They Knew What They Wanted/Act 3
THE THIRD ACT
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Richard Bennett, Pauline Lord, and Glenn Anders in
“They Knew What They Wanted”
THE THIRD ACT
[The scene is unchanged, but the woman’s presence has made itself felt. Handsome, though inexpensive, cretonne curtains grace the windows. A garish jardinière of porcelain holds a geranium plant and stands upon a coloured oriental tabouret. The lamps have acquired art shades: one of some light-coloured silk on a wire form and adorned with roses of the same material in a lighter shade, the other of parchment painted with windmills and Dutch kiddies. New pictures selected from the stock-in-trade of almost any provincial “art department” hang upon the walls; one of them, perhaps, a portrait of a well-known lady screen star. These have replaced Washington and Garibaldi and the Italian Steamship Company’s poster. Painted and elaborately befringed leather sofa cushions fill the large chairs. It is hoped that one of the variety showing the head of Hiawatha can be secured for this, as they say, “touch.” A brilliantly embroidered centrepiece covers the dining-room table and the flowers in the middle are palpably artificial. A white waste-paper basket is girt by a cerise ribbon which makes some corner of the room splendid. A victrola graces another corner.
Three months have passed. It is mid-afternoon.
An invalid chair has been made by laying a board between the seat of the morris chair and the top of a box. In this Tony reclines, his crutches lying on the floor by his side. Father McKee nods drowsily in another chair. Joe sits on the porch rail outside the window perusing the scareheads of an I. W. W. paper.]
Father McKee
[Continuing the discussion]: Now, Joe, don’t be tryin’ to tell me that things is goin’ to be any better for havin’ a revolution, because they ain’t. Gover’ment’s always gover’ment no matter what you call it, an’ no particular kind of gover’ment ain’t no more’n a label anyway. You don’t change nothin’ by givin’ it a new name. Stick a “peppermint” label on a bottle of castor oil an’ then drink it an’ see what happens to you. Castor oil happens!
Tony
I am work’ just as much like Joe an’ I don’ want changin’ nothing.
Joe
I suppose you both come over here in the first place because you was satisfied with everythin’ just like it was in the old country?
Father McKee
Human nature ain’t nothin’ but human nature an’ the only way you ever could make a gover’ment is by obedience. Scalliwaggin’ around about grievances an’ labels don’t accomplish nothin’. An’ the only way you can make a revolution anythin’ but a mess to no purpose is to change the people’s ideas an’ thank goodness there ain’t nobody can accomplish that. It can’t be done.
Joe
They’re changin’ already, Padre.
Father McKee
I’m talkin’ to you with the cassock off, Joe. I’m lettin’ you in on the secrets of the Mother Church. She knows the stock of ideas the world over an’ she knows they don’t never change. The Mother Church just keeps hammerin’ an’ hammerin’ the same old nails because she knows there ain’t no new ones worth hammerin’.
Tony
People come in da Unita State’ because ees good place. I been comin’ for mak’ money.
Joe
You certainly succeeded.
Tony
You don’ ondrastan’, Joe. You got crazy idea. I’m comin’ here for mak’ money an’ you want tak’ my money all away.
Joe
What’s your idea of progress, Padre?
Father McKee
Improvin’ yourself! Now, Joe, it comes to my notice that you been ’round here talkin’ pretty uppity ’bout the U. S. gover’ment. T’ain’t no good just makin’ slurrin’ remarks ’bout the gover’ment when you ain’t got the ability nor the power to do nothin’ toward improvin’ it. You have got the power to do somethin’ toward improvin’ yourself, but I don’t see you doin’ it.
Tony
W’at I care for gover’ment? Peoples is tellin’ me king is no good an’ freedom is verra fine. W’at I care for king? W’at I care for freedom? Evrabody say dees gover’ment is bad for havin’ pro’ibish’. I say pro’ibish’ mak’ me dam’ rich. Evra man got his own idea w’at is good for evrabody else.
Joe
You’re a bloomin’ capitalist, that’s what you are!
Tony
You mak’ me tire’, Joe. Evra minute talkin’ ’bout Russia. . . . Russia. . . . Tak’ a pinch-a snuff an’ shut up!
Joe
Russia’s got the right idea.
