The Vortex

what she’s always been. Nicky Well, I haven’t realized it before. Helen

Taking a cigarette and lighting it.

You haven’t been engaged before.

Nicky I’m hating this house party. Helen

Lightly.

Don’t say that, dear; it’s not kind.

Nicky You know I don’t mean you. Helen Are you very much in love? Nicky Yes.⁠—No.⁠—I don’t know. Helen I wonder. Nicky It’s utterly devastating, anyhow. Helen When did you meet her? Nicky About five months ago. Helen What was she doing in Paris? Nicky Oh, I don’t know⁠—fooling about. Helen Splendid. Nicky She’s been studying French literature. Helen Why? Nicky She’s going to write⁠—herself⁠—some day. Helen Oh, I see! Nicky Helen, do you like her? Helen I can’t tell yet⁠—yesterday was the first time I’d ever set eyes on her. Nicky She’s wonderfully intelligent. Helen Yes⁠—I’m sure she is. Nicky You don’t like her? Helen I tell you⁠—I’m not sure yet. Nicky It’s generally the way⁠—one’s friends always hate one another. Helen

Smiling.

It is difficult for you, isn’t it?

Nicky I should so like you to like her. Helen Very well⁠—I’ll try. Nicky She’s utterly opposite to me in every way. Helen Yes, I see that. Nicky But that’s as it ought to be, isn’t it? Helen It depends. Nicky I need a sort of restraining influence terribly. Helen Yes, Nicky. Nicky She’s awfully good for me. Helen Is she? Nicky Yes⁠—she curbs me when I get temperamental and silly. Helen I always felt you needed encouraging more than curbing. Nicky

Laughing.

Oh, Helen⁠—aren’t you a darling!

Helen I mean it. Nicky You’re wrong, though⁠—I’m all over the place. Helen Anyhow, I do hope you’ll be very happy with her. Nicky I don’t suppose I shall ever be that. I haven’t got the knack. Helen Do you work hard? Nicky Yes. Helen Really hard? Nicky Frightfully. Helen Liar! Nicky If you’d seen me in Paris⁠—studying, studying⁠—all night long until the gray dawn put the guttering candle to shame⁠—and my nerveless hands dropped from the keys⁠— Helen Candles gutter awfully quickly when they’re burned at both ends. Nicky Meaning that I look a debauched wreck of my former self? Helen Exactly. Nicky If you go on encouraging me at this rate I shall commit suicide. Helen You do resent anyone taking a real interest in you, don’t you? Nicky I distrust it. Helen Why? Nicky I don’t know⁠—I’m not worth it. Helen You seem to be suffering from a slight inferiority complex. Nicky Not a bit of it⁠—I’m gay and witty and handsome. Helen Oh, Nicky, you’re so maddening. Nicky Don’t be cross, Helen. Helen I’m one of the few people who know what you’re really like, and you won’t give me the credit for it. Nicky Do you think you do, honestly? Helen Yes⁠—and I’m exceedingly worried about you. Nicky You needn’t be. Helen You’re sensitive and reserved and utterly foolish. Nicky Thank you⁠—I’m beginning to feel beautifully picturesque. Helen And you’re scared. Nicky Why! What have I to be scared about? Helen Would you like me to tell you? Nicky No. Helen Why not? Nicky Because you’re a sentimentalist, and you see things that aren’t there at all. Helen You’re far more sentimental than I. Nicky Darling Helen⁠—you’ve got such a lovely mind⁠—like a Christmas card⁠—with frosted robins and sheep wandering about in the snow⁠—bleating. Helen All the same, I should give up drugs if I were you. Nicky Helen! Helen Well? Nicky I don’t know what you mean. Helen Do you think I can’t see? Nicky

Forcing a laugh.

You’re being terribly funny, aren’t you?

Helen You fool! You unutterable little fool! Nicky Don’t be dramatic, dear. Helen I thought you had common sense; I credited you with more intelligence than that. Nicky If you persist in being absurd. Helen

Suddenly with intense feeling.

Nicky, don’t resist me, don’t fight me; I’m your friend; I wouldn’t have said a word if I weren’t. You’ve got to stop it; you haven’t gone very far yet; there’s still time. For God’s sake listen to reason.

Nicky Shut up, shut up, don’t speak so loudly. Helen Nicky, throw it away. Nicky When did you find out? Helen Tonight, you know, when you were playing, but I’ve guessed for ages. Nicky You needn’t be frightened, Helen; I only take just the tiniest little bit, once in a blue moon! Helen If anything goes wrong, you’ll take a lot. Throw it away. Nicky What could go wrong? Helen Never mind, throw it away! Nicky I can’t. Look out; somebody’s coming. Enter David. David Hallo! Nicky Hallo, father! David What’s the matter? Nicky The matter⁠—why? David You look very worried. Nicky Helen and I have just had a grand heart-to-heart talk; we’ve undone our back hair, loosened our stays and wallowed in it. David Oh, I see! Helen We haven’t seen one another for so long⁠—it was inevitable. David You never came and looked at the farm this morning. I waited for you. Nicky I’m awfully sorry, father⁠—I just went on sleeping. Helen I’ll see you later, Nicky. Nicky All right. Helen goes out. David How do you think your mother’s looking? Nicky Splendid⁠—the same as ever. David Would you like a cigar? Nicky No, thanks, father⁠—I’m not very good at them. David I was just on my way to bed⁠—there are far too many people in the house. Nicky

Smiling.

You must be used to that by now.

David You ought to stay down here, you know⁠—during the week, and get some fresh air. Nicky I’ve got such millions of things to do in London. David Worth doing? Nicky Yes, of course. David You look as though you needed a rest. Nicky You needn’t worry about me⁠—I feel splendid. David She seems a nice girl. Nicky Who⁠—Bunty? David Yes. Quiet and untiresome. Nicky She’s a darling! David When do you propose to get married? Nicky I don’t know. The engagement’s only a sort of try out, you know. David Oh, I see. I didn’t realize that. I’m so unversed in modern technicalities. Nicky It’s her idea really⁠—just to tread water for a bit. David It sounds an excellent plan. Nicky I’m awfully glad you like her. David Is she musical? Nicky Oh, yes⁠—frightfully! David Good! Nicky Father, I think I will come down here for a few days⁠—and work quietly. David If you do that I’ll go up to London every other day. I see so little of you when you’re at the flat. Nicky That’s settled then. I wonder what mother will say! David I’ll talk to her. Nicky All right. She won’t bother about us much. David No⁠—I don’t suppose she will. I think I’ll be getting along to bed now. Good night, my boy! Nicky Good night, father! They shake hands, and David pats Nicky’s