APlay in One Act - PDF document

APlay in One Act Cast of Characters Rupert Brooke :English poet, age 26Edward ÒEddieÓ Marsh :Private Secretary to Winston :English stage actress, age 25 :Friend of Rupert Brooke, age 27 :London journalist, age 26Scene Eddie MarshÕs flat, London, England.Time June to October, 1914. I-1-1ACT I Scene 1 AT RISE:Late morning. The sitting-room is Ido. ..he was shining!But tired. Exhausted. All the way from America. And the train was so Then we talked until dawn. And weÕre all tired. But it simplyÑglori-Iwonder. Yes, heÕs far too fine a poet to settle for contentment. And I heÕll be the best living prose IÕm not certain what that means. YouÕre younger than he is.CATHLEENIjust think heÕs. . .untethered. I think heÕs unconvinced of wherehe should stand. His ideas seem always to be shifting.EDDIEWhich ideas?CATHLEENAll of them. About me. About his friends. About all sorts of people.He seems to struggle as if he were nineteen, but heÕs almost twenty-seven.EDDIERupertÕs brain sparkles too much. It wonÕt let his mind solidifyinto its appointed shape.CATHLEENWhat is its appointed shape?EDDIEWe wonÕt know that for awhile yet. ThereÕs his poetry. ThereÕs hisfellowship at KingÕs. ThereÕs London, just waiting for him. . . .His(pause)No wonder his ideas change.CATHLEENItÕs rather unsettling.EDDIEYou canÕt require that he be settled. beguile another audience. And Rugby is not what I meant by goingaway.EDDIECathleen will be back for your homecoming party, wonÕt you, my dear?CATHLEEN (teasing)Only if you invite the best people, Eddie. very roomÑon the floor ?Mrs. Elgy was dutifully shocked.She was more shocked when I burst in one day and called you a gor- Eddie, I canÕt IdonÕt even want to be divinely good. I wasnÕt meant for that. You mustnÕt take everything Rupert writes in his letters so serious-Does he want you alittle. CATHLEEN sets didnÕt want her know from his letters that he has difficulty with the idea that sex- What do you want from him know heÕs torn by conflicting desires. You hinted as much your- Ihave to leave in a few minutes. . . .Winston wants me at theUncertain times, my dear. ItÕs 1914, and the world is being trucu- excited to have you back.RUPERTAnd you?CATHLEEN(She presses her faceagainst his in a long,Blissful. CanÕt you tell?(She rises and resumesher own chair.)RUPERTIÕve missed you. IÕve longed for youÑso many times.CATHLEENAnd here I am. The question seems to be, What are you going to do(The room is silentfor a moment.)RUPERT (haltingly)IÕm going to see you as much as I can. IÕm going to keep on lovingyou.CATHLEEN(pause, then seriously)But not make love to me. IsnÕt that true? Ihave settled things with Ka. I wrote to her from New York a yearItold her IÕd been in the wrong. IÕd been stupid and blind and Itold her that it the end. CATHLEENAnd Elisabeth van Rysselberghe? Have you ended it with her?RUPERTElisabeth?! You canÕt be serious!CATHLEENYou were seen, Rupert. (pause)Iwas told.RUPERTYouÕre wrong, Cathleen. And itÕs that rotten crowd you mix with.They feed on rumours and filth. Why did I go away and leave you foryear? Ihave staked very much on you, Cathleen.But now you only say you told Ka it was over. You donÕt say that itis over. And before you left, you betrayed me with Elisabeth.RUPERT It is over with Ka. I promise you. As for Elisabeth, I donÕt under-so perfect, so inviolable ,that making love to another woman isirrelevant.RUPERT (quietly)It was November. It was before IÕd even met you. It means that youÕre omitting the nature of your continuing rela-Ihave nothing else to say to you, Cathleen. Ido wish to be.CATHLEENIknow Ka will write to you, now that youÕre back. (pauseIknow she is waiting for you to come and claim her.RUPERT (rising)Whatever Her pregnancy, I suppose. . .and the miscarriage. Her sorrow at los-and need for you. Your letters didnÕt tell me a great deal about Ka,but I listened very carefully to what you did tell me.RUPERTKa isnÕt waiting for me anymore than IÕm waiting for her.(There is an ominousmoment of silence.)CATHLEENIneed to know thatÕs true, Rupert. And you need to know it, aswell. canÕt know what Ka is thinking. I can Ithink you should see her.both be constrained. You could meet here, in EddieÕs flat. If it is over, for you at least, it shouldnÕt upset you that much.RUPERTWhat would be the point of such a meeting?CATHLEENTosettle my future. And yours.RUPERTAnd what does Ka get?CATHLEEN(after a few seconds, lightly, and with spirit)Ka gets another hour or two alone with the handsomest man inEngland!