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

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CATHERINE. "To him Queen Anne furnished one square, one rule, one compass, two whipping saws and several small pieces. To him was born--"

PETER. [_Interrupting._] You left out two augurs.

CATHERINE. [_Reads._] Oh, yes--"and two augurs. To him was born a son--"

PETER. [_Who knows the history by heart, has listened, his eyes almost suffused--repeating each word to himself, as she reads. He has lived over each generation down to the present and nods in approval as she reaches this point._] The foundation of our house. And here we are prosperous and flourishing--after seven generations. We'll print it, eh, Fritz?

FREDERIK. Certainly, sir. By all means let us print it.

PETER. And now we are depending upon you, Frederik, for the next line in the book. [_To_ CATHERINE _--slyly--as she closes the book._] If my sister could see Frederik, what a proud mother she would be!

JAMES. [_Turning from the 'phone to_ PETER.] Old man Hicks himself has come to the 'phone. Says he _must_ speak to Mr. Peter Grimm.

FREDERIK. I'd make short work of him, Uncle.

PETER. [_At the 'phone._] How are you, my old friend?... How are your plum trees? [_Listens._] Bad, eh? Well, we can only pray and use Bordeaux Mixture.... No.... Nonsense! This business has been in my family for seven generations. Why sell? I'll see that it stays in the family seven generations longer! [_Echoing._] Do I propose to live that long? N--no; but my plans will. [_Looks towards_ FREDERIK _and_ CATHERINE.] How? Never mind. Good-morning. [_Hangs up the receiver._

JAMES. Sorry to disturb you, sir, but some of these letters are--

FREDERIK. I'm off.

PETER. [_Who has lifted a pot of tulips to set it in the sun--standing with the pot in his hands._] And remember the saying: [_A twinkle in his upraised eyes._] "Thou, O God, sellest all good things at the price of labour." [_Smells the tulips and sets them down._

FREDERIK. [_Goes briskly towards the door._] That's true, sir. I want to speak to you later, Uncle--[_Turning, looking at_ JAMES.] on a private matter. [_He goes off looking at his watch, as though he had a hard day's work before him._

PETER. [_Looking after_ FREDERIK.] Very capable young fellow, Frederik. I was a happy man, James, when I heard that he had won the prize for botany at Amsterdam College. I had to find out the little I know by experience.

JAMES. [_Impulsively._] Yes, and I'll wager you've forgotten more than-- [_Catching a warning glance from_ CATHERINE, _he pauses._

PETER. What?

JAMES. Nothing, sir. I--

CATHERINE. [_Tugging at_ PETER'S _coat--speaking to him apart, as_ JAMES _busies himself at the desk._] Uncle Peter, I think you're unfair to James. We used to have him to dinner very often before he went away. Now that he's back, you treat him like a stranger.

PETER. [_Surprised._] Eh? I didn't know that I--[_Petting_ CATHERINE.] A good, unselfish girl. She thinks of everybody. [_Aloud._] James, will you have dinner with us to-day?

JAMES. [_Pleased and surprised._] Thank you, sir--yes, sir.

PETER. It's a roast goose--cooked sweet, James. [_Smacks his lips._] Fresh green herbs in the dressing and a Figaro pudding. Marta brought over that pudding receipt from Holland.

MARTA, _an old family servant, has entered with the air of having forgotten to wind the clock. She smiles happily at_ PETER'S _allusion to her puddings, attends to the old clock, and passes of with_ CATHERINE. PETER _sits at the desk, glancing over the mail._

PETER. Katie's blossoming like a rose. Have you noticed how she's coming out lately, James?

JAMES. Yes, sir.

PETER. You've noticed it, too? [_Picks up another letter, looking over it._

JAMES. Yes, sir.

PETER. [_Pausing, taking off his eye-glasses and holding them on his thumb. Philosophically._] How prettily Nature accomplishes her will-- making a girl doubly beautiful that a young man may yield his freedom the more easily. Wonderful! [_During the following, he glances over letters._] A young girl is like a violet sheltered under a bush, James; and that is as it should be, isn't it?

JAMES. No, sir, I don't think so.

PETER. [_Surprised._] What?

JAMES. I believe people should think for themselves--not be....

PETER. Go on.

JAMES. --er--

PETER. Well?

JAMES. [_Remembering his promise to_ CATHERINE.] Nothing.

PETER. Go on, James.

JAMES. I mean swallowed up.

PETER. Swallowed up? Explain yourself, James.

JAMES. I shouldn't have mentioned it.

PETER. Certainly, certainly. Don't be afraid to express an honest opinion.

JAMES. I only meant that you can't shape another's life. We are all free beings and--

PETER. Free? Of course Katie's free--to a certain extent. Do you mean to tell me that any young girl should be freer? Nonsense! She should be happy that _I_ am here to think for her--_I_! _We_ must think for people who can't think for themselves; and a young girl can't. [_Signing an answer to a letter after hastily glancing over it._] You have extraordinary ideas, James.

JAMES. Excuse me, sir; you asked my opinion. I only meant that we can't think for others--any more than we can eat or sleep for them.

PETER. [_As though accepting the explanation._] Oh ... I see what you mean.

JAMES. Of course, every happy being is bound by its nature to lead its own life--that it may be a free being. Evidently I didn't make my meaning clear. [_Giving_ PETER _another letter to sign._

PETER. Free? Happy? James, you talk like an anarchist! You surprise me, sir. Where do you get these extraordinary ideas?

