Complete Works of James Joyce (309 page)
Read Complete Works of James Joyce Online
Authors: Unknown
RICHARD
How many?
ARCHIE
Eleven. Eight red and three white. But one is sick now. No, not sick. But it fell.
RICHARD
Cows?
ARCHIE
(With a gesture.)
Eh! Not bulls. Because bulls give no milk. Eleven cows. They must give a lot of milk. What makes a cow give milk?
561
RICHARD
(Takes his hand.)
Who knows? Do you understand what it is to give a thing?
ARCHIE
To give? Yes.
RICHARD
While you have a thing it can be taken from you.
ARCHIE
By robbers? No?
RICHARD
But when you give it, you have given it. No robber can take it from you.
(He bends his head and presses his son’s hand against his cheek.)
It is yours then for ever when you have given it. It will be yours always. That is to give.
ARCHIE
But, pappie?
RICHARD
Yes?
ARCHIE
How could a robber rob a cow? Everyone would see him. In the night, perhaps.
RICHARD
In the night, yes.
ARCHIE
Are there robbers here like in Rome?
RICHARD
There are poor people everywhere.
ARCHIE
Have they revolvers?
RICHARD
No.
ARCHIE
Knives? Have they knives?
RICHARD
(Sternly.)
Yes, yes. Knives and revolvers.
ARCHIE
(Disengages himself.)
Ask mamma now. She is coming.
RICHARD
(Makes a movement to rise.)
I will.
ARCHIE
No, sit there, pappie. You wait and ask her when she comes back. I won’t be here. I’ll be in the garden.
RICHARD
(Sinking back again.)
Yes. Go.
ARCHIE
(Kisses him swiftly.)
Thanks.
(He runs out quickly by the door at the back leading into the garden. Bertha enters by the door on the left. She approaches the table and stands beside it, fingering the petals of the roses, looking at Richard.)
RICHARD
(Watching her.)
Well?
562
BERTHA
(Absently.)
Well. He says he likes me.
RICHARD
(Leans his chin in his hand.)
You showed him his note?
BERTHA
Yes. I asked him what it meant.
RICHARD
What did he say it meant?
BERTHA
He said I must know. I said I had an idea. Then he told me he liked me very much. That I was beautiful — and all that.
RICHARD
Since when!
BERTHA
(Again absently.)
Since when — what?
RICHARD
Since when did he say he liked you?
BERTHA
Always, he said. But more since we came back. He said I was like the moon in this lavender dress.
(Looking at him.)
Had you any words with him — about me?
RICHARD
(Blandly.)
The usual thing. Not about you.
BERTHA
He was very nervous. You saw that?
RICHARD
Yes. I saw it. What else went on?
BERTHA
He asked me to give him my hand.
RICHARD
(Smiling.)
In marriage?
BERTHA
(Smiling.)
No, only to hold.
RICHARD
Did you?
BERTHA
Yes.
(Tearing off a few petals.)
Then he caressed my hand and asked would I let him kiss it. I let him.
RICHARD
Well?
BERTHA
Then he asked could he embrace me — even once? ..and then...
RICHARD
And then?
BERTHA
He put his arm round me.
RICHARD
(Stares at the floor for a moment, then looks at her again.)
And then?
BERTHA
He said I had beautiful eyes. And asked could he kiss them.
(With a gesture.)
I said:
Do so.
RICHARD
And he did?
563
BERTHA
Yes. First one and then the other.
(She breaks off suddenly.)
Tell me, Dick, does all this disturb you? Because I told you I don’t want that. I think you are only pretending you don’t mind. I don’t mind.
RICHARD
(Quietly.)
I know, dear. But I want to find out what he means or feels just as you do.
BERTHA
(Points at him.)
Remember, you allowed me to go on. I told you the whole thing from the beginning.
RICHARD
(As before.)
I know, dear... And then?
BERTHA
He asked for a kiss. I said:
Take it.
RICHARD
And then?
BERTHA
(Crumpling a handful of petals.)
He kissed me.
RICHARD
Your mouth?
BERTHA
Once or twice.
RICHARD
Long kisses?
BERTHA
Fairly long.
(Reflects.)
Yes, the last time.
RICHARD
(Rubs his hands slowly; then:)
With his lips? Or... the other way?
BERTHA
Yes, the last time.
RICHARD
Did he ask you to kiss him?
BERTHA
He did.
RICHARD
Did you?
BERTHA
(Hesitates, then looking straight at him.)
I did. I kissed him.
RICHARD
What way?
BERTHA
(With a shrug.)
O simply.
RICHARD
Were you excited?
BERTHA
Well, you can imagine.
(Frowning suddenly.)
Not much. He has not nice lips... Still I was excited, of course. But not like with you, Dick.
RICHARD
Was he?
BERTHA
Excited? Yes, I think he was. He sighed. He was dreadfully nervous.
RICHARD
(Resting his forehead on his hand.)
I see.
564
BERTHA
(Crosses towards the lounge and stands near him.)
Are you jealous?
RICHARD
(As before.)
No.
BERTHA
(Quietly.)
You are, Dick.
RICHARD
I am not. Jealous of what?
BERTHA
Because he kissed me.
RICHARD
(Looks up.)
Is that all?
BERTHA
Yes, that’s all. Except that he asked me would I meet him.
RICHARD
Out somewhere?
BERTHA
No. In his house.
RICHARD
(Surprised.)
Over there with his mother, is it?
BERTHA
No, a house he has. He wrote the address for me.
(She goes to the desk, takes the key from the flower vase, unlocks the drawer and returns to him with the slip of paper.)
RICHARD
(Half to himself.)
Our cottage.
BERTHA
(Hands him the slip.)
Here.
RICHARD
(Reads it.)
Yes. Our cottage.
BERTHA
Your...?
RICHARD
No, his. I call it ours.
(Looking at her.)
The cottage I told you about so often — that we had the two keys for, he and I. It is his now. Where we used to hold our wild nights, talking, drinking, planning — at that time. Wild nights; yes. He and I together.
(He throws the slip on the couch and rises suddenly.)
And sometimes I alone.
(Stares at her.)
But not quite alone. I told you. You remember?
BERTHA
(Shocked.)
That place?
RICHARD
(Walks away from her a few paces and stands still, thinking, holding his chin.)
Yes.
BERTHA
(Taking up the slip again.)
Where is it?
RICHARD
Do you not know?
BERTHA
He told me to take the tram at Lansdowne Road and to ask the man to let me down there. Is it... is it a bad place?
565
RICHARD
O no, cottages.
(He returns to the lounge and sits down.)
What answer did you give?
BERTHA
No answer. He said he would wait.
RICHARD
Tonight?
BERTHA
Every night, he said. Between eight and nine.
RICHARD
And so I am to go tonight to interview — the professor. About the appointment I am to beg for.
(Looking at her.)
The interview is arranged for tonight by him — between eight and nine. Curious, isn’t it? The same hour.