The Climbers | Page 3

CLARA'S _speech above,_ BLANCHE has taken JESSICA _in her arms a moment and kissed her tenderly, slowly. They rejoin_ MRS. HUNTER, BLANCHE _wiping her eyes,_ JESSICA _still tearless._
CLARA. And think of all the clothes we brought home from Paris last month!
MRS. HUNTER. My dear, don't think of clothes--think of your poor father! That street dress of mine will dye very well, and we'll give the rest to your aunt and cousins.
BLANCHE. Mother, don't you want to go upstairs?
JESSICA. [_Sincerely moved._] Yes, I hate this room now.
MRS. HUNTER. [_Rising._] Hate this room! When we've just had it done! Louis Kinge!
BLANCHE. Louis Quinze, dear! She means the associations now, mother.
MRS. HUNTER. Oh, yes, but that's weak and foolish, Jessie. No, Blanche--[_Sitting again._]--I'm too exhausted to move. Ring for tea.
[BLANCHE _rings the bell beside the mantel._
CLARA. [_Crossing to piano, forgets and starts to play a music-hall song, but_ MRS. HUNTER _stops her._] Oh, yes, tea! I'm starved!
MRS. HUNTER. Clara, darling! As if you could be hungry at such a time!
[JORDAN _enters Left._
BLANCHE. Tea, Jordan.
JORDAN. Yes, madam.
[_He goes out Left._
MRS. HUNTER. Girls, everybody in town was there! I'm sure even your father himself couldn't have complained.
BLANCHE. Mother!
MRS. HUNTER. Well, you know he always found fault with my parties being too mixed. He wouldn't realize I couldn't throw over all my old set when I married into his,--not that I ever acknowledged I was your father's inferior. I consider my family was just as good as his, only we were Presbyterians!
BLANCHE. Mother, dear, take off your gloves.
MRS. HUNTER. I thought I had. [_Crying._] I'm so heartbroken I don't know what I'm doing.
[_Taking off her gloves._
[BLANCHE and CLARA _comfort their mother._
JESSICA. Here's the tea--
[JORDAN and LEONARD _enter with large, silver tray, with tea, cups, and thin bread-and-butter sandwiches. They place them on small tea-table which_ JESSICA _arranges for them._
MRS. HUNTER. I'm afraid I can't touch it.
[_Taking her place behind tea-table and biting eagerly into a sandwich._
JESSICA. [_Dryly._] Try.
[BLANCHE _pours tea for them all, which they take in turn._
MRS. HUNTER. [_Eating._] One thing I was furious about,--did you see the Witherspoons here at the house?
CLARA. I did.
MRS. HUNTER. The idea! When I've never called on them. They are the worst social pushers I've ever known.
[_She takes another sandwich._
CLARA. Trying to make people think they are on our visiting list! Using even a funeral to get in!
MRS. HUNTER. But I was glad the Worthings were here, and I thought it sweet of old Mr. Dormer to go even to the cemetery. [_Voice breaks a little._] He never goes to balls any more, and, they say, catches cold at the slightest change of temperature.
[_She takes a third sandwich._
BLANCHE. A great many people loved father.
MRS. HUNTER. [_Irritably._] They ought to've. It was really foolish the way he was always doing something for somebody! How good these sandwiches are! [_Spoken very plaintively._
JESSICA. Shall we have to economize now, mother?
MRS. HUNTER. Of course not; how dare you suggest such an injustice to your father, and before the flowers are withered on his grave!
[_Again becoming tearful._
[JORDAN _enters Left with a small silver tray, heaping full of letters._
Has the new writing paper come?
BLANCHE. [_Who takes the letters and looks through them, giving some to her mother._] Yes.
[BLANCHE _reads a letter, and passes it to_ JESSICA.
MRS. HUNTER. Is the black border broad enough? They said it was the thing.
CLARA. If you had it any broader, you'd have to get white ink to write with!
MRS. HUNTER. [_Sweetly._] Don't be impertinent, darling!
[_Reading another letter._
[Enter MISS RUTH HUNTER. _She is an unmarried woman between thirty and forty years of age, handsome, distinguished; an aristocrat, without any pretensions; simple, unaffected, and direct in her effort to do kindnesses where they are not absolutely undeserved. She enters the room as if she carried with her an atmosphere of pure ozone. This affects all those in it. She is dressed in deep mourning and wears a thick chiffon veil, which she removes as she enters._
RUTH. Oh! you're having tea!
[_Glad that they are._
MRS. HUNTER. [_Taking a second cup._] I 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