RICHARD. So we have.
He pours.
It's strange, of course, that it's taken me so long to appreciate the humiliating ignominy of my position.
SARAH. I didn't take my lover ten years ago. Not quite. Not on the honeymoon.
RICHARD. That's irrelevant. The fact is I am a husband who has extended to his wife's lover open house on any afternoon of her desire. I've been too kind. Haven't I been too kind?
SARAH. But of course. You're terribly kind.
RICHARD. Perhaps you would give him my compliments, by letter if you like, and ask him to cease his visits from (He consults calendar.) – the twelfth inst.
Long silence.
SARAH. How can you talk like this?
Pause.
Why today . . . so suddenly?
Pause.
Mmmm?
She is close to him.
You've had a hard day . . . at the office. All those overseas people. It's so tiring. But it's silly, it's so silly, to talk like this. I'm here. For you. And you've always appreciated . . . how much these afternoons . . . mean. You've always understood.
She presses her cheek to his.
Understanding is so rare, so dear.
RICHARD. Do you think it's pleasant to know that your wife is unfaithful to you two or three times a week, with great regularity?
SARAH. Richard –
RICHARD. It's insupportable. It has become insupportable. I'm no longer disposed to put up with it.
SARAH (to him). Sweet . . . Richard . . . please.
RICHARD. Please what?
She stops.
Can I tell you what I suggest you do?
SARAH. What?
RICHARD. Take him out into the fields. Find a ditch. Or a slag heap. Find a rubbish dump. Mmmm? What about that?
She stands still.
Buy a canoe and find a stagnant pond. Anything. Anywhere. But not my living-room.
SARAH. I'm afraid that's not possible.
RICHARD. Why not?
SARAH. I said it's not possible.
RICHARD. But if you want your lover so much, surely that's the obvious thing to do, since his entry to this house is now barred. I'm trying to be helpful, darling, because of my love for you. You can see that. If I find him on these premises I'll kick his teeth out.
SARAH. You're mad.
He stares at her.
RICHARD. I'll kick his head in.
Pause.
SARAH. What about your own bloody whore?
RICHARD. I've paid her off.
SARAH. Have you? Why?
RICHARD. She was too bony.
Slight pause.
SARAH. But you liked . . . you said you liked . . . Richard . . . but you love me . . .
RICHARD. Of course.
SARAH. Yes . . . you love me . . . you don't mind him . . . you understand him. . . don't you? . . . I mean, you know better than I do . . . darling . . . all's well. . . all's well . . . the evenings . . . and the afternoons . . . do you see? Listen, I do have dinner for you. It's ready. I wasn't serious. It's Boeuf bourgignon. And tomorrow I'll have Chicken Chasseur. Would you like it?
They look at each other.
RICHARD (softly). Adulteress.
SARAH. You can't talk like this, it's impossible, you know you can't. What do you think you're doing?
He remains looking at her for a second, then moves into the hall.
He opens the hall cupboard and takes out the bongo drum.
She watches him.
He returns.
RICHARD. What's this? I found it some time ago. What is it?
Pause.
What is it?
SARAH. You shouldn't touch that.
RICHARD. But it's in my house. It belongs either to me, or to you, or to another.
SARAH. It's nothing. I bought it in a jumble sale. It's nothing. What do you think it is? Put it back.
RICHARD. Nothing? This? A drum in my cupboard?
SARAH. Put it back!
RICHARD. It isn't by any chance anything to do with your illicit afternoons?
SARAH. Not at all. Why should it?
RICHARD. It is used. This is used, isn't it? I can guess.
SARAH. You guess nothing. Give it to me.
RICHARD. How does he use it? How do you use it? Do you play it while I'm at the office?
She tries to take the drum. He holds on to it. They are still, hands on the drum.
What function does this fulfil? It's not just an ornament, I take it? What do you do with it?
SARAH (with quiet anguish). You've no right to question me. No right at all. It was our arrangement. No questions of this kind. Please. Don't, don't. It was our arrangement.
