Complete Works, Volume IV
Page 11
EMMA What about you?
JERRY What?
EMMA Do you deserve the trip?
ROBERT Judith going?
JERRY No. He can’t go alone. We’ll have that game of squash when I get back. A week, or at the most ten days.
ROBERT Lovely.
JERRY (to Emma) Bye.
Robert and Jerry leave.
She remains still.
Robert returns. He kisses her. She responds. She breaks away, puts her head on his shoulder, cries quietly. He holds her.
1973
SCENE FIVE
Hotel room. Venice. 1973. Summer.
Emma on bed reading. Robert at window looking out.
She looks up at him, then back at the book.
EMMA It’s Torcello tomorrow, isn’t it?
ROBERT What?
EMMA We’re going to Torcello tomorrow, aren’t we?
ROBERT Yes. That’s right.
EMMA That’ll be lovely.
ROBERT Mmn.
EMMA I can’t wait.
Pause.
ROBERT Book good?
EMMA Mmn. Yes.
ROBERT What is it?
EMMA This new book. This man Spinks.
ROBERT Oh that. Jerry was telling me about it.
EMMA Jerry? Was he?
ROBERT He was telling me about it at lunch last week.
EMMA Really? Does he like it?
ROBERT Spinks is his boy. He discovered him.
EMMA Oh. I didn’t know that.
ROBERT Unsolicited manuscript.
Pause.
You think it’s good, do you?
EMMA Yes, I do. I’m enjoying it.
ROBERT Jerry thinks it’s good too. You should have lunch with us one day and chat about it.
EMMA Is that absolutely necessary?
Pause.
It’s not as good as all that.
ROBERT You mean it’s not good enough for you to have lunch with Jerry and me and chat about it?
EMMA What the hell are you talking about?
ROBERT I must read it again myself, now it’s in hard covers.
EMMA Again?
ROBERT Jerry wanted us to publish it.
EMMA Oh, really?
ROBERT Well, naturally. Anyway, I turned it down.
EMMA Why?
ROBERT Oh . . . not much more to say on that subject, really, is there?
EMMA What do you consider the subject to be?
ROBERT Betrayal.
EMMA No, it isn’t.
ROBERT Isn’t it? What is it then?
EMMA I haven’t finished it yet. I’ll let you know.
ROBERT Well, do let me know.
Pause.
Of course, I could be thinking of the wrong book.
Silence.
By the way, I went into American Express yesterday.
She looks up.
EMMA Oh?
ROBERT Yes. I went to cash some travellers cheques. You get a much better rate there, you see, than you do in an hotel.
EMMA Oh, do you?
ROBERT Oh yes. Anyway, there was a letter there for you. They asked me if you were any relation and I said yes. So they asked me if I wanted to take it. I mean, they gave it to me. But I said no, I would leave it. Did you get it?
EMMA Yes.
ROBERT I suppose you popped in when you were out shopping yesterday evening?
EMMA That’s right.
ROBERT Oh well, I’m glad you got it.
Pause.
To be honest, I was amazed that they suggested I take it. It could never happen in England. But these Italians . . . so free and easy. I mean, just because my name is Downs and your name is Downs doesn’t mean that we’re the Mr and Mrs Downs that they, in their laughing Mediterranean way, assume we are. We could be, and in fact are vastly more likely to be, total strangers. So let’s say I, whom they laughingly assume to be your husband, had taken the letter, having declared myself to be your husband but in truth being a total stranger, and opened it, and read it, out of nothing more than idle curiosity, and then thrown it in a canal, you would never have received it and would have been deprived of your legal right to open your own mail, and all this because of Venetian je m’en foutisme. I’ve a good mind to write to the Doge of Venice about it.
Pause.
That’s what stopped me taking it, by the way, and bringing it to you, the thought that I could very easily be a total stranger.
Pause.
What they of course did not know, and had no way of knowing, was that I am your husband.
EMMA Pretty inefficient bunch.
