DISSON No, I didn’t … I didn’t …
He glares suddenly at TOM.
You didn’t hold the wood still!
DISSON’s office.
The curtains are drawn.
DISSON Come here. Put your chiffon round my eyes. My eyes hurt.
WENDY ties a chiffon scarf round his eyes.
I want you to make a call to Newcastle, to Mr Martin. We’re still waiting for delivery of goods on Invoice No. 634729. What is the cause for delay?
WENDY picks up the telephone, dials, waits.
WENDY Could I have Newcastle 77254, please. Thank you.
She waits. He touches her body.
Yes, I’m holding.
He touches her. She moves under his touch.
Hullo, Mr Martin, please. Mr Disson’s office.
Camera on him. His arm stretching.
Mr Martin? Mr Disson’s office. Mr Disson … Ah, you know what it’s about (She laughs.) Yes … Yes.
Camera on him. He leans forward, his arm stretching.
Oh, it’s been dispatched? Oh good. Mr Disson will be glad.
She moves under his touch.
Oh, I will. Of course I will.
She puts the phone down. He withdraws his hand.
Mr Martin sends his apologies. The order has been dispatched.
The intercom buzzes. She switches through. WILLY’s voice.
Yes?
WILLY Oh, Wendy, is Mr Disson there?
WENDY Did you want to speak to him, Mr Torrance?
WILLY No. Just ask him if I might borrow your services for five minutes.
WENDY Mr Torrance wants to know if he might borrow my services for five minutes.
DISSON What’s happened to his own secretary?
WENDY Mr Disson would like to know what has happened to your own secretary.
WILLY She’s unwell. Gone home. Just five minutes, that’s all.
DISSON gestures towards the door.
WENDY Be with you in a minute, Mr Torrance.
WILLY Please thank Mr Disson for me.
The intercom switches off.
WENDY Mr Torrance would like me to thank you for him.
DISSON I heard.
WENDY goes through the inner door into WILLY’s office, shuts it.
Silence.
DISSON sits still, the chiffon round his eyes. He looks towards the door.
He hears giggles, hissing, gurgles, squeals.
He goes to the door, squats by the handle, raises the chiffon, tries to look through the keyhole. Can see nothing through the keyhole. He drops the chiffon, puts his ear to the door.
The handle presses into his skull. The sounds continue.
Sudden silence.
The door has opened.
A pair of woman’s legs stand by his squatting body.
He freezes, slowly puts forward a hand, touches a leg. He tears the chiffon from his eyes. It hangs from his neck. He looks up.
DIANA looks down at him.
Behind her, in the other room, WENDY is sitting, taking dictation from WILLY, who is standing.
DIANA What game is this?
He remains.
Get up. What are you doing? What are you doing with that scarf? Get up from the floor. What are you doing?
DISSON Looking for something.
DIANA What?
WILLY walks to the door, smiles, closes the door.
What were you looking for? Get up.
DISSON (standing). Don’t speak to me like that. How dare you speak to me like that? I’ll knock your teeth out.
She covers her face.
What were you doing in there? I thought you’d gone home. What were you doing in there?
DIANA I came back.
DISSON You mean you were in there with both of them? In there with both of them?
DIANA Yes! So what?
Pause.
DISSON (calmly). I was looking for my pencil, which had rolled off my desk. Here it is. I found it, just before you came in, and put it in my pocket. My eyes hurt. I borrowed Wendy’s scarf, to calm my eyes. Why are you getting so excited?
DISSON’s office. Day.
DISSON at his desk, writing, WENDY walks to the cabinet, examines a file. Silence.
DISSON What kind of flat do you have, Wendy?
WENDY Quite a small one, Mr Disson. Quite pleasant.
DISSON Not too big for you, then? Too lonely?
WENDY Oh no, it’s quite small. Quite cosy.
DISSON Bathroom fittings any good?
WENDY Adequate, Mr Disson Not up to our standard.
Pause.
DISSON Live there alone, do you?
WENDY No, I share it with a girl friend. But she’s away quite a lot of the time. She’s an air hostess. She wants me to become one, as a matter of fact.
DISSON Listen to me, Wendy Don’t ever … dream of becoming an air hostess. Never. The glamour may dazzle from afar, but, believe you me, it’s a mess of a life … a mess of a life …
He watches WENDY walk to her desk with a file and then back to the cabinet.
Were you lonely as a child?
WENDY No.
DISSON Nor was I. I had quite a lot of friends. True friends. Most of them live abroad now, of course – banana planters, oil engineers, Jamaica, the Persian Gulf… but if I were to meet them tomorrow, you know … just like that … there’d be no strangeness, no awkwardness at all. We’d continue where we left off, quite naturally.
WENDY bends low at the cabinet.
He stares at her buttocks.
It’s a matter of a core of affection, you see … a core of undying affection …
Suddenly WENDY’s body appears in enormous close-up. Her buttocks fill the screen.
His hands go up to keep them at bay.
His elbow knocks a round table lighter from his desk.
Picture normal.
