[MRS. LOVETT sits and frowns, and looks at her hands. VILLA
VANNEVAR goes to the window and stands with her hands behind her back. Presently MRS. LOVETT turns and gazes at her, evidently much disturbed, and remains gazing at her until LUCAS enters. HE is pale, and his manner shows a constraint that he cannot wholly conceal. His clothes have been through some process of hasty renovation since his appearance in Act I]
LUCAS
[With a certain huskiness]
I hope, Mrs. Lovett, that you will pardon this — I’ll say this last intrusion on my part.
[VILLA comes to him and takes his hand cordially, looking at him as if disturbed and anxious]
MRS. LOVETT
[Without warmth]
Are you leaving New York, Mr. Lucas?
LUCAS
[With assumed lightness]
Yes; and it might have been better for me if I had gone long before this.
MRS. LOVETT
Indeed?
LUCAS
[With impulsive directness]
I came in the hope of seeing Miss Villa for a few moments before going away.
MRS. LOVETT
[Rising slowly]
Oh, I understand.
[Reluctantly]
In that case, I will leave you two to yourselves.
[Lucas and Villa look at each other as she goes out. The faces of both are very serious and in hers there seems to be an expression of fear]
VILLA
[After a pause]
Why did you send me a blank card?
LUCAS
[With a thin laugh]
Oh, I don’t know. Because I drew it, I suppose. It wasn’t a very brilliant performance on my part.
VILLA
[With feeling]
I don’t think it was at all brilliant — or at all kind. You ought not to do such things, or say such things — to me.
LUCAS
[With weak humor]
I knew it wasn’t brilliant as soon as I had done it.
[At a venture]
Your aunt was very good to leave us here together.
VILLA
Auntie is always good —
[Hesitating]
or means to be.
LUCAS
[With a vague smile]
I am glad to know that, for I should be sorry to leave you with an aunt who was not good. But I came only to say good-bye, — not to talk of family history, or of old times.
VILLA
Would any harm come of it if we did talk of old times?
[She sits down on the chair at the right of the table]
Please sit down.
LUCAS
No harm, I suppose, and not much good.
[With a forced smile]
No great good seems to have come of anything that I
have done.
VILLA
[Frowning anxiously]
But I don’t know what you have done.
[Trying to laugh]
You speak as mysteriously as Mr. — Mr. Van Zorn did this morning when he talked about his business.
LUCAS
[Sitting down]
Yes, Van Zorn and I have a great deal in common.
[He speaks and smiles with mild bitterness]
VILLA
[Quickly]
You may have. I couldn’t keep from seeing that he took a great interest in you this morning.
LUCAS
[As if tired, but still interested]
If you could see that, you ought to be able to see almost anything. You ought even to be able to see what I have done.
VILLA
[Angry with herself]
But I didn’t mean to say that. You know I didn’t.
LUCAS
You might as well have meant to say it, for you must see that I have done nothing. Even Van Zorn took the trouble — did me the honor, if you insist — to see as much as that.
VILLA
[Lamely]
He saw that you were not — well, not quite satisfied.
Isn’t that what you mean?
LUCAS
Do you know anyone who is quite satisfied?
[Pause]
I know two or three who seem to be, but they are in asylums.
VILLA
[With a forced laugh and a shiver]
Oh! So that’s where they are. I thought there must be something wrong.
LUCAS
[Standing up and speaking earnestly]
You are quite right. There is something wrong. We see it in the streets, we live it in our lives, we feel it in our hearts. And there you have my reason for coming to say good-bye to you.
VILLA
[Frightened]
You mustn’t speak like that — as if we were never to see you again.
LUCAS
[As before]
And there you have my reason for wanting to go away into — what shall I call it? — into another kind of life, and to make a new beginning. It seems to be absolutely necessary, for many reasons, that I should make a new beginning. Yes, I want to get away from all this dust and deceit and disillusion; I want to get away from all this noise and poison; I want a place where I can be quiet for a while, away from streets and faces; I want a place where there are no roofs between me and the sky; I want a place where the sun shines down on a fellow, and where the stars are.... Oh yes, I know well enough what I want, and I know that I’ve waited too long. I might as well have gone away years ago...
VILLA
[Looking down]
Yes, it might perhaps have been as well.
LUCAS
It would have been better — far better.
VILLA
[Looking up and hesitating Won’t you tell me where you are going?
LUCAS
[After a pause]
I am going — west.
