Collected Novels and Plays (65 page)
Read Collected Novels and Plays Online
Authors: James Merrill
(
Gives it to him.
)
Oh Mrs. Mallow, I clean forgot your tea!
MRS. MALLOW:
I’ll have it in the kitchen, Jeannie, presently.
(
Exit MAID.
)
LAOMEDON (
reading
):
Ha! It seems we are now connected with Ireland, by submarine telegraph.
MRS. MALLOW:
What will they think of next?
LAOMEDON:
A year ago it was France. Well, to work. I slept last night like a child.
(
He goes out.
)
MRS. MALLOW:
Shame on you, Tithonus, for talking so to your father, with all the sorrow in his heart.
(
Opening the trunk.
)
I can’t think what’s got into you. You used to be such a sweet, considerate boy. You’d come running to show me things you’d found, a caterpillar, an odd stone ….
TITHONUS:
I’ve made a decision, Mrs. Mallow. I can’t stay at home any longer. I don’t belong here.
MRS. MALLOW (
bustling about, not quite listening
):
Now if you’re going to take up my precious time with nonsense—Not belong here, indeed!
TITHONUS:
Everything’s changed, yet everything’s the same. You heard Father—pompous, callous, as ever before. In a strange way I’m relieved that Mother’s dead.
MRS. MALLOW:
I understand that, dear. She suffered greatly, and now she’s no longer in pain.
TITHONUS:
No. I’m relieved for
my
sake. I’m not bound by her love. It will be easier to go away.
MRS. MALLOW:
And where had you thought of going, may I ask?
(
Pointedly.
)
And with whom?
TITHONUS:
Anywhere. Italy, Africa, Sweden, Constantinople. If Father were dead, it would be easier yet!
MRS. MALLOW (
shocked
):
Hush now! As if easiness were all we looked for!
TITHONUS:
And if
you
were dead, too, I could walk out that door, through the orchard, whistling a song. Don’t mistake me, I mean it tenderly!
MRS. MALLOW:
Enough, Tithonus! Life and death are sacred things. We do not make jokes about them.
TITHONUS:
I don’t want anybody dead. But I don’t want to die myself—I’m too young! So much is expected of me. I’ve done nothing yet to make my name endure, to give me immortality ….
MRS. MALLOW:
There are other ways to make your name endure. For instance, when you have children of your own—
TITHONUS:
I never want to have children. It’s too cruel, that a child should suffer as it does!
(
Pause.
)
MRS. MALLOW:
Tithonus, dear, believe me, this spell of terrible loneliness is at an end. I’ve been lonely, too, sitting by that bed in silence.
(
Taking a shawl which TITHONUS has picked up, and placing it in the trunk.
)
I may not be a woman of much learning, but I’ve learned about life. I’ve sat by many a deathbed.
(
Warmly.
)
Oh, I have such hopes for you, Tithonus! You’re turning into such a fine, clever young man!
TITHONUS:
But I don’t want to
turn
into anything! Change is what I’ve always hated—to see people, like leaves on fire, twisted and crumpled by life ….
MRS. MALLOW:
No. There is no such violence. At times the eyes remain open, and must be shut.
(
More softly.
)
Dying is part of life, Tithonus. It happens to us from day to day.
TITHONUS:
That’s the terrible compromise you make! You let it happen!
MRS. MALLOW:
Yes. We let it happen.
(
Holding out her arms in a motherly gesture.
)
Dear child, dear indignant child, we have no choice!
(
Pause. TITHONUS appears to falter, then slowly draws away from her and goes out. After a moment, MRS. MALLOW resumes her packing, A burst of sunlight on the stage, which has been gradually brightening, Grieg “Morning” music. MRS. MALLOW looks up fatalistically.
)
I might have known, it never rains but it pours.
AURORA (
offstage
):
Tithonus! Lazy one!
(
The French doors part. AURORA stands on the threshold, a young girl of the period, wearing a pale, flowered dress, her hair in a Grecian knot.
)
Oh! He’s not here? It’s true, he wasn’t expecting me this week, but—
(
Laughing, advancing.
)
You
weren’t expecting me either, judging from your expression. It’s been ages since I’ve seen you. You’re always somewhere else when I come. But I daresay you keep up with me through Tithonus.
MRS. MALLOW:
Hardly. He never speaks of you, Aurora.
AURORA:
Perhaps not to you. Oh, look at all the clothes! Whose are they?
(
Holds up a dress, which MRS. MALLOW takes and places in the trunk.
)
Where is Tithonus?
MRS. MALLOW:
I couldn’t say. Look for him, why don’t you?
AURORA (
starting out
):
Thank you, I shall.
MRS. MALLOW:
Aurora, I have this to say, and then I shall leave you. Take care of what you’re doing to the boy. Your influence upon him is a pernicious one. I’m sure you don’t mean it so, but the truth is, you stand in his way, in the way of his maturity. You encourage Tithonus to stay a
child. I don’t know what else you could do, being so much a child yourself. A lovely child, yes, that’s what you are.
(
AURORA begins to giggle.
)
I hadn’t hoped to provide entertainment for you.
AURORA:
Have you ever been told that your mouth works in a most killing way when you talk, as though you were eating something? I’m sorry, I’m not really laughing at that. Isn’t it a beautiful day? You feel that you want to laugh on a day like this!
(
Inspecting a cloak.
)
What a pretty cloak! I love other people’s clothes, don’t you?
MRS. MALLOW:
Is it necessary to stand on it in order to admire it?
(
AURORA wanders about.
)
You’re beyond your depth with Tithonus. What’s right for you isn’t right for him.
