TO-MORROW OTHER WORKS BY PERCY MACKAYE The Canterbury Pilgrims. A Comedy Jeanne A Arc. A Tragedy Sappho and Phaon. A Tragedy Fenris, the Wolf. A Tragedy A Garland to Sylvia. A Dramatic Reverie The Scarecrow. A Tragedy of the Ludicrous Yankee Fantasies. Five One-Act Plays. Mater. An American Study in Comedy. Anti-Matrimony. A Satirical Comedy Poems Lincoln: A Centenary Ode The Playhouse and the Play. Essays TO-MORROW A Play in Three Acts BY PERCY MACKAYE NEW YORK FREDERICK A. STOKES. COMPANY PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1912, by PERCY MACKAYE This play has been copyrighted and published simul taneously in the United States and Great Britain. All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages, including the Scandinavian. All acting rights, both professional and amateur, are reserved, in the United States, Great Britain and all countries of the Copyright Union, by Percy MacKaye. Performances forbidden and right of representation re served. Piracy or infringement will be prosecuted in accordance with penalties provided by the United States Statutes: Sec. 4966, U. S. Revised Statutes, Title 60, Chap. 3. Application for the right of performing this play should be-vnafa to the author. Persons desiring to 1 read this play professionally in public v)0Ui$ first apply to the, author. January, 1912 PREFACE IN our age, which is opening new vistas of leader ship for women, the concept and opportunity of woman as the creative arbiter, through selection, of our race and its future, must constitute a living theme for national thought and action. At a time, also, when the racial meanings of child hood are being deeply considered, the concept and opportunity of children as the creative instruments of a happier to-morrow, must become a practical issue in education. Of all demonstrable visions, the truths of biology give perhaps the securest pledge of beauty and hap piness for the race a pledge more fair and true than the earlier prophecies of a poetry divorced from science. For the social, political, religious aspects of our life are radically conditioned by the biological. Since man himself is the master-sower of our planet, the nature of the human seed itself practically determines the sowing and the harvest of mankind. All contemporary problems, for instance such as those of labor and capital, conservation, temperance, 241201 vi PREFACE white slavery exist primarily in the nature of hu man beings, conditioned by the laws of heredity. Heredity thus becomes the prime factor of a con structive future for the race. While heredity remained a mysterious force un- analyzed, it naturally took on those aspects of an immutable fate so vividly delineated in the ancient Greek tragedies, and still hauntingly shadowed forth in the plays of Ibsen. Fundamentally reduced, however, to law, and definitely related to mathematics, by the rediscovery of the law of Mendel within the last decade, the truths of heredity appear radically to modify the human meanings of fate, and permanently to condi tion predestination by the growth of reason. Mendel s discovery is, to be sure, only a beginning in his great field, but it is apparently a beginning as revolutionary as the discoveries of Copernicus and Newton in theirs, and gives promise of being eventu ally as influential upon human society. Genera tions, perhaps centuries, may have to elapse before man shall be able to apply the laws of heredity as definitely to his own destiny as to that of plants and animals ; but the demonstration that he may with rea son make it his aim to do so, dates from our own day. Essentially related to the new science of eugenics, Mendelism has as yet hardly begun to influence art PREFACE vii or popular feeling. It is, however, the chief basis of positive, constructive eugenics, as medical research is the chief basis of negative eugenics. Positive eugenics is concerned with the improve ment of the human breed, through selection; nega- jtiye eugenics with its safeguarding from racial poisons, through the spread of medical knowledge. Both aspects