Touch and Go

by D. H. Lawrence

yer?

  WILLIE. Do you stand there and ask me what about it, and haven't the

  sense to alter it? Couldn't you set up a proper Government to-morrow,

  if you liked? Couldn't you contrive that the pits belonged to you,

  instead of you belonging to the pits, like so many old pit-ponies that

  stop down till they are blind, and take to eating coal-slack for

  meadow-grass, not knowing the difference? If only you'd learn to

  think, I'd respect you. As you are, I can't, not if I try my hardest.

  All you can think of is to ask for another shilling a day. That's as

  far as your imagination carries you. And perhaps you get sevenpence

  ha'penny, but pay for it with half-a-crown's worth of sweat. The

  masters aren't fools--as you are. They'll give you two-thirds of

  what you ask for, but they'll get five-thirds of it back again--and

  they'll get it out of your flesh and blood, too, in jolly hard work.

  Shylock wasn't in it with them. He only wanted a pound of flesh.

  But you cheerfully give up a pound a week, each one of you, and keep

  on giving it up.--But you don't seem to see these things. You can't

  think beyond your dinners and your 'lowance. You think if you can get

  another shilling a day you're set up. You make me tired, I tell you.

  JOB ARTHUR FREER. We think of others besides ourselves.

  WILLIE. Hello, Job Arthur--are you there? I didn't recognise you

  without your frock-coat and silk hat--on the Sabbath.--What was that

  you said? You think of something else, besides yourselves?--Oh ay--

  I'm glad to hear it. Did you mean your own importance?

  (A motor car, GERALD BARLOW driving, OLIVER TURTON with him has

  pulled up.)

  JOB ARTHUR (glancing at the car). No, I didn't.

  WILLIE. Didn't you, though?--Come, speak up, let us have it. The

  more the merrier. You were going to say something.

  JOB ARTHUR. Nay, you were doing the talking.

  WILLIE. Yes, so I was, till you interrupted, with a great idea on the

  tip of your tongue. Come, spit it out. No matter if Mr. Barlow hears

  you. You know how sorry for you we feel, that you've always got to

  make your speeches twice--once to those above, and once to us here

  below I didn't meant the angels and the devils, but never mind. Speak

  up, Job Arthur.

  JOB ARTHUR. It's not everybody as has as much to say as you, Mr.

  Houghton.

  WILLIE. No, not in the open--that's a fact. Some folks says a great

  deal more, in semi-private. You were just going to explain to me, on

  behalf of the men, whom you so ably represent and so wisely lead, Job

  Arthur--we won't say by the nose--you were just going to tell me--on

  behalf of the men, of course, not of the masters--that you think of

  others, besides yourself. Do you mind explaining WHAT others?

  JOB ARTHUR. Everybody's used to your talk, Mr. Houghton, and for that

  reason it doesn't make much impression. What I meant to say, in plain

  words, was that we have to think of what's best for everybody, not

  only of ourselves.

  WILLIE. Oh, I see. What's best for everybody! I see! Well, for

  myself, I'm much obliged--there's nothing for us to do, gentlemen,

  but for all of us to bow acknowledgments to Mr. Job Arthur Freer, who

  so kindly has ALL our interests at heart.

  JOB ARTHUR. I don't profess to be a red-rag Socialist. I don't

  pretend to think that if the Government had the pits it would be any

  better for us. No. What I mean is, that the pits are there and every

  man on this place depends on them, one way or another. They're the

  cow that gives the milk. And what I mean is, how every man shall have

  a proper share of the milk, which is food and living. It's like

  killing the goose that laid the golden egg. I want to keep the cow

  healthy and strong. And the cow is the pits, and we're the men that

  depend on the pits.

  WILLIE. Who's the cat that's going to lick the cream?

  JOB ARTHUR. My position is this--and I state it before masters and

  men--that it's our business to strike such a balance between the

  interests of the men and the interests of the masters that the pits

  remain healthy, and everybody profits.

  WILLIE. You're out for the millennium, I can see--with Mr. Job Arthur

  Freer striking the balance. We all see you, Job Arthur, one foot on

  either side of the fence, balancing the see-saw, with masters at one

  end and men at the other. You'll have to give one side a lot of

  pudding.--But go back a bit, to where we were before the motor car

  took your breath away. When you said, Job Arthur, that you think of

  others besides yourself, didn't you mean, as a matter of fact, the

  office men? Didn't you mean that the colliers, led--we won't mention

  noses--by you, were going to come out in sympathy with the office

  clerks, supposing they didn't get the rise in wages which they've

  asked for--the office clerks? Wasn't that it?

