TE THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS BY PERCY MACKAYE The Canterbury Pilgrims. A Comedy. Fenris, the Wolf. A Tragedy. Jeanne D'Arc. Sappho and Pbaon. The Scarecrow. A Tragedy of ibe Ludicrous. Mater. An American Study in Comedy. Uniform, xamo. $1.25 net, each. MATER THE MACMILLAN COMPANY NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO ATLANTA SAN FRANCISCO MACMILLAN & CO., LIMITED LONDON BOMBAY CALCUTTA MELBOURNE THE MACMILLAN CO. OF CANADA, LTD. TORONTO MATER An American Study in Comedy BY PERCY MACKAYE go* THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1908 All rights reserved LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS CHARACTERS MATILDA DEAN (? Mater"}. MICHAEL DEAN, her son. MARY DEAN, her daughter. ARTHUR CULLEN. RUDOLPH VERBECK. TIME. To-day. PLACE. A City in Eastern United States. SCENE LIVING-ROOM IN THE DEANS' HOUSE ACT I. MORNING. ACT II. A FEW DAYS LATER: AFTERNOON. ACT III. MIDNIGHT. FOREWORD THE acting rights of this play are owned by Mr. Henry Miller, under whose direction it was first pro duced in San Francisco, at the Van Ness Theatre, August 3, 1908, and in New York, at the Savoy Theatre, September 25, 1908. The music to Mater's song in the play has been composed by Professor George W. Chadwick, Direc tor of the Boston Conservatory of Music, and may be had, arranged for the piano, in published form. P. M-K. CORNISH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, September, 1908. PROGRAMME OF THE PLAY AS FIRST PRODUCED IN NEW YORK AT THE SAVOY THEATRE SEPTEMBER 25, 1908 AN AMERICAN STUDY IN COMEDY, By PERCY MACKAYE, ENTITLED MATE R Direction of HENRY MILLER CAST HONORABLE ARTHUR CULLEN, Mr. CHARLES A. STEVENSON MICHAEL DEAN Mr. FREDERICK LEWIS RUDOLF VERBECK Mr. JOHN JUNIOR MARY DEAN Miss HAZEL MACKAYE and MATER Miss ISABEL IRVING ACT I ACT I The living-room in the Deans 1 house, simply furnished, with an atmosphere of books, pictures, music and domesticity. In color, the prevailing tones are harmonious browns. The walls are panelled high with oak, above which they are covered with a soft brocade of unobtrusive design. In the back wall, at centre, hung with long curtains, a large casement window, with deep, cushioned seat, looks out upon the tops of fruit trees toward neighboring city houses. On both sides of the window are book-cases. Near the right wall, at back, the room opens, by a cur tained doorway, into a hall, where the newel-post and descending balustrade of a stairway are visible. In the left wall, between doors, is a fireplace, above which is hung the large oil portrait \head and busf\ of a middle- aged man a face of strong character and vitality. Against the right wall, a divan, below which a door opens into a closet with shelves. At right, a baby -grand piano, with ruddy brown case ; at left, an ample table, on which amid newspapers, books, sewing materials and manuscripts stands a telephone instrument. At this table are seated MARY DEAN and RUDOLF VERBECK. Mary, who is dressed in black and wears rimless spec tacles, is a handsome girl of strong features , dark hair and intense eyes. She is reading aloud from a thick volume. Rudolf, a Dutch- American type of young man, is gazing at her with a look of forced concentra tion and unforced affection. 3 4 ' MATER fX'O : 1 1. .:/'. -.- : MARY [Reads.} " To destroy human egotism is impossible. There fore let us direct it so as to make it serve the ends of society instead of subverting them. Now there is reason to believe that society, through organization, can be converted into a great happiness-producing mechanism, and that self-interest can be utilized to drive it. Thus we shall not have to essay the hope less task of destroying egotism in man, but by simply diverting its channel from competition to coopera tion, convert it into a mighty power for the good instead of the harm of mankind." RUDOLF Mary ! That's the point. MARY What? RUDOLF Egotism. It's for our good, you know. MARY To be sure ; if it's rightly diverted. RUDOLF That's what I mean. You see, it's self-interest that makes me ask it. MARY Ask what ? RUDOLF When are we going to be married ? MATER 5 MARY Rudolf Verbeck, you're incorrigible! You have as much power of generalization as a June bug. RUDOLF Just the same, your brother's book there gives me the lead. MARY Your sense of proportion is crude, my dear. My brother's book is concerned with the great interests of society ; and compared to such, I assure you, our engagement and marriage are of very trifling con cern. RUDOLF Oh, but I say ! I ain't trifling. MARY \JHer teeth on edgt.