fever. You're at such a pitch of nerves it'll be a miracle if you don't get sick too. What's the matter with you children! Why can't you take care of yourselves? Why can't you practise a little calmness and common sense instead of making nervous wrecks out of yourselves? Honestly, I don't know what to do with you anymore. 78 ANNE you sure it's just the medicine? PHYLLIS DING ANNE TOWARDS THE STAIRS. Of course it's just the medicine. lt else would it be? ANNE thought he . . . PHYLLIS - TERRUPTING. You Silly girl. People don't go crazy all of a sudden. ANNE don' t know. PHYLLIS :11, I'm telling you. You can believe your mother. Now you go >stairs to bed right now. ANNE at what about Jack? PHYLLIS '11 take care of him. Now you go upstairs and forget about everything xcept your beautiful wedding. Do you hear me? ANNE Yes, mother. STARTS UPSTAIRS. He wanted some fresh air. We were going :0 go for a walk. PHYLLIS ie doesn't need any walks. And neither do you, young lady. You both need a good night's Sleep, that's what you need. Now don't you worry about Jack. SHE STANDS LOOKING UP AT ANNE, WHO STANDS ABOVE HER ON THE STAIRS. You leave everything up to me. ANNE Yes, mother. PHYLLIS I'll take care of everything. ANNE Yes, mother. PHYLLIS Now you go to sleep. ANNE Yes, I will. Goodnight, mother. EXIT UPSTAIRS. 79 PHYLLIS Goodnight, my dearest, darling. Don't worry about anything! I'll take care of everything; everything for you, so that you can be happy! ANNE OFF. Yes, mother. Goodnight, mother. PHYLLIS AFTER A MOMENT. TEARS COMING DOWN HER CHEEKS. I love you so much, Anne, my only child. If only I could do everything! MT. BROKENSHIRE ENTERING FROM.HALL RIGHT. What's all the noise about? PHYLLIS Did you finish your toast? . ' MR. BROKENSHIRE Yes. What was all the noise about? PHYLLIS flothing, Father Brokenshire. Anne wanted to ask me something. MR. BROKENSHIRE ire you crying? PHYLLIS Jo, Father Brokenshire. Why would I be crying? WIPES HER FACE. This .s the happiest time of my life. My daughter is going to be married :oon to a wonderful person and will Start a beautiful life of her own. L'm rejoicing for her. My darling daughter. MR. BROKENSHIRE es. That's all right for you women. But we men have to think of the ractical side of things. Does he have a good job? Is he going to be ble to support her the way he should? PHYLLIS es. He's a wonderful boy. John has been into all that. , MR. BROKENSHIRE ohn is a good boy. I brought him up right. He's a good husband and rovider. He's a son to be proud of. PHYLLIS as, Father Brokenshire. He's a wonderful man. MR. BROKENSHIRE e‘knows what to do. He'll know whether that young man is a good bargain )r your daughter or not. You can leave that kind of thing up to the in of the house. 8O PHYLLIS Yes, Father Brokenshire. That's just what I did. MR. BROKENSHIRE That's good. I'm sure everything will be all right. PHYLLIS Yes, Father Brokenshire. I'm sure it will. . MR. BROKENSHIRE Goodnight then. I'm going to bed now. And don't you worry about any- thing. If you need some help or advice you can go to John. He's a good boy. He's the man of the house. STARTS UP THE STAIRS. r“ PHYLLIS A Yes, Father Brokenshire! Thank you. I will! * MR. BROKENSHIRE loodnight now, Phyllis. You'd better get to bed soon yourself. You 1eed your Sleep too, you know. You never get too old for Sleep... EXIT UPSTAIRS. Look at me. Eighty-eight and still in perfect .LV :ondition... JACK :TANDS. I'm going for a little walk now. PHYLLIS Ah no. HURRIES TO HIM. The doctor said you should rest. You should .0 upstairs to bed right now, Jack. JACK AKES HER HAND. SMILES. SOFTLY. Oh but I'm so anxious to get outside n the cool night air. It's so fresh and relaxing. PHYLLIS ut you should be in bed. The doctor gave you a strong sedative. JACK 1 no. I'm all right. YOu see I'm all right. PHYLLIS >w you come upstairs to bed right now. JACK 1, mommy, nmmmwu let me go for a walk. And you come with me... lat would be lots of fun... PHYLLIS In sure you should be in bed. I'll have to call the doctor again if »u don't behave yourself. 81 JACK SIMPLE. INNOCENTLY. Mommy, mommy. PHYLLIS LOOKS AROUND. JACK IS PULLING HER TOWARDS THE FRENCH DOORS. Where is everybody? Now you let me go, Jack, and be good. You should go upstairs to bed right this very minute! Do you hear me? JACK SWEETLY. WITH LOVE. Oh mommy, just a little walk. The air will be so cool and refreshing. It will refresh our minds and help us think more clearly. PHYLLIS Now Jack! You let me go! You're hurting my arms! Jack! HE ISN'T HURTING HER ARMS. SHE IS JUST FRIGHTENED. HE RELEASES HER IMMEDIATELY. JACK OPENLY. LOVINGLY. INNOCENTLY. BEAUTIFULLY. Mommy, I love you. EMBRACES HER AND BURIES HIS FACE IN HER NECK. PHYLLIS Jack! Oh help! Help me someone! JACK MURMURS. Monnny...monnny...monnny. . .PHYLLIS STRUGGLES TO GET AWAY. MALCOLM JANDERS ONTO THE TERRACE. Phyllis? Have you seen Mildred? I can't :‘ind her anywhere. WALKS TOWARDS THE FRENCH DOORS. PHYLLIS *h Malcolm! Thank God! STRUGGLING. JACK OW. Mommy. . .mommy. . . MALCOLM TOPS IN DOORWAY AND WATCHES. What's the matter? PHYLLIS lcolm.. .: CARL, CARRYING FELICIA IN HIS ARMS, COMES ONTO THE TERRACE OM RIGHT. SHE HAS HER ARMS AROUNDHIS NECK. HIS FACE IS HIDDEN AINST HIM. CARL . James! MALCOLM TURNS TO CARL. PHYLLIS :k! Let me go! Someone help me! Someone! Malcolm! :.".s 5‘ ‘4.-MA, Carl! Wait! STRUGGLES. Can't someone help me here! MALCOLM D CARL. Take her with you? CARL can take care of her better than you. I'll love her and cherish her :1 treat her kindly and gently. MALCOLM “ what do you mean? Take her? 83 PHYLLIS :k! Now you leave me alone this instant! Jack! PUSHES HIM AWAY. BRACING HER, HE SINKS DOWN, HIS FACE AGAINST HER BODY. SHE CONTINUES PUSH HIM DOWN. I've got to help Felicia! She's ill! CARL st don't try to get her back. MALCOLM .at are you going to do? CARL m going to marry her. PHYLLIS ACK IS ON THE FLOOR, HOLDING HER ANKLES, HIS FACE AGAINST THEM. Jack! top! Stop that! PULLS HER FEET AWAY. Carl! What are you talking bout! '_ .’I—“—‘IT‘ —~.- Ifr' — F l '2 CARL elicia and I are going to get married. ' x PHYLLIS :OES OUT ONTO THE TERRACE. SHE AND MALCOLM FACE CARL AND FELICIA. Ihat do you mean get married! How can you get married! STARTS TO GO TOWARDS THEM. CARL STEPS BACK. CARL Keep away...We'll go to a justice of the peace and get married. PHYLLIS You mean right now? MALCOLM You can't get married right now... CARL Then we'll wait! We'll do it tomorrow! PHYLLIS What about your mother? Do you think She'll let you do this? CARL My mother doesn't have anything to do with my life. PHYLLIS You have to get her permission. You're under legal age. CARL She'll give me permission. PHYLLIS u're sure? CARL . 3! And if she doesn't we'll go some place where we don't need her .rmission. PHYLLIS Lrl, stand still a minute and let me_look at Felicia. Maybe She's .1. IT IS HOPED THAT JACK'S PRESENCE IS FELT DURING THIS TIME. CARL save us alone. She's not ill at all. She's all right with me. PHYLLIS on don't know anything about it. Perhaps we'd better call the doctor. CARL on leave us alone! We can take care of ourselves! MALCOLM Lut I won't give my permission. CARL Je don't need it. Felicia is old enough. PHYLLIS And when did you fall in love so quickly? Do you think a marriage will last that was decided in one minute? CARL Yes it will! PHYLLIS Carl, will you let me look at Felicia. You might be doing her harm by not letting someone see whether She's ill or not. FELICIA I'm all right. CARL She's all right. PHYLLIS And how do you eXpect to support her?. You're just a SOphomore in college. You don't have any money. You don't have a job. CARL That' s not important . I fr;‘l-‘¢.& 85 PHYLLIS Then what is important? Are you going to live on air? CARL We'll live together and work and study and take care of each other. And be loving and kind and good to each other. That's what's important. PHYLLIS You're children! You're innocent children! You don't know anything about life! CARL And we don't want to! We don't want to know about your life! That's just it! PHYLLIS Malcolm! Will you stop them! MALCOLM You're not being sensible. JACK COMES SLOWLY OUT ONTO THE TERRACE ON HIS HANDS AND KNEES. LOST. Mommy. . .mommy.‘ . . . PHYLLIS Oh! Stop! StOp! Get him away from me! MALCOLM LOOKING DOWN AT HIM. I don't know. . . CARL 'hat's the matter with him? PHYLLIS lie doctor. He gave him a drug for his headache. It must have been )0 strong for him. It's, disgusting. Disgusting. Let me call the >ctor. KEEPING AWAY FROM JACK, SHE HURRIES INTO THE HOUSE AND EXIT LLL RIGHT. CARL m going to put you down for a minute, Felicia. ll you be all right? I lave to help Jack. FELICIA CARL PS- HER SIT ON A CHAIR. I'll be right back. SMOOTHS HER FACE. GOES TACK AND KNEELS BY HIM. Jack...Jack._..What's the matter, old man? 3 HIS ARM AROUND JACK'S SHOULDERS. 86 JACK LOOKS UP AT HIM. No. No. Everything's fine. me. I'm just fine. Don't you worry about CARL Stand up then. Can you stand up? JACK Stand up? LAUGHS SOFTLY. Why should I stand up? It's so nice to be here...It feels so natural...on my hands and knees. It feels so natural to me...I think I've found myself at last. LAUGHS SOFTLY. CARL Jack. Stand up now. I'll help you. JACK Oh no, no. I'm going to Stay like this forever. I've found myself at last. I don't think I'll have anymore headaches...If I can just stay down here close to the ground like this...It's wonderful to find your- self at last...It's really wonderful...You feel so free and easy...so relaxed...all the tension is gone...I feel perfectly fine now...better than I ever have...I wasn't made to struggle and contend...I was made to crawl on the ground...Let my mommy take care of me...She loves me... CARL You had a drug and that's what's making you act like this. stand up, Jack. You can come with Felicia and me. Try and JACK LOOKS UP AT CARL. They told you they gave me a drug.. .Don't you believe :hat...I didn't take it at all...Listen to what I'm saying...Believe :he things I'm saying to you...Listen to me... CARL YRIES TO LIFT JACK. Jack, stand up. Be a man. JACK ou're not listening to me...Why can't you just listen to what I'm aying. . .I.'m not lying. CARL )W. Jack. You've got to. Save yourself. We'll help you. JACK ., no. Leave me alone. LIES HEAVILY ON THE GROUND. Let me stay ke this. This is my way. CARL 's not anybody's way to be like this... l .— W’A..- +_44 __ 87 JACK You say that because you don't know anything abOut it. . .You don't listen to me...you don't believe me. . .This is my way.. .Leave me alone. . . CARL I won't leave you alone. I'm going to take you with me. JACK Get out of here. You're going to make me mad. CARL You've got to come. JACK I said leave me alone. CARL No. You're going to come with us. STARTS T0 LIFT HIM. JACK BITES CARL'S ARM. CARL PULLS HIS ARM AWAY. Jack! MALCOLM Jack! JACK Go away. Go away. You better go away... PHYLLIS {URRIES OUT ONTO THE TERRACE. The doctor said to make him.vomit. {e's going to send out another prescription with the druggist. Jack, ;et up. MALCOLM Ie bit Carl. PHYLLIS t's that drug. He doesn't know what he's doing. CARL 2 says he didn't take the drug. PHYLLIS 5 course he took it. I saw him swallow it myself. Let me see where a bit you. I don't know what you were fooling around with him for. »u better go wash that off. He broke the Skin. _ CARL m all right. PHYLLIS u should have left him alone. You see what state he's in...Malcolm, T've got to help me get him into the bathroom. I've got some mustard :er in there for him. Jack? Will you stand up? 88 JACK Yes. If you help me. MALCOLM TO PHYLLIS. Be careful. PHYLLIS You stand up by yourself, Jack. JACK No. I can't. I'm so tired. PHYLLIS We'll have to carry him. MALCOLM But he seems...maybe he's dangerous. PHYLLIS Are you going to bite anymore? JACK No. Why should I bite? PHYLLIS Will you walk, or should we carry you? JACK You carry me. PHYLLIS Iarl, will you help us, please. THEY LIFT JACK AND CARRY HIM INTO THE LIVING ROOM. JACK h mommy, mommy. I love you so much. PHYLLIS on be quiet now! You've made enoughtrouble for one evening already! (EUNT HALL RIGHT. FELICIA, ALONE ON THE TERRACE, COUGHS SOFTLY ONCE l TWICE. EXEUNT HAIL. ‘JACK {OM OFF. Oh no! Oh no! PAUSE. FELICIA COUGHS SOFTLY ONCE OR TWICE. .USE. PHYLLIS E, MALCOLM AND CARL COME BACK SUPPORTING JACK. let's put him on the uch for a few minutes. He's too heavy to carry upstairs. THEY HALF RRY, HALF SUPPORT HIM. THEY LEAD HIM TOWARDS THE COUCH. When he sts a little he can walk upstairs himself. Here. 89 . MALCOLM Be careful... CARL . . .He's so heavy. PHYLLIS Just get him over to the couch. THEY BRING HIM TO THE COUCH. JACK GROANS SOFTLY. Here. Let him sit down. Why don't you lie down for a few minutes, Jack. I'll cover you up. SHE HOLDS THE COVERLET UP. JACK WAVES HIS HANDS WEAKLY. No. No. Let me...Sit up...I feel so...My head is going around. . . MALCOLM Wipe his chin Off. .. PHYLLIS Can't you wipe it off? I've got the cover in my hand. MALCOLM Well. ..SLOWLY TAKES HANDKERCHIEF FROM HIS POCKET. OFFERS IT TO JACK. Jack.. .do you want to wipe your chin? JACK WAVING HIS HANDS WEAKISY, STRIKES THE HANDKERCHIEF, WHICH FALLS TO THE FLOOR. No. . .no. . .I don't know. . .I feel so. . . MALCOLM ?ICKING UP HIS HANDKERCHIEF. Well...now, now... PHYLLIS "ever mind, then, for heaven's sake, Malcolm. Just let him lie down. JACK 3. No. I don't want to lie down. PUTS HIS HANDS OVER HIS FACE. I 18?: want to rest a minute. Let me rest a minute. JOHN MING DOWNSTAIRS IN HIS BATHROBE. What's all the ruckus? Why aren't u coming upstairs, Phyllis? PHYLLIS LRIES TO STOP HIM FROM COMING DOWN.. Oh it's nothing, darling. Jack l't feeling well. He has a little headache. JOHN t's all? PHYLLIS , dear. He's all right. -... -.. l...._¢.uuu.—-—- I 90 JOHN Then what's the activity about? I thought I could get some sleep at this hour of night. PHYLLIS It's only ten o'clock, dear. JOHN Well, I had a tiring day! I want to get some extra sleep on a weekend if I can! IS that all right with you? PHYLLIS Oh, darling. Of course. I'm sorry. JOHN When are you coming up? PHYLLIS In a few minutes. Just a few minutes. You go up and wait for me. I'll be right there, darling. JOHN GOES BACK UP THE STAIRS. Well, keep your voices down...I want to get some sleep. PHYLLIS Yes, darling. JACK What's the matter with me? Why do I feel so strange? CARL It was that medicine. JACK hat medicine? CARL >u had a headache and the doctor gave you something. JACK at something! What did he give me! PHYLLIS gave you a sedative, Jack. That's all. Don't get so excited. JACK t sedative? I'm allergic to certain drugs! Why didn't you ask me? PHYLLIS l, you were in so much pain, Jack... F“: ... L..— ___.—- __—..- . u 91 JACK , But I'm not Supposed to take certain drugs! They do something bad to me! PHYLLIS Yes, I know. I'm sorry, Jack. The doctor didn't know. He's sending over something now to soothe you. JACK I don't want anything! I want to see Anne! Where's Anne? PHYLLIS She's Sleeping, Jack. I don't want to disturb her. She had a very trying day. JACK NEAR TEARS. I want to see her! I want to see her! I'm afraid I said something terrible to her! I want to talk to her. I want to see her! PHYLLIS Shh. Shh. Jack. St0p shouting. Is it so important that you have to wake her up? She's going to get sick herself if she doesn't relax and get some rest. JACK WEEPING. I want my Anne...I want my Anne... PHYLLIS Shh. Shh. Jack. Don't cry. CARL I'll get her! RUNS UPSTAIRS. JACK want my Anne... PHYLLIS 1h. Shh. Jack. StOp crying. Aman doesn't cry. MALCOLM ll. . .Weu , now, now...FILLS HIS PIPE AND GOES OUT ONTO THE TERRACE. PHYLLIS '4. Carl went to get Anne. Stop crying now, Jack. You're over- night. You have to control yourself. Try and get some control over irself. TUCKS THE COVERLET AROUND HIM. ‘ -- MALCOLM l, Felicia. Hmm. Hmm. DRAWS ON HIS PIPE. How are you feeling? be you better go inside.'.‘;if you were shivering. 92 FELICIA NO. I'm all right. MALCOLM LOOKING AROUND AIMLESSLY. Well...well. . . FELICIA Don't say anything, daddy. MALCOLM I wasn't going to say anything... FELICIA Where's mother? MALCOIM Well to tell you the truth, I don't know. She went out for some fresh air with Martin. That was over an hour ago. I went to look for her. I didn't see her anywhere. I don't know where she could have gone to. She just went out for some air. FELICIA Oh . p MALCOLM Well what's so funny? I don't see anything to laugh about. I'm worried about your mother. I don't know where she could have gone to. FELICIA I'm not laughing. I'm crying. GETS UP. MALCOLM Jhere are you going? _ FELICIA 'm not going anywhere. MALCOLM Tat do you want your mother for? FELICIA want to ask her something. MALCOLM n't you ask me? I'm your father. ‘ FELICIA )KS AT HIM. SHORT PAUSE. I loveyou, father. I love you more than .ove anybody else in the world. MALCOLM well. . .well... I! u— -— — '! ..Dc-»- n z r_._—mw. 'i l 93 FELICIA You make my heart break. MALCOLM I make your heart break? FELICIA Yes. You do. MALCOLM That's a funny thing to say to your father. FELICIA Yes it is. SHORT PAUSE. MALCOLM Are you going to marry him? That Carl? FELICIA I don't know. Probably not. Maybe I will. MALCOLM I don't think you should. FELICIA Don't talk about it, daddy. You don't know what to say. MALCOLM Well, I know...I know something about it... FELICIA 10 you don't. MALCOLM 811...]: think... FELICIA 1h. Daddy. GOES TO HIM AND EMBRACES HIM. Don't say anything, daddy. [st be quiet. HE PUTS HIS HANDS ON HER ARMS AW'KWARDLY. A MOMENT'S ZLENCE. CARL AND ANNE COME DOWNSTAIRS. ANNE HURRIES T0 JACK. SHE ARS A BATHROBE. ANNE 2k! SITS BESIDE HIM. THEY EMBRACE. JACK .p me. . .help me... PHYLLIS on't think you should over-excite yourselves like that. Calm down, 1 you! TRIES TO SEPARATE THEM. I .. — ——-—.