Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 49

HE. Everlasting dust has been most of our life----

SHE. Everlasting years and years of dust!

HE. You on your lovely blue gown----

SHE. And you on your manly pink cloak.

HE. If she didn't sweep, we wouldn't need dusting----

SHE. Nor need taking down, I should say----

HE. With her stupid, clumsy hands----

SHE. Her crooked, monkey paws----

HE. And we wouldn't need putting back----

SHE. I with my back to you----

HE. I with my back to you.

SHE. It's been hours, days, weeks---- by the sound of that everlasting clock---- and the coming of day and the going of day---- since I saw you last!

HE. What's the use of the sun with its b.u.t.terfly wings of light-- what's the use of a sun made to see by-- if I can't see you!

SHE. Manikin!

HE. Minikin?

SHE. Say that again!

HE. Why should I say it again--don't you know?

SHE. I know, but sometimes I doubt----

HE. Why do you, what do you doubt?

SHE. Please say it again!

HE. What's the use of a sun----

SHE. What's the use of a sun?

HE. That was made to see by----

SHE. That was made to see by?

HE. If I can't see you!

SHE. Oh, Manikin!

HE. Minikin?

SHE. If you hadn't said that again, my doubt would have filled a balloon.

HE. Your doubt--which doubt, what doubt?

SHE. And although I can't move, although I can't move unless somebody shoves me, one of these days when the sun isn't here, I would have slipped over the edge of this everlasting shelf----

HE. Minikin!

SHE. And fallen to that everlasting floor into so many fragments, they'd never paste Minikin together again!

HE. Minikin, Minikin!

SHE. They'd have to set another here--some Minikin, I'm a.s.sured!

HE. Why do you chatter so, prattle so?

SHE. Because of my doubt--because I'm as positive as I am that I sit here with my knees in a knot--that that human creature--loves you.

HE. Loves me?

SHE. And you her!

HE. Minikin!

SHE. When she takes us down she holds you much longer.

HE. Minikin!

SHE. I'm sufficiently feminine--and certainly old enough--I and my hundred and seventy years--I can see, I can feel by her manner of touching me and her flicking me with her mop--the creature hates me--she'd like to drop me, that's what she would!

HE. Minikin!

SHE. Don't you venture defending her! b.o.o.by--you don't know live women!

When I'm in the right position I can note how she fondles you, pets you like a parrot with her finger-tip, blows a pinch of dust from your eye with her softest breath, holds you off at arm's length and fixes you with her spider look, actually holds you against her cheek--her rose-tinted cheek--before she releases you! If she didn't turn us apart so often, I wouldn't charge her with insinuation; but now I know she loves you--she's as jealous as I am--and poor dead me in her live power!

Manikin? */

HE. Minikin?

SHE. If you could see me--the way you see her----

HE. But I see you--see you always--see only you!

SHE. If you could see me the way you see her, you'd still love me, you'd love me the way you do her! Who made me what I am? Who dreamed me in motionless clay?

HE. Minikin?