~\ Please! Whatever you are, or aren't, don't say ain't. RUDOLF I know, but when a fellow's in love MARY Not that! I've told you this is the tenth time at least you are never to mention that to me again till after Michael is elected. RUDOLF But what if he ain't isn't elected ? 6 MATER MARY Then I shall devote myself solely to him until he is. Michael is the youngest man ever nominated for the legislature ; if he fails of election now, he must run again. He is needed in the nation. He must be a force to shape its chaos, to stem its corruption. But you know he is far from well. The launching of his life-work must be my first concern and yours, if you care for me. You you do care for me ? RUDOLF Care ! You know, girl, I love MARY [Holding the volume interceptingly ^\ Love me love my brother's book ! Read, please. My glasses are dusty. [She takes off her spectacles and wipes them. He takes the book and reads vaguely. ~\ RUDOLF " Common Sense and the Common Weal : by Michael Dean." MARY You needn't read the cover. I stopped on page 78. RUDOLF [Hastening to find the place.] Good. \Reads quickly .] "The social structure I propose may conveniently be expounded under eight topics : MATER 7 First, Public ownership of the means of produc tion, retention of the wage system and abolition of profit. Second, Organization of a system of distribution, whereby supply and demand in products may be adjusted. Third, Organization of a national labor exchange, whereby supply and demand in labor may be ad justed." Adjusted say, Mary! MARY What? RUDOLF You will adjust it all right if we elect him ? \_Mary snatches the book from him and turns away.~\ I was only talking of supply and demand ! MARY If you say one word more of it, I won't speak to you for a week. [Relentlessly returning him the book.] Now, take in what you read. RUDOLF \_Reads on gropingly.^ "Fourth, Organization of an inspection system, whereby the quality of products may be retained at a definite standard. Fifth, Application of labor to production. 8 MATER Sixth, Organization of invention. Seventh, Old age insurance. Eighth, Reform of Education." MARY Rudolfo ! To think when he's elected, Michael will be a living factor in all this. And the campaign is going on gloriously. RUDOLF I wish to-morrow was election day. MARY Do you remember, in the settlement work, down there in the slums, how they shouted for him that first meeting ; and when they saw him RUDOLF I remember when I first saw you there, addressing the Mothers and Daughters' Club, and starting a campaign of clean clothes. How in thunder did you ever cut and stitch that mountain of pinafores ? MARY Oh, Mater attends to that for me. She's just domestic and practical, you know. I'm concerned with the large principles and statistics. I'm a very humble disciple of my great brother. RUDOLF I thought your mother's trump cards were books and pianos and such. MATER 9 MARY I suppose you mean dabbling in lyrics and poets and such light stuff? Yes, Mater mixes that up with her housekeeping. She's an outlandish little person of course, very nice and dear and useful but when it comes to serious things Oh, quite beyond her depth ! Politics, sociology, for instance she hasn't the first ray of comprehension. RUDOLF Never mind you have! And I know the poor dirty people love you for what you are doing for 'em. MARY Oh, it's Michael they love. And they look to him as a new young prophet a prophet of reason and joy. And it isn't only the poor it's the overworked men everywhere, eager to see a way out of forced labor into free life. Do you know what they call this book? The busy-man's Bible. Ah, when Michael is elected, Rudolf, do you know the first thing we must do ? \Rudolf, leaping up impetuous, kisses her. Mary springs from him and looks back wrathfully^\ The last time, the very last ! I vow it. Now I won't speak to you again till after election day. RUDOLF [ Calling heaven to witnessl\ And I never said a word ! 10 MATER [Enter MICHAEL DEAN, lower left. He is without his coat in his shirt sleeves. With both hands clasped behind his head, he strides across the room, and paces back and forth, oblivious of Mary and Rudolf. Mary pauses in her own mood of anger, which evaporates as she watches him with eager attention and some little awe.