-. ‘4- ‘ML——" 94 JOHN FROM UPSTAIRS. Phyllis! ‘Will you come to bed now! PHYLLIS Yes, John! Just a minute! JOHN Come right now! I don't want to wait any more! I want to get to sleep! PHYLLIS Go to sleep, dear! I'll be there in a minute! JOHN I can't Sleep without you! PHYLLIS Just a minute, dear! I'll be there in a minute! JOHN I said no, Phyllis! I want you right now! PHYLLIS Yes, dear! Just a minute, dear! JOHN Phyllis!! Now!! PHYLLIS Yes, dear! I'm coming! I'm.coming! TO ANNE AND JACK. I've got to... I want you to come up to bed now, too. Now come on. TRIES TO SEPARATE THEM. Come on upstairs. I can't leave you alone down here. JOHN Phyllis! PHYLLIS Yes! I'm coming! Anne. Jack...Now get up and come to bed. THEY HOLD EACH OTHER AND DISREGARD HER. JOHN Phyllis! Don't make me come down there! PHYLLIS No! No! I'm coming! Now children. Will you listen to me! You've got to go to bed now! Nobody will be here to take care of you! JOHN Phyllis!! PHYLLIS I'm.coming! I'm coming! Here I come! GOES TO HALL. Children! You come up right this minute! DO you hear me! 95 JOHN Phyllis!! PHYLLIS Yes! Yes! Here I come! HURRIES UP THE STAIRS. :oming. Children! Come up now! EXIT UPSTAIRS. SHORT PAUSE. FELICIA I'm coming. I'm DOOR SLAMS UPSTAIRS. You go home now, daddy. When mother gets back I'll tell her you went home to bed. MALCOLM I won't be able to sleep without her... FELICIA Yes you will. MOMENT'S PAUSE. MALCOLM Well, you tell her I was very tired. FELICIA I will. ~MALCOLM All right. You tell her I was worried about her. FELICIA I will, daddy. MALCOLM Well, goodnight, then. FELICIA Goodnight, daddy. MALCOLM EXIT TERRACE RIGHT. ANNE GOES TOWARDS THE HOUSE. Felicia? FELICIA Yes, daddy. MALCOLM Did you hear about Mrs. Grouse? FELICIA No. MALCOLM She's very sick, you know. MALCOLM COMES BACK. 96 FELICIA NO, I didn't know. MALCOLM She's probably going to die soon. FELICIA Everybody has to die. MALCOLM But she has this illness...it's been eating away at her. Nobody knew she had it...That's the thing. FELICIA Her doctor didn't know? MALCOLM ALMOST WHISPERING. Well, she never went to the doctor, you see. He found out about it when she had this hemorrhage tonight...terrible thing. “ FELICIA Why didn't she go to the doctor? MALCOLM Well, I don't know... FELICIA If she'd gone to him, he could probably have helped her. MALCOLM Jell yes. I know. But it's the idea. That it was eating away inside Ier. And she didn't know. Nobody knew it was there. And it turns )ut that now it's gotten so that it's all over her insides. She's got Lt everywhere. SHORT PAUSE. Well...goodnight, sweetheart. EXIT TERRACE RIGHT. FELICIA GOES TOWARDS THE HOUSE. MALCOLM.RETURNS. MALCOLM 'elicia? FELICIA es? MALCOLM h...don't tell your mother about Mrs. Grouse...It might upset her. FELICIA won't. MALCOLM [1 right then. Come home early. Va. 97 FELIC LA I will . - MALCOLM Well, goodnight, then. EXIT RIGHT. FELICIA GOES INTO THE LIVING ROOM. JACK Turn the light out, will you, somebody? CARL I will. HE TURNS OUT THE LIGHTS. THE ONLY ILLUMINATION IS FROM THE MOON. JACK. ..That feels better. ANNE Your poor head. JACK I feel so sick, Anne. I feel so bad. They did such terrible things to me. ANNE I know. I know. JACK We did terrible things to each other, too. ANNE ...I know. JACK .ut we won't do that anymore, will we? We can be good to each other. ’e'll be good to each other...if we can... ANNE 3 can! We can! JACK don't know what's to become of us, though. I don't know what to do... CARL can all go away together. JACK 3? CARL L and Anne and Felicia and me. If“ 98 JACK Felicia? CARL Yes. We're going to get married. SHORT PAUSE. AJACK. How are we going to live? CARL We'll go live with the Indians in Mexico. They're peaceful and loving. we can live with them and be good to each other. JACK ...That would be nice. CARL We can do it. We'll just go away together. They can't stOp us. . JACK I don't know...I don't know... CARL It's easy. We just take the things we need, and get on a bus, and go there. It would be so easy. JACK All the things we need... MILDRED SHE AND MARTIN COME ONTO THE TERRACE. SHE IS LAUGHING. They're all in bed. The house is dark and quiet. Everyone is Sleeping but us. We are living! We are the only ones alive! FELICIA LOW. That's my mother... JACK Shh. THE YOUNG PEOPLE LISTEN SILENTLY, NOT MOVING. ' MARTIN dilly. . .TRIES TO HOLD HER HANDS. MILDRED - ILOSE TO HYSTERIA. Oh no! Don't touch me! Just let me take it all .n! I want to feel everything totally! What talk! What thoughts we've Lad! we've been alive! Alive and beautiful! MARTIN [illy. ._—.—-- ...__‘ L 99 MILDRED Yes! Yes! What is it! MARTIN YOu've aroused me...with your talk of art and life...I want to make love with you. MILDRED ‘ HYSTERICAL. SHE LAUGHS, TALKS LOUDLY. Oh, don't be insensitive now! What are bodies? They are the tenth part of nothing! It is the hearts we must get in tune! It is the Spirit and the soul that must come to each other! Don't pull me down now! Don't stop me now! I'm living again! I'm really, really living again! At last! At last! LAUGHING AND WEEPING. MARTIN Milly...KNEELS IN FRONT OF HER. Your breasts...Let me touch your breastS...PRESSES HIS FACE BETWEEN HER BREASTS. HOLDS THEM. MILDRED Oh no! No! TOUCHES HIS HEAD. What's happening! What's happening to me! I've never felt these feelings! I want to faint, to burst apart, to turn myself inside out and press my nerves against the darkness! I want to scream! To scream! MARTIN Milly. . .Milly. . . MILDRED Help me! Help me! MARTIN PULLING HER DOWN. I'll help you...I'll help you... MILDRED 10, help me! Help me! MARTIN E am...I ann..I'm helping you...L'm helping you now...THEY LIE ON THE TERRACE FLOOR. HE EMBRACES AND KISSES HER. SHE WEEPS. CURTAIN CHAPTER III EVALUATION Two years ago, desiring to write a play for my thesis in the best way, that is, have my vision rather than an intellectually con- L \, *y‘rfr ;’._ ’q trived and controlled idea impell my writing, I took up the original idea of this play and tried to let my imagination rather than my mind . . “it" .... - lead me...wherever it would. But how does one do this? Where does one start? I sat down and wrote the first thing that came into my head and let it go whither it would. When I came to an end of my "inSpiration" I sat and waited for a new movement. Eventually, in this way, after many painful months, a second draft was cOmpleted. To my dismay, it was, except for several scenes, puerile. (Since then I have come to see that my vision, my nature causing it, was at that time puerile, immature, so that any work impelled and I'inSpired" by it would, of course, reproduce that immaturity.) I then thought to employ my mind, which was more or less well- trained and dependable, in a rewriting and improving of this dis- appointing draft. I then analyzed the draft, trying to grasP its "deep level of meaning", or vision, so that I could construct, in- tellectually, a more mature and acceptable expression of this vision. (I did not know at that time that the form must arise out of the inmgination's freely expressing the vision if the work is to have idntegrity. To put a mature form.around an immature vision is to 100 lOl lead one's self into depths of dishonesty and loss of self-knowledge from which one can be rescued, if at all, only with great difficulty.) I thought I understood the vision and then constructed an elaborate scenario to rationally and clearly and SOphisticatedly dramatize what I thought to be my vision. The result was a Stiff, contrived third draft, full of cleverness and ingenuity but without "inSpiration", that is, the vision was absent. It was without individual style (with only conscious affectation and embellishment), without the ability to deeply move, without real meaningfulness (it offered no possibility for the kind of catharsis a created work of art offers). The second draft was, discouragingly, in a most important way, better than the third. Then followed a fourth and a fifth draft. The final form of the play is the sixth draft. By "draft" I do not mean a revised edition of an earlier version. I mean a completely new play with more or less the same characters concerned with more or less the same incidents. Through the last three drafts, in almost two years Of constant work on them, I tried to pull myself out of the abyss Ofphoniness towards integrity. The process is slow and painful. It is difficult to sacrifice the self-gratifying for the puerile. It is difficult to depend on one's imagination, which leads one to immature works, when, if one depended upon the intellect, one could write more pleasingly. It is difficult to stOp contriving when one is in the habit of intel- lectualizing. The result is that this play, in its final form, is somewhat less puerile than the second, for my vision must have matured in two years of living, and of labor, and it is somewhat more inSpired than the third, for I did not force it to go where it seemed clever for it to go, and it is a more artistic play than either, for I have, 102 in the course of two years, acquired more craft and skill. This means that I have learned, now, to be more simple in my writing. I believe it is a mistake to think that the ability to plan and structure a play can be learned and accomplished rationally. The vision is a picture, so to Speak, its ingredients in a certain, necessary arrangement. The perfectly reflecting play reflects this necessary arrangement in the arrangement of characters and events. The created play's structure depends upon the "structure" of the vision. Once again, the author's job is to reflect perfectly and not force the plot by arbitrary intellectual decisions. To sum up, I have learned better to not force it intellectually, and also I have learned better how to reflect. The only thing that kept me from falling back into the abyss was my study of ChristOpher Marlowe and Anton Chekov, above my studies of other writers. I Studied these two writers most of all and saw that their works were noble. I wrote as if to please them. This thesis play is not distinguished by its elegance or brilliance or philOSOphy or SOphistication. But as a more rather than less created work, it may possibly be of some small interest to the student of dramatic art. APPEND IX THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE WEDDING This first draft was completed in March 1957. At that time, my apprenticeship as a playwright just beginning, I did not know how to bring the material to full blossom. The play was set aside. From 1957 to 1960 I wrote a number of one-act plays, short stories, started a novel, and took some graduate work in literature. I also read over a hundred plays by the masters. In 1960 I took the play up again. This time, having learned more about the craft of playwriting, and with the determination to see the job through, I set to work to com- plete what I had begun three years earlier. It took almost two years and five complete drafts before I felt that I had done all I was presently capable Of doing with my material. 104 THE WEDDING by Rita Burney CAST OF CHARACTERS Julia 25 ‘Frank Her brother. 20 Jack Another brother. 28 Anne Jack's financee. 24 Paul Anne's brother. A painter. 26 Pat Anne's and Paul's uncle by marriage. 42 Felicia Pat's daughter. 17 105 SCENE Early June at Anne's and Paul's home in Stamford, Connecticut. Present. Act I: About 3:00 in the afternoon. Act II: A week later, about 4:00 p.m. Act III: A few hours later, during supper and just after. 106 THE WEDDING Act I About 3:00 on a sunny day in early JUne. Pat is standing in the living room by the end table filling his pipe. PAT AS HE FILLS HIS PIPE HE MOVES HIS HEAD, SMILES, FINALLY LOOKS UP AT THE CEILING AND LAUGHS OUT LOUD. HIS LAUGH IS NOT A LOUD, ROLLING LAUGH, IT COMES IN SHORT HA'S, AS THOUGH HE HAS A NEW JOKE FOR EACH HA: THEY ARE DISTINCT AND SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER, BUT DO COME QUICKLY, ONE AFTER THE OTHER. AS HE PUTS THE PIPE IN HIS MOUTH, STILL SMILING, BREAKING INTO LAUGHS NOW AND THEN, JULIA APPEARS IN THE DINING ROOM. SHE SEES PAT AND STOPS ON THE TOP STEP. HE LOOKS UP AND SEES HER. GREETS HER SMILINGLY, GAILY. Julia! JULIA COMING DOWN INTO THE LIVING ROOM SLOWLY, SMILING HESITANTLY. SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHETHER HE'S LAUGHING AT HER OR NOT. What's so funny, Pat? PAT Oh, nothing. LAUGHING. Just looking at the picture. A LITTLE EMBARRASSED, TURNS AWAY, SHRUGS, CAN'T STOP SMILING. JULIA COMING AROUND LEFT END OF COUCH, TOUCHING IT, HER HEAD COCKED IN _ ANTICIPATION OF A JOKE ON HERSELF. Well, it must be something this early in the day. ‘ PAT A QUICK LOOK AT HER, AND HE TURNS AND LOOKS OUT THE TERRACE DOOR. THE LAUGHTER IS STILL IN HIS VOICE. Three o'clock? JULIA STAND AT LEFT END OF COUCH, HER HAND ON ITS BACK. SHE SMILES HESITANTLY. That's early for you isn't it? . PAT CAN'T HELP BURSTING OUT INTO MORE LAUGHTER. HE TURNS SLIGHTLY AND SO LS FACING THE DOWNSTAGE PAINTING OF PAUL'S HUNG ON THE WALL. HE CAN.HARDLY CONTROL HIMSELF. What does Paul call this picture? JULIA Pastime. 107 108 PAT HE TURNS AND FACES JULIA, A GREAT SMILE ON HIS FACE. SHE SMILES BACK A LITTLE UNSURELY. HE STARTS TO SAY_SOMETHING, BUT CAN'T. SHRUGS HIS SHOULDERS. SHAKES HIS HEAD. I'm sorry, my dear, I just can't control myself. AND LAUGHING HE EXITS.THROUGH TERRACE DOORS AND GOES OUT STAGE RIGHT. JULIA SHE SMILES AS BEFORE. GOES TO DOOR AND HOLDS THE JAMBS AS SHE LOOKS OUT. SWINGS HER LEG BACK AND FORTH, FINALLY, CAUGHT UP IN THE MOTION SHE SWINGS WAY BACK AND BENDS SO THAT SHE IS IN AN ALMOST ARABESQUE POSITION, THEN FORWARD, AND BENDS BACK. AND AGAIN. SHE IS IN THE ARABESQUE WHEN FRANK COMES FROM KITCHEN PATH AND SEATS HIMSELF 0N WALL. FRANK MOCK SERIOUSNESS. One and two and change. JULIA SWINGS FORWARD. And one and two and bend your knees and change. SHE SWINGS BACK. And etcetera etcetera. JULIA STILL IN POSITION. THEY ARE PLAYING. What's that? FRANK Etcetera etcetera. Certainly you know that position. JULIA No, I'm afraid I don't. FRANK JUMPING UP, HANDS ON HIPS. What! YOu mean you don't know the great etcetera position! Up, up, then, out of that absurd position! JULIA STRAIGHTENS, STAND AS THOUGH CHASTISED. FRANK COMES FORWARD, PUTS HIS HANDS ON HER SHOULDERS, PUTS HIS FACE VERY CLOSE TO HERS. Now what's the meaning of this? It can't go on you know. Not to know the etcetera etcetera. HE IS SPEECHLESS, SHAKES HIS HEAD, CLUCKS TCH TCH... JULIA SUDDENLY REMEMBERING PAT, PUSHES FRANK.AWAY, WALKS OUT ONTO TERRACE ,AND GOES TO RIGHT OF TABLE AS SHE SPEAKS. Have you seen Pat? What's the matter with him anyway? When I saw him all he could do was laugh. .JULIA SPEAKS IN A RAPID, ALMOST BREATHLESS WAY. FRANK ‘HE HAS BEEN REJECTED. SITTING IN THE CHAIR AT THE TABLE NEAREST THE VIDOOR. HE'S NOT VERY INTERESTED, OR AT LEAST SEEMS SO. BUT BITTERNESS CREEPS IN. Oh, I don't know. He didn't come in all night. I sappose he was laughing about some new woman he seduced. I don't care if he is .Anner uncle; she shouldn't keep inviting him here every summer. He's a bad influence on everybody. 109 JULIA SITTING OPPOSITE FRANK. SHE LEANS FORWARD, TOUCHES HIS HAND. SHE'S AFTER SOMETHING. Well, so what...What's the matter with you? Why do you care? ‘ . FRANK Well, Felicia knows all about him and I think it's a damn shame. That's no way to bring up a daughter. I was just talking to her. She told me, her father didn't come in last night. She said She SUpposed he was out with somebody...or other. JUSt like that she said it, "somebody...or other". God, I could hardly stand it. I wanted to go hit him. RESTS HIS CHIN ON HIS FIST. That bastard. JULIA SHE HAS TAKEN HER HAND AWAY, BUT IS STILL LEANING FORWARD. Well then, why didn't you? Why didn't you just jump up and find him and punch him in the nose? PAUSE. Huh? Well, why didn't you? FRANK STANDING, PROTECTING HIMSELF. GETTING FLUSTERED AND DEFENSIVE. Look, Julia. Don't push me. JULIA SITTING BACK. SARCASTICALLY. Ho, ho I can just see it: the knight in shining armor. FRANK ALMOST STAMPING HIS FOOT. Now look, Ju1ia....CONCILIATORILY: Come on, cut it out. JULIA SHRUGS HER SHOULDERS. Oh well, what do I care? STANDS AND LOOKS TO THE RIGHT. SARCASTICALLY. In another month Jack and Anne will be married and then Pat will be our Uncle Pat. You're lucky Anne's such a conscientious hostess, otherwise she'd send us all home and Pat might be our uncle this afternoon. Then wouldn't you feel bad, talking like that about one of your own family. FRANK MOVING AS IF TO COME TO HER. Oh, JUlia...BUT HE SITS IN CHAIR INSTEAD AND FINGERS SOMETHING ON THE TABLE. PAUSE. JULIA . STILL ARROGANT, BUT WITH A TOUCH OF UNSURENESS. I wrote a poem this morning. i , FRANK LOOKS UP AT HER, A QUICK SMILE LIGHTS UP HIS FACE. HE IS AWED BY HER TALENT AND IS PROUD OF HER. Great, Jule! JULIA TURNS TO HIM, SHE SMILES NOW TOO. Do you want to see it? 110 FRANK Oh yeah, I'd love to! . JULIA MOVES AS IF TO GO TOWARD HOUSE, STOPS. It's in my room. GOES TOWARD HOUSE, PAUSES IN DOORWAY. I don't know if it's any good... FRANK QUICKLY, BREAKING IN. Oh, it'll be good! JULIA SMILES AT HIM, MAKES A FACE WHICH DEMONSTRATES HER EXAGGERATION OF PLEASURE INTO SOMETHING ELSE. SHE IS ASHAMED TO SEEM AT THE MERCY OF HER FEELINGS, ESPECIALLY HER MORE UNSOPHISTICATED ONES. EXITS. PAUL ENTERS FROM RIGHT. HE AND FRANK NOD TO EACH OTHER. PAUL HAS A CANVAS UNDER HIS ARM. HE SITS AT THE TABLE, PROPPING THE PICTURE AGAINST THE LEG OF HIS CHAIR. SITS BACK IN CHAIR. .FRANK.AND PAUL LIKE EACH OTHER BUT HAVE REALLY NO WAY OF GETTING THROUGH TO EACH OTHER. NEITHER IS AN INITIATOR. THEY EXCHANGE "Hi's". FRANK AFTER A SLIGHT PAUSE. What have you got there? PAUL MAKING A QUICK MOVE AS IF TO GET THE PAINTING TO SHOW, BUT THINKS BETTER OF IT. ITS BACK AGAIN, ALMOST EMBARRASSED AT HAVING THOUGHT TO SHOW IT WITHOUT BEING ASKED. PAUSE. It's a . . . PAUSE TO DECIDE it's a sort of landscape. I did it out behind the garage in that field of...well there's a field backthere full of daisies. LAUGHS, SHRUGS...EMBARRASSED TO BE INTERESTED IN DAISIES. TRAILS OFF. FRANK NODDING KNOWINGLY. HE WANTS TO SEE IT, SHY TO ASK. Yeah, I know. LOOKS AT THE TABLE, WHICH HE FINGERS WITH CONCENTRATION. I've been out there. I thought it was paintable...LOOKING AT PAUL SIDEWAYS, THIS IS PAINFUL FOR THEM.BOTH. HE WANTS TO SAY MORE, TO SAY WHAT HE MEANS. BUT HE CAN'T, SO HE LOOKS BACK.AT THE TABLE. THEN HE LEANS BACK. LOOKS AT THE PAINTING PROPPED WITH ITS BACK TO HIM. Is it finished? PAUL NODS. LOOKS DOWN AT IT. Yeah. Well, actually, this is the third day I've worked on it. I've been working on it off and on since Monday...I'm going to take it down to New York for my Show. FRANK NODDING. It's pretty good, huh? PAUL GRINS. Yeah! It's the best thing I've done in weeks. 111 FRANK NODS, SMILES AWKWARDLY. Can I...see it? PAUL Sure! HE BENDS DOWN AND PICKS UP THE PAINTING. HOLDS IT UP BETWEEN THEM. IT IS A LARGE CANVAS. LT SHOWS A GREEN FIELD FILLED WITH WHITE: THERE IS A LINE OF VIOLENTLY GREEN AND BLACK TREES ON THE HORIZON AND A FEROCIOUS WHITE-BLUE SKY WHICH, HAVING BEEN PAINTED ON AFTER THE TREES, OVERLAP ONTO THE TREES AND SEEM TO BE EATING INTO THE TREES. IT IS A BOLD, VIOLENT PAINTING. PAUL IS GRINNING THE WHOLE WHILE HE IS HOLDING IT UP. HE LOOKS AT IT PROUDLY. Isn't it great? FRANK MUCH IMPRESSED. DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY. NODS AT IT, STARES AT IT. SHAKES HIS HEAD. I really like it. PAUL The Show doesn't open until next Friday. They'd better find room for it. It'll be the best thing there. How do you like that sky? Isn't it great? It just sort of bangs down on those trees. JULIA ENTERS. STANDS IN DOORWAY LOOKING AT PICTURE. HER POEM IS IN HER HAND. God! That's terrific, Paul. COMES FORWARD TOWARD PICTURE. BOTH MEN LOOK.AT HER, FRANK COMES ALIVE AGAIN, PAUL SMILES EVEN MORE BROADLY. That sky is actually eating those trees. I've never seen anything like it. It's great. It's really great. SHE LOOKS AT HIM SERIOUSLY. PAUL I'm going to put it in my Show. JULIA DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING. LOOKS BACK.AT THE PAINTING. DOESN'T MOVE. SAYS SOFTLY, AS IF TO HERSELF. It's wonderful. THERE IS A SLIGHT PAUSE. FRANK IS LOOKING UP AT JULIA. AND PAUL LOOKS FROM HER TO THE PAINTING. SHAKES HER HEAD. Boy! LAUGHS SOFTLY ONCE. It's unbelievable. SHE SMILES AT PAUL. You've really got it, my friend. FRANK JUMPS UP, STANDING NOW A LITTLE BEHIND JULIA. Let's see your poem! A JULIA LOOKS DOWN AT THE PAPER SHE IS HOLDING IN HER HAND. LAUGHS. Oh that. LIFTS IT AND LOOKS AT IT. It's hardly worth it after looking at this. GESTURES TOWARD PAINTING. FRANK GRABS IT FROM HER AND WALKS READING IT TO HIMSELF UP TO WALL, STANDS THERE 3/4/ FROM AUDIENCE. 