MARGY You don’t understand, Gregg. When I held you in my arms and kissed you, when I felt your strong, warm body close to mine I wanted you, I needed you, I loved you more than any man I’d ever known. Don’t you understand Gregg? I loved you in that one way. But this is different. It’s a clean, wonderful love I have for this boy. I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. God, it’s good to be in love this way even if I have to pay for it with tears.
Gregg All I can say is, don’t be looking for heartaches. If this fellow really loves you, I suppose that’s all there is to it. But remember if ever you want me, I’m yours, all yours.
MARGY Don’t talk to me that way Gregg. I suppose I shouldn’t be doing what I am to you—but I can’t help it.
Gregg But you know your positions are pretty far apart. Why, that boy’s folks are real folks. They’re aristocrats. Tell me, are you sure that it’s really love that’s drawing him to you?
MARGY I’m sure.
Gregg Oh well, whenever you want me you’ll know where a word reaches me. What I said about Australia goes. It’s a long way and far between, but it’s a place where a fellow and a girl can start a new life.
MARGY Gregg, don’t leave me like this. You’ve given me the chance. I’m not ungrateful, but it’s …things just happen, that’s all, that we can’t explain.
Gregg It’s alright Marge, we all have to float with the tide.
(The “Meditation from Thais” is heard playing softly on the flagship in the bay. JIMMY enters and goes to MARGY.)
JIMMY I’ve arranged everything, we leave tomorrow.
(Noise Off stage of suppressed shouts and murmurs as though a town were awakening to a catastrophe. The only distinguishable word is “Overboard!”)
MARGY What’s that?
JIMMY They’re crowding down at the docks. Let’s go see!
MARGY No, no, wait.
JIMMY Don’t be nervous, you’re all upset.
MARGY Go, see what it is.
JIMMY I’ll find out. (Calls Off stage.) What’s going on down there?
Off Stage Voice One of those fleet women jumped into the bay! (Music and voices swell and fade. MARGY nearly faints.)
JIMMY Nothing to worry us, dear. Just one of those poor wretches that follow the fleet.
(Music and voices swell to a crescendo.)
CURTAIN
ACT THREE
SCENEONE
(The STANTON residence. A richly appointed room. Onstage, ROBERT STANTON and JENKINS, the butler.)
MARIE (Enters With A Vase Of Flowers) I’m taking these to the young lady’s room, sir.
STANTON Yes, yes, go ahead MARIE. See that everything is ready MARIE.
MARIE (Exits) Yes sir.
STANTON They ought to be along any minute. (Exits.)
MARIE (Enters) If he would only keep his watch in his pocket. It hasn’t left his hand since Mr. JIMMY went to the station to meet the train.
JENKINS Well, any man would be anxious to meet his future daughter-in-law.
MARIE Yes, when he don’t know very much about her.
JENKINS She’s evidently very wealthy. Mr. JIMMY met her while she was touring the world.
MARIE Yes. She travel all alone, no chaperone.
JENKINS Oh, the days of chaperones are past. Wealthy orphan, no doubt. Marguerite LaMont is her name.
MARIE Marguerite LaMont. That sounds like a French name.
JENKINS Mr. JIMMY calls her MARGY.
MARIE Short for Marguerite. French descent, no doubt. All Mr. STANTON he worry about is what church she belong to.
JENKINS I haven’t any idea.
STANTON (Enters) When they arrive, JENKINS, call me. I’ll be in the library.
JENKINS Yes, sir.
STANTON I’m going to lose a couple of hours sleep as it is—I have to get up early to be at business. (Exits.)
MARIE If he were not at his desk at nine A.M. to the minute, the world would come to an end.
(An auto horn is heard.)
JENKINS System, my dear, that’s what makes a man successful. (Exits.)
JIMMY (Enters With MARGY) Home at last, darling. By Jove, it was hard work to get you to come out here. Take this to Miss LaMont’s room, MARIE, and wait just a minute. Well, darling, how do you like it?
MARGY This is the first case of cold feet I ever had.
JIMMY Why, darling? Mother and Dad are just a pair of peaches. You’ll love them, you can’t help it.
