vulnerable any more. But my young husband was and I
--never mind about that! Just give them back to me!
stanley:
What do you mean by saying you'll have to bum them?
blanche:
I'm sorry, I must have lost my head for a moment. Everyone
has something he wont let others touch because of
their--intimate nature...
[She now seems faint with exhaustion and she sits down
with the strong box and puts on a pair of glasses and goes
methodically through a large stack of papers.}
Ambler & Ambler. Hmmmmm. . . . Crabtree. . . . More
Ambler & Ambler.
stanley:
What is Ambler & Ambler?
blanche:
A firm that made loans on the place.
stanley:
Then it was lost on a mortgage?
blanche [touching her forehead]:
That must've been what happened.
43
_b.__b
SCENE TWO
stanley:
I don't want no ifs, ands or buts! What's all the rest of them
papers?
[She hands him the entire box. He carries it to the table
and starts to examine the papers.]
blanche [picking up a large envelope containing mare papers]:
There are thousands of papers, stretching back over hundreds
of years, affecting Belle Reve as, piece by piece, our
improvident grandfathers and father and uncles and brothers
exchanged the land for their epic fornications--to
put it plainly! [She removes her glasses with an exhausted
laugh] The four-letter word deprived us of our plantation, till finally all that was left--and Stella can verify that!--
was the house itself and about twenty acres of ground, including
a graveyard, to which now all but Stella and I have
retreated. [She pours the contents of the envelope on the
table] Here all of them are, all papers! I hereby endow you
with them! Take them, peruse them--commit them to
memory, even! I think it's wonderfully fitting that Belle
Reve should finally be this bunch of old papers in your big, capable hands! ... I wonder if Stella's come back with
my lemon-coke . . . [She leans back and closes her eyes.]
stanley:
I have a lawyer acquaintance who will study these out
blanche:
Present them to him with a box of aspirin tablets.
stanley [becoming somewhat sheepish]:
You see, under the Napoleonic code--a man has to take
an interest in his wife's affairs--especially now that she's
going to have a baby.
[Blanche opens her eyes. The "blue piano" sounds louder.]
blanche:
Stella? Stella going to have a baby? [dreamily] I didn't know
she was going to have a baby!
[She gets up and crosses to the outside door. Stella appears
around the corner with a carton from the drugstore.
[Stanley goes into the bedroom with the envelope and the
box.
48
SCENE TVTO
[The inner rooms fade to darkness and the outside wall of
the house is visible. Blanche meets Stella at the foot of the
steps to the sidewalk.]
blanche:
Stella, Stella for star! How lovely to have a baby! It's all
right. Everything's all right.
stella:
I'm sorry he did that to you.
blanche:
Oh, I guess he's just not the type that goes for jasmine
perfume, but maybe he's what we need to mix with our
blood now that we've lost Belle Reve. We thrashed it out. I
feel a bit shaky, but I think I handled it nicely, I laughed
and treated it all as a joke. [Steve and Pablo appear, carrying
a case of beer.} I called him a little boy and laughed and
flirted. Yes, I was flirting with your husband! [as the men
approach] The guests are gathering for the poker party. [The two men pass between them, and enter the house.} Which way do we go now, Stella--this way?
stella:
No, this way. [She leads Blanche away.}
blanche [laughing}:
The blind are leading the blind! [A tamale Vendor is heard calling.}
vendor's voice:
Red-hot!
44
.SCENE THREE 9
THE POKER NIGHT
There is a picture of Van Gogh's of a billiard-parlor at
night. The kitchen now suggests that sort of lurid nocturnal
brilliance, the raw colors of childhood's spectrum. Over the
yellow linoleum of the kitchen table hangs an electric bulb
with a vivid green glass shade. The poker players--Stanley,
Steve, Mitch and Pablo--wear colored shirts, solid blues, a
purple, a red-and-white check, a light green, and they are
men at the peak of their physical manhood, as coarse and
direct and powerful as the primary colors. There are vivid
slices of watermelon on the table, whiskey bottles and
glasses. The bedroom is relatively dim with only the light
that spills between the portieres and through the wide window
on the street.
For a moment, there is absorbed silence as a hand is dealt.
| steve:
| Anything wild this deal?
