Chapter IX: Act TWO: Scene One

SCENE—_Library of_ JOHN DARNTON’S _home in Connecticut, an hour or so
from the city. The room is spacious, furnished in excellent taste.
The rear wall is lined with bookshelves. On the wall above the
shelves are hung framed photographs of stage-sets. A door is in
the rear, toward right. A grand piano at left of door. Near it a
round table with a bronze lamp. A smaller table with another lamp
is in the left corner. In the right corner a big cushioned chair
and an expensive Victrola. In the right wall, French windows
opening on a porch. In the left wall, an open fireplace in which
logs are burning. Before the fireplace, a double couch facing left
and right. The lamp in the left corner is the only one lit. Over
the fireplace, a framed, enlarged portrait study of_ ELEANOR,
_evidently taken some years before_.

_As the curtain rises_, JOHN DARNTON _is discovered. He is sitting
in front of the fireplace, lost in an apathetic dream. His body is
bent over wearily, the shoulders bowed, his long arms resting on
his knees, his hands dangling. He sits on the extreme edge in the
exact middle of the big couch, and this heightens the sense of
loneliness about him, of a man growing old among dreams which
become profitless as he feels the lack of a love that could
understand and share them._

_Suddenly he starts as the sound of a motor comes from the
driveway. The car is heard driving up; it stops before the front
door; its door is slammed, it drives off; a ringing of the
doorbell sounds from somewhere back in the house._ DARNTON _has
gotten up, gone toward the door in the rear, exclaiming irritably
as the bell continues to ring_—All right, damn it! Who the
devil——? [_He is heard opening the front door—in blank
amazement._] Nelly! [_Then her voice in a strained, hysterical
pitch._] John! I—— [_The rest is lost incoherently. Then his voice
soothingly._] Come in by the fire! Come in. [_He follows her into
the room. Her face is pale, distraught, desperate. She comes
quickly to the couch and flings herself down in one corner,
staring into the fire. He stands nearby uncertainly, watching her.
His face holds a confused mixture of alarm, tenderness,
perplexity, passionate hope._]

DARNTON—You’re shivering. Come closer to the fire.

ELEANOR—[_With a startled movement._] No—I—I’m warm. [_A pause. He waits for her to speak, not knowing what to think. She gradually collects herself. Memory crowds back on her and her face twitches with pain which turns to hatred and rage. She becomes conscious of_ DARNTON’S _eyes, forces this back, her face growing mask-like and determined. She looks up at_ DARNTON _and forces the words out slowly_.] John—you said, if ever—— You once said I might always come——

DARNTON—[_His face lights up for a second with a joy that is incongruously savage—at once controlling this—simply._] Yes, Nelly.

ELEANOR—[_A bit brokenly now._] I hope—you meant that.

DARNTON—[_Simply._] Yes, I meant it.

ELEANOR—I mean—that you still mean it——?

DARNTON—[_Forcing an awkward smile._] Then—now—forever after, amen—any old time at all, Nelly. [_Then overcome by a rush of bewildered joy—stammering._] Why—you ought to know——!

ELEANOR—[_Smiling tensely._] Would I still be welcome if I’d come—to stay?

DARNTON—[_His voice quivering._] Nelly! [_He starts toward her, then stops—in a low, uncertain voice._] And Michael?

ELEANOR—[_With an exclamation of pain._] Don’t! [_Quickly recovering herself—in a cold, hard voice._] That’s—dead! [DARNTON _lets a held-back breath of suspense escape him_. ELEANOR _stammers a bit hysterically_.] Don’t talk of him! I’ve forgotten—as if he’d never lived! Do you still love me? Do you? Then tell me! I must know someone——

DARNTON—[_Still uncertain, but coming nearer to her—simply._] You knew once. Since then—— My God, you’ve guessed, haven’t you?

ELEANOR—I need to hear. You’ve never spoken—for years——

DARNTON—There was—Michael.