are, of course, incalculably impor tant. Emphasizing the negative aspect, the dramatic work of Brieux has doubtless performed the fore most pioneering of modern art. The negative em phasis, however, has perhaps necessarily veiled the constructive vision of beauty and joy inherent in the positive aspect. Our world is hideously unhappy, and the insuf ferable sense of that is the consecration of modern leaders in art. Reality is splendidly their incentive. But reality, thank God, is not merely actually hide ous and sad; it is also potentially beautiful and joy ous. That happy potentiality is no romantic dream ; it is based in reason and mathematical law. To sug gest it in art, in order to actualize it in life, is also the important office and privilege of artists dedicated to reality. Joy is not essentially less dramatic than sorrow, though undoubtedly it is more difficult to dramatize, because joy is experienced far less than pain by viii PREFACE those vast numbers, whom the drama must appeal to. Therefore undoubtedly a more compelling dramatic interest lies in those tragic conflicts inherent in nega tive eugenics than in those more serene, construc tive aspects, which make the vision of to-morrow beautiful. To suggest the latter in portraying a phase of the former, has been an incentive in writing this play. The theme, of course, is big with a thousand plays, differing in treatment. In this one, the overtones of the theme have been for me the alluring motives. No subject of tremendous social importance has ever won the public ear without controversy. Eu genics is no exception. New as its name is, already it has numerous connotations, social, medical, po litical. Already it has its incipient parties. In this preface I refer to it in no controversial sense. In the play it is not I, but the dramatis per sona, who refer to it. Its own essential vitality must tend to free it from the arch enemy of human growth dogmatism. The thoroughbreeding of humanity is too vast a theme for the dictatorship of prejudice. In a new and radical sense, its study is certain to illumine the age-worn adage: " The proper study of mankind is man." P. M-K. CORNISH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, October, 1911. CHARACTERS PETER DALE, Plant-Breeder. MANA,* His Daughter. MARK FREEMAN, His Assistant. MRS. HENSHAWE. JULIAN, Her Son: of the State Senate. ROSALIE, a Child. REV. IGNATIUS SPOFFORD. PROF. RAEBURN, Biologist: of the State University. WESTGATE, Lumberman. MISS WINCH, Reporter. A CHAUFFEUR. A TRAINED NURSE. Mexican and Japanese Laborers. SCENES ACT I. Peter Dale s garden, in northern Califor nia; afternoon. ACT II. Among the cypresses, on the Pacific coast; evening and night. ACT III. The garden again; late afternoon of the next day. *Pronouned: Mah-na, IX ACT FIRST ACT FIRST The garden of PETER DALE, in northern California. On the right is visible the end of a greenhouse, beside which vines are growing. Through the open door are seen tables, reaching beyond sight; on these are low boxes filed with seedling plants. Around the corner of the greenhouse, up scene, a path leads to a gate, beyond view, and a roadway, also unseen but indicated by its border of tall eucalyptus trees, in the right back ground. The groundplan of the scene is filled with beds of bright flowers poppies, amaryllis, and other varied species through which a broad central path leads back to another which crosses it in the middle ground; Ms is bordered behind by tall cactus plants in bloom, and here the central path ends. Beyond the cactus bed, an orchard of young fruit trees stretches green toward dull- golden mountains and bright azure sky. The immediate foreground is a wide path which di vides, on the left, around the circle of a pool, with lilies. Beside the broad, cement margin of this pool, a curved bench stands beneath ilex trees. Behind this bench the path leads off, left. 4 TO-MORROW It is early afternoon. Shimmering sunlight intensi fies the colors of the -flowers. Midway the cen tral path, the still figure of PETER DALE stands contemplating. He