The Vortex

Bunty⁠—Bunty⁠—do go to bed⁠—please. He goes to the piano and begins to play jazz. Bunty All right⁠—Tom⁠— Florence goes to the fireplace, trembling with rage. Nicky goes on playing. Tom and Bunty go towards the stairs. Florence Stop⁠—I want an explanation, please! Bunty How dare you speak to me like that? Florence Get out of my house! Get out of my house! Bunty This is disgusting! Tom I say, Florence⁠— Florence Get out of my house! Bunty I shall leave the first thing in the morning; it’s much too late tonight.

She goes off.

Nicky never stops playing for a moment.

Florence Tom. He goes towards her, absolutely silent. You kissed her⁠—you kissed her⁠—I saw you!⁠— Tom Yes. Florence In this house! Tom Yes, Florence. I apologize. Florence Apologize! You’re beneath contempt. Never speak to me again, never touch me again⁠—I hate you! Tom Look here, Florence⁠—I’m desperately sorry. You see, I’m afraid I love her. Florence

Hysterically.

You dare to stand there and say that to me? It’s incredible⁠—after all I’ve done for you⁠—after all we’ve been to each other. Love! You don’t know what it means. You’ve lied to me⁠—all these months. It’s contemptible⁠—humiliating. Get out of my sight!

Tom

Turning and going upstairs.

Very well.

Florence

Suddenly realizing that he is gone.

Tom⁠—Tom⁠—come back⁠—come back!⁠—

She runs upstairs after him. Nicky at last stops playing and lets his hands drop from the keys. Curtain.

Act III

The scene is Florence’s bedroom the same night. About two hours have elapsed. When the curtain rises Florence is lying face downwards on the bed; she is dressed in a very beautiful but slightly exotic negligee.

Helen is standing by the window, fully dressed; she is holding the curtain aside, and a bar of moonlight comes in to mingle with the amber of the dressing-table lights. Florence is obviously extremely hysterical.

Helen	Florence, what is the use of going on like that?
Florence	I wish I were dead!
Helen	It’s so cowardly to give way utterly⁠—as you’re doing.
Florence	I don’t care⁠—I don’t care!
Helen	If you don’t face things in this world, they only hit you much harder in the end.
Florence	He loved me⁠—he adored me!
Helen	Never! He hadn’t got it in him.
Florence	After all I’ve done for him, to go to⁠—to Bunty!
Helen	Leaving the window. If it hadn’t been Bunty it would have been someone else⁠—don’t you see how inevitable it was?
Florence	How dared they!⁠—Here!⁠—In this house!
Helen	That’s a little thing; it doesn’t matter at all.
Florence	It does⁠—it does⁠—
Helen	Florence, sit up and pull yourself together.
Florence	Sitting up slowly. I think I’m going mad.
Helen	Not a bit of it; you’re just thoroughly hysterical.
Florence	Give me some water.
	Helen goes to the bathroom and returns with a glass of water.
Florence	Taking it. What time is it?
Helen	Looking at her watch. Ten past one.
Florence	Don’t go to London by the early train, Helen; stay and come up with me in the car.
Helen	Very well.
Florence	Thank God, you were here!
Helen	I wish I’d known what was happening; I might have done something.
Florence	What can I do to get him back?
Helen	Don’t be silly.
Florence	What can I do⁠—what can I do?⁠—
Helen	Do you mean to say you’d take him back after tonight?
Florence	No, never. Not if he crawled to me⁠—never⁠—
Helen	Well, then, make up your mind definitely never to see him again whatever happens.
Florence	Yes⁠—I will.
Helen	Why don’t you go to bed now?
Florence	I couldn’t sleep.
Helen	Put it all out of your mind⁠—make an effort.
Florence	I can’t⁠—I’m too unhappy.
Helen	Think of Nicky.
Florence	Nicky’s young.
Helen	That doesn’t make it any better for him.
Florence	He’ll get over it in the long run.
Helen	The long run never counts at the moment.
Florence	He wasn’t in love⁠—really?
Helen	As much as either you or he are capable of it.
Florence	He’s well rid of her. She’d never have appreciated him properly⁠—she hasn’t the intelligence.
Helen	I don’t agree with you there⁠—she’s got intelligence right enough.
Florence	Treacherous little beast!
Helen	Yes, but farseeing.
Florence	Are you standing up for her? Do you think it was right of her to get Tom away from me?
Helen	Yes, quite right.
Florence	Helen!
Helen	To do her justice, she didn’t deliberately set herself out to get him away from you at all. She discovered that in spite of the somewhat decadent years Tom was still her type, and likely to remain so. So with common sense she decided to shelve Nicky forthwith and go for him.
Florence	Her type indeed!
Helen	Yes, she’d have been quite a nice girl really if she’d been left alone and not allowed to go to Paris and get into the wrong set.
Florence	You are extraordinary, Helen. Do you realize that you’re making excuses for the girl who’s betrayed your best friend?
Helen	Don’t be so utterly absurd. I’m not making excuses, and, anyhow, she hasn’t betrayed you. She hardly knows you, in the first place, and she’s just followed her instincts regardless of anyone else’s feelings⁠—as you’ve done thousands of times.
Florence	Helen⁠—you’re being horrible to me!
Helen	I’m not, I’m trying to make you see! You’re battering your head against silly cast-iron delusions, and I want to dislodge them.
Florence	Helen, I’m so unhappy⁠—so desperately unhappy.
Helen	Yes, but not because you’ve lost Tom; it’s something far deeper than that.
Florence	What then?
Helen	You’re on the wrong tack, and have been for years.
Florence	I don’t understand.
Helen	You won’t understand!
	Florence gets off the bed and goes over to the dressing-table. She sits and stares at herself in the glass for a moment without speaking.
Florence	My eyes are sore. She powders her face and sprays a little scent on her hair. It’s so lovely this⁠—and so refreshing.
Helen	I think I’ll go to bed now.
Florence	No, wait a little longer with me⁠—please, Helen⁠—just a few minutes.
Helen	It’s so hot in here.
Florence	Open the window then.
Helen	All right.
	She goes to the window and opens it. Florence takes a cigarette out of a box and then shakes a scent-bottle and rubs the cigarette lightly with the stopper.
Florence	Do you ever do this? It’s divine.
Helen	What a