Thirty Pieces of Silver: A Play in Three Acts (7 page)

(
They go out though the dining-room. A moment after they have left, the doorbell rings. A pause, and then it rings again.
)

JANE
(
from upstairs
) Hilda!

(
The bell rings again.
)

HILDA
—will you please answer.

(
Again the bell.
JANE
comes running down the stairs, tying a bathrobe around her. She opens the door.
)

Mildred—this is a surprise. A good one. I'm glad to see you.

(
MILDRED ANDREWS
enters. She wears a print dress and high heels, and too much make-up for the afternoon. She carries three pastry boxes, tied together with thin string.
)

I'm this way.

(
JANE
points to herself.
)

I had one of those days.

MILDRED
You're not ill?

JANE
No—just going insane. And now Hilda's disappeared.

MILDRED
They're all the same, aren't they? Where shall I put these?

JANE
What are they?

MILDRED
Our winnings last night—just turned into pastry. I was at Lucille's and everything looked so good and smelled so good——

JANE
(
actually troubled
) You shouldn't have done that. Why did you, Mildred?

MILDRED
Because I despise winning at bridge—and playing it, too, especially the way Jim Andrews plays it.

(
She drops into a chair.
)

JANE
I think he plays very well.

MILDRED
He does everything well, darling. That's one of the attributes of his special type of louse. Will you make me a drink, honey? It's half-past four. I've been watching—I don't drink before five now. I'll just play with it.

(
studying
JANE
curiously
)

What's wrong?

JANE
Nothing. (
She goes to the butler's tray.
) Mildred—why don't you divorce him if you hate him that much?

MILDRED
It's a living, isn't it?—and anyway, I don't hate him that much. Where's your beautiful daughter?

JANE
With Hilda, I suppose. What' ll you have?

MILDRED
Just put some rye or bourbon or whatever you have on a piece of ice.

(
While she speaks, she wanders around the room.
)

Anyway, he wouldn't give it to me, that is, if I wanted it, and I don't, I don't think. It's no asset to have a divorce in this town if you're after a big type of career, and Andrews is going to be a Cabinet something or other some day, or an ambassador or something——

(
She takes the glass
JANE
holds out to her.
)

Won't you have any?

JANE
I will.

(
She makes one for herself.
)

MILDRED
To you, sweetie. You're a doll.

JANE
Thanks.

MILDRED
Don't go bitter on me. I couldn't stand that.

JANE
I'm not bitter. I'm just all mixed up.

MILDRED
(
sitting down
) Who isn't? At least, you have a man once in a while.

JANE
Yes.

MILDRED
That has all the elements of something in it, hasn't it? What goes on with you two? Is it the Agronsky business?

JANE
How do you know about that?

MILDRED
It came my way. As a matter of fact, my being here is just the kind of thing to throw Andrews into a fine rage. I suppose that's why I'm here so much.

JANE
What are you talking about, Mildred?

MILDRED
Look, honey—you're
verboten.
For the time being. Andrews told me yesterday to call up and tell you that the bridge date was off, and we had a beautiful little set-to about that, just a beauty. Even for the Andrews, it was a beauty.

JANE
(
staring at her bewilderedly
) Why didn't you call it off if you wanted to? You know how I feel about bridge.

MILDRED
Because sometimes I get a little insight into just what kind of a louse my husband is.

JANE
You mean he was afraid, to see us because of the Agronsky business?

MILDRED
That's right. A friend of a friend. Only there aren't any friends. Would you like a lecture on men? I've even got a solution for it, if you could dig a hole big enough.

JANE
Mildred—will you concentrate on this for just one moment. What on earth could your seeing us have to do with Agronsky?

MILDRED
Darling, don't be an idiot. Agronsky's going to have the whole book thrown at him. Therefore, if you know Agronsky or if you know anyone who knows Agronsky, you play it safe. Anyway, Andrews plays everything safe. Give me another drink, will you?

(
JANE
takes her glass, refills it, and then refills her own.
)

Anyway, I wasn't a hero. I suppose the truth of the matter is that I did it because I'd love to see Andrews pulled in on this Agronsky business. But that's just an idle dream. He won't be.

JANE
Will you tell me one thing, Mildred—do you know what Agronsky has done?

MILDRED
I don't, and I don't really care. I guess he's a Red or something——

(
LORRY
enters on this. Her face and bands are quite dirty.
)

Here's the beautiful one.

LORRY
Hello, Mildred, did you bring me a present?

JANE
Lorry, how many times have I told you——

MILDRED
Leave her alone. That's the only practical thing any woman ever said.

(
to
LORRY
)

Sure I did, Sweetie. Just let me get it.

(
She goes to the pile of pastry boxes and begins to undo the string.
)

JANE
Lorry, how on earth did you get so dirty?

LORRY
In the cellar with Hilda.

JANE
What is Hilda doing in the cellar?

LORRY
Throwing things away.

JANE
What things? Has this whole house gone mad? Will you tell her that I want to see her—now. No, wait a minute. Get a wet rag from the kitchen and let me clean off your face and hands.

MILDRED
(
She has taken out from one of the boxes a decorative heart-shaped pastry.
) How do you like it—from me to you?

LORRY
(
reaching for it
) Oh, it's beautiful.

JANE
First get that wet rag.