ELEANOR—[_Wildly, putting her hands up to her ears as if to shut out the name._] Don’t!

DARNTON—You loved him.

ELEANOR—[_Intensely._] I hate him! And he hates me! [_She shudders—then, driven by a desperate determination, forces a twisted smile._] Why do you stand there? Are you afraid? I’m beginning to suspect—perhaps, you’ve only imagined you loved me——

DARNTON—Nelly! [_He seizes one of her hands awkwardly and covers it with kisses—confusedly, with deep emotion._] I—— You know—— Don’t joke—— You know I love you!

ELEANOR—[_With the same fixed smile._] You must put your arms around me—and kiss me—on the lips——

DARNTON—[_Takes her in his arms awkwardly and kisses her on the lips—with passionate incoherence._] Nelly! I’d given up hoping—I—I can’t believe—— [_She submits to his kisses with closed eyes, her face like a mask, her body trembling with revulsion. Suddenly he seems to sense something disharmonious—confusedly._] But you—you don’t care for me.

ELEANOR—[_Still with closed eyes—dully._] Yes. [_With a spurt of desperate energy she kisses him wildly several times, then sinks back again closing her eyes._] I’m so tired, John—so tired!

DARNTON—[_Immediately all concern._] You’re trembling all over. I’m an idiot not to have seen—— Forgive me. [_He puts his hand on her forehead._] You’re feverish. You’d better go to bed, young lady, right away. Come. [_He raises her to her feet._]

ELEANOR—[_Wearily._] Yes, I’m tired. [_Bitterly._] Oh, it’s good to be loved by someone who is unselfish and kind—after all the hate——

DARNTON—Ssshh! [_Forcing a joking tone._] I’m cast for the Doctor now. Doctor’s orders: don’t talk, don’t think, sleep. Come, I’ll show you your room.

ELEANOR—[_Dully._] Yes. [_As if she were not aware of what she is doing, she allows him to lead her to the door at right, rear. There she suddenly starts as if awakening—frightenedly._] Where are we going?

DARNTON—[_With gentle bullying._] You’re going upstairs to bed.

ELEANOR—[_With a shudder—incoherently._] No, no! Not now—no—wait—you must wait—— [_Then calming herself and trying to speak matter-of-factly._] I’d rather stay up and sit with you. I must have gotten chilled. I want to sit by the fire.

DARNTON—[_Worriedly, but giving in to her at once._] All right. Whatever suits you. [_They go back to the fire. She sits in a chair which he pushes near it. He puts a cushion in back of her._] How’s that?

ELEANOR—[_With a wan, grateful smile._] You’re so kind, John. You’ve always been kind. You’re so different—— [_She checks herself, her face growing hard, and stares into the fire._ DARNTON _watches her face. There is a long pause._]

DARNTON—[_Finally—in a gentle tone._] Nelly, don’t you think it’d help if you told me—everything that’s happened?

ELEANOR—[_With a shudder._] No! It was all horror—and hatred—and disgust! [_Wildly resentful._] Why do you make me remember? I’ve come to you. Why do you ask for reasons? [_With a harsh laugh._] Are you jealous—of him?

DARNTON—[_Quietly._] I’ve always envied Michael.

ELEANOR—If you’d seen him tonight, you wouldn’t envy him. You’d despise him as I do. He is mean and contemptible! He makes everything as low as he is! He went away threatening, boasting he would——[_Hysterically._] Why do you make me think of him? I hate him, I tell you! I want to be yours—yours! [_She throws herself into his arms._]

DARNTON—[_Straining her to him—with awkward passion._] Nelly! Yes—yes— [_Under his kisses her face again becomes mask-like, her body rigid, her eyes closed._ DARNTON _suddenly grows aware of this. He stares down at her face, his own growing bewildered and afraid. He stammers._] Nelly! What is it?

ELEANOR—[_Opening her eyes—in alarm._] What——?

