Girl from the North Country
Page 2
And he can do it here’
Outside the lights were shining
On the river of tears
I watched them from the distance
With music in my ears
NICK. Mrs Neilsen.
MRS NEILSEN. Mr Laine. How are you all this evening?
NICK. All fine, thank you.
MRS NEILSEN. Gene.
GENE. Mrs Neilsen.
NICK. We have chicken stew if you’re hungry.
MRS NEILSEN. It smells very good.
GENE slips away. NICK tries to feed a reluctant ELIZABETH.
NICK. I fixed that window was banging in your room.
MRS NEILSEN. I saw that, thank you. Wind’s picking up.
NICK. There’s a storm due.
MRS NEILSEN. It’s making it rattle a little.
NICK. Oh?
MRS NEILSEN watches NICK tidy up a little.
MRS NEILSEN. You want to come and fix it tonight?
NICK. I don’t know. I’m…
MRS NEILSEN. Fix my window.
MRS NEILSEN tries to touch him playfully.
NICK (whispers). Not in front of Elizabeth, alright?
MRS NEILSEN. She’s not watching.
NICK (doubtfully). Yeah…
MRS NEILSEN puts her newspaper where he can see it.
MRS NEILSEN. You see this one?
NICK glances at it. Looks at her.
NICK. You could afford that?
MRS NEILSEN. Depends, I guess. But look at it. It’s got a real restaurant. Twenty-two rooms. We could whip it into shape.
NICK. Twenty-two rooms, huh?
MRS NEILSEN. We could handle it. With your experience and my charisma.
NICK. Yeah. Up in Bismark…
MRS NEILSEN. You don’t like Bismark?
NICK. Guy I knew from Bismark always cheated at cards.
MRS NEILSEN (whipping newspaper away). Oh right, what was I thinking?
NICK. Don’t get sore! It’s a great idea. I just wish I could think straight.
MRS NEILSEN. What’s to think about? You got some other plan?
NICK. Your money comes through, I’ll be full a plans.
MRS NEILSEN. It’ll come through. Don’t be so pessimistic.
NICK. Yeah, I know. Just… Bismark…
She sees him checking his watch.
MRS NEILSEN. What are you up to?
NICK. I’m not up to nothing.
MRS NEILSEN. Why do you keep looking at your watch?
NICK. Do I? Just wondering. Where Marianne is.
MRS NEILSEN. She’s a grown woman.
NICK. She has a baby inside her! Can’t be traipsing up and down the streets! In the cold. (Pause.) Mr Perry’s calling by, and…
MRS NEILSEN. The shoe mender?
NICK. Mm hm.
MRS NEILSEN. For what?
NICK. He’s a good man.
MRS NEILSEN. So?
NICK (as though MRS NEILSEN is missing something very obvious). So…
MRS NEILSEN. He must be seventy if he’s a day!
NICK. He’s not seventy!
MRS NEILSEN. So what is he? Sixty-nine and a half? The girl is nineteen!
NICK (shrugs). She needs a husband.
MRS NEILSEN. What for?
NICK. Take care of her. The father’s jumped on a damn lake boat – probably down in Toledo by now.
MRS NEILSEN. Maybe she doesn’t need a husband.
NICK. Oh yeah? Well where’s she gonna go?
MRS NEILSEN. Why does she have to go anywhere?
NICK. Because… it’s… (Suddenly changes tack, picking on MRS NEILSEN irritably.) What do you care? When your probate comes through, you know what you’ll do? You’ll just get back on the train and go back to Minneapolis – and why shouldn’t you?
MRS NEILSEN (rising to his irritable tone). Well I can’t live in a boarding house forever, can I? (Indicates ELIZABETH.) With your wife!
Now they are arguing.
NICK. With my what? She was finished with me anyway!
MRS NEILSEN. So you say.
NICK. Before she got sick! She told me straight out.
MRS NEILSEN. Yeah…
NICK. And now she’s just forgotten! When someone turns round just says, ‘I don’t love you any more’, you know what the shock is? There ain’t nothing you can do! That’s it! You can’t make ’em love ya. People love dirtbags all over the world – even name the damn children after ’em! Doesn’t mean anyone’s gotta love you.
MRS NEILSEN. Well maybe someone does, Nick – you ever thought a that?
She turns away and sits at the table to eat.
Segue back to ‘Went To See The Gypsy’.
Went To See The Gypsy
I went back to see the gypsy
It was nearly early dawn
The gypsy’s door was open wide
But the gypsy was gone
And that pretty dancing girl
She could not be found
So I watched that sun come rising
From that little Minnesota town
Outside, a man in his sixties, MR PERRY, carries a bunch of flowers up to the porch.