is dressed in a gray swal low-tail suit of antedated style. Under a wide palm-leaf, Chinese hat, pointed at the crown, his short, white hair accentuates the ruddy sunburn of his shaven face and fine-cut features. With both hands folded over a large blank-book, he gazes, in quizzical quiet, at a flower beside him. From nearby, on the right, the thin, sweet voice of a child is heard lilting to an improvised mel- THE CHILD S VOICE Starfish, starfish, Answer me the wish I wish! PETER turns toward the sound, with a pensive smile, over which comes a shade of sadness; then, turn ing again to the flower, he takes from his pocket a piece of white string, squats on one heel in the path, and ties the string to the plant s stalk, jott mg a note in his book with a pencil. THE CHILD S VOICE With my fingers in the dark I can feel your thorny spark: By its light, how far how far Is a starfish from a star? TO-MORROW 5 Around the corner of tlie greenhouse, the tall, spare form of MARK FREEMAN comes slowly striding. He is a young man, about twenty-five, powerful in build, sinewy like a mountaineer. His strong face is sun-tanned; his brown arms are bare be low the rolled sleeves of a red shirt thrust into khaJci trousers. On his shoulders with one hand clutching a starfish, the other MARK S col lar ^ a little girl rides plg-a-back, her bright curls fluttering close to his tumbled, dark hair. Arriving in the foreground, MARK swings the child down upon her feet by the greenhouse door, against which he places her empty hand. Feeling the door-frame and the vines with a quick touch, she stands a moment, groping, while MARK gazes down at her. Then confi dently she walks, with outstretched hands MARK following her to the edge of the pool, where she sits and plays with the starfish. By her actions it is evident that she cannot see. PETER rises, and the two men look at the child with tenderness. PETER Keeps happy. MARK Always just so. 6 TO-MORROW ROSALIE [Without looking up.~\ Hello, Father Peter! PETER Hello, Goldylocks! [PETER leads MARK toward the flower, and points to the white string. MARK ejaculates with pleas ure. ] MARK What? No! PETER There s the fellow we ve been waiting for. MARK Blue! the blue poppy! [At the pool, ROSALIE dips the starfish in and out of the water, lilting to her rhythmic motion.] ROSALIE Sea-star, sea-star, Say who wished us what we are ! PETER [Examining the poppy with MARK.] Just a shade too purple: a shade yet. ROSALIE [Haltingly.] By your sharp and prickly light Through the numb and awful night TO-MORROW i From Amoeba to Arcturus Who shall lead and reassure us? [Calling. ] Mark! What s Amoeba? MARK Now that s telling, Rosalie. Ask the master. ROSALIE Father Peter, you tell! I know Arcturus: That s the big Shasta daisy that grows in the gar den up there [Pointing overhead] when I m asleep. And there s lots and lots of littler ones. Mana says so. From Amoeba to Arcturus PETER Did Mana teach you that? ROSALIE Yes, but she didn t say about Amoeba. What s Amoeba? PETER Amoeba was the first water-baby. He was the daddy of Jack and Jill. But that s Once-upon-a- time ! [He sits on the bench. ROSALIE jumps to her feet and reaches toward him.~\ ROSALIE Oh, it s a story ! 8 TO-MORROW PETER Most as old as Mother Morey. [Taking her outstretched hands, PETER nestles her to him.] ROSALIE TeU me I PETER Well, it was this way. Mother Morey you know Mother Morey? [ROSALIE nods.] Well, her given maiden name was Nature. Now, quite some time before the Mayflower landed, she got married to Old Morey. ROSALIE What was his maiden name? PETER Well, his front name was Phoebus. He was a bright, warm-hearted fellow Old Phoebus Morey. When he married Mother Nature, they picked out a little, round, span-new bungalow, called the world, and started in housekeeping. Morey boiled the ket tle, and Mother sprinkled the salt. So they got along nicely. But by and by, Mother she began to fuss. " Now, now, Mother," says Old Morey, " what s the matter?" TO-MORROW 9 " There s matter enough, Phoebus," says she, " but there s no little home folks