LORETTA. [Taking third letter from table and beginning to open it.] And
Martha says--
BILLY. [Angrily.] Darn Martha and the whole boiling of them!
LORETTA. [Reprovingly.] Oh, Billy!
BILLY. [Defensively.] Darn isn't swearing, and you know it isn't.
[There is an awkward pause. Billy has lost the thread of the
conversation and has vacant expression.]
BILLY. [Suddenly recollecting.] Never mind Captain Kitt, and Daisy, and
Martha, and what they want. The question is, what do you want?
LORETTA. [Appealingly.] Oh, Billy, I'm so unhappy.
BILLY. [Ignoring the appeal and pressing home the point.] The thing is,
do you want to marry me? [He looks at his watch.] Just answer that.
LORETTA. Aren't you afraid you'll miss that train?
BILLY. Darn the train!
LORETTA. [Reprovingly.] Oh, Billy!
BILLY. [Most irascibly.] Darn isn't swearing. [Plaintively.] That's
the way you always put me off. I didn't come all the way here for a
train. I came for you. Now just answer me one thing. Do you want to
marry me?
LORETTA. [Firmly.] No, I don't want to marry you.
BILLY. [With assurance.] But you've got to, just the same.
LORETTA. [With defiance.] Got to?
BILLY. [With unshaken assurance.] That's what I said--got to. And I'll
see that you do.
LORETTA. [Blazing with anger.] I am no longer a child. You can't bully
me, Billy Marsh!
BILLY. [Coolly.] I'm not trying to bully you. I'm trying to save your
reputation.
LORETTA. [Faintly.] Reputation?
BILLY. [Nodding.] Yes, reputation. [He pauses for a moment, then
speaks very solemnly.] Loretta, when a woman kisses a man, she's got to
marry him.
LORETTA. [Appalled, faintly.] Got to?
BILLY. [Dogmatically.] It is the custom.
LORETTA. [Brokenly.] And when . . . a . . . a woman kisses a man and
doesn't . . . marry him . . . ?
BILLY. Then there is a scandal. That's where all the scandals you see
in the papers come from.
[BILLY looks at watch.]
[LORETTA in silent despair.]
LORETTA. [In abasement.] You are a good man, Billy. [Billy shows that
he believes it.] And I am a very wicked woman.
BILLY. No, you're not, Loretta. You just didn't know.
LORETTA. [With a gleam of hope.] But you kissed me first.
BILLY. It doesn't matter. You let me kiss you.
LORETTA. [Hope dying down.] But not at first.
BILLY. But you did afterward and that's what counts. You let me you in
the grape-arbour. You let me--
LORETTA. [With anguish] Don't! Don't!
BILLY. [Relentlessly.]--kiss you when you were playing the piano. You
let me kiss you that day of the picnic. And I can't remember all the
times you let me kiss you good night.
LORETTA. [Beginning to weep.] Not more than five.
BILLY. [With conviction.] Eight at least.
LORETTA. [Reproachfully, still weeping.] You told me it was all right.
BILLY. [Emphatically.] So it was all right--until you said you wouldn't
marry me after all. Then it was a scandal--only no one knows it yet. If
you marry me no one ever will know it. [Looks at watch.] I've got to
go. [Stands up.] Where's my hat?
LORETTA. [Sobbing.] This is awful.
BILLY. [Approvingly.] You bet it's awful. And there's only one way
out. [Looks anxiously about for hat.] What do you say?
LORETTA. [Brokenly.] I must think. I'll write to you. [Faintly.] The
train? Your hat's in the hall.
BILLY. [Looks at watch, hastily tries to kiss her, succeeds only in
shaking hand, starts across stage toward left.] All right. You write to
me. Write to-morrow. [Stops for a moment in doorway and speaks very
solemnly.] Remember, Loretta, there must be no scandal.
[Billy goes out.]
[LORETTA sits in chair quietly weeping. Slowly dries eyes, rises from
chair, and stands, undecided as to what she will do next.]
[NED enters from right, peeping. Discovers that LORETTA is alone, and
comes quietly across stage to her. When NED comes up to her she begins
weeping again and tries to turn her head away. NED catches both her
hands in his and compels her to look at him. She weeps harder.]