Father McKee
Now, listen to me, young man. If you had the energy an’ the reverence for authority and the continence that Tony has, you wouldn’t be carryin’ on ’bout no revolutions in Russia. ’T’ain’t sense. I’ve read a-plenty of your radical literature an’ if you ask me, it’s just plain stupid. I may be a priest an’ I may be a celibate, but that don’t make me no less of a man, An’ no real man ain’t never got no use for carryin’s on. You radicals, Joe, you’re always an’ forever hollerin’ an’ carryin’ on ’bout your rights. How ’bout your duties? There ain’t no one to prevent your doin’ your duties but you ain’t never done ’em in your life.
Joe
I’m savin’ my duties for the brotherhood of man.
Tony
Dio mio!
Father McKee
You’re talkin’ a lot of balderdash. Mind your own business an’ leave the brotherhood of man to me. Brothers is my job.
Tony
You think evrabody’s goin’ be brother like dat an’ don’ scrap no more? Ees crazy idea! You ain’ got no good sense, Joe, you an’ dose goddam Wobblies.
Father McKee
I been mullin’ this over in my mind, Joe, ever since Tony asked me to come up an’ talk to you. An’ I come to the conclusion that capital an’ labour’ll go on scrappin’ to the end of time and they’ll always be a certain number of people that’ll stand up for the under dog. I been standin’ up for the underdog all my life . . .
Joe
[Indignant, he comes into the room.] Yes, you have! A helluva lot of standin’ up you ever done for anybody but yourself!
Tony
[Talking at the same time]: Now, Joe, don’ you be gettin’ fresh! You listen to w’at da Padre’s sayin’!
Father McKee
[Talking at the same time]: . . . but I learned a long time ago that the dog on top needs just as much standin’ up for as the other kind and I ain’t got much use for either of ’em because both of ’em’s always complainin’ an’ carryin’ on.
Tony
I been ’Merican citizen for twent’ year’. I been vote evra year—some times two times. Ees fine thing, vote! I like. He mak’ me feel like I am good man an’ patriotic fella. But w’at I know ’bout vote? I don’ know nothing. I don’ care nothing. You think you know so much, eh? You want for change’ evrathing an w’en you got evrathing change’ like you want, some other fella is comin’ for changin’ you. Ees no good. [A defiant look about him.] You look-a me an’ do like I done. You marry with good wife like my Amy an’ live quiet in a fine house an’ gettin’ rich like me an’ . . . an’ . . . an’ raisin’ playnta kids like I am goin’ do. Da’s w’at is for life. Not for runnin’ evra place, goddam to hell gover’ment with goddam Wobblies!
Joe
Now you got Tony goin’ on kids again. I sure am catchin’ all that’s comin’ my way. But, just the same, I’m goin’ to take my trip to Frisco an’ see what’s what.
Father McKee
Well, Joe, I can understand your wantin’ to shake the dust of this place off’n your feet. But I got to tell you that the adventures of the spirit is a great deal more interestin’ than the adventures of the flesh. No man can’t do no more’n ’bout six things with his flesh, But he can have a heap of fun with his immortal soul.
Tony
Joe is dam’ lucky havin’ good job here. Last time he talk ’bout goin’ away, he tak’ my advice an’ stay here for runnin’ da vineyard. Dees time he better tak’ my advice some more.
[Father McKee is fingering Joe’s papers ominously.]
Joe
I’ll just trouble you for them papers, Padre.
Father McKee
If you take my advice you’ll burn ’em.
Tony
Joe don’ mean no harm.
Joe
Maybe I don’t mean nothin’ at all. Maybe I’m just restless an’ rarin’ to go. I read these things an’ they make me think. A man ought to think if he can. Oh, not tall talk. Just what he could be doin’ himself. I think how I could get into the scrap. I ought to have been in on the dock strike at San Pedro, but I wasn’t. I don’t want to miss another big fight like that, do I? You fellows don’t understand, but that’s the way it is. An’ maybe you’re right an’ I’m wrong. I can’t help that. Maybe when I get down to Frisco I’ll hear the same old bull from the same old loud-mouths, just like it used to be. Maybe I’ll get disgusted and beat it south for the orange pickin’s, or maybe go back on the railroad, or maybe in the oilfields. But, what the hell! I been hangin’ around here on the point of goin’ for three months now. I might just as well pick up and clear out to-morrow or the day after. I’ll come back some day, Tony. Anyway, there ain’t no use of expectin’ anythin’ out of a guy like me. Don’t get sore. What the hell!