here to cook it for." " What s the good o fussing ? " says he. " What s the good o cooking for just ourselves," says she. So Mother Nature she fussed and fussed, till one warm morning, when she was stirring the salt water, she peeked into the kettle, and there sitting right in the bubbles guess what she found ! ROSALIE What? PETER A wee mite of a rolypoly j elly-belly water-baby ! ROSALIE Oh, was it Amoeba? PETER Amoeba it was, sure enough. " Do look, Phoebus dear ! " says she. " Isn t this a promising boy ? " "He ll do for a start-off, Mother. Guess we ll make a man of him yet." " I do believe," says Mother, " I do believe he s growing already ! " And just then while they were talking Amoeba began to puff himself. He puffed and he puffed, till piff! 10 TO-MORROW ROSALIE What happened? PETER Amoeba was gone ! ROSALIE Where? PETER Split clean in half: There was two of him ! One was Jack and t other was Jill; and right then and there they crawled out of the sticky salt water, and began to climb up that hill. [PETER rises and takes ROSALIE by the hand.} ROSALIE The one Jack fell down? PETER That same old stumble-up and tumble-down hill ! [He begins to lead her up the central path. ] And do you know, Goldylocks : from that day, all the Jacks and Jills in the world have been hunting for the wonderful well-water way up on the hilltop. ROSALIE Will they ever find it? PETER Maybe, maybe. If they don t scramble and scratch and pull each other down, like silly children ; TO-MORROW 11 and if they learn how to listen to old Mother Nature / guess they will. ROSALIE [Pulling loose from PETER S hand] Follow me, Father Peter! [She moves lightly ahead of him, with outstretched hands. 1 I know the garden. / know the paths. [Along the middle ground path, she goes off, left, through the -flowers, humming to herself:] Jack and Jill Went up the hill PETER [Following the child, looks back with a quaint smile. ] It s "follow your leader," Mark: the blind still leading the blind. Coming along? MARK Count on me, sir, for your procession. [Pausing, PETER looks back at MARK, with kindly scrutiny.] PETER Thanks. I am counting on you, Mark. Looks like maybe there s a big stumble ahead, for some of us where that little one is leading. MARK A stumble? 12 TO-MORROW - PETER In the dark. Two weeks she s been here? MARK Just about. PETER And Mana s a great sight fond of her. MARK Grows fonder every day. PETER Noticed it? MARK It s mighty plain. What s wrong about it? PETER [Looking again in MARK S face, with friendly gaze.] There s my hand. MARK There s mine, sir. [They clasp hands. \ PETER That s all. If anything should go wrong in the garden, I guess I can count on a right-hander. MARK And proud of your confidence, sir. [PETER turns away, left. Glancing affectionately TO-MORROW 13 toward MARK, and shaking his own left hand playfully with his right, he goes off. MARK, tak ing a pronged iron from beside the greenhouse, begins to follow him, but stops at the head of the central path to look at a bed of seedling cacti. Here, with his back turned, he stoops down and begins to uproot the seedlings with the iron prong. From the right is heard the click and closing of a gate, and soon, along the middleground path, there enters a man of about thirty-five, simply dressed in gray, with a straw Panama hat. He is quiet-mannered, and wears glasses, behind which his eyes twinkle pleasantly. He is about to pass MARK, but looking closer, touches him on the shoulder. ,] THE MAN Well, well: Mark Freeman! [Looking up, MARK gets to his feet with a smile. } MARK Professor Raeburn ! Glad to see you, sir. RAEBURN [Shaking MARK S hand.~\ What are you doing here? MARK Back again with the master. 