~\ RUDOLF [Not observing Michael beseechingly. ~\ Mary ! Forget it please ! I won't make an other [Mary raises her hand to Rudolf in stern warning of silence looking at Michael, who in his pacings comes to a standstill in front of her, riveting an abstracted gaze upon her face as if it were far away.] MARY Is it finished, Michael ? All thought out ? MICHAEL [Looks at her, vaguely quizzical, biting the edge of his thumb, .] Eh? MARY I have just been reading your " Common Sense " with Rudolf. I wish in your next campaign speech you would sum up that splendid chapter on Liberty. MICHAEL Liberty, my dear sir ! Where did you find it ? MARY [Pointing to the book.] Why, there. You're not ill again ? MA TER 1 1 MICHAEL [Impatientlyl\ What, what ? MARY I'm not your dear sir, you know. MICHAEL [Drawing a deep breath, smiles faintly '.] Hello, sisterkin ! I was thinking of that fellow Cullen. MARY Cullen ! [ With a touch of embarrassment^ What Mr. Cullen ? MICHAEL The Honorable Arthur ! MARY Honorable ? MICHAEL Of the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Grafters Grand Master ! Hello, Verbeck. [Gives Rudolf his hand.~] RUDOLF [ Waving the volume in his other hand.~\ Say ! It's real meat. MICHAEL Have you tried to digest it ? 12 MATER MARY You mean the notorious Cullen of the legislature ? MICHAEL To whose brotherhood I am now aspiring. Heaven forgive one of us ! RUDOLF [With vague alarm.] Brotherhood ? You - MICHAEL If you elect me, Rudolf. RUDOLF Oh, that's what you mean. Well, that's what I'm living for. [ With a beseeching look toward Mary> who keeps on the opposite side of the room.] Ask Mary. MARY Is he in your way ? MICHAEL [Absorbed again] Who? MARY [Hesitatingly] Mr. Cullen. Is he obstructing you politically ? MICHAEL That's the question. The Honorable Arthur has been singularly affable to me lately. MATER 13 RUDOLF [Looking anxiously at Mary.] Lately ? More than usual ? MICHAEL So I've noticed. And I don't like it, for I don't trust him. He has risen in life by what his friends call a sense of humor, and that, if I'm not mistaken, is the liveliest endowment of the Devil. I'd rather face a rhinoceros than an ineradicable smile. That reminds me he's to call me up this morning on a matter of business. MARY He's/tfr you in the election ? MICHAEL So he explained with his smile. His influence is to go my way for my father the Senator's sake. MARY Did Mr. Cullen know father ? MICHAEL Only by reputation far off. Our father, I'm sure, never knew Cullen. [Looking up at the portrait on the wall.] There was a man, thank God, and a magician ! He knew how to pipe the rats from their nests in the na tion, and to purge the temple of the state without fouling his own fingers. Give me to be like him. 14 MATER Mary, does it seem possible that he has gone from us : one year ago to-day ! MARY But you live on to finish his work. MICHAEL Finish ? It has no end. RUDOLF Yes, old fellow. When you're in office, there'll be something doing ! MICHAEL Something doing ! So what will be doing Eh ? when I'm in office? RUDOLF Something big, that's sure. MICHAEL " Big," and " something." Just what doesn't mat ter, I suppose, so long as it's big ? RUDOLF I mean you'll keep things busy. MICHAEL "Busy" of course! Big, Busy, Barnum and Bailey all with a B ! Get into the circus, states men, three rings and a loop-the-loop and keep the public guessing ! MATER 15 By Heaven, Verbeck, I believe there are x no more dangerous citizens than just such good fools as you. You pay for your seat at the show Bang! goes the clown's head through the hoop. Spin! goes your hat in the air, and "Hurrah!" you bawl; "Even so God created the world and the solar system." \_He begins to pace back and forth again and speaks with vehement swiftness.~\ "Something doing." It's the quack showman's motto of the age ! Under that banner, we harvest a million acres of wheat to fill a hundred millions of mouths, and we rear up the mouths to be filled with the wheat. Under that banner, we move a continent of freight cars to consume steel rails, and we disem bowel the continent for steel to move the freight cars. Under that banner, we fell mountains of forest to feed a myriad presses with Sunday editions, and we set up a myriad presses to devour the wood-pulp. " Something doing ! " Motion, my friend. Motion is the God of such as you, and so far as you can, you make yourselves in his image. He's a glorious Titan your Motion! His brow is of gold and his bowels of brass ; his biceps of iron and his thighs of silver. His beard is black