VILLA
You are not very confidential.
LUCAS
I would be more so if I could.
VILLA
Mightn’t it be better if you were to go in the other direction — towards the sunrise?... Was that a silly thing for me to say?
LUCAS
It will come to the same thing, for I shall follow the sun.
[Trying to laugh)
Some people do that all their lives — in order to keep warm.
VILLA
[Also trying to laugh]
Is that why you are going away? But you told me why you were going. I forgot.
LUCAS
I don’t want you to forget that. What I want you to forget are some things that happened a long time ago.
VILLA
[As before]
Do be careful. You speak as if I were a hundred years old.
LUCAS
[With strange earnestness]
I’ll be very careful, or at least I’ll try to be. And will you be good enough to pardon me for not knowing at one time as much as I know now? — which God knows is little enough. I thought I knew myself then, but I’ve seen since that I was wrong. It was you who knew me. Yes, you knew me, then, and you know me still. And I am glad for that.
VILLA
[Doubtfully]
You don’t speak as if you were glad... And I wonder if it is really worth while for us to be so serious over a matter that is — past — and —
LUCAS
Forgotten?
VILLA
[Slowly]
No, there is nothing that I wish to forget. We all make mistakes, don’t we? How can we help ourselves?
[She smiles sorrowfully]
LUCAS
We were younger then than we are now.
VILLA
[Forcing another laugh]
I don’t know what I shall do if you keep on telling me how old I am. Do you know that I pulled three gray hairs out of my poor scalp this morning?
[Be looks at her solemnly, and her face becomes suddenly serious]
How long do you intend to stay in — the west?
[Her question is obviously a makeshift to break the silence]
LUCAS
There seems to be no answer to that question — for the present.
VILLA
But you are coming back sometime?
LUCAS
Who can tell? I may become so deeply attached to the region where I am going that I shall not wish to come back.
Besides one has to consider the wisdom of his ways in this life — or he should consider them.
[He speaks with a rather disastrous attempt at lightness that serves only to make Villa more dissatisfied and unhappy than before]
VILLA
[Troubled]
I don’t understand what you mean.
LUCAS
[With an effort]
I don’t mean very much.
[Smiling faintly]
But I came to say good-bye before going away — not to talk about wisdom.
VILLA
[Looking at him as she rises]
It was good of you to come.
LUCAS
[Drearily]
It was magnanimous of me.
[With deep feeling]
I wonder if you know how good you have been to me today?
VILLA
[Trying again to laugh]
My aunt has just been telling me that I am wicked.
LUCAS
[After looking about the room]
Well, good-bye.
[He holds out his hand]
VILLA
[Holding his hand and speaking as if unwittingly]
Good-bye... and I wish you every kind of good fortune.
[Pause]
And I shall remember you — always — if you care.
LUCAS
[With difficulty]
Always?... Thank you... Good-bye...
[As they stand looking into each other’s eyes, the Maid appears in the doorway and announces “Mr. Van Zorn”]
VILLA
[Dropping Lucas’s hand]
Very well, Jenny. Tell him to come upstairs.
[The Maid disappears, Villa and Lucas continue to look at each other, and both appear now to be embarrassed. She speaks again, after a pause]
Please don’t go — quite yet.
LUCAS
Why should I stay longer?
VILLA
[Trying to laugh]
I suppose I ought to keep him waiting, but I won’t.
[Seriously]
For you are going away, and I feel sure that he would like to see you before you go... Isn’t it odd that you two should be here together this afternoon?
LUCAS
[Drily]
It may be odd.
VILLA
[Nervously]
Or it may be fate. Anyhow, I shan’t let you go until you see him.
LUCAS
[With tightened lips]
Apparently not, unless I run.
VILLA
You aren’t angry with me, are you?
LUCAS
I’m never angry, except with myself.
[There is another pause, and Van Zorn enters. He looks at Villa Vannevar and at Lucas, but shows no surprise.
He smiles pleasantly and shakes hands with Villa]
VAN ZORN
Ah! I’m very glad to see you again.
[Shaking hands with Lucas]
And I’m very glad to see Mr. Lucas again.
VILLA
[Quickly]
I thought you would be glad to see him — for he is going away.
VAN ZORN
[With a slight frown]
May I ask when he is going?
[He turns to Lucas inquiringly]
LUCAS
[Rather thickly]
I was on the point of going when you came.