14 TO-MORROW RAEBURN Lucky fellow! So it s all flowers with you now. MARK Well, flowers, fruit trees, berry vines, and just plain plants. RAEBURN Experimenting? MARK Always at it. He s made another vegetable lately : potatoes grafted on tomato vines. He s still testing it. RAEBURN And what a glorious laboratory you have here! This is better than ours in the university. We miss you over there, Freeman: you and that rare fellow- student of yours. MARK Miss Dale, you mean. RAEBURN She was one in a lifetime. Do you know, before she came to my class, I had taught biology for years, and never knew it was poetry. She taught me that. Wonder how she did it! MARK Just enjoyed it, I guess. TO-MORROW 15 RAEBURN That s it. Nothing is dull to her. I call her the joy-dynamo. Everything she touches shoots out sparks of pleasure. She seems as happy to compute the orbit of a star as to ride a wild bronco bare back. MARK That s her raising, sir. RAEBURN I wish there were more raised like her? MARK There may be in California. RAEBURN You re right, Freeman: Here is the kingdom of To-morrow. Which reminds me: Have you seen the plans for our new state-house? MARK No. RAEBURN Well, there s to be a dome on it, decorated with paintings Art, Philosophy, Law allegorical fig ures : the same old, worn-out goddesses. If I had my say, you know what I d do? MARK What s that? 16 TO-MORROW RAEBURN Scrape the walls clean of em all, and place there instead, high up no, not a painting, but an image, lighted mysteriously: a young girl, strong like a man, reaching upward, half seen through incense; and under her foot a starfish, and over her fore head a star. MARK [Thoughtfully. } That s queer. RAEBURN What? MARK [Touching with his prong tJie starfish on- the ground, murmurs aloud.] That s what the child just now RAEBURN [More to himself than to MARK.] And to name our new goddess, I d have painted dimly in gold around the dome, one word: TO MORROW. MARK To-morrow: that s her name, you know. RAEBURN Miss Dale s name? TO-MORROW 17 MARK I called her that when we were kids to gether back in the mountains. We were neigh bors there, in the redwoods. She had an old Mexican nurse, so she used to prattle Spanish. I only under stood one word: Mariana, To-morrow. I used to make fun of her with it. Mana, I called her. Mary s her given name, but Mana has always stuck to her. RAEBTJRN Mana the maiden To-morrow! Yes, that s fit ting: The old procrastinating word of the dreamy dons Americanized, made brief, to name the oppo site spirit of our new age: .to-morrow, foresight, dreams that act and look forward that s Mana. [Along the middleground path, left, ROSALIE enters, and passes groping with outreached hands behind the greenhouse. RAEBURN watches her curiously, and turns to MARK.] Who was that? MARK A little waif girl. RAEBURN [With a gesture.] Is she ? MARK Blind yes. Mana brought her here from the asylum about a fortnight ago. 18 TO-MORROW RAEBURN What adopted her ? MARK No ; she s been adopted by a friend of Mana s ; Mr. Henshawe. He s interested in charities. RAEBURN Not Julian Henshawe? the young senator? MARK He s the man. RAEBURN That s good news. I m glad to know he s inter ested in the blind. I ve got to see him about passing our new eugenics bill. That may help to stop some nameless causes of blindness. MARK How s that? RAEBURN By preventing the congenitally blind from ever being created. [By the greenhouse path enter two men. One, of middle height, vividly handsome, restless in ges ture, of about forty years, is dressed elegantly in riding clothes and carries a short whip. The other, stocky, sun-burned, about fifty, is dressed plainly and smokes a cigar. The older man, TO-MORROW 19 walking close in front of the younger and un consciously retarding his steps, is speaking earnestly, in a downright, uneducated manner. ~\ THE STOCKY MAN Eighty foot in twelve years! That s what took me, sir. And hard, clean-grained timber. Eighty foot high, two foot diameter, in twelve years! THE OTHER [Politely.] Remarkable ! THE STOCKY MAN And he bred them trees from mean, old walnut stock trash that wa n t more n thirty foot high in a century. He s done it, sir. I ve tested the trees. That s why I tell you, Senator Henshawe, he s a practical man. JULIAST [Nodding approval.] Undoubtedly, my dear Westgate ! WESTGATE Oh, I know there s folks call Peter Dale a fool dreamer. He s sunk a fortune breedin new-fangled flowers, with fancy cologne perfumes. Well, I ain t got no smell. And some folks say his cherries are plums and his plums be peaches. Well, I ain t got no 20 TO-MORROW taste. But I m a lumberman, and I say he beats the Lord at makin trees. JULIAN [Trying deftly to pass WESTGATE on the path.