Read Complete Poems and Plays Online
Authors: T. S. Eliot
Tags: #Literature, #20th Century, #American Literature, #Poetry, #Drama, #v.5, #Amazon.com, #Retail
The fact that you can’t give a reason for wanting her
Is the best reason for believing that you want her.
E
DWARD
.
I want to see her again — here.
U
NIDENTIFIED
G
UEST
.
You shall see her again — here.
E
DWARD
.
Do you mean to say that you know where she is?
U
NIDENTIFIED
G
UEST
.
That question is not worth the trouble of an answer.
But if I bring her back it must be on one condition:
That you promise to ask her no questions
Of where she has been.
E
DWARD
.
I will not ask them.
And yet — it seems to me — when we began to talk
I was not sure I wanted her; and now I want her.
Do I want her? Or is it merely your suggestion?
U
NIDENTIFIED
G
UEST
.
We do not know yet. In twenty-four hours
She will come to you here. You will be here to meet her.
[
The
doorbell
rings
]
E
DWARD
.
I must answer the door.
[E
DWARD
goes
to
the
door
]
So it’s you again, Julia!
[
Enter
J
ULIA
and
P
ETER
]
J
ULIA
.
Edward, I’m so glad to find you.
Do you know, I must have left my glasses here,
And I simply can’t see a thing without them.
I’ve been dragging Peter all over town
Looking for them everywhere I’ve been.
Has anybody found them? You can tell if they’re mine —
Some kind of a plastic sort of frame —
I’m afraid I don’t remember the colour,
But I’d know them, because one lens is missing.
U
NIDENTIFIED
G
UEST
[
Sings
]
.
As I was drinkin’ gin and water,
And me bein’ the One Eyed Riley,
Who came in but the landlord’s daughter
And she took my heart entirely.
You will keep our appointment?
E
DWARD
.
I shall keep it.
U
NIDENTIFIED
G
UEST
[
Sings
]
.
Tooryooly toory-iley,
What’s the matter with One Eyed Riley?
[
Exit
]
J
ULIA
.
Edward, who
is
that dreadful man?
I’ve never been so insulted in my life.
It’s very lucky that I left my spectacles:
This
is what I call an adventure!
Tell me about him. You’ve been
drinking
together!
So this is the kind of friend you have
When Lavinia is out of the way! Who is he?
E
DWARD
.
I
don’t know.
J
ULIA
.
You
don’t know?
E
DWARD
.
I never saw him before in my life.
J
ULIA
.
But how did he come here?
E
DWARD
.
I
don’t know.
J
ULIA
.
You
don’t know! And what’s his name?
Did I hear him say his name was Riley?
E
DWARD
.
I don’t know his name.
J
ULIA
.
You don’t know his
name
?
E
DWARD
.
I tell you I’ve no idea who he is
Or how he got here.
J
ULIA
.
But what did you talk about
Or were you singing songs all the time?
There’s altogether too much mystery
About this place to-day.
E
DWARD
.
I’m very sorry.
J
ULIA
.
No, I love it. But that reminds me
About my glasses. That’s the greatest mystery.
Peter! Why aren’t you looking for them?
Look on the mantelpiece. Where was I sitting?
Just turn out the bottom of that sofa —
No, this chair. Look under the cushion.
E
DWARD
.
Are you quite sure they’re not in your bag?
J
ULIA
.
Why no, of course not: that’s where I keep them.
Oh, here they are! Thank you, Edward;
That really was very clever of you;
I’d never have found them but for you.
The next time I lose
anything
,
Edward,
I’ll come straight to you, instead of to St. Anthony.
And now I must fly. I’ve kept the taxi waiting.
Come along, Peter.
P
ETER
.
I hope you won’t mind
If I don’t come with you, Julia? On the way back
I remembered something I had to say to Edward …
J
ULIA
.
Oh, about Lavinia?
P
ETER
.
No, not about Lavinia.
It’s something I want to consult him about,
And I could do it now.
J
ULIA
.
Of course I don’t mind.
P
ETER
.
Well, at least you must let me take you down in the lift.
J
ULIA
.
No, you stop and talk to Edward. I’m not helpless yet.
And besides, I like to manage the machine myself —
In a lift I can meditate. Good-bye then.
And thank you — both of you — very much.
[
Exit
]
P
ETER
.
I hope I’m not disturbing you, Edward.
E
DWARD
.
I seem to have been disturbed already;
And I did rather want to be alone.
But what’s it all about?
P
ETER
.
I want your help.
I was going to telephone and try to see you later;
But this seemed an opportunity.
E
DWARD
.
And what’s your trouble?
P
ETER
.
This evening I felt I could bear it no longer.
That awful party! I’m sorry, Edward;
Of course it was really a very nice party
For everyone but me. And that wasn’t your fault.
I don’t suppose you noticed the situation.
E
DWARD.
I did think I noticed one or two things;
But I don’t pretend I was aware of everything.
P
ETER
.
Oh, I’m very glad that you didn’t notice:
I must have behaved rather better than I thought.
If you didn’t notice, I don’t suppose the others did,
Though I’m rather afraid of Julia Shuttlethwaite.
E
DWARD
.
Julia is certainly observant,
But I think she had some other matter on her mind.
P
ETER
.
It’s about Celia. Myself and Celia.
E
DWARD
.
Why, what could there be about yourself and Celia?
Have you anything in common, do you think?
P
ETER
.
It seemed to me we had a great deal in common.
We’re both of us artists.
E
DWARD
.
I never thought of that.
What arts do you practise?
P
ETER
.
You won’t have seen my novel,
Though it had some very good reviews.
But it’s more the cinema that interests both of us.
E
DWARD
.
A common interest in the moving pictures
Frequently brings young people together.
P
ETER
.
Now you’re only being sarcastic:
Celia was interested in the art of the film.
E
DWARD
.
As a possible profession?
P
ETER
.
She might make it a profession;
Though she had her poetry.
E
DWARD
.
Yes, I’ve seen her poetry —
Interesting if one is interested in Celia.
Apart, of course, from its literary merit
Which I don’t pretend to judge.
P
ETER
.
Well, I can judge it,
And I think it’s very good. But that’s not the point.
The point is, I thought we had a great deal in common
And I think she thought so too.
E
DWARD
.
How did you come to know her?
[
Enter
A
LEX
]
A
LEX
.
Ah, there you are, Edward! Do you know why
I
’ve looked in?
E
DWARD
.
I’d like to know first how you
got
in, Alex.
A
LEX
.
Why, I came and found that the door was open
And so I thought I’d slip in and see if anyone was with you.
P
ETER
.
Julia must have left it open.
E
DWARD.
Never mind;