VAN ZORN
[Seriously]
May I ask how long you intend to stay away?
LUCAS
I expect to be gone indefinitely.
VAN ZORN
[With a friendly smile]
You may shake down one of my best castles if you do that.
LUCAS
I should be sorry to shake down any man’s castle.
VAN ZORN
I’m sure of that.
[Stroking his chin thoughtfully]
I wonder, Miss Vannevar, if you would pardon me if I
were to make a somewhat surprising request. You may think it even eccentric.
MRS. LOVETT
[Who enters while he speaks]
We like eccentric people.
[Beaming and holding out her hand]
I’m so glad to see you.
VILLA
[Laughing]
But what is this awful request of yours?
VAN ZORN
I was going to ask
[Smiling at Mrs. Lovett, who smiles in return]
if you would be kind enough to leave Mr. Lucas alone here with me for a few minutes. I fear that he is plotting against me, and I should like to know, before he leaves this house, that his plot has been abandoned.
[With another smile]
I am quite well aware that this request is unusual.
VILLA
[Taking Mrs. Lovett by the arm and laughing Oh, that’s nothing! Everything is unusual today, and it’s all the fault of Weldon’s picture. Come along, Auntie, and we two will wait for what happens.
MRS. LOVETT
[Beaming, but bewildered]
I’m sure I don’t know what any of you are talking about, but of course I’ll do as I’m told.
VILLA
[Drawing her towards the door]
Of course you will. What else can you do when two conspirators drive you out of your own room?
VAN ZORN
[Pleased]
Thank you. And when we have conspired sufficiently,
I will play on the piano. Then you may come back.
[The two women go out, Villa Vannevar singing “Quand on Conspire” and laughing at the same time]
VAN ZORN
[Still smiling]
Do you object to being corralled in this unconventional manner, Mr. Lucas?
LUCAS
[Puzzled]
I am entirely at your service.
VAN ZORN
[In a very friendly voice]
Well, to begin, it may possibly make you feel better to know that your friends have been talking about you behind your back.
[He sits down on the piano stool, with his back to the keyboard]
I refer to Farnham and myself.
[Lucas looks more puzzled]
I’ll be quite honest with you and tell you that I began it;
and I may as well come to the point at once and tell you that I shall probably need you in my business, — assuming, you understand, that you are available. I have had three or four schemes in my head for some time, and I’m sure that you will find at least one of them congenial. Are you interested?
LUCAS
[Taking an ivory paper cutter from the table]
Yes, I am interested, but I don’t want you to make a mistake.
VAN ZORN
[Smiling]
I shall make mistakes, whether you want me to or not. And as for what Farnham said — to go back for a little...
LUCAS
[Drily]
Let us go back, by all means. What Farnham said about me ought to make rather good copy.
[Curiously]
What sort of stuff has he been telling you?
VAN ZORN
He didn’t tell me much. In fact, far less than I hoped for.
[Laughing a little]
So you needn’t worry about Farnham.
LUCAS
[Looking at something on the wall and breaking the ivory paper cutter in his abstraction]
I wasn’t worrying about Farnham.
[Fitting the pieces together]
I was wondering about you.
[Pause]
Do you know what you are doin
g?... Do you know that you are taking me seriously?
VAN ZORN
[With a friendly smile]
If I were not taking you seriously, I should hardly have resorted, in a strange house, to this method of getting hold of you.
[Half laughing]
Don’t you care to be taken seriously? Or do you prefer to be taken as a joke?
LUCAS
[Hesitating]
Why do you ask me if I care?
VAN ZORN
[Pleasantly]
Partly for the sake of saying something, and partly because I should like to know.
LUCAS
[With tightened lips]
Why don’t you ask me the other question — and have it off your mind?
VAN ZORN
[Indulgently]
At your own suggestion, I will. I will ask if you care enough to being the game all over again, and let the past sink.
LUCAS
[Cynically]
The past ought to be pretty well drowned by this time.
VAN ZORN
[Kindly, but very distinctly]
On the contrary, I have been led to infer that you have put yourself to a great deal of trouble and expense to keep it floating, so to speak. As a rule, I don’t mean to meddle with other people’s affairs, but in your case...
[With a laugh]
I’m sure you understand me. You have a head of your own.
LUCAS
[Nodding it slowly]
Yes; and only one.
VAN ZORN
Do you think it worth saving?
Works of Edwin Arlington Robinson Page 59