; pablo:
One-eyed jacks are wild.
steve:
Give me two cards.
pablo:
You, Mitch?
mitch:
I'm out
pablo:
One.
mitch:
Anyone want a shot?
stanley:
Yeah. Me.
pablo:
Why don't somebody go to the Chinaman's and bring back
a load of chop suey?
stanley:
When I'm losing you want to eati Ante up! Openers?
is
SCENE THREE
Openers! Get y'r ass off the table, Mitch. Nothing belongs
on a poker table but cards, chips and whiskey. [He lurches up and tosses some watermelon rinds to the
floor.} mitch:
Kind of on your high horse, ain't you?
stanley: if ^--. - ^ , A
How many? �,' r ." wy"" ,��'T
steve: ' "~ '-;? r,^
Give me three.
stanley: ^
One. mitch:
I'm out again. I oughta go home pretty soon.
stanley: �
Shut up.
mitch:
I gotta sick mother. She don't go to sleep until I come in
at night stanley:
Then why don't you stay home with her?
mitch:
She says to go out, so I go, but I don't enjoy it All the
while I keep wondering how she is.
stanley:
Aw, for the sake of Jesus, go home, then! pablo:
Whafve you got? stanley:
Spade flush. mitch:
You all are married. But 111 be alone when she goes.--
I'm going to the bathroom. stanley:
Hurry back and well fix you a sugar-tit.
mitch:
Aw, go rut. [He crosses through the bedroom into the
bathroom.]
46
SOBNB THREE
steve [dealing a hand):
Seven-card stud. [Telling his joke as he deals] This ole
fanner is out in back of his house sittin' down th'owing
corn to the chickens when all at once he hears a loud
cackle and this young hen comes lickety split around the
&
nbsp; side of the house with the rooster right behind her and
gaining on her fast.
stanley [impatient with the story]:
Deal!
steve:
But when the rooster catches sight of the farmer th'owing
tile corn he puts on the brakes and lets the hen get away
and starts pecking corn. And the old fanner says, "Lord
God, I hopes I never gits that hongry!"
[Steve and Pablo laugh. The sisters appear around the
corner of the building^
stella:
The game is still going on.
blanche:
How do I look?
stella:
Lovely, Blanche.
blanche:
I feel so hot and frazzled. Wait till I powder before you
open the door. Do I look done in?
stella:
Why no. You are as fresh as a daisy.
blanche:
One thafs been picked a few days.
- [Stella opens the door and they enter.]
stella:
Well, well, well. I see you boys are still at it!
stanley:
Where you been?
stella:
Blanche and I took in a show. Blanche, fhis is Mr. Gonzales
and Mr. HubbelL
47
SCENE THREE
blanche:
Please don't get up.
stanley:
Nobody's going to get up, so don't be worried.
stella:
How much longer is this game going to continue?
{I11 stanley:
Till we get ready to quit
blanche:
Poker is so fascinating. Could I kibitz?
stanley:
You could not. Why don't you women go up and sit with
Eunice?
stella;
Because it is nearly two-thirty. [Blanche crosses into the
bedroom and partially closes the portieres} Couldn't you
call it quits after one more hand?
[A chair scrapes. Stanley gives a loud whack of his hand
on her thigh.]
stella [sharply}:
That's not fun, Stanley.
[The men laugh. Stella goes into the bedroom.}
stella:
It makes me so mad when he does that in front of people.
blanche:
I think I will bathe.
stella:
Again?
blanche: tf^
My nerves are in knots. Is the bathroom occupied? % ^
stella: � "***.
I don't know.
[Blanche knocks. Mitch opens the door and comes out, still
wiping his hands on a towel.}
blanche:
Oh!�good evening.
48
N �
i^
II
� U JH; a Hi T M K. 13 IS
ttch:
Hello. [He stares at her.}
^stella:
Blanche, this is Harold Mitchell. My sister, Blanche DuBois.
mttch [with awkward courtesy}:
How do you do. Miss DuBois.
stella:
How is your mother now, Mitch?
IrMrrcH:
About the same, thanks. She appreciated your sending over
that custard.�Excuse me, please.