  JOB ARTHUR. There's been some talk among the men of standing by the

  office. I don't know what they'll do. But they'll do it of their

  own decision, whatever it is.

  WILLIE. There's not a shadow of doubt about it, Job Arthur. But it's

  a funny thing the decisions all have the same foxy smell about them,

  Job Arthur.

  OLIVER TURTON (calling from the car). What was the speech about, in

  the first place?

  WILLIE. I beg pardon?

  OLIVER. What was the address about, to begin with?

  WILLIE. Oh, the same old hat--Freedom. But partly it's given to

  annoy the Unco Guid, as they pass to their Sabbath banquet of self-

  complacency.

  OLIVER. What ABOUT Freedom?

  WILLIE. Very much as usual, I believe. But you should have been here

  ten minutes sooner, before we began to read the lessons. (Laughs.)

  ANABEL W. (moving forward, and holding out her hand). You'd merely

  have been told what Freedom ISN'T; and you know that already. How

  are you, Oliver?

  OLIVER. Good God, Anabel!--are you part of the meeting? How long

  have you been back in England?

  ANABEL. Some months, now. My family have moved here, you know.

  OLIVER. Your family! Where have they moved from?--from the moon?

  ANABEL. No, only from Derby.--How are you, Gerald?

  (GERALD twists in his seat to give her his hand.)

  GERALD. I saw you before.

  ANABEL. Yes, I know you did.

  (JOB ARTHUR has disappeared. The men disperse sheepishly into groups,

  to stand and sit on their heels by the walls and the causeway

  edge. WILLIE HOUGHTON begins to talk to individuals.)

  OLIVER. Won't you get in and drive on with us a little way?

  ANABEL. No, I was going to church.

  OLIVER. Going to church! Is that a new habit?

  ANABEL. Not a habit. But I've been twice since I saw you last.

  OLIVER. I see. And that's nearly two years ago. It's an annual

  thing, like a birthday?

  ANABEL. No. I'll go on, then.

  OLIVER. You'll be late now.

  ANABEL. Shall I? It doesn't matter.

  OLIVER. We are going to see you again, aren't we?

  ANABEL (after a pause). Yes,
I hope so, Oliver.

  OLIVER. How have you been these two years--well?--happy?

  ANABEL. No, neither. How have you?

  OLIVER. Yes, fairly happy. Have you been ill?

  ANABEL. Yes, in France I was very ill.

  OLIVER. Your old neuritis?

  ANABEL. No. My chest. Pneumonia--oh, a complication.

  OLIVER. How sickening! Who looked after you? Is it better?

  ANABEL. Yes, it's a great deal better.

  OLIVER. But, Anabel--we must fix a meeting. I say, wait just a

  moment. Could I call on your people? Go into town with me one day.

  I don't know whether Gerald intends to see you--whether he intends

  to ask you to Lilley Close.

  GERALD. Oh, it's all right.

  ANABEL. He's no need. I'm fixed up there already.

  GERALD. What do you mean?

  ANABEL. I am at Lilley Close every day--or most days--to work with

  your sister Winifred in the studio.

  GERALD. What?--why, how's that?

  ANABEL. Your father asked me. My father was already giving her some

  lessons.

  GERALD. And you're at our house every day?

  ANABEL. Most days.

  GERALD. Well, I'm--well, I'll be--you managed it very sharp, didn't

  you? I've only been away a fort-night.

  ANABEL. Your father asked me--he offered me twelve pounds a month--

  I wanted to do something.

  GERALD. Oh yes, but you didn't hire yourself out at Lilley Close as

  a sort of upper servant just for twelve pounds a month.

  ANABEL. You're wrong--you're wrong. I'm not a sort of upper servant

  at all--not at all.

  GERALD. Oh, yes, you are, if you're paid twelve pounds a month--three

  pounds a week. That's about what father's sick-nurse gets, I believe.

  You don't do it for twelve pounds a month. You can make twelve pounds

  in a day, if you like to work at your little models: I know you can

  sell your statuette things as soon as you make them.

