over and forget about all the things you
were never really good at. Nobody can
resist that, can they? That's why you'll
learn the new step. That's why I must
teach you. And soon you'll want to learn.
Everybody will want to learn. We'll be
teaching everybody.
MARY: I'm fairly busy.
CoLLECTOR: Don't worry about that. We'll find time.
We'll make time. You won't believe this
now, but soon, and it will be very soon,
you're going to want me to teach you
everything. Well, you better get some
sleep. Sleep is very important. I want to
say thank you. All the Obese want to
say thank you.
MARY: Nothing. Good night.
CoLLECTOR: Just beginning for us.
(Exit THE CoLLECTOR. MARY, dazed and
exhausted, stands at the door for some
time. She moves toward stage centre,
attempts a few elementary exercises, collapses into the chair and stares dumbly
at the audience. The sound of a key in
the lock. Door opens. Enter DIANE alone,
crying.)
DIANE: I didn't want him to see me home.
(MARY is unable to cope with anyone
else's problem at this point.)
MARY: What's the matter with your
DIANE: It's impossible.
MARY: What's impossible?
DIANE: What happened.
MARY: What happened?
DIANE: He doesn't want to see me any more.
MARY: Harry?
DIANE: Harry.
MARY: Your Harry?
DIANE: You know damn well which Harry.
MARY: Doesn't want to see you any morer
DIANE: No.
MARY: I thought he loved you.
DIANE: So did I.
MARY: I thought he really loved you.
DIANE: So did I.
MARY: You told me he said he loved you.
DIANE: He did.
MARY: But now he doesn't?
DIANE: No.
MARY: Oh.
DIANE: It's terrible.
MARY : It must be.
DIANE: It came so suddenly.
MARY: It must have.
DIANE: I thought he loved me.
MARY: So did I.
DIANE:· He doesn't!
MARY : Don't cry.
DIANE: He's getting married.
MARY: He isn't!
DIANE: Yes.
MARY: He isn't!
DIANE: This Sunday.
I 159
MARY: This Sunday?
DIANE: Yes.
MARY: So soon?
DIANE: Yes.
MARY: He told you that?
DIANE: Tonight.
MARY: What did he say?
DIANE: He said he's getting married this Sunday.
MARY : He's a bastard.
DIANE: Don't say that.
MARY: I say he's a bastard.
DIANE: Don't talk that way.
MARY: Why not?
DIANE: Don't.
MARY: After what he's done?
DIANE: It's not his fault.
MARY: Not his fault?
DIANE: He fell in love.
(The word has its magic effect.)
MARY: Fell in love?
DIANE: Yes.
MARY: With someone else?
DIANE: Yes.
MARY: He fell out of love with you?
DIANE: I suppose so.
MARY: That's terrible.
DIANE: He said he couldn't help it.
MARY: Not if it's love.
DIANE: He said it was.
MARY: Then he couldn't help it.
(DIANE begins to remove her make-up
and undress, reversing exactly every step
of her toilet. MARY, still bewildered, but
out of habit, assists her.)
16o 1
MARY: And you're so beautiful.
DIANE: No.
MARY: Your hair.
DIANE: No.
MARY: Your shoulders.
DIANE: No.
MARY: Everything.
(Pause.)
MARY: What did he say?
DIANE: He told me everything.
MARY: Such as what?
DIANE: Harry's a gentleman.
MARY: I always thought so.
DIANE: He wanted me to know everything.
MARY: It's only fair.
DIANE: He told me about her.
MARY: What did he say?
DIANE: He said he loves her.
MARY: Then he had no choice.
DIANE: He said she's beautiful.
MARY: He didn't!
DIANE: What can you expect?
MARY: I suppose so.
DIANE: He loves her, after all.
MARY: Then I guess he thinks she's beautiful.
(Pause.)
MARY: What else did he say?
DIANE: He told me everything.
MARY: How did he meet her?
DIANE: She came to his house.
MARY: What for?
DIANE: She was collecting money.
MARY: Money! (Alarm.)
DIANE: For a charity.
MARY: Charity!
DIANE: Invalids of some kind.
MARY: Invalids!
DIANE: That's the worst part.
MARY: What part?
DIANE: She's that way herself.
MARY: What way?
DIANE: You know.
MARY: What way, what way?
DIANE: You know.
MARY: Say it!
DIANE: She's an invalid.
MARY: Harry's marrying an invalid?
DIANE: This Sunday.
MARY : You said he said she was beautiful.
DIANE: He did.
MARY: Harry is going to marry an invalid.
DIANE: What should I do?
MARY: Harry who said he loved you. (Not a
question.)
DIANE: I'm miserable.
(MARY is like a woman moving through
a fog toward a light.)
MARY: Harry is going to marry an invalid. He
thinks she's beautiful.
(MARY switches on the record·player.) She
came to his door. Harry who told you he
loved you. You who told me I had my
points.
("The Dance of the Sugar-plum Fairy"
begins. MARY dances but she does not use
the steps she learned at the YWCA . She
dances in conscious imitation of THE
COLLECTOR.)
DIANE: What are you doing? (Horrified.)
(MARY smiles at her.)
DIANE: Stop it! Stop it this instant!
MARY: Don't tell me what to do. Don't you dare.
Don't ever tell me what to do. Don't ever.
(The dance continues. DIANE, dressed in
bra and