[He crosses slowly back into the kitchen, glancing back
at Blanche and coughing a little shyly. He realizes he still
has the towel in his hands and with an embarrassed laugh
hands it to Stella. Blanche looks after him with a certain
interest.}
eblanche:
That one seems�superior to the others.
stella:
Yes, he is.
jBLANCHE:
I thought he had a sort of sensitive look.
stella:
His mother is sick.
'blanche:
Is he married?
stella:
No.
blanche:
Is he a wolf?
stella:
Why, Blanchel [Blanche laughs.} I dont think he would be.
blanche:
What does�what does he do?
[She is unbuttoning her blouse.}
stella:
He's on the precision bench in the spare parts department
At the plant Stanley travels for.
49
SCENE THREE
blanche;
Is that something much?
stella:
No. Stanley's the only one of his crowd that's likel :�.
anywhere.
blanche:
What makes you think Stanley will? '
stella:
Look at him.
blanche: j
I've looked at him. >
stella:
Then you should know. , blanche: I
Fm sorry, but I havent noticed (he stamp of genius even |
on Stanley's forehead.
[She takes off the blouse and stands in her pink silk brassiere
and white skirt in the light through the portleres. The game
has continued in undertones.] stella:
It isn't on his forehead and it isnt genius. blanche:
Oh. Well, what is it, and where? I would like to know.
stella:
It's a drive that he has. You're standing in the light, Blanche!
blanche:
Oh, am I!
[She moves out of the yellow streak of light. Stella has removed
her dress and put on a tight blue satin kimono.] i
stella [with girlish laughter]: j
You ought to see their wives. ;
blanche [laughingly]:
I can imagine. Big, beefy things, I suppose.
stella:
You know that one upstairs? [More laughter] One time I [laughing] the plaster--[laughing] cracked--
stanley:
You hens cut out that conversation in therel
SCENE THREE
stella:
You can't hear us.
stanley:
Well, you can hear me and I said to hush up!
stblla:
This is my house and I'll talk as much as I want to!
blanche:
Stella, don't start a row.
stella:
He's half drunk!�I'll be out in a minute.
[She goes into the bathroom. Blanche rises and crosses
leisurely to a small white radio and turns it on.]
stanley:
Awright, Mitch, you in?
mitch:
What? Oh!�No, I'm out!
[Blanche moves back into the streak of light. She raises her
arms and stretches, as she moves indolently back to the
chair.
[Rhumba music comes over the radio. Mitch rises at the
table.}
stanley:
Who tamed that on in there?
blanche:
I did. Do you mind?
stanley:
Turn it off I
steve:
Aw, let the girls have their music.
pablo:
Sure, that's good, leave it on!
steve:
Sounds like Xavier Cugat!
[Stanley jumps up and, crossing to the radio, turns it off.
He stops short at the sight of Blanche in the chair. She
returns his look without flinching. Then he sits again at the
poker table.
i& 51
FR1;|
[Tw steve Idi(
I� pablo
Did;
SCENE! THBEE
mitch:
It's--a hot weather drink.
blanche:
Oh, I don't think so; it always makes me wanner. Have
you got any cigs? [She has slipped on the dark red satin
wrapper.}<
br />
mitch:
Sure.
blanche:
What kind are they?
mitch:
Luckies.
blanche:
Oh, good. What a pretty case. Silver?
MrrcH:
Yes. Yes; read the inscription.
blanche:
Oh, is there an inscription? I can't make it out. [Be strikes
a match and moves closer} Oh! {reading with feigned difficulty}:
"And if God choose,
I shall but love thee better--after--death!"
Why, that's from my favorite sonnet by Mrs. Browning!
mitch:
You know it?
blanche:
Certainly I dol
mitch:
There's a story connected with that inscription.
blanche:
It sounds like a romance. Mrrca:
A pretty sad one.
blanche:
Oh?
Mrrca:
The girl's dead now.
53
SCENE THREE
blanchb pn a tone of deep sympathy}:
Oh!