smoke. His heart is pure steel. Within his head he has a billion wheels, and when he opens his mouth to speak through his beard, the clang of his voice is the noise thereof. Look in the morning above the cities, and you shall see his hair obscuring the day, and his eyes like arc 1 6 MATER lights. In the palm of one hand he holds the great god Pan no taller than a pigmy; and in the other fist he clutches a worm called Man. " Behold me ! " he cries to the heavens ; " even from this worm have I arisen, and even to this stature have I grown be yond this pigmy. Behold me, you sun and moon ! Am I not Busy? Am I not Big? I am the Lord of Hosts I am Prosperity ! lam MATER* [Entering."] Button ! Button ! Who's got the button ? MICHAEL [ Glaring desperately as she approaches with his coat.~\ Mater, Mater, how you do interrupt ! MATER Boy, you carried off the button in your pocket. [Feels in his pockets and finds it.~\ MICHAEL Damn the button ! MATER Shh ! Remember this afternoon ! You can't ad dress the Reform Club with a whole heart and one button missing. * She appears in the doorway, lower left holding Michael's coat, a needle and thread. Upon her blond, wavy hair is a wreath of daffodils, and she wears a fresh becoming gown of yellow and buff. MATER \>J MICHAEL I can address the universe in my night-shirt, if I like. Give me the coat. MATER \_Helping him on with it.~\ Of course ; put it on. That's much better. [He starts to walkaway. Catching her needle and thread through the front of his coat, she begins to sew on the button.~\ Now go right ahead, dear. I can listen beautifully while I sew. MICHAEL [ Gloomily '.] Here's a prophet in his own country ! MARY {Approaching Mater, looks particularly hard at her wreath, speaking sternly I\ How could you, mother! MATER {Sewing, as Michael his hands in his pockets turns awayJ] I can't very well. RUDOLF You sized me up pretty small, Dean. MICHAEL Did I ? Forgive me ; I'm tired, c 18 MATER MATER \With a glance of solicitude^ Tired, boy ? [She sits on a chair beside Michael, sewing on the button .] RUDOLF That's all right. But I didn't catch your drift, just. Next time I start something doing, how am I to know whether it's right or wrong ? MICHAEL The only test of right and wrong is common sense. MATER So it is, dear. There's my own philosopher. RUDOLF Well, then, ain't it common sense for us Americans to develop our national resources ? MICHAEL Yes, so long as we, as a nation, develop them to the one common-sense end. RUDOLF What's that? , MICHAEL National happiness; nothing else. RUDOLF Why, of course. That's why we're all in business. MATER 19 MICHAEL Is it? I think not. You're in business for busi ness ; nothing else. You see to the end of your nose and then your eyes cross. So the huge world of busi ness, in which you are an atom, careens in a vast orbit of itself chasing forever the end of existence, as a kitten the end of its tail. RUDOLF Hmm ! I don't see it. Why, man, nothing can stop us from going it, just like we are only more so. It's Destiny ; and I say, it's great. Don't you ? MICHAEL What's great ? RUDOLF Just being America. And since it's great, why then wheat and steel, people and towns, the more the merrier. MICHAEL The more indeed if it be the merrier. But no more if it be not the merrier. The need of our country to-day is not more towns, but happier towns ; not more men, but happier men ; not life itself, unless it be life worth living. RUDOLF Oh, come, Dean. You know you want America to be the greatest nation on the globe. MICHAEL I do ! I want America to be the Hercules not the megatherium of the nations. 20 MATER RUDOLF The mega which ? MATER [Rising, and puffing aside her sewing materials^ Now, baby boy, you're a poet. MICHAEL [ With a gesture of chagrin, sits in the chair she has just left.] Then let me be exiled. Poets ! Your old friend Plato had one good idea, he banished all poets from his Republic. The whole pack of 'em have been bitten with mad words and got the logomania. They should be muzzled. \Mater comes behind the chair and, while he continues talk ing, hovers over him, smoothes his coat collar, takes some threads off his shoulder, sleeks his hair with her hands and, taking her scissors, snips some wry locks over his ears. ] Whenever the times are in gloom or panic, each breed has his own bark: Inalienable Rights! Return to Nature ! The Truth of Beauty ! The Point of View ! The Voice of Conscience ! You may hear them baying in chorus, tenor and basso, from stump and bar and inkpot and pulpit these moon-dogs of the nation while the people run to and fro, crying " Saved ! " But none yet ever has voiced the excel lent salvation of Common sense. [Leaping tipJ] What on earth are you doing, Mater ? MATER 21 MATER [Standing beside the empty chair, clicks her shears and bows toward Mary y with the urbanity of a hairdresser.] Next ! MARY Oh, this is too bad. You keep spoiling it all. MATER {Trilling her r>s a la Frangais.] Ah, Madame, but with a pretty pompadour and a little rat's nest inside, n'est ce pas ? [She rumples Mary's hair with her fingers.] MARY [Escaping from her.