RICHARD. I want to know.
She closes her eyes.
SARAH. Don't . . .
RICHARD. Do you both play it? Mmmmnn? Do you both play it? Together?
She moves away swiftly, then turns, hissing.
SARAH. You stupid . . . ! (She looks at him coolly.) Do you think he's the only one who comes? Do you? Do you think he's the only one I entertain? Mmmnn? Don't be silly. I have other visitors, other visitors, all the time, I receive all the time. Other afternoons, all the time. When neither of you know, neither of you. I give them strawberries in season. With cream. Strangers, total strangers. But not to me, not while they're here. They come to see the hollyhocks. And then they stay for tea. Always. Always.
RICHARD. Is that so?
He moves towards her, tapping the drum gently.
He faces her, tapping, then grasps her hand and scratches it across the drum.
SARAH. What are you doing?
RICHARD. Is that what you do?
She jerks away, to behind the table.
He moves towards her, tapping.
Like that?
Pause.
What fun.
He scratches the drum sharply and then places it on the chair.
Got a light?
Pause.
Got a light?
She retreats towards the table, eventually ending behind it.
Come on, don't be a spoilsport. Your husband won't mind, if you give me a light. You look a little pale. Why are you so pale? A lovely girl like you.
SARAH. Don't, don't say that!
RICHARD. You're trapped. We're alone. I've locked up.
SARAH. You mustn't do this, you mustn't do it, you mustn't!
RICHARD. He won't mind.
He begins to move slowly closer to the table.
No one else knows.
Pause.
No one else can hear us. No one knows we're here.
Pause.
Come on. Give us a light.
Pause.
You can't get out, darling. You're trapped.
They face each other from opposite ends of the table.
She suddenly giggles.
Silence.
SARAH. I'm trapped.
Pause.
What will my husband say?
Pause.
He expects me. He's waiting. I can't get out. I'm trapped. You've no right to treat a married woman like this. Have you? Think, think, think of what you're doing.
She looks at him, bends and begins to crawl under the table towards him. She emerges from under the table and kneels at his feet, looking up. Her hand goes up his leg. He is looking down at her.
You're very forward. You really are. Oh, you really are. But my husband will understand. My husband does understand. Come here. Come down here. I'll explain. After all, think of my marriage. He adores me. Come here and I'll whisper to you. I'll whisper it. It's whispering time. Isn't it?
She takes his hands. He sinks to his knees, with her. They are kneeling together, close. She strokes his face.
It's a very late tea. Isn't it? But I think I like it. Aren't you sweet? I've never seen you before after sunset. My husband's at a late-night conference. Yes, you look different. Why are you wearing this strange suit, and this tie? You usually wear something
else, don't you? Take off your jacket. Mmmnn? Would you like me to change? Would you like me to change my clothes? I'll change for you, darling. Shall I? Would you like that?
Silence. She is very close to him.
RICHARD. Yes.
Pause.
Change.
Pause.
Change.
Pause.
Change your clothes.
Pause.
You lovely whore.
They are still, kneeling, she leaning over him.
THE END
Night School
NIGHT SCHOOL was first presented by Associated-Rediffusion Television on 21 July 1960 with the following cast:
ANNIE Iris Vandeleur
WALTER Milo O'Shea
MILLY Jane Eccles
SALLY Vivien Merchant
SOLTO Martin Miller
TULLY Bernard Spear
Directed by Joan Kemp-Welch
It was later performed on the B.B.C. Third Programme on 25 September 1966 in the version printed here, with the following cast:
ANNIE Mary O'Farrell
WALTER John Hollis
MILLY Sylvia Coleridge
SALLY Prunella Scales
SOLTO Sydney Tafler
TULLY Preston Lockwood
BARBARA Barbara Mitchell
MAVIS Carol Marsh
Directed by Guy Vaesen
Living-room.
ANNIE. Look at your raincoat. It's on the floor.