(
AURORA tries on a bonnet.
)
Kindly put that down!
AURORA:
You’re wrong about Tithonus, you know. He has a very special sensibility—more like one of
us.
You don’t do justice to him. I do.
MRS. MALLOW:
Call it justice if you like. I don’t.
AURORA:
Tell me something—oh, it’s no concern of mine—but why do you wear black? Granted it
does
express the real you, still it’s not becoming. Besides, Tithonus is very handsome, don’t you agree?
MRS. MALLOW:
Goodbye, Aurora. One day you will recognize my usefulness, my good influence, and understand—
AURORA:
I understand enough to know sour grapes when I smell them. We even have
that
up there!
MRS. MALLOW:
You have not only the comprehension but the cruelty of a child. One day
he
will understand that.
(
She goes out.
)
AURORA (
to herself
):
Small wonder the English climate is what it is. What do they ever do to
make
the sun shine?
(
Sees the GARDENER in the garden.
)
You there! Joseph? James?
GARDENER (
starts, then, blushing with pleasure, crosses the threshold
):
Oh, it’s you, Miss! Lovely morning, Miss.
AURORA:
Why, thank you!
GARDENER:
I had a feeling you’d be coming, soon as the sky cleared.
AURORA:
Well, here I am. Have you seen Tithonus?
GARDENER:
Yes, Miss. He just now walked out the front door and settled himself by the apple tree. Wrapped in thought.
AURORA:
Tell him I’ve come, will you please?
GARDENER:
Yes, Miss.
AURORA (
seeing that he does not go
):
What is it?
GARDENER:
Oh, Miss, I—I can’t explain. No offense meant.
AURORA:
I shall never be offended by those who find me beautiful, Joseph.
GARDENER:
John, Miss.
AURORA:
John. Now will you call Tithonus?
GARDENER:
Right away, Miss.
(
Exit. AURORA, alone, tries on the cloak and bonnet before a mirror, humming to herself. TITHONUS enters from the garden and stops, unable to choose between laughter and tears.
)
TITHONUS:
Is it you?
AURORA (
turning
):
I couldn’t wait. I know you didn’t—
TITHONUS:
What are you doing?
AURORA:
Doing? Oh,
(
Laughing.
)
I was seeing if I could look mortal—do I?
TITHONUS:
Yes.
AURORA:
You didn’t want to see me today, you’re sorry I came—but, my darling, it’s been five days!
TITHONUS:
Aurora! You’ve never looked more beautiful! Your beautiful eyes, your throat …. I’ve missed you, Aurora, I’ve needed you ….
AURORA:
But you told me not to come! You never say what you mean.
TITHONUS:
But you’re here! You always do the right thing, whatever I say.
AURORA:
I hope I always shall. Even so, darling, you must
tell me
what you feel and what you need. Don’t let’s have any confusion. This is love, this
is love for the first time, and often I’m on pins and needles. I’m so frightfully unsound—ethically? Is that the word?
(
Starts to take off the bonnet.
)
TITHONUS:
No, stay as you are for a moment! Aurora, I’ve never loved you so much!
AURORA:
For myself, I know what I need—the sense of its having put forth leaves, our love, like the apple tree out there, where I saw you first, through the blossoms, reading, with a blossom in your mouth. “I want that,” I said to myself.
Now
look at our tree—greener and golder and growing stronger. I feel all this has happened because of me, and I am proud of the loveliness around me, for being equal to the love within me. Whose
clothes are these?
TITHONUS:
My mother’s.
AURORA:
I like her so much, you know. Is she going away?
(
Remembers.
)
Oh, of course, she’s—That was why you told me not to come.
(
Instinctively removes bonnet and cloak, placing them in the trunk.
)
I imagine you loved her very dearly. A pity you haven’t a really good photograph of her.
(
Embarrassed.
)
Photography—it’s rather a new thing I’ve been learning about. I’d thought of taking it up as a hobby …. Oh, will I
ever
know what to say at such moments?
TITHONUS:
Now father’s sending away her clothes.
AURORA:
Very sensible of him!
TITHONUS:
That was
not
the thing to say.
AURORA:
You’ve had a row with him? Another one?
LAOMEDON (
offstage
):
Tithonus!
AURORA:
Here he is!
(
TITHONUS groans.
)
Well, don’t let him get the better of you!
LAOMEDON (
enters, fully dressed
):
Tithonus, I was thinking—oh, excuse me, Aurora. Have you succeeded in cheering up your young friend?
AURORA:
Oh, how much you disapprove of me!
LAOMEDON:
You have never heard me say so.
AURORA:
Precisely! If you
had
, I’d have felt some grudging fondness, some weak little seed of liking, for me to warm into flower. It’s unnatural of you! I
am
likable!
LAOMEDON:
I’m pleased to have it from your own mouth.
AURORA:
What’s more, Laomedon, I don’t like to be disliked.
LAOMEDON:
Who does? That must be your human side.
(
To TITHONUS.
)
I came to ask if you cared to go with me to the village in about an hour.
TITHONUS:
I think not, Father, thank you.
LAOMEDON:
My thought was to find some occupation for you, until you return to the University. Mr. Hobbs, for instance, might let you work in his office, if only to oblige me. That would be a most valuable experience.
TITHONUS:
I’ve told you, Father, that I don’t intend to return to the University.
LAOMEDON:
And I replied that we would see about that.
TITHONUS:
And I don’t intend to be embalmed in a lawyer’s office.
LAOMEDON:
Perhaps you have some alternative of your own.
TITHONUS:
My alternative is to do exactly as I do.
LAOMEDON:
In that case I have something to say to you.