(BLACKOUT)(END OF SCENE) I-2-16ACT I Scene 2 SETTING: The same.AT RISE:Morning. Three weeks later. EDDIE is working at his writing table.There is a tray with coffee at theend of the table. EDDIE hears a EDDIE (calling)Are you finally up, Rupert?(RUPERT enters, casuallybut handsomely attired)RUPERTItÕs only nine-thirty.EDDIE (noting RUPERTÕS appearance)YouÕre dressed for the luncheon already? I know youÕre anxious tomeet them, but David and Frieda wonÕt be at the Moulin dÕOr untilone.RUPERTKa Cox is coming by at ten. I told you yesterday.EDDIEThatÕs right, you did. But you were off to that reunion of yoursÑyour ApostlesÑand so I forgot about Ka. You look a little tired. WasRUPERTHe was there. And Moore and Norton and Maynard Keynes. Quite a fewEDDIEAndhow did you get on with James?RUPERT(looking at one or twoof the paintings on defence. I disapprove of him so strongly that I will have to contin-ButIthink God has been a little too hard on James, dreadful as heis.EDDIESordid and dreadful. ThatÕs harsh judgment, Rupert, especially forsuch a longtime friend.RUPERT(sitting down)Then he will have to grow up. I wonÕt get down to his level.EDDIEWe are all flawed.RUPERTIknow that. IÕm extraordinarily selfish. And IÕm not to be trustedan inch. . . .But I wonÕt be like James.EDDIEAm I not to trust you?RUPERT (pause)Iuse you, Eddie.EDDIEItÕs my purpose to be used. I still trust you.RUPERTDoyou want to know what I really care about?EDDIEMy dear, I already know. ItÕs your poetry. What else should it be? I-2-18RUPERTIonce told James in a letter that he could not conceive how I lovemy own company and thirst for knowledge. He made no comment. But ofcourse we wrote countless letters, full of nonsense, and what passedwith us for wit. Nonetheless, there was truth too, more truth withEDDIEYou still IdonÕt think about James. And, as directed, I will shortly dispose you I had become hard while I was away, and these last poems must have struck you as more objective than the others. . .more con-of bitterness and too empty of repose to be able to think out any-And what did you tell her ?EDDIEIsaid that it would be daunting to dwell inside your mind.RUPERTWe are all flawed, but I am flawed more than most?EDDIENo. We are all conflicted, but you are conflicted more than most.(There is silence andEDDIE finally looksKa will certainly be here any minute. I need to leave. afew seconds.)IdonÕt want any coffee.You asked for this meeting. What do you want?KADonÕt you want to see me? After so long? It was suggested to me that I should see you. I donÕt know that Iparticularly wanted to. I thought it might upset you.KABut not you?RUPERTIdonÕt feel intolerably fussed at the sight of you, nor did Iexpect to.KAYouÕre as hard and cruel as ever, Rupert. And itÕs still a shock. Inever quite see it coming.RUPERT(anxiously, leaningforward toward her)You must get right clear of me, Ka. Cease to love me, love and marrysomebody elseÑand somebody worthy of you. I told you that when Iwrote to you from New York.KAAnd then you arranged to have your friend send me the statuette. Afor what we learned. (pause)Ilearned that I would have to do without my child and without itsfather.(pause)What did you learn?RUPERT(getting up, movingaway from her)IÕm sorry for the great wrong IÕve done you. ItÕs the one thing in(suddenly turningon her)But what could I do? It was so difficult. You had driven me mad.KAIknow you blame me. You shouldnÕt.(pause)YoushouldnÕt blame me, Rupert. You stirred me up, that first morning I came to you. Though you did-Ihad found heaven! You didnÕt mean anything but all my love awokeIwrote some poems about you while I was away. If you read them that.RUPERT (suddenly)You should not have given yourself to me when we were in Germany.KA (angrily)That was what you wanted! All your letters. So importunate. So full(quoting him)You had such lust for my fine IwasnÕt a success as a lover, was I? KA (Cont.)Why shouldnÕt I say it. ItÕs true. In your letters you called your- Rupert, to read your letters over and over again to try to under-All right! It has The world is year away from England hasnÕt brought you any peace?