WALTER. I'll hang it up. I'll take the case upstairs, eh?
ANNIE. Have your tea. Go on, have your tea. Don't worry about taking the case upstairs.
Pause.
WALTER. Lovely cake.
ANNIE. Do you like it? I've had to lay off cake. They was giving me heartburn. Go on, have another piece.
WALTER. Ah well, the place looks marvellous.
ANNIE. I gave it a nice clean out before you came.
Pause.
Well, Wally, how did they treat you this time, eh?
WALTER. Marvellous.
ANNIE. I didn't expect you back so soon. I thought you was staying longer this time.
WALTER. No, I wasn't staying longer.
ANNIE. Milly's not been well.
WALTER. Oh? What's the matter with her?
ANNIE. She'll be down in a minute, she heard you come.
WALTER. I brought some chocolates for her.
ANNIE. I can't stand chocolates.
WALTER. I know that. That's why I didn't bring any for you.
ANNIE. You remembered, eh?
WALTER. Oh, yes.
ANNIE. Yes, she's been having a rest upstairs. All I do, I run up and down them stairs all day long. What about the other day? I was up doing those curtains, I came over terrible. Then she says I shouldn't have done them that way. I should have done them the other way.
WALTER. What's the matter with the curtains?
ANNIE. She says they're not hanging properly. She says I should have done them the other way. She likes them the other way. She lies up there upstairs. I'm older than she is.
ANNIE pours herself and Walter more tea.
I went out and got that cake the minute we got your letter.
WALTER (sighing). Ah, you know, I've been thinking for months . . . you know that? . . . months . . . I'll come back here . . . I'll lie on my bed . . . I'll see the curtains blowing by the window . . . I'll have a good rest, eh?
ANNIE. There she is, she's moving herself. You got a bit of the sun.
WALTER. I'm going to take it easy for a few weeks.
ANNIE. You should. It's silly. You should have a rest for a few weeks.
Pause.
WALTER. How's Mr Solto?
ANNIE. He's still the best landlord in the district. You wouldn't get a better landlord in any district.
WALTER. You're good tenants to him.
ANNIE. He's so kind. He's almost one of the family. Except he doesn't live here. As a matter of fact, he hasn't been to tea for months.
WALTER. I'm going to ask him to lend me some money.
ANNIE. She's coming down.
WALTER. What's a couple of hundred to him? Nothing.
ANNIE (whispering). Don't say a word about the curtains.
WALTER. Eh?
ANNIE. Don't mention about the curtains. About the hanging. About what I told you about what she said about the way I hung the curtains. Don't say a word. Here she comes.
MILLY enters.
WALTER (kissing her). Aunty Milly.
MILLY. Did she give you a bit of cake?
WALTER. Marvellous cake.
MILLY. I told her to go and get it.
WALTER. I haven't had a bit of cake like that for nine solid months.
MILLY. It comes from down the road.
WALTER. Here you are, Aunty, here's some chocolates.
MILLY. He didn't forget that I like chocolates.
ANNIE. He didn't forget that I don't like chocolates.
MILLY. Nutty? Are they nutty?
WALTER. I picked them specially for the nuts. They were the nuttiest ones they had there.
ANNIE. Sit down, Milly. Don't stand up.
MILLY. I've been sitting down, I've been lying down. I got to stand up now and again.
WALTER. You haven't been so well, eh?
MILLY. Middling. Only middling.
ANNIE. I'm only middling as well.
MILLY. Yes, Annie's only been middling.
WALTER. Well, I'm back now, eh?
MILLY. How did they treat you this time?
WALTER. Very well. Very well.
MILLY. When you going back?
WALTER. I'm not going back.
MILLY. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Walter, spending half your life in prison. Where do you think that's going to get you?
WALTER. Half my life? What do you mean? Twice, that's all.
ANNIE. What about Borstal?
WALTER. That doesn't count.
MILLY. I wouldn't mind if you ever had a bit of luck, but what happens? Every time you move yourself they take you inside.
