Уильям Моэм - The Circle

LADY KITTY. It hasn't made my eyelashes run, has it?

PORTEOUS. Not a bit.

LADY KITTY. It's very good stuff I use now. They don't stick together either.

PORTEOUS. Look here, Kitty, how much longer do you want to stay here?

LADY KITTY. Oh, I'm quite ready to go whenever you like.

PORTEOUS. Clive gets on my nerves. I don't like the way he keeps hanging about you.

LADY KITTY. [ Surprised, rather amused, and delighted. ] Hughie, you don't mean to say you're jealous of poor Clive?

PORTEOUS. Of course I'm not jealous of him, but he does look at you in a way that I can't help thinking rather objectionable.

LADY KITTY. Hughie, you may throw me downstairs like Amy Robsart; you may drag me about the floor by the hair of my head; I don't care, you're jealous. I shall never grow old.

PORTEOUS. Damn it all, the man was your husband.

LADY KITTY. My dear Hughie, he never had your style. Why, the moment you come into a room everyone looks and says: "Who the devil is that?"

PORTEOUS. What? You think that, do you? Well, I daresay there's something in what you say. These damned Radicals can say what they like, but, by God, Kitty! when a man's a gentleman—well, damn it all, you know what I mean.

LADY KITTY. I think Clive has degenerated dreadfully since we left him.

PORTEOUS. What do you say to making a bee–line for Italy and going to San Michele?

LADY KITTY. Oh, Hughie! It's years since we were there.

PORTEOUS. Wouldn't you like to see it again—just once more?

LADY KITTY. Do you remember the first time we went? It was the most heavenly place I'd ever seen. We'd only left England a month, and I said I'd like to spend all my life there.

PORTEOUS. Of course I remember. And in a fortnight it was yours, lock, stock and barrel.

LADY KITTY. We were very happy there, Hughie.

PORTEOUS. Let's go back once more.

LADY KITTY. I daren't. It must be all peopled with the ghosts of our past. One should never go again to a place where one has been happy. It would break my heart.

PORTEOUS. Do you remember how we used to sit on the terrace of the old castle and look at the Adriatic? We might have been the only people in the world, you and I, Kitty.

LADY KITTY. [ Tragically. ] And we thought our love would last for ever.

[ Enter CHAMPION–CHENEY.

PORTEOUS. Is there any chance of bridge this evening?

C.–C. I don't think we can make up a four.

PORTEOUS. What a nuisance that boy went away like that! He wasn't a bad player.

C.–C. Teddie Luton?

LADY KITTY. I think it was very funny his going without saying good–bye to anyone.

C.–C. The young men of the present day are very casual.

PORTEOUS. I thought there was no train in the evening.

C.–C. There isn't. The last train leaves at 5.45.

PORTEOUS. How did he go then?

C.–C. He went.

PORTEOUS. Damned selfish I call it.

LADY KITTY. [ Intrigued. ] Why did he go, Clive?

[ CHAMPION–CHENEY looks at her for a moment reflectively.

C.–C. I have something very grave to say to you. Elizabeth wants to leave Arnold.

LADY KITTY. Clive! What on earth for?

C.–C. She's in love with Teddie Luton. That's why he went. The men of my family are really very unfortunate.

PORTEOUS. Does she want to run away with him?

LADY KITTY. [ With consternation. ] My dear, what's to be done?

C.–C. I think you can do a great deal.

LADY KITTY. I? What?

C.–C. Tell her, tell her what it means.

[ He looks at her fixedly. She stares at him.

LADY KITTY. Oh, no, no!

C.–C. She's a child. Not for Arnold's sake. For her sake. You must.

LADY KITTY. You don't know what you're asking.

C.–C. Yes, I do.

LADY KITTY. Hughie, what shall I do?

PORTEOUS. Do what you like. I shall never blame you for anything.

[ The FOOTMAN comes in with a letter on a salver. He hesitates on seeing that ELIZABETH is not in the room.

C.–C. What is it?

FOOTMAN. I was looking for Mrs. Champion–Cheney, sir.

C.–C. She's not here. Is that a letter?

FOOTMAN. Yes, sir. It's just been sent up from the "Champion Arms."

C.–C. Leave it. I'll give it to Mrs. Cheney.

FOOTMAN. Very good, sir.

[ He brings the tray to CLIVE, who takes the letter. The FOOTMAN goes out.

PORTEOUS. Is the "Champion Arms" the local pub?

C.–C. [ Looking at the letter. ] It's by way of being a hotel, but I never heard of anyone staying there.

LADY KITTY. If there was no train I suppose he had to go there.

C.–C. Great minds. I wonder what he has to write about! [ He goes to the door leading on to the garden. ] Elizabeth!

ELIZABETH. [ Outside. ] Yes.

C.–C. Here's a note for you.

[ There is silence. They wait for ELIZABETH to come. She enters.

ELIZABETH. It's lovely in the garden to–night.

C.–C. They've just sent this up from the "Champion Arms."

ELIZABETH. Thank you.

[ Without embarrassment she opens the letter. They watch her while she reads it. It covers three pages. She puts it away in her bag.

LADY KITTY. Hughie, I wish you'd fetch me a cloak. I'd like to take a little stroll in the garden, but after thirty years in Italy I find these English summers rather chilly.

[ Without a word PORTEOUS goes out. ELIZABETH is lost in thought.

I want to talk to Elizabeth, Clive.

C.–C. I'll leave you.

[ He goes out.

LADY KITTY. What does he say?

ELIZABETH. Who?

LADY KITTY. Mr. Luton.

ELIZABETH. [ Gives a little start. Then she looks at LADY KITTY. ] They've told you?

LADY KITTY. Yes. And now they have I think I knew it all along.

ELIZABETH. I don't expect you to have much sympathy for me. Arnold is your son.

LADY KITTY. So pitifully little.

ELIZABETH. I'm not suited for this sort of existence. Arnold wants me to take what he calls my place in Society. Oh, I get so bored with those parties in London. All those middle–aged painted women, in beautiful clothes, lolloping round ball–rooms with rather old young men. And the endless luncheons where they gossip about so–and–so's love affairs.

LADY KITTY. Are you very much in love with Mr. Luton?

ELIZABETH. I love him with all my heart.

LADY KITTY. And he?

ELIZABETH. He's never cared for anyone but me. He never will.

LADY KITTY. Will Arnold let you divorce him?

ELIZABETH. No, he won't hear of it. He refuses even to divorce me.

LADY KITTY. Why?

ELIZABETH. He thinks a scandal will revive all the old gossip.

LADY KITTY. Oh, my poor child!

ELIZABETH. It can't be helped. I'm quite willing to accept the consequences.

LADY KITTY. You don't know what it is to have a man tied to you only by his honour. When married people don't get on they can separate, but if they're not married it's impossible. It's a tie that only death can sever.

ELIZABETH. If Teddie stopped caring for me I shouldn't want him to stay with me for five minutes.

LADY KITTY. One says that when one's sure of a man's love, but when one isn't any more—oh, it's so different. In those circumstances one's got to keep a man's love. It's the only thing one has.

ELIZABETH. I'm a human being. I can stand on my own feet.

LADY KITTY. Have you any money of your own?

ELIZABETH. None.

LADY KITTY. Then how can you stand on your own feet? You think I'm a silly, frivolous woman, but I've learned something in a bitter school. They can make what laws they like, they can give us the suffrage, but when you come down to bedrock it's the man who pays the piper who calls the tune. Woman will only be the equal of man when she earns her living in the same way that he does.