Night Must Fall : a Play in Three Acts Part 24

DAN (_rising with a smile and standing against the mantelpiece_): Aw, talkin's daft! _Doin's_ the thing!

OLIVIA: You can talk too.

DAN: Aw, yes! D'you hear me just now? She's right, you know, I should ha' been a preacher. I remember, when I was a kid, sittin' in Sunday school--catching my mother's eye where she was sitting by the door, with the sea behind her; and she pointed to the pulpit, and then to me, as if to say, that's the place for you.... (_Far away, pensive_) I never forgot that.

_A pause_.

OLIVIA: I don't believe a word of it.

DAN: Neither do I, but it sounds wonderful. (_Leaning over her, confidentially_) I never saw my mam, and I never had a dad, and the first thing I remember is ... Cardiff Docks. And you're the first 'oman I ever told that, so you can compliment yourself. Or the drink.

(_Laughing_) I think it's the drink.

OLIVIA: You _do_ live in your imagination, don't you?

DAN (_rea.s.suringly_): Yes.... It's the only way to bear with the awful things you have to do.

OLIVIA: What awful things?

DAN: Well ... (_Grinning like a child and going back to the sofa_) Ah-ha!... I haven't had as much to drink as all that!

(_Sitting on the sofa_) Ah-ha!...

OLIVIA: You haven't a very high opinion of women, have you?

DAN _makes a gesture with his hands, pointing the thumbs downwards with a decisive movement._

DAN: Women don't have to be drunk to talk.... You don't talk that much, though; fair play. (_Looking her up and down, insolently_) You're a dark horse, you are.

_A pause. She rises abruptly and stands at the fireplace, her back to him. She takes off her spectacles._

Ye know, this isn't the life for you. What is there to it? Tell me that!

OLIVIA (_sombrely_): What is there to it ...?

DAN: Yes....

OLIVIA: Getting up at seven, mending my stockings or washing them, having breakfast with a vixenish old woman and spending the rest of the day with her, in a dreary house in the middle of a wood, and going to bed at eleven.... I'm plain, I haven't got any money, I'm shy, and I haven't got any friends.

DAN (_teasing_): Don't you _like_ the old lady?

OLIVIA: I could kill her.

_A pause. She realises what she has said._

DAN (_with a laugh_): Oh, no, you couldn't!... Not many people have it in them to kill people.... Oh, no!

_She looks at him. A pause. He studies the palms of his hands, chuckling to himself._

OLIVIA: And what was there to your life at the Tallboys?

DAN: My life? Well.... The day don't start so good, with a lot of stuck-up boots to clean, and a lot of silly high heels all along the pa.s.sage waitin' for a polish, and a lot of spoons to clean that's been in the mouths of gapin' fools that looks through me as if I was a dirty window hadn't been cleaned for years.... (_Throwing his stub into the fire in a sudden crescendo of fury_) Orders, orders, orders; go here, do this, don't do that, you idiot, open the door for me, get a move on--I was never meant to take orders, never!... Down in the tea- place there's an old white beard wigglin'. "Waiter, my tea's stone cold." (_Furiously_) I'm not a waiter, I'm a millionaire, and everybody's under me!... And just when I think I got a bit o' peace....

(_His head in his hands_) ... there's somebody ... lockin' the bedroom door ... (_raising his head_) ... won't let me get out; talk, talk, talk, won't fork out with no more money, at me, at me, at me, won't put no clothes on, calls me everythin', lie on the floor and screams and screams, so nothin' keeps that mouth shut only ... (_A pause._) It's rainin' out of the window, and the leaves is off the trees ... oh, Lord ... I wish I could hear a bit o' music ...

(_smiling, slowly_) ... And I do, inside o' myself! And I have a drop of drink ... and everything's fine (_Excited_) And when it's the night ...

OLIVIA (_with a cry_): Go on!

_A pause. He realises she is there, and turns slowly and looks at her._

DAN (_wagging his finger with a sly smile_): Aha! I'm too fly for you! You'd like to know, wouldn't you? Aha! Why would you like to know?

(_Insistently, mischievously_) Why d'you lie awake ... all night?

OLIVIA: Don't!... I'm frightened of you!...

DAN (_triumphantly, rising and facing her, his back half to the audience_): Why?

OLIVIA (_desperate_): How do you know I lie awake at night? Shall I tell you why? Because you're awake yourself! You can't sleep, can you?... (_Triumphantly, in her turn_) You _can't sleep!_ There's one thing that keeps you awake ... isn't there? One thing you've pushed into the back of your mind, and you can't do any more about it, and you never will.... And do you know what it is?... It's a little thing. A box.

Only a box. But it's ... rather heavy....

DAN _looks at her. A long pause. He jerks away with a laugh and sits at the sofa again._ DAN (_quietly, prosaically_): The way you was going through my letters the other day--that had to make me smile.... _His voice dies away. Without warning, as if seeing something in his mind which makes him lose control, he shrieks loudly, clapping his hands over his eyes: then is silent. He recovers slowly and stares at her.

(After a pause, in a measured voice_) It's the only thing that keeps me awake, mind you! The only thing! (_Earnestly_) But I don't know what to do.... You see, nothing worries me, nothing in the world, only ... I don't like a pair of eyes staring at me ... (_his voice trailing away_) ... with no look in them. I don't know what to do ... I don't know ...

_Without warning he bursts into tears. She sits beside him and seems almost about to put her arms about him. He feels she is there, looks into her eyes, grasps her arm, then pulls himself together abruptly.

(Rising_) But it's the only thing! I live by myself ... (_clapping his chest_) ... inside here--and all the rest of you can go hang!

_After_ I've made a use of you, though! Nothing's going to stop me! I feel fine! I--

BELSIZE _crosses outside. A sharp knock at the front door. She half rises. He motions her to sit again.

(With his old swagger_) All right! Anybody's there, I'll deal with 'em--I'll manage myself all right! You watch me!

_He goes to the front door and opens it._

BELSIZE (_at the door, jovially_): h.e.l.lo, Dan! How's things?

DAN (_letting him in and shutting the door_): Not so bad....

_He brings_ BELSIZE _into the room._

BELSIZE (_as OLIVIA goes_): Afternoon, Miss Grayne!

OLIVIA (_putting on her spectacles_): How do you do....

_She makes an effort to compose herself and hurries across to the sun-room._ BELSIZE'S _att.i.tude is one of slightly exaggerated breeziness:_ DAN'S _is one of cheerful naivete almost as limpid as on his first appearance._

BELSIZE: Bearing up, eh?

DAN: Yes, sir, bearin' up, you know....