Collected Novels and Plays (70 page)

Authors: James Merrill

BOOK: Collected Novels and Plays

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(
He scatters the destroyed photograph.
)

Forgive me. If I talk as I have, senselessly, you must understand that I had glimpsed in your face something, a darkness, a mortality. Olga Vassilyevna, whoever you are, break the spell!

(
Softly.
)

Oh, in my heart I feel you have already done so! Have you already done so? I dare not look. Am I free? Will it end?

(
He turns. OLGA has risen and stands swaying, one handover her eyes.
)

You
are
ill! Good God!

OLGA:

Yes, I am ill. The doctors say I am dying. I want so much not to.

(
Too late, TITHONUS makes a move towards her.
)

Stay where you are. It will pass.

(
She goes out.
)

TITHONUS (
spent and bewildered, mechanically tastes his tea).

Cold … disgusting …

(
He puts down his glass, crosses to the easel and begins to dismount it. Enter FANYA and KONSTANTIN, dreamily oblivious of him.
)

FANYA:

But shan’t we perhaps one day go to Sorrento?

KONSTANTIN:

No.

FANYA:

To China? To California?

KONSTANTIN:

Never.

FANYA (
scattering leaves
):

Not even if I should wish it?

KONSTANTIN:

There will be no need to travel. My heart is so full. Fanya! All of life will be wherever we are!

FANYA:

But Italy won’t.

KONSTANTIN:

So much bad painting!

FANYA:

Not even when we’re rich?

KONSTANTIN:

We shall never be richer than we are now.

FANYA:

My dearest …. Look at the village! How short the days are now ….

KONSTANTIN (
suddenly
):

Fanya, do you see?

FANYA:

What?

KONSTANTIN (
pointing
):

A woman—down there! It’s not the path we came by …. No, right below us!

FANYA:

Oh! Isn’t she wonderfully pretty! I’ve never seen such hair—and her clothes! Who could she be?

(
Half-serious.
)

On second thought, Kostya, I don’t think it’s at all nice of you to look. She’s
too
pretty!

(
TITHONUS looks down, rises, waves his hand.
)

KONSTANTIN:

She sees us, look! she’s smiling! She’s waving her hand!

FANYA:

Do you
know
her?

(
OLGA enters. KONSTANTIN waves to the approaching figure.
)

Kostya!

KONSTANTIN:

It’s so silly of you to be jealous. Look, she’s out of sight.

FANYA:

Who
is
she? You waved to her!

TITHONUS:

You have just seen my wife, who has charmingly taken it upon herself to join us here.

FANYA (
turning
):

Oh, it’s our friend! We keep not seeing you!

KONSTANTIN:

Your wife, truly?

TITHONUS:

Why should you notice an old man? Yes, Sir, my wife.

OLGA:

Children, our excursion is over, come!

KONSTANTIN:

But we mustn’t leave now!

OLGA:

Indeed we must. The carriage will be waiting. Put those things in the basket.

FANYA:

Olga Vassilyevna, what is wrong?

OLGA:

Nothing, I assure you.

(
To TITHONUS.
)

What devotion to come this distance on foot, in her condition! One sees that you are a good husband, a happy man …. Hurry, Fanya!

(
To KONSTANTIN.
)

Help her, why don’t you?

(
To TITHONUS.
)

You’re pouting, aren’t you?—because I would not receive your confidences. Well, I forgive you.

TITHONUS:

To forgive is to forget.

OLGA:

As you wish. I don’t forgive you, then.

TITHONUS:

Nor I you.

(
Offering the serpent ring.
)

But would you accept, as a remembrance, this?

OLGA:

How could I rob you of your only—I meant to say, your most unusual treasure?

TITHONUS:

One likes to offer something with associations.

OLGA:

Then keep it. I don’t doubt there’s a story behind it.

(
Turning.
)

Are we ready, Fanya?

FANYA:

Nearly.

KONSTANTIN:

I don’t see that we have to hurry away.

AURORA (
offstage, calling
):

Where are you, darling?

FANYA (
closing the basket
):

There!

TITHONUS (
calling
):

This way!

(
To OLGA.
)

I should be most happy to present you to my wife.

OLGA:

Pray, make her our excuses.

(
To FANYA.
)

Lead the way down the mountainside,
chérie.

FANYA:

I think we have everything ….

(
To TITHONUS, sweetly.
)

Perhaps we’ll meet again. Mamma lets me have
my
friends to tea on Tuesdays. If you’re staying nearby—

OLGA (
warningly
):

Fanya!

FANYA (
to OLGA
):

Oh, shouldn’t I have …? I’m sorry.

(
Giving TITHONUS her hand.
)

Goodbye.

(
To KONSTANTIN.
)

Don’t leave the basket, Kostya!

(
She goes out, carrying the rug.
)

KONSTANTIN:

Olga Vassilyevna, I suspect you of a discourtesy!

OLGA:

How they talk, these young people! Take care of your own manners, Konstantin, and offer a sick old woman your arm. I must have the eyes of a cat, I can see nothing in this light.

(
She gives TITHONUS her hand. He kisses it.
)

Au revoir, Monsieur.

(
Turning.
)

Now where is Fanya, gone on ahead? Well, we shall have many things to tell the others, safe in the parlor, tonight ….