ROBERT Only in a laughing Mediterranean way.
Pause.
EMMA It was from Jerry.
ROBERT Yes, I recognised the handwriting.
Pause.
How is he?
EMMA Okay.
ROBERT Good. And Judith?
EMMA Fine.
Pause.
ROBERT What about the kids?
EMMA I don’t think he mentioned them.
ROBERT They’re probably all right, then. If they were ill or something he’d have probably mentioned it.
Pause.
Any other news?
EMMA No.
Silence.
ROBERT Are you looking forward to Torcello?
Pause.
How many times have we been to Torcello? Twice. I remember how you loved it, the first time I took you there. You fell in love with it. That was about ten years ago, wasn’t it? About . . . six months after we were married. Yes. Do you remember? I wonder if you’ll like it as much tomorrow.
Pause.
What do you think of Jerry as a letter writer?
She laughs shortly.
You’re trembling. Are you cold?
EMMA No.
ROBERT He used to write to me at one time. Long letters about Ford Madox Ford. I used to write to him too, come to think of it. Long letters about . . . oh, W. B. Yeats, I suppose. That was the time when we were both editors of poetry magazines. Him at Cambridge, me at Oxford. Did you know that? We were bright young men. And close friends. Well, we still are close friends. All that was long before I met you. Long before he met you. I’ve been trying to remember when I introduced him to you. I simply can’t remember. I take it I did introduce him to you? Yes. But when? Can you remember?
EMMA No.
ROBERT You can’t?
EMMA No.
ROBERT How odd.
Pause.
He wasn’t best man at our wedding, was he?
EMMA You know he was.
ROBERT Ah yes. Well, that’s probably when I introduced him to you.
Pause.
Was there any message for me, in his letter?
Pause.
I mean in the line of business, to do with the world of publishing. Has he discovered any new and original talent? He’s quite talented at uncovering talent, old Jerry.
EMMA No message.
ROBERT No message. Not even his love?
Silence.
EMMA We’re lovers.
ROBERT Ah. Yes. I thought it might be something like that, something along those lines.
EMMA When?
ROBERT What?
EMMA When did you think?
ROBERT Yesterday. Only yesterday. When I saw his handwriting on the letter. Before yesterday I was quite ignorant.
EMMA Ah.
Pause.
I’m sorry.
ROBERT Sorry?
Silence.
Where does it . . . take place? Must be a bit awkward. I mean we’ve got two kids, he’s got two kids, not to mention a wife . . .
EMMA We have a flat.
ROBERT Ah. I see.
Pause.
Nice?
Pause.
A flat. It’s quite well established then, your . . . uh . . . affair?
EMMA Yes.
ROBERT How long?
EMMA Some time.
ROBERT Yes, but how long exactly?
<
br /> EMMA Five years.
ROBERT Five years?
Pause.
Ned is one year old.
Pause.
Did you hear what I said?
EMMA Yes. He’s your son. Jerry was in America. For two months.
Silence.
ROBERT Did he write to you from America?
EMMA Of course. And I wrote to him.
ROBERT Did you tell him that Ned had been conceived?
EMMA Not by letter.
ROBERT But when you did tell him, was he happy to know I was to be a father?
Pause.
I’ve always liked Jerry. To be honest, I’ve always liked him rather more than I’ve liked you. Maybe I should have had an affair with him myself.
Silence.
Tell me, are you looking forward to our trip to Torcello?
1973 LATER
SCENE SIX
Flat. 1973. Summer.
Emma and Jerry standing, kissing. She is holding a basket and a parcel.
EMMA Darling.
JERRY Darling.
He continues to hold her. She laughs.
EMMA I must put this down.
She puts basket on table.
JERRY What’s in it?
EMMA Lunch.
JERRY What?
EMMA Things you like.
He pours wine.
How do I look?
JERRY Beautiful.
EMMA Do I look well?
JERRY You do.
He gives her wine.
EMMA (sipping) Mmmnn.
JERRY How was it?