} I must beg your pardon WESTGATE [Buttonholing him.~\ Oh, no harm intended, Senator. I just talk plain business. I deal in forests. I see the sawmills skinnin the land s back like a dead squirrel. I skin it myself. It s business. Now, sir, it s just this: A skinned squirrel don t fetch much for fur; and I tell you the last tip o the land s tail is in sight. What s the cure? Why, breedin , sir: tree-breedin ; and Peter Dale s the doctor. He s goin to grow them hills a new hide o forests before we can tan the old one. JULIAN [Visibly bored, but still affable.} Most interesting. But where do I WESTGATE You come in? That s easy I You come in on that Forest Improvement Bill. That proposes for the government to back Peter Dale in his breedin experiments, and to start other experts along the same trail. TO-MORROW 21 JULIAN But I thought WESTGATE You thought, maybe, the lumber interests was against it? But we ain t! No, sir: [TF^/t a wi/rik] we re gettin put wise. We want to hog the future as much as the present. So go ahead, Senator; go right ahead. RAEBURN [Having spoken aside with MARK, approaches. ] And may I add my word, Senator? JULIAN [Turning cordially. ] Ah, Professor Raeburn! How are you? RAEBURN What applies to flowers and fruits and forest trees, applies even more does it not ? to men. JULIAN I don t quite follow. RAEBUEN Take our farms and lumber industries good stock is their foundation: Sound wheat, sound cat tle, sound timber we have learned to breed these better, scientifically. 22 TO-MORROW JULIAN Very true. Well? RAEBURN So with men and women, Americans, our people breed is the sinew and soul of us : Sound Americans, Senator, better Americans we must learn to breed them, scientifically. WESTGATE [Winking at JULIAN.] Say, he s dotty. I knowed he was a professor. JULIAN [To RAEBURN.] ^^ You interest me. Does this Eugenics Bill pro pose that the government shall go into the human live stock improvement business? RAEBURN It proposes, sir, that the people shall raise their children as carefully as their sheep and cattle. JULIAN In what way? RAEBURN In two ways: By forbidding the production of the worst stock, and by encouraging the production of the best. TO-MORROW 23 JULIAN And who is to decide what stock is the worst? RAEBURN The doctors. There are racial poisons, perfectly well known, which ravage the homes of our people with disease, insanity and crime far more terrible than tuberculosis or the smallpox. The laws of their spreading are understood and preventable. JULIAN Indeed ! [He pauses a moment, playing with his whip.] And the best stock : Who understands the laws of breeding the best? EAEBURN The biologists of to-morrow. To-day we stand only at the outer gate, but we have the key which may unlock a vast kingdom of human happiness: the law of Mendel. Our Eugenics Bill provides that the government shall help to conquer that kingdom by three means : investigation, education, legislation. *4^ JULIAN My dear Professor [JULIAN gives a light laugh] that Bill may be passed by the Senate of the year 2000, not before. [He starts to leave.] 24 TO-MORROW RAEBURN Possibly ; but I had counted, sir, that you JULIAN Pardon me, please. I have important business, and must get to it. [Speakmg to MARK.] I sa y young fellow 1 Where s Mr. Dale? MARK [With a leimrely glance at JULIAN, points off left.} Over there. He s busy. [JULIAN moves quickly away. RAEBURN follows him a few steps.