(
LORRY
runs into the kitchen.
)

MILDRED
You're not angry because I brought her the cake, are you, Jane?

JANE
No—it's not that, it's a hundred and one other things.

(
LORRY
reappears with the rag, and
JANE
rubs her face and hands while she twists and pulls away.
)

MILDRED
Well, I'm on my way, just slightly potted. Darling, if you want to cry on an uneasy shoulder, drop over.

JANE
Thanks.

LORRY
(
holding the pastry
) This is beautiful! Can I eat it now, Mommy?

JANE
(
walking toward the door with
MILDRED
) Not now. Please call Hilda.

(to
MILDRED
, as
LORRY
exits
)

You really envy me, don't you?

MILDRED
Sure I do.

JANE
And I'm going to leave Dave.

MILDRED
(
stopping and turning toward her
) What?

JANE
That's right. I don't know when—to-day, to-morrow, ten days from now——

(
shaking her head, her face suddenly contorted
)

But I'm going to. That's the important thing.

MILDRED
Have you lost your mind?

JANE
No—I shouldn't have thrown it at you this way, but I had to talk to someone. I've been fighting it out with myself all day—and this is no good either. Please forget it, Mildred.

MILDRED
(
trying to embrace her
) You poor thing. Why don't you——

JANE
(
smiling and pushing her away
) No, no, please don't. This is one I can't explain, Mildred. Thanks for coming. Now go ahead. Here's Hilda.

MILDRED
Just don't do anything quick. Please—promise me.

JANE
Sure——

(
MILDRED
leaves.
JANE
turns back to the living-room where
LORRY
is exhibiting the cake.
)

LORRY
See, Hilda—it's for me. But I'll give you a piece. That's a promise right now.

JANE
Hilda, what possessed you to decide to spend the afternoon in the basement?

HILDA
I had to sort out my things, Mrs. Graham. I accumulate a lot of junk. It seems I can't bear to throw anything away.

JANE
What for?

HILDA
Don't you know?

(
She looks at
JANE
curiously.
)

I'm leaving.

JANE
What do you mean, you're leaving?

LORRY
Where are you going, Hilda?

HILDA
Nowhere—just nowhere at all. Lorry, why don't you please take that cake into the kitchen, and then if you'll set the table real nice, we'll have a party——

(
She breaks off, looking at the child.
)

—and that'll be fine.

LORRY
But where are you going?

HILDA
Don't you want a party, Lorry?

JANE
Lorry, do what Hilda says. Then I'll have the party with you.

LORRY
All right——

(
She picks up the cake and leaves.
)

JANE
Please make sense, Hilda. Is this because of that silly scrap we had yesterday?

HILDA
(
shaking her head
) No——

JANE
Then what? Don't you know what happened here yesterday? David was upset, and that's why he said what he did about Grace.

HILDA
It isn't that. Last night I came in here after you went to bed, and Mr. Graham was here, and he accused me of listening to what you were saying—and well, we had a fight and he fired me. That's all. I thought you knew.

JANE
(
walking over to
HILDA
) He fired you?

HILDA
Yes.

JANE
But what happened?

HILDA
I don't know what happened, Mrs. Graham. It just happened. It always does. It always does, doesn't it? I'm not complaining. You stretch like a rubber band, and then you decide to be a human being, not a rubber band. And I'm sick of trying to be one—for Mr. Graham or you.

JANE
(
interrupting
) What a way to talk, Hilda.

HILDA
How do you want me to talk, Mrs. Graham?

JANE
(going
over and putting her arms around
HILDA
) Ever since I was able to think, Hilda, I've been trying to get this world I live in to make sense to me. I said to myself, If I do what I have to do, it will make sense. And sometimes, I think that if I do what I have to do, it will just come crashing down around my ears. Maybe it has already; I don't know——

(
The doorbell rings.
)

That's David. Hilda, go and have that
¹
party with Lorry. We can't settle this now. Please, Hilda.

HILDA
(
pilling away from her
) All right, Mrs. Graham. Only don't try to make believe nothing happened. Don't treat me like a little girl. I'm older than you, Mrs. Graham. Remember that.

(
She goes through the dining-room archway, leaving
Jane
standing there unhappily. Then
Jane
goes to the door and opens it.
David
enters.
)

DAVID
(
dully
) Hello, Jane.

(
He comes into the room, walking without spirit.
JANE
closes the door and then starts toward the stairs.
)

JANE
I've been like this for the last hour. I'll put on a dress and be down in a moment.

DAVID
(in
the same tone
) All right.

(
JANE
goes up the stairs, leaving
DAVID
alone in the living-room. He stands as he is for a moment. Then he goes to the radio and switches it on. Music, to which he listens without hearing
—
and then he clicks it off. He goes to the bar and pours a drink, and then stands there sipping it.
HILDA
enters then and stops short at the archway.
DAVID
turns and sees her. Apparently he has forgotten about last night.
)

Hello, Hilda;

HILDA
Good evening, Mr. Graham. I was going to tell Mrs. Graham that the party was ready.

DAVID
What party?

HILDA
(
her voice fiat and uncertain
) Mrs. Andrews was here and she brought a pretty cake for Lorry, so Mrs. Graham said it would be nice if we all had a party.

DAVID
(
He hasn't been listening.
) What?

HILDA
Just a little make-believe party.