Six Characters in Search of an Author

and that mother whose only son he is. Turning to The Mother. Come on, mother, come along! Turning to The Manager to indicate her. You see, she was getting up to keep him back. To The Mother, beckoning her with her hand. Come on! come on! Then to The Manager. You can imagine how little she wants to show these actors of yours what she really feels; but so eager is she to get near him that.⁠ ⁠… There, you see? She is willing to act her part. And in fact, The Mother approaches him; and as soon as The Step-Daughter has finished speaking, opens her arms to signify that she consents. The Son Suddenly. No! no! If I can’t go away, then I’ll stop here; but I repeat: I act nothing! The Father To The Manager excitedly. You can force him, sir. The Son Nobody can force me. The Father I can. The Step-Daughter Wait a minute, wait.⁠ ⁠… First of all, the baby has to go to the fountain.⁠ ⁠… Runs to take The Child and leads her to the fountain. The Manager Yes, yes of course; that’s it. Both at the same time. The Second Lady Lead and the Juvenile Lead at this point separate themselves from the group of Actors. One watches The Mother attentively; the other moves about studying the movements and manner of The Son whom he will have to act. The Son To The Manager. What do you mean by both at the same time? It isn’t right. There was no scene between me and her. Indicates The Mother. Ask her how it was! The Mother Yes, it’s true. I had come into his room.⁠ ⁠… The Son Into my room, do you understand? Nothing to do with the garden. The Manager It doesn’t matter. Haven’t I told you we’ve got to group the action? The Son Observing the Juvenile Lead studying him. What do you want? Juvenile Lead Nothing! I was just looking at you. The Son Turning towards the Second Lady Lead. Ah! she’s at it too: to re-act her part! Indicating The Mother. The Manager Exactly! And it seems to me that you ought to be grateful to them for their interest. The Son Yes, but haven’t you yet perceived that it isn’t possible to live in front of a mirror which not only freezes us with the image of ourselves, but throws our likeness back at us with a horrible grimace? The Father That is true, absolutely true. You must see that. The Manager To Second Lady Lead and the Juvenile Lead. He’s right! Move away from them! The Son Do as you like. I’m out of this! The Manager Be quiet, you, will you? And let me hear your mother! To The Mother. You were saying you had entered.⁠ ⁠… The Mother Yes, into his room, because I couldn’t stand it any longer. I went to empty my heart to him of all the anguish that tortures me.⁠ ⁠… But as soon as he saw me come in.⁠ ⁠… The Son Nothing happened! There was no scene. I went away, that’s all! I don’t care for scenes! The Mother It’s true, true. That’s how it was. The Manager Well now, we’ve got to do this bit between you and him. It’s indispensable. The Mother I’m ready⁠ ⁠… when you are ready. If you could only find a chance for me to tell him what I feel here in my heart. The Father Going to The Son in a great rage. You’ll do this for your mother, for your mother, do you understand? The Son Quite determined. I do nothing! The Father Taking hold of him and shaking him. For God’s sake, do as I tell you! Don’t you hear your mother asking you for a favour? Haven’t you even got the guts to be a son? The Son Taking hold of The Father. No! No! And for God’s sake stop it, or else.⁠ ⁠… General agitation. The Mother, frightened, tries to separate them. The Mother Pleading. Please! please! The Father Not leaving hold of The Son. You’ve got to obey, do you hear? The Son Almost crying from rage. What does it mean, this madness you’ve got? They separate. Have you no decency, that you insist on showing everyone our shame? I won’t do it! I won’t! And I stand for the will of our author in this. He didn’t want to put us on the stage, after all! The Manager Man alive! You came here.⁠ ⁠… The Son Indicating The Father. He did! I didn’t! The Manager Aren’t you here now? The Son It was his wish, and he dragged us along with him. He’s told you not only the things that did happen, but also things that have never happened at all. The Manager Well, tell me then what did happen. You went out of your room without saying a word? The Son Without a word, so as to avoid a scene! The Manager And then what did you do? The Son Nothing⁠ ⁠… walking in the garden.⁠ ⁠… Hesitates for a moment with expression of gloom. The Manager Coming closer to him, interested by his extraordinary reserve. Well, well⁠ ⁠… walking in the garden.⁠ ⁠… The Son Exasperated. Why on earth do you insist? It’s horrible! The Mother trembles, sobs, and looks towards the fountain. The Manager Slowly observing the glance and turning towards The Son with increasing apprehension. The baby? The Son There in the fountain.⁠ ⁠… The Father Pointing with tender pity to The Mother. She was following him at the moment.⁠ ⁠… The Manager To The Son anxiously. And then you.⁠ ⁠… The Son I ran over to her; I was jumping in to drag her out when I saw something that froze my blood⁠ ⁠… the boy there standing stock still, with eyes like a madman’s, watching his little drowned sister, in the fountain! The Step-Daughter bends over the fountain to