The Climbers | Page 4

thought the children ought
to.
RUTH. Of course they ought and so ought you, if you haven't.
MRS. HUNTER. Oh, I've trifled with something.
JESSICA. Sit here, Aunt Ruth.
BLANCHE. Will you have a cup, Aunt Ruth?
RUTH. Yes, dear, I'm feeling very hungry.
[Sitting on the sofa beside JESSICA _and pressing her hand as she does
so._
MRS. HUNTER. Hungry! _How can you!_
RUTH. Because I'm not a hypocrite!
MRS. HUNTER. [_Whimpering._] I suppose that's a slur at me!
RUTH. If the slipper fits! But I confess I haven't eaten much for several
days; I couldn't touch anything this morning, and I begin to feel
exhausted; I must have food and, thank Heaven, I want it. Thank you.

[To BLANCHE, _taking the cup from her._
MRS. HUNTER. I think it's awful, Ruth, and I feel I have a right to say
it--I think you owed it to my feelings to have worn a long veil; people
will think you didn't love your brother.
RUTH. [_Dryly._] Will they? Let them! You know as well as I do that
George loathed the very idea of crêpe and all display of mourning.
MRS. HUNTER. [_Feeling out of her element, changes the subject._]
You stayed behind?
RUTH. Yes. I wanted to be the last there. [_Her voice chokes; she tries
to control herself._] Ah! you see my nerves are all gone to pieces. I
_won't_ cry any more!
MRS. HUNTER. I don't see how you could bear it--staying; but you
never had any heart, Ruth.
RUTH. [_Mechanically, biting her lips hard to keep the tears back._]
Haven't I?
MRS. HUNTER. My darling husband always felt that defect in you.
RUTH. George?
MRS. HUNTER. He resented your treatment of me, and often said so.
RUTH. [_Very quietly, but with determination._] Please be careful.
Don't talk to me like this about my brother, Florence--or you'll make
me say something I shall be sorry for.
MRS. HUNTER. I don't care! It wore on him, the way you treated me. I
put up with it for his sake, but it helped undermine his health.
RUTH. Florence, stop!
MRS. HUNTER. [_In foolish anger, the resentment of years bursting
out._] I _won't_ stop! I'm alone now, and the least you can do is to see

that people who've fought shy of me take me up and give me my due.
You've been a cruel, selfish sister-in-law, and your own brother saw
and hated you for it!
BLANCHE. _Mother!_
RUTH. [_Outraged._] Send your daughters out of the room; I wish to
answer you alone.
MRS. HUNTER. [_Frightened._] No! what you have to say to me I
prefer my children to hear!
[CLARA _comes over to her mother and puts her arm about her._
RUTH. I can't remain quiet any longer. George--[_She almost breaks
down, but she controls herself._] This funeral is enough, with its show
and worldliness! I don't believe there was a soul in the church you
didn't see! Look at your handkerchief! Real grief isn't measured by the
width of a black border. I'm ashamed of you, Florence! I never liked
you very much, although I tried to for your husband's sake, but now I'm
even more ashamed of you. My dear brother is gone, and there need be
no further bond between us, but I want you to understand the true
reason why, from to-day, I keep away from you. This funeral was
revolting to me!--a show spectacle, a social function, and for him who
you know hated the very thing. [_She stops a moment to control her
tears and her anger._] I saw the reporters there, and I heard your
message to them, and I contradicted it. I begged them not to use your
information, and they were gentlemen and promised me not to. You are,
and always have been, a silly, frivolous woman. I don't doubt you loved
your husband as much as you could any man, but it wasn't enough for
me; he was worth being adored by the best and noblest woman in the
world. I've stood by all these years, trying with my love and silent
sympathy to be some comfort to him--but I saw the disappointment and
disillusionment eat away the very hope of happiness out of his heart. I
tried to help him by helping you in your foolish ambitions, doing what I
could to give my brother's wife the social position his name entitled her
to!

MRS. HUNTER. That's not true; I've had to fight it out all alone!
RUTH. It was not my fault if my best friends found you intolerable; I
couldn't blame them. Well, now it's over! George is at rest, please God.
You are a rich woman to do what you please. Go, and do it! and
Heaven forgive you for ruining my brother's life! I'm sorry to