The Return of Peter Grimm by David Belasco (classic reads .TXT) 📕

is marked and clear._] Why did you go away?

JAMES. Oh--er--

CATHERINE. And without saying a word.

JAMES. Your uncle sent me away. I told him the truth again.

CATHERINE. Oh ...

JAMES. I am going in a few hours.

CATHERINE. Where are you going? What do you intend to do?

JAMES. [_Half-heartedly._] Father and I are going to try our luck together. We're going to start with a small fruit farm. It will give me a chance to experiment....

CATHERINE. It will seem very strange when I come back home.... Uncle gone ... and you, James. [_Her voice trembling._

JAMES. I hope you'll be happy, Catherine.

CATHERINE. James, Uncle died smiling at me--thinking of me ... and just before he went, he gave me his mother's wedding ring and asked me to marry Frederik. I shall never forget how happy he was when I promised. That was all he wanted. His last smile was for me ... and there he sat--still smiling after he was gone ... the smile of a man leaving the world perfectly satisfied--at peace. It's like a hand on my heart--hurting it-- when I question anything he wanted. I couldn't meet him in the hereafter if I didn't do everything he wished; I couldn't say my prayers at night; I couldn't speak his name in them.... He trusted me; depended upon me; did everything for me; so I must do this for him.... I wanted you to know this, James, because ...

JAMES. Why haven't you told Frederik the truth?

CATHERINE. I have.

JAMES. That you don't love him? [CATHERINE _doesn't answer, but_ JAMES _knows._] ... And he's willing to take you like that?--a little girl like you--in _that_ way.... God! He's rotten all the way through. He's even worse than I thought. Katie, I didn't mean to say a word of this to-day-- not a word; but a moment since--something made me change my mind--I don't know what!... [PETER _smiles._] I felt that I _must_ talk to you. You looked so young, so helpless, such a child. You've never had to think for yourself--you don't know what you're doing. You _couldn't_ live under it, Catherine. You're making the greatest mistake possible, if you marry where you don't love. Why should you carry out your uncle's plans? You're going to be wretched for life to please a dead man who doesn't know it; or, if he does know it, regrets it bitterly.

PETER. I agree with you now, James.

CATHERINE. You musn't say that, James.

JAMES. But I will say it--I will speak my mind. I don't care how fond you were of your uncle or how much he did for you--it wasn't right to ask this of you. It wasn't fair. The whole thing is the mistake of a _very_ obstinate old man.

CATHERINE. James!

JAMES. I loved him, too; but he _was_ an obstinate old man. Sometimes I think it was the Dutch blood in his veins.

PETER. A very frank, outspoken fellow. I like to hear him talk--now.

JAMES. Do you know why I was sent away? Why I quarrelled with your uncle? I said that I loved you ... he asked me.... I didn't tell him because I had any hopes--I hadn't.... I haven't now.... [_Struck._] But in spite of what I'm saying ... I don't know what makes me think that I ... I could take you in my arms and you would let me ... but I do think it.

CATHERINE. [_Retreats, backing towards_ PETER.] No!... Don't touch me, James--you mustn't! Don't!... Don't!

PETER _pushes her into_ JAMES' _arms, without touching her. She exclaims_ "Oh, James!" _and fairly runs towards_ JAMES _as though violently propelled. In reality, she thinks that she is yielding to an impulse. As she reaches him, she exclaims_ "No," _and turns back, but_ JAMES, _with outstretched arms, catches her._

JAMES. You love me. [_Draws her to him._

CATHERINE. Don't make me say that, James.

JAMES. I _will_ make you say it! You _do_ love me.

CATHERINE. No matter if I do, that won't alter matters.

JAMES. What? What?

CATHERINE. No, no, don't say any more.... I won't hear it. [_She stands free of_ JAMES--_then turns and walks to the stairs._] Good-bye, Jim.

JAMES. Do you mean it? Are you really going to sacrifice yourself because of--Am I really losing you?... Catherine! Catherine!

CATHERINE. [_In tears--beseechingly._] Please don't.... Please don't....

FREDERIK _enters. Until the entrance of_ FREDERIK, PETER _has had hope in his face, but now he begins to feel apprehensive._

FREDERIK. [_Throwing his hat and coat on a chair._] I have some work to do--more of my uncle's unopened mail; then I'll join you, Hartman. We must--er--make haste.

JAMES _looks at_ CATHERINE, _then at_ FREDERIK. CATHERINE _gives him an imploring glance--urging him not to speak._ FREDERIK _has gone to_ PETER'S _desk._

JAMES. I'll come back later. [_Goes towards the hall._

FREDERIK. Catherine, have you asked James to be present at the ceremony to-morrow?

CATHERINE. No.

FREDERIK. James, will you--

JAMES. I shall be leaving early in the morning.

FREDERIK. Too bad! [_Exit_ JAMES.

FREDERIK _lights the desk candles, takes the mail out of the drawer--opens two letters--tears them up after barely glancing at them--then sees_ CATHERINE _still standing at the foot of the stairs--her back to him. He lays the cigar on the desk, crosses, and, taking her in his arms, kisses her._

CATHERINE. [_With a revulsion of feeling._] No! No! No! [_She covers her face with her hands--trying to control herself._] Please!... Not now....