112 JULIA SITS IN FRANK'S VACATED CHAIR. PAUL PUTS THE PAINTING BACK ON THE GROUND AGAINST HIS CHAIR. SMILLING AT PAUL. I'll be able to say I knew you when. PAUL LAUGHS PROUDLY, LIKE A PLEASED LITTLE BOY. NO ARROGANCE IN'HDM: JUST CONFIDENCE AND PLEASURE IN HIS WORK. How much do you think I Should price it for? I was thinking of a thousand. JULIA SHRUGS, SMILES. For a new painter? PAUL Why not? It's as good as anything by an old painter. Why not a thousand, or even more? I could get a thousand for it. Wouldn't you pay a thousand for it? PICKS IT UP AGAIN AND LOOKS FONDLY AT IT. Isn't that patch of white there great? It's just perfect there. HE POINTS IT OUT WITH HIS FINGER. JULIA WATCHES SMILING, LEANING BACK. HE SIGHS AND PLACES IT BACK AGAINST HIS CHAIR, LEANS BACK, CLASPS HIS HANDS IN FRONT OF HIM, HIS ARMS RESTING ON THE CHAIR'S ARMS. Someday I'm going to be a really good painter. Someday I'm going to really paint pictures. JULIA SHRUGS, SMILES. SHE IS OBVLOUSLY NO LONGER FULL OF ENTHUSIASM. SHE IS QUIETER, HER SMILE A LITTLE SMALLER, A LITTLE ALMOST SAD AND FORLORN. PAUL LOOKS OVER TO HER. NOTICES HER EXPRESSION. HIS GREAT GRIN VANISHES. What's the matter? HE'S WORRIED. HE SPEAKS WITH CONCERN AND COMPASSION. JULIA SHRUGS. SHAKES HER HEAD. SHE DROOPS. ALMOST IN A WHISPER, STILL WITH A LITTLE SMILE. Nothing. FRANK TURNING, SERIOUSLY, LOOKING AT POEM. HE WANTS TO GIVE AN HONEST CRITICISM, HASN'T NOTICED WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON. Well I think this has potentiality. COMES DOWNSTAGE, LOOKING AT POEM, POINTING T0. LINES AND WORDS WITH HIS FINGER. It's got a good feeling in it, but this line heng "Which cannot will to keep or lose them" is weak. And it's in such an important place it really ought to CLENCHES HAND IN ATTEMPT TO FIND THE RIGHT EXPRESSION...I mean it ought to somehow clinch the whole thing. I mean it's at the end of that Stanza and I think...SEARCHES FOR JUST THE RIGHT THING...well it ought to somehow get the whole mood and everything in some very strong...some really sharp way...LOOKS UP WITH A CROOKED, ABASHED SMILE. HE IS UNSURE OF HIMSELF AND IS UNCERTAIN ABOUT HAVING SAID THE RIGHT THING. LOOKS AT JULIA, WHO LOOKS NON-COMMITTALLY BACK AT HIM. HE THEN LOOKS 113 QUICKLY BACK.TO POEM WITH A SIGH AS IF HE HAD TO FINISH THIS CHORE, THIS HARD TASK. I guess all I mean is that it isn't focussed. It just doesn't seem to hold up with the rest of it. I mean it sort of let me down When I got to it...TRAILS OFF. LOOKS UP WITH PAINED EXPRESSION. HE HAD WANTED SO HARD TO DO RIGHT, BUT HE IS AFRAID HE MADE A MESS. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. HE STANDS THERE WITH THE POEM IN HIS HAND, LOOKING DOWN PATHETICALLY AT JULIA. PAUSE. JULIA WITH A LITTLE SMILE, SOFTLY,REACHING UP AND TAKING THE POEM FROM HIM. SHE FEELS SORRY FOR HIM. That's okay, Frank. Thanks. It really isn't a very good poem. SHE PUTS IT ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF HER AND LOOKS AT HER HAND WHICH SHE LAYS ON TOP OF IT, SHE IS STILL SLIGHTLY SMILING. ' PAUL LOOKING AT HER. SOFTLY. Can I see it? ' JULIA Sure. SHE PUSHES IT ACROSS THE TABLE TO HIM. HE TAKES IT UP AND READS IT TO HIMSELF. ' ‘ FRANK STILL STANDING AWKWARDLY. SOFTLY. Gosh, I'm sorry, Jule...HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. JULIA LAUGHS SOFTLY. That's alright, Frank. SHE REACHES A HAND TO HIM. Come on and sit down. Really, it's okay; just forget about it. I don't feel bad about it at all, really...I know you tried. AS HE GOES TO SIT DOWN AT HER LEFT SHE CONTINUES, TURNING HER HEAD FRONT AS HE PASSES BEHIND HER. A SLIGHT BITTERNESS. I guess I just didn't give you enough lessons in criticism, that's all. FRANK LOOKING DOWN AT GROUND. Jule...HE WANTS HER TO STOP PICKING AT HIM AGAIN. ‘ JULIA NOW HER SMILE IS DEFINITELY BITTER AND SARCASTIC. SHE IS FLIPPANT NOW. Well, what difference does it make? I'm going to get married one of these days, anyway, so what do I need to be a poet for? By the way, you didn't ask me where my latest suitor is this morning? FRANK LOOKS UP. HE SPEAKS THROUGH HIS PAIN AND EMBARRASSMENT AND A LITTLE HOPEFULLY AT THE END. Carl? I guess I didn't notice. Isn't he at the hotel? 114 JULIA QUICKLY, HARSHLY, SMILING. No. I sent him home. Poor old Carl, stupid as the day is long. I couldn't stand him any longer so I told him to go home. He's probably on the train right now crying his eyes out. PAUL LOOKS UP FROM THE POEM. HE HASN'T HEARD THEIR CONVERSATION. I don't think it's such a bad poem. I agree with Frank about that line, but I rather like it. JULIA LOOKS QUICKLY AT HIM, HER HARD LITTLE SMILE STILL ON HER FACE. QUICKLY. Thanks. .What do you like about it? SARCASTIC, BUT SHE WANTS TO KNOW EVEN UNDER HER BRASHNESS. PAUL ' LOOKING STRAIGHT AT HER. SERIOUS. It's pure. It's clean and simple. I don't know much about poetry, but there's a nice clean drive in it. The only thing is, you seem to be holding yourself back. JULIA REGISTERS EXAGGERATED SURPRISE. SHE IS VERY INTERESTED THOUGH. You ought to let yourself go more. It's very strange; I would've thought that your poetry would be freer, more passionate somehow...LOOKS AT HER. AT HIS LAST WORDS SHE HAS LAUGHED OUT LOUD IN A HARSH WAY. JULIA ROUGHLY TAKES THE POEM FROM HIM. Thanks. I'll try to let myself go in my next poem. SHE QUICKLY AND CARELESSLY FOLDS IT AND PUTS IT IN HER BLOUSE POCKET. Don't think I don't appreciate your comments, SHE IS SPEAKING QUICKLY AND HARSHLY AS SHE FOLDS THE POEM: SHE SPEAKS ALMOST UNDER HER BREATH: HER HEAD IS DOWN LOOKING AT WHAT SHE IS" DOING WITH THE POEM...WHEN SHE HAS PUT THE POEM IN HER POCKET SHE RISES, LOOKING TOWARDS PAUL SHE SEES PAT AND ANNE ENTERING FROM RIGHT. SHE CAN'T GO NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE GREETING HER. ANNE RUSHING IN AHEAD OF PAT. SHE IS BREEZY AND BREATHLESS, LAUGHING, HAPPY, EXCITED, AFFECTIONATE, OPEN-HEARTED. Hi! Julia! THE OTHERS NOD AND SAY "Hi". PAT ENTERS MORE SLOWLY BEHIND ANNE, PIPE IN MOUTH, HAND ON PIPE BOWL, SMILING QUIETLY AND CAIMHX, STANDS WITH HIP AGAINST RIGHT END OF WALL, RELAXED. ANNE GOES UP TO JULIA (SHE IS SHORTER THAN JULIA) AND TAKES HER HAND. What did you do with Carl, you crazy thing? You didn't send him away, did you? I haven't seen him all morning and we've been all the way to town and back! JULIA SHRUGS, HALF SMILE, SHE HAS SOFTENED, SLUMPS NOW A LITTLE. Oh ,... ANNE STILL HOLDING JULIA'S HAND WITH BOTH OF HERS. JERKS IT UP AND DOWN TO EMPHASIZE HER SPEECH. JULIA.LOOKS AT PAT NOW AND THEN FOR A MOMENT. HE IS WATCHING HER, SMILING CALMLY. JULIA.IS EMBARRASSED 115 IN FRONT OF HIM TO TALK ABOUT HER ERSTWHILE BOYFRIEND. We11, Why did you do it? SHE IS LAUGHING AND SMILING HAPPILY ALL THE WHILE. He was the nicest boyfriend you've ever had! He was just mad about you; I can't imagine what you didn't like about him! I just loved him. He was so sweet and, God, he just loved you madly!! SHE TURNS AND SMILES AT PAT: SHE RELEASES JULIA'S HAND AND SMILES AT HER AGAIN. LOOKS AT FRANK. HE IS SMILING HAPPILY AT HER. Hi, Frank! SHE QUICKLY BENDS AND KISSES PAUL ON THE CHEEK, SEES THE PAINTING AS SHE IS LEANING OVER HIM; morning, genius. KISSES HIM. REACHES ACROSS HIM TO THE PAINTING. Oh, a new painting! Let me see! _SHE LIFTS IT OVER HIM AND HOLDS IT, UP. It's wonderful! Oh, Paulie, it's just beautiful. STILL LOOKING AT IT, SINCERELY TOUCHED, SHE BRINGS IT TO PAT. Look at this, Pat, isn't it wonderful? PAT LOOKS AT IT, NODS, PUFFS ON PIPE. PAT Going to put it in your Show? PAUL STANDING, STRETCHING. .YuP. GOES OVER TO PAT, LOOKS AT THE PICTURE, TAKES IT FROM ANNE. I think I'll go put it up in the studio now that everybody's seen it. FRANK QUICKLY. Jack hasn't seen it yet. ANNE Neither has Felicia. PAUL WALKING TO TERRACE DOOR. Well, they can see it later. I want to see how it looks inside...GRINS IN DOORWAY, TURNS TO FACE THEM...I want to see it the way the buyers will see it...I think I'll price it at a thousand. ANNE A PLEASED CRY. Oh, Paul! Isn't that too much? PAUL EXITING, SMHLING. It's worth it. ANNE SITS ON WALL LEFT OF PAT, SMILES AT HIM. JULIA SITS DOWN IN HER CHAIR AGAIN. FRANK JUMPS UP AND SITS CLOSE TO ANNE, ON HER LEFT. HE IS LIKE A LITTLE BOY WITH HIS FAVORITE TEACHER, TAKES A LOCK OF HER RATHER LONGISH HAIR IN HIS FINGERS AND PLAYS WITH IT. ANNE LOOKS AT HIM AND SMILES INNOCENTLY AND HAPPILY. PAT LOOKS AT JULIA WHO LOOKS AT TABLE. SHE IS FACING 1/4 RIGHT. FRANK I'll be glad when you're my sister. ANNE LAUGHS, LOOKING AT HIM. HE IS SERIOUS. SOUND OF CAR PULLING UP AND STOPPING OFF STAGE RIGHT. JULIA LOOKS UP, HER FACE LIGHTING UP. 116 ANNE TURNING TOWARDS RIGHT QUICKLY. There they are. ALL LOOK RIGHT. FRANK’S FACE LIGHTS UP T00. ANNE STILL SMILES. PAT CROSSES TO DOWN RIGHT, FACES TOWARDS GROUP. SITS ON ARM OF CHAIR WHICH IS AT THAT EDGE OF THE TERRACE. HE ALWAYS WATCHES AND SMILES. JULIA LOOKING RIGHT, HAPPY NOW. WAVES. There's my wonderful brother. Hi! JACK AND FELICIA ENTER CARRYING GROCERIES, THEY ARE LAUGHING. JACK SETTING HIS BUNDLES ON THE END OF THE WALL, LOOKS FIRST AT ANNE. FELICIA, BENDING OVER HER BUNDLE, ALMOST RUNS ACROSS THE STAGE AND PLACES BUNDLE HEAVILY ON WALL AT FRANK'S LEFT DURING JACK'S SPEECH. The early birds catch the bacon. BENDS OVER BUNDLE AND KISSES ANNE ON THE CHEEK. Hiya. at :J‘r-Kamn—n! .'~ _ FRANK SMILING, Hi, Jack. JACK.NODS, THEN SITS NEXT TO ANNE, PUTS ARM AROUND HER. FRANK'S SMILE FADES. I-m '._‘ vim". FELICIA DROPPING BUNDLE, SIGHS WITH RELIEF. ' FRANK SWINGING AWAY FROM ANNE, TURNS TO FELICIA, BRAVADO RETURNS. HANDS ON KNEES. Hello, little girl. . FELICIA LOOKING DOWN AND AWAY FROM FRANK. Oh. Hello. SHE FEELS TEASED, BUT IS PLEASED BY IT. ‘ "JACK IS SITTING NEXT TO ANNE, BUNDLE TO HIS RIGHT. Well, where's Carl? HE IS TEASING. ‘ JULIA HAPPY THAT JACK IS THERE. Phooey on him. JUMPS UP, TAKES POEM FROM POCKET, GOES TO JACK. Look, read this poem I wrote. GIVES IT TO HIM. PUSHES BUNDLE T0 RIGHT SO THAT SHE CAN SIT NEXT TO JACK.WHILE HE READS THE POEM. JACK.STARTS TO READ IT, SHE WATCHES HIS FACE. ’ FRANK FELICIA LIFTS HER BUNDLE. FRANK STANDS AND TAKES IT FROM HER. SHE IS PLEASED. HE LOOKS AT HER, SMILES. HE TEASES HER. Okay, you can carry the other one. SHE IS ONCE MORE TAKEN BY HIS TEASING. FELICIA Oh! HURRIES ACROSS IN FRONT OF THOSE SITTING ON WALL (ANNE IS READING THE POEM OVER JACK'S SHOULDER) AND PICKS UP BUNDLE. JULIA GLANCES OVER, BUT DOESN'T SEE HER, LOOKS QUICKLY BACK TO JACK. FELICIA CARRIES BUNDLE BACK TO FRANK, WHO LAUGHS AND TAKES IT FROM HER, 117 SURPRISING HER AGAIN. THEY EXIT THROUGH GATEWAY, FELICIA GLANCING AT FRANK FROM TIME TO TIME. HE IS LAUGHING AT HER CONFUSION. SHE SMILES FINALLY BEFORE THEY GO OUT OF SIGHT. PAT IS WATCHING THE POETRY READERS, NODS AS HE SMOKES. JACK READS FOR ONLY THE FEW SECONDS IT TAKES FRANK AND FELICIA TO EXEUNT. LOOKS AT ANNE, PUTS HIS ARM AROUND HER AND HOLDS POEM.BETWEEN THEM. STARTS READING AGAIN. THEY HAVE LOOKED INTIMATELY AT EACH OTHER. JULIA SEES, MOVES RESTLESSLY. JACK LOOKS UP SMILING APOLOGETICALLY, PROUD BUT IN PERPLEXITY. I can't understand your poetry, honey; you're just too deep for me. I don't even understand half the words. HE GIVES THE POEM TO JULIA. Why don't you Show it to Pat and see what he thinks. He's been to college. . PAT DEFERRING, SHAKING HEAD, LAUGHING, LOOKING DOWN. Not me! I don't know anything about poetry. JULIA EXITS RAPIDLY INTO LIVING ROOM AND THEN UP THE STAIRS, THE POEM L. HANGING IN HER HAND. JACK WATCHING HER GO, SHAKING HIS HEAD, LAUGHING PAINFULLY. ANNE LEANING BACK, SIGHING. You shouldn't have said that to her, Jack. PAUSE. THINKING NOW ABOUT THE POEM. I thought the beginning of it was sort of nice. JACK JUMPING UP, LAUGHING NOW BUT WITH A SUPPRESSED ANGER FROM.HIS GUILT. Oh, Julia! The epitome Of self-confidence. Nobody has to tell her she's good. She knows it. LAUGHS UNCERTAINLY, RATIONALIZING-- GROWING BITTER AND RESENTFUL. And even if I'd have read it she wouldn't have been satisfied. If I'd told her I liked it she'd tell me I was being dishonest, and if I'd told her I didn't like it she'd tell me I wasn't being fair/to it. What can I do? So I don't read her damn stuff. What's the use? I can't say anything to her; she's always accusping me of one thing or another--no matter what I do...HE HAS BEEN STANDING UP GESTURING WITH HIS HANDS IN A VERY RESTRAINED, INHIBITED WAY. NOW HE STOPS AND LOOKS DOWN AT ANNE. SHE IS LOOKING AT HIM. JACK SITS, SLOUCHES. PAUSE. PAT STANDING, SIGHING. Well...JACK REACHES OUT FOR ANNE'S HAND, HOLDS IT WITHOUT LOOKING, ANNE HAS GLANCED QUICKLY AT PAT. PAT WAVES HIS PIPE AT THEM. HE EXITS RIGHT. ANNE LOOKS AT JACK. PAUSE. 118 ANNE SYMPATHETICALLY THOUGH HALF-EMBARRASSED, UNSURE OF WHAT TO SAY TO HIM, CONCERNED. That's alright, Jack... JACK LOOKING UP AT ANNE WITH PAIN IN HIS EYES. SOFTLY. I couldn't get along without you, Anne. . ANNE OVERWHELMED, LEANS TOWARD HIM, PATS HIS SHOULDER, ALMOST AFLUTTER. Oh...you won't have to. You won't have to...SMILES EAGERLY, EMBRACES HIM. PAUL BOUNDING DOWN STAIRS AND ONTO THE TERRACE. ANNE AND JACK.DISEMBRACE, THEY AREN'T EMBARRASSED. I've got a great idea! Oh, you love birds. If you can stand it let's have a picnic supper! -l_?3—Q‘m p ‘ . I“- L‘- ANNE WOnderful! What a wonderful idea! TURNS TO JACK, SMILING AT HIM. Wouldn't you like that, Jack? Don't you just love picnics? JACK NODS. HE FEELS LIKE A LITTLE BOY SOOTHED. HE SMILES AFTER THE STORM. , I” y PAUL Okay then. There's all that stuff in the cellar from last year. You two can get that; and on your way through the kitchen you can tell Frank and Felish to make some potato salad and stuff. And I'll get my easel and paints and paint a big picture if we can get there before the sun goes down. ANNE JUMPING UP, PULLING JACK UP BY HIS HAND. well come on then; the sun's going down any minute now; we'll never get there on time at this rate. JACK STANDS, LAUGHS. THEY EXEUNT TOWARDS KITCHEN THROUGH GATE. PAUL GOES INTO LIVING ROOM T0 FOOT OF STAIRS AND LOOKS UP. PAUL JUlia! PAUSE. Ju1ia, come on, we're going on a picnic! You have to peel the potatoes! JULIA AFTER A SHORT PAUSE. A VERY HARSH, UGLY VOICE, DELIBERATE, A SPACE BETWEEN EACH WORD. I'm...not...going... PAUL QUICKLY, WORRIEDLY. What's the matter? Julia! HE STARTS UP THE STAIRS. SUDDENLY SHE COMES RUSHING DOWN; PUSHES HIM OUT OF THE WAY. HE TURNS AND WATCHES HER. SHE RUNS TO THE CENTER OF THE LIVING ROOM TO THE LEFT OF THE COUCH. HE ENTERS THE ROOM SLOWLY AND STANDS BEHIND THE COUCH TO HER RIGHT. HE IS ANXIOUS ABOUT HER. SHE IS EXTREMELY AGITATED. HE PUTS HIS HAND OUT TO HER. What's the matter? 119 JULIA SHAKING HIS HAND OFF HER ARM; Nothing. BLURTS OUT AS PAUL WATCHES HER, HIS FACE AS PAINED AS SHE FEELS, THOUGH HER FACE IS ANGRY. Your Uncle Pat must be a sex maniac that way he looks at me. YOu probably take after him. PAUL ALL THROUGH THIS HIS FOREHEAD IS FURROWED WITH ANXIETY, CONCERN AND PERPLEXITY. SOFTLY. He's only an uncle by marriage. JULIA Who cares! MOVES TO FRONT OF COUCH IMPATIENTLY. PAUL WATCHING HER. SOFTLY. Julia...? JULIA Just leave me alone. Frank's my only friend. He's the only one who understands me. PAUL SOFTLY. Then why did you come down to me? " -4-..V.—"u A3 ' I‘l“; _‘w-"fl 1‘ JULIA QUICKLY. I didn't come down...to you!...I don't care; I should have stayed up there; you don't understand anything about me!...And that uncle of yours! SHE IS FURIOUS, CLENCHES HER FISTS, DURING THE FOLLOWING SHE BEGINS TO TALK THROUGH CLENCHED TEETH. He'd just be delighted to death to have those kids sleep with each other! The way he follows them around with his eyes watching them, hOping to catch them doing something; it would just make him as happy as could be. The old lech... the lech...the lech! PAUL Which kids? JULIA Frank and Felicia! Frank and Felicia! What makes you so stupid? SHE TAKES UP ONE OF THE PILLOWS FROM THE COUCH AND COMMENCES TO POUND IT OUT ON THE ARM OF THE COUCH. SHE IS STRAIGHTENING THE COUCH, FLUFFING UP THE PILLOWS, BUT SHE DOES IT ALL VICIOUSLY, HYSTERICALLY, VIOLENTLY. PAUL, IN PERPLEXITY, WATCHES HER. HE IS - WORRIED ABOUT HER. SHE TALKS IN JERKY, IMPATIENT SENTENCES. I don't mean...Jack and Anne. God damn it..! I don't mean those... SHE STANDS, A PILLOW IN BOTH HANDS. I mean Frank and Felicia! SHE TURNS AND SITS HEAVILY ON COUCH, PILLOW HELD IN HER ARMS. SHE IS ABOUT TO WEEP. I can't stand it! I can stand the way they look at each other and don't understand! PAUL SOFTLY. Frank and...? 120 JULIA SHOUTING. WEEPING. No! Jack, my darling brother Jack and your sister Anne... .CATCHES HER BREATH; SHE IS ALMOST SOBBING. They just don't get through to each other! HIDES HER FACE IN THE PILLOW. They sit and look at each other and all their feelings are just hanging on them, but they can't get through to each other; they can't tell each other! -WEEPING, VOICE IS SOFTER, HELPLESS NOW, ANGER IS GONE. I mean they can't tell each other where they hurt. They can't get through...they can't tell the truth. PAUSE. SHE WEEPS. SHE LEANS BACK, EXHAUSTED, PILLOW HELD TIGHTLY IN ARMS. They all have secrets ...we all do. And nobody tells. 3% is amuamg 6E msmm. And I want to know why. PAUL LOOKS AT HER AS IF POISED ON HER WORDS. WAITS FOR HER RESPONSE. 7.7"” -1.-m “a JULIA CALMER. I suppose it's hard to tell the truth. I suppose peOple think it's too hard to be honest. ; -vu“.~“. PAUL SERIOUSLY WANTING TO KNOW. SLOWLY COMING AROUND END OF COUCH. AT HER LEFT NOW. Isn't it? JULIA SHRUGS. CALMED NOW. Well, it doesn't make any difference. PUTS‘ PILLOW BACK ON THE SEAT TO HER RIGHT. LEANS BACK. PAUSE. RESIGNED AND ENERVATED, WEARY. Do you want to know what I was really mad about? I was mad because Jack wouldn't read my poem. He didn't even want to try to read it. It wasn't that difficult. PAUSE. PAUL'S HEAD DROOPS, HAND 0N KNEE, STILL LEANING OVER THE COUCH TOWARD JULIA. It's disgusting the lengths I go to to hide something I'm ashamed of...Jack doesn't like me very much. PAUSE. SHE LOOKS AT PAUL. WANTS TO IMPRESS THIS NEXT. But I was telling the truth about the other ‘ things, I mean about Pat and all. It's just that I didn't tell you everything. PAUL DOESN'T MOVE. JULIA FINALLY LEANS BACK AND SIGHS. I don't care if you think I'm a hypocrite. PAUL SURPRISED, LOOKS UP QUICKLY. Oh, I don't think that! JULIA SHRUGS. Well. It doesn't make any difference. PAUL It does! Why do you think I think you're a hypocrite? SLOWING DOWN, MORE SOFTLY. It's not true at all. I think you're just the Opposite. I know you always tell the truth. JULIA SHE IS SURPRISED. LOOKS UP AT HIM. :‘I 120 JULIA SHOUTING. WEEPING. No! Jack, my darling brother Jack and your sister Anne... .CATCHES HER BREATH; SHE IS ALMOST SOBBING. They just don't get through to each other! HIDES HER FACE IN THE PILLOW. They sit and look at each other and all their feelings are just hanging on them, but they can't get through to each other; they can't tell each other! -WEEPING, VOICE IS SOFTER, HELPLESS NOW, ANGER IS GONE. I mean they can't tell each other where they hurt. They can't get through...they can't tell the truth. PAUSE. SHE WEEPS. SHE LEANS BACK, EXHAUSTED, PILLOW HELD TIGHTLY IN ARMS. They all have secrets ...we all do. And nobody tells. SHE is stunning 6P IMME. And I want to know why. PAUL LOOKS AT HER AS IF POISED ON HER WORDS. WAITS FOR HER RESPONSE. JULIA CALMER. I SUppose it's hard to tell the truth. I suPpose pe0p1e think it's too hard to be honest. Q I. 7‘ .