~] Mother, why haven't you a little maturity ? MATER [Pensively. ~\ I suppose I gave birth to it all, dear, when you were born. MARY If only you wouldn't break in on serious discus sions. You know you know nothing of politics. Where are those infants' clothes for the Orphans' Home ? MATER The little night-gowns ? They're loves ! I've fin ished them. 22 MATER MARY Pack them up, please. I promised them for the Alliance meeting this afternoon. MATER [Going to the closet.~\ I'll show them to you. {Opening the closet door, she lifts some heaped articles of apparel, and lays them in a basket J] MICHAEL [Gazing before him, ostensibly speaking to Mary.'] Yes ! The orchards of Reason are ripening : already the people have begun to pluck. Out of their sufferings, surely, very surely, rises the sane revolution of joy. [ With a great breath.'] And I shall be one of the Orchard-keepers ! One of the vindicators of philosophy ! MATER [Approaching with her basket, filled with baby-clothes, smiles quaintly at MichaelJ] " How charming is divine philosophy ! Not harsh and crabbed as dull fools suppose, But musical as is Apollo's lute " [Turning and presenting the basket J] Mary, here are your nighties. MARY [Starting awayj] They're not mine ! MATER 23 MATER Really ? \Holding up a tiny night-gown with drawers^ Rudolf, are they yours ? MARY [ Exaspera ted. ] Mater ! \Snatching the nightie.~\ That's simply impossible ! MATER There ! I knew it. [Bubbling with mirth, she puts back the basket in the closet] RUDOLF [Explaining, with obtuse earnestness] She means, they're for the Orphan Asylum. MATER \_Beckoning to Rudolf, looks at Mary and Michael. The former has joined her brother at the large table, where he has spread some manuscripts. Beyond them hangs the portrait of the Senator] Rudolf, look at them both. Can you see them distinctly ? RUDOLF [Mystified.] See them ? MATER Those two in a rosy cloud there. 24 MATER RUDOLF You mean MATER The future presidents of the United States and Vassar College ! Tell me : Can you guess where I ever got them ? RUDOLF You mean MATER Not so loud! They are fairies out of Mother Goose. / was the goose. I lived in an old little barn yard, under a hill. Oh, it was ages ago ! RUDOLF Do you mean MATER [Nodding mysteriously^ 'Way back in New England on the sunshiny side of the hill. One lone, little, yellow-feather, sunny- weather goose, with a sky-blue puddle for a hand-glass. That was me! Do you want to know how it all happened ? In a storm! 'Twas spring o' the year, just at equinox, when the winds ruffle your feathers till they show the white. That's why I turned tail for home. But before I could reach my hand-glass, there he stood! Tall black terrible his head high in the thunder, his beautiful eyes in the darkness black, an ink-black swan ! MATER 25 RUDOLF [In a low voice, looking toward the portrait!] You mean MATER [Nods with a reminiscent smile.'] Him. My dear, fancy it ! I had never seen even a gander before. And now, in a glare of lightning that wonderful swan-dragon ! For his feathers in the dark were fiery scales ; his crest was like purple iris ; his eyes were far up and starry ; and when he struck at the storm with his flashing beak, the sky was all fire. Just a clap of thunder, and the hillside was far away. On his great black wings he bore me high over the world, and we lighted, at break of day, on the golden dome of a Capitol. Heigho, Mother Goose ! Mother Goose ! In the shadow of the golden dome she hatched two chicks, and will you believe me ? All their goosequills were ink-black. MICHAEL [Tugging with his teeth at his pen-holder. ~] Double damnation on this pen ! MATER [To Rudolf.'] Hush ! He's pulling one out with his beak. MICHAEL First it's busted and now it's rusted in. [Flinging it to the floor and rising.'] 