EMMA It was lovely.
JERRY Did you go to Torcello?
EMMA No.
JERRY Why not?
EMMA Oh, I don’t know. The speedboats were on strike, or something.
JERRY On strike?
EMMA Yes. On the day we were going.
JERRY Ah. What about the gondolas?
EMMA You can’t take a gondola to Torcello.
JERRY Well, they used to in the old days, didn’t they? Before they had speedboats. How do you think they got over there?
EMMA It would take hours.
JERRY Yes. I suppose so.
Pause.
I got your letter.
EMMA Good.
JERRY Get mine?
EMMA Of course. Miss me?
JERRY Yes. Actually, I haven’t been well.
EMMA What?
JERRY Oh nothing. A bug.
She kisses him.
EMMA I missed you.
She turns away, looks about.
You haven’t been here . . . at all?
JERRY No.
EMMA Needs hoovering.
JERRY Later.
Pause.
I spoke to Robert this morning.
EMMA Oh?
JERRY I’m taking him to lunch on Thursday.
EMMA Thursday? Why?
JERRY Well, it’s my turn.
EMMA No, I meant why are you taking him to lunch?
JERRY Because it’s my turn. Last time he took me to lunch.
EMMA You know what I mean.
JERRY No. What?
EMMA What is the subject or point of your lunch?
JERRY No subject or point. We’ve just been doing it for years. His turn, followed by my turn.
EMMA You’ve misunderstood me.
JERRY Have I? How?
EMMA Well, quite simply, you often do meet, or have lunch, to discuss a particular writer or a particular book, don’t you? So to those meetings, or lunches, there is a point or a subject.
JERRY Well, there isn’t to this one.
Pause.
EMMA You haven’t discovered any new writers, while I’ve been away?
JERRY No. Sam fell off his bike.
EMMA No.
JERRY He was knocked out. He was out for about a minute.
EMMA Were you with him?
JERRY No. Judith. He’s all right. And then I got this bug.
EMMA Oh dear.
JERRY So I’ve had time for nothing.
EMMA Everything will be better, now I’m back.
JERRY Yes.
EMMA Oh, I read that Spinks, the book you gave me.
JERRY What do you think?
EMMA Excellent.
JERRY Robert hated it. He wouldn’t publish it.
EMMA What’s he like?
JERRY Who?
EMMA Spinks.
JERRY Spinks? He’s a very thin bloke. About fifty. Wears dark glasses day and night. He lives alone, in a furnished room. Quite like this one, actually. He’s . . . unfussed.
EMMA Furnished rooms suit him?
JERRY Yes.
EMMA They suit me too. And you? Do you still like it? Our home?
JERRY It’s marvellous not to have a telephone.
EMMA And marvellous to have me?
JERRY You’re all right.
EMMA I cook and slave for you.
JERRY You do.
EMMA I bought something in Venice—for the house.
She opens the parcel, takes out a tablecloth. Puts it on the table.
Do you like it?
JERRY It’s lovely.
Pause.
EMMA Do you think we’ll ever go to Venice together?
Pause.
No. Probably not.
Pause.
JERRY You don’t think I should see Robert for lunch on Thursday, or on Friday, for that matter?
EMMA Why do you say that?
JERRY You don’t think I should see him at all?
EMMA I didn’t say that. How can you not see him? Don’t be silly.
Pause.
JERRY I had a terrible panic when you were away. I was sorting out a contract, in my office, with some lawyers. I suddenly couldn’t remember what I’d done with your letter. I couldn’t remember putting it in the safe. I said I had to look for something in the safe. I opened the safe. It wasn’t there. I had to go on with the damn contract . . . I kept seeing it lying somewhere in the house, being picked up . . .
EMMA Did you find it?
JERRY It was in the pocket of a jacket—in my wardrobe—at home.
EMMA God.
