More Portmanteau Plays Part 38

Good-bye.

[_Susan goes out._

LEt.i.tIA

She hates to go. She's never seen anyone just like you: and I have only seen one.

NATHANIEL

Who's Jonathan?

LEt.i.tIA

He's the one.... He's Emily's boy.

NATHANIEL

You mean Emily--

LEt.i.tIA

No, no, my dear. Emily was married, left the stage. She wasn't happy. The boy was her only comfort.

NATHANIEL

He's my nephew. Why, I'm Uncle Nathaniel. Oh, Aunt Letty, I'm getting to be an old man!

LEt.i.tIA

Nathaniel, Jonathan doesn't know about his mother. I sent Susan away because I didn't want her to a.s.sociate these things with Jonathan's mother.

NATHANIEL

My G.o.d, Emily didn't do anything wrong.

LEt.i.tIA

Well, she was an actress.

NATHANIEL

And a good one, too.

LEt.i.tIA

Yes, yes, dear. All that has been talked over many times, but John is the head of the family and he doesn't approve of the stage.

NATHANIEL

So! John is still himself.

LEt.i.tIA

John is austere, Nathaniel. He is a Clay through and through and he holds to the traditions of the family.

NATHANIEL

I remember the traditions, Aunt Let.i.tia.

LEt.i.tIA

I never oppose John. He feels that he is right. But it _is_ very hard sometimes to live up to his rules.

NATHANIEL

Has he rules?

LEt.i.tIA

Well, he has ideas, dear--much like your father's. We might call them rules.

NATHANIEL

Where is Emily?

LEt.i.tIA

Two years ago, Nathaniel.

[_There is a moment's silence._

NATHANIEL

Did she ever go back to the stage?

LEt.i.tIA

No. John forbade it.

NATHANIEL

And John is still forbidding.

LEt.i.tIA

John is the head of the family.

NATHANIEL