DARNTON—[_With a sigh of relief._] You gave me a scare. You were like a corpse.

ELEANOR—[_Breaks away from him and bends over the fire with her trembling hands spread out to it._] I—I’m so cold. I believe I do feel ill. I’ll go to bed. [_She moves toward the door._]

DARNTON—[_Uneasily—with a forced heartiness._] Now you’re talking sense. Come on. [_He leads the way into the hall. She goes as far as the doorway—then stops. A queer struggle is apparent in her face, her whole body, as if she were fighting with all her will to overcome some invisible barrier which bars her way._ DARNTON _is watching her keenly now, a sad foreboding coming into his eyes. He steps past her back into the room, saying kindly but with a faint trace of bitterness._] It’s the first door upstairs on your right—if you’d rather go alone. [_He walks still further away, then turns to watch her, his face growing more and more aware and melancholy._]

ELEANOR—[_Vaguely._] No—you don’t understand—— [_She stands swaying, reaching out her hand to the side of the doorway for support—dully._] The first door to the right—upstairs?

DARNTON—Yes.

ELEANOR—[_Struggles with herself, confused and impotent, trying to will—finally turns to_ DARNTON _like a forlorn child_.] John. Can’t you help me?

DARNTON—[_Gravely._] No—not now when I do understand. You must do it alone.

ELEANOR—[_With a desperate cry._] I can! I’m as strong as he! I do! [_This breaks the spell which has chained her. She grows erect and strong. She walks through the doorway._]

DARNTON—[_With a triumphant exclamation of joy._] Ah! [_He strides toward the doorway—then stops as he notices that she also has stopped at the bottom of the stairs, one foot on the first stair, looking up at the top. Then she wavers and suddenly bolts back into the room, gropingly, her face strained and frightened._ DARNTON _questions her with fierce disappointment_.] What is it? Why did you stop?

ELEANOR—[_Forcing a twisted smile—wildly._] You’re right. I must be feverish. [_Trying to control herself—self-mockingly._] Seeing spooks, that’s pretty far gone, isn’t it? [_Laughing hysterically._] Yes—I swear I saw him—standing at the head of the stairs waiting for me—just as he was standing when you knocked at our door, remember? [_She laughs._] Really, it was too ridiculous—so plain——

DARNTON—Ssshh! [_Glancing at her worriedly._] Won’t you lie down here? Try and rest.

ELEANOR—[_Allowing him to make her comfortable on the couch before the fire._] Yes. [_Her eyes glance up into his bewilderedly._]

DARNTON—[_After a long pause—slowly._] You don’t love me, Nelly.

ELEANOR—[_Pitifully protesting._] But I do, John! I do! You’re kind! You’re unselfish and fine! I do love you!

DARNTON—[_With a wry smile._] That isn’t me. You don’t love me.

ELEANOR—[_Desperately defiant, leaps to her feet._] I do! [_She takes his face between her hands and bringing her own close to it, stares into his eyes. He looks back into hers. She mutters fiercely between her clenched teeth._] I do! I do love you! [_For a long moment they remain there, as she brings her face nearer and nearer striving with all her will to kiss him on the lips. Finally her eyes falter, her body grows limp, she turns away and throws herself on the couch in a fit of abandoned sobbing._]

DARNTON—[_With a sad smile._] You see?

ELEANOR—[_Her voice muffled—between sobs._] But I—want to! And I will—I know—some day—I promise!

DARNTON—[_Forcing a light tone._] Well, I’ll be resigned to wait and hope then—and trust in your good intentions. [_After a pause—in a calming, serious tone._] You’re calmer now? Tell me what happened between you and Michael.

ELEANOR—No! Please!

DARNTON—[_Smiling but earnestly._] It’ll relieve your mind, Nelly—and besides, how can I help you otherwise?