MARGY That part’s alright. I know I couldn’t help loving your dad and your mother, but the question is, how about me? Am I the kind of a girl they’ve pictured for their only son? You know, parents are funny.
JIMMY Mother and Dad are just crazy to meet you. I’ve talked to them about you ever since I came back from Trinidad. Let me take your wraps. (To MARIE and JENKINS) Take these also. MARIE and JENKINS you may go. (Exit MARIE and JENKINS. Enter CLARA.)
JIMMY Oh, there you are, Mother. I’ve been looking for you. Mother, this is MARGY. (CLARA and MARGY recognize each other—and pause.)
CLARA How do you do.
JIMMY I hope you’ll like each other.
MARGY Well, we’ll understand each other anyway.
(Enter STANTON.)
JIMMY Oh, Dad!
STANTON Well, Son?
JIMMY MARGY, this is Dad.
STANTON Well, well, so this is the young lady that JIMMY’s been raving about ever since he came back from Trinidad! Why he’s been going around with his heart in his fist.
JIMMY Oh, Dad. You’re telling tales now.
STANTON I’m going to show you right up! MARGY—of course I’ll call you MARGY?—you’ve certainly worked a great change in my boy. He used to read nothing but the sporting news—but now, he reads the furniture ads, isn’t that right, CLARA?
CLARA Yes.
STANTON I hope you’re going to like it out here, MARGY.
MARGY I’m sure I will.
STANTON You’ve never been to our little town before?
MARGY This is one place I’ve missed.
STANTON Enjoy travelling, don’t you? JIMMY says you are a regular globe trotter. Well, you’ll find everything here. We’ve got everything they’ve got in the big cities, parks, YMCA buildings, churches—er—which one do you attend?
MARGY One’s as good as another to me.
CLARA Naturally, I presume—travelling so much.
MARGY Yes, naturally, when in Rome do as Rome does, or again when in Trinidad follow Trinidad’s customs, or Montreal—
CLARA I’ve visited Montreal myself, Miss LaMont.
MARGY Why, you don’t say—we can compare notes.
STANTON You two girls’ll have a lot to talk about. JIMMY I’ll bet Mother’s just dying to get acquainted, and here’s your old talkative Dad not giving her a chance.
CLARA I would like a few minutes alone with Miss LaMont.
STANTON Come on JIMMY—we’ll let the ladies talk, and we’ll drink to their health.
JIMMY Alright, Dad.
STANTON Then we’ll let you ladies take a drink to our health. (Exit JIMMY and STANTON.)
MARGY What’s your idea?
CLARA You certainly don’t intend to marry my son.
MARGY That’s your idea.
CLARA I’ll not let him make such a mistake. I’ll tell him what you are.
MARGY Suppose he should ask you how you know what I am?
CLARA I’ll tell him everything. Everything that happened during my visit to Montreal.
MARGY No, you won’t. You haven’t the nerve. If you did, I’d have a better opinion of you. You wouldn’t sacrifice yourself for anyone. Your pride’s what you’re thinking of.
CLARA I’m thinking of my boy’s welfare. He certainly is deserving of a better fate.
MARGY I know my past is nothing to rave about. I’ll admit he deserves a better life, yes, and he deserves a better mother, too.
CLARA How dare you speak like that?
MARGY How dare I speak like that? Who are you?
CLARA I’ll not permit a woman of the streets to talk to me like that.
MARGY Say, you’ve got a nerve putting yourself on a pedestal above me. The things I’ve done, I had to do for a living. I know it was wrong. I’m not trying to alibi myself. But you’ve done those same things for other reasons.
CLARA Stop—
MARGY No, I won’t stop. I’m going to dig under the veneer of your supposed respectability and show you what you are.
CLARA I’ll not listen.
MARGY Oh, yes you will. You’ve got the kind of stuff in you that makes women of my type. If our positions were changed—you in my place, and I in yours—I’d be willing to bet that I’d make a better wife and mother than you are. Yeah, and I’ll bet without this beautiful home, without money, and without any restrictions, you’d be worse than I have ever been.
CLARA No, no—.
MARGY Yes, you would. You’d do it and like it.