~ .\.W.:1‘7~n."rq PAUL J SERIOUSLY WANTING TO KNOW. SLOWLY COMING AROUND END OF COUCH. AT HER IEFT NOW. Isn't it? JULIA SHRUGS. CALMED NOW. Well, it doesn't make any difference. PUTS' PILLOW BACK ON THE SEAT TO HER RIGHT. LEANS BACK. PAUSE. RESIGNED AND ENERVATED, WEARY. Do you want to know what I was really mad about? I was mad because Jack wouldn't read my poem. He didn't even want to try to read it. It wasn't that difficult. PAUSE. PAUL'S HEAD DROOPS, HAND ON KNEE, STILL LEANING OVER THE COUCH TOWARD JULIA. It's disgusting the lengths I go to to hide something I'm ashamed of...Jack doesn't like me very much. PAUSE. SHE LOOKS AT PAUL. WANTS TO IMPRESS THIS NEXT. But I was telling the truth about the other ' things, I mean about Pat and all. It's just that I didn't tell you everything. PAUL DOESN'T MOVE. JULIA FINALLY LEANS BACK.AND SIGHS. I don't care if you think I'm a hypocrite. PAUL SURPRISED, LOOKS UP QUICKLY. Oh, I don't think that! JULIA SHRUGS. Well. It doesn't make any difference. PAUL It does! Why do you think I think you're a hypocrite? SLOWING DOWN, MORE SOFTLY. It's not true at all. I think you're just the Opposite. I know you always tell the truth. JULIA SHE IS SURPRISED. LOOKS UP AT HEM. 121 PAUL TOUCHING HER ARM, CARESSING IT LIGHTLY ONCE OR TWICE TO EMPHASIZE HIS SPEECH. Really, Julia, I do. I know that if I know anything. I believe in you. JULIA LOOKS DOWN, OVERWHELMED, TOUCHED. PLAYS WITH HER FINGERS IN HER LAP. FINALLY LOOKS UP WITH A BRILLIANT SMILE. HE SMILES BACK.NOW. Thanks. PAUL GOES TO CHAIR AND SPRAWLS IN IT. JULIA RELAXED NOW, LEANING BACK, SMILING. How come you know so much about me? . PAUL I don't know so much. JULIA Well, you didn't run away from me in ...BLURTS IT OUT...dngust. PAUL CONFUSED. Why...when would I have run away from you? JULIA MAKES A'VAGUE GESTURE WITH HER HAND, INDICATING THE AREA WHERE SHE HAD BEEN HYSTERICAL ABOUT PAT. If anybody else had been here they would've run away... PAUL Why? JULIA PAUSE WHILE SHE CONSIDERS HOW TO PUT IT. SHE IS A LITTLE ANNOYED NOW THAT HE IS SO OBTUSE, THAT HE FORCES HER TO SAY THE EMBARRASSING. I suppose because they would've thought that I was crazy or something. My brothers even, I should say eSpecially my brothers, can't stand me when I'm in one of my, SHRUGS, I don't know,...tempers, fits. PAUL I didn't think you were...Actua11y, Iihlt...SEEMS HESITANT TO USE THIS WORD...sorry for you...You seemed so sad. JULIA PAUSE. That's amazing! PAUL LOOKS AT HER. ...you didn't think I was awful. PAUL SHAKES HIS HEAD. No. 122 JULIA You thought I was sad. PAUSE. It's so strange. How could you know I was sad? Anybody else would've thought that I was a Spoiled brat or that I should be ashamed of myself or something...That was awfully perceptive of you. I'm really amazed. In fact I can hardly believe it it's so wonderful. SHE IS NOW SITTING UP, SMILING, ONE LEG CROSSED UNDER HER. PAUL IS EMBARRASSED BUT PLEASED. LAUGHS SOFTLY, LOOKS DOWN. No; really, Paul, I mean it. PAUL LAUGHING, LOOKING UP SIDEWAYS AT HER, BLUSHING. We painters are all alike. All we know about is color. You just seemed...b1ue...to me. JULIA LAUGHING AS PEOPLE DO AT BAD JOKES WHICH ARE FRIGHTFULLY BAD. Oh! FALLS BACK.AGAINST BACK OF COUCH. THEY CHUCKLE AND LAUGH FOR A MOMENT. Oh no! That's terrible! THEY SETTLE DOWN AT LAST; SMILE; JULIA PUTS HER HANDS BEHIND HER NECK. SOFTLY, TENDERLY ALMOST. You're a good friend, Paul. I feel so much better now that we've talked about it. fl PAUL BLUSHING AGAIN. LAUGHING TO COVER HIS FEELINGS. SOFTLY. I like . you too... JACK.AND ANNE, LAUGHING AND TALKING, DIRTY FROM RUMMAGING AROUND IN THE BASEMENT, CARRYING A LARGE PICNIC BASKET FILLED WITH. PLATES, SILVERWARE AND A THERMOS. PAUL AND JULIA QUICKLY LOOK UP AND JOIN IN THEIR.MERRIMENT. PAUL JUMPS UP AND STANDS BY THE UPSTAGE ARM OF HIS CHAIR. ANNE AND JACK COME DOWN IN FRONT OF THE COUCH AND PUT THE BASKET ON THE FLOOR TO THE LEFT OF JULIA'S FEET. JACK OPENS THE BASKET WHILE ANNE, TO THE LEFT LEANS, HALF-SITS, ON ARM.OF COUCH AND WIPES HER FACE AND HANDS WITH A LITTLE WHITE HANDKERCHIEF. JACK AS HE ENTERS. Well, we're ready! ANNE LAUGHING. Whew! I should say! That cellar, Paul, what a dusty place. Do you know where this old thing was? It was in the back cellar behind the suitcases, under the bottom shelf of fishing tackle. PAUL What was it doing there? ANNE ALWAYS SMILING, SHRUGS, SITTING, WIPING HER FACE AND HANDS. I don't know. We must have been crazy last year. LAUGHS LIGHTLY, GAILY; LOOKS AT HANDKERCHIEF. Ooh. I'm so dirty! Isn't that awful. LAUGHS. JULIA _ WANTING TO BE NICE. SHE IS HAPPY NOW. LAUGHING. Oh sure, you're as dirty as a coal miner! 123 PAUL LOOKING INTO BASKET AS JACK.SQUATS NEARBY. Where'd all this stuff come from? PICKS OUT AND HOLDS UP A PAIR OF WORKMAN'S OLD GLOVES. Where'd this come from? They weren't in the basket when we put it away. JULIA SMILING, HOOK-SERIOUSLY, BENDING FORWARD, TOUCHING ONE OF THE FINGERS. They're for carrying-the hot dogs. ANNE LAUGHING, THROWING HER HEAD BACK. Oh! PAUL AT THE SAME TIME, LEANING BACK, WITH THAT TONE PEOPLE USE TO THE MAKERS OF BAD PUNS, ETC. SIGHS. SHAKES HIS HEAD. JACK LAUGHS PLEASEDLY AT HIS BRIGHT, WITTY SISTER. THEN PAUL REMEMBERS, LOOKS AT ANNE. Oh, I remember! The coffee Spilled over the lip of that dumb thermos. So we put the gloves in here for pouring the coffee. JULIA LEANING BACK,.AFFECTING HAUT CUETURE, HER FINGER OUT AS SHE HOLDS AN IMAGINARY TEA CUP. Oh, yourpouring gloves, how too too sweet! Yes, indeed, Sir Paltry, just a little more demi-tasse! THE OTHERS LAUGH AGAIN. PAUL PUTS ON THE GLOVES AND STANDS, THEN BOWS AND LEANS TOWARD JULIA HOLDING AN IMAGINARY KEG FULL OF SOMETHING HEAVY. POURS GREAT QUANTITIES OF THIS IMAGINARY STUFF INTO JULIA'S LAP. ALSO AFFECTING THAT STEREOTYPE BRITISH ACCENT. JUst say when, Lady Julip. POURS AND POURS UNTIL THE KEG IS UPSIDE DOWN AND PRESUMABLY EMPTY. JULIA SMILES AND WATCHES. WHEN ALL THE COFFEE IS POURED SHE LOOKS INTO HER IMAGINARY DEMITASSE CUP (IT IS OBVIOUSLY SMALL FROM HER PANTOMIME). JULIA LOOKING UP WITH ICY POLITENESS. Well then if you hadn't any more coffee than that you needn't have asked me in at all, you know. ALL MOVE, SMILE; ARE RELAXED. PAUL KEEPS WEARING GLOVES THROUGHOUT THE ACT. JACK CLOSES BASKET AND STANDS, STRETCHES LAZILY, GOES BEHIND COUCH AND STANDS BEHIND ANNE. ' ANNE JUMPING OFF ARM OF COUCH. well, STRETCHES OUT HER ARMS are we ready? PAUL SITTING ON COUCH AT JULIA'S RIGHT NOW. Gosh, I forgot. Pat went for a walk; he doesn't even know. I'd better go find him. STARTS TO RISE. 124 ANNE Oh! I'll find him if he went for a walk; I know where he always goes. SHE GOES HURRIEDLY FROM ROOM AND EXITS RIGHT OFF TERRACE. JACK IS ABOUT TO FOLLOW HER, SMILING. JULIA JUMPING UP TO INTERCEPT JACK--SHE DOESN'T REALIZE WHAT JACK WANT TO DO. SHE HOLDS HIS ARM, SMILING. HE LOOKS DOWN AT HER IMPATIENTLY THOUGH HE IS SMILING, BUT IN A RATHER PAINED WAY: HE WANTS TO GO BUT DOESN'T WANT TO PUSH JULIA AWAY. I just want to tell you that I'm sorry. JACK E" NOT REALLY LISTENING, NOT UNDERSTANDING, WANTING ONLY TO FOLLOW ANNE. i LAUGHS AWKWARDLY, GENTLY PUSHING HER HAND FROM HIS ARM. Sorry about what? JULIA HOLDING HIS ARM.AGAIN. About this morning...about my poem...SHE L BEGINS TO BE PAINED, BUT SMILES BRAVELY. g’ i JACK AGAIN PUSHING HER HAND AWAY, LOOKS ANXIOUSLY OUT THE DOOR. HE IS IN A HURRY, GETTING DESPARATE. Well what about it? LAUGHS A LITTLE STILL. JULIA LOOKS AT HIM, DOESN'T TRY TO HOLD HIS ARM.AGAIN. SHE SMILES PAINFULLY, HELPLESSLY. JACK STRAINED, UPSET, NOT UNDERSTANDING. Well, look, Julia, what are you sorry about? I mean, I don't see why you should be sorry. SHE DOESN'T ANSWER. HE IS COMPELLED TO KEEP TALKING. Really, I don't understand. JULIA SOFTLY. AFTER PAUSE. I'm sorry I got mad at you for not reading my poem. JACK LAUGHING BUT GETTING ANGRY NOW. Well, for God's sake, Julia! JACK LAUGHS BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID TO SHOW HIS ANGER. How am I suppose to know that's what you're sorry about? I didn't even know you were mad. JULIA GETTING COLD NOW. You should know. 125 JACK LAUGHING WITH EMBARRASSMENT AND ANGER. ASHAMED THAT PAUL IS THERE. LOOKS QUICKLY AT PAUL, FIDGETS WITH HIS BUTTONS, PULLS HIS CUFFS, ETC. How should I know? How do you expect me to know a thing like that? JULIA ‘ COLDLY--DELIBERATELY, ALMOST BETWEEN UNMOVING LIPS. If you ever looked at me you'd know a lot of things. JACK . LAUGHING, PRETENDING, FOR PAUL'S SAKE, THAT THIS IS PREPOSTEROUS. Oh, Julia, I look at you. I'm looking at you now. JULIA No you're not...You're looking maybe, but you're not seeing. LOUDER, A LITTLE HYSTERICAL. You're not seeing me! JACK UPSET, AFRAID, COWED. Come on, Ju1ia. Don't. FRANK ENTERS. JACK LOOKS NOW AT FRANK ANXIOUSLY, ASHAMED, EMBARRASSED. , FRANK ENTERING FROM TERRACE (FROM GATEWAY FROM KITCHEN). PAUSES, SEES SITUATION, SPEAKS QUICKLY WITH FRIGHT AND SUSPICION. HE DOESN'T WANT JACK HURT. JUlia! JACK WALKING AWAY FROM JULIA TOWARDS TERRACE. STANDS NEXT TO FRANK. JULIA WALKS LEFT AND STANDS FACING VELVET CURTAINS. SHRUGS. SOTTO VOICE, LOOKING DOWN AT HIS CUFFS. It's the same damn thing! You can fight with her; I can't take her temper anymore! EXITS TO RIGHT, HURRIEDLY. FRANK WATCHES JACK GO, LOOKS AT PAUL, THEN AT JULIA, WHO IS TURNED TOWARD WALL. HE WALKS BEHIND COUCH AND STANDS BEHIND HER. COLDLY, SOFTLY, QUICKLY. Why don't you leave him alone? PAUSE. You think you're smart, don't you...NEW TACK, ANGRIER. You can't leave him alone for a minute, can you? Two months before his wedding and you still won't leave him alone. Why don't you stOp hurting him...huh? Why don't you just leave him alone for awhile? JACK AT TERRACE DOOR, LOOKING IN, DISTRACTED. Frank, did you see Anne? FRANK TURNING TO JACK, ANGER LEAVES; HE LOOKS AT JACK.DEVOTEDLY. She was looking for Pat, wasn't she? She was in the kitchen a few minutes ago. JACK AFTER SHORT PAUSE. STATEMENT OF FACT, NO EMOTION, NONCOMMITAL. You didn't look for him. E l. 126 FRANK JACK TURNS AND EXITS RIGHT. FRANK TURNS BACK I was helping Felicia. Did you hear what I said... TO JULIA, WHO HASN'T MOVED. JULIA TO WALL. COIDLY, DISTINCTLY. Go to hell. FRANK COMING IN QUICKLY AIMOST SMILING, SARDONICALLY, VICIOUSLY. SOFTLY. AFTER HER. AS IF HE HAD HIS WEAPON ALL READY. No wonder you can't get married, with a mouth like that. And what really happened to Carl? Can't you keep a man for more than two weeks? JULIA SPINNING AROUND TO FACE HIM. HE IS STILL SMILING IN THAT VICIOUS WAY. He didn't leave me. ALMOST HYSTERICALLY, ON THE DEFENSIVE. SHE LEANS TOWARD FRANK, QUICKLY. I left him...HER PRIDE COMES TO HER RESCUE. AND AS VICIOUSLY AS HE SMILES, SHE SAYS, HER FACE CONTORTED BY RAGE I was going to tell you about him. But AND REVENGE SOFTLY, QUICKLY. now I won't. I'll never tell you another thing again as long as I SHE GOES UPSTAIRS WITH STIFF BACK. FRANK WATCHES HER GO WITH SAME SMILE. THEN STRETCHING, WALKS TO TERRACE LOOKS OUT. CONVERSATIONALLY. What a bitch. PAUL UP TILL NOW HE HAS BEEN WATCHING NOW RELAXING BACK IN THE CHAIR. HE LOOKS AT HIS GLOVED HANDS WHICH HE HOLDS OUT AND MOVES TENSELY. IN FRONT OF HIM. IN SAME CONVERSATIONAL, LIGHT TONE. She's not a bitch at all. live. DOOR. FRANK LOOKING AT PAUL. SEES GLOVES. LAUGHS. SUPERIOR. Where'd you get those gloves? PAUL They just suddenly appeared on my hands. HE FEELS A MAN NOW, CONFIDENT, No where. I don't know. FRANK PAUSE. What a beautiful day. TURNING BACK TO DOOR. LAUGHING. PAUL UNDER HIS BREATH ALMOST. She's not a bitch at all. FRANK iNGRY FOR A MOMENT. I'll apologize to her, don't worry. SMILES. SUDDENLY SEES FELICIA, but let her wait awhile first; serves her right. :ALLS, WAVES. Hey, Felicia! RUNS OUT LAUGHING. 127 PAUL LOOKS AT GLOVES. SERIOUS. POURS HIMSELF IMAGINARY COFFEE FROM POT ON IMAGINARY TABLE AT HIS RIGHT. PUTS POT BACK ON TABLE, HOLDS COFFEE CUP IN BOTH HANDS, AS IF IT IS HOT. DRINKS COFFEE. SLOW CURTAIN 1" f i g g i 3 L 128 Act II A week later. Also late in the afternoon, about 4:00. It is cooler and less sunny than in Act I. A storm is brewing, which actually breaks at the end of this act. The lights, therefore, are constantly dimming, but imperceptively, until with the first roll of thunder, it is suddenly apparent to the audience that it almost dark outside. With the rising curtain we hear a Mozart Divertimento played on the phonograph in the upStage left corner. Julia barefoot, is sitting on the down end of the black bench with an imaginary cello between her knees; she plays it while Frank, standing right of the couch, conducts her and the music with greatly exaggerated gestures, half of the time his eyes are closed as he sways and grimaces and gesticulates. As each new phrase or crescendo he runs to another part of the room, con- ducting all the while. He leaps on the couch, on the chair, stands on the stairway, etc. Julia moves up and down the bench, a different position for each instrument she pretends to play. e.g..the center of the bench for the flute, the up and for the violin. As she plays the violin she sways and finally stands and plays with great swayings. Frank conducts that sit; she does, slides into another position and is now the trombone, etc. When music ends, Frank, with last elaborate gesture turns off the phonograph. Then he and Julia bow formally, shake hands and walk with hands behind backs, heads bowed (a la Brahms photos) to couch, onto which Julia, with as much formality as possible, throws herself, and Frank does the same on the right end of the couch. Now the game is over and they relax, Frank Sprawls, Julia puts hands behind head. She is lying with her feet facing the terrace and her head on the couch arm. Frank holds her feet in his lap as he stretches out. He doesn't touch her feet, but occasionally runs his finger over them during the conversation in an absent-minded way. JULIA - MEDITATIVELY. This is a good room. FRANK RESPONDS TO ALL HER REMARKS BY NODDING HIS HEAD: HE AGREES WITH EVERYTHING SHE SAYS WHEN THEY ARE NOT FIGHTING. THEN HE AGREES WITH NOTHING. PAUSE. I wish they had a record of the Fireworks music; this is the perfect time of day, and I'm in the perfect mood for it. SHE HUMS A FEW CHARACTERISTIC BARS--FROM FIRST MOVEMENT--FROM HANDEL'S ROYAL FIREWORKS MUSIC. SHE HUMS LOUDER AND AT LAST SINGS AN APPROPRIATE PHRASE FROM IT, ROLLING HER HEAD TO ITS GRAND SWEEP. THE END OF THE FIRST MOVEMENT WOULD BE GOOD. FRANK ACCOMPANIES HER BY ROLLING AND NODDING HIS OWN HEAD. THEY STOP AND THEN RELAX AGAIN. Boy. What a piece of music. FRANK NODS, OF COURSE. PAUSE. I'm writing a new poem. SLIGHT PAUSE. FRANK LOOKS EXPECTANTLY AT HER, HIS EYEBROWS RAISED IN ANTICIPATION JUST A TRIFLE OBSEQUIOUS. It's all about this. SHE FLINGS HER LEFT ARM AND LETS IT AT THE END OF THE NEXT FALL TO THE FLOOR. DURING THE NEXT, HOWEVER, IT REMAINS OUTSTRETCHED AND HER HAND MOVES EXPRESSIVELY. About music in the afternoon pierced with gold and everything; and my heart, SHE IS GETTING 129 DREAMILY IDEALISTIC AND HEROIC and the gold mites in the warm air and the thick, pulsing, music everywhere. . .everywhere! . . .SOFTER, DREAMILY INTENSE. . .I want to get the feeling of rays of light and sitting in their golden warmth with the music all around. A PAUSE AS SHE REMEMBERS HALF-SMILING, HER FACE FILLED WITH THESE GRAND, HEROIC THOUGHTS, THEN SHE SIGHS AND HER HAND BECOMES LIMP AND DROPS. I want it to be a really beautiful poem. I want to express myself...I want to write what I feel and not just a lot of talk. I don't want my poems to be dead... PLAINTIVELY, ALMOST DEFENSIVELY I'm not dead! FRANK SQUEEZES HER FOOT. Of course you're not dead! You're the most alive per son I know. JULIA ALMOST IMPATIENT WITH HIM, SHE SWINGS AROUND, HER FEET TO THE FLOOR: SHE SITS NOW, THROWS HERSELF BACK AGAINST THE PILLOW. I'm very dis- satisfied! There's something I want and I don't know what it is... Oh, Frank! If only you could help me. FRANK TURNING TO HER, EAGER TO PLEASE AND HELP. TAKING HIMSELF VERY SERIOUSLY. I know just how you feel”! I...DECIDES HE CAN'T SPEAK: CHANGES THE SUBJECT. I think Paul started this.. You shouldn't have listened to him the other day. He doesn't know anything about your poetry. YOur poetry isn't restrained. It's just...well, it's just got control is all. He doesn't know anything about it! JULIA . EXPLODING. STANDING, TURNING QUICKLY PAST THE LEFT END OF THE (DUCH. SITS ON BENCH, HOIDS PILLOW IN ARMS. Oh, Paul! He has nothing to do with it! He doesn't have to tell me, I know myself that there's some- thing wrong with me. I am restrained. I am cold. I am dead! ON "DEAD" SHE JUMPS UP AND GOES TO PHONOGRAPH, SHE STANDS BEFORE IT A MOMENT, HER HANDS ON IT, HER SHOULDERS RAISED TENSELY. PAUSE IN WHICH FRANK STARES AT HER. SHE TURNS AWAY AND COMES DOWN STAGE RIGHT. ALMOST ABSENT-MINDEDLY, ADDST SO'ITO VOICE. I wish they had the Fireworks Music...SIGHS, THROWS HER ARMS OUT. LOUD AGAIN. Oh well. It doesn't make any difference. What do I care anyway. SHE FAKES A LAUGH AND SEEMING TO REGAIN HER OLD SPIRIT AND GAITY, SHE THROWS HERSELF INTO THE EASY CHAIR, SPRAWLS IN AN UNGRACEFUL WAY. SHE REMOVES A BRACELET SHE'S BEEN WEARING. FRANK ACCEPTS HER LAUGH AS GENUINE, BRIGHTENS WITH HER. I hate jewelry. I don't know why I wear it. SHE GETS UP AND THROWS THE BRACELET OUT THE TERRACE DOOR. RETURNS AND SPRAWLS AGAIN IN THE CHAIR. FRANK HAS BEEN LAUGHING AT WHAT HE THINKS ARE HER PRANKS. ' FRANK LAUGHING, SURPRISED, Hey, Julia, that was the bracelet Carl gave you. 130 JULIA Who cares? SHRUGS A hundred Carls, a hundred bracelets. Maybe that' a what I need, a new man. FRANK LEANS FORWARD, SMILING. Hey, you never told me what happened with Carl. JULIA RELIED/IBERING THAT SHE SAID SHE WOULDN'T TELL HIM. A COLD PAUSE. FRANK IS WAITING, NOT UNDERSTANDING HER SUDDEN COLDNESS COLDLY. You wouldn't be interested. FRANK LAUGHS UNCERTAINLY. I wouldn't he...? LEANS BACK AND THEN FORWARD AGAIN. Sure I'd be interested...PAUSE . HE UNDERSTANDS. A GENTLE REPRIMAND...Oh, Jule, I said I was sorry... JULIA STANDING, STIFF, ALMOST WRINGINGTHER HANDS . MAKES AN EFFORT TO BE