Her Own Way | Page 6

and muck!
GEORGIANA. [Interrupting.] And silver!
COAST. [Leaning on the back of the chair.] Yes, and silver. [Laughs.]
Father's out there working yet--don't have to now, but he likes it; he
ain't comfortable on top of the earth--says there's too much room. If
father'd been a man like Mackay, I guess he'd been just as rich as him
to-day.
GEORGIANA. And still you won't help Steve?
COAST. T'ain't business. [He puts back his chair and leans toward
GEORGIANA, hand on table.] If helping him, mind you, would get
you, I might take it on. [Humorously.] I'd pay even the price of Steve to
buy you.
GEORGIANA. [Taking the false nose and putting it on.] Well, I'm not
for sale. [Rises.] But I would like to dispose of Steven.
COAST. Go on, please take that blame thing off.
[Follows GEORGIANA across the room to the Left.
GEORGIANA. No, I like it! You must understand this about my
brother. [Taking off the nose.] He is the dearest, best fellow in the
world! kind-hearted and wouldn't do a thing that wasn't straightforward
in business.
COAST. But you've got to be tricky if you want to succeed in our
business. I don't mind telling you right out between us, I'm tricky!
GEORGIANA. I'm sorry to hear it.

COAST. Louise was a pretty good liar when she was a kid. She ought
to help her husband along a little.
GEORGIANA. That's just it! if Steve had the right sort of wife,--but all
Louise wants is social position and more money.
[She sits on the hobby horse, amusedly.]
COAST. If Louise was like you!
[GEORGIANA puts the nose on quickly and rocks.
GEORGIANA. Heaven forbid! The only trouble with Steve is he's
weak. He'd have been all right if he'd been a girl--or married to a
president of Sorosis, or a daughter of the Present Revolution!
COAST. Miss Georgiana, take off that nose and let me ask you
something.
GEORGIANA. Not at all, my dear Sammy. I know what it is you want
to ask me! I'm much obliged and I won't.
COAST. You won't marry me!
GEORGIANA. No!
COAST. Why not?
GEORGIANA. Because I don't love you.
COAST. Who do you love?
GEORGIANA. That's not your business!
COAST. Do you love any one?
GEORGIANA. [After a moment's hesitation, lies.] No!
COAST. [With insinuation.] Why don't you get Dick Coleman to help

Steven?
GEORGIANA. [Taking off the nose.] Why do you ask me that now in
that way?
COAST. Information!
GEORGIANA. Dick's a lawyer. What could he do for Steven?
COAST. That's not the information I wanted.
GEORGIANA. But it's all the information you'll get!
[Gets off the hobby horse and comes down a little.
COAST. [Follows her.] Georgiana, marry me, and I'll look after Steven
all the rest of his life.
GEORGIANA. Sammy, you don't want me to marry you if I don't love
you.
COAST. Yes, I do. Listen! I'd risk your not loving me; there's nothing
on God's earth I wouldn't do to make you love me.
GEORGIANA. That's the trouble with you men, you think you can
make a woman love you whether she wants to or not, but you
can't!--neither can you keep her from loving you if she does, whether
she wants to or not.
[Throws nose away; crossing to the Left, sits in the rocking chair there.
COAST. I'd give you everything!
GEORGIANA. That you can buy!
COAST. Do you mean that you'd rather be dead poor than marry me?
GEORGIANA. No, I don't say that! When I've lost everything and
Steven and Louise are bankrupt, and we haven't a penny--

COAST. Yes!
GEORGIANA. I might--I say I might--
COAST. Honest!
GEORGIANA. [Laughing.] Oh, dear, no!
COAST. I take you at your word, anyhow.
[The children's voices are heard.
CHILDREN. [Off Left.] Come on back to our room and have some
more fun.
GEORGIANA. Sh! Here come the children.
[Rises.
COAST. Damn the children!
GEORGIANA. Sam!
[She puts finger up, COAST kisses it.
COAST. Pardon! But I don't give up! Understand--I'm going to marry
you!
GEORGIANA. [Teasing him.] When? When?
[The children rush in screaming.
THE CHILDREN. Aunt Georgiana! Here's papa! Here's papa!
[And STEVEN CARLEY enters Left. He is a slender, smooth-shaven,
young-old looking man, his voice and body almost vibrating with nerve;
a personality that so often appeals to the tenderness in women, while it
irritates men. He brings his hat and coat with him.

STEVEN. Hello, Sam!
COAST. Morning!
STEVEN. Many happy returns, Georgy.
GEORGIANA. Oh, no, thank you! It's not for me yet, thank goodness!
PHILIP. Now let's play hide and seek.
THE CHILDREN. Hide and seek!
LIZZIE. [Entering Left.] Excuse me, please. Mrs. Jackson's maid is
here for Miss Elaine.
PHILIP. Oh, pshaw!
CHRISTOPHER. Don't you go!
ELAINE. Oh, yes, I must! I'm sorry! [She goes up stage