} RAEBURN Senator Henshawe! One section of our Bill will interest you, I m sure. I understand you are spe cially interested in the blind. JULIAN [Pausing rigidly, speaks low and constrained.] What! I? RAEBURN The section relates to marriages, where the taint which causes so much congenital blindness TO-MORROW 25 JUUAN [Flicking off a cactus -flower with Ms whip. } That for your Bill! [He goes quickly off, left.] RAEBURN [Taken aback.] Well! [He takes off Ms glasses and dusts them, glancing oddly at MARK.] Did you say Senator Henshawe had adopted the little blind girl? MAIIK [Slowly, returning RAEBURN S look.] So they say. RAEBURN [Readjusting his glasses on his nose.] Well. I ll wait for Mr. Dale in the house. [He starts up the greenhouse path.] WESTGATE Say, Professor ! That word s a new one on me. RAEBURN What word? WESTGATE Eu genics : What in the land is it? 26 TO-MORROW RAEBURN It s good breeding in the land. [He goes out, right. ] WESTGATE [Puffing his cigar, stares after him.] Biologists eu genics ~key to the kingdom! Maybe that s the king s English. Tain t mine! Seems like that other feller talks a different lan guage. MARK Most other fellows do. [Sitting on an inverted seed-box in the path, MARK is working at the cactus bed. WESTGATE saun ters over and stands behind him, where he speaks with crisp good-nature to MARK, who barely murmurs his replies, being intent on his work.] WESTGATE Governor busy, eh? MARK Yes. WESTGATE Gettin ready for his big annual test, ain t he? MARK Yes. WESTGATE To-morrer, is it? TO-MORROW 27 MARK Yes. WESTGATE Folks say, he raises a million two-year-old fruit trees, picks out the best one to breed by, and burns the rest for rubbish. Say! One out of a million? L> :hat straight? MARK Yes. WESTGATE [Peering over MARK S shoulder.] Cactus seedlin s ! What are ye weedin out the thorny ones? MARK That s it. WESTGATE Them tall ones, understand they re the thornless variety. Breeds em from the thorny kind, does he? MARK Yes. WESTGATE [Viewing MARK S imperturbable back.] Say! Don t want a job as Cook s Guide, do ye? I ll drop round later and inquire. [WESTGATE strolls up the greenhouse path, and dis appears. Without looking up, MARK continues his weeding. Through the greenhouse door, 28 TO-MORROW DALE springs into the garden, half run ning her arms filled with brilliant chaparral. She is hatless, and sun-browned: a strong girl, in her early twenties, free and joyous in her bearing. She is dressed for horseback. Ap proaching behind MARK, she tosses over him the mass of wild-flowers and grasses.] MARK [Starting up.~\ Mana ! MANA Mark 1 She s an angel from nose to fetlock I MARK [Quizzically. } She is? MANA The new filly. MARK So you ve got a new one? MANA You should have seen us riding riding! Sea, and sand, and sunlight, and miles of golden beach! The wet sand was a mirror, so upsidedown we went galloping double, on and on, till splash! we broke the mirror into fiery glass up to our knees in bursting billows of green foam ! TO-MORROW 29 MARK [Watching her with happy admiration.] No! MANA Yesi And the silvery sea gulls screamed round our flanks, and the silly flamingo.es flapped their rosy wings ! Mark, can you imagine it? MARK [With a quiet laugh. ] Guess I can. So your new horse is a winner. How fast is she? MANA As fast as happiness. I kept a half mile ahead of him. MARK Him? MANA And he wore spurs, too ! MARK Who did? MANA At last I jumped off and waited for him in the chaparral. There! I ve brought you home an armful of it. [Tucking a spray in MARK S shirt. ] Here s wild verbena. 30 TO-MORROW MARK [Thoughtfully.] Mana: Who gave you the new filly? MANA Julian Senator Henshawe. She s his finest thoroughbred ; and he loves her almost as much as MARK As what? MANA Oh, Mark I [She seizes up a vermilion plume from the chaparral, and sways it to her gesture. } Galloping galloping ! The hard sand under my hoofs, the spray in my nostrils, the salt wind in my lungs, and the hot sunshine 1 [From her outreached hand she flings the plume, and stands with fashing eyes.] MARK You re not yourself, Mana. MANA [Starting.] No ; I don t seem to be. MARK Got a spell on? You were never like this before. TO-MORROW 31 MANA Wasn t I ? What was I before ? MARK [Slow and earnest.] See here : I want you to tell me MANA [With sudden introspection, half fearful, as if check ing her thoughts. ] No; you tell me, dear Mark. For I want to hold back and think. Tell me again all that we used to play and plan together. MARK We? MANA Ever since we were children, in the redwoods and in college long ago ! MARK College was only a year ago. MANA [Absently. ] Was it? Tell me. [She sits on the box in the path, trying to focus her thoughts. MARK looks at tier curiously.] MARK What about? 