Plays
right. She and I treat each other rough--but that's being in the family.
FUSSIE: Well, I'll _tell_ you something. I heard Professor Holden say
Madeline Morton has a great deal more mind than she'd let herself know.
HORACE: Oh, well--Holden, he's erratic. Look at how popular Madeline is.
DORIS: I should say. What's the matter with you, Fussie?
FUSSIE: Oh, I didn't mean it really _hurt_ her.
HORACE: Guess it don't hurt her much at a dance. Say, what's this new
jazz they were springing last night?
DORIS: I know! Now look here, Horace--L'me show you. (_she shows him a
step_)
HORACE: I get you. (_He begins to dance with her; the book he holds
slips to the floor. He kicks it under the table_.)
FUSSIE: Be careful. They'll be coming back here, (_glances off left_)
DORIS: Keep an eye out, Fussie.
FUSSIE: (_from her post_) They're coming! I tell you, they're _coming!_
DORIS: Horace, come on.
(_He teasingly keeps hold of her, continuing the dance. At sound of
voices, they run off, right_. FUSSIE _considers rescuing the book,
decides she has not time_.)
SENATOR: (_at first speaking off_) Yes, it could be done. There is that
surplus, and as long as Morton College is socially valuable--right here
above the steel works, and making this feature of military
training--(_he has picked up his hat_) But your Americanism must be
unimpeachable, Mr Fejevary. This man Holden stands in the way.
FEJEVARY: I'm going to have a talk with Professor Holden this afternoon.
If he remains he will--(_it is not easy for him to say_) give no
trouble. (MADELINE _returns_) Oh, here's Madeline--Silas Morton's
granddaughter, Madeline Fejevary Morton. This is Senator Lewis,
Madeline.
SENATOR: (_holding out his hand_) How do you do, Miss Morton. I suppose
this is a great day for you.
MADELINE: Why--I don't know.
SENATOR: The fortieth anniversary of the founding of your grandfather's
college? You must be very proud of your illustrious ancestor.
MADELINE: I get a bit bored with him.
SENATOR: Bored with him? My dear young lady!
MADELINE: I suppose because I've heard so many speeches about him--'The
sainted pioneer'--'the grand old man of the prairies'--I'm sure I
haven't any idea what he really was like.
FEJEVARY: I've tried to tell you, Madeline.
MADELINE: Yes.
SENATOR: I should think you would be proud to be the granddaughter of
this man of vision.
MADELINE: (_her smile flashing_) Wouldn't you hate to be the
granddaughter of a phrase?
FEJEVARY: (_trying to laugh it off_) Madeline! How absurd.
MADELINE: Well, I'm off for tennis.
(_Nods good-bye and passes on_.)
FEJEVARY: (_calling to her_) Oh, Madeline, if your Aunt Isabel is out
there--will you tell her where we are?
MADELINE: (_calling back_) All right.
FEJEVARY: (_after a look at his companion_) Queer girl, Madeline.
Rather--moody.
SENATOR: (_disapprovingly_) Well--yes.
FEJEVARY: (_again trying to laugh it off_) She's been hearing a great
many speeches about her grandfather.
SENATOR: She should be proud to hear them.
FEJEVARY: Of course she should. (_looking in the direction_ MADELINE
_has gone_) I want you to meet my wife, Senator Lewis.
SENATOR: I should be pleased to meet Mrs Fejevary. I have heard what she
means to the college--socially.
FEJEVARY: I think she has given it something it wouldn't have had
without her. Certainly a place in the town that is--good for it. And you
haven't met our president yet.
SENATOR: Guess, I've met the real president.
FEJEVARY: Oh--no. I'm merely president of the board of trustees.
SENATOR: 'Merely!'
FEJEVARY: I want you to know President Welling. He's very much the
cultivated gentleman.
SENATOR: Cultivated gentlemen are all right. I'd hate to see a world
they ran.
FEJEVARY: (_with a laugh_) I'll just take a look up here, then we can go
down the shorter way.
(_He goes out right_. SENATOR LEWIS _turns and examines the books_.