CLARA For God’s sake stop it, I can’t endure any more—
MARGY Now you’re down off your pedestal. You’re down where you can see—it’s just a matter of circumstances. The only difference between us is that you could afford to give it away.
CLARA I’m not considering my feelings. It’s the welfare of my boy.
MARGY I’ve thought of his welfare, perhaps more than you have. I didn’t want to come here. I told him from the start that I wasn’t the woman for him, but he wouldn’t listen.
CLARA But you have no right to expect him to marry you.
MARGY I don’t know. He could do worse by marrying some little tart who’d wear my colors after she was married to him, some jane who would take a little trip to Montreal. I’ve had my share of men. They all look alike to me except one—him.
CLARA I can understand your viewpoint, but even if this marriage was to take place, you could never live down the sins of the past. People would talk.
MARGY They’d talk anyway.
CLARA Yes, but we are governed to a great extent by what they say and think.
MARGY Let them talk. We love each other and that’s all that matters.
CLARA Don’t say he loves you. It’s ridiculous—he is a boy, scarcely out of his teens. You are perhaps the first woman he has ever come into close contact with. It’s only natural that you should attract him with the physical attraction that a woman has for a boy so young.
MARGY All I’ve been is a physical attraction to men. I’m sick and tired of being that sort of thing. Now I want a man whose love goes beyond that.
CLARA If you should get married, you’d find out just how far it goes.
MARGY Well, I’ll find out before. Here.
CLARA What do you mean?
MARGY You know what I mean. You’re a pretty wise gal yourself.
CLARA You don’t mean that you’d use my home—
MARGY Well, you used mine.
CLARA But—
MARGY We’ll at least know where we stand.
(Enter JIMMY and STANTON.)
JIMMY Dad and I think you’ve had enough time to get acquainted. Mother, don’t you just love her?
MARGY She’s just crazy about me.
CLARA Yes, son, she’s—very—interesting.
STANTON And trying to keep her all to yourself. Now that’s a shame. But you wait until after business hours tomorrow. I’ll take charge of MARGY. You’ll have to tell me all about your travels and your experiences. I’ll warrant you had a lot of them, didn’t you?
MARGY I’ll say I did.
STANTON Well, we’ll have a lot of time to talk that over. I must be going.
JIMMY Dad, you’re not leaving us?
STANTON Well, son, you know I get up early, and it’s pretty late for me. MARGY’ll excuse me, I know.
MARGY Of course I will.
STANTON I’m so glad you’re here, child. You’ll be such good company for Mrs. STANTON. Won’t she, dear?
CLARA Yes—yes—indeed.
MARGY That’s so sweet of you, Mrs. STANTON. You don’t know how I appreciate your feelings toward me.
CLARA Thank you. I presume you’ve a great deal to say to each other. I’d only be intruding. When you are ready to retire Miss LaMont just ring for the maid. She’ll show you to your room.
MARGY Thanks.
STANTON My goodness. It’s past my hour for retiring.
JIMMY Dad always goes to bed early. He hasn’t been up as late as this in six months.
STANTON I’m the first one up in this house. Have to catch an early morning train to get to the city. You’ll forgive me, I’m sure. Besides you and JIMMY have a lot to say to each other.
JIMMY Well, now Dad …
STANTON Don’t make any excuses. I was a youngster once myself. And say JIMMY, if MARGY should feel like a bite, you’ll find a little spread all ready on the dining room table.
JIMMY Thanks Dad. I—I never did think of asking MARGY—
STANTON JIMMY even Cupid has to have his dinner. Make yourself at home, child. Get acquainted. If there’s anything you want and you don’t see it, just ask for it.
MARGY You’re awfully good, Mr. STANTON.
STANTON I want you to like JIMMY’s folks, child.
MARGY Thanks—why I’m sure—
STANTON I’m sure that you will, and I’m going to see that you do.
MARGY Good night, Mr. STANTON.
JIMMY ’Night, Dad.
(Exit STANTON.)
MARGY Your dad is a prince.
CLARA You’ll pardon me, I’m sure.
MARGY Surely.
CLARA When you are ready to retire, Miss LaMont, JIMMY will ring for the maid. She’ll show you to your room. Good night.
JIMMY Good night, mother.
MARGY Good night, Mrs. STANTON.