Tony
You goin’ in da jail, sure!
Joe
I could go worse places. A guy went to jail up in Quincy, in Plumas County, awhile back, for carryin’ a Wobbly card—like this one, see? [He displays the famous bit of red cardboard.] His lawyer pleads with the judge to go easy on the sentence. “Your honour,” he says, “this chap served in France an’ won the Croy de Gaire an’ the Distinguished Service Cross.” An’ right there the guy jumps up an’ says: “Don’t you pay no attention to that stuff,” he says, “I don’t want no credit for no services I ever performed for no gover’ment that tells me I got to go to jail to stand up for my rights.”
Father McKee
Do you want to go to jail?
Joe
There’s worse places, I tell you. I been there before, too. That guy in Quincy got the limit an’ I’d like to shake hands with him, I would. Tony says this is a free country. Well, Tony ought to know. He’s a bootlegger.
Tony
[Indignantly]: Hah!
Joe
What I say is: about the only freedom we got left is the freedom to chose which one of our rights we’ll go to jail for.
Father McKee
[Super-sententiously]: Joe . . .
Tony
Shhh! Here’s Amy!
Amy
[Off stage]: Ah Gee!
[Joe rises; Father McKee pauses in his harangue; Tony beams; Amy enters. She wears a bright dress and a red-straw hat which pushes her hair down about her face. A duster swings dashingly from her shoulders. Her market basket hangs from her arm. She has stuffed some late lupin in the top of it.]
Amy
Scrapping again, are you? What’s the matter, this time? Has Joe got another attack of the foot-itch? [She sets the basket down on the table, doffs hat and duster, and, as she does so, sees Joe’s papers.] Oho! So that’s it. [Patiently Joe folds the papers up.] See them, Tony? [She exhibits the lupin and begins to stuff it into the vase with the artificial flowers.] Ain’t they sweet? They’re so pretty they might be artificial.
Father McKee
We been talkin’ ’bout reformin’ the social system.
Amy
Well, you got a fine day for it. [She hugs Tony’s head and lets him pat her hand.] Ain’t the doctor come yet?
Tony
Doc don’ come to-day.
Amy
Sure he does.
Joe
He comes on Thursday.
Father McKee
To-day’s Wednesday.
Amy
Well, I never! Here they are reforming the world and they don’t even know what day of the week it is. Ain’t men the limit?
Tony
Nobody is so smart like my Amy.
[With a toss of her head she swirls off into the kitchen.]
Amy
Don’t let me stop you! Go right ahead. [In the kitchen.] Ah Gee . . . Oh, there you are. . . .
Father McKee
Thursday! It’s my day to talk to the boys down at the parish school.
Joe
Hand ’em what you just been handin’ me, Padre.
Father McKee
What I told you was confidential, Joe. I’m sorry you won’t listen to it.
Amy
[She returns, carrying a dish with apples and a knife.]
See them, Tony?
Tony
Apples!
Amy
Guess what for?
Tony
Apples pie?
Amy
[She sits beside Tony and falls to on the apples.] Well, the world may need reforming but I got no kick. The grapes is near ripe and ready for picking. The nights is getting longer, the mornings is getting colder and Tony’s getting better. Down town they’re putting up the posters for the circus and I hear the show’s going into winter quarters just the other side of Napa. I guess that’s all the remarks I got to make.
Joe
Here’s the doc, now. . . .
[A Ford motor.]
The Doctor
[Off stage]: Hello!
Amy
Yoo hoo!
[The Doctor appears, shakes hands with Amy, nods to Joe and the Padre, and comes in to Tony.]
The Doctor
Well, how do the crutches go?
Amy
Just fine.
Tony
You want see me walkin’, Doc?
The Doctor
Perhaps, I do. Let’s see. . . . [He feels the injured legs.] Tibia . . . Fibula . . . Feels all right.
Tony
[With a proud, anatomical gesture]: Ischium?
The Doctor
[He rises and nods approvingly.] All right, Tony, show us what you can do. No jumping, mind! Lend him a hand, Joe.
[He stands aside to watch. Joe assists Tony. Grunting, Tony stands on his crutches and grins proudly.]
