William Maugham - East of Suez - A Play in Seven Scenes

Daisy. [ To George.] Have we?

George. I hope so. But now I think I must bolt. I have a long Chinese document to translate. [ Holding out his hand to Daisy.] I hope you'll both be very happy.

Daisy. I think I'm going to like you.

George. Good-bye, Harry, old man.

Harry. I shall see you later on in the club, sha'n't I?

George. If I can get through my work.

[ He goes out.

Harry. What have you and George been talking about?

Daisy. We discussed the house. It'll be great fun buying the things for it.

Harry. I could have killed that old Chink for keeping me so long. I grudge every minute that I spend away from you.

Daisy. It's nice to be loved.

Harry. You do love me a little, don't you?

Daisy. A little more than a little, my lamb.

Harry. I wish I were more worth your while. You've made me feel so dissatisfied with myself. I'm such a rotter.

Daisy. You're not going to disagree with me already.

Harry. What about?

Daisy. About you. I think you're a perfect duck.

[ The Amah appears .

Harry. Hulloa, who's this?

Daisy. Oh, it's my amah.

Harry. I didn't recognize her for a moment.

Daisy. She doesn't approve of my being alone with strange gentlemen. She looks after me as if I was a child of ten.

Amah. Velly late, missy Daisy. Time you come along.

Harry. Oh, nonsense.

Daisy. She wants me to go and be fitted. She never lets me go out in Peking alone.

Harry. She's quite right.

Daisy. Amah, come and be introduced to the gentleman. He's going to be your master now.

Amah. [ Smiling, with little nods. ] Velly nice gentleman. You keep missy Daisy old amah – yes? Velly good amah – yes?

Daisy. She's been with me ever since I was a child.

Harry. Of course we'll keep her. She was with you when you were in Singapore?

Daisy. [ With a little sigh. ] Yes, I don't know what I should have done without her sometimes.

Harry. Oh, Daisy, I do want to make you forget all the unhappiness you have suffered.

[ He takes her in his arms and kisses her on the lips. The Amah chuckles to herself silently .

Scene: The Temple of Fidelity and Virtuous Inclination. The courtyard of the temple is shown. At the back is the sanctuary in which is seen the altar table; on this are two large vases in each of which are seven lotus flowers, gilt but discoloured by incense, and in the middle there is a sand-box in which are burning joss-sticks; behind is the image of Buddha. The sanctuary can be closed by huge doors. These are now open. A flight of steps leads up to it.

A service is finishing. The monks are seen on each side of the altar kneeling in two rows. They are clad in grey gowns and their heads are shaven. They sing the invocation to Buddha, repeating the same words over and over again in a monotonous chaunt. Daisy stands outside the sanctuary door, on the steps, listlessly . The Amah is squatting by her side . Now the service ends; the monks form a procession and two by two, still singing, come down the steps and go out. A tiny acolyte blows out the oil lamps and with an effort shuts the temple doors.

Daisy comes down the steps and sits on one of the lower ones . She is dreadfully bored.

Amah. What is the matter with my pletty one?

Daisy. What should be the matter?

Amah. [ With a snigger. ] Hi, hi. Old amah got velly good eyes in her head.

Daisy. [ As though talking to herself. ] I've got a husband who adores me and a nice house to live in. I've got a position and as much money as I want. I'm safe. I'm respectable. I ought to be happy.

Amah. I say, Harry no good, what for you wanchee marry? You say, I wanchee marry, I wanchee marry? Well, you married. What you want now?

Daisy. They say life is short. Good God, how long the days are.

Amah. You want pony – Harry give you pony. You want jade ring – Harry give you jade ring. You want sable coat – Harry give you sable coat. Why you not happy?

Daisy. I never said I wasn't happy.

Amah. Hi, hi.

Daisy. If you laugh like that I'll kill you.

Amah. You no kill old amah. You want old amah. I got something velly pletty for my little Daisy flower.

Daisy. Don't be an old fool. I'm not a child any more. [ Desperately. ] I'm growing older, older, older. And every day is just like every other day. I might as well be dead.

Amah. Look this pletty present old amah have got.

[ She takes a jade necklace out of her sleeve and puts it, smiling, into Daisy's hand .

Daisy. [ With sudden vivacity, ] Oh, what a lovely chain. It's beautiful jade. How much do they want for it?

Amah. It's a present for my little Daisy.

Daisy. For me? It must have cost five hundred dollars. Who is it from?

Amah. To-day is my little Daisy's wedding-day. She have married one year. Perhaps old amah want to give her little flower present.

Daisy. YOU! Have you ever given me anything but a beating?

Amah. Lee Tai Cheng pay me necklace and say you give to Daisy.

Daisy. You old hag. [ She flings the necklace away violently. ]

Amah. You silly. Worth plenty money. You no wanchee, I sell rich Amelican.

[ She is just going after the necklace, when Daisy catches her violently by the arm .

Daisy. How dare you? How dare you? I told you that you were never to let Lee Tai speak to you again.

Amah. You very angry, Daisy. You very angry before, but you go back to Lee Tai; he think perhaps you go back again.

Daisy. Tell him that I loathe the sight of him. Tell him that if I were starving I wouldn't take a penny from him. Tell him that if he dares to come round here I'll have him beaten till he screams.

Amah. Hi, hi.

Daisy. And you leave me alone, will you. Harry hates you. I've only got to say a word and he'll kick you out in five minutes.

Amah. What would my little Daisy do without old amah, hi, hi? What for you no talkee true? You think old amah no got eyes? [ With a cunning, arch look. ] I got something make you very glad. [ She takes a note out of her sleeve. ]

Daisy. What's that?

Amah. I got letter.

Daisy. [ Snatching it from her. ] Give it me. How dare you hide it?

Amah. Have come when you long Harry. I think perhaps you no wanchee read when Harry there. [Daisy tears it open .] What he say?

Daisy. [ Reading. ] "I'm awfully sorry I can't dine with you on Thursday, but I'm engaged. I've just remembered it's your wedding-day and I'll look in for a minute. Ask Harry if he'd like to ride with me."

Amah. Is that all?

Daisy. "Yours ever. George Conway."

Amah. You love him very much, George Conway?

Daisy. [ Taking no notice of her, passionately. ] At last. I haven't seen him for ten days. Ten mortal days. Oh, I want him. I want him.

Amah. Why you no talkee old amah?

Daisy. [ Desperately. ] I can't help myself. Oh, I love him so. What shall I do? I can't live without him. If you don't want me to die make him love me.

Amah. You see, you want old amah.

Daisy. Oh, I'm so unhappy. I think I shall go mad.

Amah. Sh, sh. Perhaps he love you too.

Daisy. Never. He hates me. Why does he avoid me? He never comes here. At first he was always looking in. He used to come out and dine two or three days a week. What have I done to him? He only comes now because he does not want to offend Harry. Harry, Harry, what do I care for Harry?

Amah. Sh. Don't let him see. Give amah the letter.