(with some bitterness)It must be very difficult to be you. We will always have a connection, Ka. At least in my Both of us neurotic. And only our extraordinary gift for reconcilia-Iremember something you wrote, just before we went to Germany, thatIrealize that now, right now, in a way I didnÕt comprehend before. But I stopped loving you, Ka. The marriage would have been unbear-You could have written your poetry in peace. You wouldnÕt have need-believe my desires would have resisted any IÕm not sure. I am quite certain I would have been tempted.(RUPERT stands up andpours some coffee. Heoffers the cup silentlyto KA but she shakesher head. He takes adrink and sets the cupdown. He walks purposefullyon the wall and peersclosely at it.KAWhat are you doing?RUPERT(not turning around) IÕm biding my time.KAUntil I leave?RUPERTUntil you come to your conclusion about us. DonÕt be unkind. Allow me my little belief that you did Iamto label us. You say IÕve made it clear.You have your great passions to deal with, Rupert. Burning passionswhen it comes to women, if IÕm to believe your words. You burned forme, but then you had that terrible paradox to contend withÑthedesire both kinds of love and you canÕt find a way to reconcilethem.(She stands up.)ThatÕs my conclusion about us.RUPERTItseems mostly to be about me.KA (smiling)Sometimes I think of myself as you. That connection you mentioned is(She begins to movetoward the door.)RUPERTYou deserve far better than that!(KA merely stares at him.)DonÕt read my letters anymore. You should burn them. IcanÕt....HeÕs adrawer, takes out a It seems that I must write to you for a third howthey affect other people.aformal greeting.) I-3-30ACT I Scene 3 AT RISE: Morning. A month later. EDDIE is at war. What do you say, Eddie?EDDIEWait a few days and you can ask Winston, or the PM himself. Mr.Asquith has invited us to dinner, donÕt you remember?RUPERTYes, I remember, but what do you Winston trusts me not We shall all donÕt want you forces right now, so I donÕt see how you can go. ItÕs a rotten trade, war-correspondent, when decent people are offer-ingtheir lives for their country.So you would ashell. Then she would marry someone else and be happy.IcanÕt abide that sort of morbidity, Rupert! Not now, and not if weinsist upon a war without your ButIwill go, if it begins. You and Winston will find a way to getmein.EDDIELet the rest go. Not you. You matter too much. Ka wouldnÕt like it. You told me she wanted you to see James. I-3-33RUPERTBut I Iknow itÕs not my business.IdonÕt believe that.IdonÕt have time, IÕm afraid. I-3-34RUPERTStop for a minute. Please.(EDDIE turns toward him.)You are right about me, Eddie. Sometimes itÕs terrifying to beinside my mind.(BLACKOUT)(END OF SCENE) I-4-35ACT I Scene 4 AT RISE: Afternoon. Two months later. Ijoined the Navy just to hear you say those words. Have you been It will You had that infernal tour in July, which was to have been our month. I havenÕt seen you nearly as much as I deem essential.(He kisses her at greaterlength than before, thenWhat shall we do this afternoon?CATHLEENIÕm not going to see you for awhile so we must take a walk, and we But itÕs Cathleen Nesbitt speaking the words of John Donne. A cer- I-4-38RUPERTWhat was that line about safety?CATHLEENWho is so safe as we?RUPERTYes.CATHLEENWhere none can do treason to us, except one of us two.RUPERTThe first part. About being safe. ThatÕs the part that strikes me.We are ifwe die.donÕt understand. How can that of the things that weÕve loved. Besides, I think Donne intends some- alittle, finally achair close by and at Oh, God, I knew how glorious and noble your heart was. But I could-nÕt burn to it. I loved you with all there was of me. But I was acripple. Incomplete.CATHLEENAll this time I didnÕt realize how easy it was for you not to makelove to me. ItÕs easy if one doesnÕt burn Because I do love you! You can hardly doubt that.CATHLEENBut not in the complete way of love. IsnÕt that how you put it?RUPERT (pause)Yes.CATHLEENThen why marry me? Ithink you know your own desires very well, Rupert.What does that It means that there have been women in your life that you have desired intensely. But it seems that once your desire is satisfied,it wanes, and you move on.RUPERT (insulted)You make me sound morally impaired.CATHLEENIthink you have a sexual appetite you can hardly bear to admit to. RUPERT(a little scornful)Is that The real problem is that you donÕt feel you have the right to satis-you