Tony
Ees hurtin’ here. [Indicating arm pits.] But ees goin’ fine! [A few tottering steps.]
The Doctor
Steady! Whoa! [Laughter as Tony barely makes a chair.] You ought to be put on exhibition. If anyone had told me that day when I had you on the table that I should see you on crutches in three months! Well, all I can aay is, it pays to know how to set a fracture.
Amy
I guess it makes you realize what a good doctor you are.
The Doctor
He owes something to your nursing, ma’am.
Father McKee
It’s like the layin’ on of hands, her nursin’ is.
Amy
Funny you’re saying that, Padre. I once had my fortune told down in Frisco. Out of a palmistry book one of my friends had. Everything in your hand means something, you know. See those bumps? Ain’t they funny? Well, the book said that those bumps mean you’re a good nurse and can take care of anybody no matter how sick he is. That’s why I wouldn’t let you send for no trained nurse, Doc. I was afraid she wouldn’t have my bumps. . . . Gee, I got funny hands! . . .
The Doctor
I’m not sure that medical science pays much attention to the nursing bump, ma’am, but you have certainly got it. I’ll admit that.
Tony
My Amy is da best nurse I ever see.
Amy
Oh, Tony!
The Doctor
I’m going to put your patient outside in the sun. Is there a good level place?
Amy
Under the arbour! . . . Oh, Tony!
Tony
After three month’ in dees goddam house!
The Doctor
Fix him up right with a big easy chair.
Amy
And plenty of pillows.
Tony
Amy, you ain’ forgot how you promise’ ’bout readin’ da paper outside in da sun?
Amy
You bet I ain’t forgot.
The Doctor
Go on, now. I want to see you fixed.
Tony
[Hobbies to the door and calls out]: Giorgio . . . Angelo . . . Eccomi!
[Giorgio and Angelo arrive in a whirlwind of Italian. Tony hobbles out of sight. Amy follows with two pillows, looking back at the Doctor and laughing. Father McKee carries the board and box. The Doctor goes to the door as though he intended following them. He stands looking out and speaks without turning.]
The Doctor
Joe . . .
Joe
What is it?
The Doctor
I hear you’re going away.
Joe
Yeah. I’m really goin’ this time.
The Doctor
Where to?
Joe
Search me. Frisco first.
The Doctor
Hadn’t you better take Amy with you?
[He turns then and looks sternly into Joe’s startled eyes.]
Joe
What?
The Doctor
You heard me.
Joe
I don’t get you.
The Doctor
Amy came to see me last week. I didn’t tell her what the trouble was. I didn’t have the heart. I put her off. . . . Oh, it’s easy to fool a woman. But you can’t fool a doctor, Joe. [A step nearer Joe and eyes hard on his face.] Tony isn’t the father. . . . He couldn’t be. [A long pause.]
Joe
[Under his breath]: Oh, Christ!
The Doctor
I thought so. [Another long pause.] I’ve been trying to figure out how to make things easiest for Tony. It upset me a good deal. Doctors get shocked more often than you’d think. . . . And a girl like Amy, too. . . . I didn’t know what to do. I guess it’s up to you.
Joe
Poor old Tony!
The Doctor
You might have thought of him sooner—and of Amy, too, for that matter.
Joe
It wasn’t on purpose. It was only once! But—honest to God, we wouldn’t either of us have put anything like that over on old Tony. Not for a million dollars!
The Doctor
You couldn’t have wasted much time about it.
Joe
It was the first night.
The Doctor
Good Lord!
Joe
It just happened. There was reasons you don’t know about. I’m a swell guy, ain’t I? To do a thing like that to a fellow like Tony.
The Doctor
Shall I tell Tony? Or Amy?
Joe
No. . . . Gimme time to think.
The Doctor
There’s no concealing this. Don’t try anything of that sort. I won’t have it.
Joe
No.
The Doctor
This is going to come near killing him.
[Joe nods fearsomely. The Doctor turns and is going when Amy appears, marshalling Angelo and Giorgio.]
Amy
Just cut out the welcome to our city stuff and carry this chair down there under the arbour where the boss is. [As they pick it up, she turns to the Doctor.] Say! You’d think to hear ’em that Tony’d just been raised from the dead. [She turns back to the two Italians.] Put it in the shade. . . . Mind that varnish, you club-footed wops. . . . There. . . . [She has seen the chair safely along the porch. She returns and makes for the bedroom, saying, as she goes:] He wants a cover and everything you can think of. . . .