(Exit CLARA.)
JIMMY You’ll have to learn to call her “Mother,” you know.
MARGY Say JIMMY, that’ll be the hardest job I ever tackled.
JIMMY Why—don’t you like Mother?
MARGY There’s no question to it.
JIMMY I’m so glad. It’s wonderful to have you here with me, dear.
MARGY Yes JIMMY, it’s been a wonderful night.
JIMMY I was afraid you didn’t mean what you promised in Trinidad—I had such a hard time getting you here. You didn’t know what sleepless nights I’ve had thinking of you and being afraid—
MARGY Afraid of what?
JIMMY That maybe you—you found out that you didn’t love me after all, and perhaps met some other fellow and—oh, hang it, MARGY, a man thinks up all kinds of things when he’s in love with a girl.
MARGY You weren’t sure of me?
JIMMY How could I be, with you so far away, but now tonight, you’re in my own home—I’m content for the first time in months. You do love me, don’t you?
MARGY Love you? JIMMY I never knew what it was all about until I met you.
JIMMY And we’ll be married soon, won’t we?
MARGY Do you really want to marry me?
JIMMY Why, of course—what do you expect?
MARGY You see, I’ve been kind of worried too, I thought maybe some other girl—
JIMMY There’s no other girl in the world for me, save you.
MARGY And why just me?
JIMMY I love you.
MARGY Why do you love me, JIMMY?
JIMMY I love you because you’re different, you fascinate me, you draw me to you, you’re wonderful and I adore you.
MARGY Come on over here, dear.
JIMMY I’ve been telling you what I like about you. Now you tell me what you like about me. Tell—
MARGY There’s so many things about you that I like—but I never did like bright lights.
JIMMY I’ll turn them down. (He dims the lights.) There, is that better? Now, tell me what you like about me!
MARGY I like your ears.
JIMMY You like my ears? (MARGY strokes his face.) Who do you think came into the office today?
MARGY Who, dear?
JIMM
Y Lieutenant Gregg.
MARGY What did he want?
JIMMY When I left him in Trinidad I told him where I lived and asked him if he ever came to New York to spend the weekend with me, so of course when he came to the office I asked him out.
MARGY (Undoing His Necktie) Take that thing off. (JIMMY removes tie. MARGY examines it; and lets it fall.)
MARGY Very pretty, what size collar do you wear?
JIMMY Fifteen and a half. (They kiss.) God, I’ve never kissed anyone like that before—
MARGY You have.
JIMMY I swear I haven’t.
MARGY You have. (They kiss again.)
JIMMY I’ll ring for the maid.
MARGY Can’t you show me to my room?
JIMMY Yes, dear—Good night, dear.
CURTAIN
SCENE TWO
(The next morning. JIMMY runs out, picks up necktie and returns to bedroom. His father enters, dressed for the day’s business. He fills his flask. JIMMY reenters, fully dressed, but very nervous.)
STANTON Hello, Son, I didn’t know you were up. Why didn’t you breakfast with me?
JIMMY Why—I don’t know—I—
STANTON I suppose you’re so happy that you can’t even sleep in peace.
JIMMY Dad, you like her, don’t you?
STANTON Of course I like her. Any man would have to like her. She’s a fine girl. You’re just like your old Dad, a good picker.
JIMMY I’m so glad.
STANTON Yes, but I can’t let your happiness make me late for business. I’ll take the train and you can come down later in the car.
JIMMY Must I go into the city today?
STANTON Yes, Son, I need you about the Hoyden affair. Sorry to take you away from MARGY, but you can leave as soon as we settle with Hoyden.
JIMMY But can’t you let that go till later? That deal is practically closed. He’ll be in today, you really don’t need me. Besides that Lieutenant Gregg is coming in.
STANTON Lieutenant Gregg? Who’s he?
JIMMY He’s that English officer that came into the office yesterday. He’s coming in on the next train.
STANTON Well, alright, Son, perhaps I can let you stay. Say good morning to MARGY and tell her that I hope she slept well.
JIMMY I will, thanks.
(STANTON exits.)
MARIE (Entering From Right. She Sees JIMMY) Good morning, monsieur.
Three Plays by Mae West Page 8