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

set your heart on it, I will, Uncle Peter ... I will ... I promise.

PETER. [_Takes a ring of his hand._] The wedding ring--my dear mother's. [_Gives it to_ CATHERINE.] You've made me very happy, my dear. [_He kisses_ CATHERINE. _Then, releasing her, he nods to_ FREDERIK _to follow his example._ PETER _turns his back on the young people and smokes._

FREDERIK. Catherine ... [_Dreading his embrace, she retreats towards_ PETER _and, as she touches him, his pipe falls to the floor. She looks at him, startled._ FREDERIK, _struck, looking intently at_ PETER _who sits motionless._

CATHERINE. Uncle Peter ... Uncle! What is it? What's the matter? [_Runs to the door--calling across the street._] Doctor! There he is--just going out. [_Calls._] Come back. Come back, Doctor. [_To_ FREDERIK.] I felt it. I felt something strange a minute ago. I felt it.

FREDERIK. [_Taking_ PETER'S _hand._] Uncle Peter!

CATHERINE. [_Coming back to_ PETER _and looking at him transfixed._] Uncle Peter! Answer me! ... It's Katie!

_The_ DOCTOR _enters hurriedly._

DR. MACPHERSON. Is it ... Peter? [_He goes quickly to_ PETER _and listens to his heart._ CATHERINE _and_ FREDERIK _on either side of him. The_ DOCTOR _with tender sympathy takes_ CATHERINE _in his arms._

WILLIAM. [_Rushes in with two tickets in his hand, leaving the door open. The circus music is faintly heard._] Mr. Grimm!

DR. MACPHERSON. Sh! [_A pause as though breaking the news to them all._] He's gone.

FREDERIK. [_Questioningly--dazed._] Dead? [CATHERINE _is overcome._

WILLIAM. [_At_ PETER'S _side--holding up the circus ticket._] He can't be dead ... I've got his ticket to the circus.

CURTAIN.


ACT II.


SCENE. _The second act takes place ten days later, towards the close of a rainy afternoon. A fire is burning in the grate and a basket of hickory wood stands beside the hearth._ PETER'S _hat is no longer on the peg. His pipes and jar of tobacco are missing. A number of wedding presents are set on a table, some unopened. The interior of the room, with its snapping fire, forms a pleasant contrast to the gloomy exterior. The day is fading into dusk._ MRS. BATHOLOMMEY _is at the piano, playing the wedding march from "Lohengrin." Four little girls are grouped about her, singing the words to the air._

_"Faithful and true:
We lead ye forth,
Where love triumphant
Shall lighten the way."_

_"Bright star of love,
Flower of the earth,
Shine on ye both
On Love's perfect day."_

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. That's better. Children, remember that this is to be a very _quiet_ wedding. You're to be here at noon to-morrow. You're not to speak as you enter the room and take your places near the piano. Miss Staats will come down from her room,--at least I suppose she will--and will stand ... [_Thinks._] I don't know where--but you're to stop when _I_ look at you. Watch me as though I were about to be married. [_She takes her place at the foot of the stairs and the children repeat the song until she has marched across the room and stationed herself in some appropriate corner. As_ FREDERIK _appears from the hall, where he leaves his raincoat and umbrella,_ MRS. BATHOLOMMEY _motions the children to silence._] That will do, dears, thank you. Hurry home between showers. [_The children go as she explains to_ FREDERIK.] My Sunday-school scholars.... I thought your dear uncle would like a song at the wedding. I know how bright and cheery he would have been--poor man. Dear, noble, charitable soul!

FREDERIK. [_In a low voice._] Where's Catherine?

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. [_Taking up her fancy work, seating herself._] Upstairs.

FREDERIK. With that sick child? Tc!

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. Catherine finds it a pleasure to sit beside the little fellow. William is very much better.

FREDERIK. [_Taking a telegram from his pocket-book._] Well, we shall soon be off to Europe. I've just had a telegram to say a cabin has been reserved for me on the _Imperator_. To-morrow, thank God, we shall take the afternoon train to New York.

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. I must confess that I'm very glad. Of course, I'm happy to stay and chaperone Catherine; but poor Mr. Batholommey has been alone at the parsonage for ten days ... ever since your dear uncle ... [_Pauses, unwinding yarn, then unburdening her mind._] I didn't think at first that Catherine could persuade herself to marry you.

FREDERIK. [_Sharply._] I don't understand you, Mrs. Batholommey.

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. I mean she seemed so averse to--to an immediate marriage; but of course it was your uncle's last request, and that influenced her more than anything else. So it's to be a June wedding, after all; he has his wish. You'll be married in ten days from the time he left us. [_Remembering._] Some more letters marked personal came for him while you were out. I put them in the drawer--[_Points to desk._] with the rest. It seems odd to think the postman brings your uncle's letters regularly, yet _he_ is not here.

FREDERIK. [_Looking towards the door of the office._] Did Hartman come?

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. Yes. He seemed rather surprised that you'd sent for him.

FREDERIK. Did you--er--tell him that we intend to leave to-morrow?

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. I spoke of your wedding trip,--yes.

FREDERIK. Did he seem inclined to stay?