FREDERIK. Why not _now_? [_Suspiciously._] Has Hartman been talking to you? What has he been saying to you? [CATHERINE _starts slowly up the stairs._] Wait a moment, please.... [_As she retreats a step up the stairs, he follows her._] Do you really imagine you--you care for that fellow?

CATHERINE. Don't--please.

FREDERIK. I'm sorry to insist. Of course, I knew there was a sort of school-girl attachment on your part; ... that you'd known each other since childhood. I don't take it at all seriously. In three months, you'll forget him. I must insist, however, that you do _not_ speak to him again to-night. After to-morrow--after we are married--I'm quite sure that you will not forget you are my wife, Catherine--my wife.

CATHERINE. I sha'n't forget. [_She escapes into her room._ FREDERIK _goes to his desk._

PETER. [_Confronting_ FREDERIK.] Now, sir, I have something to say to you, Frederik Grimm, my beloved nephew! I had to die to find you out; but I know you! [FREDERIK _is reading a letter._] You sit there opening a dead man's mail--with the heart of a stone--thinking: "He's gone! he's gone!-- so I'll break every promise!" But there is something you have forgotten-- something that always finds us out: the law of reward and punishment. Even now it is overtaking you. Your hour has struck. [FREDERIK _takes up another letter and begins to read it; then, as though disturbed by a passing thought, he puts it down. As though perplexed by the condition of his own mind, he ponders, his eyes resting unconsciously on_ PETER.] Your hour has struck.

FREDERIK. [_To himself._] What in the world is the matter with me to-night?

PETER. Read!

FREDERIK. [_Has opened a long, narrow, blue envelope containing a letter on blue paper and a small photograph. He stares at the letter, aghast._] My God! Here's luck.... Here's luck! From that girl Annamarie to my uncle. Oh, if he had read it!

PETER. [_Standing in front of_ FREDERIK _looks into space--as though reading the letter in the air._] "Dear Mr. Grimm: I have not written because I can't do anything to help William, and I am ashamed."

FREDERIK. Wh! [_As though he had read the first part to himself, now reads aloud._] "Don't be too hard upon me.... I have gone hungry trying to save a few pennies for him, but I never could; and now I see that I cannot hope to have him back. William is far better off with you. I--" [_Hesitates._

PETER. [_Going back of the desk, standing behind_ FREDERIK'S _chair._] Go on....

FREDERIK. "I wish that I might see him once again. Perhaps I could come and go in the night."

PETER. That's a terrible thing for a mother to write.

FREDERIK. [_Who has been looking down at the letter--suddenly feeling_ PETER'S _presence._] Who's that? Who's in this room? [_Looks over his shoulder--then glances about._] I could have sworn somebody was looking over my shoulder ... or had come in at the door ... or ... [_But seeing no one--he continues._] "I met someone from home; ... if there is any truth in the rumour of Catherine's marriage--it mustn't be, Mr. Grimm--it mustn't be ... not to Frederik. For Frederik is my little boy's--" [FREDERIK _gives a furtive glance upstairs at the door of the child's room. Picks up the small picture which was in the envelope._] Her picture ... [_Turns it over--looks at the back--reads._] "For my boy, from Annamarie." [FREDERIK, _conscious-stricken for the time being, bows his head._

PETER. For the first time since I entered this house, you are yourself, Frederik Grimm. Once more a spark of manhood is alight in your soul. Courage! It's not too late to repent. Turn back, lad! Follow your impulse. Take the little boy in your arms. Go down on your knees and ask his mother's pardon. Turn over a fresh page, that I may leave this house in peace....

FREDERIK. [_Looks about uneasily, then glances towards the door leading into the hall._] Who is at the door? Curious ... I thought I heard someone at ...

PETER. I am at the door--I, Peter Grimm! Annamarie is at the door--the little girl who is ashamed to come home; the old mother in the kitchen breaking her heart for some word. William is at the door--your own flesh and blood--nameless; Katie, sobbing her heart out--you can hear her; all-- we are all at the door--every soul in this house. We are all at the door of your conscience, Frederik.... Don't keep us waiting, my boy. It's very hard to kill the love I had for you. I long to love you again--to take you back to my heart--lies and all. [FREDERIK _rises--in deep thought._] Yes! Call her! Tell her the truth. Give her back her promise.... Give her back her home.... Close the door on a peaceful, happy, silent room and go. Think--think of that moment when you give her back her freedom! Think of her joy, her gratitude, her affection. It's worth living for, lad. Speak! Make haste and call her, Fritz. [FREDERIK _takes several steps--then turns back to the desk. He tears the letter in two, muttering to himself,_ "Damn the woman," _and sinks into his chair._] Frederik Grimm, stand up before me! [FREDERIK _starts to rise, but changes his mind._] Stand up! [FREDERIK _rises--not knowing why he has risen._ PETER _points an accusing finger at_ FREDERIK.] Liar to the dead! Cheat, thief, hypocrite! You sha'n't have my little girl. You only want her for a week, a day, an hour. I refuse. I have come back to take her from you and you cannot put me to rest.... I have come back.... You cannot drive me from your thoughts--I am there.... [_Tapping his forehead, without touching it._] I am looking over your shoulder ... in at the window ... under the door.... You are breathing me in the air.... I am looking at your heart. [_He brings his clenched fist down on the desk in answer to_ FREDERIK'S _gesture; but, despite the seeming violence of the blow, he makes no sound._] Hear me! You shall hear