THE JAZZ AGE COLLECTION - The Great Gatsby & Other Tales. Фрэнсис Скотт Фицджеральд

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СКАЧАТЬ frieze is not in the plot, but frankly it fascinates me. I could continue indefinitely, but I am distracted by one of the two objects in the room — a blue porcelain bathtub. It has character, this bathtub. It is not one of the new racing bodies, but is small with a high tonneau and looks as if it were going to jump; discouraged, however, by the shortness of its legs, it has submitted to its environment and to its coat of sky-blue paint. But it grumpily refuses to allow any patron completely to stretch his legs — which brings us neatly to the second object in the room:

      It is a girl — clearly an appendage to the bathtub, only her head and throat — beautiful girls have throats instead of necks — and a suggestion of shoulder appearing above the side. For the first ten minutes of the play the audience is engrossed in wondering if she really is playing the game fairly and hasn’t any clothes on or whether it is being cheated and she is dressed.

      The girl’s name is JULIE MARVIS. From the proud way she sits up in the bathtub we deduce that she is not very tall and that she carries herself well. When she smiles, her upper tip rolls a little and reminds you of an Easter Bunny, She is within whispering distance of twenty years old.

      One thing more — above and to the right of the bathtub is a window. It is narrow and has a wide sill; it lets in much sunshine, but effectually prevents any one who looks in from seeing the bathtub. You begin to suspect the plot?

      We open, conventionally enough, with a song, but, as the startled gasp of the audience quite drowns out the first half, we will give only the last of it:

      JULIE: (In an airy sophrano — enthusiastico)

      When Caesar did the Chicago.

       He was a graceful child,

       Those sacred chickens

       Just raised the dickens

       The Vestal Virgins went wild.

       Whenever the Nervii got nervy

       He gave them an awful razz

       They shook is their shoes

       With the Consular blues

       The Imperial Roman Jazz

      (During the wild applause that follows JULIE modestly moves her arms and makes waves on the surface of the water — at least we suppose she does. Then the door on the left opens and LOIS MARVIS enters, dressed but carrying garments and towels. LOIS is a year older than JULIE and is nearly her double in face and voice, but in her clothes and expression are the marks of the conservative. Yes, you’ve guessed it. Mistaken identity is the old rusty pivot upon which the plot turns.)

      LOIS: (Starting) Oh, ‘scuse me. I didn’t know you were here.

      JULIE: Oh, hello. I’m giving a little concert —

      LOIS: (Interrupting) Why didn’t you lock the door?

      JULIE: Didn’t I?

      LOIS: Of course you didn’t. Do you think I just walked through it?

      JULIE: I thought you picked the lock, dearest.

      LOIS: You’re so careless.

      JULIE: No. I’m happy as a garbage-man’s dog and I’m giving a little concert.

      LOIS: (Severely) Grow up!

      JULIE: (Waving a pink arm around the room) The walls reflect the sound, you see. That’s why there’s something very beautiful about singing in a bathtub. It gives an effect of surpassing loveliness. Can I render you a selection?

      LOIS: I wish you’d hurry out of the tub.

      JULIE: (Shaking her head thoughtfully) Can’t be hurried. This is my kingdom at present, Godliness.

      LOIS: Why the mellow name?

      JULIE: Because you’re next to Cleanliness. Don’t throw anything please!

      LOIS: How long will you be?

      JULIE: (After some consideration) Not less than fifteen nor more than twenty-five minutes.

      LOIS: As a favor to me will you make it ten?

      JULIE: (Reminiscing) Oh, Godliness, do you remember a day in the chill of last January when one Julie, famous for her Easter-rabbit smile, was going out and there was scarcely any hot water and young Julie had just filled the tub for her own little self when the wicked sister came and did bathe herself therein, forcing the young Julie to perform her ablutions with cold cream — which is expensive and a darn lot of troubles?

      LOIS: (Impatiently) Then you won’t hurry?

      JULIE: Why should I?

      LOIS: I’ve got a date.

      JULIE: Here at the house?

      LOIS: None of your business.

      (JULIE shrugs the visible tips of her shoulders and stirs the water into ripples.)

      JULIE: So be it.

      LOIS: Oh, for Heaven’s sake, yes! I have a date here, at the house — in a way.

      JULIE: In a way?

      LOIS: He isn’t coming in. He’s calling for me and we’re walking.

      JULIE: (Raising her eyebrows) Oh, the plot clears. It’s that literary Mr. Calkins. I thought you promised mother you wouldn’t invite him in.

      LOIS: (Desperately) She’s so idiotic. She detests him because he’s just got a divorce. Of course she’s had more expedience than I have, but —

      JULIE: (Wisely) Don’t let her kid you! Experience is the biggest gold brick in the world. All older people have it for sale.

      LOIS: I like him. We talk literature.

      JULIE: Oh, so that’s why I’ve noticed all these weighty, books around the house lately.

      LOIS: He lends them to me.

      JULIE: Well, you’ve got to play his game. When in Rome do as the.

       Romans would like to do. But I’m through with books. I’m all educated.

      LOIS: You’re very inconsistent — last summer you read every day.

      JULIE: If I were consistent I’d still be living on warm milk out of a bottle.

      LOIS: Yes, and probably my bottle. But I like Mr. Calkins.

      JULIE: I never met him.

      LOIS: Well, will you hurry up?

      JULIE: Yes. (After a pause) I wait till the water gets tepid and then I let in more hot.

      LOIS: (Sarcastically) How interesting!

      JULIE: ‘Member when we used to play “soapo”?

      LOIS: Yes — and ten years old. I’m really quite surprised that you СКАЧАТЬ