-4-
SELLERS
(Disconcerted.)What am I going to do? I've asked him to dinner?
(Pauses and thinks.)
Is the water good?
MRS. SELLERS
O yes, the water's good.
SELLERS
Produce the turnips.
(Exit MRS. S after turnips.)
Clay my boy—
(In turning, CLAY trips his foot in the poker and
exposes the candle. SELLERS, nonplussed, walks
the stage, awkward pause on both sides. SELLERS
scratches his head and, recovering, walks up to stove.)That's a little idea of mine, Clay. I've been reading European Scientific Reports. I find that heat is a nonconductor, it's very injurious to the nervous temperament or where rheumatism runs in the family. I find that all you want is the appearance of heat. There's no rheumatism in my family. Tell your father about that, will you? He'll like the idea.
(Places chairs around the table.)
Sit down my boy, sit down.
(Enter MRS. S with turnips & water.)
Clay, you'll excuse my wife's waiting on the table, the servants are all out today.
(All sit around table.)
Things are looking splendid though, my boy, splendid. Business is far more prosperous than it's ever been before. The air is full of money, nothing but money, money floating through the air. Take a turnip, allow me to assist you to some water.
(Pours out water.)
See what a lovely bead there is on that water.
[(All eat and look around.)
] Will you have anything from the Castors?
(CLAY shakes his head.)
Some people prefer mustard with turnips, I don't, none of you embellishment for Mulberry Sellers. High living kills most of our great people nowadays.
[(CLAY chokes.)
Take some water, there's plenty of it.] How does the fruit strike you?
Page Navigation