The Doctor
[To Joe]: Let me know if I can do anything.
[Amy returns carrying a great, thick quilt. She cuts for the door, muttering happily to herself. On the porch she stops to call through the window to the stricken Joe.]
Amy
Joe—just hand me them newspapers, will you?
Joe
[Obeying]: Here.
Amy
[In the doorway, her arms filled with papers and comforter, she sees his face.] Gee—you look something fierce.
Joe
[In a strangled voice]: Amy . . .
Amy
What is it?
Joe
I got to see you by an’ by. . . . I got to see you alone. . . . [She starts to speak. We see that he has frightened her.] God damn . . . oh, God damn. . . .
Amy
What’s the matter with you? What you scaring me this way for?
Joe
Amy. . . . Just a minute ago . . .
Amy
Make it snappy. . . . I don’t like this being alone with you. . . . It makes me think . . . I want to forget all that.
Joe
Yeah . . . An’ me . . . that’s what I mean.
Amy
What?
Joe
[After an awful pause]: You’re goin’ to have a kid. [She stares incredulously at him without making a sound.] Yeah. . . . It’s so, Amy. . . . I’m awful sorry. . . . The doc just told me. . . . He found out when you was sick last week. . . . He knows all about it. . . .
Amy
[She stands a moment without moving at all. Suddenly she lets quilt and papers slip to the floor and her hands clasp themselves over her abdomen.] Oh, my God! [She picks the quilt and papers up very carefully and puts them on the table. She drops weakly into one of the chairs as though her knees had failed her, her face rigid with terror.]
Joe
I know how it is. . . . Just keep your head, now. . . .
Amy
What am I going to do?
Joe
I got to think. . . .
Amy
If you go wrong, you’re sure to get it sooner or later. I got it sooner.
Joe
That kind of talk won’t help any.
Amy
I’m glad of it. It serves me right. . . .
Joe
There’s ways, you know . . . there’s doctor. . . .
Amy
[Shakes her head vigorously]: Them kind of doctors is no good.
Joe
But maybe . . .
Amy
They’re no good. I’m too far gone anyway . . . I know . . . and anyway . . . doing that . . . It’s worse than the other.
Joe
I’m sorry, Amy. . . .
Amy
You being sorry ain’t got nothing to do with it, either. I’m thinking of Tony.
Joe
So’m I.
Amy
Tony’s a white guy if he is a wop.
Joe
Yeah. . . .
Amy
[Desperately loud]: What am I going to do? What am I going to do?
Joe
Hey! . . . Not so loud!
Amy
But I ain’t got no money . . . only my earrings. . . .
Joe
I got money enough.
Amy
You?
Joe
Tony made me save it. It’s in the bank. More’n two hundred bucks. That’ll see you through.
Amy
Tony’ll be crazy. . . . Tony’ll be just crazy.
Joe
The doc said for me to take you away with me.
Amy
You?
Joe
Yeah. . . . An’ believe me, Amy, I’ll do anything . . .
Amy
Going away with you won’t help things any.
Joe
I’ll treat you right, Amy.
Amy
Poor Tony!
Joe
I’ll do the right thing if it kills me.
Amy
I must have been crazy that night.
Joe
We both was . . . but there’s no use sayin’ that now.
Amy
No. . . . Tony’ll be crazy. [She lifts her head, recognizing the inevitable.] I guess the doc’s right. . . . I guess I’ll have to go with you. . . . Somebody’s got to help me out. . . . There ain’t nobody but you.
Joe
That’s all right. . . . I’m willing. . . .
Amy
And afterwards . . . Oh, my God! . . . And Tony’ll be thinking that all the time . . . you and me . . . Oh! [This is an exclamation of unutterable disgust.] Poor Tony! You don’t know how good he’s been to me. And all the time he was so crazy for a kid. . . . Oh, I can’t stick around here now! I got to go. I got to go quick.
Joe
I’m ready, if you are.
Amy
I’ll just pack my grip.
Joe
Don’t take it too hard, Amy. [He tries to take her hand.]