  ANABEL. But I CAN'T make them. I CAN'T make them. I've lost the

  spirit--the--_joi de vivre_--I don't know what, since I've been ill.

  I tell you I've GOT to earn something.

  GERALD. Nevertheless, you won't make me believe, Anabel, that you've

  come and buried yourself in the provinces--SUCH provinces--just to

  earn father's three pounds a week. Why don't you admit it, that you

  came back to try and take up the old threads.

  OLIVER. Why not, Gerald? Don't you think we ought to take up the

  old threads?

  GERALD. I don't think we ought to be left without choice. I don't

  think Anabel ought to come back and thrust herself on me--for that's

  what it amounts to, after all--when one remembers what's gone before.

  ANABEL. I DON'T thrust myself on you at all. I know I'm a fool, a

  fool, to come back. But I wanted to. I wanted to see you again.

  Now I know I've presumed. I've made myself CHEAP to you. I wanted

  to--I wanted to. And now I've done it, I won't come to Lilley Close

  again, nor anywhere where you are. Tell your father I have gone to

  France again--it will be true.

  GERALD. You play tricks on me--and on yourself. You know you do.

  You do it for the pure enjoyment of it. You're making a scene here

  in this filthy market-place, just for the fun of it. You like to

  see these accursed colliers standing eyeing you, and squatting on

  their heels. You like to catch me out, here where I'm known, where

  I've been the object of their eyes since I was born. This is a

  great _coup de main_ for you. I knew it the moment I saw you here.

  OLIVER. After all, we ARE making a scene in the market-place. Get

  in, Anabel, and we'll settle the dispute more privately. I'm glad

  you came back, anyhow. I'm glad you came right down on us. Get in,

  and let us run down to Whatmore.

  ANABEL. No, Oliver. I don't want to run down to Whatmore. I wanted

  to see you--I wanted to see Gerald--and I've seen him--and I've heard

  him. That will suffice me. We'll make an end of the scene in the

  market-place. (She turns away.)

  OLIVER. I knew it wasn't ended. I knew she would come back and tell

  us she'd come. But she's done her bit--now she'll go again. My God,

  what a fool of a world!--You go on, Gerald--I'll just go after her

  and see it out. (Calls.) One moment, Anabel.

  ANABEL (calling). Don't come, Oliver. (Turns.)

  GERALD. Anabel! (Blows the horn of the motor car violently and

  agitatively--she looks round--turns again as if frightened.) God

  damn the woman! (Gets down from the car.) Drive home for me, Oliver.

  (Curtain.)

  SCENE II

  WINIFRED'S studio at Lilley Close. ANABEL and WINIFRED working

  at a model in clay.

  WINIFRED. But isn't it lovely to be in Paris, and to have exhibitions,

  and to be famous?

  ANABEL. Paris WAS a good place. But I was never famous.

  WINIFRED. But your little animals and birds were famous. Jack said

  so. You know he brought us that bronze thrush that is singing, that

  is in his room. He has only let me see it twice. It's the loveliest

  thing I've ever seen. Oh, if I can do anything like that!--I've

  worshipped it, I have. It is your best thing?

  ANABEL. One of the best.

  WINIFRED. It must be. When I see it, with its beak lifted, singing,

  something comes loose in my heart, and I feel as if I should cry, and

  fly up to heaven. Do you know what I mean? Oh, I'm sure you do, or

  you could never have made that thrush. Father is so glad you've come

  to show me how to work. He says now I shall have a life-work, and I

  shall be happy. It's true, too.

  ANABEL. Yes, till the life-work collapses.

  WINIFRED. Oh, it can't collapse. I can't believe it could collapse.

  Do tell me about something else you made, which you loved--something

  you sculpted. Oh, it makes my heart burn to hear you!--Do you think

  I might call you Anabel? I should love to. You do call me Winifred

  already.

  ANABEL. Yes, do.

  WINIFRED. Won't you tell me about something else you made--something

  lovely?

  ANABEL. Well, I did a small kitten--asleep--with its paws crossed.

  You know, Winifred, that wonderful look that kittens have, as if they

  were blown along like a bit of fluff--as if they weighed nothing at

  all, just wafted about--and yet so ALIVE--do you know---?

