THE VERY NAKED BOY
An Interlude Before the Curtain
CHARACTERS
She
He
Brother
The scene is half way to a proposal.
A hallway with a heavily-curtained doorway in the centre. Right of this are two chairs with a tabouret between them. Right and Left are curtained arches.
She enters quickly, crossing to the chairs.
HE (following breathlessly and almost colliding with her as she stops)
Genevieve!
SHE (with a calmness strangely at variance with her entrance)
Well?
HE
Why did you—
SHE
I didn't.
HE
I beg your pardon, you may not have known it, but you did.
SHE
I didn't.
HE
If you'll only say you didn't mean it.
SHE
I didn't do it.
HE
Now, Genevieve, you know—
SHE
I didn't.
HE
Well, why did you—?
SHE
I didn't do it!
HE (meltingly but without humor or subtlety)
Well, if you didn't do it, dear—
[She is adamant.
Why did you run away the moment I came up to you?
SHE
I didn't run away—
[He looks at her quizzically.
I just came out here.
HE (hoping it isn't true)
But you seemed to be trying to avoid me.
SHE (with sphinx-like indifference)
Why should I avoid you?
HE
Genevieve! You make it impossible for me to talk to you.... I'll apologise if it will help.
SHE
Why should you apologise?
HE
Perhaps I've misconstrued your meaning.
SHE
I didn't mean anything—
[He smiles pleasantly with more hope than discretion.
—because I didn't do it.
HE
Now, Genevieve, I saw you do it.
SHE
You'll have to excuse me, Mr. Gordon, from further discussion.
[She seats herself, fully prepared for all the discussion she can force from him.
HE
But, Genevieve—
[He seats himself.
SHE
I didn't do it—and besides if I did what difference does it make? I'm free white and twenty-one.
HE (with a frail attempt at humor)
How old did you say?
SHE
I said I was free white.
HE
But, Genevieve, you must admit that—
SHE
Mr. Gordon!
HE
Please call me Henry. (In his emotion he pronounces it Hennery)
SHE
I don't see why I should.
HE
You did last night.
SHE
That was different. You were Dr. Jekyll last night.
HE
Oh, Genevieve—
SHE
You're showing your true colors tonight.
HE (appealingly)
I'm—sorry—
SHE
You're a tyrant.
HE
I don't mean to be. I think you're wo—
SHE
Now don't be personal. I'm not interested in your thoughts.
HE
But, Genevieve, won't you tell me why you did it?
SHE
I did it because—I've told you often enough I didn't do it.
HE (bitterly)
Joe—
SHE
Joe—what?
HE
Joe squeezed your hand.
SHE
Well, it's my hand, and besides I don't see why I should be cross-questioned by you.
HE
You know I'm—
[He leans toward her and she moves away.
SHE
You're what?
HE
I'm crazy about you.
SHE
Please, Mr. Gordon!
HE
Call me Henry! Just once.
SHE
I don't see why I should.
HE
Please, Genevieve.
SHE
Now don't be silly!
HE
Oh, Genevieve, if you only knew how it hurt me when you did it!
SHE
HE
I could have killed Joe—gladly.
SHE
Honest!
HE
You know—you must know!
SHE
You certainly are calm about it.
HE (in the most absurd position that hopeless love can twist a man into)
What can I do? I can't be ridiculous.
SHE
Did you really see us?
HE
Yes, I saw you.
SHE
You seemed terribly tied up with Ethel.
HE
I had to sit by her.
SHE
I don't see why.
HE
I didn't have any place else to go.
SHE
I knew you were looking.
HE
Then why did you do it?
SHE
Don't ask me why. I loathe why.
HE
But oh, Genevieve, I love you so!
[He grasps her hand, not too violently. She gasps slightly, smiles pleasantly and becomes stern.
SHE (encouragingly)
Please, let go of my hand.
[He does so. She looks at him in mingled wonder and chagrin.
HE
Genevieve, isn't there any chance for me?
SHE
I've never thought of such a thing. What do you mean!
HE
I mean I love you.
SHE
... Yes?
HE (taking her scarf in his hand)
Aren't you interested?
SHE
Why, really, Mr. Gordon, you ask such strange questions.
HE
Oh, Genevieve—Genevieve—
[He kisses the scarf gently.
SHE [looking at him in wonder, disappointment and delight.
Don't be silly.
HE
When a man's in love he always does silly things.
SHE
Always?
HE
Oh, Genevieve—
[He reaches for her hand reverently and this time she seems content to let matters rest.
I have the next dance with—
[She racks her memory.
HE
Joe, I suppose.
[He rises and crosses to the far side of the centre arch.
SHE (drawing her scarf about her and brushing against him as she passes.)
Excuse me, please.
HE (torrentially)
You shall not go. You shall listen to me. You have no right to treat me as a plaything when I love you so! I love you so! I love you so! I think of you all day long, I lie awake at night wondering what stars are looking upon you and I find myself envying them—every one of them.
[She tries to speak, but he presses her head against his shoulder.
I won't listen. You must hear me out. I've waited days and days and days for this chance to speak to you, and you've trailed me about like—like—like a poodle. I'm tired of it because I love you so.
[She tries to speak again; but succeeds only in mussing her hair.
