Act 2 scene 1

Question 1

(lights up)

Answer 1

You hungry?

Question 2

Not for anything to eat. I have nearly three hundred dollars. Catherine?

Answer 2

I heard you.

Question 3

You don’t like to talk about it any more?

Answer 3

Sure, I don’t mind talkin’ about it.

Question 4

What worries you, Catherine?

Answer 4

I been wantin’ to ask you about something. Could I?

Question 5

All the answers are in my eyes, Catherine. But you don’t look in my eyes lately. You’re full of secrets. What is the question?

Answer 5

Suppose I wanted to live in Italy.

Question 6

You going to marry somebody rich?

Answer 6

No, I mean live there - you and me.

Question 7

When?

Answer 7

Well. . . when we get married.

Question 8

You want to be an Italian?

Answer 8

No, but I could live there without being Italian. Americans live there.

Question 9

Forever?

Answer 9

Yeah.

Question 10

You’re fooling.

Answer 10

No, I mean it.

Question 11

Where do you get such an idea?

Answer 11

Well, you’re always saying it’s so beautiful there, with the mountains and the ocean and all the. . .

Question 12

You’re fooling me.

Answer 12

I mean it.

Question 13

Catherine, if I ever brought you home . . . they would say Rodolpho is crazy.

Answer 13

I know, but I think we would be happier there.

Question 14

Happier! What would you eat? You can’t cook the view!

Answer 14

Maybe you could be a singer, like in Rome or. . .

Question 15

Rome! Rome is full of singers

Answer 15

Well, I could work then.

Question 16

Where?

Answer 16

God, there must be jobs somewhere!

Question 17

There’s nothing! . . . Don’t you believe that?

Answer 17

I’m afraid of Eddie here.

Question 18

We wouldn’t live here. . . If I were not afraid to be arrested I would start to be something wonderful here.

Answer 18

Tell me something. I mean just tell me, Rodolpho. Would you still want to do it if it turned out that we had to go live in Italy? I mean just if it turned out that way.

Question 19

Is this your question or his question?

Answer 19

I would like to know, Rodolpho. I mean it.

Question 20

No. No.

Answer 20

You wouldn’t?

Question 21

No. I will not marry you to live in Italy. . . I am not a beggar and you are not a horse, a gift, a favor for a poor immigrant.

Answer 21

Well, don’t get mad!

Question 22

I am furious!. . . that is the only wonder here - work! How can you insult me, Catherine?

Answer 22

I didn’t mean that. . .

Question 23

My heart dies to look at you. WHy are you so afriad of him?

Answer 23

I don’t know!

Question 24

Do you trust me, Catherine? You?

Answer 24

It’s only that I. . . he was good to me, Rodolpho. You don’t know him; he was always the sweetest guy to me. Good. He razzes me all the time but he don’t mean it. I know. I would. . . just feel ashamed if I made him sad. ‘Cause I always drempt that when I got married he would be happy at the wedding, and laughin’ . . . and now he’s .. . mad all the time and nasty. . . Tell him you’d live in Italy - just tell him, and maybe he would start to trust you a little, see? Because I want him to be happy’ I mean . . . I like him, Rodolpho. . . and I can’t stand it!

Question 25

Oh, Catherine - oh, little girl.

Answer 25

I love you, Rodolpho, I love you.

Question 26

Then why are you so afraid? That he’ll spank you?

Answer 26

Don’t, don’t laugh at me! I’ve been here all my life. . . Every day I saw him when he left in the morning and when he came home at night. You think it’s so easy to turn around and say to a man he’s nothin’ to you no more?

Question 27

I know, but. . .

Answer 27

You don’t know; nobody knows! I’m not a baby, I know a lot more than people think I know. Beatrice says to be a woman but. . .

Question 28

Yes.

Answer 28

Then why don’t she be a woman?! If I was a wife I would make a man happy instead of goin’ at him all the time. I can tell a block away when he’s blue in his mind and just wants to talk to somebody quiet and nice. . . I can tell when he’s hungry or wants a beer before he even says anything. I know when his feet hurt him, I mean I know him and now I’m supposed to turn around and make a stranger out of him? I don’t know why I have to do that, I mean. . .

Question 29

Catherine. . . I don’t say you must hate him; but anyway you must go, mustn’t you? Catherine?

Answer 29

Hold me.

Question 30

Oh, my little girl.

Answer 30

Teach me. I don’t know anything, teach me, Rodolpho, hold me.