MrrcH:
She knew she was dying when she give me this. A v?ry
strange girl, very sweet�very!
blanche:
She must have been fond of you. Sick people have s "h
deep, sincere attachments.
mitch:
That's right, they certainly do.
blanche:
Sorrow makes for sincerity, I think.
mitch:
It sure brings it out in people.
blanche:
The little there is belongs to people who have experienced
some sorrow.
mitch: 1
I believe you are right about that.
blanche:
I'm positive that I am. Show me a person who hasn't known
any sorrow and I'll show you a shuperficial�Listen to me!
My tongue is a little�thickl You boys are responsible for
it. The show let out at eleven and we couldn't come home
on account of the poker game so we had to go somewhere
and drink. I'm not accustomed to having more than one
drink. Two is the limit�and three! [She laughs} Tonight I
had three.
stanley;
Mitchi
mitch:
Deal me out I'm talking to Miss�
blanche:
DuBois.
mitch:
Miss DuBois?
blanche:
It's a French name. It means woods and Blanche raeans
SCENE THREE
white, so (he two together mean white woods. Like an orchard
in spring! You can remember it by that.
mitch:
You're French?
blanche:
We are French by extraction. Our first American ancestors
were French Huguenots.
mitch: ' You are Stella's sister, are you not?
blanche:
Yes, Stella is my precious little sister. I call her little in spite
of the fact she's somewhat older than I. Just slightly. Less
than a year. Will you do something for me?
mitch:
Sure. What?
blanche:
I bought this adorable little colored paper lantern at a
Chinese shop on Bourbon. Put it over the light bulb! Will
you, please?
mitch:
Be glad to.
blanche:
I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude
remark or a vulgar action.
mitch [adjusting the lantern]:
I guess we strike you as being a pretty rough bunch. blanche:
I'm very adaptable--to circumstances.
MrrcH:
Well, that's a good thing to be. You are visiting Stanley and
Stella?
blanche:
Stella hasn't been so weB lately, and I came down to help
her for a while. She's very run down. mitch:
You're not--? blanche:
Married? No, no. Fm an old maid schoolteacheri
SB
SCENE THREE
mitch;
You may teach school but you're certainly not an old r ?id
blanche:
Thank you, sir! I appreciate your gallantryl
MrrcH:
So you are in the teaching profession?
blanche:
Yes. Ah, yes...
mitch:
Grade school or high school or--
stanley [bellowing]:
Mitchi
MrrcH:
Coming!
blanche:
Gracious, what lung-power! ... I teach high scho;;. In
Laurel.
mitch:
What do you teach? What subject?
blanche:
Guess!
mitch:
I bet you teach art or music? [Blanche laughs delicately] Of
course I could be wrong. You might teach arithmetic.
blanche:
Never arithmetic, sir, never arithmetic! [with a laugh] I
don't even know my multiplication tables! No, I have the
misfortune of being an English instructor. I attempt to instill
a bunch of bobby-soxers and drug-store Romeos with
reverence for Hawthorne and Whitman and Poe!
mitch:
I guess that some of them are more interested in oth?r
things.
blanche:
How very right you are! Their literary heritage is not what
most of them treasure above all else! But they're sweet
things! And in the spring, it's touching to notice them
SCENE THREE
making their first discovery of lovel As if nobody had ever
known it before!
[The bathroom door opens and Stella comes out. Blanche
continues talking to Mitch.]
Oh! Have you finished? Wait--I'll turn on the radio. [She turns the knobs on the radio and it begins to play
"Wien, Wien, nur du allein." Blanche -waltzes to the music
with romantic gestures. Mitch is delighted and moves in
awkward imitation tike a dancing bear.
[Stanley stalks fiercely through the portieres into the bedroom.
He crosses to the small white radio and snatches it off
the table. With a shouted oath, he tosses the instrument out
the window.]
stella:
Drunk--drunk--animal thing, you! [She rushes through to
the poker table] All of you--please go home! If any of you
have one spark of decency in you--
blanche [wildly]:
Stella, watch out, he's-- [Stanley charges after Stella.]
men [feebly]:
Take it easy, Stanley. Easy, fellow.--Let's all--
stella:
You lay your hands on me and 111--
[She backs out of sight. He advances and disappears. There
is the sound of a blow. Stella cries out. Blanche screams and
runs into the kitchen. The men rush forward and there is
grappling and cursing. Something is overturned With a
crash.]
Streetcar Named Desire Page 4