The Climbers | Page 6

_tell us the details_--every one of them! You
can't imagine the shock this is to me!
MASON. Hunter sent for me two days before he died, and told me
things had gone badly with him last year, but it seemed impossible to
retrench his expenses.
RUTH. _Are you listening, Florence?_
MRS. HUNTER. Yes, of course I am; your brother was a very
extravagant man!
MASON. This year, with his third daughter coming out, there was need
of more money than ever. He was harassed nearly to death with

financial worries. [RUTH _begins to cry softly._ MRS. HUNTER _gets
angrier and angrier._] And finally, in sheer desperation, and trusting to
the advice of the Storrings, he risked everything he had with them in
the Consolidated Copper. The day after, he was taken ill. You know
what happened. The Storrings, Hunter, and others were ruined
absolutely; the next day Hunter died.
RUTH. Poor George! Why didn't he come to me; he must have known
that everything I had was his!
MASON. He was too ill when the final blow came to realize it.
MRS. HUNTER. [_Angry._] But his life insurance,--there was a big
policy in my name.
MASON. He had been obliged to let that lapse.
MRS. HUNTER. You mean I haven't even my life insurance?
MASON. As I said, there is nothing, except this house, and that is--
MRS. HUNTER. [_Rises indignantly and almost screams in angry
hysterics._] Mortgaged, I presume! Oh, it's insulting! It's an indignity.
It's--it's--Oh, well, it's just like my husband, there!
BLANCHE. Mother!
[RUTH _rises, and, taking_ MASON'S _arm, leads him aside._
MRS. HUNTER. [To BLANCHE.] Oh, don't talk to me now! You
always preferred your father, and now you're punished for it! He has
wilfully left your mother and sisters paupers!
BLANCHE. How can you speak like that! Surely you know father must
have suffered more than we could when he realized he was leaving
nothing for you.
JESSICA. Yes, and it was for us too that he lost all. It was our
extravagance.

MRS. HUNTER. Hush! How dare you side against me, too?
RUTH. Florence--
MRS. HUNTER. Well, Ruth, what do you think of your brother now?
BLANCHE. [_To her mother._] Don't!
MASON. By whom were the arrangements for to-day made?
MRS. HUNTER. My son-in-law had most pressing business, and his
friend--
BLANCHE. The friend of all of us--
MRS. HUNTER. Yes, of course, Mr. Warden saw to everything.
BLANCHE. He will be here any moment!
MASON. When he comes, will you send him on to me, please?
RUTH. Yes.
MASON. Very well. Good-by. [Shakes hands with BLANCHE.] I am
very sorry to have been the bearer of such bad news.
MRS. HUNTER. [_Shaking hands with him._] Please overlook
anything I may have said; at such a moment, with the loss of all my
money--and my dear husband--I don't know what to say!
MASON. Naturally. [_To the others._] Good-by. [To RUTH, _who
follows him._] I'll come to see you in the morning.
[_As they shake hands._
RUTH. And I can then tell you what I settle here now. [MASON _goes
out Left._] Florence, I'm very sorry--
[_Interrupted._

MRS. HUNTER. Oh! _You!_ Sorry!
RUTH. Yes, very, very sorry,--first, that I spoke as I did just now.
MRS. HUNTER. It's too late to be sorry for that now.
RUTH. No, it isn't, and I'll prove to you I mean it. Come, we'll talk
things over.
MRS. HUNTER. Go away! I don't want you to prove anything to me!
[MRS. HUNTER and CLARA _sit side by side on the sofa._
BLANCHE and JESSICA _are in chairs near the table._ RUTH sits
beside BLANCHE. MRS. HUNTER _has something the manner of
porcupines and shows a set determination to accept nothing by way of
comfort or expedient._ BLANCHE _looks hopeful and ready to take
the helm for the family._ JESSICA will back up BLANCHE.] My
happiness in this world is over. What have I to live for?
RUTH. Your children!
MRS. HUNTER. Beggars like myself!
BLANCHE. But your children will work for you.
CLARA. Work! I see myself.
RUTH. So do I.
MRS. HUNTER. My children work! Don't be absurd!
JESSICA. It is not absurd! I can certainly earn my own living somehow
and so can Clara.
CLARA. Doing what, I should like to know! I see myself!
BLANCHE. Jess is right. I'll take care of this family--father always
said I was "his own child." I'll do my best to take his place.
RUTH. I will gladly give Jessica a home.

MRS. HUNTER. [_Whimpers._] You'd rob me of my children, too!
JESSICA. Thank you, Aunt Ruth, but I must stay with mother and be
Blanche's right-hand man!
CLARA. I might go on the stage.
MRS. HUNTER. My dear, smart people don't any more.
CLARA. I'd like to be a sort of Anna Held.
JESSICA.