Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 56

MARY. [_Coming to the centre of the room._] He says for you to set down.

He ain't goin' to stay long.

AUNT CANDACE. [_Sitting down._] Ah-hah ... Oh, Lawdy! Lawdy!

MORGAN. [_Coming closer to_ AUNT CANDACE.] How you gettin' 'long now, Candace?

AUNT CANDACE. Po'ly, po'ly, Mr. Mawgin. Ain't got much longer down here, ain't much longer.

MORGAN. [_Laughing._] Aw come on, Candace, cut out your foolin'. You ain't half as bad off as you make out. [JIM _moves his chair to the corner and sits down_.] I understand you. If you'd git up from there an'

go to work you'd be well in a week.

AUNT CANDACE. Oh, Lawd, Mr. Mawgin, I sho' is po'ly! I hopes you'll never have to suffer lak me.

[_Mumbling, she shakes her head, rocks to and fro without taking her feet from the floor, punctuating her movements by tapping with her stick._ MORGAN _sees_ MARY _looking at the package_.

MORGAN. That's for Mary. I was comin' down this way an' caught up with John. He said he was comin' here to bring it. An' so I took an' brought it, though he acted sort of queer about it, like he didn't want me even to save him a long walk. Wonder what that n.i.g.g.e.r can be givin' you.

[MARY _starts toward the bed_.] No, you ain't goin' to see it now, gal.

We got a little business to 'tend to first. Did you tell Candace what I said?

MARY. Mr. Morgan, how could I?... I couldn't do it, not to-night.

MORGAN. Uh-huh ... I knowed it. Knowed I'd better come down here an'

make sure of it. Durn me, you been cryin', ain't you? [_His voice softens._] What's the trouble, gal?

MARY. Nothin', nothin'. I ... I been tickled at Jim.

JIM. Tickled at Jim?

AUNT CANDACE. What does he say?

MORGAN. [_Turning to her._] Keep quiet, can't you, Candace; I got a little business with Mary. [AUNT CANDACE _becomes silent and begins watching the package. She half starts from her chair, then settles back, staring hard at the bundle._ MORGAN _speaks to_ MARY.] You ain't been cryin' about what I told you this evenin', have you?

MARY. No, sir. I was tickled at Jim. It wan't nothin', honest it wan't.

MORGAN. Well, go on lyin' if you want to.

MARY. Mr. Morgan, I was jes' ...

MORGAN. No matter. [_Brusquely._] Well, what you goin' to do about what I said? [_He looks at her squarely._ JIM _watches them both with open mouth_. AUNT CANDACE _keeps staring at the bundle on the bed, and now and then glancing around to see if any one is watching her. She is oblivious of the conversation._ MARY _stands with bowed head_.] Well, what about it? I've done told you you got to get out at the first o' the year if you ain't a mind to marry Jim. [JIM _straightens up_.] At least you've got to marry somebody that can come here and work. I told you to tell Candace to look out for it. Why didn't you tell her like I said?

MARY. I couldn't do it. It'd kill her to leave here. You know it. She's been good to me all my life. Oh, I can't do it.

[AUNT CANDACE _stealthily slips across the room and picks up the package from the bed, unseen by any one but_ JIM.

MORGAN. Can't do it? Well, what you want me to do? Lose money on you till the end of time! You ain't earned enough to keep you in clothes for the last three years since Candace got down, an' ...

[_A terrible cry rings out._ AUNT CANDACE _stands by the bed, holding a white dress up before her_. MORGAN _looks perplexed.

Suddenly he starts back in astonishment._

MARY. [_Starting forward._] It's for me! [_Joyously._] It's mine!

MORGAN. [_Catching_ MARY _by the arm_.] What--what is it?... Heigh!

Don't you move, gal! Wait a minute!

[_He pulls her back._ AUNT CANDACE _looks at_ MORGAN. _Gradually he lowers his head._

AUNT CANDACE. I's a-feared on it. I knowed it ... I knowed it. [_She throws the dress back on the bed and hobbles to the fire, groaning._]

Oh, Lawdy! Oh, Lawdy! My po' li'l gal! My po' li'l gal!

[_She rocks to and fro._ MORGAN'S _hand falls from_ MARY'S _shoulder, and she runs to the bed_.

MARY. He sent it to me! He sent it to me! I knowed he wouldn't forget.

[_She hugs the dress to her._

MORGAN. [_Turning to her._] Well, and what n.i.g.g.e.r's sending you presents now? [_With suspicion fully aroused._] Who give you that, Mary!

MARY. He did!

MORGAN. [_Sternly._] Who?

MARY. [_Impetuously._] It was him! An' I don't care if you do know it!

MORGAN. Who? You don't mean ...

MARY. I do too--an' ...

MORGAN. G.o.d a'mighty, my ... it can't be so.

[MARY _goes to the window and holds the dress in front of her_.

MARY. It is, too. Mr. Hugh sent it to me. [MORGAN _groans_.] He told me to-day he's sorry for me. I knowed he'd remember me; I knowed it. An', after all, I ain't been workin' the whole year for nothin'. He's got a heart if n.o.body else ain't.

MORGAN. What in the devil! I wonder ... Lord!

[AUNT CANDACE _still looks in the fire. For a moment_ MORGAN _stands lost in abstraction, then he speaks fiercely_.

MORGAN. Mary, put them d.a.m.ned things up. Put 'em up, I say. [_He goes toward her. She shrinks back; holding the dress to her. He s.n.a.t.c.hes it from her and throws it on the bed, then he pushes her out in the middle of the floor. She wipes the tears from her eyes with her ap.r.o.n._] You listen here, gal. We're goin' to settle it right here and now, once and for all. You're goin' to marry Jim?

MARY. Mr. Morgan ... oh ... I can't marry him. I can't! I won't! Let me stay. Don't drive her out; she'll die. I'll work, I'll hoe an' wash, day an' night. I'll do anything, I'll ...

MORGAN. [_Fiercely._] You've tole me that a thousand times, an' you've got to say one or the other right now. Right now! Do you hear! Marry Jim, I tell you, and it'll be all right. He's smart and he'll take care of you ...

MARY. I can't do it, I tell you. I can't! I'd rather die. Look at me.

Ain't I almost white? Look at him. He's black and I hate him. I can't marry no n.i.g.g.e.r. Oh, don't make me do it.

MORGAN. White! What's that got to do with your marryin'? Ain't you a...?

You don't think you can marry a white man, do you? I tell you you've got to decide to-night. I've been after you now for two years and, gal, you've got to do it!

MARY. Don't make me do it! I hate him. I ain't black. Oh, Lord!...