WHAT'S HOT
Prev | Current Page 124 | Next

Walter, Eugene, 1874-1941

"Representative Plays by American Dramatists: 1856-1911"

You've got to
leave this place, do you hear? You've got to leave this place. Please
get out.
[_Crossing to trunk._
WILL. [_Rises and comes to her._] Do you think I'm going to let a
woman make a liar out of me? I'm going to stay right here. I like that
boy, and I'm not going to let you put him to the bad.
LAURA. I want you to go. [_Slams trunk lid down, crosses to dresser,
opens drawer to get stuff out._
WILL. And I tell you I won't go. I'm going to show you up. I'm going
to tell him the truth. It isn't you I care for--he's got to know.
LAURA. [_Slams drawer shut, loses her temper, and is almost tiger-like
in her anger._] You don't care for me?
WILL. No.
LAURA. It isn't me you're thinking of?
WILL. No.
LAURA. Who's the liar now?
WILL. Liar?
LAURA. Yes, liar. You are. You don't care for this man, and you know
it.
WILL. You're foolish.
LAURA. Yes, I am foolish and I've been foolish all my life, but I'm
getting a little sense now. [_Kneels in armchair, facing_ WILL; _her
voice is shaky with anger and tears._] All my life, since the day you
first took me away, you've planned and planned and planned to keep me,
and to trick me and bring me down with you. When you came to me I was
happy. I didn't have much, just a little salary and some hard work.
WILL. But like all the rest you found that wouldn't keep you, didn't
you?
LAURA. You say I'm bad, but who's made me so? Who took me out night
after night? Who showed me what these luxuries were? Who put me in the
habit of buying something I couldn't afford? You did.


Pages:
112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136