Amy
[Shaking him off]: None of that! I don’t want no sympathy.
Joe
Excuse me.
Amy
You better get your own things.
Joe
All right. . . . I’ll be back in a minute.
Amy
I’ll get a move on, too.
[Ah Gee comes in with the dishes for dinner and begins to lay the table. Apparently Joe thinks of something more to say, but is deterred by Ah Gee’s presence. He goes quickly. Amy hears Ah Gee and watches him for a moment as though she were unable to understand what he is doing.]
Ah Gee
[As he puts down dishes]: Velly good dinner to-night, Missy. Beans an’ roas’ veal an’ apple pie!
Tony
[Calling from off stage]: Eh, Joe! Eh, JOE! W’ere you go like dat? Amy! W’ere are you, Amy? [He comes up on to the porch.] Ah! Here you are!
Ah Gee
Oh, Bossy! Velly good dinner to-night, Apple pie!
Tony
[Pleased]: Ah! Apples pie!
[Ah Gee goes into his kitchen. Tony leans against door.]
Amy! W’y you no’ come back?
Amy
[Who has been clinging desperately to the back of a chair]: I don’t know!
Tony
You leave me alone so long.
Amy
I just come in for the papers and . . .
Tony
. . . An’ Joe is runnin’ crazy wild an’ don’ say nothing w’en I’m askin’ him, “Joe, w’ere you goin’ like dat?”
Amy
Joe’s going away.
Tony
He’s no’ goin’ without sayin’ goo’-by?
Amy
I dunno. . . . Maybe he is. . . .
Tony
That boy mak’ me verra unhappy. I been lovin’ Joe like he was my own son an’ he’s goin’ away like dat. He’s no good.
Amy
People who ain’t no good ain’t worth worrying about. The thing to do is let ’em go and forget ’em.
Tony
Da’s no’ so easy like you think, Amy. I been lovin’ Joe like my own son.
Amy
Joe ain’t no worse than other people I could mention.
Tony
I love Joe but he don’ love me,
Amy
I love you, Tony! I love you!
Tony
I know, Amy, I know.
Amy
And you ain’t never going to believe that I do again.
Tony
W’at you takin’ ’bout, Amy?
Amy
Something’s happened, Tony!
Tony
Eh?
Amy
It’s going to make you terrible mad.
Tony
Amy!
Amy
[Nerving herself]: It’s going to make you just crazy, but I’m going to tell you just exactly what it is, Tony, because I ain’t going to have you thinking afterwards that I wasn’t grateful or that I ain’t been happy here . . . happier than I ever been in my whole life. . . .
Tony
Amy!
Amy
Wait a minute. . . . I got to confess, Tony. I got to tell you the whole business so’s you won’t be thinking I been any worse than just what I have. . . .
Tony
Amy!
Amy
Yeah. . . . And I don’t want you blaming Joe no more’n what you blame me and anyway you’re a-bound to find out sooner or later, an’ it’ll hurt you a lot less in the long run if I tell you the truth right now, and I got to tell you the truth anyway. I simply got to. Wait a minute, Tony! I’m going to tell you the truth and after I go away and you don’t see me no more you can say: “Well, she wasn’t no good but it wasn’t my fault.” Because it wasn’t your fault Tony. Not one bit, it wasn’t. You didn’t have nothing to do with it. And I wouldn’t be going away, neither, not for a million dollars I wouldn’t, only for what’s happened. . . .
Tony
Amy, w’at you talkin’ bout goin’ away?
Amy
That’s what I’m trying to tell you, Tony, only you got to give me chance because it ain’t easy to tell you no more’n it’s easy to go away. And I got to go. But it ain’t because I don’t love you. I do. And it ain’t because I don’t appreciate all you done for me. I ain’t never going to forget none of it, nor you, nor this place. . . .
Tony
Amy!
Amy
Listen to me, Tony! You’re going to kick me out when you hear what I got to say, but I don’t care if you do. I’m going to have a baby, Tony . . . and it’s . . . God help me! . . . it’s Joe’s baby.
Tony
[Raising his crutch with a great cry of anger]: Ah!
Amy
Didn’t I tell you you’d kick me out?
Tony
[Faltering]: Dio mio! Dio mio! No! Amy, you fool with me? Eh?
Amy
No, I’m not fooling. It’s so. And that’s why I’m going away, Tony.