COLD, BUT CHANGES HER MIND AND FALLS LOOSELY BACK INTO CHAIR, ARMS LIMP ALONG CHAIR ARMS, FALLING PERHAPS TO FLOOR, OR HANGING DOWN. GIVES UP. It was the sex, as usual. FRANK EAGERLY UNDERSTANDING, SMILING CONSPIRATORILY Another cold fish? JULIA SHRUGS IMPATIENTLY BUT SHE HAS GIVEN UP Fish...? PAUSE. He cried all the time as if it were his fault...CHANGES MIND ABOUT CONFESSING I just wasn't attracted to him that's all . He just didn't interest me. . .HER HEAD FALLS BACK AGAINST THE PILLOWS SHE SEEMS TIRED AND WEAK. Poor Carl with his strength that I didn't want...How hard he tried...how he needed me. . . FRANK LEANING BACK, LAUGHING. Gosh, Jule, you've got the worse luck! Won't you ever meet someone who'll sweep you off your feet? JULIA UNMOVING: A SOFT , HALF-LAUGH. A HAND TWITCHES. That had luck must dog my steps like a shadow...I can't remember when there wasn t a Carl. Maybe there never was anyone else. DYING OUT. Maybe they were all Carls. Maybe there is nothing but Carls... FRANK LAUGHING, LYING 0N COUCH, POSING SELF-CONSCIOUSLY I know one man who isn't a Carl! JULIA LOOKING AT HIM SLOWLY. Who? 131 FRANK Me ! JULIA WAITS A MOMENT AND THEN BURSTS INTO ALMOST HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER, FALLS BACK AGAINST THE PILLOWS FRANK JOINS IN HER LAUGH. VERY SELF-CONSCIOUS, BUT ENJOYING IT No, really. JULIA TRYING TO QUELL HER LAUGHTER. Oh, how too ironical! SHE FINALLY CONTROLS HERSELF. BAITS FRANK NOW, MORE AND MORE CRUELLY. And who is the maid you've swept off her feet? FRANK BLUSHING, HEAD IS RESTING ON LEFT ARM OF COUCH, HANDS BEHIND NECK. Felicia. But I haven't swept her yet; I mean not really. I've been working on it. So far I've got her so that whenever she sees me she. . .blushes over her whole face HE BLUSHES, IS SELF-CONSCIOUS, CAN'T HELP LAUGHING AND GIGGLING ALMOST. LOOKS OVER AT JULIA, ,HIS FACE PAINFULLY OPEN, LAUGHING SILENTLY JULIA Blushes the way you're blushing now? FRANK CAN'T STOP HIS EMBARRASSING, ADOLESCENT-UGLY SMILE. SHE SMILES CRUELLY. I'm glad to see you have everything under control, my little Romeo. SHE IS LEANING OVER THE ARM OF HER CHAIR TOWARDS HIM. FRANK SMILES VANISH, HE FLOPS OVER AND NOW HE LIES ON HIS STOMACH, FACE HALF IN PILLOWS. PATHETICALLY, HELPLESSLY. Ah, Jule, why do you have to ruin everything? JULIA GETS UP RUFFLES HIS HAIR AND WALKS TO LEFT, STILL SMILING SHE IS GOING TO GO UPSTAIRS. PAT APPEARS IN DINING ROOM. THEY SEE EACH OTHER. JULIA STILL FILLED WITH HER BITTERNESS FOR AND CRUELTY TO FRANK, STOPS FOR A MOMENT SMILES. COMES TOWARD HIM SWINGING HER HIPS A BIT. TEASINGLY. Well, and there's Pat PAT COMES DOWN AND GOES TO END TABLE AT RIGHT OF COUCH PIPE AND REFILLS IT DURING THE FOLLOWING KNOCKS OUT HIS little Miss Julia. And there's Julia, our HE SPEAKS AS IF HE WERE SHY, LOOKING AWAY FROM THE PERSON TO WHOM HE SPEAKS, BUT HE WATCHES THE FACE INTENSELY WHILE THE OTHER PERSON IS SPEAKING, SMILING, KNOWING . HE CREATES A FEELING OF INTIMACY WHERE NONE ACTUALLY EXISTS; HIS SMILE SUGGESTS UNDERCURRENTS ABOUT WHICH BOTH HE AND THE OTHERS ARE APPRISED AND WHICH THEY HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED. HE SPEAKS SOFTLY, HIS VOICE IS RICH MODULATED EXPRESSIVE THOUGH HE SPEAKS LITTLE 3 . HIS MOVEMENTS ARE ECONOMICAL, ARE CONFINED MOSTLY TO BUSINESS WITH HIS PIPE 132 JULIA STANDING WITH BACK.TO PHONOGRAPH, HANDS BEHIND HER BACK, SMILING AS HE IS. Ah, yes. Our prancing one, our successful uncle-in-law-to-be, the house's hero. SARCASTICALLY, SEDUCTIVELY. All these things and many more, hmm? SMILING, SHE WALKS TOWARD HIM, HANDS BEHIND BACK. STOPS IN CENTER OF THE ROOM. FRANK HAS LIFTED HIS HEAD ENOUGH SO THAT WE SEE HE IS LISTENING. PAT GOES ON FILLING AND LIGHTING HIS PIPE, LOOKING AT JULIA, SMILING. PAT LAUGHING, AS HE LAUGHS HIS TONGUE COMES OUT AND TOUCHES HIS UPPER LIP, AND HE TRIES TO HOLD HIS MOUTH CLOSED, TOGETHER. YOu know a great deal, my dear. JULIA PLAYFULLY, TEASING. More than you know? ~- PAT MOVING HIS HEAD, SMILING, LOOKING AWAY SUGGESTIVELY. What do you think I know? JULIA TAKEN ABACK.A LITTLE, PAT IS AN ADVERSARY SHE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONQUER. SHE TURNS AWAY AND GOES TO UP RIGHT PAINTING AND STUDIES IT, ARMS FOLDED ACROSS CHEST. SHRUGS. AFFECT ABSENT-MINDEDNESS. Oh well, what difference does it make? PAT HE IS AMUSED. SOFTLY, HEAD DOWN. You aren't afraid, are you? JULIA SHRUGS HER SHOULDERS ONCE QUICKLY. Afraid of what? . PAT Of all the things I know... JULIA PRETENDING TO BE ABSORBED IN PICTURE. ~SHE IS GETTING NERVOUS, ALMOST FRIGHTENED. VOICE IS LESS CERTAIN, THOUGH STILL HARD.- It can't be much. ' A PAT .SUGGESTIVELY, HEAD STILL DOWN, LOOKING UP AT HER...of all the things I could teach you. ' * FRANK 'JUMPS UP AND IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT TERRACE DOOR. God! 133 JULIA SEEING HIM, RUNS TO DOOR AND HOLDS HIM. Frank! ...THEY STRUGGLE A MOMENT. HE STOPS SUDDENLY AND THEY FACE EACH OTHER, SHE IS HOLDING BOTH HIS ARMS. HE UNDERSTANDS HER EYES AS SHE LOOKS AT HIM. HE COMES BACK INTO ROOM AND THROWS HIMSELF ON COUCH AGAIN, ON HIS BACK.NOW. FACING PAT, DEFINANTLY. There's nothing you could teach me. I know everything. PAT Oh? JULIA Yes. So just stOp giving me your line. PAUSE, SHE IS REGAINING HER CONFIDENCE AND BRAVADO. It really isn't necessary because if I wanted to go to bed with you I wouldn't need you to convince me of it. SMILES AND SAUNTERS TO EASY CHAIR, WHERE SHE SITS GRACEFULLY. And I don't want to go to bed with you. LOOKS AT HER FINGER NAILS. PAT HE HAS BEEN SMILING MORE AND MORE BROADLY THROUGHOUT HER SPEECH. HE COMES NOW AND STANDS BEHIND HER CHAIR, LOOKS DOWN AT HER, AND TOUCHES HER RIGHT CHEEK.WITH THE WARM BOWL OF HIS PIPE. SHE DOESN'T MOVE. I wouldn't need to convince you and you wouldn't need to convince me...HE PUTS PIPE IN HIS MOUTH AND WALKS LIESURELY OUT THE TERRACE DOOR AND EXITS RIGHT. FRANK BETWEEN CLENCHED TEETH, QUIETLY, SLOWLY. How I hate him. TURNS TO JULIA, MORE EXCITED NOW. Why do you fool around with him? Are you in love with him or something? I hate you when you flirt with him, you act like some kind of slut...the two of you...God...JUMPS UP. You act so disgusting with him! JULIA SHE IS ABOUT TO WEEP. LOOKS UP AT FRANK. NOW SHE IS PATHETIC, HELPLESS. Frank... FRANK PLOWING RIGHT THROUGH. Well, why don't you just keep away from him? You know every time he's around something like that happens! How can you stand to keep acting like that? Doesn't it make you sick? JULIA HER VOICE IS BREAKING. LOW. Yes...it does...make me sick. HER MOUTH IS TREMBLING, SHE IS LOOKING UP AT FRANK. FRANK STILL LOUDLY, BUT NOT SO ANGRILY. Then why do you keep doing it? JULIA I can't help it...the way he looks at me... 134 FRANK How? How does he look at you? JULIA I don't know! LOOKING DOWN, BREATHLESSLY, QUICKLY, LOW. He makes me want to act Like that...SHE WEEPS QUIETLY. FRANK QUICKLY KNEELING BY THE LEFT ARM OF THE CHAIR, PUTTING HIS ARMS AROUND HER AS BEST HE CAN IN THAT POSITION. Oh, Julia...PAUSE. SOFTLY. if you need a new man don't pick him. Please don't pick him! JULIA BROKENLY, CRYING. I don't want to...I don't want to! FRANK HUGGING HER TIGHTER. Ah, Julia, Julia. HE SPEAKS LOW, FULL OF PAIN AND REMORSE. JULIA NOW CALMING DOWN. FRANK.GIVES HER HIS HANDKERCHIEF: HE KNEELS AT HER SIDE, LOOKING WITH CONCERN UP AT HER. SHE WIPES HER EYES AND BLOWS HER NOSE. THEY SMILE AT EACH OTHER WEAKLY BUT AFFECTIONATELY. HUMEROUSLY. Our lives just seem to be one crisis after another. FRANK LAUGHS, SITS ON COUCH. Yeah. PAUSE. SHE SNIFFLES, BLOWS HER NOSE. If you want someone why don't you pick Paul at least? JULIA Paul? HER HEART BEGINS TO POUND. FRANK Yeah. He's really a nice guy. JULIA SHRUGS. SHE HAS STOPPED SMILING. LEANS BACK, PLAYS WITH HANDS. He's alright... FRANK He certainly doesn't look like another Carl. Does he? JULIA HASN'T BEEN LISTENING, STARING AT HER HANDS. FRANK Hey?...did you hear me? JULIA WAKENING, LOOKING AT HIM. What? 135 FRANK I said he probably isn't another Carl. JULIA STARING AT HIM, GETTING TENSE. No...I guess not...PAUSE, THEN SHE LOOKS BACK.AT HANDS WHICH SHE AGAIN PLAYS WITH. But you never can tell. FRANK Well, you're attracted to him aren't you? JULIA QUICKLY. I was attracted to Carl too, at first. FRANK But Paul'll follow through. SMILING. He'll keep you interested. I mean, Carl didn't know how to handle you; you were just much smarter than he was. But Paul'll match you alright; I've got a lot of reapect for that boy. aminmhbi ‘32:.“- .. r. , JULIA TENSELY. LOOKING DOWN. LOW. Frank, don't you understand...? LOOKS UP AT FRANK. There's something wrong with me! [‘ n.“l-‘7_.‘T‘ ‘e'p. 3“ '1 FRANK SURPRISED. What? . JULIA Don't you understand? Carl was alright, all of them.were alright; it's just me. JUMPS UP AND STANDS LOOKING DOWN AT FRANK, DESPARATELY UPSET, WRINGING HER HANDS. SMALL PAUSE. Don't you understand? I just can't get interested! (SHE HAS CHOSEN THE MOST DELICATE WORD. N.B.) FRANK LOOKING UP AT HER. HIS WORLD IS COLLAPSING. WHISPERS. Julia. JULIA SHE HOLDS HER MOUTH AND RUNS OUT TERRACE TO RIGHT. FRANK HE SITS THERE STUNNED. THE DOOR OFF-STAGE IN THE DINING ROOM OPENS AND ANNE, PAUL AND FELICIA ENTER; FELICIA, AT ANNE'S ELBOW, GOES WITH HER UPSTAIRS. PAUL WATCHES THEM GO UPSTAIRS, THEN SLOWLY ENTERS LIVING ROOM, COMES AND FLINGS HIMSELF SPRAWLINGLY INTO THE EASY CHAIR; HE GLANCES AT FRANK.AS HE COMES AROUND THE COUCH. FRANK.LOOKS UP AT PAUL, HARDLY SEEING HEM, SITTING STILL MOTIONLESSLY AND SHOCKED. PAUL GRINNING. If they couldn't wait I don't know why they didn't get married. HE IS TRYING TO RAISE FRANK'S INTEREST AND CURIOSITY. 136 FRANK LOOKING AT PAUL. THROUGH-OUT THESE NEXT SCENES FRANK IS QUIET AND TENDER: HIS WHOLE WORLD HAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. HE HAS THAT GENTLENESS WHICH PEOPLE IN PAIN HAVE; THEY ARE SO AFRAID OF JARRING THEMSELVES AND CAUSING MORE PAIN THAT THEY MOVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY, GENTLY, ARE OBLIVIOUS TO WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON AND REACT WITH THE SAME GENTLE SMILE, AFRAID TO EXPRESS ANY WILDER MOVEMENT OR EMOTION. GENTLY, LOW. What? PAUL SMILING EVEN MORE BROADLY. CAN'T HOLD IT IN. Our little couple is pregnant. FRANK IT TAKES HIM A MOMENT TO UNDERSTAND. NODS IN RESPONSE, SMILES GENTLY. 0h. 1711‘; la“ J 131 PAUL I think every couple who is going to get married ought to get pregnant first. See, Jack, now, he's sure he's going to have heirs...or heiresses. FOLDS HIS ARMS OVER HIS CHEST. I think it's a great idea. ‘IS' 2 ‘1 I 30- {.473 FRANK GETS UP SMILING. PAUL Where're you going? FRANK I'm going to go congratulate Jack. PAUL JUMPS UP, LOOKS AROUND, CONSPIRATORILY, TAKES FRANK'S ARM, WHISPERS. No! Don't tell him yet. He doesn't know. Anne wants to tell him herself. She made me swear not to tell anyone, but I thought a fellow uncle ought to know. POKES FRANK. ,WALKS AWAY; EXPANSIVELY, LOUDER. I suppose we'll all be one big happy family before we know it. LOOKS OUT TERRACE DOOR, POSES. PRETENDS HAPPY TEARS. My little sister, a June bride. FRANK WATCHING, SMILING. GOES BACK.TO EASY CHAIR AND SITS BACK.AGAINST THE BACK OF THE CHAIR, HIS ARMS ON HIS LAP, BUT HE IS NOT RELAXED, BUT DOES NOT SPRAWL AS IS HIS CUSTOM. That's really great. My brother... he's going to have a baby...TURNS AROUND IN CHAIR TO PAUL. When did she find out? PAUL TURNING AROUND. Felish and I went to the doctor's with her this afternoon. She didn't tell anyone about it before, not even me. She says the little thing's about a month Old already. CHUCKLES. She's going to name it Georges Rouault, after me. 137 FRANK TURNS AROUND AND SITS AGAIN. SMILES FADE SUDDENLY. HE SAGS. SOTTO VOICE. Julia? What will she...? PAUL ' HEARING JULIA'S NAME. Julia! Wonderful idea! I'll go tell her! STARTS TO RUN OUT, COMES BACK IN. Hey where is she? FRANK HEARS, THEN COMPREHENDS, THEN TURNS TO PAUL QUICKLY. URGENTLY. NO! Don't tell Julia! . PAUL 5‘ Why? . FRANK ; PAUSES A MOMENT. Don't tell her. y 5‘] PAUL ;. But why? FRANK I THINKS A MOMENT, HE STILL IS GENTLE, SPEAKS SOFTLY. She might...she might want her brother to tell her... PAUL HANGING IN THE DOORWAY. SOFTLY, UNDERSTANDING. I see...okay. HE IS ABOUT TO TURN AND GO WHEN FELICIA COMES DOWNSTAIRS AND INTO LIVING ROOM. Hi, Felish! _ FELICIA HEAD DOWN, SHY. COMES INTO LIVING ROOM. ALMOST UNDER HER BREATH. Hello yourself. PAUL TEASING HER. What? Hello, Paul? You're nutty as a fruitcake my dear. Nutty as a fruitcake! ON THE LAST LINE SHE TURNS AND RUNS QUICKLY TOWARDS HIM WITH ARMS OUT TO PUSH HIM; HE BACKS AWAY ON LAST LINE AND THEN RUNS OFF RIGHT. Ooooh! Mad woman! Mad woman! FELICIA EXPRESSION BECOMES COLD. TURNS AND COMES TO COUCH. PLUNKS HERSELF DOWN AT RIGHT END. FRANK IS LOOKING AND SMILING AT HER. NOTICES HIM. JUMPS UP.. Frank! FRANK PUTS HIS HANDS OUT, SMILING. I didn't mean to scare you. Come on, sit down. SHE DOES SO. THEY SIT SILENTLY, FRANK SMILING, FELICIA LOOKING DOWN AT HER HANDS WHICH SHE TWISTS NERVOUSLY; BUT SHE IS. INOT UNHAPPY TO BE WITH FRANK. 138 FELICIA FINALLY SHE SIGHS. Well. FRANK Well. FELICIA MOVING A LITTLE, LOOKING UP AT HIM SIDEWAYS, EXPECTING AND HOPING THAT HE SAY SOMETHING. SHE SETTLES DOWN, PAUSE, SHE SIGHS AGAIN. SUDDENLY SHE JUMPS UP AND STANDS FACING DINING ROOM, HER RIGHT HAND ON THE BACK OF THE CHAIR. Oh! This is so embarrassing! FRANK SURPRISED. What is? FELICIA WITH AGLTATION, CHOKED. Oh, you know! FRANK . GETTING UP AND STANDING BEHIND HER, SOFTLY. What's so embarrassing? SHE SHRUGS, LOOKS DOWN. TENDERLY. What? la wus— --u-»-mn‘——w‘ «An-.01 . ~ I 5 1 FELICIA STEPPING FORWARD, CLASPS HANDS. Didn't Paul tell you? FRANK SMILING, BUT SPEAKING SERIOUSLY FOR FELICIA'S SAKE. Oh. About the baby... FELICIA TURNING AGITATEDLY AND GOING TO THE TERRACE DOOR. Well, I don't want to talk about it anymore. LOOKS DOWN, BLUSHES. FRANK SITS ON ARM OF COUCH. I'm sorry. I was hOping we could talk about it; it's one of the beautiful things peOple can talk about. FELICIA MOVES AWAY'IMPATIENTLY. You're wrong! It's a terrible thing! It's disgusting! FRANK TEASING AGAIN. I thought you didn't want to talk about it? FELICIA BLUSHING AGAIN, WALKS OUT ONTO TERRACE, STAMPS HER FOOT. I don't want to ever talk to you ever again about anything! So just leave me alone! 139 . FRANK COMING OUT AFTER HER; STANDS BEHIND HER, TOUCHES HER SHOULDER. SOFTLY, TENDERLY. It's beautiful because my brother Jack is really a very shy person, and he's never before given anything of himself to anyone. But now he's given your wonderful, sweet cousin a token of love, a wedding present almost, in the most beautiful way a man can give a most beautiful gift. I'm proud of my brother. He gave from himself to Anne. And this means he loves her more than he loves anyone else in the world . FELICIA TURNS TO FRANK. SHE IS CONFUSED UPSET. SHE LOOKS AT HIM AS HE HAS BEEN SPEAKING. WHEN HE HAS FINISHED SPEAKING SHE SITS AT CHAIR BY THE TABLE, HANDS CLASPED LN LAP, LOOKS DOWN. THEN LOOKS UP AT HIM. TRYING TO BE OFFENDED; BUT SHE IS UNCERTAIN, FALTERING. I never heard such nonsense. . . FRANK SITS DOWN IN A CHAIR TO HER LEFT, LEANS ACROSS TABLE TO HER. FOLLOWS HIM ALMOST DEVOTEDLY WITH HER EYES. URGENTLY, WARMLY. This is the way love is; not the way your father does it. SHE FELICIA LOOKS DOWN. HARD. It's the same way. FRANK QUICKLY. Yes, only one. Anne's and Jack's kind. Your father doesn't even practice love; it's something different altogether! There's only one kind of love. FE LIC LA SUDDENLY OPENLY AGITATED. Now see. ,How do I know why you're saying all this to me. Maybe you're just trying to...seduce me. STANDS UP. I don't know. SHE IS DESPARATE, SAD, UNCERTAIN. This is one of the ways my father...I've heard my father talk like this. I've heard him tell women that love is beautiful! FRANK INTENSELY, LOW. That bastard! FELICIA HURRYING ON. When I was little he would take me for walks with him and a woman, and he would kiss me a lot; but I know now it was just for the woman's sake! Well, how can I believe 2'32? WEEPS. FRANK JUMPS UP AND PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND HER. You can believe me...You can believe me...Felicia...I'm not like your father...You can trust me . . . I won't hurt you...Felicia. FELICIA DRYS HER EYES WITH HER HANDKERCHIEF. TURNS AWAY AND WALKS TO WALL, FACING RIGHT. I'm sorry. 140 FRANK QUICKLY. Don't be sorry! FELICIA SLIGHT PAUSE. GETTING HARD AGAIN. You're so different now. FRANK LAUGHS UNCERTAINLY. Different from when? FELICIA From when you're with Julia. PAUSE. HARD, BITTER. I hate you when you're with Julia. FRANK TRYS TO LAUGH. Why? FELICIA SHE WANTS TO HURT HIM. JULIA IS SURE AND CONFIDENT. FELICIA IS MORE AWKWARD AND UNSURE ABOUT HERSELF IN THIS ROLE. SHRUGS. She makes you act so...THROWS HER ARM OUT AS A GESTURE...weak! FRANK COMES FORWARD, SMILING PAINFULLY. SOFTLY. How do you mean? FELICIA TURNS TO HIM. Oh, she bosses you around and you hang on every word she says like you were scared to death of doing something she didn't like! And when you fight with her; it's awful. I've never seen two peOple be so cruel and mean to each other. Do you love her or hate her? TURNS AWAY SUDDENLY. It's ugly! It's the ugliest thing I've ever seen. It's worse even than the way my father acts! At least he's always the same way. At least I can depend on him...! FRANK HE IS TERRIBLY HURT. PUTS HIS HAND OUT TO HER. Don't Felicia. Please. DROPS HIS HAND LOOKS DOWN. ' FELICIA SHE LOOKS AT HIM. SHE IS VERY YOUNG. THEN SHE TURNS AND LOOKS OFF RIGHT. I don't believe anything you've ever said to me. FRANK AFTER SLIGHT PAUSE. HE LOOKS UP, SIGHS. SOFTLY, PATIENTLY. Life isn't so simple that you can say things like that to peOple. It's much too complicated already for peOple to lie and make it even more complicated. And people feel bad enough already without other peOple making them feel worse. HE EXITS UP PATH TO KITCHEN. 141 FELICIA TURNS AND WATCHES HIM GO. CALLS ANGRILY AFTER HIM. I told you the truth! I don't believe you! And I don't believe anyone! SHE LOOKS AROUND HER. SHE IS HYSTERICAL, ALMOST SOBBING THE WAY SHE CATCHES HER BREATH. SHE SPEAKS NOW SLOWLY AND HESITANTLY. HER VOICE IS FADING. And...I don't like...being...alone! SHE LOOKS AROUND AS SHE CALLS DESPERATELY. Father! Father! FINALLY SHE GOES OFF RIGHT LOOKING FOR HIM. Daddy! THE SKY HAS BECOME DARKER, THE STORM IS ABOUT TO BREAK. THE BREEZE BLOWS THE CURTAINS IN THE TERRACE DOOR A LITTLE MORE WILDLY. ANNE COMES DOWN THE STAIRS. SHE HAS A HANDKERCHIEF IN HER HANDS, WHICH SHE WRINGS IN A RATHER DESPERATE WAY. SHE SEEMS DRAINED AND IS PALE FROM WEEPING. SHE COMES SLOWLY INTO THE DARKENED LIVING ROOM TOWARDS THE COUCH. PAT ENTERS FROM RIGHT, SEES ANNE AND COMES TOWARDS THE LIVING ROOM. PAT Anne! ANNE ‘ SHE IS SHOCKED TO SEE HIM, SHRINKS BACK.ALMOST IN FRIGHT. Oh! PAT LAUGHING AT HER FRIGHT, ENTERS ROOM. It's only me, my little Anne, I'm nothing to be afraid of. LAUGHING HE COMES UP TO HER AND TAKES ONE OF HER HANDS. SEES SHE IS REALLY UPSET, HALF-JOKING. Or am I? TURNS HIS HEAD AND LOOKS OUT TERRACE DOOR. Or is it the storm you're afraid of, hmmm? LOOKS BACK AT HER, SMILING. SHE PULLS HER HAND AWAY AND TURNS FROM HIM. HE SHRUGS TAKES HIS PIPE FROM HIS POCKET AND BEGINS THE RITUAL OF FILLING IT. Have you seen Felicia? I just heard her calling me. ANNE DOESN'T LOOK AT HIM. SHAKES HER HEAD. LOW. No. PAT - PIPE FILLED, HE LIGHTS IT AND PUFFS ONCE OR TWICE. we11, in that case, my dear niece, I think I'll go see if I can find her. IS ABOUT TO LEAVE. ANNE SUDDENLY TURNS TO HIM, BLURTS OUT ALMOST HYSTERICALLY. I'm gbing to have a baby! - PAT TURNS BACK TO HER AFTER A.VERY SLIGHT PAUSE. PUTS HIS HEAD TO ONE SIDE AND SMILES. Well, then, congratulations, my dear. I'm sure you and Jack are very happy. . ANNE . You don't understand! .1.