David Hare Plays 1 by David Hare

Author:David Hare [David Hare]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780571300990
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Published: 2013-12-26T16:00:00+00:00

SCENE FIVE

The Delafields’ drawing-room. Night.

Patrick is sitting reading a sheet of music. Curly comes in.

Curly I’ve been to see Max Dupree.

Patrick Come in, come in. I’m reading some most enjoyable music.

Curly Great.

Patrick The horns have just come in. Would you like a drink?

Curly Do you want to know what Dupree said?

Patrick I have an idea.

Curly It’s all right. He’s very hopeful. He hopes she was murdered. Everyone hopes that. Including you. (Pause.) Not because you want her dead. I didn’t say that. But given that she’s dead you want her murdered because then it’s nobody’s fault except some poor psychopath and there’s nothing anyone can do about those. Whereas if she killed herself she’s going to squat on your shoulders for the rest of your life.

Pause.

Patrick Have a drink.

He rises.

Curly Never touch it. Time?

Patrick Ten to. The police will be here at eight. Are you staying?

Curly I’ll stay – as long as I can.

Patrick You’re living here …

Curly I know, but I couldn’t last an evening. It’s – what – not yet eight and already I’m half the man I am …

Patrick It’s just lack of practice. If we tried …

Curly Sure …

Patrick Sitting together …

Curly Sure …

Patrick Having a normal conversation …

Curly Sure …

Patrick Behaving normally …

Curly As if I hadn’t been away twelve years.

Patrick Quite so. Ten minutes to eight.

Curly OK.

Pause. He takes off his coat and moves to sit.

I’d be pressed – Father – to put my finger on the quality that makes you impossible to spend an evening with …

Patrick That subject’s taboo. Anything else …

Curly For God’s sake …

He moves to leave.

Patrick Sit down.

Curly sits.

Have you read much Henry James? Washington Square.

Curly No.

Patrick Tremendous quality of civilization.

Curly That’s what it is. (Pause.) I’m not getting very far. The man. The girl. And the father. She turns out to be a hysterical kind of person whom nobody likes. Least of all Max, who’s meant to be the boyfriend. There’s none of the innocence that word suggests. In fact an outright narcissist. And in love with Jenny I would say. Because he thought they would look good together. Walking past mirrors, that sort of thing. I don’t think he enjoyed having to make do with Sarah. I should think he winced every time she opened her mouth. For myself I’d like to meet Malloy. As he must have seen Sarah every night in the club. But Malloy, everybody, has disappeared. Time?

Patrick Bit later.

Curly Yes, my friends, vanished. My day spent battering at his door. But he has gone.

Patrick What’s gun-running like?

Curly (rising) For Christ’s sake.

Patrick Sit down. I’m asking.

Curly I don’t run them. I sell them. It’s a perfectly legal profession. Like selling insurance.

Patrick Is there a great deal of travel?

Curly Lots. I was in Acton today.

Patrick Acton?

Curly There are 150,000 guns in Acton, west London. A warehouse off the A40.

Patrick I always thought you were in Peru.

Curly I go where there’s a war.

Patrick Acton?

Curly Or people want one.

Patrick I thought you were in danger.

Curly There’s no danger.

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