Touch and Go: A Play in Three ActsLawrence, D. H. (David Herbert)
General
Touch and Go: A Play in Three Acts
Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert)
English drama
ANABEL. I think you will. You are a sculptor, Winifred.--Isn't there
someone there?
WINIFRED (running to the door). Oh, Oliver!
OLIVER. Hello, Winnie! Can I come in? This is your sanctum: you can keep
us out if you like.
WINIFRED. Oh, no. Do you know Miss Wrath, Oliver? She's a famous
sculptress.
OLIVER. Is she? We have met.--Is Winifred going to make a sculptress, do
you think?
ANABEL. I do.
OLIVER. Good! I like your studio, Winnie. Awfully nice up here over the
out-buildings. Are you happy in it?
WINIFRED. Yes, I'm perfectly happy--only I shall NEVER be able to make
real models, Oliver--it's so difficult.
OLIVER. Fine room for a party--Give us a studio party one day, Win, and
we'll dance.
WINIFRED (flying to him). Yes, Oliver, do let us dance. What shall we
dance to?
OLIVER. Dance?--Dance _Vigni-vignons_--we all know that. Ready?
WINIFRED. Yes.
(They begin to sing, dancing meanwhile, in a free little ballet-manner,
a wine-dance, dancing separate and then together.)
De terre en vigne,
La voila la jolie vigne,
Vigni-vignons--vignons le vin,
La voila la jolie vigne au vin,
La voila la jolie vigne.
OLIVER. Join in--join in, all.
(ANABEL joins in; the three dance and move in rhythm.)
WINIFRED. I love it--I love it! Do _Ma capote a trois boutons_--you know
it, don't you, Anabel? Ready--now---
(They begin to dance to a quick little march-rhythm, all singing and
dancing till they are out of breath.)
OLIVER. Oh!--tired!--let us sit down.
WINIFRED. Oliver!--oh, Oliver!--I LOVE you and Anabel.
OLIVER. Oh, Winifred, I brought you a present--you'll love me more now.
WINIFRED. Yes, I shall. Do give it me.
OLIVER. I left it in the morning-room. I put it on the mantel-piece for
you.
WINIFRED. Shall I go for it?
OLIVER. There it is, if you want it.
WINIFRED. Yes--do you mind? I won't be long. (Exit.)
OLIVER. She's a nice child.
ANABEL. A VERY nice child.
OLIVER. Why did you come back, Anabel?
ANABEL. Why does the moon rise, Oliver?
OLIVER. For some mischief or other, so they say.
ANABEL. You think I came back for mischief's sake?
OLIVER. Did you?
ANABEL. No.
OLIVER. Ah!
ANABEL. Tell me, Oliver, how is everything now?--how is it with
you?--how is it between us all?
OLIVER. How is it between us all?--How ISN'T it, is more the mark.
ANABEL. Why?
OLIVER. You made a fool of us.
ANABEL. Of whom?
OLIVER. Well--of Gerald particularly--and of me.
ANABEL. How did I make a fool of you, Oliver?
OLIVER. That you know best, Anabel.
ANABEL. No, I don't know. Was it ever right between Gerald and me, all
the three years we knew each other--we were together?
OLIVER. Was it all wrong?
ANABEL. No, not all. But it was terrible. It was terrible, Oliver. You
don't realise. You don't realise how awful passion can be, when it never
resolves, when it never becomes anything else. It is hate, really.
OLIVER. What did you want the passion to resolve into?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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