Complete Works of James Joyce (309 page)

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.