FUSSIE _slips in, looks at him, hesitates, and then stoops under the
table for the Matthew Arnold (and her poem) which_ HORACE _has kicked
there. He turns_.)
FUSSIE: (_not out from under the table_) Oh, I was just looking for a
book.
SENATOR: Quite a place to look for a book.
FUSSIE: (_crawling out_) Yes, it got there. I thought I'd put it back.
Somebody--might want it.
SENATOR: I see, young lady, that you have a regard for books.
FUSSIE: Oh, yes, I do have a regard for them.
SENATOR: (_holding out his hand_) And what is your book?
FUSSIE: Oh--it's--it's nothing.
(_As he continues to hold out his hand, she reluctantly gives the
book_.)
SENATOR: (_solemnly_) Matthew Arnold? Nothing?
FUSSIE: Oh, I didn't mean _him_.
SENATOR: A master of English! I am glad, young woman, that you value
this book.
FUSSIE: Oh yes, I'm--awfully fond of it.
(_Growing more and more nervous as in turning the pages he nears the
poem_.)
SENATOR: I am interested in you young people of Morton College.
FUSSIE: That's so good of you.
SENATOR: What is your favourite study?
FUSSIE: Well--(_an inspiration_) I like all of them.
SENATOR: Morton College is coming on very fast, I understand.
FUSSIE: Oh yes, it's getting more and more of the right people. It used
to be a little jay, you know. Of course, the Fejevarys give it class.
Mrs Fejevary--isn't she wonderful?
SENATOR: I haven't seen her yet. Waiting here now to meet her.
FUSSIE: (_worried by this_) Oh, I must--must be going. Shall I put the
book back? (_holding out her hand_)
SENATOR: No, I'll just look it over a bit. (_sits down_)
FUSSIE: (_unable to think of any way of getting it_) This is where it
belongs.
SENATOR: Thank you.
(_Reluctantly she goes out_. SENATOR LEWIS _pursues Matthew Arnold with
the conscious air of a half literate man reading a 'great book'. The_
FEJEVARYS _come in_)
FEJEVARY: I found my wife, Senator Lewis.
AUNT ISABEL: (_she is a woman of social distinction and charm_) How do
you do, Senator Lewis? (_They shake hands_.)
SENATOR: It's a great pleasure to meet you, Mrs Fejevary.
AUNT ISABEL: Why don't we carry Senator Lewis home for lunch?
SENATOR: Why, you're very kind.
AUNT ISABEL: I'm sure there's a great deal to talk about, so why not
talk comfortably, and really get acquainted? And we want to tell you the
whole story of Morton College--the good old American spirit behind it.
SENATOR: I am glad to find you an American, Mrs Fejevary.
AUNT ISABEL: Oh, we are that. Morton College is one hundred per cent
American. Our boys--
(_Her boy_ HORACE _rushes in_.)
HORACE: (_wildly_) Father! Will you go after Madeline? The police have
got her!
FEJEVARY: _What!_
AUNT ISABEL: (_as he is getting his breath_) What absurd thing are you
saying, Horace?
HORACE: Awful row down on the campus. The Hindus. I told them to keep
their mouths shut about Abraham Lincoln. I told them the fact they were
quoting him--
FEJEVARY: Never mind what you told them! What happened?
HORACE: We started--to rustle them along a bit. Why, they had
_handbills_ (_holding one up as if presenting incriminating
evidence--the_ SENATOR _takes it from him_) telling America what to do
about deportation! Not on this campus--I say. So we were--we were
putting a stop to it. They resisted--particularly the fat one. The cop
at the corner saw the row--came up. He took hold of Bakhshish, and when
the dirty anarchist didn't move along fast enough, he took hold of
him--well, a bit rough, you might say, when up rushes Madeline and calls
to the cop, 'Let that boy alone!' Gee--I don't know just what did
happen--awful mix-up. Next thing I knew Madeline hauled off and pasted
the policeman a fierce one with her tennis racket!
SENATOR: She _struck_ the officer?
