Alice Adams Page #4

of these non-entities.

But you danced as if you really liked it.

You dance better than any other girI...

Thank you.

I ought to dance well.

When I think of all my dancing teachers,

just endless fancy instructors.

Still, I suppose that's what fathers

have daughters for, isn't it?

To throw away money on them.

But you should've seen me

when I had stage fever.

Every girI has a time in her life...

...when she's positive

she's divinely talented for the stage.

I used to play Juliet all alone in my room.

"O, swear not by the moon,

the inconstant moon,

"That monthly changes in her circled orb,

Lest that thy... "

You do it beautifully.

Why don't you finish the line?

"Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. "

Juliet was saying it to a man, you know.

She seems to have been worrying about

his constancy pretty early in their affair.

Yes, I know.

Don't look so serious.

It isn't about you, you know.

Here you are, Miss Adams.

You know every step I save is gravy.

Here's the foolish little house where I live.

It is a queer little place

but my father is so attached to it...

...that the family

has just about given up hope...

...of getting him to build

a reaI house farther out.

He doesn't mind our being extravagant

about anything else...

...but he won't let us change one

single thing about his precious little house.

Adieu.

- Could I come in for a little while?

- No, not now.

- You can come...

- When?

Almost any time.

You can come in the evening, if you like.

- Soon?

- As soon as you like.

He will call, he won't call.

He will, he won't.

Yes, no.

He'd better call.

Those flowers

will brighten up the room a lot, Alice.

I think so.

I'm going out, Mom.

- Hey, where's the funeraI?

- I thought you were going out.

What's the big idea?

I get it.

It's that Russell guy.

I saw you with him all right.

You mean downtown yesterday, Walter?

Yes, I mean,

"Downtown yesterday, Walter. "

I passed you close enough to pull a tooth

but you never saw me.

You were too busy waving your hands.

I never saw anybody as busy as you get

when you're towing a barge.

What of it, Walter?

If you happen to see her on the street...

...when a nice young man

is being attentive to her.

Wait a minute. You got the parts mixed.

It was little Alice who was being attentive.

What were you doing walking so close

to your old paI Mildred's boyfriend?

- Why, Walter!

- Never mind.

To the horrid, all things are horrid.

Get out. I found out all about

that Russell guy down at the shop.

He's supposed to be tied up with Mildred...

...and when old man Palmer dies,

Russell will be his son-in-law.

He'll barely have to lift his feet

to step into the old man's shoes.

Yes.

You really are vulgar, Walter.

You better take it easy.

The Palmers will have you ruled

off the track when they see your colors.

- Walter.

- I'm her brother, ain't I?

I like the old girI all right.

In fact, sometimes I feeI sorry for her.

What's this all about?

Because you see me downtown

with a man I've only seen once.

Yeah, but I've seen you start before.

Well, good luck. You'll need it.

Walter must be going

with some really dreadfuI people.

All this talk about racetracks

and everything.

I'm sure Walter's a good boy.

Is it true that this young man, Russell,

is engaged to Mildred Palmer?

I don't know.

He didn't seem like an engaged man to me.

Anyhow, not so terribly.

What?

Hadn't you better come to bed?

I didn't know it was so late.

I got so interested in this book.

You mustn't mind, dear.

Mustn't mind?

What are you talking about, Mother?

Never mind cleaning up, Alice.

We can do that in the morning.

Your father can mess things up

quicker than any man I ever saw.

I got no date tonight.

I'll take you to a movie if you want.

No, thanks.

Give me a chance to show you a better time

than we had at that frozen-faced party.

I'll buy you some chop suey afterwards.

No, thanks, honestly.

As the barber says:

"The better the advice,

the worse it's wasted. "

Good evening, Miss Adams.

What luck to find you at home.

Yes.

Did I come too soon?

No, just in time.

Let's stay out here, shall we?

- The moonlight's so lovely.

- Yes.

I've spent two evenings wanting to come...

...but a couple of dinners interfered,

large and long dinners.

You have been in a sociaI whirI,

Mr. Russell.

I envy you.

Father's illness has simply tied me

to the house...

...and everyone has to come here.

That is, if they want to see me.

The worst of it is that the poor thing

has to have peace and quiet...

...and I must entertain on the porch,

as I'm doing tonight.

Though, of course,

now there's just the two of us.

I'm glad there's just the two of us.

I wanted to talk to you alone, Miss Adams.

Miss Adams, how formaI.

What shall we talk about, Arthur?

About you.

No. Don't let's talk about me.

Let's talk about you.

What kind of man are you?

I've often wondered.

What kind of girI are you?

Don't you remember? I told you.

I'm just me.

But who is that?

I've often wondered.

You know, the other day

when you walked home with me...

...I got to wondering

what I wanted you to think of me...

...in case I should ever happen

to see you again.

What did you decide?

I decided I should probably never dare

to be just myself with you.

Not if I cared

to have you want to see me again...

...and yet, here I am,

just being myself, after all.

Alice, I'd like to see you pretty often,

if you'll let me.

Will you?

Well?

Lean toward me a little.

Yes!

Now, when will it be?

I mean, when will I see you again?

Anytime.

You're going to Henrietta's dance,

aren't you?

You mean Henrietta Lamb?

Yes, of course.

I'd forgotten all about that.

Will you let me take you?

You mean to the dance?

That is if you're not already dated up.

No, I'm not.

In fact, I'm not going.

- Why not?

- I told you. It's Father.

You see, Mildred's dance is almost

the only evening I've gone out...

...on account of his illness, you know.

VirgiI Adams, how much longer

do you expect me to put up...

...with that old man and his doings?

Whose doings? What old man?

What other old man would I mean

but J.A. Lamb?

Do you think I'm going to submit forever

to him and his family...

...and what they're doing to my child?

Now what are he and his family

doing to your child?

Your dear, grand old Mr. Lamb's Henrietta

has sent out invitations for a large party.

Now, everybody who is anybody in town

is going to be there, you can count on that.

There's a very fine young man,

a Mr. Russell.

He's interested in Alice and he's asked Alice

to go to this dance with him.

Alice can't go...

...because Henrietta Lamb

hasn't invited her.

Oh, my...

Yes, I should think you would say,

"Oh, my. "

Your child's been snubbed and picked on

by every girI in this town...

...and it's all on account of you,

VirgiI Adams.

Yes, these girls don't like me

so they pick on Alice.

They wouldn't dare do it

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