Miss Civilization | Page 6

curtains.)
REDDY: Oh, come on. It don't cost you nothing. (The light from the candle is seen approaching the curtains.)
HATCH: Hush! Look there!
(He rises, lifting his chair above his head, and advances on tiptoe to right of curtains, where he stands with the chair raised as though to strike.
HARRY points revolver at curtains.
REDDY shifts the lantern to his left hand and, standing close to HARRY, also points a revolver.
ALICE appears between curtains. She is dressed as before, and in her left hand carries the candle, while the forefinger of her right hand is held warningly to her lips. For an instant she pauses, in the ring of light from the lantern.)
ALICE: (Whispering) Hush! Don't make a noise. Don't make a noise, please.
(There is a long pause.)
REDDY: Well, I'll be hung!
ALICE: (To REDDY) Please don't make a noise.
HATCH: (in a threatening whisper) Don't YOU make a noise.
ALICE: I don't mean to. My mother is asleep upstairs and she is very ill. And I don't want to wake her--and I don't want you to wake her, either.
REDDY: "Well, I'll be hung!
HATCH: (Angrily) Who else is in this house?
ALICE: No one but mother and the maid servants, and they're asleep. You woke me, and I hoped you'd go without disturbing mother. But when you started in making a night of it, I decided I'd better come down and ask you to be as quiet as possible. My mother is not at all well. (Takes cigar box off table.) Excuse me, you've got the wrong cigars. Those are the cigars father keeps for his friends. Those he smokes he hides over here. (Places box on buffet and takes out a larger box, with partitions for cigars, matches, and cigarettes. As she moves about, REDDY keeps her well in the light of the lantern.) Try those. I'm afraid you've a very poor supper. When father is away, we have such a small family. I can't see what you've--would you mind taking that light out of my eyes, and pointing it at that tray?
HATCH: (sharply) Don't you do it. Keep the gun on her.
ALICE: Oh, I don't mind his pointing the gun at me, so long as he does not point that light at me. It's most--embarrassing. (Sternly.) Turn it down there, please. (REDDY lets light fall on tray.) Why, that's cooking sherry you've got. You can't drink THAT! Let me get you some whiskey.
REDDY: (covering her with lantern) No, you don't. That's not whiskey. It's benzine.
ALICE: You don't mean to say that that benzine bottle is there STILL? I told Jane to take it away.
REDDY: (dryly) Well, Jane didn't do it.
ALICE: Now, isn't that just like Jane? I told her it might set fire to the house and burn us alive.
REDDY: It nearly burned me alive.
ALICE: I'm so sorry. (Takes from buffet a tray holding whiskey bottle, siphon, and three glasses.) Here, this is what you want. But, perhaps you don't like Scotch.
HATCH: Don't you touch that, Reddy. (Returns to chair at left of table.)
REDDY: Why not?
ALICE: (pours whiskey into a glass) Yes; why not? It's not poison. There's nothing wrong with this bottle. If you're afraid, I'll prove it to you. Just to show you there's not a trace of hard feelings. (Drinks and coughs violently.)
REDDY: (sympathetically) SHE'S got the benzine bottle, too.
ALICE: No. I'm not quite used to that. (To HARRY) Excuse me, but aren't you getting tired holding that big pistol? Don't you think you might put it down now, and help me serve this supper? (HARRY does not move.) No? Well, then, let the colored gentleman help me. (HARRY and REDDY wheel sharply, each pointing his revolver.)
REDDY: Colored man! Where?
HARRY: Colored man! It's a trap!
(Seeing no one, they turn.)
ALICE: (to REDDY) Oh, pardon me. Aren't you a colored person?
REDDY: Me! Colored? You never see a colored man with hair like that, did you? (Points lantern at his head.) This isn't my real face, lady. Why, out of office hours, I've a complexion like cream and roses. (Indignantly.) Colored man!
ALICE: I beg your pardon, but I can't see very well. Don't you think it would be more cheerful if we had a little more light?
HATCH: No! (To REDDY.) Drop that. We've got to go. (To ALICE.) And before we go, I've got to fix you.
ALICE: Fix me--how "fix" me?
HATCH: I'm sorry, Miss, but it's your own fault. You shouldn't have tried to see us. Now that you HAVE, before we leave, I've got to tie you to a chair--and gag you.
ALICE: Oh, really--all of that?
HATCH: I can't have you raising the neighborhood until we get well away.
ALICE: I see. But--gagged--I'll look so foolish.
REDDY: Well, there's no hurry. We won't get well away until I've had something to eat.
ALICE: Quite right. (To Hatch.) You can tie me in a chair later, Mr. _______. But