Part 5 (1/2)

_Will._ Yes, on a hot night!

_Peggy._ What do you think of my love-interest?

_Will._ I think it's rotten.

_Peggy._ Will!

_Will._ Absolutely rotten! The idea of having her turn Jack down--at the very beginning of the play!

_Peggy._ But that's exactly what happened! Didn't Gladys turn _you_ down? And besides, she can take him up again, if you like.

_Will._ How's she going to see him when he goes out on the street?

_Peggy._ Can't she run into him somewhere by accident?

_Will._ By accident--in a city of six million people!

_Peggy._ Well then, why not have her go where he goes? Let Bob follow Jack, or let them hire a detective.

_Will._ Melodrama! Ten-twenty-thirty! I don't like Gladys as a character any more than I did as a person. She's shallow and cheap--a regular worldling! I won't have any such creature in my play!

_Peggy._ There's no use talking that way, Will, you simply can't write a money-making play without love-interest. And also you've got to have comedy characters--real characters--

_Will (eagerly)._ I'll have one character, at least! In the next scene, when the father comes in! It'll be a jolly lark, Peggy--I'm going to use Dad!

_Peggy._ Your own father!

_Will._ Yes, why not?

_Peggy._ He might hear of it, Will!

_Will._ He despises the theatre. Half his anger at me was because I married an actress. And it seems to me, if we can't get any money out of him, we might at least get a character-study.

_Peggy._ All right, Dad let it be!

_Will._ I'll show you how it is. Here! (_Pushes the ma.n.u.scripts towards her; the Play-play begins to appear._) Jack has gone upstairs to change his clothes, and here comes Dad. He's an old man--rich, irascible, given to scolding. I remember how he used to snort when anything didn't please him.

_Dad._ Huh! huh-huh!

_Will._ He's heard the story about Jack. Here's the Mss. Read. (_She takes the ma.n.u.script and begins to read. Full light on Play-play.

Will exit secretly._)

_Dad (to Bob)._ What do you think of this?

_Bob._ What?

_Dad._ My precious son in trouble again! Never any end to it!

Recklessness--dissipation--insolence! I've reached the end of my patience. Absolutely the end!

_Bob._ What's happened?