—"5 {JILI'Q'DJ 3: 142 PAT RAISES HIS EYEBROWS WITH STILL THE SMILE OF CONDESCENDING FLIRTATIOUSNESS. What is there to not understand? You'll just get married sooner, that's all. LAUGHS. This is probably all your fiance's plan. He's always wanted to get married sooner than September. Why aren't you overjoyed, my dear? It only means that he loves you. ANNE LAUGHS WILDLY. Loves me! JULIA IS APPROACHING FROM THE RIGHT. SHE WALKS SLOWLY, HER HEAD DOWN, TOUCHING THINGS AS SHE WALKS. THE SKY GETS DARKER AND DARKER. SHE REACHES DOOR TO HEAR THE NEXT. SHOCKED. ANNE TAKES A STEP TOWARDS HIM. IN A LOUD HISSING WHISPER. Loves me madly! How madly will he love me when he finds out the baby is yours! PAT COMPLETELY CAUGHT OFF-GUARD. DOESN'T MOVE. PUFFS ON HIS PIPE. AFTER A SHORT PAUSE HE TRYS TO LAUGH. You seem so sure...How can you be so sure? ANNE JULIA WATCHES FROZEN JUST OUTSIDE THE DOOR. ANNE IS FRIGHTENED AND DESPERATE. Because it couldn't be Jack's baby; because Jack has never ...! SHE CATCHES HERSELF. r' ”aux ‘cnmwuhl x135 V‘mmh fij PAT PAT UNDERSTANDS. THIS STRIKES HIM AS UNBELIEVEABLE AND HUMEROUS. HE LAUGHS NOT SPITEFULLY OR MALICIOUSLY, JUST FROM THE JOKE. No! HE LAUGHS IN HIS SINGULAR "HA HAV.WAY, AS DESCRIBED AT THE BEGINNING OF ACT I. HE PUTS HIS PIPE IN HIS POCKET, HIS LAUGHTER IS DISSOLVING INTO A SMILE FOR ANNE. SHAKING HIS HEAD. HE PUTS HIS ARMS OUT TO HER, THERE IS A NOT TOO DISTANT CLAP OF THUNDER. HE PULLS ANNE GENTLY INTO HIS ARMS. COMFORTS HER AS SHE WEEPS. Poor Anne. Poor little Anne. SHE CLINGS TO HIM. JULIA No! WITH THIS CRY OF RAGE AND PAIN SHE ENTERS. THE COOL RAIN WITH ITS HEIGHTENED BREEZE BEGINS. ANNE PULLS BACK.FROM PAT. PAT TURNS AND FACES JULIA. PAT AND ANNE STARE AT JULIA AND SHE AT THEM. SHE IS OUTRAGED, HORRIFIED AND WILD. HER HYSTERIA MOUNTS. A PAUSE. SHE SHOUTS. What are you doing? SHE LOOKS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER. SHE DOESN'T, CAN'T, SAY ANYTHING TO THE POINT. STUTTERING. What... What's going on here?! PAT TURNS AWAY TO KNOCK OUT HIS PIPE. PAT AFFECTS CASUALNESS. An uncle embraces his niece and the world falls apart. JULIA No! You lie! Anne's going to have a baby... 143 PAT SHRUGS, IS TURNED AWAY FROM HER. If you heard then there's nothing to say. . JULIA SOFTLY. I can't believe it...TURNS ON ANNE THEN AFTER A MOMENT OF SHOCK. TURNS AND SEARCHES FOR WORDS, BUT FEELS SPEECHLESS. And you, what have you done to my brother? Why didn't you tell him right away?...Now, you've trapped him!...If you love him...you should have told him first!...You should have given him a chance! Do you under- stand? You didn't reSpect him! SHE RUNS T0 ANNE AND BEGINS SHAKING THE WEEPING, OVERWROUGHT WOMAN. YOu've made him.pathetic...SHE IS WILDLY WEEPING AND HYSTERICAL HERSELF. AS SHE SHAKES ANNE AND SHOUTS AT HER PAT COMES AND SEPARATES THEM. ANNE RUNS UPSTAIRS WEEPING, TERRIFIED. ' ‘ PAT HOLDING THE RAVING JULIA BY THE ARM. SPEAKING QUIETLY, TENSELY, TRYING TO CALM HER. SHE STRUGGLES IN HIS GRASP. Julia! This doesn't help. Stop it. . JULIA PULLS AWAY FROM HIM. HER HATE IS QUIET NOW, AND NOW EVEN MORE VENEMOUS AND PASSIONATE. You! Man! You stud!...A11 of you...Ybu would kill a woman rather than think of her. You great fools; you destroy a woman in your rush to give her your seed! You don't care, you don't care! All you care about is yourself! And now you've ruined my brother into the bargin! PAT CALMLY FILLING HIS PIPE. HE IS COOL AND DISTANT, PROTECTING HEMSELF. WITH CUNNING. But isn't your brother a man too? Why try to save him then? JULIA AMAZED. SLIGHT PAUSE. LOW. INTENSE. That's different. PAT RAISES HIS EYEBROWS; HE WON'T LOOK.AT HER. Oh? JULIA He's a different kind of man. PAT Just because he's your brother...? JULIA FIGHTING AGAIN. That has nothing to do with it! PAT Because he's a virgin then...? 144 JULIA RUNS TO STRIKE HIM. How dare you! THEY STRUGGLE FOR A.MOMENT BUT HE EASILY OVERPOWERS HER AND HOLDS AS BEFORE. AT LAST SHE STANDS QUIETLY, BUT RACE AND HATE EMANATE FROM HER WHOLE STIFF BODY AND FACE. Let go of me. . PAT DOES SO. HE IS ANGRY NOW. COOL ANGER. Don't ever come at me like that again; or I'll knock you down. TURNS TO GO. SHE CAN'T BEAR TO HAVE HIM GO THE VICTOR. JULIA Knock me down! I know you would. .How else can you step me when I tell you the truth? You can't stand it. None of you can. You go crazy when you hear the truth. You don't-know which way to turn so you knock down the first person you see. PAT ' HAS STOPPED NOW TURNS AND COMES BACK TO HER. HE IS FURIOUS, IS ABOUT TO TAKE HER ARM.AND SHAKE HER. We weren't talking about truth or lies. We were talking about your brother's being a virgin...HE TAKES HER ARM AND GIVES HER A FEW VICIOUS LITTLE SHAKES. And I assume that Anne is an authority on the subject and I assume that she wouldn't lie about something that causes her so much trouble. I don't understand what you're upset about if you hate men so much. I'd have thought you'd be glad to see one of us down, brother or not. I don't understand anything about you at all; for all I know you may be crazy. SHAKES HER ONCE MORE THEN RELEASES HER. SHE SEEMS TO BE ASKING FOR IT. f‘I' JULIA Yes, I probably am crazy. Any woman who doesn't fall madly in love with you must be crazy. PAT STIFFLY. I didn't say that; and I don't think I ever even intimated it. JULIA SHE IS HITTING HOME BUT DOESN'T KNOW IT. Oh yes. Oh yes. With all your pipe filling and emptying; don't you think I know what you are? YOu're just an animal. Beneath your fine white shirt is a chest with hair and beneath your expensive slacks is something that pulses day and night; and because of that you have no other thought, no other feeling, no other sensation. Don't think I don't know what you are. You are all alike, BITING SARCASM, you beautiful men. SHE HAS BEGUN TO CROUCH IN FRONT OF HIM, HER HANDS, CLAW-LIKE, HALF-RAISED. PAT PAUL RUNS DOWN THE STAIRS DURING THIS NEXT SPEECH AND IS IN THE ,LIVING ROOM.FOR JULIA'S REPLY. STIFFLY, BUT SHE HAS HIM._ I just told you that. 145 PAUL RUNNING INTO THE ROOM. What's the matter with Anne? Why is she crying? HE STOPS AS HE SEES THE SCENE IN THE LIVING ROOM. JULIA SHE SEES PAUL AND IT SEEMS AS IF SHE WERE WAKING FROM A TRANCE. SHE SHAKES HER HEAD, TRIES TO STRAIGHTEN, BUT ALL‘THE WHILE HER BODY STILL BENDS TOWARD PAT, ATTACKING HIM. SHE IS IN TOO FAR TO STOP HERSELF NOW. SHE GLARES AT PAT IN RENEWED ANGER FOR HIS LAST REMARK, AS SHE SPEAKS. She's crying because there's a baby in her fathered by this! PAUL What? JULIA Our uncle Pat strikes again! It's not his fault! He can't help himself! He just has to do it! It's part of his nature! HER VOICE HAS RISEN T0 ALMOST SCREAMING. SHE IS STANDING STRAIGHT NOW. PAUL PAT HAS TURNED AWAY AND IS FIDDLING WITH HIS PIPE, HIS HANDS TREMBLE THOUGH HE STILL SEEMS AS COOL AS EVER. PAUL GOES TO JULIA QUICKLY AND TRIES TO PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HER. Julia. HE IS WORRIED, HIS FACE FULL OF ANXIETY. JULIA IMMEDIATELY PUSHING HIM AWAY, WILDLY. What are you doing? Leave me alone! SHE AND PAUL STARE AT EACH OTHER FOR A.MOMENT IN SILENCE. JULIA'S NOSTRILS ARE VERITABLY FLARING WITH EACH BREATH. TURNS BACK TO PAT. And that's not all there is to it! Oh, no. The trap is better than that! TURNS BACK TO PAUL, THEN BACK TO PAT. My brother won't even be able to think it's his own baby! He's a virgin, you see! And so there's no way out! Aren't they clever, the way they've trapped my brother! LEANS FORWARD, VICIOUSLY. He may even have to marry her, he'll be so ashamed that it isn't his baby! PAUL GOES TO HER AND AGAIN EMBRACES HER. HE IS FILLED WITH TENDERNESS. Julia, Julia, don't. JULIA PUSHES HDM.AWAY AGAIN. SHE IS EXASPERATED WITH HIM. Why do you keep doing that? Why don't you step touching me? I told you to leave me alone! PAUL JUST WATCHES HER, HIS FACE SHOWS WORRY AND CONCERN. Well, why do you just stand there? Either fight with me or go away! Why don't you just go away! SHE BREAKS DOWN, COVERS HER FACE, CRYS OUT. I can't stand this! Go away! THERE IS SILENCE. PAUL MOVES AS IF TO TOUCH HER AGAIN, BUT DOESN'T. JULIA TAKES HER HANDS AWAY FROM HER FACE. SCREAMS AT PAUL. Please! Go away! PAUL' I don't want to go away...because I love you. 146 JULIA QUICKLY. Love me...! SLIGHT PAUSE, THEN AS IF DENYING, HARSH HHISPER. No! PAUL SOFTLY, TENDERLY. I love you because you've given me your sadness...I know it's your sadness because I have none of my own. By myself I'm very happy. JULIA COMPLETELY WHIPPED, COWERING IN PAIN. SHE GOES OUT TERRACE DOOR. No, don't! Don't! PAUSE. PAUL AND PAT ARE ASHAMED TO LOOK AT EACH OTHER. PAUL STANDS BEHIND THE CHAIR AND FINGERS ITS BACK. PAT STANDS WITH HIS BACK.TO PAUL, EMPTYING HIS PIPE AT THE END-TABLE. IT IS ALMOST DARK OUTSIDE, BUT LIGHT FROM THE BRIGHT SUNSET COMES IN THE DOOR NOW. THE STORM IS OVER EXCEPT FOR LIGHT RAIN SHOWER. PAUL QUIETLY. What are you going to do about the baby? PAT SHRUGS, TURNS, PIPE IN MOUTH, AND LOOKS OUT TERRACE DOOR. CALM AGAIN. I'm not going to marry her. If she wants to have an abortion I'll arrange for one. SMOKES HIS PIPE. WITH IRONIC HUMOR. My friend, men are beasts...they're beastly beasts...SILENCE. PAUL HANGS HIS HEAD. JACK FRONT DOOR SLAMS JACK ENTERS FROM THE LIVING ROOM. HE IS IN A CORD SUIT, WEARS A HAT, CARRIES A BRIEFCASE AND RAINCOAT, WHICH HE PUTS ON DINING ROOM.TABLE. HE STOPS ON STAIRS AND LOOKS AT PAT AND PAUL. LAUGHS ALMOST WITH EMBARRASSMENT, A REPETITION OF JULIA'S ENTRANCE IN ACT I WHEN PAT STOOD ALONE IN THE ROOM. HE SPEAKS SOFTLY, ALMOST AFRAID TO HEAR HIS OWN VOICE. THE THREE MEN IN THE ROOM ILLUMINATED BY LIGHT FROM A RED SUNSET. HE COMES DOWN INTO THE ROOM SLOWLY, TOUCHING THINGS AS JULIA DID. STANDS BEHIND COUCH, A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER. LAUGHS EMBARRASSEDLY. DOESN'T SPEAK UNTIL HE IS IN THE ROOM; THERE SHOULD BE A MOMENT IN WHICH THE AUDIENCE SEES THE PICTURE IN SILENCE. ‘Well, what is it? You look as if...I don't know what. LAUGHS. GOES TO PUT LIGHT ON (LAMP IS ON END TABLE), CHANGES MIND. I was driving up...I saw Ju1ia running across the 1awn...PAT COMES TO END TABLE AND KNOCKS OUT PIPE. PAUL TURNS AND FACES JACK. AFFECTING CASUALNESS. I suppose she was in here stirring up a little storm of her own...she's very good at that...LAUGHS AGAIN. NO ONE SPEAKS. SUDDENLY HE SWITCHES ON THE LIGHT. BRIGHT ARTIFICIAL LIGHT ILLUMINATES EVERYTHING. THEY ALL BLINK AND SHAKE THEIR HEADS SLIGHTLY TO ACCUSTOM THEIR EYES. Well, that's my little sister Julia. Something new every minute. WALKS TO TERRACE DOOR, LOOKS OUT. You never know when you come home what new thing she's cooked up. TURNS BACK TO ROOM, PAUL HAS BEEN FOLLOWING HIM WITH HIS EYES, PAT HAS BEEN BUSY WITH EMPTYING, CLEANING AND FILLING HIS PIPE AT THE END TABLE. JACK LAUGHS EMBARRASSEDLY SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING TO SAY; GUILT PROMPTS HIM. I swear, she could drive somebody crazy with all her talk about honesty.. It's ok to be honest, but my 147 God, you can't think about it day and night and nothing else. SILENCE, TENSION. LAUGHS AGAIN. Well, I shouldn't be standing around talking when my feet are wet. TURNS AND STARTS UPSTACE. PAUL SUDDENLY. PAT LOOKS AT HIM FOR AN INSTANT. Jack! JACK TURNING, STOPPING. What? PAUL STARES AT JACK, IS ABOUT TO SPEAK, CAN'T. Nothing. Never mind. RUNS OUT TERRACE DOOR VERY AGITATED. JACK LAUGHING SELF-CONSCIOUSLY, WATCHING HIM RUN AWAY. He's crazy...all those crazy kids running around in the rain. PAT Mmmm. BUSY WITH HIS PIPE. . JACK I guess the only sane men are us business men, hey Pat? PAT NOT LOOKING AT HIM. Unh hunh. JACK SLIGHT PAUSE. LAUGHS SELF-CONSCIOUSLY. Well, a dry pair of socks and coffee with Anne'll do me good. PAT LOOKING AT HIS PIPE. HE HAS RECOVERED, OR HAS SEEMED TO RECOVER, HIS BLASE AND SUAVELY, IRONICALLY HUMOROUS AIR. Something the matter with you? . JACK 7 EAGER TO HAVE PAT ADMIRE AND LIKE HIM. Oh no! It's just that the trip up from.New YOrk, you know, it gets awfully depressing sometimes, eSpecially in the rain... PAT LIGHTING HIS PIPE. I see. JACK I don't know. I always seem to be worrying about one thing or another... PAT SMOKING, LOOKING AT JACK. There's nothing to be worried about. 148 JACK I know...but...CHANGES HIS MIND. HE DOESN'T WANT TO TALK TO PAT. LAUGHS SELF-CONSCIOUSLY. Well, I guess I'll go up and see Anne; she can always cheer me up. EXITS QUICKLY UPSTAIRS. PAT STANDS LEANING AGAINST END TABLE, PIPE IN MOUTH, ARMS FOLDED ACROSS CHEST, LOOKING OUT RIGHT, THINKING PERHAPS. JULIA ENTERS FROM RIGHT. THEY SEE EACH OTHER AS SHE ENTERS. SHE PAUSES IN DOORWAY AND THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER. JULIA SHRUGS. SHE IS VERY TENSE, NERVOUS, ALMOST TREMBLING. SHE ENTERS, GOES PAST PAT AND STANDS CENTER FACING LEFT, LOOKING DOWN AT HER HELD AND FIDGITING FINGERS. PAT KEEPS LOOKING OUT THE DOOR AND SMOKING. PAT CASUALLY. HE IS ALMOST SMILING. Julia? JULIA LOW, NERVOUS. What? PAT WARNING HER. TEASING; SMILING. Men are beasts. JULIA DOESN'T MOVE, EXCEPT TO KEEP ON FIDDLING WITH HER HANDS. PAT LOOKS AROUND AT HER. Did you hear me? JULIA LOW. Yes. PAUSE. PAT LOOKS BACK OUT RIGHT, SMOKES. PAT AS BEFORE, CASUALLY, WITH HIS IRONICAL HUMOR. Paul loves you. SHE DOESN'T ANSWER. HE LOOKS AROUND AGAIN. SMILES. Why don't you go and find Paul? JULIA SLIGHT PAUSE. HER VOICE IS HARSH WITH HER TENSION. LOW. I'm afraid of what I might do to him. PAT What would you do to him? JULIA SHE IS GETTING MORE TENSE AND NERVOUS EVERY MOMENT. Nothing. PAT LOOKING BACK OUT RIGHT. PUFFING ON PIPE. Oh. SLIGHT PAUSE. LOOKS BACK.TO HER. HUMOROUSLY. WOuld you do it to me? 149 JULIA PAUSE. AIMOST BETWEEN HER TEETH. It wouldn't make any difference Whether I did it to you or not. PAT 0h? HE IS PUNISHING HER WITH HIS IRONY AND COOLNESS. HE IS TEASING HER. Why wouldn't it make any difference with me? JULIA Because I can't go any TURNS TO HIM. HE HAS GONE TOO FAR. HARSHLY. lower than you; because I can't try anything more deSperate than you!... Because I deSpise you! PAT STANDS. PUTS HIS PIPE ON THE TABLE IN THE ASH-TRAY. UTTER SARCASM. I see...DO you mind if I put out the light? JULIA ANGRILY. No! I don't mind if you put out the light! PAT REACHES OVER TO LAMP AND TURNS IT OFF, HE STRAIGHTENS AND THEY STAND LOOKING AT EACH OTHER IN SILENCE. PAUSE. PAT PUTS HIS HAND OUT AND CIRCLES THE BACK OF HER THEY STAND GOES TOWARD JULIA. NECK. SHE AIMOST JUMPS IN HER TENSION AND NERVOUSNESS. IN THIS ATTITUDE FOR A MOMENT IN SILENCE, LOOKING INTO EACH OTHERS EYES. THEY ARE IN THE SHADOWS. JULIA BITTERLY. LASHING THEM BOTH. You see, I'm frigid. PAT SLIGHT PAUSE, THEN HE MOVES HIS HAND OVER HER BACK AND THEN HER SHOULDERS AND ARMS. The rain's made you wet...have to dry you off... HE PULLS HER TO HIM; SHE GRASPS HIM VIOLENTLY, PASSIONATELY. FAST CURTAIN 150 Scene A few hours later, during supper. Twilight, early evening in early summer. It is delicate and light and cool after the after- noon's storm. There is just enough light in the sky that lamps in the living room need not be lit if one doesn't mind sitting in half shadows. There is a light in the dining room, and Felicia, Frank, Paul and Jack are eating. The light is rather soft and dim, probably from lamps set in the corners rather far from the table. Felicia is at the left end, leaning over her plate. She eats slowly, painfully. Frank sits with his back to the audience at Felicia's left. His head hangs and he appears also to be making a dismal affair of the meal. He reaches to the left and even his arm looks limp and dejected. There is an empty place next to him: Julia's. At the head of the table is Anne's empty place. Facing the audience is, at Anne's place's left, Jack. He has a good appetite. He is a quick, quiet eater, reaching, cutting, chewing, buttering, reaching, etc. TO his left, in the center is Pat's empty place. To the left of this is Paul, at Felicia's right. He doesn't eat, but is looking down into his place, his elbows on the table, his head in his hands. JACK PREOCCUPIED WITH EATING. Where is everybody tonight? NO ANSWER. PAUL THINKING. T0 HIMSELF. UNAWARE HE IS AUDIBLE. Mmmm. SILENCE BROKEN BY CLICKING OF KNIVES AND FORKS. FRANK REACHES TO LEFT ACROSS TABLE FOR BREAD. JACK EATING. I swear, ever since I got back from the city everybody's been acting so strangely. walking in the rain, not coming to supper... Anne wants to take a nap...Well, I don't care REACHING FOR.MORE FOOD, HE IS CHEWING AND CUTTING HIS FOOD ALL THE WHILE, AND ACTUALLY IS THINKING ONLY ABOUT THAT WHILE HE MAKES CASUAL CONVERSATION, that's all the more food for me...WHILE THEY CONTINUE AS BEFORE, JULIA AND PAT APPEAR FROM RIGHT AND STAND ON THE TERRACE IN THE FADING BUT STILL BRIGHT TWILIGHT. .THEY WALK.ONTO THE TERRACE AND JULIA SUDDENLY EMBRACES PAT PASSIONATELY. HE HOLDS HER, AND QUICKLY BUT GENTLY PUTS HER OFF. THEY SPEAK SOFTLY. JULIA PASSIONATELY. Pat...SHE KEEPS TOUCHING HIM. SHE IS LAUGHING, SMILING, HAPPY. HE IS SMILING CALMLY AND COOLY. HE IS COMPOSED AND THE MASTER OF THE SITUATION. PAT Now they're all eating supper. I think it'd be better if we went in separately...JULIA KEEPS WHISPERING "Pat" AND TOUCHING HIM, TRYING TO EMBRACE HIM. HE SMILES AND HOLDS HER AWAY. Ju1ia...are you listening? HE IS AMUSED, PLEASED. 151 JULIA I'm listening. PAT You go in first...Julia AMUSED REMONSTRATION...1isten to me SHE KISSES HIM...Now you go in first and I'll come in later...SHE KISSES HIM AGAIN...alright? JULIA Yes. Alright. Wonderful... PAT Alright then, go on in...HE PUSHES HER WITH GENTLE ROUGHNESS TOWARDS. THE DOOR. SHE GOES TO THE DOOR AND TURNS. HE IS WATCHING HER, SMILING. SHE IS SMILING TOO. Well...? JULIA A SLIGHT PAUSE. I love you...SHE TURNS AND UNABLE TO CONTAIN HER JOY SHE LEANS HER HEAD AGAINST THE DOOR JAMB. PAT LEAVES RIGHT. JACK I also brought some cake up from the city. We can have it for dessert; it looked really good. Chocolate icing with marshmallow on it... TAKES A.MOUTHFUL OF FOOD. This is great. I love delicatessan. JULIA LOOKS UP, LAUGHS. COMES INTO ROOM. Who loves delicatessan? JACK LOOKS UP FOR A MOMENT. You're missing all the good part. I just had the last piece of pastrami. JULIA LAUGHING, COMES UP INTO DINING ROOM. You dog! JACK STILL EATING. It was your Own fault. Where were you? PRETENDING HE IS NOT REALLY INTERESTED. JULIA SHRUGS. LAUGHS. Oh, here, there. walking in the rain. Hi, Frank. Hello, little Felicia. SHE EMBRACES FELICIA FROM BEHIND HER CHAIR. FELICIA.MOVES IMPATIENTLY. FRANK IS WATCHING. PAUL CAN'T LOOK AT JULIA. JULIA NOTICES FELICIA'S MOVEMENT. LOOKS DOWN AT HER. LOOKS UP AT JACK. SHE REMEMBERS EVERYBODY'S PROBLEMS. SHE RELEASES FELICIA SLOWLY, LOOKS DOWN, IS SOBERED. SIGHS. Oh well. FRANK ATTEMPTING TO SMILE CASUALLY. What's the matter? 