26 MATER How many times, Mater, have I asked you to keep a clean new pen on my desk ! MATER Dear swan-boy, I thought MICHAEL But you didn't do it. I want one ready always ready. MATER [ Whimsically. ~\ Boy? MICHAEL I know, Mater, but bad pens are used only in Purgatory. MATER [Going closer to him.~\ Don't you like daffodils ? Smell ! MICHAEL [Looks down at the wreath^\ What ? Where did you get them, this time of year ? MATER You know, that pleasant gentleman what's his name ? [Mary, in precipitate haste, reaches over and pulls Mater's gown. Mater turns to her.~\ Anything wrong with my skirt ? \Mary, glancing toward Rudolf, makes to Mater indescribable faces of cautionary silence, which she ignores^ MATER 27 Oh, of course ; you remember it, Mary, Mr. Lucky, or Sullen, or RUDOLF Who? MARY I don't know what you're talking about, mother. And I don't think it can be of any great conse quence. MATER Of course not. The only question of great conse quence in all the world at this minute is remem ber it ! [She pauses, raising one monitory finger as in grave portent.~\ MICHAEL {Interested.] What ? MATER [With a ripple of laughter, throws herself into his arms.] Do you love me ? MICHAEL [Returning her hug] Ha, little Mater ! You are good for nothing but sewing and singing MATER [Playfully.] And silliness ! MICHAEL And silliness. 28 MATER MATER And soap-bubble castles ! MICHAEL And chateaus in Spain ! MATER \Wistfully ^ And nothing else ? MICHAEL And nothing else. But I like you better than MATER \_Quickly. ] Politics I MICHAEL Better even than politics ! MATER I don't believe it. Prove it. MICHAEL [Shrugs. ~\ How? MATER You are all worn out. This pen-holder is my witness. Come with me for a lark in the country for one week. MICHAEL In the country this week! And every day a campaign speech till election ! MATER 29 MATER So : " Better than politics ! " perjurer ! MICHAEL Besides, you don't understand. If you want me to be well, if that's what you're after MATER \Passionately. ~\ It's all I'm after. MICHAEL There's one sure road to that. MATER Tell me. MICHAEL I must be elected. [ With deep vehemence.'} I must be elected ! MATER [Troubled.'] And if you shouldn't be ? MICHAEL Then I will not rest, day or night, till I am. Not if I die for it ! MATER Don't, Michael. MICHAEL I know the goal, I know the path, for our people. 30 MATER I have pointed out the goal as a writer ; I must help to shape the path as a representative ! MATER [Quietly.-] I know. You are like him. MICHAEL Tell me that I am, Mater. It heartens me. MATER I have a little picture of him, just at your age. MICHAEL At my age ? MATER [Lifting from the table a little gold-framed mirror holds it close to Michael 's face '.] Look. MICHAEL So like as that ? [Mater hides her face against him. ~\ I thank God for it. The world shall meet him again in me. Little Mater, there is a vow I want to make aloud, and I want you and Mary to make it with me, here by his portrait, as I remember him. MATER [Starting back with a frightened look.} I don't like vows. MICHAEL [Slowly.'} You don't like vows ? MATER 31 MATER Good people never keep them. That is, they oughtn't. MICHAEL Oughtn't ! MATER I mean, they needn't. You see, it mortgages the * future with the past. MICHAEL My future is in endless debt to his past. MATER Don't say that, boy. He he wouldn't like it. MICHAEL Have you forgotten what day it is ? What anni versary ? MATER Oh, I hate anniversaries. MICHAEL But to-day the reminder of MATER Not of that ! He was never that. He was life. He was always life. K MICHAEL That's my vow our vow, Mater. Come ! 32 MATER MATER [Hesitant.] I'd rather will it please you ? MICHAEL [ With startled sadness.'] Will it not you ? MATER [Cheerfully.] Oh, very much indeed ! [To Mary, drawing her affectionately.'] Come, my other swan ! [Hugging them both.] Dear, incredible twins ! MARY [ With an impulsive caress,~\ Liebes Miitterchen ! MICHAEL [Looking up at the portrait, speaks simply '.] Father, one year ago the vision fell from your eyes, the power from your hand. To-day I take up both and restore them to you in myself. And my self I dedicate, as you dedicated yourself, to our country's leadership. The way is open at last. In this campaign my career begins without fetters and without deceit. Uncompromisingly I will walk in your clean path, uncompromisingly these women will help me in this vow. [Turning with emotion to Mater and MaryJ] MATER 33 Won't you ? \_Mater and Mary go to him affectionately. As they do so the telephone on the desk before them rings. Michael sits and lifts the receiver.