  WINIFRED. Darlings--darlings--I love them!

  ANABEL. Well my kitten really came off--it had that quality. It

  looked as if it had just wafted there.

  WINIFRED. Oh, yes!--oh, I know! And was it in clay?

  ANABEL. I cut it in soft grey stone as well. I love my kitten. An

  Armenian bought her.

  WINIFRED. And where is she now?

  ANABEL. I don't know--in Armenia, I suppose, if there is such a

  place. It would have to be kept under glass, because the stone

  wouldn't polish--and I didn't want it polished. But I dislike

  things under glass--don't you?

  WINIFRED. Yes, I do. We had a golden clock, but Gerald wouldn't

  have the glass cover, and Daddy wouldn't have it without. So now

  the clock is in father's room. Gera
ld often went to Paris. Oliver

  used to have a studio there. I don't care much for painting, do you?

  ANABEL. No. I want something I can touch, if it's something outside

  me.

  WINIFRED. Yes, isn't it wonderful, when things are substantial.

  Gerald and Oliver came back yesterday from Yorkshire. You know we

  have a colliery there.

  ANABEL. Yes, I believe I've heard.

  WINIFRED. I want to introduce you to Gerald, to see if you like him.

  He's good at the bottom, but he's very overbearing and definite.

  ANABEL. Is he?

  WINIFRED. Terribly clever in business. He'll get awfully rich.

  ANABEL. Isn't he rich enough already?

  WINIFRED. Oh, yes, because Daddy is rich enough, really. I think

  if Gerald was a bit different, he'd be really nice. Now he's so

  MANAGING. It's sickening. Do you dislike managing people, Anabel?

  ANABEL. I dislike them extremely, Winifred.

  WINIFRED. They're such a bore.

  ANABEL. What does Gerald manage?

  WINIFRED. Everything. You know he's revolutionised the collieries

  and the whole Company. He's made a whole new thing of it, so MODERN.

  Father says he almost wishes he'd let it die out--let the pits be

  closed. But I suppose things MUST be modernised, don't you think?

  Though it's very unpeaceful, you know, really.

  ANABEL. Decidedly unpeaceful, I should say.

  WINIFRED. The colliers work awfully hard. The pits are quite

  wonderful now. Father says it's against nature--all this electricity

  and so on. Gerald adores electricity. Isn't it curious?

  ANABEL. Very. How are you getting on?

  WINIFRED. I don't know. It's so hard to make things BALANCE as if

  they were alive. Where IS the balance in a thing that's alive?

  ANABEL. The poise? Yes, Winifred--to me, all the secret of life is in

  that--just the--the inexpressible poise of a living thing, that makes

  it so different from a dead thing. To me it's the soul, you know--all

  living things have it--flowers, trees as well. It makes life always

  marvellous.

  WINIFRED. Ah, yes!--ah, yes! If only I could put it in my model.

  ANABEL. I think you will. You are a sculptor, Winifred.--Isn't

  there someone there?

  WINIFRED (running to the door). Oh, Oliver!

  OLIVER. Hello, Winnie! Can I come in? This is your sanctum: you

  can keep us out if you like.

  WINIFRED. Oh, no. Do you know Miss Wrath, Oliver? She's a famous

  sculptress.

  OLIVER. Is she? We have met.--Is Winifred going to make a

  sculptress, do you think?

  ANABEL. I do.

  OLIVER. Good! I like your studio, Winnie. Awfully nice up here

  over the out-buildings. Are you happy in it?

  WINIFRED. Yes, I'm perfectly happy--only I shall NEVER be able to

  make real models, Oliver--it's so difficult.

  OLIVER. Fine room for a party--Give us a studio party one day, Win,

  and we'll dance.

  WINIFRED (flying to him). Yes, Oliver, do let us dance. What shall

  we dance to?

  OLIVER. Dance?--Dance _Vigni-vignons_--we all know that. Ready?

  WINIFRED. Yes.

  (They begin to sing, dancing meanwhile, in a free little ballet-

  manner, a wine-dance, dancing separate and then together.)

  De terre en vigne,

  La voila la jolie vigne,

  Vigni-vignons--vignons le vin,

  La voila la jolie vigne au vin,

  La voila la jolie vigne.

  OLIVER. Join in--join in, all.