152 JULIA SHRUGS. Nothing. GOES TO HER PLACE BESIDE FRANK. BUT CAN'T SIT. SIGHS. Oh damn it! SHE STAMPS DOWN INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND WITH A FRUSTRATED FROWN THROWS HERSELF UNGRACEFULLY ONTO THE COUCH. JACK FRANK TURNS AROUND TO WATCH HER. JACK LOOKS UP, LOOKS AT THE OTHERS. HE IS REALLY PERTURBED BUT HAS TRIED NOT TO SHOW IT. HE HOLDS HIS FORK AND KNIFE. What's the matter with Julia? FRANK TURNING BACK TO THE TABLE. I don't know. JACK STARTS TO EAT AGAIN. AFFECTING CASUALNESS. Did anything happen while I was in the city today? PAUL STARTS. JACK GLANCES OVER.AT HIM. PAUL , VERY AGITATED. No! Nothing happened! JUMPS UP AND STARTS CLEARING THE TABLE, CARRIES DISHES OFF RIGHT FROM DINING ROOM TO KITCHEN. JACK TO FRANK. LEANING FORWARD, SOFTLY. What's going on, Frank? JULIA, NOT LISTENING TO THEM, IS RESTLESSLY WALKING ABOUT THE ROOM. SHE LOOKS OUT THE DOOR. - FRANK Nothing. Honest, Jack. It's probably just the storm after all the heat last week. ANNE COMES DOWN THE STAIRS. SHE IS PALE, CARRIES A HANDKERCHIEF. JACK SEEING HER. Anne! HE BEGINS TO BEAM. JUMPS UP. TAKES HER ARM. Did you have a good nap, sweetheart? SHE NODS. AT ANNE'S ARRIVAL JULIA IS LEFT, SHE STANDS AGAINST THE WALL, HIDING IN THE SHADOWS, WATCHING ANNE. Come on. You must be starving! ANNE I just want some tea. JACK Well, you sit here and I'll make you some. ANNE It's alright. I'll have it in the kitchen. JACK HOLDING HER ARM, LEADING HER OFF RIGHT. Okay. Good. I'll have my coffee with you. EXEUNT. 153 FRANK LOOKS TOWARDS FELICIA. SHE JUMPS UP, PUTS HER HANDS ON THE TABLE AND LEANS TOWARD HIM. HER FACE IS ANGRY, HARD. FELICIA . HISSING. Leave me alone! SHE TURNS_AND COMES INTO LIVING ROOM. SITS ON END OF BENCH. FRANK GETS UP AND WEARILY, HIS HEAD HANGING, GOES UPSTAIRS. JULIA AFTER A SLIGHT PAUSE. SHE SPEAKS IN ALMOST A WHISPER. SHE DOESN'T SUSPECT ANYTHING ABOUT FELICIA, THINKS SHE'S JUST A SIMPLE, YOUNG GIRL. You know what's going on don't you? '3 FELICIA SHE IS SURPRISED. FORGOT JULIA WAS THERE. TURNS QUICKLY TO HER. What? 3 JULIA L9 STEPS OUT OF THE SHADOWS. About Anne. You know about Anne's con- ' dition don't you? ' ; FELICIA LOOKS AT JULIA. DOESN'T ANSWER. JULIA COMES OVER TO HER, KNEELS BY THE BENCH. Hasn't anyone told you yet? Well, you ought to know...It doesn't help to protect the innocent. It's worse when they find out by themselves...Anne's pregnant. FELICIA BITTERLY. COLDLY. I know all about it. JULIA SLIGHT PAUSE. Well, why didn't you say so? FELICIA INTENSE, LOW, HARSH, FAST. Now I suppose you're going to tell me what a beautiful, wonderful thing it is! JULIA SURPRISED. No... FELICIA ‘Well you don't have to tell me how wonderful it is! Your wonderful brother told me already! JULIA SOFTLY. What? a: 1‘0 154 FELICIA JUMPS UP. LOOKS DOWN AT JULIA. Oh yes! I know how beautiful it is! I know what a wonderful gift it is! JULIA Felicia... FELICIA Oh, you don't have to tell me! I already got sick once today hearing how wonderful it is! THIS IS ALL LOW, HARSH AND INTENSE. NO SHOUTING THOUGH NEAR HYSTERIA. JULIA -—- SHAKES HER HEAD. What are you talking about? FELICIA About your brother! About your whole disgusting family! Oh, how I hate you! How I hate you all! You're all so disgusting! FELICIA IS WEEPING. BENDING OVER JULIA. HER VOICE IS STRAINED FROM WEEPING AND RACE. What did your brother do to her?..I can't stand it!..He made her dirty! He made her disgusting!...He's Spoiled her! He's , Spoiled her! SHE STANDS WEEPING ONE HAND OVER HER FACE. In”! JULIA . Oh, Felicia. JULIA IS FILLED WITH COMPASSION AND PTTY. SHE STARTS To STAND, PUTS HER HAND OUT TO HER. FELICIA, FEELING JULIA TOUCHING HER, STRIKES HER. SLAPS HER HAND, TRIES TO SLAP HER FACE. .JULIA TRIES To PROTECT HERSELF BY PUTTING HER HANDS IN FRONT OF HER FACE.. FELICIA KEEPS STRIKING, RAINING BLOWS EVERYWHERE ON JULIA'S ARMS AND HEAD. FELICIA IS SOBBING AND WEEPING NOW. JULIA FINALLY HAS TO GRAB HOLD OF FELICIA'S ARMS. THEY STRUGGLE FOR A.MOMENT. JULIA FINALLY HOLDS FELICIA.SO THAT SHE CAN'T STRIKE HER AGAIN. THEY ARE ALMOST EMBRACING, THEY ARE SO CLOSE, THEIR ARMS SO INTERLOCKED. FELICIA STRAINS BACK FROM JULIA. JULIA, WHO IS TALLER LOOKS DOWN AT HER IN WONDERMENT. SOFTLY, WITH WONDERMENT AS IF TO HERSELF. Why, you're just like me... FELICIA Oh! SHE BREAKS AWAY AND RUNS OUT THE TERRACE DOOR. JULIA STANDS AMAZED BY HER DISCOVERY. SHE EVEN SMILES. JULIA SOFTLY, TO HERSELF. How amazing... JACK, ANNE AND PAUL COME IN. JACK.TURNS ON LAMP WHICH GIVES A PLEASANT WARM, RATHER BRIGHT LIGHT. SHE TURNS TO FACE THEM; SHE IS SMILING. SHE HAS HAD A SMALL REVELATION. THE THREE OTHERS ARE GROUPED AROUND THE RIGHT END OF THE COUCH. ANNE DOWN, JACK, HIS ARM AROUND HER, BEHIND HER AND PAUL BETWEEN THE STAIRS AND THE COUCH. THEY LOOK AT HER AS SHE SMILES AT THEM. THEY ARE FROWNING, LOOKING UNPLEASANT, THEIR TROUBLES AND PROBLEMS ARE EVIDENT UPON THEIR FACES AND SLOUCHING BODIES. THEY ARE NOT SMILING: ANNE LOOKS AS IF SHE HAD WORN HERSELF OUT WITH CRYING; JACK LOOKS CONFUSED, UPSET, UNSURE, NERVOUS; PAUL IS AFRAID To REALLY LOOK AT JULIA.-HE IS 155 UNHAPPY IN LOVE AND AWKWARD, TROUBLED. JULIA SMILES BEAUTIFULLY. SHE IS COOL, CALM. THERE IS A SLIGHT PAUSE IN WHICH THEY LOOK AT EACH OTHER. JULIA SPEAKS PLEASANTLY, SMILING. It's all so simple. JACK What? (MEANING, What's that you say? NOT, What's so simple?) JULIA PLEASANTLY. TO THEM. We're all the same. Why haven't I seen it before. JACK A LITTLE ANNOYED, FRIGHTENED SLIGHTLY. What are you talking about, Julia? PAUL COMES DOWN BEHIND COUCH, PUTS BOTH HANDS ON ITS BACK. LOOKS AT HER WITH INTEREST.. SHE DOESN'T ANSWER. SHE JUST KEEPS SMILING AT THEM. I don't understand you at all. HE HUGS ANNE. THEY STAND LOOKING AT HER, PERPLEXED, A LITTLE FRIGHTENED. _ PAUL SHAKES HIS HEAD. ALMOST AWED. LOW, AS IF TO HIMSELF. You're wonderful... SHE SMILES AT HIM. PAT ENTERS FROM TERRACE, SMOKING PIPE, GLANCES AT JULIA AND THEN DOESN'T LOOK AT HER AGAIN WHILE HE IS IN THE ROOM. WHEN HE ENTERS SHE LIGHTS UP EVEN MORE, BUT WHEN HE PAYS NO ATTENTION TO HER, HER SMILE FADES, SHE REMAINS STILL, THOUGH TREMBLES SLIGHTLY, AFTERMATH OF HER PREVIOUS EMOTIONAL ELATION. ANNE AND JACK.TURN TO PAT AS HE ENTERS. PAUL TURNS TO HIM SLOWLY, LOOKING STILL AT JULIA FOR A MOMENT AFTER PAT ENTERS. I ’1”; 51.9.1521 :1 v meow—FT mums“, ,. ‘. . . PAT STOPPING FOR A.MOMENT IN THE DOOR-WAY. GLANCES AT JULIA AND THEN LOOKS AT ANNE. AVOIDS JACK.AND PAUL FOR.THE MOST PART, EXCEPT FOR QUICK GLANCES AT THEM. OBVIOUSLY HE IS ADDRESSING ANNE. well... family conference? WALKS BEHIND ANNE AND JACK, UP BEHIND PAUL. STOPS AT FOOT OF STAIRS. THOSE IN THE ROOM CAN'T SPEAK; IT IS AS IF THEY HAVE ALL BEEN THROUGH A TREMENDOUS EXPERIENCE TOGETHER. THEY ALL ' WATCH PAT. HE FEELS WATCHED. GETS A LITTLE NERVOUS, PUFFS PIPE SO THAT SMOKE IS AROUND HIS HEAD. HE WAVES HIS PIPE IN FRONT OF HIS FACE AS HE SPEAKS: TO HIDE HIMSELF. Deciding something important? SMILES A LITTLE DISCONCERTEDLY. BUT HIS POISE IS ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE. CAN'T LEAVE. FEELS CAUGHT, UNABLE TO ESCAPE FROM THEIR EYES. Well, let me know when you've come to a decision...LAUGHS SLIGHTLY. I suppose supper's over...? JACK We ate all the delicatessan I brought back from the city. PAT I can find something in kitchen. TO ANNE. Any of your roast left from last night? . ANNE NODS. About a sandwich. 156 PAT LAUGHS. Sandwich isn't enough! I'm a hungry man. I need a plateful of something. ANNE There's a bowl of jello. PAT A LITTLE PAUSE, PAT IS SMILING ALMOST ABSENT-MINDEDLY, TAKES HIM A SECOND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE'S SAID. Bowl of jello... IT'S AS IF HIS EYES WERE UNFOCUSED ON THE BACK OF THE COUCH AND COULDN'T GET THEM BACK INTO FOCUS AGAIN. HE STANDS ABSENT-MINDEDLY FOR ANOTHER SECOND, THE WAY PEOPLE DO BEFORE OTHERS ASK THEM WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT. Well...LOOKS UP NOW AT ANNE. I guess I can find something...NODS TO EVERYONE BUT JULIA, SHE NOTICES, WAS ABOUT TO NOD BACK, WAS WAITING. HE EXITS THROUGH DINING ROOM OFF RIGHT TO KITCHEN. . JACK TURNS TO ANNE. RELAXED. Well? SMILES. PAUL ‘ COMES LEFT TO END OF COUCH TOWARD JULIA. SHE IS STARING AFTER PAT. I want to talk to you. SOFTLY. SHE DOESN'T SEEM.TO HAVE HEARD. Julia...? COMES TO HER AND SHAKES HER ARM SLIGHTLY. HE IS WORRIED. What's the matter? JULIA COMING BACK. LOOKS AT HIM, HER FACE IS PAINED. What? PAUL SOFTLY. ANNE AND JACK HAVE GONE OUT ONTO THE TERRACE. JACK.HAS HIS ARM AROUND HER; HE IS UPSTAGE. HE LEANS OVER HER ASKING_HER HOW SHE FEELS. THEY WALK BACK AND FORTH SLOWLY IN FRONT OF THE WALL. PAUL IS VERY UPSET. I want to talk to you. JULIA COMPLETELY HERSELF AGAIN. SHAKES HER HEAD, IS ANNOYED, IMPATIENT. Not now. I haven't had any supper. Let me get something to eat first. PAUL BUT HE HOLDS HER AS SHE HELD JACK BACK IN ACT I. Please...HOLDS HER ARM. JULIA VERY ANNOYED. Look, Paul. Leave me alone. I want to get something to eat. TRIES TO BRUSH HIS HAND FROM HER ARM. PAUL Can I talk to you later? 157 JULIA Let me go. PAUL we'll take a walk when you get finished eating? JULIA Alright. Alright. SHE IS LOOKING DOWN AT HIS HAND, WHICH SHE IS TRYING TO DISENGAGE FROM HER ARM. PAUL HE IS ALMOST CHOKING. HE LOOKS AS IF HE IS ABOUT TO CRY. Ju1ia. JULIA ANGRY, UPSET, ABOUT TO CRY. What! PAUL HE IS ALSO UPSET. HE TOO LOOKS PAINED. THEIR.FACES SEEM.TO MIRROW EACH OTHER'S EXPRESSION. HE SPEAKS WITH A TREMBLING, UNCERTAIN VOICE. Something's happened to me...I've got my own sadness now. I'm.sad now even when you're not around...I can't stand it. What is it? JULIA PUSHING HIS HAND AWAY. I don't know! Leave me alone! SHE RUNS UP STAIRS INTO DINING ROOM AND EXITS RIGHT TO KITCHEN. HE STANDS STILL WHERE HE WAS. HE WIPES HIS FOREHEAD AND BETWEEN NOSE AND UPPER LIP WITH THE BACK OF HIS WRIST. HE SEEMS DAZED. FINALLY IN A MOMENT HE TAKES A DEEP, TREMBLING BREATH. HE IS RECOVERED ENOUGH TO MOVE AGAIN. HE LOOKS OUT AND SEES ANNE AND JACK.WALKING, ANNE HUDDLED UNDER JACK'S ARM. THEY ARE MURMURING. JACK.TALKS, LAUGHS A LITTLE. PAUL GOES UP STAIRS AND EXITS RIGHT TO KITCHEN, WALKING SLOWLY, WEARILY, DRAGGING HIS LEGS, ARMS HANGING LIMPLY, SUSPECTING NOTHING. JACK.EMBRACES ANNE ON TERRACE. JACK SUPPRESSED, LOW. Darling... IN A MOMENT PAUL COMES RUNNING FROM KITCHEN AND RUSHES UP THE STAIRS. HIS FACE IS ALMOST GREEN WITH ANGUISH. HIS FEATURES CONTORTED AS IF HE IS ABOUT TO BREAK OUT INTO CONVULSIVE AND PROFOUND SOBS. ANNE AND JACK CONTINUE STROLLING BACK AND FORTH ON THE TERRACE, JACK BENDING OVER ANNE. SHE STOPS HIM. ANNE Jack... JACK TENDERLY, BUT WITH HIS EVER PRESENT UNCERTAINTY AND PATHETIC UNSURENESS. What is it, darling? ANNE . SHE CAN'T TELL HIM. SHE PRESSES HERSELF TO HIM, HIDES HER FACE ON HIS CHEST. SHE SIGHS FROM TENSION AND FRIGHT. LOOKS UP INTO HIS FACE. 158 HE SMILES UNSURELY. I...ummm. SHE WALKS AWAY AND STANDS WITH BACK TO HIM l-ER HANDS ON THE TABLE. HE COMES BEHIND HER, PERPLEXED. HIS SAD SMILE ON HIS FACE, WAITING, HOPING FOR EVERYTHING TO BE ALRIGHT. HE LAUGHS IN HIS EMBARRASSED WAY. JACK What is it? LAUGHS, SPEAKS SOFTLY. ANNE TURNS TO HIM. LOOKS UP AT HIM. Well...u1mmnm. PUTS l-ER HAND OUT TO HIM, HE TAKES IT ALMOST TESITANTLY, NOT UNDERSTANDING. STE THROWS HERSELF SUDDENLY INTO HIS ARMS IN PRETEND PASSION AND BEGINS KISSING HIS FACE AND NECK. IT TAKES HIM A PDMENT TO REALIZE WHAT HAS HAPPENED. TIEN I~E PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND I-ER GENTLY, LAUGHS FROM CONFUSION AND NEAR-FRIGHT. . JACK Anne...? AS SHE CONTINUES HIS SMILES SHOW HAPPY SURPRISE AND PLEASURE AS WELL AS THE UNSURENESS. ANNE SUDDENLY SlE PULLS BACK AND TURNS AWAY FROM HIS IOOSE, UNPASSIONATE EMBRACE. LOW, QUICK, HARSH. ALMOST TO HERSELF. ALMOST ANGRILY. Oh, why don't you help me! JACK What ? ANNE TURNING BACK TO HIM. SEE IS AGITATED. TRIES TO ACT AND SPEAK CALMLY. SHE IS PRETENDING NOW IN EARNEST. Don't you understand? JACK SHAKES HIS LEAD. No... ANNE DROPS HER HEAD FOR A MOMENT--SHE HAS DIFFICULTY CARRYING HER LIE OUT. SUDDENLY SHE TAKES HIS HAND AND PUTS IT ON HER BREAST. BREATHLESSLY. TRYING TO LAUGH. See how fast my heart is beating! SHE LIFTS HIS HAND QUICKLY TO HER MOUTH AND KISSES IT. THEN DROPS IT AND WALKS RIGHT AWAY FROM HIM. STOPS. . JACK GETTING IT AT LAST. Anne. IE IS FRIGHTENED. ' ANNE TURNS QUICKLY TO HIM. Well, why not? COMES TO HIM AND EMBRACES HIM AGAIN. We'll be married soon...what's the difference...darling... SHE IS TREMBLING FROM NERVOUSNESS AT HER LIE. 159 JACK HE HOLDBHER. LOW. INTENSE. FAST. But why tonight? Why tonight? We've waited so long...Can't we wait a little longer. . - ANNE QUICKLY, DESPERATELY. ALMOST CRYING, LOUD. HIGH. I can't wait! I can't wait! JACK LOW, INTO HER HAIR, A LITTLE AWED PERHAPS. You've never been like this before. ANNE WEARING HERSELF OUT. LOW. ALMOST WEEPING. Then use it. JACK SLIGHT PAUSE. CHOKED. HE IS REALLY SCARED. I haven't got any... I don't have any... - ANNE NOW ALMOST HAPPY WITH HER TRIUMPH. LOOKS UP, SMILING. SHE HAS BEEN CRYING. It's alright. It doesn't matter. SHE KISSES HIM. HE RESPONDS WITH RESTRAINT AT FIRST, THEN MORE PASSIONATELY. HE IS AWKWARD, CLUMSY. THEN SHE PULLS BACK BREATHLESS; HE BENDS TOWARDS HER FACE TRYING TO KISS HER, HIS EYES CLOSED. Darling... HE OPENS HIS EYES. SEEMS BLINDED BY THIS NEW EXPERIENCE WHICH HE IS ABOUT TO HAVE. SHE SMILES. HE NODS. HE STARTS TO TAKE HER TOWARDS THE HOUSE, BUT SHE STOPS HIM. SOFT. NO. Everybody will be upstairs. we can go to the garage. There's an Old mattress in the loft. HE LOOKS AT HER. WAKES UP. TAKES HER INTO HIS ARMS AGAIN. JACK HE IS OVERWHELMED. FULL OF GRATITUDE. Darling...Anne... THEN, ARMS ABOUT EACH OTHER, THEY GO RIGHT. FELICIA ENTERS WHEN THEY ARE NEARING THE END OF THE TERRACE. SHE STOPS WHEN SHE SEES THEML ANNE SMILES AS SHE SEES HER, THOUGH SHE IS DESPERATE, HURRIED TO FINISH.THE LIE. ANNE PUTTING A HAND OUT TO FELICIA. EMBARRASSED TO SEE HER NOW. Oh, Felicia! FELICIA'IS COLD AND STIFF, DOESN'T SMILE. ANNE LOOKS AT HER THEN TO JACK.AND TO FELICIA.AGAIN. ANNE LAUGHS SLIGHTLY, WITH SHAME AND EMBARRASSMENT. SHE SEES THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG, AND HESITATES TO .ASK LEST HER OWN SECRET BE KNOWN. We're just going for a walk, dear. See you later? THEY HURRY OFF RIGHT. FELICIA WATCHES THEM GO, HER FACE IS HARD AND SET. THEN SHE COMES INTO THE LIVING ROOM. FELICIA Father! SHE GOES TO THE STAIRS AND CALLS UP. Dad! PAUSES. Pat! PAT COMES FROM RIGHT OF DINING ROOM. What is it? . f . E wru‘rfl-‘T—M ' -- iWfi—h‘lTA-i 160 FELICIA TURNS QUICKLY. I don't want to stay here. I want to go home tonight. PAT You can't stay to the weekend?. FELICIA NO! I can't wait! I want to leave tonight! PAT SHRUGS. Alright. SMILES AT HER. TRIES TO TOUCH HER HEAD. BUT SHE TURNS HER HEAD IMPATIENTLY FROM HIS HAND. SHE TURNS AND GOES QUICKLY UP THE STAIRS. 7 FELICIA Bring the trunk in from the garage; I'll be getting our things ready. EXITS ABOVE. PAT PAT IS SAD AND UNHAPPY AND GUILTY ABOUT HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH FELICIA. HE TAKES HIS PIPE OUT AND STANDS LOOKING DOWN AT IT FOR A.MOMENT.. SIGHS. BEGINS THE PROCESS OF FILLING, TAMPING AND LIGHTING IT. JULIA ENTERS. STANDS BEHIND HIM, HANDS BEHIND HER BACK. ,__...__..._..._..___ JULIA What was that all about? PAT SHRUGS, COMES DOWN INTO LIVING ROOM, WORKING ON HIS PIPE. JULIA FOLLOWS HIM DOWN. JULIA LAUGHS SLIGHTLY, NOT UNDERSTANDING WHY HE WON'T ANSWER. well? HE STILL DOESN'T ANSWER. SHE.ALMOST IMMEDIATELY COMES TO HIM AND TAKES HOLD OF HIS.ARM WITH BOTH HER HANDS; SHE PRESSES TO HIS SIDE. Pat?...What did she want? PAT LIGHTING AND PUFFING ON HIS PIPE. LOOKS AT HER, SMILES. Nothing, my dear, nothing. WALKS DOWN RIGHT TO TERRACE DOOR, LOOKS OUT, SMOKING HIS PIPE. JULIA STANDS WHERE SHE WAS WATCHING HIM. JULIA DECIDES TO BELIEVE HIM. LAUGHS. Well...if it was just nothing. SHE COMES TO PAT, STANDS BEHIND HIM, PUTS HER ARMS AROUND HIS WAIST AND RESTS HER CHEEK.AGAINST HIS BACK. Murmurs. I'm so happy. HE TURNS, SMILING, SHE EMBRACES HIM, LOOKS UP AT HIS FACE, WAITING, SERIOUS. PAT EMBRACES HER. THEY KISS. 161 PAT THEY STOP KISSING. PAT LOOKS DOWN AT HER. SHE IS LOOKING UP AT HIM SERIOUSLY, WAITING. HE SMILES SLIGHTLY. HE TWEAKS HER CHIN, SHAKES HER HEAD BY IT LIGHTLY. Hmmmm. THEY KISS AGAIN. MORE PASSIONATELY. SHE BECOME VERY WILD. HE PULLS AWAY, HOLDS HER OFF. SMILES. So passionate. JULIA So passionate...SMILES. QUICKLY. BREATHLESSLY, INTENSELY. Thank God...TRIES TO KISS HIM AGAIN. PAT KEEPS HER AWAY FROM HIM. SMILING, SHAKES HIS HEAD. TEASING HER. LOOKS AT HER, LAUGHING, APPRECIATING HER ENTHUSIASM. My dear, you astonish me. ' JULIA "COMING TO HER SENSES" SHE SMILES, LOOKS UP AT HIM. I astonish myself. SHE PUTS HER ARMS AROUND HIS BACK, LEANS AGAINST HIM, LIFTS HER FACE TO HIS. Oh, Pat...SUDDENLY HIDES HER FACE AGAINST HIS CHEST. THEN, SMILING, TURNS AWAY FROM HIM AND WALKS CENTER BEHIND THE COUCH. TURNS BACK TO HIM. SOFTLY. WONDERINGLY. It's really unbelievable. I can't believe that this has happened...Here we are in the same room.we were in just this morning, only now it's all different...DECIDES NOT TO BE SERIOUS. LOOKS CLOSELY AT HIM. IMPISHLY. Just think of it: I've touched your naked body. PAT LAUGHS OUTLOUD., HE TURNS AND LOOKS OUT THE TERRACE DOOR, SMOKING HIS PIPE. And I can do it again... That's the really unbelievable part. SHE STARTS TO WALK SLOWLY'TOWARD PAT. And I can do it any time I want... FELICIA BREAKING IN ON JULIA. FROM UPSTAIRS. Dad? - PAT TURNS QUICKLY, LOOKS TOWARD THE STAIRS. Yes? FELICIA Have you got the trunk? PAT SMALL PAUSE. HE IS CONSCIOUS OF JULIA’S STARING AT HIM. BUT HE DOESN'T LOOK AT HER. No...I haven't yet. FELICIA SMALL PAUSE ON HER SIDE. SHE IS EXASPERATED. I'm going to ask Paul to get it. JULIA Are you leaving? PAT SHRUGS. LOOKS AT HIS PIPE, NOT AT HER. :‘mw-Anm‘~ i. Afi'mfi‘rl . as I" I. 162 JULIA LOW. Why are you leaving? PAT SHRUGS. FOOLS WITH HIS PIPE. JULIA A LITTLE DESPERATELY, DEMANDINGLY. Tell me why you're leaving. PAT GLANCES AT HER AND AWAY. FOOLS WITH HIS PIPE. I'm sorry, my dear; but there's nothing I can do about it...it'll be better for you. JULIA ‘-‘ But why? COMES TO HIM.AND TAKES HIS ARM. Tell me why? INTENSE, EMOTIONAL, LOW...Don't run away from me now, Pat, please don't.... FELICIA BACK AGAIN. Dad? PAT F I'm here. _‘" FELICIA Will you please come up and ask Frank to get the trunk. Paul won't even talk to me. WITH EXTRA VENOM AND BITTERNESS. I hate this house! PAT TRYING TO DISENGAGE HIMSELF 0F JULIA'S HAND. THEY SPEAK LOW, FAST, INTENSE. Take your hand away, Julia. I've got to go. JULIA No. Please. You can't leave me now after only one time. I won't be sure. Give me a chance. Please. Help me. PAT AGITATED, ANNOYED. I can't do anything for you. Take your hands away. HE TRIES T0 PUSH HER AWAY. JULIA KEEPING HOLD. THEY STRUGGLE SLIGHTLY, TENSELY. What did I do wrong? Please tell me what I did wrong...Why are you leaving me? SHE IS WEEPING, ALMOST HYSTERICAL. PAT FINALLY FREEING HIMSELF. HE PUSHES HER AWAY. Leave me alone, Julia. HE WALKS QUICKLY TO THE STAIRS. EXITS. 