George Bernard Shaw - Pygmalion and Three Other Plays

LOUIS Seriously and faithfully. [Embracing her] Ah, my love, how right you are! how much it means to me to have you by me to guard me against living too much in the skies. On my solemn oath, from this moment forth I will never borrow another penny.

MRS DUBEDAT [delighted] Ah, thats right. Does his wicked worrying wife torment him and drag him down from the clouds. [She kisses him]. And now, dear, wont you finish those drawings for Maclean?

LOUIS Oh, they dont matter. Ive got nearly all the money from him in advance.

MRS DUBEDAT But, dearest, that is just the reason why you should finish them. He asked me the other day whether you really intended to finish them.

LOUIS Confound his impudence! What the devil does he take me for? Now that just destroys all my interest in the beastly job. Ive a good mind to throw up the commission, and pay him back his money.

MRS DUBEDAT We cant afford that, dear. You had better finish the drawings and have done with them. I think it is a mistake to accept money in advance.

LOUIS But how are we to live?

MRS DUBEDAT Well, Louis, it is getting hard enough as it is, now that they are all refusing to pay except on delivery.

LOUIS Damn those fellows! they think of nothing and care for nothing but their wretched money.

MRS DUBEDAT Still, if they pay us, they ought to have what they pay for.

LOUIS [coaxing] There now: thats enough lecturing for to-day. Ive promised to be good, havnt I?

MRS DUBEDAT [putting her arms round his neck] You know that I hate lecturing, and that I dont for a moment misunderstand you, dear, dont you?

LOUIS [fondly] I know. I know. I’m a wretch; and youre an angel. Oh, if only I were strong enough to work steadily, I’d make my darling’s house a temple, and her shrine a chapel more beautiful than was ever imagined. I cant pass the shops without wrestling with the temptation to go in and order all the really good things they have for you.

MRS DUBEDAT I want nothing but you, dear. [She gives him a caress, to which he responds so passionately that she disengages herself]. There! be good now: remember that the doctors are coming this morning. Isnt it extraordinarily kind of them, Louis, to insist on coming? all of them, to consult about you?

LOUIS [coolly] Oh, I daresay they think it will be a feather in their cap to cure a rising artist. They wouldnt come if it didnt amuse them, anyhow. [Someone knocks at the door]. I say: it’s not time yet, is it?

MRS DUBEDAT No, not quite yet.

LOUIS [opening the door and finding RIDGEON there] Hello, Ridgeon. Delighted to see you. Come in.

MRS DUBEDAT [shaking hands] It’s so good of you to come, doctor.

LOUIS Excuse this place, wont you? It’s only a studio, you know: theres no real convenience for living here. But we pig along somehow, thanks to Jennifer.

MRS DUBEDAT Now I’ll run away. Perhaps later on, when youre finished with Louis, I may come in and hear the verdict. [RIDGEON bows rather constrainedly]. Would you rather I didnt?

RIDGEON Not at all. Not at all.

MRS DUBEDAT looks at him, a little puzzled by his formal manner; then goes into the inner room.

LOUIS [ flippantly ] I say: dont look so grave. Theres nothing awful going to happen, is there?

RIDGEON No.

LOUIS Thats all right. Poor Jennifer has been looking forward to your visit more than you can imagine. She’s taken quite a fancy to you, Ridgeon. The poor girl has nobody to talk to: I’m always painting. [Taking up a sketch] Theres a little sketch I made of her yesterday.

RIDGEON She shewed it to me a fortnight ago when she first called on me.

LOUIS [quite unabashed] Oh! did she? Good Lord! how time does fly! I could have sworn I’d only just finished it. It’s hard for her here, seeing me piling up drawings and nothing coming in for them. Of course I shall sell them next year fast enough, after my one-man-show; but while the grass grows the steed starves. I hate to have her coming to me for money, and having none to give her. But what can I do?

RIDGEON I understood that Mrs Dubedat had some property of her own.

LOUIS Oh yes, a little; but how could a man with any decency of feeling touch that? Suppose I did, what would she have to live on if I died? I’m not insured: cant afford the premiums. [Picking out another drawing] How do you like that?

RIDGEON [putting it aside] I have not come here to-day to look at your drawings. I have more serious and pressing business with you.

LOUIS You want to sound my wretched lung. [With impulsive candor] My dear Ridgeon: I’ll be frank with you. Whats the matter in this house isnt lungs but bills. It doesnt matter about me; but Jennifer has actually to economize in the matter of food.Youve made us feel that we can treat you as a friend. Will you lend us a hundred and fifty pounds?

RIDGEON No.

LOUIS [surprised] Why not?

RIDGEON I am not a rich man; and I want every penny I can spare and more for my researches.

LOUIS You mean youd want the money back again.

RIDGEON I presume people sometimes have that in view when they lend money.

LOUIS (after a moment’s reflection] Well, I can manage that for you. I’ll give you a cheque — or see here: theres no reason why you shouldnt have your bit too: I’ll give you a cheque for two hundred.

RIDGEON Why not cash the cheque at once without troubling me?

LOUIS Bless you! they wouldnt cash it: I’m overdrawn as it is. No: the way to work it is this. I’ll post-date the cheque next October. In October Jennifer’s dividends come in. Well, you present the cheque. It will be returned marked “refer to drawer” or some rubbish of that sort. Then you can take it to Jennifer, and hint that if the cheque isnt taken up at once I shall be put in prison. She’ll pay you like a shot. Youll clear £50; and youll do me a real service; for I do want the money very badly, old chap, I assure you.

RIDGEON [staring at him] You see no objection to the transaction ; and you anticipate none from me!

LOUIS Well, what objection can there be? It’s quite safe. I can convince you about the dividends.

RIDGEON I mean on the score of its being — shall I say dis honorable ?

LOUIS Well, of course I shouldnt suggest it if I didnt want the money.

RIDGEON Indeed! Well, you will have to find some other means of getting it.

LOUIS Do you mean that you refuse?

RIDGEON Do I mean — ! [letting his indignation loose] Of course I refuse, man. What do you take me for? How dare you make such a proposal to me?

LOUIS Why not?

RIDGEON Faugh! You would not understand me if I tried to explain. Now, once for all, I will not lend you a farthing. I should be glad to help your wife; but lending you money is no service to her.

LOUIS Oh well, if youre in earnest about helping her, I’ll tell you what you might do. You might get your patients to buy some of my things, or to give me a few portrait commissions.

RIDGEON My patients call me in as a physician, not as a commercial traveller.

A knock at the door. LOUIS goes unconcernedly to open it, pursuing the subject as he goes.

LOUIS But you must have great influence with them . You must know such lots of things about them — private things that they wouldnt like to have known. They wouldnt dare to refuse you.

RIDGEON [exploding] Well, upon my — LOUIS opens the door, and admits SIR PATRICK, SIR RALPH, and WALPOLE.

RIDGEON [proceeding furiously) Walpole: Ive been here hardly ten minutes; and already he’s tried to borrow ? 150 from me. Then he proposed that I should get the money for him by blackmailing his wife; and youve just interrupted him in the act of suggesting that I should blackmail my patients into sitting to him for their portraits.