Chapter 13
1886 Words
[BILLY hudges chair forward and tries to take her hand.]
[LORETTA hudges her chair back.]
BILLY. [Drawing out large silver watch and looking at it.] Now look here, Loretta, I haven't any time to lose. I've got to leave for that train in ten minutes. And I want you to set the day.
LORETTA. But we're not engaged, Billy. So there can't be any setting of the day.
BILLY. [With confidence.] But we're going to be. [Suddenly breaking out.] Oh, Loretta, if you only knew how I've suffered. That first night I didn't sleep a wink. I haven't slept much ever since. [ Hudges chair forward.] I walk the floor all night. [Solemnly.] Loretta, I don't eat enough to keep a canary bird alive. Loretta . . . [Hudges chair forward.]
LORETTA. [ Hudging her chair back maternally.] Billy, what you need is a tonic. Have you seen Doctor Haskins?
BILLY. [Looking at watch and evincing signs of haste.] Loretta, when a girl kisses a man, it means she is going to marry him.
LORETTA. I know it, Billy. But . . . [She glances toward letters on table.] Captain Kitt doesn't want me to marry you. He says . . . [She takes letter and begins to open it.]
BILLY. Never mind what Captain Kitt says. He wants you to stay and be company for your sister. He doesn't want you to marry me because he knows she wants to keep you.
LORETTA. Daisy doesn't want to keep me. She wants nothing but my own happiness. She says--[She takes second letter from table and begins to open it.]
BILLY. Never mind what Daisy says--
LORETTA. [Taking third letter from table and beginning to open it.] And Martha says--
BILLY. [Angrily.] Darn Martha and the whole boiling of them!
LORETTA. [Reprovingly.] Oh, Billy!
BILLY. [Defensively.] Darn isn't swearing, and you know it isn't.
[There is an awkward pause. Billy has lost the thread of the conversation and has vacant expression.]
BILLY. [Suddenly recollecting.] Never mind Captain Kitt , and Daisy, and Martha, and what they want. The question is , what do you want?
LORETTA. [Appealingly.] Oh, Billy, I'm so unhappy.
BILLY. [Ignoring the appeal and pressing home the point.] The thing is , do you want to marry me? [He looks at his watch.] Just answer that.
LORETTA. Aren't you afraid you'll miss that train?
BILLY. Darn the train!
LORETTA. [Reprovingly.] Oh, Billy!
BILLY. [Most irascibly.] Darn isn't swearing. [Plaintively.] That's the way you always put me off. I didn't come all the way here for a train. I came for you. Now just answer me one thing. Do you want to marry me?
LORETTA. [Firmly.] No, I don't want to marry you.
BILLY. [With assurance.] But you've got to, just the same.
LORETTA. [With defiance.] Got to?
BILLY. [With unshaken assurance.] That's what I said--got to. And I'll see that you do.
LORETTA. [Blazing with anger.] I am no longer a child. You can't bully me, Billy Marsh!
BILLY. [Coolly.] I'm not trying to bully you. I'm trying to save your reputation.
LORETTA. [Faintly.]Reputation?
BILLY. [Nodding.] Yes, reputation. [He pauses for a moment, then speaks very solemnly.] Loretta, when a woman kisses a man, she's got to marry him.
LORETTA. [Appalled, faintly.] Got to?
BILLY. [Dogmatically.] It is the custom.
LORETTA. [Brokenly.] And when . . . a . . . a woman kisses a man and doesn't . . . marry him . . . ?
BILLY. Then there is a scandal. That's where all the scandals you see in the papers come from.
[BILLY looks at watch.]
[LORETTA in silent despair.]
LORETTA. [In abasement.] You are a good man, Billy. [Billy shows that he believes it.] And I am a very wicked woman.
BILLY. No, you're not, Loretta. You just didn't know.
LORETTA. [With a gleam of hope.] But you kissed me first.
BILLY. It doesn't matter. You let me kiss you.
LORETTA. [Hope dying down.]But not at first.
BILLY. But you did afterward and that's what counts. You let me you in the grape- arbour . You let me--
LORETTA. [With anguish] Don't! Don't!
BILLY. [Relentlessly.] --kiss you when you were playing the piano. You let me kiss you that day of the picnic. And I can't remember all the times you let me kiss you good night.
LORETTA. [Beginning to weep.] Not more than five.
BILLY. [With conviction.]Eight at least.
LORETTA. [Reproachfully, still weeping.] You told me it was all right.
BILLY. [Emphatically.] So it was all right--until you said you wouldn't marry me after all. Then it was a scandal--only no one knows it yet. If you marry me no one ever will know it. [Looks at watch.] I've got to go. [Stands up.] Where's my hat?
LORETTA. [Sobbing.] This is awful.
BILLY. [Approvingly.] You bet it's awful. And there's only one way out. [Looks anxiously about for hat.] What do you say?
LORETTA. [Brokenly.] I must think. I'll write to you. [Faintly.]The train? Your hat's in the hall.
BILLY. [Looks at watch, hastily tries to kiss her, succeeds only in shaking hand, starts across stage toward left.] All right. You write to me. Write to-morrow. [Stops for a moment in doorway and speaks very solemnly.] Remember, Loretta, there must be no scandal.
[Billy goes out.]
[LORETTA sits in chair quietly weeping. Slowly dries eyes, rises from chair, and stands, undecided as to what she will do next.]
[NED enters from right, peeping. Discovers that LORETTA is alone, and comes quietly across stage to her. When NED comes up to her she begins weeping again and tries to turn her head away. NED catches both her hands in his and compels her to look at him. She weeps harder.]
NED. [Putting one arm protectingly around her shoulder and drawing her toward him.] There, there, little one, don't cry.
