Brian Friel Plays 1 (50 page)

ALICE:
So. We’re all agreed.

CASIMIR:
One small thing: would it be possible – would you mind very much if I took that photo of mother in the silver frame – a keepsake, you know –

ALICE:
That’s the one on the drawing-room mantelpiece?

CASIMIR:
Yes. It’s really very small. But I would – I would really cherish that. If I may.

ALICE:
And the sooner the place is in your names the better – before we all have a big row some day! And that’s that. All settled. (
To
EAMON
) Do we need to keep an eye on the time?

EAMON:
Judith has other ideas, I think.

ALICE:
Have you? What ideas?

JUDITH:
Owning the place, going on living here – it’s not as simple as it looks. In fact it’s impossible.

ALICE:
Why?

JUDITH:
We can’t afford it. You’ve forgotten – no, you’ve never known – the finances of this place. For the past seven years we’ve lived on Father’s pension. That was modest enough. And now that’s gone. The only other income is from the land and Willie takes that because no one else would; but that can’t continue. So that from now on there’s no money coming in. Last October when the storm lifted the whole roof off the back return I tried to get an overdraft from the bank. The manager was very sympathetic but he couldn’t help – actually what he said was that the house was a liability.

EAMON:
That’s bloody –

JUDITH:
Then I got a dealer down from Dublin to evaluate the library and some of the furniture. He offered me £70 for the grandmother clock and £90 for the whole library. So eventually Willie and I put up polythene sheets and nailed them to the rafters. And the floor in the morning-room has collapsed with dry-rot – haven’t you seen it? – and every time there’s heavy rain, we have to distribute – (
To
CLAIRE
) how many is it? – seventeen buckets in the upstairs rooms to catch the water. And the only fire we had all last winter was in Father’s bedroom. And on a day like this it looks so beautiful, doesn’t it? 

(
Short
pause
.)

ALICE:
Judith, God forgive us, we never for a second suspected –

JUDITH:
That’s just one side of the story.

ALICE:
Oh but we can all help. We must. None of us is wealthy but the very least we can do is –

JUDITH:
So there’s no point in signing the place over to us – well over to me. I’m not going to go on living here. Maybe Claire –

CLAIRE:
I’m getting out, too, amn’t I? I’m getting married, amn’t I?

ALICE:
(
To
JUDITH
) Where will you go? What will you do?

JUDITH:
The first thing I’m going to do is take the baby out of the orphanage.

ALICE:
Of course. Yes.

JUDITH:
‘The baby’ – he’s seven now. (
To
CASIMIR
) Do you know he’s two days younger than your Heinrich? Where I’ll go I haven’t made up my mind yet. Willie has a mobile home just outside Bundoran. He has a lot of slot-machines around that area and he wants me to go there with him.

ALICE:
That would be –

JUDITH:
But he doesn’t want the baby. So that settles that. Anyhow I’ve got to earn a living somehow. But the only reason I brought all this up is – what’s to become of Uncle George?

EAMON:
What you’re saying is that after Claire’s wedding – if you can wait that length – you’re going to turn the key in the door and abandon Ballybeg Hall?

JUDITH:
I’m asking –

EAMON:
You know what will happen, don’t you? The moment you’ve left the thugs from the village will move in and loot and ravage the place within a couple of hours. Is that what you’re proposing? Oh, your piety is admirable.

JUDITH:
I’m asking what’s to become of Uncle George.

EAMON:
Judith’s like her American friend: the Hall can be assessed in terms of roofs and floors and overdrafts.

ALICE:
Eamon –

EAMON:
No, no; that’s all it means to her. Well I know it’s real worth – in this area, in this county, in this country. And Alice knows. And Casimir knows. And Claire knows. And somehow we’ll keep it going. Somehow we’ll keep it going. Somehow we’ll –

ALICE:
Please, Eamon.

(
JUDITH
breaks
down.
Pause.
)

EAMON:
Sorry … sorry … sorry again … Seems to be a day of public contrition. What the hell is it but crumbling masonry. Sorry. (
Short
laugh.
)
Don’t you know that all that is fawning and forelock-touching and Paddy and shabby and greasy peasant in the Irish character finds a house like this irresistible? That’s why we were ideal for colonizing.
Something in us needs this … aspiration. Don’t despise us – we’re only hedgehogs, Judith. Sorry.

(
He
goes
to
the
gazebo.
)

ALICE:
He hates going back to London. He hates the job. (
Pause
.) What is there to say? There’s nothing to say, is there?

JUDITH:
No.

(
Silence.
CLAIRE
rises
and
crosses
the
lawn.
As
she
passes
CASIMIR:
—)

CLAIRE:
A ballade.

CASIMIR:
Sorry?

CLAIRE:
Ballade in A flat major.

CASIMIR:
(
Indifferently
)
Ah. Was it really? No, I’d never have got that. There you are. Never.

(
He
gets
up
and
begins
his
pacing.
Pause.
)

ALICE:
So the baby’s seven now?