HE
I want you to marry me, and marry me you shall if I have to carry you away with me. Oh, Genevieve, my darling Genevieve, just know that for this moment I am almost completely happy. You are close to me and I do not feel any struggle against me. Oh, if you will only listen to me, I do not mean to be brutal. I have torn your dress. I have mussed your precious hair. But I love you so! I love you so!
SHE
Oh, Henry—Henry—You are so wonderful!
[They embrace one long moment when an arm comes out between the curtains and tugs at his coat.
He lets go of her as though he had been shot, turns and sees the naked arm and the top of the Boy's head.
BOY (whispering)
Get her out of here!
SHE
Oh, Henry, Henry, have I been cruel to you?
HE (constrained)
We'd better go.
SHE (looks questioningly at him)
Please let's stay here.
[He presses her head against his breast and looks surreptitiously at the curtains.
The Boy makes as though to get out.
He starts violently—shoves the Boy back.
SHE
I saw you first—do you remember—at Poughkeepsie.
HE
Yes, yes—
SHE
I think—I liked you then.... But I never thought you'd be so wonderful.
HE
Let's go (whispering). Darling, let's go.
The Very Naked Boy
SHE
No, I want to stay here. I love this nook.
[He laughs nervously as she crosses to the curtains.
I should love to fill it full of great tall lilies.
[By this time she has become lyric and swept her arms against the curtains: with a cry, rushing to him for protection.
Henry, there's a man behind those curtains!
HE
I think we'd better go.
SHE
Oh, Henry, you're not going to leave him here.
HE
We'd better.
BOY [poking his head and a naked arm through the curtains.
Yes, you'd better, because I'm going to get out of here.
SHE
Bob! You get your clothes on!
BOY
I told Mr. Gordon to get my clothes.
SHE
Mr. Gordon—
BOY
Call him Henry—just once—please, Genevieve.
HE (stiffly)
I'll get your clothes. Where are they?
BOY
HE
What do you want?
BOY
Everything.
SHE (straightening up)
Don't be common, Robert.
[He starts for the door.
HE
No, I'm not going.
SHE
Hen—Mr. Gordon!... Very well. I'll go!
HE
No, you won't go either!
SHE
Please!
BOY
Well, I'll go.
[Boy moves as though to part the curtains. She screams a stifled little scream and both he and she rush to the curtains to hold them together.
SHE
Oh, Bob, if you won't get out I'll do anything for you.
BOY
Well, I'm cold.
SHE
Mr. Gordon, please go.
HE
I won't go!
SHE
You are very strange, indeed.... I'll go!
SHE
Never mind.
BOY
Oh, Henry, it's Ethel.
HE
Bob, won't you be a good sport? We'll turn our backs.
BOY
But will everybody else turn their back?
HE
Old man, can't you see how it is? We're—we're going to be engaged—and Ethel is out there—and—and—well—
BOY
Joe's out there, too.
HE
Well, yes.
SHE
Bob, I shall tell Father on you.
[She starts.
BOY
All right, go ahead. I'll tell Ethel.
SHE
Just wait.
BOY
I'll get out of here!
[Again the two rush precipitately to hold the Boy in place.
HE
Bob, be a man! You are childish and common. You are old enough to know better and I think it's an outrage for you to subject your sister to this fright. We can't go out of here just now—and you're making it very embarrassing for us.
SHE
Mr. Gordon—there's a cape in that closet. Will you get it for Bob.... He says he's cold.
[He goes to the closet.
SHE
Bob, I'll get even with you. You ought to be ashamed. I'm humiliated.
BOY
Why—Sis?
SHE
Imagine my being with a gentleman and having a very naked boy pop into the conversation.
[He returns with the cape.
HE
Here's the cape.
[He tosses it over the Boy's head and suddenly leans over and kisses her.
BOY
Why don't you smother me!
[Boy begins to emerge.
SHE
Bob, be careful.
[He and She turn away.
The Boy rises and as he does so the cloak falls about him until, when he steps out of the curtains, he discloses trousers and shoes.
BOY
I can't go through the hall looking like this.
SHE
You must.
Go away, Bob. Your sister is very nervous.
[He sees the boy fairly well clothed. He gasps.
HE
Why—
SHE
Bob—
[Turning she sees the boy fairly well clothed.
I thought—How did you—Why didn't you—What were you doing in there?
BOY
Father was going to get strict and keep me off the water tonight and just as I came down here to get my sweater I heard him coming to the coat room so I jumped behind the curtains and let him pass and then Joe and Ethel came in and I couldn't let them see me this way. And then somebody else came and then you came in—well, I got cold.
HE (looking out)
Run on now, Bob, the hall is clear.
[Boy starts.
BOY
What was it you did, Sis?
SHE
I didn't do it.
BOY
Why didn't you do it?
SHE
I didn't do anything.
BOY
He said Joe squeezed your hand.
SHE
BOY
Well, I hope not, because he and Ethel got engaged in here too!
[He and She look fondly at each other and He murmurs, "Genevieve" as he reaches out for her.
The Boy begins to sing, "Oh, Genevieve, Sweet Genevieve," and they become aware of him, turning upon him and pursuing him with a warning cry of "Bob."