WENDY turns from the cabinet, stands upright.
WENDY What was that?
DISSON My lighter.
She goes to his desk.
WENDY Where is it?
She kneels, looks under the desk. The lighter is at his feet.
She reaches for it. He kicks it across the room.
(Laughing.) Oh, Mr Disson, why did you do that?
She stands. He stands. She goes towards the lighter. He gets to it before her, stands with it at his feet. He looks at her.
She stops.
What’s this?
DISSON feints his body, left to right
DISSON Come on.
WENDY What?
DISSON Tackle me. Get the ball.
WENDY What do I tackle with?
DISSON Your feet.
She moves forward deliberately.
He dribbles away, turns, kicks the lighter along the carpet towards her. Her foot stops the lighter. She turns with it at her foot.
Ah!
She stands, legs apart, the lighter between them, staring at him.
She taps her foot.
WENDY Come on, then!
He goes towards her. She eludes him. He grasps her arm.
That’s a foul!
He drops her arm.
DISSON Sorry.
She stands with the lighter between her feet.
WENDY Come on, come on. Tackle me, tackle me. Come on, tackle me! Get the ball! Fight for the ball!
He begins to move, stops, sinks to the floor. She goes to him.
What’s the matter?
DISSON Nothing. All right. Nothing.
WENDY Let me help you up.
DISSON No. Stay. You’re very valuable in this office. Good worker. Excellent. If you have any complaints, just tell me. I’ll soon put them right. You’re a very efficient secretary. Something I’ve always needed. Have you everything you want? Are your working conditions satisfactory?
WENDY Perfecdy.
DISSON Oh good. Good … Good.
DISSON’s house. Bedroom. Night
DISSON and DIANA in bed, reading. She lo
oks at him.
DIANA You seem a little subdued … lately.
DISSON Me? Not at all. I’m reading the life of Napoleon, that’s all.
DIANA No, I don’t mean now, I mean generally. Is there –?
DISSON I’m not at all subdued. Really.
Pause.
DIANA It’s our first anniversary next Wednesday, did you know that?
DISSON Of course I did. How could I forget? We’ll go out together in the evening. Just you and I. Alone.
DIANA Oh. Good.
DISSON I’m also giving a little tea party in the office, in the afternoon. My mother and father’ll be up.
DIANA Oh good.
Pause.
DISSON How have you enjoyed our first year?
DIANA It’s been wonderful. It’s been a very exciting year.
Pause.
DISSON You’ve been marvellous with the boys.
DIANA They like me.
DISSON Yes, they do. They do.
Pause.
It’s been a great boon, to have you work for the firm.
DIANA Oh, I’m glad. I am glad.
Pause.
Be nice to get away to Spain.
Pause.
DISSON You’ve got enough money, haven’t you? I
mean, you have sufficient money to see you through,
for all you want?
DIANA Oh yes. I have, thank you.
Pause.
DISSON I’m very proud of you, you know.
DIANA I’m proud of you.
Silence.
DISSON’s office.
DISSON Have you written to Corley?
WENDY Yes,
DISSON And Turnbull?
WENDY Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON And Erverley?
WENDY Yes, Mr Disson.
DISSON Carbon of the Erverley letter, please.
WENDY Here you are, Mr Disson.
DISSON Ah. I see you’ve spelt Erverley right.
WENDY Right?
DISSON People tend, very easily, to leave out the first ‘r’ and call him Everley. You haven’t done that.
WENDY No. (She turns.)
DISSON Just a minute. How did you spell Tumbull? You needn’t show me. Tell me.
WENDY T-U-R-N-B-U-L-L.
DISSON Quite correct.
Pause.
Quite correct. Now what about –?
The screen goes black.
Where are you?
Pause.
I can’t see you.
WENDY I’m here, Mr Disson.
DISSON Where?
WENDY You’re looking at me, Mr Disson.
DISSON You mean my eyes are open?
Pause.
WENDY I’m where I was. I haven’t moved.
DISSON Are my eyes open?
WENDY Mr Disson, really …
DISSON Is this you? This I feel?
WENDY Yes.
DISSON What, all this I can feel?
WENDY You’re playing one of your games, Mr Disson. You’re being naughty again.
Vision back.
DISSON looks at her.
You sly old thing.
Disley’s surgery.
A torch shines in DISSON’s eyes, first right, then left. Torch out.
Light on.
DISLEY There’s nothing wrong with them.
DISSON What then?
DISLEY I only deal with eyes, old chap. Why do you come to me? Why don’t you go to someone else?
DISSON Because it’s my eyes that are affected.
DISLEY Look. Why don’t you go to someone else?
DISLEY begins to clear away his instruments.
Nothing worrying you, is there?
DISSON Of course not. I’ve got everything I want.
DISLEY Getting a holiday soon?
DISSON Going to Spain.
DISLEY Lucky man.
Pause.
DISSON Look. Listen. You’re my oldest friend. You were going to be the best man at my wedding.
DISLEY That’s right.
DISSON You wrote a wonderful speech in my honour.