JUDITH:
Eight next month.

ALICE:
The woman in the flat above us has a little girl. She comes in to us every evening after school. Eamon buys her sweets. She’s devoted to him. He’s great with children.

JUDITH:
Yes?

ALICE:
Avril, Avril Harper. Lovely affectionate child.

JUDITH:
What age is she?

ALICE:
She’s just eight.

JUDITH:
They say that’s a very interesting age.

ALICE:
She’s a very interesting child. And a very affectionate child.

(
The
conversation
dies
again.
ALICE
rises
.)

CASIMIR:
(
To
CLAIRE
) There’s still some clay on your shoes.

CLAIRE:
Did you notice a wreath of red and yellow roses at the foot of the grave? That was from the children I taught last winter. There were five of them and they put their pocket money together to buy it. Wasn’t that kind of them? And each of them came up to me in turn and shook my hand very formally and said how sorry they were. I asked them to be sure and visit me in my new home. They said they would. I made them promise. They said they would.

(
Another
silence
.)

ALICE:
Are you sure Willie’s coming?

JUDITH:
Yes; he knows; he’ll be here.

ALICE:
Time enough anyway.

CASIMIR:
There was a telegram from the bishop, Judith.

JUDITH:
Yes.

CASIMIR:
Out on the hall table.

JUDITH:
I saw it.

ALICE:
What did it say?

CASIMIR:
Deepest sympathy to you all and to George on your great loss – something like that.

JUDITH:
We still haven’t reached a decision about Uncle George.

(
CASIMIR
suddenly
stops
pacing
and
exclaims – almost
wails
–
in
his
panic.
)

CASIMIR:
Oh my God!

CLAIRE:
What?

CASIMIR:
Oh good God!

(
He
dashes
into
the
study
,
as
always
tripping
an
the
step
and
apologizing
over
his
shoulder.
)

CASIMIR:
Sorry – sorry – I beg your –

(
H
e
rushes
to
the
phone.
His
sudden
departure
shatters
the
mood.
EAMON
comes
out
of
the
gazebo.
The
others
come
together.
)

ALICE:
What’s wrong, Casimir?

EAMON:
What happened?

JUDITH:
Is he ill?

ALICE:
I don’t know. He suddenly bolted.

CLAIRE:
Listen!

EAMON:
Is he sick?

CLAIRE:
Listen!

CASIMIR:
Hello? Hello? Yes, Mrs Moore, it’s me again. I’m afraid. I’m a nuisance, amn’t I? That telegram I sent to Germany – Yes, yes, indeed the house will be lonely – Very nice sermon, indeed; very moving – I’ll tell her that; of course I will; thank you very much –

ALICE:
I thought he was going to be sick.

CASIMIR:
That telegram I sent to Germany an hour ago, Mrs Moore – has it gone? Ah. Well, That’s that – No, no, I’m not complaining – oh, no – I’m delighted, thank you, absolutely delighted, thank you …

(
He
rings
off
and
comes
outside.
He
is
thoroughly
wretched.
Everybody
is
staring
at
him.
He
manages
one
of
his
grins.
)

CASIMIR:
Ha-ha. Oh good God.

ALICE:
Is something wrong?

CLAIRE:
What’s the matter, Casimir?

CASIMIR:
Sent a telegram to Helga. To let her know I’d be home tonight.

ALICE:
And so you will.

CASIMIR:
Yes.

JUDITH:
What’s wrong, Casimir?

CASIMIR:
Tried to cancel it but it’s gone. I told you she’s a great believer in that spiritualist stuff – seances, ghosts, things – I told you that, didn’t I? Yes, I did. Well, you see, I’ve only suddenly realized what I said in the telegram. What I said was:
FATHER BURIED THIS MORNING ARRIVING
HAMBURG MIDNIGHT TONIGHT
. Ha-ha. Oh my God.

(Their
sympathy
for
his
genuine
anguish
prevents
them
from
laughing
outright.
But
CLAIRE
sniggers
first – then
ALICE
– then
they
all
collapse.
And
finally
he
joins
them.
Comments
like
‘Arriving
Hamburg
midnight
tonight’
‚ ‘I
thought
he
was
sick’,
‘He
said
“I’m
absolutely
delighted,
Mrs
Moore”‚’
‘Poor
Father
in
Germany’.
In
the
middle
of
this
release
UNCLE GEORGE
enters
right
in
his
usual
manner.
ALICE
sees
him
first
.
She
looks
at
him – then
makes
a
sudden
decision
.
She
rushes
to
EAMON
.)

ALICE:
Do me a favour, Eamon.

EAMON:
What?

ALICE:
A big favour – please.

EAMON:
What is it?

ALICE:
Uncle George – let us take him.

EAMON:
To London?

ALICE:
Please, Eamon.

EAMON:
He wouldn’t come.

ALICE:
Let me try. Please.

EAMON:
Would he come?