He rings the bell.
MRS NEILSEN. You’re not finished with her, Nick.
NICK (unconvinced). Yeah?
MRS NEILSEN. You don’t know it?
NICK. I don’t know nothing no more.
GENE brings in PERRY. NICK and MRS NEILSEN spring apart. But surely GENE has seen them.
Mr Perry.
PERRY. Mr Laine.
NICK. Come in, come in.
PERRY. Why, thank you.
NICK. You know Mrs Neilsen.
PERRY. I’ve seen you.
MRS NEILSEN. Yes, we’ve… (Indicates ‘seen each other’.)
NICK. Mrs Neilsen is a guest here. She… has business here… When her business is done she’ll be…
PERRY. Well I hope you find Duluth to be as hospitable as we suppose it to be?
MRS NEILSEN. It’s a fine, beautiful city.
PERRY. Yes, well we like to think so.
NICK. Gene of course, you know.
PERRY smiles at GENE.
And Elizabeth.
PERRY. Of course. How are you this evening, Mrs Laine?
ELIZABETH smiles knowingly at him.
NICK (perturbed by ELIZABETH’s expression). And I… Gene, where’s Marianne?
GENE. I don’t know.
NICK. Will you see if maybe she came in please? Will you look in her room?
GENE goes.
Well… There’s a stormy night!
PERRY. Yes. (Pause.) I swore I’d make it up that hill.
They laugh as if this is a good joke, to hide their discomfort.
NICK. It’s a-blowin’!
Strained smiles from PERRY and MRS NEILSEN.
You take a drink? A glass of beer?
PERRY. A glass of milk would be…
NICK. Right!
NICK starts to go but MRS NEILSEN heads him off. Anything to get out of the room.
MRS NEILSEN. I’ll get it.
She goes to the kitchen.
NICK. How’s the… How’s the shoe-mending business? If that’s not a personal question.
PERRY. Not at all. My store is full of shoes. I’m occupied from daybreak till dark. Thank the Lord.
NICK. You’re occupied.
PERRY. Yes, sir.
NICK. How long has it been since your wife passed?
PERRY. Twelve years.
NICK. Twelve years, huh?
PERRY. That’s right.
NICK. That’s uh…
PERRY. Yeah, it’s a long time I guess.
NICK. Twelve years is a long time. It’s a chunk of change.
PERRY. Well.
MRS NEILSEN comes back with a glass of milk.
Oh, thank you.
ELIZABETH. You’re welcome.
NICK. You know how Marianne came to be our daughter, right?
PERRY. I heard something…
ELIZABETH. Marianne!
NICK. Marianne! She was only a baby. I mean we tried to find the parents. Seemed the best thing was to let her stay here. Elizabeth took care of her. No one ever came back.
PERRY. You’re good people.
NICK. I don’t know. I guess. Elizabeth always wanted a daughter.
ELIZABETH. We lost a baby girl.
PERRY smiles at ELIZABETH who looks at PERRY inscrutably.
NICK (desperate for something to say). Mrs Neilsen is a widow.
MRS NEILSEN winces at this label, but smiles through it.
PERRY. Oh, I am sorry.
MRS NEILSEN. Thank you.
NICK. She was up in St Paul.
PERRY. I see.
NICK. Husband died three years ago, she’s still waiting on his will to be cleared!
PERRY. Oh.
NICK. Charles St Clair, here in Duluth…
PERRY. Mm-hm.
NICK. He’s doing the paperwork. It’ll get cleared out. She’s got a favorable rate here and it’ll all…
Behind PERRY’s back, MRS NEILSEN kicks NICK.
PERRY. Oh I’m sure.
MRS NEILSEN. Yes.
MRS NEILSEN smiles through gritted teeth.
PERRY. Your husband have ties here?
MRS NEILSEN. He was in the railroad business. He had shares in the line.
PERRY (impressed). Right…
MRS NEILSEN. They have all the right paperwork now. It won’t take long. And then I’ll…
PERRY. You’ll buy a house here in Duluth.
MRS NEILSEN (a little too quickly). No. I’ll…
NICK. She’ll spread her wings.
ELIZABETH. Are those flowers for me?
PERRY looks at the flowers. NICK looks, aghast, at ELIZABETH.
NICK. Now, Elizabeth…
ELIZABETH. They’re pretty.
PERRY. Well, they’re for eh… why, well, yes, they’re… They’re for you.
She doesn’t take them.
ELIZABETH. Can you remember? When you asked me and asked me and asked me to come with you to the Cook County fair?
PERRY smiles, unsure what to say.