Tony
[Pursuing her as she retreats]: You been Joe’s woman!
Amy
I was crazy!
Tony
You been Joe’s woman!
Amy
I was crazy.
Tony
You been lovin’ Joe!
Amy
No . . . I ain’t . . . I ain’t . . . I never loved Joe. Honest, I never. I was crazy.
Tony
You been just like da Padre say you was. . . . You been a whore. . . .
Amy
I ain’t! . . . I ain’t! I been straight all my life! Only that one night. . . .
Tony
W’at night?
Amy
The first night I come here.
Tony
Da night you marry with me!
Amy
I ain’t even spoke to Joe alone since that night.
Tony
You lyin’!
Amy
I swear to God I ain’t! Not once! Not till to-day after the doc told him what was going to happen.
Tony
You lyin’ to me! You been Joe’s woman!
Amy
I ain’t, Tony! That’s what I’m trying to tell you. It’s the truth I’m trying to tell you and now I’m going away.
Tony
You goin’ away with Joe?
Amy
My God, what else can I do?
Tony
[Furiously he forces her back into the corner where the shotgun is hanging, spluttering all the time with slobbering, half-intelligible rage.] I don’ let you go! I don’ let you go! By God, I’m goin’ kill dat Joe! Questo bastardo, Joe! I’m goin’ kill him an’ keep you here for see me kill him! Goddam you! You goddam dirty . . . [He has got the gun down, broken it, and is loading it.]
Amy
[Speaking at the same time]: No, you won’t Tony! Don’t do anything like that, now, Tony! You’ll be sorry if you do! You know what’ll happen to you if you do that! You know what’ll happen to you, Tony! That ain’t no way to act! You’ll see what you get! You’ll see!
Tony
Goddam! . . . You wait, you dirty . . .
[He flourishes the broken gun, She covers her eyes with her hands. Joe arrives, sees what Tony is doing, gives a cry, springs on him, wrenches the gun away. The struggle upsets Tony’s balance and he topples headlong off his crutches. Amy screams.]
Amy
Oh, his leg!
[Joe drops the gun and bends over him.]
Joe
I tried to catch him. . . . [Tony’s bellows are terrifying to hear.] Did you hurt yourself, Tony?
[Tony’s answer is untranslatable into speech.]
Amy
[As she pulls a chair over]: For God’s sake, pick him up, can’t you?
Joe
[Tony fights him, trying to choke him, and sinks into the chair, howling with pain and fury.]
All right now, Tony! Steady!
Amy
Tony. . . . Tony. . . . [She kneels down by him. Tony’s roars subside into moans.] I had to tell him! Oh,my God! I just had to tell him!
Joe
He didn’t hurt himself much.
[Tony’s moans break into sobs.]
Amy
This is awful.
Joe
Get your things. Let’s pull out of here. We can send the Padre up to look after him.
Amy
I’m only taking my little grip, Tony. I’m leaving the earrings on the dresser.
[She goes quickly into the bedroom. Tony’s sobs keep up wretchedly and terribly.]
Joe
Tony, I . . .
[Again Tony springs madly at Joe’s throat. Joe wrenches away and runs quickly to the table where he gets a glass of wine which he brings back to Tony. Tony pushes it away, spilling the wine over his shirt. Joe drops the glass.]
Tony
Amy! Amy! Amy! Amy!
Amy
[She comes back, with her hat on and her coat over her arm. She has her yellow grip half open with clothes sticking out. Joe takes it from her.]
Here I am, Tony. Here I am.
Tony
W’ere you goin’, Amy? Were you goin’ away from here?
Amy
I dunno. . . . Frisco, I guess. . . .
Tony
[Bitter sobs]: You goin’ be livin’ with Joe?
Amy
[Vague misery]: I dunno. . . . No, I ain’t going to live with Joe. . . . No matter what happens, I ain’t.
Tony
Who is goin’ be lookin’ after you, Amy?
Joe
I am, Tony. I’ll do the right thing if it kills me.
Tony
You? . . . You? . . . Oh, Dio mio! Dio mio! No! No!
Joe
Come on, Amy, for the love of Pete!
Amy
I’m coming.
Tony
[A hand out to stop her]: You ain’ got no money, Amy.
Amy
It don’t matter.
