The Old Maid Page #7

She understands me while you don't.

Mommy knows what it is to be young...

...and have people fond of her.

While you, you've never been young.

Tina.

Tina?

Wait outside, boys.

Come here, Tina.

I want you to promise me, never speak

like that to your Aunt Charlotte again.

You heard how she speaks to me.

- I only said the truth.

- Oh, Tina, dear.

You do understand me, don't you?

And even... Even though

I'm not your very own like Dee...

...I feel as if I were.

I can never, never thank you enough for

taking me in and treating me as if I were.

I took you in because your Aunt Charlotte

wouldn't come to live with me...

...unless I took you too.

- Oh, that's all very well to say...

...but would you have wanted her

without me?

Now, tell the truth, Mommy.

I wanted you both.

That's beside the point.

Now, run in and make it up

to your Aunt Charlotte.

I will tomorrow. Lanny's waiting for me.

I've got to go. I love you so much.

I've got my key,

please make Aunt Charlotte go to bed.

If I'm late, she's always pretending she

didn't know whether I could get in.

You have forgotten your boots.

Oh, well, it's frozen ground.

It's just a step to the carriage.

- Dear, run along.

- Oh, mind the cold.

I do wish you were coming, Mommy.

Aunt Charlotte doesn't mind

being left alone.

This is a young people's ball, darling.

You're young.

Good night.

Will you ring when you want

your hot milk, miss?

Yes, Dora.

Oh, they go out to play

and I don't feel a bit like knitting.

Why do we grow old?

I suppose you felt you must scold Tina

because of the way she talked to me.

I made her realize it was disrespectful.

She thinks I can't understand.

She considers me an old maid.

- My dear.

- A ridiculous, narrow-minded old maid.

What else can she ever think of me?

Poor Charlotte.

Oh, but you needn't pity me,

because she's really mine.

And if she considers me an old maid, it's

because I've made myself one in her eyes.

I've done it from the beginning.

She wouldn't have the least suspicion.

I've practiced everything I've ever had

to say to her, if it was important...

...so that I'd sound like

an old-maid aunt talking...

...not her mother.

After all, darling, there isn't anything

important to say to her now.

She has every attribute of a modern,

successful woman.

She's healthy, she's young,

she's gay, she's attractive.

I've known for some time the day would

come when we would have to talk this out.

- What?

- Tina's future.

You've noticed what's been happening

since Lanning's been coming here so often.

He's such a nice young man.

Do you dislike him?

Aren't you jumping

to an optimistic conclusion?

In the first place, we both know

Lanning's parents do not consider...

...a marriage to Tina as desirable.

Unfortunately,

my girl has no position, no name.

But if it's not to be Lanning,

there'll be others.

Good heavens,

the girl's not 20 yet. Wait.

Wait. Yes. And if she doesn't wait?

- What do you mean?

- Don't forget, Delia, I know Tina.

After all, she's mine. I know her

better than anyone else in the world...

...every thought, every act,

every temptation.

And Lanning is in her mind.

- Perhaps, even more...

- You're insinuating that she's...

- I'm remembering myself.

- Oh, surely, you trust your own child.

Granny trusted me.

She's perfect.

Let us say, then, she must pay

for my imperfections.

All I want

is that she shan't pay too heavily.

Delia, you must be tired.

You'd better be getting to bed.

There's no reason

why you should wait up for Tina.

Why should you wait up for her either?

She has the key and the carriage

will bring them all home together.

Go along. I'll turn out the lights.

- I hope they've kept your fire up.

- I'm sure they have.

If you can't sleep, take one of those pills

that Dr. Lanskell left.

I will, thank you. Good night.

Good night, Delia.

Oh, Tina, Tina, Tina.

My darling little girl,

so spoiled, so headstrong.

You know, you shouldn't have gone out

without your boots.

You'll walk home with Lanning.

I'm so worried.

Tina.

You walked home with Lanning

and without your boots too.

You shouldn't do these things.

Do you know how late it is?

Tina.

Tina.

Oh, Lanning. Shh. You must go.

Not yet. They're all asleep.

Lanning, this is very wicked of us.

Is it? Why?

You're going away. To Europe.

I wish you'd come with me.

I wish you wouldn't go.

You don't think I wanna go, do you?

Then why do you go?

What else can I do?

It's Mother and Dad, of course.

They don't like me.

It isn't that they don't like you

as a person.

I mean, it's... Well, you know how it is

in a family like mine.

It's just because I'm not anybody.

Tina, if I had any money of my own,

even if I were trained for a job...

...so I could tell them to go to blazes,

then things would be different.

- What sort of things, Lanning?

- With us, dearest.

- You're cold.

- No.

Yes. I don't know.

Tina. Tina, please don't be angry

with me.

You know I can't marry anyone yet.

You're shivering.

- I shouldn't have let you walk home.

- Oh, I loved it.

I love the snow and the moonlight

and the trees.

And being with you at last all alone.

I shall want to die when you've gone.

Oh, dearest.

Tina.

That's the first.

And I'll never kiss anyone but you. Ever.

- Tina.

Mommy.

I've not been able to sleep.

I heard you come in. It's late.

Yes, Mommy, dearest.

I know it's late. I'm sorry.

- You'd better be leaving now.

- Yes, Mrs. Ralston.

- Good night.

- Good night.

- Good night, Tina.

- Good night.

It was ever so nice of you not to

scold me for being here, Mrs. Ralston.

Don't scold him.

This is Tina's fault. Not his.

Any man would've done the same

had she permitted it.

- It isn't her fault.

- It doesn't matter who's to blame this time.

I don't want it to happen again.

I hope you both understand that.

But, Miss Charlotte.

Delia, ask him not to come here again.

This is your house

or I would ask him myself.

Make Aunt Charlotte

take that back, Mommy.

Tell Lanning he's to come

whenever he wants to.

Tell him, Mommy.

- It's your house, not hers.

Shh. Tina. Tina.

It won't be necessary, Mrs. Ralston.

I'm sailing soon.

Next week.

Doesn't make much difference...

...if I'm forbidden in this house or not.

I'd only come back

to say goodbye in any case.

- Goodbye?

- Yes.

That's the only thing I can say

in the circumstances, it seems.

- Oh, Lanning.

- Good night, Lanning.

I'm sorry if I made you angry,

Miss Charlotte.

But it didn't seem a crime to me

to stay on at the ball.

It didn't seem a crime to come in

for a moment with Tina...

...but if you think it was a liberty,

I apologize.

As I said before, it can't happen again.

- Good night.

- Good night.

Good night, Mrs. Ralston.

And goodbye, Tina.

Aunt Charlotte, wait a minute.

You see what you've done?

You've driven Lanning away.

No, my child,

I have not driven him away.

If he doesn't come here again,

it's because he would find it awkward...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes