Play With a Tiger and Other Plays. Doris Lessing

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      MYRA: It was dark. I couldn’t see who it was. It might have been anybody.

      TONY: Of course, anybody. Why don’t you put your hands over my eyes now and say ‘Peekaboo’? How do you know? – I might rather like it. Then you could bite my ear, or something like that. [gives the same laugh]

      MYRA [quietly]: Tony, you’ve just come home.

      TONY: Well, and why did you come creeping down the stairs?

      MYRA: I came down because the telephone was ringing earlier. I came to see. Did you take it?

      TONY: So it was. Yes. I forgot.

      MYRA [cheerfully]: You’re a bloody bore, Tony.

      TONY [wincing]: Do you have to swear?

      MYRA: Well, now you’re home I suppose I’ll have to stop. [in a refined voice] There are times, dear, when you do rather irritate me.

      TONY [stiffly]: I’ve already said that I’m quite prepared to go somewhere else if it’s inconvenient for you to have me at such short notice. [MYRA watches him: she is on the defensive.] Well? Who is that you’ve got upstairs with you? Who is it this time?

      MYRA: How do you know I’ve got anyone upstairs with me?

      TONY: Who is it upstairs?

      MYRA [offhand]: Sandy.

      TONY: Sandy who?

      MYRA: Don’t be silly. Sandy Boles.

      TONY [staring]: But he’s my age.

      MYRA: What of it?

      TONY: He’s my age. He’s 22.

      MYRA: I didn’t ask to see his birth certificate when I engaged him.

      TONY: Engaged him?

      MYRA [briskly]: He’s at a loose end. I wanted someone to help me. He’s here for a while.

      TONY [slowly]: He’s staying here?

      MYRA: Why not? This empty house … when you’re not here it’s so empty.

      TONY: He’s in my room?

      MYRA: Yes. He can move out.

      TONY: Thanks. [They stare at each other like enemies.]

      MYRA: Well, what is it?

      TONY: Perhaps you’d rather I moved out.

      MYRA: Tony, mind your own bloody business. I’ve never interfered with anything you did.

      TONY: No [half-bitter, half-sad]. No, you never did. You never had time.

      MYRA [hurt]: That’s unfair.

      TONY: And where’s dear Sandy’s mamma?

      MYRA: Milly is in Japan.

      TONY: And what is dear Sandy’s errant mamma doing in Japan?

      MYRA: She’s gone with a delegation of women.

      TONY [laughing]: Oh I see. They are conveying the greetings of the British nation, with an apology because our Government uses their part of the world for H-bomb tests.

      MYRA [wistfully]: Is it really so funny?

      TONY [not laughing]: Hilarious. And why aren’t you with them?

      MYRA: Because I was expecting you.

      TONY [plaintively]: But you’d forgotten I was coming.

      MYRA [irritated]: I might have forgotten that you were expected home at four o’clock on Tuesday the 18th March, 1958, but I was expecting you. Otherwise, of course, I would have gone with Milly.

      TONY: But Milly didn’t deny herself the pleasure on Sandy’s account. He could fend for himself.

      MYRA: You talk as if … Sandy’s 22. He’s not a little boy who needs his mother to wipe his nose for him. He’s a man.

      TONY [terribly hurt]: That must be nice for you. I’m so glad.

      MYRA [between her teeth]: My God, Tony. [She moves angrily away.]

      TONY: Where are you going?

      MYRA: I’m going to demonstrate about the hydrogen bomb outside Parliament with a lot of other women. [as TONY laughs] Yes, laugh, do.

      TONY: Oh, I’m not laughing. I do really admire you, I suppose. But what use do you suppose it’s going to be? What good is it?

      MYRA [who has responded to his tone like a little girl who has been praised]: Oh, Tony, but of course it’s some good. Surely you think so?

      TONY: You’ve been demonstrating for good causes all your life. So many I’ve lost count. And I’m sure you have … And where are we now?

      MYRA: How do you know things mightn’t have been worse?

      TONY: How could they possibly be worse? How could they?

      [He sounds so forlorn, almost tearful, that she impulsively comes to him where he sits on the arm of the sofa, and holds his head against her shoulder, laying her cheek against it.]

      One might almost think you were pleased to see me.

      MYRA [amazed]: But of course I am. [He smiles, rather sadly.] Of course. [gaily, moving away from him] Tony, I must tell you about what I’m doing. You know we’ve got that big meeting the day after tomorrow.

      TONY: Actually, not.

      MYRA: We’ve advertised it in all the papers.

      TONY: I never read newspapers.

      MYRA: Oh. Well, it’s tomorrow. And I’ve worked out a simply marvellous … wait, I’ll show you. [She is fiddling about near the tape-machine.]

      TONY: Do you have to? I thought you said you had to go to your demonstration?

      MYRA: Yes, I must rush. I’ll just do the end bit. It’s a sort of symposium – you know, bits of idiotic speeches by politicians – like this … [switches on machine].

      POMPOUS VOICE: People who object to the hydrogen bomb are simply neurotic!

      MYRA: And this –

      PULPIT VOICE: The hydrogen bomb must be regarded by true Christians as part of God’s plan for humanity.

      MYRA: And then war effects, you know.

      TONY: War effects?

      MYRA: СКАЧАТЬ