DISLEY Yes.
DISSON But you were ill. You had to opt out.
DISLEY That’s right.
Pause.
DISSON Help me.
Pause.
DISLEY Who made the speech? Your brother-in-law, wasn’t it?
DISSON I don’t want you to think I’m not a happy man. I am.
DISLEY What sort of speech did he make?
DISSON’s house. Sitting room. Evening.
DISSON Tell me about Sunderley.
WILLY Sunderley?
DISSON Tell me about the place where you two were born. Where you played at being brother and sister.
WILLY We didn’t have to play at being brother and sister. We were brother and sister.
DIANA Stop drinking.
DISSON Drinking? You call this drinking? This? I used to down eleven or nine pints a night! Eleven or nine pints! Every night of the stinking week! Me and the boys! The boys! And me! I’d break any man’s hand for … for playing me false. That was before I became a skilled craftsman. That was before …
He folk silent, sits.
WILLY Sunderley was beautiful.
DISSON I know.
WILLY And now it’s gone, for ever.
DISSON I never got there.
DISSON stands, goes to get a drink. He turns from drinks table.
What are you whispering about? Do you think I don’t hear? Think I don’t see? I’ve got my memories, too. Long before this.
WILLY Yes, Sunderley was beautiful.
DISSON The lake.
WILLY The lake.
DISSON The long windows.
WILLY From the withdrawing room.
DISSON On to the terrace.
WILLY Music playing.
DISSON On the piano.
WILLY The summer nights. The wild swans.
DISSON What swans? What bloody swans?
WILLY The owls.
DISSON Negroes at the gate, under the trees.
WILLY No Negroes.
DISSON Why not?
WILLY We had no Negroes.
DISSON Why in God’s name not?
WILLY Just one of those family quirks, Robert.
DIANA (standing). Robert.
Pause.
Come to bed.
DISSON You can say that, in front of him?
DIANA Please.
DISSON In front of him?
He goes to her.
Why did you marry me?
DIANA I admired you. You were so positive.
DISSON You loved me.
DIANA You were kind.
DISSON You loved me for that?
DIANA I found you admirable in your clarity of mind, your surety of purpose, your will, the strength your achievements had given you –
DISSON And you adored me for it?
WILLY (to DISSON). Can I have a private word with you?
DISSON You adored me for it?
Pause.
DIANA You know I did.
WILLY Can I have a private word with you, old chap? (To DIANA.) Please.
DIANA goes out of the room. DISSON looks at WILLY,
DISSON Mind how you tread, Bill. Mind … how you tread, old Bill, old boy, old Bill.
WILLY Listen. I’ve been wondering. Is there anything on your mind?
DISSON My mind? No, of course not.
WILLY You’re not dissatisfied with my work, or anything?
DISSON Quite the contrary. Absolutely the contrary.
WILLY Oh good. I like the work very much. Try to do my best.
DISSON Listen. I want you to be my partner. Hear me? I want you to share full responsibility … with me.
WILLY Do you really?
DISSON Certainly.
WILLY Well, thank you very much. I don’t know what to say.
DISSON Don’t say anything.
DISSON’s office. WILLY at the door.
; WILLY Coming, old chap?
DISSON Yes.
WILLY (to WENDY) Important lunch, this. But I think we’ll swing it, don’t you, Robert? (To WENDY.) Great prospects in store.
DISSON and WILLY go out. WENDY clips some papers together.
DIANA comes in through the inner door.
WENDY Oh, hullo, Mrs Disson.
DIANA Hullo, Wendy.
Pause.
DIANA watches WENDY clip the papers.
Do you like being a secretary?
WENDY I do, yes. Do you?
DIANA I do, yes.
Pause.
I understand your last employer touched your body … rather too much.
WENDY It wasn’t a question of too much, Mrs Disson. One touch was enough for me.
DIANA Oh, you left after the first touch?
WENDY Well, not quite the first, no.
Pause.
DIANA Have you ever asked yourself why men will persist in touching women?
WENDY No, I’ve never asked myself that, Mrs Disson.
DIANA Few women do ask themselves that question.
WENDY Don’t they? I don’t know. I’ve never spoken to any other women on the subject.
DIANA You’re speaking to me.
WENDY Yes. Well, have you ever asked yourself that question, Mrs Disson?
DIANA Never. No.
Pause.
Have lunch with me today. Tell me about yourself.
WENDY I’ll have lunch with you with pleasure.
DISSON comes in. They look at him. He at them. Silence.
DISSON Forgotten … one of the designs.
DIANA smiles at him. WENDY clips her papers. He goes to his desk, collects a folder, stands upright.
DIANA looks out of the window. WENDY clips papers. He looks at them, goes out. DIANA and WENDY remain silent.
DISSON’s house. Games room.
DISSON and WILLY playing ping-pong. They are in the middle of a long rally. THE TWINS watch. WILLY is on the attack, DISSON playing desperately, retrieving from positions of great difficulty. He cuts, chops, pushes.
The Short Plays of Harold Pinter Page 26