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

GERTRUDE You’re being silly, Mrs. Constable. I know you’re upset, but still you realize that I’ve sold the house and that Molly and I are going on honeymoons.

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Vaguely ) What about Mrs. Lopez?

GERTRUDE Well, now, I guess she has her own affairs to attend to, and Frederica. Mrs. Constable, I think a sanatorium would be the best solution for you until you are ready to face the world again.

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Thickly ) What world?

GERTRUDE Come now, Mrs. Constable, you know what I mean.

MRS. CONSTABLE I know you’re trying to be a bitch!

GERTRUDE Mrs. Constable … I … ( She turns to MOLLY who has come to her side ) Molly, go inside. At once … (MOLLY runs into the house ) Mrs. Constable, you ought to be ashamed. I won’t tolerate such …

MRS. CONSTABLE You have no understanding or feeling. Mrs. Lopez is much nicer than you are. You’re very coarse. I know that even if I do hate to read. You’re coarse, coarse and selfish. Two awful things to be. But I’m stuck here anyway so what difference does it make?

GERTRUDE ( Refusing to listen to any more of her rambling ) Mrs. Constable, I’m surprised at you. I’m going in. I won’t put up with this. What would Vivian think …

MRS. CONSTABLE Vivian was a bird. How do you know anything about birds? Vivian understood everything I did. Vivian loved me even if she did answer back and act snippy in company. She was much too delicate to show her true feelings all over the place like you do and like I do.

GERTRUDE ( Crossing to MRS. CONSTABLE) I’ve never in my life shown my feelings. I don’t know what you’re talking about!

MRS. CONSTABLE ( Reeling about at the wedding table ) I don’t know what I’m talking about … ( She grabs a bottle of champagne and offers it to GERTRUDE) Have another drink, Miss Eastman Cuevas.

GERTRUDE ( In disgust grabs the bottle from her and puts it on the table ) I don’t like to drink!

MRS. CONSTABLE Then have a hot dog. ( She drops it at GERTRUDE’S feet. GERTRUDE starts toward the house. MRS. CONSTABLE stops her ) You and I grew up believing this kind of thing would never happen to us or to any of ours.

GERTRUDE What?

MRS. CONSTABLE We were kept far away from tragedy, weren’t we?

GERTRUDE No, Mrs. Constable. None of us have been kept from it.

MRS. CONSTABLE Yes, well, now it’s close to me, because Vivian hopped off a cliff — just like a cricket.

GERTRUDE Life is tragic, Mrs. Constable.

MRS. CONSTABLE I don’t want tragic.

GERTRUDE ( Can’t put up with it any more ) Why don’t you lie down on the grass and rest? It’s dry. (GERTRUDE starts toward the door of the house. MRS. CONSTABLE takes the suggestion and falls in a heap behind the stump under the balcony of the house ) Take your veil off. You’ll roast! (MRS. CONSTABLE complies and GERTRUDE goes into the house. The two old hags appear from behind the wedding table and start to take some hot dogs. They are stopped by MOLLY coming out of the house. MOLLY looks for a moment at the garden and then runs into her summer house. A moment later GERTRUDE calls to the garden from the balcony ) Molly? Molly, are you in the summer house?

MOLLY Yes, I am.

GERTRUDE They’re getting ready. After we’ve left if Mrs. Constable is still asleep, will you and Lionel carry her inside and put her to bed in my room? Tomorrow when you leave for the Lobster Bowl you can take her along and drop her off at her hotel. Poor thing. Be sure and clean up this mess in the morning. I have a list of things here I want you to attend to. I’ll leave it on the table downstairs. Mr. Solares and I will be leaving soon.

MOLLY No!

GERTRUDE Yes.

MOLLY Please don’t go away.

GERTRUDE Now, Molly, what kind of nonsense is this? You know we’re leaving, what’s the matter with you?

MOLLY No, I won’t let you go!

GERTRUDE Please, Molly, no mysteries. It’s very hard getting everyone started and I’m worn out. And I can’t find my pocketbook. I think I left it in the garden. I’m coming down to look. (GERTRUDE leaves the balcony to come downstairs. MOLLY comes out of the summer house and stands waiting with a small bunch of honeysuckle in her hands. GERTRUDE comes out of the house and crosses to the wedding table. She looks at MOLLY and sees her crying and goes to her ) What on earth is wrong, Molly? Why are you crying? Are you nervous? You’ve been so contented all day, stuffing yourself right along with the others. What has happened now?

MOLLY I didn’t picture it.

GERTRUDE Picture what?

MOLLY What it would be like when the time came. Your leaving …

GERTRUDE Why not?

MOLLY I don’t know. I don’t know … I couldn’t picture it, I guess. I thought so long as we were here we’d go right on being here. So I just ate right along with the others like you say.

GERTRUDE Well, it sounds like nonsense to me. Don’t be a crybaby, and wipe your tears.

(GERTRUDE starts toward the table when she is stopped by MOLLY who puts the flowers in her hands. )

MOLLY Stay!

GERTRUDE Molly. Put them back. They belong on your wedding dress.

MOLLY No, they’re from the vine. I picked them for you!

GERTRUDE They’re for your wedding. They belong to your dress. Here, put them back …

MOLLY No … No … They’re for you … They’re flowers for you! (GERTRUDE does not know what to make of this strange and sudden love and moves across the garden ) I love you. I love you. Don’t leave me. I love you. Don’t go away!

GERTRUDE ( Shocked and white ) Molly, stop. You can’t go on like this!

MOLLY I love you. You can’t go!

GERTRUDE I didn’t think you cared this much. If you really feel this way, why have you tormented me so …

MOLLY I never have. I never have.

GERTRUDE You have. You have in a thousand different ways. What about the summer house?

MOLLY Don’t leave me!

GERTRUDE And the vine?

MOLLY I love you!

GERTRUDE What about the vine, and the ocean, what about that? If you care this much why have you tormented me so about the water … when you knew how ashamed I was … Crazy, unnatural fear … Why didn’t you try to overcome it, if you love me so much? Answer that!

(MOLLY, in a frenzy of despair, starts clawing at her dress, pulling it open. )

MOLLY I will. I will. I’ll overcome it. I’m sorry. I’ll go in the water right away. I’m going now. I’m going …

(MOLLY rips off her veil and throws it on the wedding table and makes a break for the gate to the ocean. GERTRUDE in horror grabs MOLLY’S arm and drags her back into the garden. )

GERTRUDE Stop it! Come back here at once. Are you insane? Button your dress. They’ll see you … they’ll find you this way and think you’re insane …

MOLLY I was going in the water …

GERTRUDE Button your dress. Are you insane! This is what I meant. I’ve always known it was there, this violence. I’ve told you again and again that I was frightened. I wasn’t sure what I meant … I didn’t want to be sure. But I was right, there’s something heavy and dangerous inside you, like some terrible rock that’s ready to explode … And it’s been getting worse all the time. I can’t bear it any more. I’ve got to get away, out of this garden. That’s why I married. That’s why I’m going away. I’m frightened of staying here with you any more. I can’t breathe. Even on bright days the garden seems like a dark place without any air. I’m stifling!