LORETTA. [Turning her face to his shoulder like a tired child, sobbing.] Oh, Ned, if you only knew how wicked I am.
NED. [Smiling indulgently.] What is the matter, little one? Has your dearly beloved sister failed to write to you? [LORETTA shakes head.] Has Hemingway been bullying you? [LORETTA shakes head.] Then it must have been that caller of yours? [Long pause, during which LORETTA's weeping grows more violent.] Tell me what's the matter, and we'll see what I can do. [He lightly kisses her hair--so lightly that she does not know.]
LORETTA. [Sobbing.] I can't. You will despise me. Oh, Ned, I am so ashamed.
NED. [Laughing incredulously.] Let us forget all about it. I want to tell you something that may make me very happy. My fondest hope is that it will make you happy, too. Loretta, I love you--
LORETTA. [Uttering a sharp cry of delight, then moaning.] Too late!
NED. [Surprised.]Too late?
LORETTA. [Still moaning.] Oh, why did I? [NED somewhat stiffens.] I was so young. I did not know the world then.
NED. What is it all about anyway?
LORETTA. Oh, I . . . he . . . Billy . . . I am a wicked woman, Ned. I know you will never speak to me again.
NED. This . . . er . . . this Billy--what has he been doing?
LORETTA. I . . . he . . . I didn't know. I was so young. I could not help it. Oh, I shall go mad, I shall go mad!
[NED's encircling arm goes limp. He gently disengages her and deposits her in big chair.]
[LORETTA buries her face and sobs afresh.]
NED. [Twisting moustache fiercely, regarding her dubiously, hesitating a moment, then drawing up chair and sitting down.] I . . . I do not understand.
LORETTA. [Wailing.] I am so unhappy!
NED. [Inquisitorially.] Why unhappy?
LORETTA. Because . . . he . . . he wants to marry me.
NED. [His face brightening instantly, leaning forward and laying a hand soothingly on hers.] That should not make any girl unhappy. Because you don't love him is no reason--[Abruptly breaking off.] Of course you don't love him? [LORETTA shakes her head and shoulders vigorously.] What?
LORETTA. [Explosively.] No, I don't love Billy! I don't want to love Billy!
NED. [With confidence.] Because you don't love him is no reason that you should be unhappy just because he has proposed to you.
LORETTA. [Sobbing.] That's the trouble. I wish I did love him. Oh, I wish I were dead.
NED. [Growing complacent.] Now my dear child, you are worrying yourself over trifles. [His second hand joins the first in holding her hands.] Women do it every day. Because you have changed your mind, or did not know you mind, because you have--to use an unnecessarily harsh word--jilted a man--
LORETTA. [Interrupting, raising her head and looking at him.] Jilted? Oh Ned, if that wereaall !
NED. [Hollow voice.] All!
[NED's hands slowly retreat from hers. He opens his mouth as though to speak further, then changes his mind and remains silent.]
LORETTA. [Protestingly.] But I don't want to marry him!
NED. Then I shouldn't.
LORETTA. But I ought to marry him.
NED. Ought to marry him? [LORETTA nods.] That is a strong word.
LORETTA. [Nodding.] I know it is. [Her lips are trembling, but she strives for control and manages to speak more calmly.] I am a wicked woman. A terrible wicked woman. No one knows how wicked I am . . . except Billy.
NED. [Starting, looking at her queerly.] He . . . Billy knows? [LORETTA nods. He debates with himself a moment.] Tell me about it. You must tell me all of it.
LORETTA. [Faintly, as though about to weep again.]All of it?
NED. [Firmly.] Yes, all of it.
LORETTA. [Haltingly.] And . . . will . . . you . . . ever . . . forgive . . . me?
NED. [Drawing a long, breath, desperately.] Yes, I'll forgive you. Go ahead.
LORETTA. There was no one to tell me. We were with each other so much. I did not know anything of the world . . . then. [Pauses.]
NED. [Impatiently.] Go on.
LORETTA. If I had only known.[Pauses.]
NED. [Biting his lip and clenching his hands.] Yes, yes. Go on.
LORETTA. We were together almost every evening.
NED. [Savagely.] Billy?
LORETTA. Yes, of course, Billy. We were with each other so much . . . If I had only known . . . There was no one to tell me . . . I was so young . . . [Breaks down crying.]
NED. [Leaping to his feet, explosively.] The scoundrel!
LORETTA. [Lifting her head.] Billy is not a scoundrel . . . He . . . he . . . is a good man.
NED. [Sarcastically.] I suppose you'll be telling me next that it was all your fault. [LORETTA nods.] What!
LORETTA. [Steadily.] It was all my fault. I should never have let him. I was to blame.
NED. [Paces up and down for a minute, stops in front of her, and speaks with resignation.] All right. I don't blame you in the least, Loretta. And you have been very honest. It is . . . er . . . commendable. But Billy is right, and you are wrong. You must get married.
LORETTA. [In dim, far-away voice.]To Billy?
NED. Yes, to Billy. I'll see to it. Where does he live? I'll make him. If he won't I'll . . . I'll shoot him!
LORETTA. [Crying out with alarm.] Oh, Ned, you won't do that?
NED. [Sternly.] I shall.
LORETTA. But I don't want to marry Billy.
NED. [Sternly.] You must. And Billy must. Do you understand? It is the only thing.
LORETTA. That's what Billy said.
NED. [Triumphantly.] You see, I am right.
LORETTA. And if . . . if I don't marry him . . . there will be . . . scandal?
NED. [Calmly.] Yes, there will be scandal.
LORETTA. That's what Billy said. Oh, I am so unhappy!
[LORETTA breaks down into violent weeping.]
- Writer