HORACE: I should say she did. Twice. The second time--
AUNT ISABEL: _Horace_. (_looking at her husband_) I--I can't believe it.
HORACE: I could have squared it, even then, but for Madeline herself. I
told the policeman that she didn't understand--that I was her cousin,
and apologized for her. And she called over at me, 'Better apologize for
yourself!' As if there was any sense to that--that she--she looked like
a _tiger_. Honest, everybody was afraid of her. I kept right on trying
to square it, told the cop she was the granddaughter of the man that
founded the college--that you were her uncle--he would have gone off
with just the Hindu, fixed this up later, but Madeline balled it up
again--didn't care who was her uncle--Gee! (_he throws open the window_)
There! You can see them, at the foot of the hill. A nice thing--member
of our family led off to the police station!
FEJEVARY: (_to the_ SENATOR) Will you excuse me?
AUNT ISABEL: (_trying to return to the manner of pleasant social
things_) Senator Lewis will go on home with me, and you--(_he is
hurrying out_) come when you can. (_to the_ SENATOR) Madeline is such a
high-spirited girl.
SENATOR: If she had no regard for the living, she might--on this day of
all others--have considered her grandfather's memory.
(_Raises his eyes to the picture of_ SILAS MORTON.)
HORACE: Gee! Wouldn't you _say_ so?
CURTAIN
ACT III
SCENE: _The same as Act II three hours later_. PROFESSOR HOLDEN _is
seated at the table, books before him. He is a man in the fifties. At
the moment his care-worn face is lighted by that lift of the spirit
which sometimes rewards the scholar who has imaginative feeling_. HARRY,
_a student clerk, comes hurrying in. Looks back_.
HARRY: Here's Professor Holden, Mr Fejevary.
HOLDEN: Mr Fejevary is looking for me?
HARRY: Yes.
(_He goes back, a moment later_ MR FEJEVARY _enters. He has his hat,
gloves, stick; seems tired and disturbed_.)
HOLDEN: Was I mistaken? I thought our appointment was for five.
FEJEVARY: Quite right. But things have changed, so I wondered if I might
have a little talk with you now.
HOLDEN: To be sure. (_rising_) Shall we go downstairs?
FEJEVARY: I don't know. Nice and quiet up here. (_to_ HARRY, _who is now
passing through_) Harry, the library is closed now, is it?
HARRY: Yes, it's locked.
FEJEVARY: And there's no one in here?
HARRY: No, I've been all through.
FEJEVARY: There's a committee downstairs. Oh, this is a terrible day.
(_putting his things on the table_) We'd better stay up here. Harry,
when my niece--when Miss Morton arrives--I want you to come and let me
know. Ask her not to leave the building without seeing me.
HARRY: Yes, sir. (_he goes out_)
FEJEVARY: Well, (_wearily_) it's been a day. Not the day I was looking
for.
HOLDEN: No.
FEJEVARY: You're very serene up here.
HOLDEN: Yes, I wanted to be--serene for a little while.
FEJEVARY: (_looking at the books_) Emerson. Whitman. (_with a smile_)
Have they anything new to say on economics?
HOLDEN: Perhaps not; but I wanted to forget economics for a time. I came
up here by myself to try and celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the
founding of Morton College. (_answering the other man's look_) Yes, I
confess I've been disappointed in the anniversary. As I left Memorial
Hall after the exercises this morning, Emerson's words came into my
mind--
'Give me truth,
For I am tired of surfaces
And die of inanition.'
Well, then I went home--(_stops, troubled_)
FEJEVARY: How is Mrs Holden?
HOLDEN: Better, thank you, but--not strong.
FEJEVARY: She needs the very best of care for a time, doesn't she?
HOLDEN: Yes. (_silent a moment_) Then, this is something more than the
fortieth anniversary, you know. It's the first of the month.
FEJEVARY: And illness hasn't reduced the bills?
HOLDEN: (_shaking his head_) I didn't want this day to go like that; so
I came up here to try and touch what used to be here.
FEJEVARY: But you speak despondently of us. And there's been such a fine