Act 2 scene 1 Flashcards
(lights up)
You hungry?
Not for anything to eat. I have nearly three hundred dollars. Catherine?
I heard you.
You don’t like to talk about it any more?
Sure, I don’t mind talkin’ about it.
What worries you, Catherine?
I been wantin’ to ask you about something. Could I?
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?
Suppose I wanted to live in Italy.
You going to marry somebody rich?
No, I mean live there - you and me.
When?
Well. . . when we get married.
You want to be an Italian?
No, but I could live there without being Italian. Americans live there.
Forever?
Yeah.
You’re fooling.
No, I mean it.
Where do you get such an idea?
Well, you’re always saying it’s so beautiful there, with the mountains and the ocean and all the. . .
You’re fooling me.
I mean it.
Catherine, if I ever brought you home . . . they would say Rodolpho is crazy.
I know, but I think we would be happier there.
Happier! What would you eat? You can’t cook the view!
Maybe you could be a singer, like in Rome or. . .
Rome! Rome is full of singers
Well, I could work then.
Where?
God, there must be jobs somewhere!
There’s nothing! . . . Don’t you believe that?
I’m afraid of Eddie here.
We wouldn’t live here. . . If I were not afraid to be arrested I would start to be something wonderful here.
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.
Is this your question or his question?
I would like to know, Rodolpho. I mean it.
No. No.
You wouldn’t?
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.
Well, don’t get mad!
I am furious!. . . that is the only wonder here - work! How can you insult me, Catherine?
I didn’t mean that. . .
My heart dies to look at you. WHy are you so afriad of him?
I don’t know!
Do you trust me, Catherine? You?
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!
Oh, Catherine - oh, little girl.
I love you, Rodolpho, I love you.
Then why are you so afraid? That he’ll spank you?
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?
I know, but. . .
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. . .
Yes.
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. . .
Catherine. . . I don’t say you must hate him; but anyway you must go, mustn’t you? Catherine?
Hold me.
Oh, my little girl.
Teach me. I don’t know anything, teach me, Rodolpho, hold me.
