Alice Adams Page #3

Would you see if you can find

my brother Walter for me?

He may be in the smoking room,

if it isn't too much trouble?

- Certainly not.

- Thank you.

Well, here we are.

I know this disappearing brother of mine

must have been terribly hard to find.

On the contrary, it was easy.

Mildred will probably never forgive me

for keeping you away so long.

- It was a pleasure.

- Thank you so much.

Don't ever do that again,

do you understand?

- Do what?

- Send anyone looking for me.

Well, he found you, didn't he?

Yeah, he found me all right, shootin' dice

with the boys in the cloakroom.

- Did he see you?

- Unless he was blind.

Let's go home.

Leave the door open for me.

Did you have a good time?

Just lovely.

- Good night.

- Good night, dear.

Now what were you thinking about, Dad?

Just planning.

Planning what to do

when I'm able to go back to work again.

Now what are you talking about?

You're going back to your old place

at Lamb's, of course.

I heard you crying the other night,

after the party.

That was nothing, Daddy. Just nerves.

Never mind. I know what was the matter.

No, the only matter was I had a silly fit.

Your mother's right, Alice.

You ought to have as much

as any of these girls you go with.

And I've got to do something about it.

Daddy, you're sweet.

I'm the one

who ought to do something about it.

I've been thinking, what I mean is...

...I ought to be something

besides just a kind of nobody.

- I ought to...

- What, dearie?

Well, there's one thing I'd like to do.

- I know I could do it, too.

- What?

Well, I want to go on the stage.

I know I could act.

What's the matter?

I was just reminded of your aunt

and your mother when they were young.

They always used to spat about

which one would make the best actress.

Sometimes I'd have to go out

in the hall to laugh.

Well, maybe you were wrong.

If they both felt that way...

...why doesn't that prove

that there is talent in the family?

I've always thought there was.

No, dearie.

I expect 90 percent of the women are sure

they'd make mighty fine actresses...

...if they ever got the chance.

Well, they enjoy thinking about it...

...and it don't do anybody any harm.

Why, what's the matter?

Nothing.

Well, one thing I'm sure of...

...you're going back to Lamb's.

You know, Alice,

it's a pretty good place, Lamb's.

Mighty nice boys in our department, too.

We have a good deaI of fun

down there some days.

More than you do at home some days,

I expect.

No, I wouldn't say that.

- There he is, Mr. Lamb.

- Thank you.

Well, Adams.

Why, Mr. Lamb, Father and I

were just talking about you.

Well, you know, speak of the deviI.

Sit still.

What are you trying to be polite

with me for?

Don't you know you're as weak as a cat?

- Have a cigar.

- Thanks.

I'm not sick anymore, Mr. Lamb.

I ought to be ready for work

in another 10 days.

Now, don't hurry it, young fellow.

Just take your time.

Of course we need you,

but we don't need you so bad...

...that we'll let you come down

before you're good and able.

You see, Dad?

We all appreciate

your interest in Father, Mr. Lamb.

He seems to improve

after every one of your visits.

I guess I'd better be running along.

Goodbye, sir.

'Bye, Daddy.

Now, I want you to take it easy.

Remember, VirgiI,

your place is waiting for you...

...any time you want to come back.

But I don't like to feeI that my salary

is going on and me not earning it.

Suppose you let me worry about that.

Goodness knows, you've been with the firm

long enough to have some privileges...

...and I'm going to see that you get them.

Thanks, Mr. Lamb.

You know, Mom,

I can't help liking old Mr. Lamb.

He seems so honest and friendly.

He didn't say anything

about raising your father's salary, did he?

No, I'll bet he didn't.

That's why I want VirgiI to leave that place.

But, Mother, what could Dad do at his age?

He could do what I've wanted him to do

for the last 20 years.

What's that?

He doesn't want me to speak of it to you,

but you may as well know.

Your father has invented a secret formula

for making the best glue in the world.

The best what?

Glue, for sticking things together.

Your father and another man

invented it years ago...

...when your father

first went to work for Mr. Lamb.

Now the other man's dead

so the formula belongs to your father.

At least it belongs to him

as much as it does to anybody else.

Yes, but even if it does,

what good would it do him? He can't sell it.

Well, he could start up a factory

and make the glue and sell that.

Mom, that's nonsense.

Why, Dad's never even seen enough money

to start a factory.

I'm afraid you're daydreaming, darling.

Miss Adams.

This is a coincidence.

I've been hoping I'd meet you.

Why, Mr. Russell.

I've just been embarking

on the most irksome duty.

I have to hire a new secretary for Father.

He's been quite ill, poor man,

and now that he's better...

...and going back to work,

he'll need a second girI.

Can't you let it wait for another time?

I could let it wait untiI tomorrow.

In fact, I will let it wait untiI tomorrow.

That's fine.

I've been thinking about you

since Mildred's dance.

Oh, goodness, I bet I know

what you've been thinking.

Are you a mind reader?

You've been thinking I'm the sister

of a professionaI gambler, I'm afraid.

Then your brother told you,

I thought it was quite originaI...

...his amusing himself

with the cloakroom attendants.

Walter is originaI.

You know, he's a very odd boy.

I was afraid you'd misunderstand him.

He tells the most wonderfuI darky stories

and he'll just do anything...

...to get them to talk to him.

We think he'll probably write about them

some day.

He's rather literary.

Are you?

I? Oh, I'm just me.

I thought you were this sort of girI

when I first saw you.

What sort of girI?

Didn't Mildred tell you the kind of girI I am

when she asked you to dance with me?

She didn't ask me to dance with you.

That was my idea.

No, but who did she say I was?

She just said you were a Miss Adams.

"A Miss Adams. "

I see.

Well, it certainly is unfortunate

that I am so different from Mildred.

Why unfortunate?

Goodness, why because she's perfect.

She's perfectly perfect.

Yes, we all fairly adore her.

You know, she's like some big, noble...

...gold statue way up above the rest of us.

She hardly ever does anything

mean or treacherous.

Of all the girls I know, I think she plays

the fewest really mean tricks.

You say Mildred's perfect,

but she does do some mean things.

Men are so funny.

Of course,

all girls do mean things sometimes.

My own career is just

one long brazen smirch of them.

- Not really?

- Yes.

What, for example?

The very worst sort.

For instance, most people bore me.

Particularly the men in this town,

and I show it.

It's made me a terribly unpopular character.

For instance,

at the average party I would rather...

...find some clever old woman

and talk to her...

...than I would dance with nine tenths

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