12 The Children's Hour lowers out of the garbage can. What Ido want to know is why yoo feel you have to lie out of it seany (beginning to whimper) 1 did pick the flowers ‘near Conway's. You never believe me. You believe ‘everybody but me, Its always like that: Everything 1 say you fuss at me about Everything 1 do is wrong, xaanes” You know that ant true. (Coes to MARY, puts er ‘erm around her, wats until the sobbing has stopped) Look, Mary, look at me. (Raises stany’s face veth her hand) Lets trv to understand each other. Hf you feel that you hove to take a walk, or that yon jst cont come to class, or that you'd like’ to go into the vilage by yyoursell, come and tell mo—Il try and understand. {Smiles} 1 doxtt say that TI always agree that you should do exactly what you want t0 do, but Tve had fecings like that, too—everybody has-and T won't be tmmressonable about yours. Bot this way, this Kind of Tying you do, makes everything. wrong. sane (looking steadily at KAREN) 1 got the Bowers near Conway's corel. xanen (looks ot starr, sighs, moves back toward desk ‘and stands there for a moment) Well, there doess't seem to be any other way with you; youll have to be ‘punished. Take your recreation ‘periods alone for the ext two weeks. No horseback-riding and po hockey Don't leave the school grounds for any reason what- soever. Is that clear? sane (carefully) Sato xan Yeo : MARY But you said 1 could go to the boat-races, xxanrs T'm sorry, but you can't go. any TH tall my grandmother. Tl tell her how every ody treats mo here and che way 1 get punished for every lite thing I do. 11 ell her, 11 ‘ms. sfomran Why, {1 slap her hands! Kani (turning back from lor, jgnoring sens. tomar’ speech, To stant) Go upstairs, Mary. rane 1 don't feel well ane (:cearily) Go upstairs now: aeany Te got a pain. Tve had (tall morning Tt hurts ‘Act One 18 Fight here. (Pointing eaguely in the direction of her heart) Really st does. ants Ask Miss Dobie to give you some hot water and bicarbonate of soda aunt Its-a bad pain. Toe never had it before. anzs 1 don’ think Ie can be very serous. dean My heart! Its say heast! Its, stopping or some: thing. Pean't breathe, (She takes « long breath and foils ‘uckworly 10 tho floor.) anes (sighs, ahakos her head, Rncels beside wane. To somean) Ask Martha to phone Joe ams siontas (going out) Do you think—? Heart trouble fis very serious in a cul (xams picks stsnv up from the floor and cartes her off ‘Right. Ajier a moment staxrais ome enters Contr. She és about the same age ax kanex. She (¢ a nervous, highestrung, woman.) eames (enters Right) Did you get Joe? Mantua (ridding) What happened to her? She was perfectly wall « few hours ago ranmx She probubly atl i, E told her sho could’t go to the boat-races and she had a heart attack, seanmin Whore i sho? kanes In there. Mortars with her "Anything really wrong with her? 1 doubt it (Sits down at dosk and begins to mark “papers She's problem, that kid. Her latest trick was idding your aust out of a sewing Teswon with those Faded flowers wo threw out. Then she threatened to go “to her grandmother with some tale about being mise ‘rated ‘And, plesse God, Grandma would believe her “take her away. € Which would give the school swell Black eye “we ought to do something. How about haviog a talk with Mrs. Tilford? (iing) You want to dot? (stacria shakes her Thate to do it. She's boon sy nice to.us. (Shrug ‘shoulders) Anyway, it wouldn't do any good.14 The Children's Hour She's too erazy about Mary to see her faults very clearly and the kid knows it sucria How about asking Joe to say something to ber? She'd listen to him, ares That would be admitting that we ean't do the job sate Well, we cust, and we might ay well admit it We've tried everything we can think of. She's had score attention than any othcr thee Kids put together. And Wwe still haven't the falntest teu what goes on inside her bel kamey She's a strange gi ear. ‘Thal putting tly. Eanes (laughs) U3 funny. We always talk: about the hid a5 if sho swore a. grown woman. sears Tes not so fimny. There's something the matter with the Kid. Thats beon true ever sinee the fast day she came. She causes trouble here: she's bad for the othr ils. T don’t know what it is-it’s a feeling Tve got that its somewhere— aniex AIL ight, all right, well talk It over with Joe, Now: ‘what about our other pet nuisance? means (laughs) My aunt the actress? What's she been up to now? xxanex