BISHOP: And the sun came up. And we sat on the floor, the craphead and me.
PHYLLIS: That was good. Do you want to watch TV?
BISHOP: We have to go!
PHYLLIS: Maybe something good is on the morning movie.
BISHOP: We have to get out of here. You said it yourself.
PHYLLIS: Maybe African Queen—
BISHOP: Someone’ll find us.
PHYLLIS: Or Philadelphia Story or Adam’s Rib—
BISHOP: Someone will find them!
PHYLLIS (Growing desperation): Or Break of Hearts! Or Morning Glory!
BISHOP: You know we can’t stay here!
PHYLLIS: I could miss The Lion in Winter! Or Christopher Strong! Or Woman of the Year!
BISHOP: We have to go back!
NESTOR: She wouldn’t cooperate?
BISHOP (To Nestor): I didn’t understand.
PHYLLIS: We could play with my shoes?
BISHOP: We can bring your shoes.
PHYLLIS: It’s a lot. I can’t carry them all.
BISHOP: I’ll carry half.
PHYLLIS: I want to see Bringing Up Baby!
BISHOP: They’ll find them. They’ll catch us.
PHYLLIS: Who?
BISHOP: The police.
PHYLLIS: I thought they were morons?
BISHOP (Forceful): People are up. We have to go.
PHYLLIS: I can’t.
BISHOP: Why not?
PHYLLIS: I’m afraid.
BISHOP: Of what?
PHYLLIS (After a moment): You of course.
BISHOP: I protect you.
PHYLLIS: And . . .
BISHOP: What?
PHYLLIS: You kill people.
BISHOP: But I love you.
PHYLLIS: So?
BISHOP (To Nestor): She wouldn’t come.
NESTOR: And then?
BISHOP: Do you want to go to prison?
PHYLLIS: No.
BISHOP: You will. They’ll lock you away and never let you out.
PHYLLIS: But I didn’t do anything wrong.
BISHOP: They don’t care. Everyone is guilty and they’ll put you away.
PHYLLIS: What’s on TV?
BISHOP: You’ve got to come.
PHYLLIS: Don’t make me.
BISHOP: I won’t leave you.
NESTOR: Why not?
BISHOP: I love her!
PHYLLIS: You have to.
BISHOP: I do what I want!
PHYLLIS: You have to go.
BISHOP: I’ll stay with you.
PHYLLIS: You’ll get on my nerves.
BISHOP: I’ll be quiet.
PHYLLIS: No. No. Bishop. You go. You go without me. You’ll kill me someday, if I come.
BISHOP: Maybe not.
PHYLLIS: So kill me now. I’m tired.
BISHOP: What?
PHYLLIS: Kill me now.
NESTOR: She asked you?
BISHOP (To Nestor): SHUT UP!
PHYLLIS (Positive; with love): We’ve done such things.
BISHOP: I don’t understand.
PHYLLIS: I can’t go on with you and don’t want to without you. Please.
BISHOP: You hate me. You wish I was dead.
PHYLLIS: No. I love you. But see what I made.
BISHOP: I can’t.
PHYLLIS: You can. You said it. It feels wonderful. It feels like running and running.
BISHOP: Don’t make me.
PHYLLIS: Make me proud. Please, Bishop.
(Bishop and Phyllis embrace.)
BISHOP: I love you, Phyllis.
PHYLLIS: I love you, Bishop.
(They kiss. It is long and romantic. As they kiss, he lowers her to the ground; there is no overt act of violence, but she is dead. Bishop rises and addresses the audience.)
BISHOP: I am Bishop Hogan, that is my name, I am not a deacon of the church. I killed my father and his mistress and the next day, my mother, whom I loved. . . . It was the judgment of the court that I was mentally ill at the time of these acts. . . . And it was my mother’s fault. And my father’s. And my own. Because I am what I create: And I understand that I must stay awake all the time, because when I sleep, when I shut my eyes, the monkeys come again. And it is no one’s fault. It is the nature of the monkeys.
END OF PLAY
*Substitute actual elapsed time since Act II killing of Howard.