JERRY Something else happened a few months ago—I didn’t tell you. We had a drink one evening. Well, we had our drink, and I got home about eight, walked in the door, Judith said, hello, you’re a bit late. Sorry, I said, I was having a drink with Spinks. Spinks? She said, how odd, he’s just phoned, five minutes ago, wanted to speak to you, he didn’t mention he’d just seen you. You know old Spinks, I said, not exactly forthcoming, is he? He’d probably remembered something he’d meant to say but hadn’t. I’ll ring him later. I went up to see the kids and then we all had dinner.
Pause.
Listen. Do you remember, when was it, a few years ago, we were all in your kitchen, must have been Christmas or something, do you remember, all the kids were running about and suddenly I picked Charlotte up and lifted her high up, high up, and then down and up. Do you remember how she laughed?
EMMA Everyone laughed.
JERRY She was so light. And there was your husband and my wife and all the kids, all standing and laughing in your kitchen. I can’t get rid of it.
EMMA It was your kitchen, actually.
He takes her hand. They stand. They go to the bed and lie down.
Why shouldn’t you throw her up?
She caresses him. They embrace.
1973 LATER
SCENE SEVEN
Restaurant. 1973. Summer.
Robert at table drinking white wine. The WAITER brings Jerry to the table. Jerry sits.
JERRY Hullo, Robert.
ROBERT Hullo.
JERRY (to the Waiter) I’d like a Scotch on the rocks.
WAITER With water?
JERRY What?
WAITER You want it with water?
JERRY No. No water. Just on the rocks.
WAITER Certainly signore.
ROBERT Scotch? You don’t usually drink Sc
otch at lunchtime.
JERRY I’ve had a bug, actually.
ROBERT Ah.
JERRY And the only thing to get rid of this bug was Scotch—at lunchtime as well as at night. So I’m still drinking Scotch at lunchtime in case it comes back.
ROBERT Like an apple a day.
JERRY Precisely.
Waiter brings Scotch on rocks.
Cheers.
ROBERT Cheers.
WAITER The menus, signori.
He passes the menus, goes.
ROBERT How are you? Apart from the bug?
JERRY Fine.
ROBERT Ready for some squash?
JERRY When I’ve got rid of the bug, yes.
ROBERT I thought you had got rid of it.
JERRY Why do you think I’m still drinking Scotch at lunchtime?
ROBERT Oh yes. We really must play. We haven’t played for years.
JERRY How old are you now, then?
ROBERT Thirty-six.
JERRY That means I’m thirty-six as well.
ROBERT If you’re a day.
JERRY Bit violent, squash.
ROBERT Ring me. We’ll have a game.
JERRY How was Venice?
WAITER Ready to order, signori?
ROBERT What’ll you have?
Jerry looks at him, briefly, then back to the menu.
JERRY I’ll have melone. And Piccata al limone with a green salad.
WAITER Insalate verde. Prosciutto e melone?
JERRY No. Just melone. On the rocks.
ROBERT I’ll have prosciutto and melone. Fried scampi. And spinach.
WAITER E spinaci. Grazie, signore.
ROBERT And a bottle of Corvo Bianco straight away.
WAITER Si, signore. Molte grazies. (He goes.)
JERRY Is he the one who’s always been here or is it his son?
ROBERT You mean has his son always been here?
JERRY No, is he his son? I mean, is he the son of the one who’s always been here?
ROBERT No, he’s his father.
JERRY Ah. Is he?
ROBERT He’s the one who speaks wonderful Italian.
JERRY Yes. Your Italian’s pretty good, isn’t it?
ROBERT No. Not at all.
JERRY Yes it is.
ROBERT No, it’s Emma’s Italian which is very good. Emma’s Italian is very good.
JERRY Is it? I didn’t know that.
Waiter with bottle.
WAITER Corvo Bianco, signore.
ROBERT Thank you.
JERRY How was it, anyway? Venice.
WAITER Venice, signore? Beautiful. A most beautiful place of Italy. You see that painting on the wall? Is Venice.
ROBERT So it is.
WAITER You know what is none of in Venice?
JERRY What?