WALTER. I've finished with all that, anyway.
MILLY. Listen, I've told you before, if you're not clever in that way you should try something else, you should open up a little business – you could get the capital from Solto, he'll lend you some money. I mean, every time you put a foot outside the door they pick you up, they put you inside. What's the good of it?
ANNIE. You going to have a jam tart, Wally?
WALTER. Sure.
MILLY (eats). Where'd you get the jam tarts?
ANNIE. Round the corner.
MILLY. Round the corner? I thought I told you to get them down the road.
ANNIE. He didn't have any down the road.
MILLY. Why, he'd run out?
ANNIE. I don't know if he'd made any today.
MILLY. What are they like?
WALTER. Lovely. (He takes another. Eats. Pause.)
MILLY. I've had to lay off tarts, haven't I, Annie?
ANNIE. They was giving her heartburn.
MILLY. I had to lay off. I had to lay right off tarts, since just after Easter.
ANNIE. I bet you never had a tart in prison, Wally.
WALTER. No, I couldn't lay my hands on one.
Pause.
MILLY. Well? Have you told him?
ANNIE. Told him what?
MILLY. You haven't told him?
WALTER. Told me what?
MILLY. Eh?
ANNIE. No, I haven't.
MILLY. Why not?
ANNIE. I wasn't going to tell him.
WALTER. Tell me what?
MILLY. You said you was going to tell him.
ANNIE. I didn't have the pluck.
WALTER. What's going on here? What's all this?
Pause.
ANNIE. Have a rock cake, Wally.
WALTER. No, thanks. I'm full up.
ANNIE. Go on, have a rock cake.
WALTER. No, I've had enough. Honest.
MILLY. Have a rock cake, come on.
WALTER. I can't, I'm full up!
ANNIE. I'll go and fill the pot.
MILLY. I'll go.
ANNIE. You can't go, come on, give me the pot. You can't go, you're not well.
MILLY. I'll go, come on, give me the pot.
ANNIE. I made the tea, why shouldn't I fill the pot?
MILLY. Can't I fill the pot for my own nephew!
WALTER. Now listen, what have you got to tell me – what's the matter? I come home from prison, I been away nine months, I come home for a bit of peace and quiet to recuperate. What's going on here?
MILLY. Well . . . we've let your room.
WALTER. You've what?
ANNIE. We've let your room.
Pause.
MILLY. Look, Wally, don't start making faces. How could we help ourselves?
Pause.
WALTER. You've done what?
ANNIE. We missed you.
MILLY. It gave us a bit of company.
ANNIE. Of course it did . . .
MILLY. It gave us a helping hand . . .
ANNIE. You spend half your time inside, we don't know when you're coming out . . .
MILLY. We only get the pension.
ANNIE. That's all we got, we only got the pension.
MILLY. She pays good money, she pays thirty-five and six a week . . .
ANNIE. She's down here every Friday morning with the rent.
MILLY. And she looks after her room, she's always dusting her room.
ANNIE. She helps me give a bit of a dust round the house.
MILLY. On the week-ends . . .
ANNIE. She leaves the bath as good as new . . .
MILLY. And you should see what she's done to her room.
ANNIE. Oh, you should see how she's made the room.
MILLY. She's made it beautiful, she's made it really pretty . . .
ANNIE. She's fitted up a bedside table lamp in there, hasn't she?
MILLY. She's always studying books . . .
ANNIE. She goes out to night school three nights a week.
MILLY. She's a young girl.
ANNIE. She's a very clean girl.
MILLY. She's quiet . . .
ANNIE. She's a homely girl . . .
Pause.
WALTER. What's her name?
ANNIE. Sally . . .
WALTER. Sally what?
MILLY. Sally Gibbs.
WALTER. How long has she been here?
MILLY. She's been here about – when did she come?
ANNIE. She came about . . .
MILLY. Four months about . . . she's been here . . .
Complete Works, Volume II Page 15