163 JULIA Oh you bastard. SHE IS WEEPING. Oh you bastard. HE GOES UPSTAIRS. SHE STANDS UP RIGHT, BENT, WEEPING. REPEATS. Oh you bastard.' Oh you bastard. SHE GOES TO END TABLE. SEES ASH TRAY PAT ALWAYS USES. PICKS IT UP. FINALLY GOES TO TERRACE DOOR AND THROWS IT WITH ALL HER STRENGTH OUT THE DOOR. TURNS AND STARTS TO RE-ENTER ROOM. FRANK COMES DOWN THE STAIRS.~ SEES HER. RUNS TO HER, TAKES HER ARMS. FRANK Julia! What's the matter? JULIA HER VOICE IS CHOKED. SHE IS WEEPING. SHAKES HER HEAD. 1?._fi HE EMBRACES HER WITH GREAT TENDERNESS AND ANXIETY. Oh sweetheart, g what's the matter? 1 JULIA ; SHE PRESSES AGAINST HIM, WEEPING. HER VOICE IS ALMOST INAUDIBLE. 3 I've lost. I've lost. ' E FRANK SOFTLY, TENDERLY. What have you lost? JULIA Oh, Frank...SHE PUTS HER ARMS ABOUT HIS WAIST AND WEEPS AGAINST HIS SHOULDER. FRANK AFTER A.MOMENT. HE HAS BEEN PATTING HER BACK, SMOOTHING HER HAIR. SOFTLY. Let's sit down. Ssh. Don't cry, sweetheart. HE SOOTHES HER WITH THESE WORDS AS HE BRINGS HER TO THE COUCH. THEY SIT, HE TO HER RIGHT. HE HAS HIS ARMS ABOUT HER, SHE LEANS AGAINST HIS SHOULDER. JULIA AFTER THEY HAVE SEATED THEMSELVES, SHE CALMS A BIT, STOPS CRYING. SIGHS. SHUDDERS FROM HAVING WEEPED SO HARD. FRANK.GARESSES HER. SHAKES HER HEAD. SPEAKS SOFTLY. WEAKLY, LEANING AGAINST FRANK. I don't know... I might as well give up...it doesn't make any difference how hard I 'try...I just don't have any control over anything...there's always something that ruins my plans in the end...I just can't make anything I want happen... FRANK SOOTHINGLY, CARESSING HER HAIR AND CHEEKS. HE IS BEING CAUGHT BY SEX. SOFTLY. BUT NOW HE IS MORE INTERESTED IN CARESSING HER THAN CALMING HER. Oh, it's not that bad... 164 JULIA MOVING RESTLESSLY. SHE FEELS WHAT IS HAPPENING BUT IS NOT CONSCIOUS OF IT YET. SHE IS BECOMING UPSET AND DOESN'T KNOW WHY THIS TIME. SPEAKS ALMOST ANGRILY, BUT SHE DOES NOT MOVE AWAY FROM HUM. It £3 that bad! . FELICIA COMES QUICKLY DOWN THE STAIRS. SHE IS QUITE ANGRY AND UPSET. LOOKS OVER AT THEM AS SHE HURRIES ACROSS THE STAGE TO EXIT THROUGH THE TERRACE DOORS. I'll get the trunk myself, so you don't need to bother yourself about it! EXITS. FRANK HAD LOOKED AT FELICIA GUILTILY. HE IS NOW QUITE AGITATED; HE ALSO DOESN'T QUITE UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING. WHEN SHE HAS GONE FRANK AND JULIA LOOK AT EACH OTHER, THEIR FOREHEADS FURROWED, THEY LOOK UPSET, CONFUSED. THEY ARE EXCITED, SCARED. FRANK PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND JULIA SO THAT SHE IS PULLED DOWN, HER BACK ON HIS LAP, LOOKING UP AT HIM. THEY PAUSE A.MOMENT AND STARE AT EACH OTHER. FRANK BEGINS TO CARESS HER AGAIN, STRANGELY, SLOWLY. BOTH STILL LOOK VERY UPSET. HE PAUSES. THEY STARE AT EACH OTHER. SHE HAS BEEN QUIET. HE GENTLY, SLOWLY PULLS HER UP TO KISS HER. SHE PUSHES HIM GENTLY AWAY. RISES. SHE IS TREMBLING. JULIA SHE WALKS TO THE LEFT END OF THE COUCH. SUPPORTS HERSELF WITH ONE HAND AGAINST ITS BACK. FRANK, HIS FACE FULL OF PAIN, FRIGHT, INCOMPREHENSION, WONDERMENT, FROWNING, HIS MOUTH OPEN AND ALMOST GRIMACING, LOOKS AT HER. HER VOICE IS LOW AND SHAKING. FULL OF EMOTION. TENDERLY. Darling, it would be too easy. HE STARES AT HER IN THE SAME WAY FOR A MOMENT, THEN HANGS HIS HEAD, CLASPS HIS HANDS TIGHTLY BETWEEN HIS LEGS. FRANK HE WHISPERS IN GREAT PAIN. I'm sorry...CAN'T GO ON, IS CHOKED. JULIA IN SAME WAY. It's not your fault...I...led you on... FRANK SHAKES HIS HEAD. BARELY AUDIBLE. CHOKED. NO...THEY REMAIN IN THEIR POSES OF FRIGHT, SHAME AND TREMBLING FOR A.MOMENT. THEN FELICIA ENTERS AND STANDS IN THE DOORWAY. SHE IS LIKE THEM, SHOCKED, AMAZED, TOUCHED. FELICIA SOFTLY, WONDERINGLY. What's going on in the garage? JULIA STARTS, MOVES TO THE BENCH. TURNS. JULIA SOFTLY, AS IF IN A TRANCE. What...? FELICIA SHAKES HER HEAD SLIGHTLY. SHE IS GREATLY MOVED, SOFT. Anne and Jack...they're in the garage loft...WITH GREAT FEELING...they're crying. FRANK LOOKS UP, HIS FACE KEEPS ITS LOOK OF PAIN. 165 JULIA STILL NOT UNDERSTANDING. TAKES A STEP FORWARD A LITTLE ANNOYED. What...what did you say...? FELICIA STEPS INTO THE ROOM; SPEAKS TO JULIA OVER FRANK'S HEAD. I went to get the trunk...I saw them...lying on the mattress...WITH WONDERMENT AND COMPASSION...They were crying... JULIA UNDERSTANDS; TAKES ANOTHER STEP TOWARD FELICIA. SHE IS VERY NERVOUS, AGITATED. ...I see. FELICIA SOFTLY, TO JULIA. What are they doing up there? JULIA TAKES ANOTHER STEP. AGITATED. SHE SPEAKS AFTER SHE FINISHES HER MOVE. I guess they are trying to straighten out their lives. FELICIA SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND. SHAKES HER HEAD. I don't understand. JULIA COMES UP TO FELICIA, TOUCHES HER ARML FRANK IS SITTING ON THE COUCH BETWEEN THEM. SLIGHT PAUSE. It's alright... FRANK LOOKING UP AT JULIA, ASKS HER. HE ALSO SPEAKS SOFTLY, TOUCHED. What do they have to do that for? JULIA LOOKS FROM FRANK TO FELICIA AND BACK TO FRANK.AGAIN. PAUSE WHILE SHE DECIDES NOT TO TELL. SHE IS EXTREMELY UPSET. I don't know. MAybe love is just more complicated than we thought. THE THREE ARE IN A SMALL, CLOSE, TENDER GROUP. JULIA COMES TO HERSELF, REALIZES WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO ALL OF THEM AND WITH PAIN TURNS QUICKLY AND GOES LEFT TO THE BENCH. FELICIA AND FRANK LOOK AT EACH OTHER. THEN FRANK.LOOKS DOWN, OVERCOME BY HIS SHAME AT WHAT HE JUST DID TO HIS SISTER. FELICIA GOES UPSTAIRS. JULIA 'WHEN FELICIA IS GONE. SHE IS SITTING ON THE END OF THE BENCH, FACING FRONT. SHE IS PUTTING A DISTANCE AND A WALL BETWEEN HERSELF AND FRANK; SHE IS AFRAID AND ASHAMED. ATTEMPTS TO BE CASUAL, BUT IS VERY NERVOUS AND AGITATED. They're out in the garage I suppose because Anne is telling Jack that she's pregnant with Pat's baby. FRANK LOOKS AT HER QUICKLY. FRANK HAS BEEN DEALT BLOW AFTER BLOW AND HE IS ‘NOW FULL OF PAIN AND IS WEAK FROM.IT. SOFTLY, ALMOST A WHISPER. Oh no...I 166 JULIA MAKES A POINT OF NOT IOOKING AT FRANK.ANY MORE. Jack is a virgin, so she can't fool him. FRANK PAUSE. GETS UP SLOWLY AND STARTS TO EXIT THROUGH TERRACE DOORS. HE IS SLOUCHING, LOOKS HAGGARD, BEAT. JULIA TURNS QUICKLY TOWARDS HIM. JUMPS UP. SHARPLY, LOW, FAST. Where are you going? FRANK STOPS, TURNS To HER. SIGHINGLY, SOFTLY, .WEARILY, FULL OF PAIN. Oh, JUlia. I'm too ashamed to live. HE FACES HER HOPING FOR RELIEF AND SOLACE. SHE IS SHOCKED, TOUCHED. JULIA SLIGHT PAUSE, THEN SHE IS RELEASED.FROM.HER ICY DEFENSE. WHISPERS WITH GREAT FEELING. Me too... ' PAUL HE COMES DOWN THE STAIRS, STOPS ON THE BOTTOM.STEP. What's going on in the garage? JULIA AND FRANK TURN QUICKLY TO FACE PAUL. HE SPEAKS SOFTLY LIKE A CONSPIRATOR, BUT HE IS BITTER AND ANGRY ACCUSING EVEN. Felicia told me they're out in the garage. What do you think they're doing out there? JULIA SHE IS FRIGHTENED. I suppose she's telling him. PAUL LOOKS AT HER. HE SEEMS TO HATE HER. HE SPEAKS CRUELLY AND BITTERLY TO HER. BUT HE SPEAKS ALMOST IN A WHISPER, THUS SEEMING AIMOST TO HISS. At least somebody around here tells the truth. JULIA HANDS HER HEAD, TURNS AWAY. HE IS ANGRY WITH.HIMSELF. SPEAKS HARSHLY. I'm sorryli I don't know what's the matter with me. I've never... IMPATIENTLY TO HIMSELF...Oh, hell: HIS FACE IS FILLED WITH PAIN, CONFLICT. Well? Do you think she should have told him? JULIA SHE AND FRANK SHRUG. SHE TURNS TO HIM, BUT LEANS AWAY FROM HIM; SHE SEEMS.A LITTLE FRIGHTENED...I don't know what else she could do. PAUL ANGRILY. She could get rid of it! JULIA FRIGHTENED. I suppose she could. 167 PAUL LOOKS AT HER. HE IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE PAINED AT HER RESPONSE. HE IS ALMOST HYSTERICAL. She could lie to him: JULIA She couldn't...he'd know... A PAUL UNNERVED BY HER UNCERTAINLY AND PAIN. WILDLY. She could seduce him for Christ's sake! THEN HE IS STRIKEN BY WHAT HE HAS SAID. HE AND JULIA STARE AT EACH OTHER WITH AMAZEMENT AND PAIN. HE GIVES UP. TAKES A STEP TO HER. HIS VOICE IS BROKEN, ANGUISHED. Julia...: SHE WATCHES HIM, HER FACE IS OPEN, HOPELESS, FRIGHTENED. HE COMES TO HER, THEY LOOK.AT EACH OTHER. THEY ARE LIKE TWO LOST CHILDREN. HE LOOKS DOWN AT HER. HE SPEAKS HUMBLY, BROKENLY, WITH PROFOUND EMOTION. Forgive me...I say I love you...and then I make your face look like this... THEY ARE FACING EACH OTHER, JULIA'S RIGHT AND PAUL'S LEFT SIDE TO THE AUDIENCE. '. JULIA . LOOKING UP AT HIM AMAZED, WEAK. HER VOICE 18 LOW AND BROKEN. I don't deserve... t" _L-xrm.iad.s ’1“?ij 'v. PAUL ALMOST SOBS. PUTS HIS ARMS OUT TO HER. Let me love you...! JULIA LOW, INTENSE, STRAINED, A CHOKED, COMPRESSED WHISPER THAT SEEMS TO TEAR HER VOICE FROM HER CHEST. I've made love with Pat... PAUL KEEPS HIS ARMS OUT, DROPS HIS HEAD. WEEPS. Let me love you...! . JULIA CRIES OUT. Oh Paul! Oh Paul: HUGS HERSELF WITH HER ARMS, DROPS HER HEAD, WEEPS. PAUL AS HE COMES TO HER AND EMBRACES HER. Please... HE WEEPS. HE HOLDS HER BENT, SELF-EMBRACED BODY TO HIS AND DROPS HIS HEAD TO HER NECK. FRANK HAS BEEN WATCHING WITH GREAT EMOTION. HE IS HIMSELF CRYING QUIETLY. NOW HE COMES TO THEM, STANDS ABOVE FACING AUDIENCE, AND PUTS HIS ARMS AROUND THEIR WAISTS, RESTS HIS HEAD AGAINST THEIRS. FRANK LOW, PITIFULLY. Love me too... THEY STAND A SHORT MOMENT WITH THEIR HEADS TOGETHER. THEN JULIA EMBRACES BOTH FRANK.AND PAUL, AN ARM.ABOUT EACH, IN A PASSIONATE, WARM WAY. SHE IS RECOVERING. SHE HUGS THEM. THEN LEANS BACK AND LOOKS AT THEM; SMILES THROUGH HER TEARS. SIGHS. HUGS THEM.AGAIN. FRANK LOOKS AND THEN SMILES AT HER ADORINGLY. PAUL LOOKS UP. HIS FACE SLOWLY SOFTENS, RELAXES. HE SMILES. 168 JULIA Ahhh!...HUGS THEM. LEANS BACK. Oh my two sweet men...SHE IS OVERCOME BY HER EMOTIONS. LOVE, GRATITUDE, GREAT EMOTION EMANATE FROM HER. SHE LEANS TOWARD THEM WITH THE FORCE OF HER FEELINGS. THEY HUG HER IN RETURN. THEY ALL SIGH AND EXCLAIM HAPPILY. PAUL HUGGING HER. Oh, Julia... FRANK HUGS. LAUGHING TREMULOUSLY. JULIA PRESSING CLOSER TO PAUL, PUTS HER FACE RIGHT NEXT TO HIS. BREATHLESSLY, EMOTIONALLY. LOW, INTENSE. Paul, thank you, thank you. HE HUGS HER ALL THE HARDER AND BURIES HIS HEAD IN HER NECK. FRANK REALIZES THAT SOMETHING NEW HAS HAPPENED. HE SLOWLY TAKES HIS ARMS FROM THEM. HIS LUAGH IS STILL TREMUIOUSLY, FADING, SOON DISAPPEARS AND HIS FACE IS LEFT WITH THE SMILE OF LONELINESS WATCHING HAPPINESS. HE FEELS SELF- CONSCIOUS. TURNS AND WALKS RIGHT, HIS HEAD DOWN. PAUL AND JULIA KISS SWEETLY, SIDWLY, LOVINGLY. JACK AND ANNE ARE ENTERING THE TERRACE. THEIR ARMS ARE ABOUT EACH OTHER. ANNE LEANS AGAINST JACK. SHE IS WEAK FROM GUILT AND RELIEF. HE HOVERS OVER HER PROTECTINGHER. HE LOOKS DOWN AT .HER SMILING. HE IS CHANGED, MORE CONFIDENT, MORE NATURALLY EXU'BERENT, LESS NERVOUSLYAND SELF—CONSCIOUSLYSO. IT'S AS IF SHE HAS GIVEN HIM HER STRENGTH AND POISE. THEY MEET FRANK AT THE DOOR. JACK AS FRANK STEPS ASIDE. GAILY. Frank! JULIA AND PAUL SEPARATE BUT NOT GUILTILY- Julia and Paul! HE AND ANNE COME INTO THE ROOM AND STAND THERE AS IF JACK WERE ABOUT TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. HE SMILES BROADLY AT THE THREE IN THE ROOM. Well...HE LOOKS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, THEN DOWN AT ANNE, HUGS HER TIGHTER. HE LAUGHS, ALMOST BREATHIESSLY. FRANK, PAUL AND JULIA LOOK AT HIM WARILY, EXPECTANTLY. JACK LAUGHS DURING THE FOLLOWING SCENE, IS GAY, ALMOST HYSTERICALLY SO. Shall we have a drink? KISSES ANNE THEN GOES TO LIQUER CABINET UP RIGHT. LOOKS AT BOTTLES, HANDLING THEM NOISILY. What will it be? Sherry? Nope, too late. Gin? Nope, too early. Bourbon? Scotch? Champagne? Noep, too soon. TURNS AND LOOKS AT THE OTHERS, GRINNING, LAUGHING. BACK AGAIN THEN HOLDS A BOTTLE UP HIGH. Brandy! That's it! TURNS TO OTHERS AGAIN. Everyone want a little brandy? THEY ALL NOD SLOWLY. . ANNE HAS GONE TO SIT ON THE RIGHT ARM OF THE COUCH. SHE IS TOUCHING HER LITTLE HANDKERCHIEF TO HER FACE. SHE SEEMS IMPERVIOUS TO WHAT IS HAPPENING, IS CONCENTRATING ON HER HANDKERCHIEF SO IT SEEMS. SHE IS VERY BUSY WITH IT. SEEMS HOT AND WEARY, OUT OF BREATH ALMOST. JACK TURNS BACK TO CABINET AND POURS FIVE DRINKS. TALKS ALL THE WHILE. Brandy it is then, brandy it shall be! Brandy for a celebration. Brandy for the first day of my life. Brandy for the men and for their ladies. HE THEN CARRIES A GLASS TO EACH, LAUGHING AND CHATTERING. Julia, my little sister...Paul, the brother of the bride. GOES BACK TO GET TWO MORE GLASSES. I hope my bride doesn't think I'm going to marry her just for her liquor cabinet and all it contains. LAUGHS GAILY. HE CAN HARDLY 169 CONTAIN HIMSELF. Oh no. Not at all. TAKES A GLASS TO ANNE. GIVES IT TO HER AS HE LOOKS AT HER WITH THE UTMOST TENDERNESS AND LOVE. Not at all my little bride, my sweetest darling...HE WATCHES HER TAKE THE GLASS; HE SMILES AT HER BEAUTIFICALLY. HE THEN TURNS AND GIVES ANOTHER GLASS TO FRANK WHO IS STILL IN THE DOORWAY. And one for my little brother. Frank, a prince among men. HE RETURNS TO CABINET, TAKES UP HIS OWN GLASS AND FACES THE ROOM. Well...I've finally done it. JULIA What...? (MEANING "What did you say?") JACK It's nothing. Something you don't know about. HE DRINKS. QUICKLY TO HIDE HIS SMILE OF PRIDE. NO ONE ELSE DRINKS. Come on; everybody drink. HE LAUGHS, HOLDS HIS GLASS UP. LOOKS AT THEM, A LITTLE OF THE OLD INSECURITY RETURNS. HE SHAKES HIS DRINK AT THEM TO URGE THEM TO DRINK. FINALLY JULIA DRINKS, PAUL FOLLOWS THEN FRANK. JACK'S SMILE BROADENS INTO THE NEW PRIDE AGAIN. LOOKS AT ANNE WHO HASN'T DRUNK YET. TENDERLY. Let's drink to my little wife, Anne of the thousand kindnesses. HE DRINKS. THE OTHERS FOLLOW. ANNE STANDS; SHE HASN'T DRUNK. SHE IS NERVOUS, WEARY, PALE. SHE WRINGS THE HANDKERCHIEF A LITTLE. ANNE I think I'll go to bed...I'm...I'm very tired. JACK GOES TO HER AND PUTS HIS ARM AROUND HER. FELICIA APPEARS ON THE STAIRS. SHE DESCENDS SLOWLY. FELICIA LOW. TO ANNE. Can we leave the trunk here and send someone to get it tomorrow? ANNE LOOKS UP AT FELICIA. LOW. Leave the trunk here...? JULIA . LOOKING AT ANNE. They're going home tonight. ANNE ALMOST A WHISPER. Oh...RECOVERS A LITTLE. SHE GOES TO FELICIA, WHO IS ON THE NEXT TO THE BOTTOM STEP. Felicia...TAKES HER HANDS, LOOKS UP AT HER...PATHETICALLY. Why are you going? Are you angry with me? FELICIA SHAKES HER HEAD. No. ANNE HANGS HER HEAD. JACK COMES TO ANNE AND FELICIA. HE IS CONCERNED. Why are you leaving? FELICIA TAKES HER HANDS SLOWLY FROM ANNE'S. I just don't want to stay, that's all. 170 JACK LAUGHS, A LITTLE IN HIS OLD EMBARRASSED WAY. But there's got to be a reason...LAUGHS. Anne'll be so sad to see you go...You really ought to stay. JULIA TAKES A STEP TOWARDS THEM. QUIETLY. .If she wants to go, let her go. JACK. TURNING TO JULIA. A LITTLE ANNOYANCE CREEPING IN. What do you keep butting in for? JULIA LOOKS AT HIM, THEN TURNS AWAY. FELICIA MDRMURS. I've got to go finish packing. TURNS AND GOES UPSTAIRS. JULIA PAUSE WHILE FELICIA GOES. THEN, INTENSELY, LOW. I want them to go; they're like thorns in me. . JACK LOOKS AT HER, PUZZLED, A LITTLE OF HIS OLD UNCERTAINTY. THEN LOOKS AT ANNE, WHO STANDS WITH HER HEAD STILL DOWN, HER ARMS HANGING. LAUGHS IN HIS OLD WAY. Well...what's happened to our celebration? HE LOOKS FROM.ONE TO THE OTHER. LAUGHS AGAIN. IT IS PAINFUL TO THE OTHERS. FRANK.TURNS AND LOOKS OUT ONTO TERRACE. Hey...aren't we going to finish our brandy? ANNE TURNS AND EMBRACES JACK. HE HUGS HER GRATE- FULLY, HIDING HIS FACE AGAINST HER NECK; ANNE AFTER SHORT PAUSE. QUIETLY, WITH RESIGNATION. Let's go say good-by to them. EXEUNT UPSTAIRS. JULIA SHE SITS HEAVILY ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE COUCH. PAUL COMES AND SITS ON THE LEFT ARM. FRANK.STANDS IN THE DOORWAY. TO PAUL. She didn't tell him. PAUL Probably she never will. HIS HEAD IS DOWN. HE PICKS AT THE COUCH WITH HIS FINGERS. ' JULIA THEY SPEAK QUIETLY. ALMOST AS IF AWED. What's going to become of them? PAUL SHAKES HIS HEAD. NO ONE LOOKS AT ANYONE ELSE. SHORT PAUSE. PAUL QUIETLY, LOOKING DOWN. What we need is someone to take care of us. ‘24! -h- . ~" III. p ' '"fl ! _9 171 FRANK TURNS TO THEM. HIS FACE IS FULL OF PAIN. Well it's too late now. My heart hurts and nobody could make it feel better. HE IS ABOUT TO WEEP LIKE A LITTLE BOY. - JULIA LOOKS AT HIM, HER FACE BECOMES FILLED WITH COMPASSION AND EMOTION. SHE PUTS HER ARMS OUT TO HIM. Oh Frank... FRANK SHAKES HIS HEAD. HE BEGINS TO CRY. HIS VOICE IS CHOKED. HE HUGS HIMSELF FOR PROTECTION. I can't...I can't! JULIA, ASHAMED, DROPS HER ARMS. COVERS HER FACE. PAUL IMMEDIATELY COMES TO HER AND EMBRACES HER. PAT COMES DOWN THE STAIRS WITH HIS PIPE IN HIS MOUTH. HE CARRIES TWO SUITCASES. PUTS THEM DOWN IN THE DINING ROOM. LOOKS INTO LIVING ROOM. THE OTHERS HAVEN'T SEEN HIM. PAT CHEERFULLY. Well, we're leaving now. THE THREE IN THE LIVING ROOM TURN AND LOOK AT HIM. HE SMILES AT THEM. SHRUGS. HE LOOKS AT HIS PIPE. TAMPS IT. LOOKS UP AT THEM AGAIN, SMILING. Sorry we couldn't stay longer, Paul; but Felicia's anxious to get back to the city. HE COMES DOWN INTO THE LIVING ROOM, HAND EXTENDED T0 PAUL. PAUL RISES. THEY SHAKE HANDS. PAT MOVES BEHIND JULIA, TOUCHES THE TOP OF HER HEAD SMILES, NODS. FRANK.TURNS AWAY SO THAT PAT MERELY LOOKS AT HIM AND SHRUGS. HE THEN TURNS BACK TO PAUL AND JULIA, SMILES. well, it seems everything's turning out alright. FELICIA COMES DOWN THE STAIRS WITH A SMALLER SUITCASE. SHE STANDS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS. FELICIA Dad. PAT TURNS TO HER AND SMILES. THEN BACK.TO PAUL AND JULIA. We're off. HE NODS PLEASANTLY TO ALL, TURNS. GOES TO DINING ROOM, PICKS UP HIS SUITCASES AND EXITS RIGHT. FELICIA STANDS A.MOMENT LOOKING AT FRANK. I FELICIA SHE SPEAKS LOW, BROKENLY, UNCERTAINLY. Frank...SHE IS VERY FORLORN. FRANK TURNS SLOWLY AND LOOKS AT HER...Frank...BREATHLESSLY, LOW. Help me... PAT OFFSTAGE. Felicia! FELICIA LOOKS A MOMENT LONGER AT FRANK; THEN TURNS AND RUNS OFF RIGHT. A SLIGHT PAUSE AFTER THEY HAVE LEFT. FRANK STANDS LOOKING AT THE DINING ROOM. THE OTHERS REMAIN IN THE SAME POSITIONS ALSO. THEN JULIA TURNS AROUND AND LEANS BACK.AGAINST THE PILLOWS. SHE SIGHS. PAUL SITS NEXT TO HER AND HOLDS HER HAND. HE LOOKS AT HER AND WHEN SHE SMILES HE SMILES TOO. THEN FRANK TURNS. HIS FACE IS CLEAR. HE LOOKS AT JULIA AND PAUL, THEN COMES AND STANDS BY THE EASY CHAIR, LOOKING DOWN AT THEM. HE SMILES AS THEY LOOK.AT HIM. .v' Mm~.«..'}" 172 FRANK SPREADING HIS ARMS OUT AND SMILING UNSTEADILY. HE IS STILL A LITTLE SHAKY. ‘Well...HE LAUGHS A LITTLE IN A TREMBLING SORT OF WAY. THEN JULIA AND PAUL LAUGH. SOON THE THREE ARE LAUGHING. AS THE CURTAIN CLOSES THE LAUGHS SHOULD HAVE A RING OF SADNESS AND DESPERATION. THEIR FACES SHOULD SHOW NOT JOY BUT SADNESS. SLOW CURTAIN f“ ‘- “1A a [‘71: HOW: WE- -..—- S "WITHINMW AW“