The First Man Part 12

Do get up, Aunt Elizabeth! How ridiculous! What a scene if anyone should see you like that. [He raises her to her feet and leads her to a chair by the fire. She obeys unresistingly, seemingly unaware of what she is doing.]

ESTHER--[Unable to restrain her jealousy.] So it's a boy.

EMILY--Did you hear Curt--how he yelled out "No"? It's plain as the nose on your face he didn't want--

ESTHER--How awful!

JOHN--Well, can you blame him?

EMILY--And the awful cheek of that Bigelow person--coming here--

ESTHER--They appeared as friendly as ever when we came in.

JOHN--[Scornfully.] Curt is a blind simpleton--and that man is a dyed-in-the-wool scoundrel.

JAYSON--[Frightenedly.] Shhh! Suppose we were overheard!

EMILY--When Curt leaves we can put her in her proper place. I'll soon let her know she hasn't fooled me, for one. [While she is speaking MRS.

D. has gotten up and is going silently toward the door.]

JAYSON--[Testily.] Aunt Elizabeth, where are you going?

MRS. D.--[Tenderly.] I must see him again, the dear! [She goes out.]

ESTHER--[Devoured by curiosity--hesitatingly.] I think I--come on, Emily. Let's go up and see--

EMILY--Not I! I never want to lay eyes on it.

JOHN--Nor I.

ESTHER--I was only thinking--everyone will think it funny if we don't.

JAYSON--[Hastily.] Yes, yes. We must keep up appearances. [Getting to his feet.] Yes, I think we had better all go up--make some sort of inquiry about Martha, you know. It's expected of us and--[They are all standing, hesitating, when the door in the rear is opened and the NURSE appears, supporting CURT. The latter is like a corpse. His face is petrified with grief, his body seems limp and half-paralyzed.]

NURSE--[Her eyes flas.h.i.+ng, indignantly.] It's a wonder some of you wouldn't come up--here, help me! Take him, can't you? I've got to run back!

[JAYSON and SHEFFIELD spring forward and lead CURT to a chair by the fire.]

JAYSON--[Anxious.] Curt! Curt, my boy! What is it, son?

EMILY--[Catching the NURSE as she tries to go.] Nurse! What is the matter?

NURSE--[Slowly.] His wife is dead. [They are all still, stunned.] She lived just long enough to recognize him.

EMILY--And--the baby?

NURSE--[With a professional air.] Oh, it's a fine, healthy baby--eleven pounds--that's what made it so difficult. [She goes. The others all stand in silence.]

ESTHER--[Suddenly sinking on the couch and bursting into tears.] Oh, I'm so sorry I said--or thought--anything wrong about her. Forgive me, Martha!

SHEFFIELD--[Honestly moved but unable to resist this opportunity for Latin--solemnly.] De mortuis nil nisi bonum.

JAYSON--[Who has been giving all his attention to his son.] Curt! Curt!

EMILY--Hadn't the doctor better--

JAYSON--Shhh! He begins to recognize me. Curt!

CURTIS--[Looking around him bewilderedly.] Yes. [Suddenly remembrance comes and a spasm of intolerable pain contracts his features. He presses his hands to the side of his head and groans brokenly.] Martha!

Gone! Dead! Oh! [He appeals wildly to the others.] Her eyes--she knew me--she smiled--she whispered--forgive me, Curt,--forgive her--when it was I who should have said forgive me--but before I could--she--[He falters brokenly.]

EMILY--[Looking from one to the other meaningly as if this justified all their suspicions.] Oh!

CURTIS--[A sudden triumph in his voice.] But she loved me again--only me--I saw it in her eyes! She had forgotten--IT. [Raging.] Never let me see it! Never let it come near me! It has murdered her! [Springing to his feet.] I hate it from the bottom of my soul--I will never see it--never--never--I take my oath! [As his father takes his arm--shaking him off.] Let me go! I am going back to her! [He strides out of the door in a frenzy of grief and rage. They all stand transfixed, looking at each other bewilderedly.]

EMILY--[Putting all her venomous gratification into one word.] Well!

[The Curtain Falls]

ACT IV

SCENE--Same as Act I. It is afternoon of a fine day three days later.

Motors are heard coming up the drive in front of the house. There is the m.u.f.fled sound of voices. The MAID is seen going along the hall to the front door. Then the family enter from the rear. First come JAYSON and ESTHER with MRS. DAVIDSON--then LILY, d.i.c.k and SHEFFIELD--then JOHN and his wife. All are dressed in mourning. The only one who betrays any signs of sincere grief is MRS. DAVIDSON. The others all have a strained look, irritated, worried, or merely gloomy. They seem to be thinking "The worst is yet to come."

JAYSON--[Leading MRS. D., who is weeping softly, to the chair at left of table--fretfully.] Please do sit down, Aunt. [She does so mechanically.] And do stop crying. [He sits down in front of table.

ESTHER goes to couch where she is joined by EMILY. MARK goes over and stands in back of them. d.i.c.k and JOHN sit at rear of table. LILY comes down front and walks about nervously. She seems in a particularly fretful, upset mood.]

LILY--[Trying to conceal her feelings under a forced flippancy.] What ridiculous things funerals are, anyway! That stupid minister--whining away through his nose! Why does the Lord show such a partiality for men with adenoids, I wonder.

JAYSON--[Testily.] Sshhh! Have you no respect for anything?

LILY--[Resentfully.] If I had, I'd have lost it when I saw all of you pulling such long faces in the church where you knew you were under observation. Pah! Such hypocrisy! And then, to cap it all, Emily has to force out a few crocodile tears at the grave!

EMILY--[Indignantly.] When I saw Curt--that's why I cried--not for her!

JAYSON--What a scene Curt made! I actually believe he wanted to throw himself into the grave!

d.i.c.k--You BELIEVE he wanted to! Why, it was all Mark and I could do to hold him, wasn't it, Mark? [SHEFFIELD nods.]

JAYSON--Intolerable! I never expected he'd turn violent like that. He's seemed calm enough the past three days.

LILY--Calm! Yes, just like a corpse is calm!

JAYSON--[Distractedly.] And now this perfectly mad idea of going away to-day to join that infernal expedition--leaving that child on our hands--the child he has never even looked at! Why, it's too monstrously flagrant! He's deliberately flaunting this scandal in everyone's face!