The Fifth Series Plays | Page 8

street
flapper.
ATHENE. [Simply] I couldn't bear to think of Guy as a family man.
That's all--absolutely. It's not his fault; he's been awfully anxious to be
one.
BUILDER. You've disgraced us, then; that's what it comes to.
ATHENE. I don't want to be unkind, but you've brought it on yourself.
BUILDER. [Genuinely distracted] I can't even get a glimmer of what
you mean. I've never been anything but firm. Impatient, perhaps. I'm
not an angel; no ordinary healthy man is. I've never grudged you girls
any comfort, or pleasure.
ATHENE. Except wills of our own.
BUILDER. What do you want with wills of your own till you're
married?
ATHENE. You forget mother!
BUILDER. What about her?
ATHENE. She's very married. Has she a will of her own?
BUILDER. [Sullenly] She's learnt to know when I'm in the right.
ATHENE. I don't ever mean to learn to know when Guy's in the right.
Mother's forty-one, and twenty-three years of that she's been your wife.
It's a long time, father. Don't you ever look at her face?
BUILDER. [Troubled in a remote way] Rubbish!
ATHENE. I didn't want my face to get like that.
BUILDER. With such views about marriage, what business had you to
go near a man? Come, now!
ATHENE. Because I fell in love.
BUILDER. Love leads to marriage--and to nothing else, but the streets.
What an example to your sister!
ATHENE. You don't know Maud any more than you knew me. She's
got a will of her own too, I can tell you.
BUILDER. Now, look here, Athene. It's always been my way to face
accomplished facts. What's done can't be undone; but it can be
remedied. You must marry this young----at once, before it gets out.
He's behaved like a ruffian: but, by your own confession, you've

behaved worse. You've been bitten by this modern disease, this--this,
utter lack of common decency. There's an eternal order in certain things,
and marriage is one of them; in fact, it's the chief. Come, now. Give me
a promise, and I'll try my utmost to forget the whole thing.
ATHENE. When we quarrelled, father, you said you didn't care what
became of me.
BUILDER. I was angry.
ATHENE. So you are now.
BUILDER. Come, Athene, don't be childish! Promise me!
ATHENE. [With a little shudder] No! We were on the edge of it. But
now I've seen you again--Poor mother!
BUILDER. [Very angry] This is simply blasphemous. What do you
mean by harping on your mother? If you think that--that--she
doesn't--that she isn't--
ATHENE. Now, father!
BUILDER. I'm damned if I'll sit down under this injustice. Your
mother is--is pretty irritating, I can tell you. She--she--Everything
suppressed. And--and no--blood in her!
ATHENE. I knew it!
BUILDER. [Aware that he has confirmed some thought in her that he
had no intention of confirming] What's that?
ATHENE. Don't you ever look at your own face, father? When you
shave, for instance.
BUILDER. Of course I do.
ATHENE. It isn't satisfied, is it?
BUILDER. I don't know what on earth you mean.
ATHENE. You can't help it, but you'd be ever so much happier if you
were a Mohammedan, and two or three, instead of one, had--had
learned to know when you were in the right.
BUILDER. 'Pon my soul! This is outrageous!
ATHENE. Truth often is.
BUILDER. Will you be quiet?
ATHENE. I don't ever want to feel sorry for Guy in that way.
BUILDER. I think you're the most immodest--I'm ashamed that you're
my daughter. If your another had ever carried on as you are now--
ATHENE. Would you have been firm with her?
BUILDER. [Really sick at heart at this unwonted mockery which meets

him at every turn] Be quiet, you----!
ATHENE. Has mother never turned?
BUILDER. You're an unnatural girl! Go your own way to hell!
ATHENE. I am not coming back home, father.
BUILDER. [Wrenching open the door, Right] Julia! Come! We can't
stay here.
MRS BUILDER comes forth, followed by GUY.
As for you, sir, if you start by allowing a woman to impose her crazy
ideas about marriage on you, all I can say is--I despise you. [He crosses
to the outer door, followed by his wife. To ATHENE] I've done with
you!
He goes out.
MRS BUILDER, who has so far seemed to accompany him, shuts the
door quickly and remains in the studio. She stands there with that faint
smile on her face, looking at the two young people.
ATHENE. Awfully sorry, mother; but don't you see what a stunner
father's given me?
MRS BUILDER. My dear, all men are not alike.
GUY. I've always told her that, ma'am.
ATHENE. [Softly] Oh! mother, I'm so sorry for you.
The handle of the door is rattled, a fist is beaten on it.
[She stamps, and covers