NED. [Putting one arm protectingly around her shoulder and drawing her
toward him.] There, there, little one, don't cry.
LORETTA. [Turning her face to his shoulder like a tired child, sobbing.]
Oh, Ned, if you only knew how wicked I am.
NED. [Smiling indulgently.] What is the matter, little one? Has your
dearly beloved sister failed to write to you? [LORETTA shakes head.] Has
Hemingway been bullying you? [LORETTA shakes head.] Then it must have
been that caller of yours? [Long pause, during which LORETTA's weeping
grows more violent.] Tell me what's the matter, and we'll see what I can
do. [He lightly kisses her hair--so lightly that she does not know.]
LORETTA. [Sobbing.] I can't. You will despise me. Oh, Ned, I am so
ashamed.
NED. [Laughing incredulously.] Let us forget all about it. I want to
tell you something that may make me very happy. My fondest hope is that
it will make you happy, too. Loretta, I love you--
LORETTA. [Uttering a sharp cry of delight, then moaning.] Too late!
NED. [Surprised.] Too late?
LORETTA. [Still moaning.] Oh, why did I? [NED somewhat stiffens.] I
was so young. I did not know the world then.
NED. What is it all about anyway?
LORETTA. Oh, I . . . he . . . Billy . . . I am a wicked woman, Ned. I
know you will never speak to me again.
NED. This . . . er . . . this Billy--what has he been doing?
LORETTA. I . . . he . . . I didn't know. I was so young. I could not
help it. Oh, I shall go mad, I shall go mad!
[NED's encircling arm goes limp. He gently disengages her and deposits
her in big chair.]
[LORETTA buries her face and sobs afresh.]
NED. [Twisting moustache fiercely, regarding her dubiously, hesitating a
moment, then drawing up chair and sitting down.] I . . . I do not
understand.
LORETTA. [Wailing.] I am so unhappy!
NED. [Inquisitorially.] Why unhappy?
LORETTA. Because . . . he . . . he wants to marry me.
NED. [His face brightening instantly, leaning forward and laying a hand
soothingly on hers.] That should not make any girl unhappy. Because you
don't love him is no reason--[Abruptly breaking off.] Of course you
don't love him? [LORETTA shakes her head and shoulders vigorously.]
What?
LORETTA. [Explosively.] No, I don't love Billy! I don't want to love
Billy!
NED. [With confidence.] Because you don't love him is no reason that
you should be unhappy just because he has proposed to you.
LORETTA. [Sobbing.] That's the trouble. I wish I did love him. Oh, I
wish I were dead.
NED. [Growing complacent.] Now my dear child, you are worrying yourself
over trifles. [His second hand joins the first in holding her hands.]
Women do it every day. Because you have changed your mind, or did not
know you mind, because you have--to use an unnecessarily harsh
word--jilted a man--
LORETTA. [Interrupting, raising her head and looking at him.] Jilted?
Oh Ned, if that were a all!
NED. [Hollow voice.] All!
[NED's hands slowly retreat from hers. He opens his mouth as though to
speak further, then changes his mind and remains silent.]
LORETTA. [Protestingly.] But I don't want to marry him!
NED. Then I shouldn't.
LORETTA. But I ought to marry him.
NED. _Ought_ to marry him? [LORETTA nods.] That is a strong word.
LORETTA. [Nodding.] I know it is. [Her lips are trembling, but she
strives for control and manages to speak more calmly.] I am a wicked
woman. A terrible wicked woman. No one knows how wicked I am . . .
except Billy.
NED. [Starting, looking at her queerly.] He . . . Billy knows? [LORETTA
nods. He debates with himself a moment.] Tell me about it. You must
tell me all of it.
LORETTA. [Faintly, as though about to weep again.] All of it?
NED. [Firmly.] Yes, all of it.
LORETTA. [Haltingly.] And . . . will . . . you . . . ever . . . forgive
. . . me?
NED. [Drawing a long, breath, desperately.] Yes, I'll forgive you. Go
ahead.
LORETTA. There was no one to tell me. We were with each other so much.
I did not know anything of the world . . . then. [Pauses.]
NED. [Impatiently.] Go on.