JAMES. By reading modern books and magazines, sir, and of course--

PETER. I thought so. [_Pointing to his books._] Read Heine. Cultivate sentiment. [_Signing the letter._] Happy? Has it ever occurred to you that Katie is not happy?

JAMES. No, sir, I can't truthfully say that it has.

PETER. I imagine not. These are the happiest hours of her life. Young ... in love ... soon to be married.

JAMES. [_After a long pause._] Is it settled, sir?

PETER. No, but I'll soon settle it. Anyone can see how she feels towards Frederik.

JAMES. [_After a shorter pause._] Isn't she very young to marry, sir?

PETER. Not when she marries into the family; not when _I_ am in the house--[_Touching his chest._] to guard her--to watch over her. Leave it to _me_. [_Enthusiastically._] Sit here, James. Take one of Frederik's cigars. [JAMES _politely thanks him, but doesn't take one._] It's a pleasure to talk to some one who's interested; and you _are_ interested, James?

JAMES. Yes, sir, I'm much more interested than you might think.

PETER. Good. We'll take up the mail in a minute. Now, in order to carry out my plans--

CATHERINE. [_Sticking her head in the door._] Ready for coffee?

PETER. Er--a little later. Close the door, dear. [_She disappears, closing the door._] In order to carry out my plans, I have had to use great diplomacy. I made up my mind to keep Katie in the family; being a rich man--everybody knows it--I've had to guard against fortune-hunters. However, I think I've done away with them, for the whole town understands that Katie hasn't a penny--doesn't it, James?

JAMES. Yes, sir.

PETER. Yes, I think I've made that very clear. My dream was to bring Catherine up to keep her in the family, and it has been fulfilled. My plans have turned out beautifully, for she is satisfied and happy.

JAMES. But did you want her to be happy simply because _you_ are happy, sir? Don't you want her to be happy because _she_ is happy?

PETER. If she's happy, why should I care? [_Picks up the last letter._

JAMES. _If_ she's happy.

PETER. [_Losing his temper._] What do you mean? That's the second time you've said that. Why do you harp on--

JAMES. [_Rising._] Excuse me, sir.

PETER. [_Angrily._] Sit down. What do you know?

JAMES. Nothing, sir....

PETER. You must know something to speak in this manner.

JAMES. No, I don't. You're a great expert in your line, Mr. Grimm, and I have the greatest respect for your opinion; but you can't mate people as you'd graft tulips. And more than once, I've--I've caught her crying and I've thought perhaps ...

PETER. [_Pooh-poohing._] Crying? Of course! Was there ever a girl who didn't cry?... You amuse me ... with your ideas of life.... Ha! Haven't I asked her why she was crying,--and hasn't she always said: "I don't know why--it's nothing." They love to cry. [_Signs the last letter._] But that's what they all cry over--nothing. James, do you know how I happened to meet Katie? She was prescribed for me by Doctor MacPherson.

JAMES. [_Taking the letter._] Prescribed?

PETER. As an antidote. I was growing to be a fussy bachelor, with queer notions. You are young, but see that you don't need the Doctor, James. Do you know how I was cured? I'll tell you. One day, when I had business in the city, the Doctor went with me, and before I knew what he was at--he had marched me into a home for babies.... Katie was nearest the door--the first one. Pinned over her crib was her name: "Catherine Staats, aged three months." She held out her little arms ... so friendless--so pitiful--so alone--and I was done for. We brought her back home, the Doctor, a nurse and I. The first time I carried her up those stairs--all my fine bachelor's ideas went out of my head. I knew then that my theories were all humbug. I had missed the child in the house who was to teach me everything. I had missed many children in my house. From that day, I watched over her life. [_Rising, pointing towards the head of the stairs._] James, I was born in this house--in the little room where I sleep; and her children shall one day play in the room in which I was born.... That's very pretty, eh? [_Wipes his eyes, sentimentally._] I've always seen it that way.

JAMES. [_Coolly._] Yes; it's _very_ pretty if it turns out well.

PETER. How can it turn out otherwise?

JAMES. To me, sir, it's not a question of sentiment--of where her children shall play, so long as they play happily.

PETER. What? Her children can play anywhere--in China if they want to! Are you in your senses? A fine reward for giving a child all your affection-- to live to see her children playing in China. No, sir! I propose to keep my household together, by your leave. [_Banging his clenched fist on the desk._] It's my plan. [_Cleans his pipe, looking at_ JAMES _from time to time._ JAMES _posts the letters in a mail-box outside the door._ PETER _goes to the window, calling off._] Otto! Run to the office and tell Mr. Frederik he may come in now. [_The voice of a gruff Dutchman: "Het is pastoor's dag."_ (It is the pastor's day.)] Ah, yes; I had forgotten. It's William's day to take flowers to the Pastor. [_A knock is heard and, as_ PETER _calls "Come in,"_ WILLIAM, _a delicate child of eight, stands timidly in the doorway of the dining-room, hat in hand._] How are you to-day, William? [_Pats_ WILLIAM _on the shoulder._

WILLIAM. The Doctor says I'm well now.

PETER. Good! Then you shall take flowers to the church. [_Calls off._] A big armful, Otto!

MARTA _has entered with a neatly folded, clean handkerchief which she tucks into_ WILLIAM'S _breast pocket._

PETER. [_In a low voice, to_ JAMES.] There's your example of freedom! William's mother, old Marta's spoiled child,