The Climbers | Page 6

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. I don't see why I couldn't learn typewriting, Blanche?
MRS. HUNTER. Huh! Why, you could never even learn to play the piano; I don't think you'd be much good at typewriting.
CLARA. You want to be a typewriter, because in the papers they always have an old gentleman taking them to theatres and supper! No, sir, if there is to be any "old man's darling" in this family, _I'll_ be it!
RUTH. [_Dryly._] You'll have to learn to spell correctly first!
CLARA. [_Superciliously._] Humph!
JESSICA. There are lots of ways nowadays for women to earn their living.
RUTH. Yes, typewriting we will consider.
MRS. HUNTER. Never!
[No one pays any attention to her except CLARA, _who agrees with her._
RUTH. Jess, you learned enough to teach, didn't you?--even at that fashionable school your mother sent you to?
JESSICA. Oh, yes, I think I could teach.
MRS. HUNTER. Never!
[Still no one pays any attention except CLARA _who again agrees with her._
CLARA. No, indeed! I wouldn't teach!
BLANCHE. If we only knew some nice elderly woman who wanted a companion, Jess would be a godsend.
CLARA. If she was a nice old lady with lots of money and delicate health, I wouldn't mind that position myself.
RUTH. Clara, you seem to take this matter as a supreme joke!
MRS. HUNTER. [_With mock humility._] May I speak? [_She waits. All turn to her. A moment's, silence._] MAY I speak?
RUTH. Yes, yes. Go on, Florence; don't you see we're listening?
MRS. HUNTER. I didn't know! I've been so completely ignored in this entire conversation. But there is one thing for the girls--the easiest possible way