Touch and Go Part 3

ANABEL (calling). Don't come, Oliver. (Turns.)

GERALD. Anabel! (Blows the horn of the motor car violently and agitatively--she looks round--turns again as if frightened.) G.o.d d.a.m.n the woman! (Gets down from the car.) Drive home for me, Oliver.

(Curtain.)

SCENE II

WINIFRED'S studio at Lilley Close. ANABEL and WINIFRED working at a model in clay.

WINIFRED. But isn't it lovely to be in Paris, and to have exhibitions, and to be famous?

ANABEL. Paris WAS a good place. But I was never famous.

WINIFRED. But your little animals and birds were famous. Jack said so.

You know he brought us that bronze thrush that is singing, that is in his room. He has only let me see it twice. It's the loveliest thing I've ever seen. Oh, if I can do anything like that!--I've wors.h.i.+pped it, I have. It is your best thing?

ANABEL. One of the best.

WINIFRED. It must be. When I see it, with its beak lifted, singing, something comes loose in my heart, and I feel as if I should cry, and fly up to heaven. Do you know what I mean? Oh, I'm sure you do, or you could never have made that thrush. Father is so glad you've come to show me how to work. He says now I shall have a life-work, and I shall be happy. It's true, too.

ANABEL. Yes, till the life-work collapses.

WINIFRED. Oh, it can't collapse. I can't believe it could collapse. Do tell me about something else you made, which you loved--something you sculpted. Oh, it makes my heart burn to hear you!--Do you think I might call you Anabel? I should love to. You do call me Winifred already.

ANABEL. Yes, do.

WINIFRED. Won't you tell me about something else you made--something lovely?

ANABEL. Well, I did a small kitten--asleep--with its paws crossed. You know, Winifred, that wonderful look that kittens have, as if they were blown along like a bit of fluff--as if they weighed nothing at all, just wafted about--and yet so ALIVE--do you know---?

WINIFRED. Darlings--darlings--I love them!

ANABEL. Well my kitten really came off--it had that quality. It looked as if it had just wafted there.

WINIFRED. Oh, yes!--oh, I know! And was it in clay?

ANABEL. I cut it in soft grey stone as well. I love my kitten. An Armenian bought her.

WINIFRED. And where is she now?

ANABEL. I don't know--in Armenia, I suppose, if there is such a place.

It would have to be kept under gla.s.s, because the stone wouldn't polish--and I didn't want it polished. But I dislike things under gla.s.s--don't you?

WINIFRED. Yes, I do. We had a golden clock, but Gerald wouldn't have the gla.s.s cover, and Daddy wouldn't have it without. So now the clock is in father's room. Gerald often went to Paris. Oliver used to have a studio there. I don't care much for painting, do you?

ANABEL. No. I want something I can touch, if it's something outside me.

WINIFRED. Yes, isn't it wonderful, when things are substantial. Gerald and Oliver came back yesterday from Yorks.h.i.+re. You know we have a colliery there.

ANABEL. Yes, I believe I've heard.

WINIFRED. I want to introduce you to Gerald, to see if you like him.

He's good at the bottom, but he's very overbearing and definite.

ANABEL. Is he?

WINIFRED. Terribly clever in business. He'll get awfully rich.

ANABEL. Isn't he rich enough already?

WINIFRED. Oh, yes, because Daddy is rich enough, really. I think if Gerald was a bit different, he'd be really nice. Now he's so MANAGING.

It's sickening. Do you dislike managing people, Anabel?

ANABEL. I dislike them extremely, Winifred.

WINIFRED. They're such a bore.

ANABEL. What does Gerald manage?

WINIFRED. Everything. You know he's revolutionised the collieries and the whole Company. He's made a whole new thing of it, so MODERN. Father says he almost wishes he'd let it die out--let the pits be closed. But I suppose things MUST be modernised, don't you think? Though it's very unpeaceful, you know, really.

ANABEL. Decidedly unpeaceful, I should say.

WINIFRED. The colliers work awfully hard. The pits are quite wonderful now. Father says it's against nature--all this electricity and so on.

Gerald adores electricity. Isn't it curious?

ANABEL. Very. How are you getting on?

WINIFRED. I don't know. It's so hard to make things BALANCE as if they were alive. Where IS the balance in a thing that's alive?

ANABEL. The poise? Yes, Winifred--to me, all the secret of life is in that--just the--the inexpressible poise of a living thing, that makes it so different from a dead thing. To me it's the soul, you know--all living things have it--flowers, trees as well. It makes life always marvellous.

WINIFRED. Ah, yes!--ah, yes! If only I could put it in my model.

ANABEL. I think you will. You are a sculptor, Winifred.--Isn't there someone there?

WINIFRED (running to the door). Oh, Oliver!

OLIVER. h.e.l.lo, Winnie! Can I come in? This is your sanctum: you can keep us out if you like.

WINIFRED. Oh, no. Do you know Miss Wrath, Oliver? She's a famous sculptress.

OLIVER. Is she? We have met.--Is Winifred going to make a sculptress, do you think?