Nothing uowsual. Last night at dinner she was telling the giels about the time she lost her trunks in Butte, Montana, and how she gave her best perform- singe ‘of Rosalind during a huricane. Today in the fetehen you could hear her on what Sir Henry said to ber. MARTA Wait until she does Hedda Gabler standing on f chair, Sic Henry taught he to do it that way. He said it yas a test of great acting. anes You must have had a gay childhood seams (biterly) Ob, {did T did, indeed. God, how 1 sed to hate all that— scans Couldn't we get rid of her soon, Martha? I hate to make it hard on you, but sho really ought not to be here. neanriin (after a moment) 1 know. ActOne 15 zamy We can srzpe up enough money to send ber away. Lats do it smarts. (goes to. hor, affectionately pate hor head) Youve been very patient about it fm sony and 11 talk to her today. It] probably bo weik or two be- fore sho can bo ready to leave. Is that allright? amex Of conse. (Laoks at her watch) Did you get Joe Thimself on the phone? aacanmis) He was already om is way, Ieit he always om bis way over here? ans (legis) Well, Ym going to warry him some day. ‘you know: stanruis(Tooking at her) for long, Hime seam’ Tye talked of s with Joe. ‘Stansnta Then you aro thinking about it-soon? seamen Pechaps when the term is over. By that time we ‘ought to be out of debt, and the school should be pay- jing for isl. sexnrun (nercously playing ‘with @ Book on the table) ‘Then we won't be taking our vacation together? ‘kam OF course we will. The threo of us ‘Manrns. I had heen looking forward to some place by the Take—just you and me—the way we used t0 at college. “kamen (cheerfully) Well, now theze will be three of ts. That! be fun, too. (after pose) before? m es Ta vot tolling you anything wo have ulked “soa often Bat you‘e tlkig show ins soon now. Tm ga fo be able to, ve bean in love wth Joe ong tine. (scans reser to tondow and stands i on, er back to cams. kane aes marking and viet) Tes a big day forthe schoo, Rois ia ane coul, lite on rig ton Sealy ove pg to leave, weit yout Beer eee ss lave, an yy naw fe iyi “say things like that? We agreed a long time 7 You haven't talked of marriage Why haven't you told me this16 The Children's Hour that my marrage wasn't going to make any difference to the school esata, But it will. You know it will. tt can't help st anew ‘Thats nonsense. Joe doesn't want me to give up here MARTHA (turning from window) 1 don't understand you. 1 been so darned hard building this thing up, sliving and going without things to make ends meetthink of having a winter coat without holes in the lining again! and nos? when wots getting on our feet, you're all ready to let it go to hel anes: ‘This isa silly argument, Martha. Let's quit it. You havent listened) to a word Uwe said. Tm not getting mnarsied tomorrow, anel when I do, its not going 19 interfere with my work here, Youre making something cut of nothing suena Its going t be hard going on alone afterward. anes” For Gods sake, do you expeet me to give up my narnia? ausirita T don't mean that, but is so— (Door Gentor opens and vocron yoscen cAsbis comes. He ts a large, pleasantlooking, carclesly dressed man of about thirtyfce.) arms Hello, daring. Hi, Martha. What's the best news? narnia Hallo, Joo. ane’ We tried to get you on the phone. Come ia and Took at your lite cousin ‘canes Sure. What's the matter with her now? I stopped at Vernie's on the way over to Took at that little lack Dull be bought: He's a baby! Thers' going to be plenty of good breesing done in these hills. axis You'd bettor come and see her. She says she has 4 pain in her heat. (Goes out Right.) eawix (Hopping to light a cigarette) Our litle Mary pops up in every day's dispatches. seartna (impatiently) Go and see her. Heat attacks fare nothing to play with. canoe (locks at her) Never played with one in my ie (Exit Right) ‘Act One IT (otanmua walks around room and finally goes to stare out teinddow,) (sans, scomran enters Right.) sus. scontan Twas asked to leave the room. (starr ‘pays no attention) Te secus that Tim not wanted inthe room during the examination. ante” (over her shoulder) What diference docs it ‘make? ses. siortan What differonce does it make? Why, st was 2 deliberate sib ania ‘There's very litle pleasure in watching a man tue a stethosoope sins. scontan [sit it natural that the child should have ‘me with her? Isn't it natural that an older woman should