Plays by Susan Glaspell Part 13

TOM: Let her be herself. Can't you see she's troubled?

HARRY: Well, what is there to trouble Claire? Now I ask you. It seems to me she has everything.

TOM: She's left so--open. Too exposed, (_as_ HARRY _moves impatiently_) Please don't be annoyed with me. I'm doing my best at saying it. You see Claire isn't hardened into one of those forms she talks about. She's too--aware. Always pulled toward what could be--tormented by the lost adventure.

HARRY: Well, there's danger in all that. Of course there's danger.

TOM: But you can't help that.

HARRY: Claire was the best fun a woman could be. Is yet--at times.

TOM: Let her be--at times. As much as she can and will. She does need that. Don't keep her from it by making her feel you're holding her in it. Above all, don't try to stop what she's doing here. If she can do it with plants, perhaps she won't have to do it with herself.

HARRY: Do what?

TOM: (_low, after a pause_) Break up what exists. Open the door to destruction in the hope of--a door on the far side of destruction.

HARRY: Well, you give me the w.i.l.l.i.e.s, (_moves around in irritation, troubled. To_ ANTHONY, _who is pa.s.sing through with a sprayer_) Anthony, have any arrangements been made about Miss Claire's daughter?

ANTHONY: I haven't heard of any arrangements.

HARRY: Well, she'll have to have some heat in her room. We can't all live out here.

ANTHONY: Indeed you cannot. It is not good for the plants.

HARRY: I'm going where I can _smoke_, (_goes out_)

d.i.c.k: (_lightly, but fascinated by the idea_) You think there is a door on the--hinter side of destruction?

TOM: How can one tell--where a door may be? One thing I want to say to you--for it is about you. (_regards_ d.i.c.k _and not with his usual impersonal contemplation_) I don't think Claire should have--any door closed to her. (_pause_) You know, I think, what I mean. And perhaps you can guess how it hurts to say it. Whether it's--mere escape within,--rather shameful escape within, or the wild hope of that door through, it's--(_suddenly all human_) Be good to her! (_after a difficult moment, smiles_) Going away for ever is like dying, so one can say things.

d.i.c.k: Why do you do it--go away for ever?

TOM: I haven't succeeded here.

d.i.c.k: But you've tried the going away before.

TOM: Never knowing I would not come back. So that wasn't going away. My hope is that this will be like looking at life from outside life.

d.i.c.k: But then you'll not be in it.

TOM: I haven't been able to look at it while in it.

d.i.c.k: Isn't it more important to be in it than to look at it?

TOM: Not what I mean by look.

d.i.c.k: It's hard for me to conceive of--loving Claire and going away from her for ever.

TOM: Perhaps it's harder to do than to conceive of.

d.i.c.k: Then why do it?

TOM: It's my only way of keeping her.

d.i.c.k: I'm afraid I'm like Harry now. I don't get you.

TOM: I suppose not. Your way is different, (_with calm, with sadness--not with malice_) But I shall have her longer. And from deeper.

d.i.c.k: I know that.

TOM: Though I miss much. Much, (_the buzzer_. TOM _looks around to see if anyone is coming to answer it, then goes to the phone_) Yes?... I'll see if I can get her. (_to_ d.i.c.k) Claire's daughter has arrived, (_looking in the inner room--returns to phone_) I don't see her.

(_catching a glimpse of ANTHONY off right_) Oh, Anthony, where's Miss Claire? Her daughter has arrived.

ANTHONY: She's working at something very important in her experiments.

d.i.c.k: But isn't her daughter one of her experiments?

ANTHONY: (_after a baffled moment_) Her daughter is finished.

TOM: (_at the phone_) Sorry--but I can't get to Claire. She appears to have gone below. (ANTHONY _closes the trap-door_) I did speak to Anthony, but he says that Claire is working at one of her experiments and that her daughter is finished. I don't know how to make her hear--I took the revolver back to the house. Anyway you will remember Claire doesn't answer the revolver. I hate to reach Claire when she doesn't want to be reached. Why, of course--a daughter is very important, but oh, that's too bad. (_putting down the receiver_) He says the girl's feelings are hurt. Isn't that annoying? (_gingerly pounds on the trap-door. Then with the other hand. Waits_. ANTHONY _has a gentle smile for the gentle tapping--nods approval as,_ TOM _returns to the phone_) She doesn't come up. Indeed I did--with both fists--Sorry.

ANTHONY: Please, you won't try again to disturb Miss Claire, will you?

d.i.c.k: Her daughter is here, Anthony. She hasn't seen her daughter for a year.

ANTHONY: Well, if she got along without a mother for a year--(_goes back to his work_)

d.i.c.k: (_smiling after_ ANTHONY) Plants are queer. Perhaps it's _safer_ to do it with pencil (_regards_ TOM)--or with pure thought. Things that grow in the earth--

TOM: (_nodding_) I suppose because we grew in the earth.

d.i.c.k: I'm always shocked to find myself in agreement with Harry, but I too am worried about Claire--and this, (_looking at the plants_)

TOM: It's her best chance.

d.i.c.k: Don't you hate to go away to India--for ever--leaving Claire's future uncertain?

TOM: You're cruel now. And you knew that you were being cruel.

d.i.c.k: Yes, I like the lines of your face when you suffer.

TOM: The lines of yours when you're causing suffering--I don't like them.

d.i.c.k: Perhaps that's your limitation.

TOM: I grant you it may be. (_They are silent_) I had an odd feeling that you and I sat here once before, long ago, and that we were plants.

And you were a beautiful plant, and I--I was a very ugly plant. I confess it surprised me--finding myself so ugly a plant.