James Joyce - Exiles

by JamesJoyce RICHARDROWAN, a writer. BERTHA. ARCHIE,their son, aged eight years. ROBERT HAND,journalist. BEATRICEJUSTICE, his cousin, music teacher. BRIGID, anold servant of the Rowan family.

AFISHWOMAN.

At Merrionand Ranelagh, suburbs of Dublin. Summer ofthe year 1912. (Thedrawingroom in Richard Rowan's house at Merrion, a suburb of Dublin. On theright, forward, a fireplace, before which stands a low screen. Over themantelpiece a giltframed glass.

Further back in the right wall, folding doorsleading to the parlour and kitchen. In the wall at the back to the right asmall door leading to a study. Left of this a sideboard. On the wall above thesideboard a framed crayon drawing of a young man. More to the left double doorswith glass panels leading out to the garden. In the wall at the left a windowlooking out on the road.

Forward in the same wall a door leading to the hall andthe upper part of the house. Between the window and door a lady's davenportstands against the wall. Near it a wicker chair. In the centre of the room around table. Chairs, upholstered in faded green plush, stand round the table.To the right, forward, a smaller table with a smoking service on it. Near it aneasychair and a lounge.

Cocoanut mats lie before the fireplace, beside thelounge and before the doors. The floor is of stained planking. The double doorsat the back and the folding doors at the right have lace curtains, which aredrawn halfway. The lower sash of the window is lifted and the window is hungwith heavy green plush curtains. The blind is pulled down to the edge of thelifted lower sash. It is a warm afternoon in June and the room is filled withsoft sunlight which is waning.)(Brigidand Beatrice Justice come in by the door on the left.

Brigid is an elderlywoman, lowsized, with irongrey hair. Beatrice Justice is a slender dark youngwoman of 27 years. She wears a wellmade navyblue costume and an elegant simplytrimmed black straw hat, and carries a small portfolioshaped handbag.) BRIGID Themistress and Master Archie is at the bath. They never expected you. Did yousend word you were back, Miss Justice? BEATRICE No. Iarrived just now.

BRIGID (Pointsto the easychair.) Sit downand I'll tell the master you are here. Were you long in the train? BEATRICE (Sittingdown.) Since morning. BRIGID MasterArchie got your postcard with the views of Youghal. You're tired out, I'm sure. BEATRICE O, no. (She coughs rather nervously.) Did he practise the piano while I was away? BRIGID (Laughsheartily.) Practice, how are you!Is it Master Archie? He is mad after the milkman's horse now.

Had you niceweather down there, Miss Justice? BEATRICE Rather wet,I think. BRIGID (Sympathetically.) Look at that now. And there is rain overheadtoo. (Moving towards the study.) I'll tell him you are here. BEATRICE Is Mr Rowanin? BRIGID (Points.) He is in his study. He is wearing himselfout about something he is writing.

Up half the night he does be. (Going.) I'll call him. BEATRICE Don'tdisturb him, Brigid. I can wait here till they come back if they are not long. BRIGID And I sawsomething in the letterbox when I was letting you in. (RichardRowan comes in from the study and advances towards Beatrice, holding out hishand. (RichardRowan comes in from the study and advances towards Beatrice, holding out hishand.

He is a tall athletic young man of a rather lazy carriage. He has lightbrown hair and a moustache and wears glasses. He is dressed in loose lightgreytweed.) RICHARD Welcome. BEATRICE (Risesand shakes hands, blushing slightly.) Good afternoon, Mr Rowan. I did not want Brigid to disturb you. RICHARD Disturb me?My goodness! BRIGID There issomething in the letterbox, sir.

RICHARD (Takes asmall bunch of keys from his pocket and hands them to her.) Here. (Brigidgoes out by the door at the left and is heard opening and closing the box. Ashort pause. She enters with two newspapers in her hands.) RICHARD Letters? BRIGID No, sir.Only them Italian newspapers. RICHARD Leave themon my desk, will you? (Brigidhands him back the keys, leaves the newspapers in the study, comes out againand goes out by the folding doors on the right.) RICHARD Please, sitdown. (Beatricesits down again in the easychair. (Beatricesits down again in the easychair.

Richard sits beside the table.) RICHARD I had begunto think you would never come back. It is twelve days since you were here. BEATRICE I thoughtof that too. But I have come. RICHARD Have youthought over what I told you when you were here last? BEATRICE Very much. RICHARD You musthave known it before.

Did you? (Shedoes not answer.) Do youblame me? BEATRICE No. RICHARD Do youthink I have acted towards you-- badly? No? Or towards anyone? BEATRICE (Looks athim with a sad puzzled expression.) I have asked myself that question. RICHARD And theanswer? BEATRICE I could notanswer it. RICHARD If I were apainter and told you I had a book of sketches of you you would not think it sostrange, would you? BEATRICE It is notquite the same case, is it? RICHARD (Smilesslightly.) Not quite. I told youalso that I would not show you what I had written unless you asked to see it.Well? BEATRICE I will notask you. RICHARD (Leansforward, resting his elbows on his knees, his hands joined.) Would you like to see it? BEATRICE Very much.

RICHARD Because itis about yourself? BEATRICE Yes. Butnot only that. RICHARD Because itis written by me? Yes? Even if what you would find there is sometimes cruel? BEATRICE (Shyly.) That is part of your mind, too. RICHARD Then it ismy mind that attracts you? Is that it? BEATRICE (Hesitating,glances at him for an instant.) Why do you think I come here? RICHARD Why? Manyreasons. To give Archie lessons. We have known one another so many years, fromchildhood, Robert, you and I-- haven't we? You have always been interested inme, before I went away and while I was away.

Then our letters to each otherabout my book. Now it is published. I am here again. Perhaps you feel that somenew thing is gathering in my brain; perhaps you feel that you should know it.Is that the reason? BEATRICE No. RICHARD Why, then? BEATRICE Otherwise Icould not see you. (Shelooks at him for a moment and then turns aside quickly.) RICHARD (After apause repeats uncertainly.) Otherwise you could not see me? BEATRICE (Suddenlyconfused.) I had better go.

Theyare not coming back. (Rising.) Mr Rowan, I must go. RICHARD (Extendinghis arms.) But you are runningaway. Remain. Tell me what your words mean. Are you afraid of me? BEATRICE (Sinksback again.) Afraid?No.

RICHARD Have youconfidence in me? Do you feel that you know me? BEATRICE (Againshyly.) It is hard to knowanyone but oneself. RICHARD Hard toknow me? I sent you from Rome the chapters of my book as I wrote them; andletters for nine long years. Well, eight years. BEATRICE Yes, it wasnearly a year before your first letter came. RICHARD It was answeredat once by you. (Joins his hands earnestly.) Tell me, Miss Justice, did you feel thatwhat you read was written for your eyes? Or that you inspired me? BEATRICE (Shakesher head.) I need not answer thatquestion. (Joins his hands earnestly.) Tell me, Miss Justice, did you feel thatwhat you read was written for your eyes? Or that you inspired me? BEATRICE (Shakesher head.) I need not answer thatquestion.

RICHARD What then? BEATRICE (Issilent for a moment.) I cannotsay it. You yourself must ask me, Mr Rowan. RICHARD (Withsome vehemence.) Then thatI expressed in those chapters and letters, and in my character and life as well,something in your soul which you could not-- pride or scorn? BEATRICE Could not? RICHARD