ELEANOR—[_After a pause—with resigned dullness._] We’ve quarreled, but never like this before. This was final! [_She shudders—then suddenly bursts out wildly._] Oh, John, for God’s sake don’t ask me! I want to forget! We tore each other to pieces, we destroyed one another! I realized I hated him! I couldn’t restrain my hate! I had to crush him as he was crushing me! [_After a pause—dully again._] And so that was the end.

DARNTON—[_Tensely, hoping again now—pleadingly._] You’re sure, Nelly? You’re sure your love is dead——

ELEANOR—[_Fiercely._] I hate him!

DARNTON—[_After a pause—earnestly._] Then stay here. I think I can help you forget. Never mind what people say. Make this your home—and maybe—in time—— [_He forces a smile._] You see, I’m already starting to nurse along that crumb of hope you gave. [_She is looking down, preoccupied with her own thoughts. He looks at her embarrassedly, then goes on gently, timidly persuasive._] I don’t mind waiting. I’m used to it. And I’ve been hoping ever since I first met you—eight years ago, isn’t it? [_Forcing a half laugh._] I’ll admit when you married him the waiting and hoping seemed excess labor. I tried to fire them—thought I had—but when you came tonight—there they were right onto the job again! [_He laughs—then catching himself awkwardly._] But hell! I don’t want to bother you now. Forget me. Will you stay here and rest up—treat this as your house? That’s the point.

ELEANOR—[_In a bland, absent-minded tone which wounds him._] You’re so kind, John. [_Then following her own line of thought, she breaks out savagely._] I told him I’d been your mistress while he was away!

DARNTON—[_Amazed._] Nelly!

ELEANOR—I had to tell that lie! He was degrading me! I had to revenge myself!

DARNTON—But certainly he could never believe——

ELEANOR—[_With fierce triumph._] Oh, I made him believe! [_Then dully._] Then—he went away. He said he would kill our love as I had—worse—— [_With a twisted smile._] That’s what he’s doing now. He has gone to one of those women he lived with before—— [_Laughing harshly._] No! They wouldn’t be vile enough—for his beautiful revenge on me! He has a wonderful imagination. Everyone acknowledges that! [_She laughs with wild bitterness—this is transformed into a frenzy of rage._] Oh, how I loathe him! [_Then in agony._] My God, why do I think——? Help me, John! Help me to forget—to love you!

DARNTON—[_After a pause—with a sad, bitter helplessness._] You mean—to hate him! Help you—to revenge yourself! But don’t you realize I can’t—you can’t—because—I see this damn clear now so don’t deny it!—because you still love him!

ELEANOR—[_Fiercely._] No! [_After a pause—brokenly._] Don’t! I know! I hate myself for loving him! I hate him because I love him! [_She sobs heart-brokenly._]

DARNTON—[_After a pause, as her sobbing grows quieter—sadly._] Go home.

ELEANOR—No! [_After a pause, brokenly._] He hates me.

DARNTON—[_With a grim smile._] Because he loves you.

ELEANOR—He’ll never come back now.

DARNTON—[_With bitter humor._] Oh, yes he will; take my word for it. I know—because I happen to love you, too.

ELEANOR—[_Faintly._] And do you—hate me?

DARNTON—[_After a pause—with melancholy self-disgust._] No. I’m too soft. That’s why you’ve always liked me and never loved me. [_Bitterly._] I ought to hate you! Twice now you’ve treated my love with the most humiliating contempt—— Once, years ago, when you were willing to endure it as the price of a career—again tonight, when you try to give yourself out of hate and love—love!—for him! [_In sudden furious revolt._] Christ! What am I, eh? [_Then checking his anger and forcing a wry smile._] I think your treatment has been rather hard to take, Nelly—and even now I’m not cured, at that! [_He laughs harshly and turns away to conceal his real hurt._]

ELEANOR—[_With deep grief._] Forgive me.

DARNTON—[_As if to himself—reassuringly._] Still—I would have been the poorest slave. I couldn’t have fought you like Michael. Perhaps, deep down, I’m glad——

ELEANOR—Don’t say that! If I could have loved you—if I could love you now—I’d be happy.