be present? (No answer) Very wel, if you are 0 thieksksnned that you don't resant these things— urns. What are you talking about? Why, in the name Of heaven, should you be with her? sans. Nowtan It-its customary for an older woman to be present during an examination. area (laughs) Tell tha to Joe. Maybe hol give you "a fob as dueana for his offce ans, wontan (reminiscently) It was 1 who saved Delia Lampert’s life the time she had that heart attack in Buffalo, We almost lost ker that time. Poor Delia! We "went over to London together. She marzied Robert Lal- “fone. Not seven months later he left her and ran away ‘with Eve Cloun, who was playing the Infant Phenome- “ot in Gonsole yoursel’. If you've seen one heart ot tack, you've scent them al ‘worran So you dont resent your aunt being snubbed | humaiated? * Ob, Aunt Lalyt Mowran Karen ir consistently ride to me, snd you i T Jaw that she is very polite to you, and~ ic important~very paticnt. Patient with me? 1, who have worked my bone! a18 The Children's Hour Manta Don't tell yourself that too often, Aunt Lilly youl come to believe it es. ovat 1 Fane 5 tre, Where could you ave ten & woman of my reputation to give these chilkren foice isso lation Iesocs? Patent th mel Here Te donsted my services anita I was under the impression you were being paid sang, onran ‘That small thing! I used to eam twice that for one. performance. utr Phe gilded days. Th wan very extravagant of them to pay you #9 much. (Suddenly tied of the whole thing) Youre not very happy here, are you, Aunt Lily ss, nioxan | Saisie! enough, I guess, for a poor relation, Manmia (makes « motion of distaste) "But you dort like the schoo! or the farm or sexs wonrar” 1 told you at the beginning you shouldn't have bought a phice lke this. Burying youself on a farm) You'l cope it ears We like it here. (After ¢ moment) Aunt Lily, you've talked about London for a long time. Would ou like to go over? sma, sonra (‘sith a sigh) It's been twenty years, and T shall never live 10 sce it a maui Wal yoo cn go ay fins. ie ye cn he mancy now, and it will do you a Toto ou pik ont the bout you wane and 1M et the passage (She has been talking rapidly. anxious to end the whole thing) Now that’s all fed. YouTl have a grand tine seeing all your old frends, and i you live sensibly T dug to be able et you have enoagh ogo along on 1 begins to gather books, nolebooks, and pencis.) aus wowran (slowly) So you want me to leave? ‘tarts That's ot the way to put it. You've wanted to ip ver snc Tan renter sure, aaorran Youre tying to get rid of me. Mena ‘Taes te: Words weet you ean when we dig up the buried treasure suns. seOman So? You're turning me out? At my age! ‘Nice, grateful giel you are seareta Oh, my God, how ean snybody deal with you? Act One 19 You're going where you want to go, and well be better of alone. ‘That suits everybody. You complain about the farm, you complain about the schoo}, you complain about Karen, and now you have what you want and you're still looking for something to complain about. MIS. sontan (with dignity) Please do not raise your stamina You ought to be glad I dont do worse Mus. sorrat | absolutuly rouse to be shipped off three thousand miles away. Yn not going to England. T shall 4g buck to the stage: Til wie to my agents tomorow, And 8 soon as they have something good for me~ seams The truth is I'd lke you to lave soon. The three of us eat ive together, and ft doestt make any dif ence whose fal suis, owran You wish me to go tonight? ‘Mtarmma Don't act, Aunt Lily. Go ax soon as you've found a ploce you like. TTI pot the money im the bank for you tomar 4s, woman You think Vd lake your money? Tid rather serub Boor fst Sarnia T imagine you'll change your mind. ssonran T should havo known by this time that the | ‘wise thing is to stay ont of your way when he'e in the house sari What arv you talking about now? Mowan Never mind. I should have known better. ‘You always take your spite out om me, ? Spite? (impatiently) Ob, don't let's have an of this today, I'm tited. I've been working since dock this morning EAMONTAN Any chy that he's i the house isa bad day, ‘When tho is in the house? ran Dorit think youlre fooling me, young lady. born yesterday. ee Aunt Lily, the: amount of diseonneeted unpleas- that goes on in your head could keep pay: gst busy for yeurs. Naw go take your T know what T know. Every time that man this hoiwe, you have St. Tt sous like you