Morning Glory Page #3

You were thinking of Hedges?

Of course he's going to play the doctor.

He's the first star I ever had.

He's been a sort of

good-luck charm to me.

- Where is he?

- He's waiting outside.

Hello, Bob, how are you?

- Extremely well, thank you.

- I'm glad to see you.

This isn't much of a part, Bob.

I wish it were better.

- It's all I can offer at this time.

- That's all right.

- I'm always happy under your banner.

- We'll find something someday.

Joseph Sheridan will have me

producing Shakespeare yet.

Oh, please do, Mr. Easton. l...

This is a young woman,

a pupil of mine.

She's studying with me.

- Well, you certainly picked the right tutor.

- Thank you.

She's anxious to become

an actress, governor.

I didn't know young women anxious to

become actresses took the trouble to learn.

- What is your name?

- Eva Lovelace. Like it? I can change it.

Bob, come in

and sign your contract.

- Run along, Bob.

- All right.

If there's one person in the world

I've prayed to meet, it's you.

- Thank you. Been on the stage long?

- Not the regular stage.

- I was in a lot of plays at the Little Theater.

- The Little Theater?

At Franklin, Vermont,

where I lived until sometime ago.

The Franklin papers, both of them,

agreed that I had a future.

I play all sorts of parts.

Hedda, you know, lbsen's Hedda...

...the old woman

in Riders to the Sea...

...the queen in The Queen's Enemies

by Dunsany...

...Kitty in Shaw's You Never Can Tell...

- Bernard Shaw?

- Yes, the one and only.

- You think Shaw's clever?

- He's the greatest living dramatist.

- You think?

I know it. By the way, I had a charming

letter from him the other day.

I wrote him and sent him a photograph

of a scene from the play...

...and told him that I was coming to New

York and expected to be famous...

...and have a theater of my own

so I could play his Cleopatra...

...until I was too old for it, when I'd do

Mrs. Warren's Profession.

I didn't know whether he'd ever answer

my letter or not...

...but here's his letter. May I read it to you?

It's never left me since I received it.

- I even sleep with it under my pillow.

- Very interesting, but...

May I see it?

Oh, this is marvelous.

He says it's cheeky of them

to have produced a play of his at all.

He's sure it was

a piratical performance.

- He's glad that Miss... Miss Lovelace?

- That's my stage name.

He's glad Miss Lovelace will see that he's

recognized when she has her own theater...

...and hopes she won't forget him.

Oh, I won't. I've sworn it.

There will always be a Shaw play in my

repertoire as long as I'm in the theater.

Of course, I expect to die at my zenith.

My star shall never set,

I've sworn that too.

When that moment comes, when I feel

that I've done my best, my very best...

...I shall really die by my own hand

some night at the end of the play...

...on the stage.

Thanks.

Have you seen the Molnr play

that Katharine Cornell is doing?

- You like it?

- I haven't seen it, but I reverence it.

I read it first in German.

- Is that so?

- Yes, I took lessons...

...from an old German piano tuner

in Franklin every day for a year.

I've made all the translations

we used at the Little Theater.

- Molnr's written a new one.

- Really?

It hasn't been translated yet.

The Golden Bough.

Miss Rita Vernon is reading it now.

But, Mr. Easton,

she could never do justice to the part.

- I wouldn't let that worry you.

- Pardon me, governor.

- Would you care to sign the contract now?

- Yes, I would.

- You won't forget me, Mr. Easton.

- I won't.

- You're sure there's nothing for me?

- Sorry.

Perhaps an old woman

or a middle-aged one.

Pardon us.

- Is this the young woman?

- Yes.

- Mr. Seymour, Miss Lovelace.

- How do you do?

I've been telling Mr. Seymour

you're very ambitious.

I hope someday he'll give you a chance.

- What experience, Miss Lovelace?

- Only amateur and stock so far.

No. No stock.

No, I've great contempt for stock.

I've had no experience,

not what you'd call experience probably.

Of course, that means

I'd take less money.

I can get on

on $20 a week.

I need more for my lessons.

Also, I owe my German teacher at home

a large sum, but my debts can wait.

I'll play any part

that appeals to me for $20.

But I'll never,

under any circumstances...

...play any part with which

I don't feel a sincere congeniality.

- No?

- No.

No, money's nothing to me,

absolutely nothing.

I could have married for money

if I'd wanted to.

Edwin Talbert, son of W.E. Talbert, one of

the richest in Franklin, wanted to marry me.

You've heard of W.E. Talbert,

the Chow-Chow King they call him?

Funny. Talbert's Chow-Chow is famous,

of course. Practically owns Franklin.

But I think artists should be free.

Free to love, free to dream,

free to sin, if you call it sin.

- Why, any human experience is...

- lf you'll leave your name and address.

Would you take

this lady's name and address?

I'm sorry. There's nothing at the moment.

- You've been very kind.

- That's all right. I'll mail your contracts.

- All right.

- L-O-V-E-L-A-C-E.

- Your address?

- I'm moving. I'll come in again.

Now, my dear, shall we go?

I don't think I ought to go

before I say goodbye.

He has loads of charm, hasn't he?

He's very nice, but I don't think

I'd disturb him now.

Oh, but we talked a long time.

I'm sure he likes me.

I'll give you a leading man.

- Philip Emerson.

- Philip Emerson?

Oh, he can never play the part.

He's America's best bad actor.

Can't you see how

he'd be next to Vernon?

She's a head taller than he is.

And he mouths all his words...

...and whispers half his speech

as if they were secrets.

- Besides that...

- I'm not interrupting, am I?

But I didn't want to go without saying

goodbye to you, Mr. Easton.

And you too, Mr. Sheridan.

- That was your name, wasn't it?

- Yes. Goodbye.

Come in when you get another letter

from Bernard Shaw.

Oh, I won't wait that long.

Will you let me play

The Golden Bough when you put it on...

...if Miss Vernon isn't satisfactory?

I'll read the part for you

any time you like.

I'm so glad I've met you.

I've always reverenced you

for the fine things you've done.

Your charm makes up for anything

I might have found fault with you for.

So au revoir.

Au revoir, royal empress.

Doesn't Antony call Cleopatra

the loveliest things?

- That girl's a character.

- I think she's got something.

She's got nerve.

- Wouldn't she do for that bit in the last act?

- No. That bit has to be acted.

She's a nut.

You'll probably never hear of her again.

I wonder.

I said, I wonder.

Hey, taxi.

Taxi.

Just wait a minute, will you?

Isn't this my little pupil?

- Why, Mr. Hedges.

- Why, I haven't seen you for a long time.

Well, it has been a long time,

hasn't it?

But I've been so frightfully busy,

you know how it is.

I've hardly seen any of my old friends.

You're a lucky little girl

to be busy these days.

It's been a pretty hard winter

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