~\ Oh, it's you, Cullen. Good morning. MATER Why, it's that delightful MARY Hush, mother ! MICHAEL [At the telephone.] What's that ? Yes, I can see you. You'd like me to decide to-day. Well, what's the proposition ? [A pause. Michael's brow suddenly knits, and with his right hand he crushes some papers on the table] Four thousand dollars. And you want me Con sidering the what ? Oh, the great consequences. A trifle, of course ! You will explain ? I think, sir, it will be necessary. The sooner the better. An alternative, you say. What is it ? I see ; you will explain. Yes, she is at home. What of it ? RUDOLF {Starting] Who's at home ? {Mater smiles at Mary. Mary turns away] 34 MATER MICHAEL What? I don't catch it. Oh, very well. In quarter of an hour ; all right. \_He hangs up the receiver.] MATER Be careful ; you're crumpling your nice manu scripts. \_Michael rises and lets the crushed papers slip scattering from his hand] MICHAEL I see. They will initiate me behind closed doors. I shall be a knight of their secret order one of the mighty oligarchs of our democracy. God ! It was almost mine, I had almost touched it, and now contamination ! contamination ! [ffe staggers and sinks into a chair. ~] MATER [Bending over him.~\ Boy, what is it ? [Mary and Rudolf come near on either side.~\ MARY [To Rudolf.] Some brandy. MICHAEL [With a gesture.] No. MATER Your work is wearing you out, dear. MATER 35 MICHAEL \_Looking at the three, ,] My work is stopped for the present. MATER Thank heaven ! MICHAEL I am not to be elected. MARY Michael ! RUDOLF Gad! MICHAEL Not this year. \_Itising.~] But I will be elected at last ! MATER What has happened? What did that charming Mr. Cullen want of you ? MICHAEL A little matter of four thousand dollars. MARY For what ? MICHAEL To make a very old mare go. MARY A mare ! 36 MATER MICHAEL You never heard of the all-party mascot ? Why, she's an old stager. She helped to pull the Congres sional coach in pioneer days, and to-day she is hitched to the campaign band-wagon. Her off eye winks ; three legs of her are black, and all four are game. But she's a live old mare yet, is old Bribery. MATER [ Who has been counting on her finger sl\ Four thousand you said ? That's not so much. MICHAEL Considering the great consequences a trifle ! MATER {Jubilantly^ Don't worry, boy. I've got it. MICHAEL [Darkly.] What? MATER I've got \_Aware of his contracting brows~\ ; an idea. / will see Mr. Cullen. [X MICHAEL See Cullen? You! MATER 37 MATER Woman to man, you know. MICHAEL What in nonsense do you mean by woman to man ? MATER Oh, just Eve and Adam and all that. MICHAEL Mater, are you daft or aren't you grown-up yet? MATER Forty-four next month, my dear. Is Mr. Cullen coming this morning? MICHAEL He is. What can you have to say to him ? MATER I shall say to him that you have nervous dyspepsia, and he must elect you immediately. MICHAEL And for this you'll hand him a cheque for four thousand dollars ? MATER [ With naivete.~\ Not all in a cheque. The money's mostly in Sav ings Banks. 38 MATER MICHAEL And you were married to father for twenty-six years ! , \_He walks away.~\ MATER And, my dear, while he was in the Senate, I helped him out of many such pickles. MICHAEL [ Turning fiercely."] Mater ! Not like this ! You never paid money for father in a case like this ! MATER No ; he never would let me. That's just the way he would scowl. But then I contrived somehow, and it always came out all right. MICHAEL Somehow ! What do you mean ? MATER Why, your father, you know, could see only one right thing at a time ; but I always manage to see several points of view. MICHAEL Points of view are perdition. MATER 39 MATER So he told me. MICHAEL A given act must be right or wrong ; not both. MATER Common sense or nonsense, of course ! So when ever I found some necessary little compromise MICHAEL Compromise ! And father knew of this ? MATER [Startled at his voice.~\ Oh, never at the time. I always told him after wards, and then we'd make up. MICHAEL This is terrible. " Afterwards ! " How could he make up ! I can't bear it. [Going toward the door, lower left.~\ Let me know when Cullen arrives. And here [Indicating some newspaper clippings on the tabkl\ Please attend to these. Come, Mary ; I must talk with you upstairs. [Pausing at the door, which Mary opens.'} Mater, one thing you must promise me now : Never to meddle in my career without my knowl- 4