make love exclusively to the latter. Somehow you see them less worthy, not meant to be your wife or the mother of your chil- You broke the rules when you made love to Ka. And you see what hap-IdonÕt think celibacy lies in your future.IdonÕt want to be a philanderer. I-4-43CATHLEENIjust want you to be honest with yourself.RUPERT(full of self-loathing)You think I donÕt know what I am? IÕm very well acquainted with mymultitudinous sins.CATHLEEN(She goes to him.)We all sin, Rupert.RUPERT(breaking away)Not you! Not Eddie!CATHLEEN(withdrawing to thewindows, standing inthe silence)Who is so safe as we? Ironic, isnÕt it?RUPERT(now on the oppositeside of the room, If weÕre to go on together, I will have to find the way.(BLACKOUT)(END OF SCENE) I-5-44ACT I Scene 5 AT RISE:Morning. A few days later. RUPERT You could give me coffee before Hereyou are. Sit in the armchair. ItÕs not about Your brother is passe. The war means everything nowÑat least to any-one who knows what England has done for him. LetÕs forget the obvi- Lytton and his cronies are a menace to all good. I canÕt like themagain.JAMESDoes that category include me?RUPERT(getting up, movingabout the room)YouÕre different from creatures like your brother.JAMESIdonÕt have his influence so IÕm not the same menace, is that it?RUPERTYou are less singular than Lytton, thatÕs true, but youÕre cleverenough that mattersÑitÕs more pronounced than his, and it makes you acces- ThatÕs the price you pay for being so glamorous. Too many opportuni-It may surprise you, but I believe I Why? Because youÕre beautiful and IÕm not? Beauty is hardly a pre-You know IÕm not. . . .Maybe itÕs that IÕm presented with more pos-sibilities than you are. Temptation without possibility is no tempta- b)when promised to another? c)when both a) and b) occur simultane-The idea of your guilt sickens me. When I knew you, you were free.RUPERTWe are obliged to be moral!JAMESWeare obliged to avoid evil!RUPERTDefine evil.JAMESThat which causes someone to suffer.(RUPERT doesnÕt respond.JAMES goes to replenishhis coffee. Then he walks about the room,turns to RUPERT, and speaks playfully.)And by that logic, you may continue to enjoy carnal delights outsideof marriage, but not if you are promised to a lady other than theobject of your current lust. Providing, of course, that the latterRUPERTOnly prostitutes have no illusions.JAMESAwhole new world at your door.RUPERTIshould have stayed in Tahiti.JAMESYes, you should. The Ranee couldnÕt reach you there. pleased. I made my self IcouldnÕt control the self I had made.So you built an edifice of morality to do it for you. Rules and tra-Itold you I had legions of women. Do you have a point to make? I-5-50RUPERT (sarcastically)Absolutely arresting.JAMES (gaily)Then IÕm certain you should go off to war, the sooner the better.ItÕll be Lord Byron again if you stay, and no Europe to escape toRUPERTIhavenÕt enlisted to escape.JAMESYou should have. ItÕs perfect for you. No more women. All thoseRUPERTYou disgust me, James.JAMES(He gets up, looks around at the room,Are we finished then? Are there no more muffins? Has Rupert solvedhis dilemma?RUPERTItold you this wasnÕt about the present.JAMESOf course it is. The past becomes the present and there one is,warts and all.RUPERTYou said I used to be free. Apparently, you But I never had the kind of freedom you had. Everyone loved you.Everyone wanted to be with you. My appeal was limited, so my lifeRUPERTWhy couldnÕt I make it work with Ka? Look, IÕve never IdonÕt know why! I was there, but I was always watching you from YouÕre in a hurry to get away from me, James. ThatÕs expected. I knew it couldnÕt be anything much, since there was noth-Still, the muffins were excellent, so not an entirely wasted morn- I-6-52ACT I Scene 6 AT RISE:Late evening. About two weeks Just stay alive, my dear. Have your sons, write your poetry, any-aslippery business.Iam unbearably filthy. Talk to Eddie while I clean up. Give I-6-54(RUPERT exits. EDDIE pours some sherry.)CATHLEENThank you for telephoning. IÕm so grateful that heÕs back safely.EDDIEHe says itÕs only the beginning. And the strange thing isÑhe doesnÕtseem to mind.CATHLEENIknow he doesnÕt. The war doesnÕt frighten him. He told me we aresafe, even if we die, because of the things in life weÕve alreadybeen given.EDDIEFor a man who admits to being extraordinarily selfish, that seemslike a new frontier.CATHLEENIt is new. (pause)And it makes me wonder if heÕs running away.EDDIERunning away? From what?CATHLEENFrom the things that perplex him. . .things that stop him in histracks.