(
OLGA and KONSTANTIN go, leaving the basket.
)

AURORA (
offstage, closer
):

Tithonus!

TITHONUS:

I’m here! Are you all right?

AURORA:

Of course! I just wanted to see you!

TITHONUS:

I’ll pack my paints and join you down there!

AURORA:

Stay where you are! I’m not a bit out of breath!

TITHONUS:

You shouldn’t be climbing about!

AURORA:

What?

TITHONUS:

Nothing!

AURORA:

Who are you with?

TITHONUS:

Nobody!

AURORA:

I saw them!

TITHONUS:

I don’t know who they were! They’ve gone, anyhow!

AURORA (
very close
):

Why? They were charming! They waved to me!

KONSTANTIN (
re-entering
):

I left the basket after all. I hope I’m not—

(
He stops. AURORA enters, visibly pregnant and flushed.
)

TITHONUS (
to KONSTANTIN
):

She tries to do too much. It’s not right.

KONSTANTIN:

No, it’s not right …

AURORA (
to TITHONUS
):

Oh, what a climb! But here I am!

TITHONUS (
kissing her hand
):

Yes, here you are, at last.

AURORA:

But what a pretty spot! And you told me your friends had left!

(
To KONSTANTIN.
)

Good afternoon.

(
To TITHONUS.
)

I believe I have not met this gentleman.

TITHONUS:

I must confess, I—

KONSTANTIN:

Konstantin Stepanovitch Tschudin, at your service.

AURORA (
giving him her hand
):

I’m delighted. You’ll excuse my appearance. I was ordered—

TITHONUS:

You were ordered to confine yourself to the morning room.

AURORA (
in high spirits
):

Quite so, the morning room, where I belong, if I may have my little joke. But there were too many plants, the air was damp and green with
them, and before I knew it I was out of doors. As I walked through the village, a dozen wise old women with rosy wrinkled cheeks pressed round me, stroking me, kissing me, showing me the way ….

(
Her tone changes.
)

I’m all at once extraordinarily tired.

KONSTANTIN (
opening the basket
):

I’m certain we have a drop of cognac here.

TITHONUS:

I trust it’s not the sight of me that has tired you.

AURORA:

Darling, you’re peevish—why?

(
She picks up one or two bits of the torn photograph, vaguely puzzled?
)

Tell me what you’ve done today.

TITHONUS:

Oh, nothing, you know ….

KONSTANTIN:

A very interesting picture.

AURORA:

I’m so glad! May I see it?

TITHONUS (
coldly
):

I’d rather you didn’t. It’s unfinished, and I don’t know if I care enough to make the necessary changes.

(
Taking up his easel, paintbox, etc
)

Shall we be on our way?

AURORA (
accepting a glass from KONSTANTIN
):

Yes, I feel—oh, thank you, you’re very kind—quite at the end of my strength. It is a new feeling—

TITHONUS (
petulant
):

Aurora!

AURORA:

—and a curiously pleasant one …

(
She drinks, returns the glass, and picks up TITHONUS’s campstool.
)

… part of the great human adventure ….

(
She follows TITHONUS out.
)

ACT THREE

(
America, 1954. A garden adjoining the house of AURORA and TITHONUS. There is a reclining lawn chair among other pieces of garden furniture, a trellis and a neglected plot of geraniums. One feels that no other houses are nearby. It is early morning.
)

(
AURORA sits smoking. She is carelessly and unbecomingly dressed, without make-up. Within reach are gardening tools. After a moment MARK enters. He wears slacks and a white polo shirt.
)

MARK:

Lovely morning, isn’t it?

AURORA (
squinting
):

Who’s that? Oh. No, it isn’t lovely, since you ask.

MARK:

Perhaps you haven’t had your coffee.

AURORA:

I have, though. And a filthy egg. And don’t expect me to talk about it. My mind is a Black Hole.

(
He touches her neck.
)

And don’t make love to me!

MARK:

In that case I’ll help you with the flowers.

AURORA:

Flowers! They’re a simple scandal. I don’t want to weed them, I want to wring their necks. Get away from them, do, they’ll smear you from head to foot. I know.

MARK (
laughing
):

All right. What has happened?

AURORA:

Nothing that hasn’t happened for the last hundred years. It’s like the water-drop torture, it keeps accumulating. I ought at least to be thankful that the boy has come. The boy! He’s three times your age. Old enough to give his poor mother some advice. It’s clear that I can’t think any more.

MARK:

But that’s wonderful news! I thought I saw a strange car in the drive. When did he come?

AURORA:

At the crack of dawn. For his father’s birthday.

MARK:

You should be tremendously relieved.

AURORA:

How so?

MARK:

Why, just that he’ll take his share of the responsibility. He’s retired, he’s come home, hasn’t he? You’ll have a certain freedom to lead your own life, after these years of strain.

AURORA:

I don’t believe he’s staying.

MARK:

He’s not staying?

AURORA:

I can’t blame him. What did Tithonus and I ever do for him? That’s what he said to me, his own mother, who cooked his breakfast! But he was right.

MARK:

I don’t think I’m going to like Memnon.

AURORA:

He is awfully pompous to be one’s son. I suppose it’s the result of a military career. His father’s father was the same way.

MARK:

It wouldn’t hurt him to take over for a little while.