NICK. Well now, Elizabeth, I’m sure that wasn’t Mr Perry…
ELIZABETH. Can you remember? The lights? And how dark it was afterwards walking home together and what you said to me? Begging me to touch it?
NICK. Elizabeth, now, please!
ELIZABETH. ‘For the love of mercy, please just hold it, Elizabeth,’ you said.
PERRY. Well now I…
ELIZABETH. ‘Just hold it. Just touch it. I’m begging you.’ Do you remember?
NICK. For Christ’s sake, Elizabeth… I’m sorry, Mr Perry.
ELIZABETH. And I said, ‘Why, it’s just like a tiny Vienna sausage!’
NICK. I’m so sorry.
ELIZABETH. How I cried afterwards – I was only a girl.
NICK grabs her roughly.
NICK. Elizabeth!
ELIZABETH hits back at him just as MARIANNE comes through the door. PERRY stands there awkwardly with his flowers.
NICK. Marianne! You’re… Look who’s here.
PERRY. Good evening, Marianne.
MARIANNE. Mr Perry.
NICK. Well I’m… (Stretches, yawns.) We should really start getting Elizabeth to bed. Mrs Neilsen, would you mind? I hate to impinge…
MRS NEILSEN (pointedly to NICK). Not at all. Come on, Elizabeth, I’ll brush your teeth.
ELIZABETH. And sing?
MRS NEILSEN. Sure.
NICK. Marianne, you’ll… (Nods repeatedly at MARIANNE to make her stay.) I’ll just…
NICK follows ELIZABETH and MRS NEILSEN out, leaving MARIANNE and PERRY alone. PERRY still holds his flowers and his milk.
PERRY. Well, this is nice. (Pause.) You are finished your schooling now I believe.
MARIANNE. Yes, sir.
PERRY. Now, Marianne. I’m going to be frank with you. Your father has spoken with me and I am aware of your… I am aware of your condition. My house is warm, it’s centrally located. My habits are regular. I will wed you, Marianne, and parent the child.
MARIANNE. Mr Perry, your offer is very kind but…
PERRY (talks over her). I’m a deal older than you. I may not look it, but it’s true. I won’t be round for ever. Time comes, you’ll have the whole place. Child’ll be reared, and you’ll be free – and still a relatively young woman. Now there’s a deal and if I ever heard better it’s gone from my mind.
MARIANNE. Mr Perry, I can’t.
PERRY. It’s a lot to take in. I get it. I really do. But you sleep on it.
MARIANNE. Mr Perry, I…
She goes to speak again but he silences her.
PERRY. You sleep on it! Inspiration comes in dreams!
He leaves.
MARIANNE sings.
Tight Connection To My Heart (Has Anyone Seen My Love)
Well, I had to move fast
And I couldn’t with you around my neck
I said I’d send for you and I did
What did you expect?
My hands are sweating
And we haven’t even started yet
I’ll go along with the charade
Until I can think my way out
I know it was all a big joke
Whatever it was about
Someday maybe
I’ll remember to forget
I’m gonna get my coat
I feel the breath of a storm
There’s something I’ve got to do tonight
You go inside and stay warm
Has anybody seen my love
Has anybody seen my love
Has anybody seen my love
I don’t know
Has anybody seen my love?
You want to talk to me
Go ahead and talk
Whatever you got to say to me
Won’t come as any shock
I must be guilty of something
You just whisper it into my ear
Madame Butterfly
She lulled me to sleep
In a town without pity
Where the water runs deep
She said, ‘Be easy, baby
There ain’t nothin’ worth stealin’ in here’
You’re the one I’ve been looking for
You’re the one that’s got the key
But I can’t figure out whether I’m too good for you
Or you’re too good for me
Has anybody seen my love
Has anybody seen my love
Has anybody seen my love
I don’t know
Has anybody seen my love?
As the music ends, some hours have passed. It’s the middle of the night. Rain pours down outside and wind blows. There is a loud thumping at the front door. NICK comes down through the house.
NICK. Alright! Alright!
He opens the door to two men. A middle-aged white man, REVEREND MARLOWE, and a young athletic-looking black man, JOE SCOTT.
MARLOWE. Sir, I am the Reverend James Marlowe, this young man is Joseph Scott Esquire. The Spalding has no vacancies. They recommended your fine house.
NICK. Well come in out of the rain and let’s see what we can do. Come on. Through this way.
MARLOWE. Thank you.
SCOTT. Thank you, sir.
NICK brings the gentlemen in to the dining room.
NICK. I have a small room in the back, it’ll do one of you. Someone can bunk on that settle in here, it makes a decent cot, if you don’t mind.