(pause)Perhaps from the women in his life.EDDIERupert loves you, Cathleen. He loves his mother. You are the womenin his life.CATHLEEN(She sits down in a chair near RUPERTÕSarmchair.)ItÕs more complicated than that.EDDIECanÕt you consider that he might be running toward something? do that. Nothing forhim to need to defend it.ItÕs not easy, always How do you manage?EDDIEIhave no illusions or expectations. IÕm grateful for any of histimeÑand for his friendship. I suspect itÕs much easier for me than(He pours more sherry,then sits at his table.)CATHLEENMaybe not, Eddie. I-6-56EDDIEBecause of the war?CATHLEENThe war. And other things.EDDIEWe will live in a shadow as long as he is in the war. (pause)Iexpect you know what he is to meÑcertainly the thing IÕm mostproud of.(CATHLEEN begins to cry.EDDIE goes to her, patsher, gives her his hand-kerchief.)CATHLEENIdonÕt want him to die! I was shocked when they sent him to Belgiumso soon. HeÕd only been in training for a week. I was terrified that(She wipes her face andgathers herself. EDDIEback down.)EDDIEYou might as well be brave about this because he seems to havedecided that heÕs a soldier.CATHLEENHow many dreams will be left in ruins by this war?EDDIEWe can no longer afford our dreams.CATHLEENRupert left his dreams behind when he enlisted. It didnÕt seem toEDDIE(pause, then gently)Do you mean that he left you behind? IsnÕt it possible that the war required him to change your role?CATHLEENMaybe it did. IÕm just saying that he didnÕt refuse the opportunity.EDDIEAnd now heÕs been to Antwerp, and it may be possible that your roleCATHLEEN(looking toward the door)HereÕs Rupert, Eddie.(RUPERT enters in casualshirt and pants, hairand kisses CATHLEEN saying, ÒMy dear.Ó He and EDDIE pours him some sherry.)RUPERT(He remains standing.He speaks in deadAtoast! To the three of us. . .safely here together.(Each lifts his glassto the other.)Now I can tell you both about Belgium.(to CATHLEEN)Eddie has already heard the military detailsÑwe reported directly to(pause)The first two days were nothing really, a good deal of waiting, andcold, and not sleeping very much. When we were late to stop the German advance. At length, we were ordered to with-Aday or two before, on our way to Antwerp, we had met endless wag-from the oil-tanks the Germans hit at Hoboken. The smoke was blind-sleeping. ThatÕs what Belgium is now: the country where three civil-Now England is fighting for something infinitely greater than her- ortwo before I rejoin my unit.IÕm glad tooÑvery glad, thank you, EddieÑand I will let you knowwhere I am.(EDDIE exits. CATHLEENstands and goes toRUPERT. They embrace.)RUPERTIam writing a sonnet. DonÕt tell a soul. If it gets finished, youshall have it.(He moves to refilltheir glasses. CATHLEEN resumes herseat and RUPERT comesto sit beside her.)The sonnet is called ÒSafetyÓ. It tells about us, but itÕs for faint shadowing of the things you can give that they have in theirhearts to die for. All the things in life that theyÕve loved.CATHLEENBut maybe they donÕt see it as you do. Maybe they canÕt find any I-6-60RUPERTThere is a kind of safety in knowing you have tried to protect thethings youÕve loved. What is the alternative? Not making thatattempt? It would be unthinkable.CATHLEEN(almost warning him)You canÕt make this war into something noble, Rupert.RUPERTYet in all the theatres of this war, men and women will perform actsCATHLEEN (pause)The deaths will be numberless, thatÕs certain. All the young menrushing to volunteerÑdonÕt they understand theyÕre probably rushingto their deaths?RUPERT(standing, moving about)What would you have them do? What choice do they have? Except towere doing something necessary. They felt a fulfillment in repayingtheir country for its gifts to them.CATHLEENYou want it to be like that with all What I want is for them to be awakened to the only bearable inter- Neither the awful idea of death or the terrible fact alittle surprise) avoiceover begins.)Rupert Brooke died of septicemia on April 23, 1915, during an expe-Inthat rich earth a richer dust concealed;Adust whom England bore, shaped, made aware,Abody of EnglandÕs, breathing English air,Apulse in the eternal mind, no less