Jane Bowles - My Sister's Hand in Mine - The Collected Works of Jane Bowles

GERTRUDE Don’t you read?

MRS. CONSTABLE I would love to read but I have trouble with concentration.

MR. SOLARES ( Coming over and crouching next to MRS. CONSTABLE on his heels ) How are you feeling today, Mrs. Constable? What’s new?

MRS. CONSTABLE Not very well, thank you. I’m a little bit blue. That’s why I thought I’d get a look at my bird.

MR. SOLARES ( Still to MRS. CONSTABLE) You’re looking real good. ( Studying her crocheted dress ) That’s handwork, ain’t it?

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Startled ) Why, yes.

MR. SOLARES You like turtle steak?

MRS. CONSTABLE What?

MR. SOLARES Turtle steak. You like it, Mrs. Constable?

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Stammering, bewildered ) Oh, yes …

GERTRUDE Mr. Solares!

MR. SOLARES ( Looking up ) What is it?

GERTRUDE Perhaps I might try chop suey with you, after all. Did it originate in China or is it actually an American dish?

MR. SOLARES I don’t know, Miss Eastman Cuevas.

( Quickly turns again to MRS. CONSTABLE.)

MRS. LOPEZ ( Loudly to GERTRUDE) Now you want to go eat chop suey because he’s talkin’ to the other lady. You be careful, Señora Eastman Cuevas or you gonna lose him.

( She chuckles. )

GERTRUDE ( Furious but ignoring MRS. LOPEZ) I thought we might try some tonight, Mr. Solares — that is, if you’d like to … ( Bitterly ) Or have you lost your taste for chop suey?

MR. SOLARES No, it’s good. ( Turning to MRS. CONSTABLE again ) I’ll call you up in your hotel and we’ll go eat a real good turtle steak with fried potatoes one night. One steak would be too big for you, Mrs. Constable. You look like a dainty eater. Am I right?

GERTRUDE ( Turns and sees MOLLY sitting on the rock ) Molly, we met Lionel. He’s bringing the coats. ( She sees MOLLY’S stricken face and questions her ) Molly, what’s happened? (MOLLY doesn’t answer ) What is it, Molly? What’s happened to you … Molly … what happened? What is it, Molly? ( Looking around for VIVIAN) Where’s Vivian? (MOLLY still does not answer ) Molly … Where is she? Where’s Vivian?

MOLLY ( In a quavering voice ) She’s gathering shells …

(MRS. CONSTABLE rises and starts looking vaguely for VIVIAN. Then she sits down again. GERTRUDE gathers her composure after a moment and speaks to MR. SOLARES.)

GERTRUDE ( Starts off and meets LIONEL) Mr. Solares, I’m going home. It’s windy and cold … The clouds are getting thicker every minute … The sun’s not coming out again. I’m going back to the house.

LIONEL ( Entering with the coats ) I brought these … I brought one for Vivian too.… Where’s Vivian?

GERTRUDE ( Takes sweater from LIONEL) She’s gathering shells. ( She puts sweater on MOLLY’S shoulders ) Molly, put this on, you’ll freeze. ( She starts off and calls to MR. SOLARES) I’m going home.

(MOLLY rises and starts to leave and comes face to face with MRS. CONSTABLE. They look at each other a moment. MOLLY then rushes off, following her mother. MRS. CONSTABLE goes back to the rock. MR. SOLARES and the Spanish people start to gather up their stuff and prepare to leave. )

MR. SOLARES We’re coming right away, Miss Eastman Cuevas. ( He gives the servants orders in Spanish. Then to MRS. CONSTABLE) Come on back to the house and I’ll mix up some drinks.

MRS. CONSTABLE No, thank you.

MRS. LOPEZ ( Butting into the conversation ) You don’t come?

MR. SOLARES ( To MRS. LOPEZ) Acaba de decir, no thank you … ¿no oyes nunca?

( The Spanish people all exit noisily. )

LIONEL ( As he leaves, sees MRS. CONSTABLE alone ) Aren’t you coming Mrs. Constable?

MRS. CONSTABLE I think I’ll sit here and wait for my bird.

LIONEL But she might climb up the cliffs and go home around the other way. It’s getting colder Mrs. Constable … I could wait with you …

MRS. CONSTABLE I don’t want to talk. No, I’ll just sit here and wait a little while.

LIONEL ( Going off ) Don’t worry, Mrs. Constable. She’ll be all right.

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Left alone on the stage ) I get so frightened, I never know where she’s going to end up.

The Curtain Falls Slowly

Scene iii

Same as Scene i. There is an improvised stand in the upper right-hand corner of the garden (the corner from the house), festooned with crepe paper and laden with a number of hot dogs, as well as part of a wedding cake and other things. MOLLY is leaning against the stand wearing a simple wedding dress with a round shirred neck. She has removed her veil and she looks more like a girl graduating from school than like a bride. She is eating a hot dog. The stage is flooded with sunlight.

GERTRUDE ( Also in bridal costume. She is sitting on a straight-backed chair in the middle of the garden, with her own dress hiked above her ankles, revealing bedroom slippers with pompons. Eyeing MOLLY) Molly! You don’t have to stuff yourself just because the others stuffed so much that they had to go and lie down! After all, you and I are brides even if I did take off my shoes. But they pinched so, I couldn’t bear it another minute. Don’t get mustard spots all over your dress. You’ll want to show it to your grandchildren some day.

(MOLLY’S mouth is so full that she is unable to answer. The hags and ESPERANZA are lying with their heads under the stand, for shade, and their legs sticking way out into the garden. MRS. CONSTABLE is wandering around in a widow’s outfit, with hat and veil. She holds a champagne glass in her hand. )

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Stopping beside GERTRUDE’S chair ) I don’t know where to go or what to do next. I can’t seem to tear myself away from you or Mr. Solares or Mrs. Lopez or Molly. Isn’t that a ridiculous reaction? ( She is obviously tight ) I feel linked to you. That’s the only way I can explain it. I don’t ever want to have any other friends. It’s as if I had been born right here in this garden and had never lived anywhere before in my life. Isn’t that funny? I don’t want ever to have any other friends. Don’t leave me please. ( She throws her arms around GERTRUDE) I don’t know where to go. Don’t leave me.

( She squeezes GERTRUDE for a moment in silence. )

GERTRUDE Now you must stop brooding. Can’t you occupy yourself with something?

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Firmly ) I’m not brooding. I can think about it without feeling a thing, because if you must know it’s just not real to me. I can’t believe it. Now what does seem real is that you and Mr. Solares are going away and deserting me and Mrs. Lopez and Molly and Lionel too. And I don’t want to be anywhere except in this garden with all of you. Isn’t it funny? Not that I’m enjoying myself, but it’s all that I want to do, just hang around in this garden. ( She goes over to the stand rather unsteadily and pours some champagne into her glass out of a bottle. She takes a few sips, then bitterly in a changed tone ) I want to stay right here, by this stand.

GERTRUDE ( Looking over her shoulder at MRS. CONSTABLE) Drinking’s not the answer to anything.

MRS. CONSTABLE Answer? Who said anything about answers? I don’t want any answers. It’s too late for answers. Not that I ever asked much anyway. ( Angrily ) I never cared for answers. You can take your answers and flush them down the toilet. I want to be able to stay here. Right here where I am, and never, never leave this garden. Why don’t you have a drink, or one of these lousy hot dogs? ( She brushes a few hot dogs off the stand, onto the grass. MOLLY stoops down and picks them up ) Let’s stay here, Gertrude Eastman Cuevas, please.