DARNTON—You’d have grown to despise a slave long ago. [_Then bluntly._] You’d better go home right away.

ELEANOR—[_Dully._] Even if he has——

DARNTON—[_Brusquely._] You know you’ve got to—no matter what!

ELEANOR—How can I have faith? And how can I ever make him believe I lied about you? How can he ever trust me about us—here—tonight? [_Miserably._] Oh, don’t you see how impossible——!

DARNTON—[_Impatiently._] But evidently you must. Face the truth in yourself. Must you—or mustn’t you?

ELEANOR—[_After a moment’s defiant struggle with herself—forlornly._] Yes. [_After a pause, with a gesture toward the door and a weary, beaten smile._] Upstairs—if I could have gone—I’d have been free. But he’s trained me too well in his ideal. And I love him. From the depths of my humiliation I love him! [_Despairingly._] But when I think of what he’s doing, of what he will do to crush——! I hate him! I hate him so terribly that——! [_She stops, trembling with passion, her face convulsed—then, shrugging her shoulders, fatalistically._] It’s broken me. I’m no longer anything. So what does it matter how weak I am? Let him win. [_A slight pause._] I begin to know—something. [_With a sudden queer, exultant pride._] I love him! But my love for him is my own, not his! My love for him he can never possess! It is _my_ own! It is _my_ life! [_She turns to_ DARNTON _determinedly_.] I must go home now.

DARNTON—[_Wonderingly._] Good. I’ll drive you back. [_He starts for the door._]

ELEANOR—[_Suddenly grasping his arm._] Wait. [_Affectionately._] I was forgetting you—as usual. How can you forgive me? What can I do——?

DARNTON—[_With a wry smile._] Forget, Nelly. Remember me as a manager. Study your part; help Michael; and we’ll all three be enormously successful! [_He laughs mockingly._]

ELEANOR—[_Tenderly._] I’ll always believe Fate should have let me love you, instead.

DARNTON—[_With the same wry smile._] While I begin to suspect that in a way I’m lucky—to be heart-broken. Our might-have-beens are more enjoyable—as dreams, eh? [_With a laugh._] Curtain! You’ll want to go upstairs and powder your nose. There’s no angel with a flaming sword there now, is there? [_He points to the doorway._]

ELEANOR—[_With a tired smile._] No. [_She goes to the doorway. He follows her. They both stop there for a moment instinctively and smile forlornly at each other._]

DARNTON—[_Impulsively._] One question: That time you stood here and called to me for help—if I could have given you a push, mental, moral, physical——?

ELEANOR—[_Smiling._] Might-have-beens, John! [_Then earnestly._] You didn’t because you couldn’t. It wouldn’t have helped, anyway. The angel was here. [_She touches her breast._]

DARNTON—[_With a sigh._] Thanks. That saves me a life-long regret.

ELEANOR—[_Earnestly—gripping his right hand in hers and holding his eyes._] There must be no regrets—ever—between old friends.

DARNTON—[_Gripping her hand in turn._] No, I promise, Nelly. [_Then, letting her hand drop and turning away to conceal his emotion—forcing a joking tone._] After all, friendship is sounder, saner—more in the picture for my type, eh?

ELEANOR—[_Absent-minded again now—vaguely._] I don’t know. [_Then briskly._] We must hurry. I’ll be right down. [_She goes out and up the stairway in the hall._]

DARNTON—[_Stares up after her for a second, then smiling grimly._] Well, business of living on as usual. [_He passes his arm here and there in the open doorway as if he were a magician—with bitter irony._] You see—nothing there! Invisible cobwebs—cast-iron cobwebs! [_He laughs harshly._] Catching title for a play. I’ll tell Michael! [_He laughs again—checks himself—then walks out, calling up the stairs._] I’m going to get the car, Nelly.

[_The Curtain Falls_]