Tony
Yes!
Joe
I got plenty.
Tony
No! . . . No! . . . No! . . . Joe is no good for lookin’ after womans an’ baby!
Amy
Don’t take on, Tony. . . . Please don’t take on! Let me go, and forget all about me. There ain’t no use in talking any more.
Tony
You goin’ have baby!
Amy
God, I know I am!
Tony
How you goin’ mak’ money for keep him? Before you go, you tell me dat!
Amy
God knows. . . . I don’t.
Tony
Pretty quick Joe is leavin’ you desert, and den w’at is goin’ happen?
Joe
I swear I’ll stick, Tony!
Tony
No! No! NO!! Ees no good! My Amy havin’ baby in da street! Ees no good.
Amy
Don’t say that! For God’s sake, Tony, don’t say that . . .
Tony
W’at is goin’ happen, Amy? W’at’s goin’ happen with you?
Amy
Joe . . . I can’t stand no more of this.
Tony
[Frenzied]: No! No!! NO!!! NO!!!
Amy
Let go, Tony! Let go of ray skirt!
Tony
You ain’ goin’, Amy! I don’t let you go! You stayin’ here with Tony!
Amy
Don’t talk that way, Tony! It ain’t no good.
Tony
No! No! You goin’ listen to w’at Tony say now. You goin’ listen, Amy. You don’ love Joe. You love Tony. You been good wife, Amy. . . .
Amy
Good wife!
Tony
W’at is Tony goin’ do without you?
Joe
Come on!
Tony
Amy, I get excite’ just now, Amy. Excuse! Excuse! I think verra good once more. You ain’ goin’ with Joe. You stayin’ here with Tony just like nothin’ is happen’, an’ by an’ by da little fella is come. . . .
Amy
Don’t talk that way, Tony!
Tony
W’y not?
Amy
Because it ain’t no way to talk!
Tony
Yes . . . yes . . . ees good sense! Ees w’at is evrabody wantin’ here! You an’ Joe an’ me! . . . Looka Joe. Joe is wantin’ go with Wobblies, eh? With goddam Wobblies. All right . . . Looka Amy . . . Amy is wantin’ stay here nice an’ safe in dees fine house with Tony. Is not true, eh? [Amy nods through her tears.] Sure is true. Look Tony, Dio mio, an’ ask him w’at he want? Don’ he want baby?
Amy
But not this baby, Tony?
Tony
W’at I care?
Amy
But, think of what people would say!
Tony
W’at I care w’at evrabody say? We tellin’ evrabody he’s Tony’s baby. Den evrabody say Tony is so goddam young an’ strong he’s break both his leg’ an’ havin’ baby just da same! . . . Ees good, eh? You don’t go with Joe now, Amy? . . . Oh, Amy! . . .
Amy
[He has swayed her, but she looks at him as at a madman.] No. . . . It wouldn’t work, Tony. . . . You wouldn’t mean it afterward. . . . You’re crazy. . . .
Tony
[A last frantic appeal]: No! No! No! [Leaning back in his chair and looking around the room] W’at’s good for me havin’ dees fine house? W’at’s good for me havin’ all dis money w’at I got? I got nobody for give my house an’ my money w’en I die. Ees for dat I want dis baby, Amy. Joe don’ want him. Ees Tony want him. Amy, . . . Amy, . . . for God’s sake don’ go away an’ leave Tony!
Amy
But, Tony! Think of what I done?
Tony
What you done was mistake in da head, not in da heart. . . . Mistake in da head is no matter.
Amy
You—you ain’t kiddin’ me, are you? . . . You’re serious, ain’t you—Tony? You’ll stick to this afterwards, won’t you, Tony? [She walks slowly over to him. She throws her arms around his neck and presses his head against her breast. A prolonged pause.]
Well, Joe, I guess you better be going.
Joe
You mean?
Amy
I guess you’d better be going.
[Joe straightens in great relief.]
Joe
All right. [He picks up hie knapsack which he dropped when he came in.] I guess you’re right. [He pulls on his cap and stands a moment in the doorway, a broad grin spreading over his face.] I guess there ain’t none of us got any kick comin’, at that. No real kick.
[He goes out slowly.]
Amy
[Lifting her face]: No.
[Tony clutches her even closer as the curtain falls.]
THE END