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY. He didn't say. He seemed very much agitated. [MARTA _enters, carrying a night lamp._] We'll pack Miss Catherine's things to-night, Marta. [_She notices the lamp._] The night lamp for William? [_Looks up towards the door of his room._] Go in very quietly. He's asleep, I think. [MARTA _goes up the stairs and into_ WILLIAM'S _room._] By the way, Mr. Batholommey was very much excited when he heard that your uncle had left a personal memorandum concerning us. We're anxious to hear it read. [FREDERIK, _paying no attention to her words, is glancing at the wedding presents._] We're anxious to hear it read.

JAMES. [_Entering._] Did you wish to see me?

FREDERIK. [_Offering his hand to_ JAMES.] How do you do, Hartman? I'm very glad you consented to come back. My uncle never went into his office again after you left. There is some private correspondence concerning matters of which I know nothing; it lies on your old desk.... I'm anxious to settle everything to-night.

MRS. BATHOLOMMEY _leaves the room._

JAMES. Very well. I have no doubt but that I can get through with it by midnight.

FREDERIK. If you care to remain longer with the firm, I--er--

JAMES. No, thank you.

FREDERIK. I appreciate the fact that you came on my uncle's account. I have no ill-feeling against you, Hartman.

JAMES. I'm not refusing to stay because of any ill-feeling. I'm going because I know that you'll sell out before your uncle's cold in his grave. I don't care to stay to see the old place change hands.

FREDERIK. I? Sell out? My intention is to carry out every wish of my dear old uncle's.

JAMES. I hope so. I haven't forgotten that you wanted him to sell out to Hicks of Rochester on the very day he died. [_Exit into the office._

CATHERINE _comes from_ WILLIAM'S _room, simply dressed in white--no touch of mourning._ FREDERIK _goes to the foot of the stairs and calls softly._

FREDERIK. Kitty! Here is our marriage license. I have the cabin on the _Imperator_. Everything is arranged.

CATHERINE. [_Coming downstairs._] Yes. ... I meant to speak to you--again.

FREDERIK. To-morrow's the day, dear.

CATHERINE. [_Very subdued._] Yes....

FREDERIK. A June wedding--just as Uncle Peter wished.

CATHERINE. [_As before_.] Yes.... Just as he wished. Everything is just as he.... [_With a change of manner--earnestly--looking at_ FREDERIK.] Frederik, I don't want to go away. I don't want to go to Europe. If only I could stay quietly here in--[_Tears in her voice as she looks round the room._]--in my dear home.

FREDERIK. Why do you want to stay in this old cottage--with its candles and lamps and shadows? It's very gloomy, very depressing.

CATHERINE. I don't want to leave this house.... I don't want any home but this. [_Panic-stricken._] Don't take me away Frederik. I know you've never really liked it at Grimm's Manor. Are you sure you'll want to come back to live here?

FREDERIK. [_As though speaking to a child._] Of course. I'll do anything you ask.

CATHERINE. I--I've always wanted to please ... [_After a slight pause, finding it difficult to speak his name._] Uncle Peter.... I felt that I owed everything to him.... If he had lived ... if I could see _his_ happiness at our marriage--it would make _me_ happy; [_Pathetically._] but he's gone ... and ... I'm afraid we're making a mistake. I don't feel towards you as I ought, Frederik. I've told you again and again; but I want to tell you once more: I'm willing to marry you ... but I don't love you--I never shall.

FREDERIK. How do you know?

CATHERINE. I know ... I know.... It seems so disloyal to speak like this after I promised _him_; but--

FREDERIK. Yes, you _did_ promise Uncle Peter you'd marry me, didn't you?

CATHERINE. Yes.

FREDERIK. And he died believing you?

CATHERINE. Yes.

FREDERIK. Then it all comes to this: are you going to live up to your promise?

CATHERINE. That's it. That's what makes me try to live up to it. [_Wiping her eyes._] But you know how I feel.... You understand....

FREDERIK. Perfectly; you don't quite know your own mind.... Very few young girls do, I suppose. I love you and in time you'll grow to care for me. [MARTA _re-enters from_ WILLIAM'S _room and closing the door comes down the stairs and passes off._] What _are_ we to do with that child?

CATHERINE. He's to stay here, of course.

FREDERIK. The child should be sent to some institution. What claim has he on you--on any of us?

CATHERINE. Why do you dislike him?

FREDERIK. I don't, but--

CATHERINE. Yes, you do. I can't understand it. I remember how angry you were when you came back from college and found him living here. You never mention his mother's name, yet you played together as children. When Uncle tried to find Annamarie and bring her back, you were the only one opposed to it.

FREDERIK. William is an uncomfortable child to have in the house. He has a way of staring at people as though he had a perpetual question on his lips. It's most annoying.

CATHERINE. What question?

FREDERIK. As for his mother--I've never seen her since she left this house and I don't care to hear her name on your lips. Her reputation is--[_The rain starts pattering on the shingled roof._] Tc! More rain ... the third day of it.... [_Going to the window--calling._] Otto! [_Angrily._] Otto! See what the wind has done--those trellises. [_Bangs the window shut._] That old gardener should have been laid off years ago.... By the way, his son James is here for a few hours--to straighten matters out. I must see how he's getting on. [_Taking her hand, drawing her towards the table with a change of manner._] Have you seen all the wedding presents, Kitty? I'll be back in a few minutes. [_Pats her cheek and exits._

CATHERINE _stands over her wedding presents just as he left her--not looking at them--her eyes filled with tears. The door is suddenly opened and the_ DOCTOR _enters, a tweed shawl over his shoulders, wearing a tweed cap. He has a book