The joys of love
Are but a moment long,
The pain of love
Endures forever.
LAURA
And is that true?
(TOM shrugs his shoulders)
You sang as, though you knew all about the pains of love.
TOM
And you don't think I do?
LAURA
Well . . .
TOM
You're right.
LAURA
Only the joys.
TOM
Neither, really.
(Teapot whistles off stage.)
LAURA
Then you're a fake. Listening to you, one would think you knew everything
there was to know.
(Rises and goes to next room for tea)
Anyway, I don't believe it. A boy like you.
TOM
It's true.
LAURA
(Off stage)
Aren't you bringing someone to the dance after the play Saturday?
TOM
Yes.
LAURA
Well, there.
TOM
You.
LAURA
(Reappears in doorway with teapot)
Me?
TOM
Yes, you're going to be a hostess, aren't you?
LAURA
Yes, of course, but . . .
TOM
As a member of the committee, I'm taking you. All the committee drew
lots . . .
LAURA
And you lost.
TOM
I won.
LAURA
(A little embarrassed by this)
Oh. My husband could have taken me.
(She sits down again in her chair.)
TOM
He's not going to be in town. Don't you remember, Mountain Climbing Club
has its final outing this week-end.
LAURA
Oh, yes, of course. I'd forgotten.
TOM
He's out a lot on that kind of thing, isn't he?
(LAURA ignores his probing)
I hope you're not sorry that I'm to be your escort.
LAURA
Why, I'll be honored.
TOM
I'm supposed to find out tactfully and without your knowing it what
color dress you'll be wearing.
LAURA
Why?
TOM
The committee will send you a corsage.
LAURA
Oh, how nice. Well, I don't have much to choose from, I guess my yellow.
TOM
The boy who's in charge of getting the flowers thinks a corsage should
be something like a funeral decoration. So I'm taking personal charge of
getting yours.
LAURA
Thank you.
TOM
You must have gotten lots of flowers when you were acting in the theater.
LAURA
Oh, now and then. Nothing spectacular.
TOM
I can't understand how a person would give up the theater to come and live
in a school . . . I'm sorry. I mean, I'm glad you did, but, well . . .
LAURA
If you knew the statistics on unemployed actors, you might understand.
Anyway, I was never any great shakes at it.
TOM
I can't believe that.
LAURA
Then take my word for it.
TOM
(After a moment, looking into the fire, pretending to be casual, but
actually touching on his love for LAURA)
Did you ever do any of Shaw's plays?
LAURA
Yes.
TOM
We got an assignment to read any Shaw play we wanted. I picked Candida .
LAURA
Because it was the shortest?
TOM
(Laughs)
No . . . because it sounded like the one I'd like the best, one I could
understand. Did you ever play Candida?
LAURA
In stock -- a very small stock company, way up in Northern Vermont.
TOM
Do you think she did right to send Marchbanks away?
LAURA
Well, Shaw made it seem right. Don't you think?
TOM
(Really talking about himself)
That Marchbanks sure sounded off a lot. I could never sound off like that,
even if I loved a woman the way he did. She could have made him seem
awfully small if she'd wanted to.
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