32 TO-MORROW MANA You know : how we used to play. [MARK sits on the ground beside her. She puts one hand amid his tumbled hair. Throughout their scene together, by her instinctive actions and looks, more than by her words, it is evident that she feels for MARK deep trust and affection.] MARK I guess your father gave us our notions. MANA Dear Father Peter! MARK You remember, after he read us " The Descent of Man," he started us off with amoebas and micro scopes MANA And starfish in the aquarium ; yes ! MARK [With a laugh.] Then we were promoted to frog s eggs. And when the little tadpoles hatched out MANA [Smiling.] They grew to frog princes 1 TO-MORROW 33 MARK Then the bone collections! Godfrey, that queer little prehistoric horse! Its skeleton wasn t bigger than a kitten s. MANA Father Peter made a tiny harness for it. MARK Queer play for kids, but fun, wasn t it? MANA [Growing pensive again.] Playing is lots of fun. MARK When I see other kids, Mana, I realize the maste raised us different. MANA I wonder did he raise us too different ! MARK To make good with our great experiment? MANA What was it? I half forget. MARK Why, getting married. 34 TO-MORROW MANA [Closing Tier eyes.] Tell me about that! MARK You remember our Utopian colony ! We re to go out into the desert in Arizona, with the cactus plants in our schooners, you with your mate and I with mine, and there MANA [Murmurs.] Into the desert ! MARK And there we re to start the millennium. [With a smile.] That s easy. For the master, he s to pick you a husband, and me a wife; and the thornless cactus [MANA touches his arm, as if to interrupt, then speaks low.] MANA Go on. MARK That s to reclaim the desert, and be our vine and fig tree. So there we re to teach our children to live simply, and to go on selecting wisely other mates, till maybe the master s dream TO-MORROW 35 MANA Oh, it s dreaming of dreams! MARK More than likely ; but anyhow, there s the cactus - not a thorn on it ! Ten years ago, that was dream ing of dreams. MANA [Starting up.~\ No, it s no use! MARK [Anxiously.] Man a ? MANA I told you to tell it, but it has no meaning now. Now / must tell you ah, real wonders ! MARK [Rising slowly. } Tell MANA We re to be married ! MARK [After a pause, deeply. ~] So. MANA Now you know. 36 TO-MORROW MARK [Breathing quick. ] Him? The Senator? [MANA nods; then cries out, impetuously. ] MANA Mark, dear ! kiss me ! [She moves toward MARK, naive, confiding. He ex tends his hand, abrupt, unconsciously holding her off. She takes it, bewildered.} MARK [Pressing her hand.] Now I know. [He turns away, dazed by deep emotions of which he is himself unaware. From the path he lifts the iron prong. Bending it slowly in his tightened hands, he flings it heavily from him.] MANA [Wonderingly.] You re not glad that I told you? MARK He: When did he? MANA Now: just to-day. TO-MORROW 37 MARK But you ve hardly met. How long since? A fort night? MANA How long? I don t know. I haven t thought. He just happened like an enchanted knight out of fairyland. MARK Oh, fairyland! MANA He just came and carried me away. MARK So you chose him because he just came? MANA [Puzzled.] Chose him? There was no choice. You don t understand. MARK [Painfully.] No, so it seems. I don t just size up enchant ment. MANA [Wistfully.] You re glad? MARK Tell me this: Does the master know? 38 TO-MORROW MANA Not yet. Julian has gone to tell him. MARK Good. He ll size it up. MANA I wanted to tell you, the first. And now you dear old Mariposa giant won t you give me a hug? MARK [Taking her in his arms, kisses her tenderly.] Little Mana ! MANA [Looking at him affectionately.] Always so solid and calm, like a big, strong hill ! MARK Me? MANA [Listening, like a doctor for a heart-beat.] But not in there. You know what s in there? [MANA raps his chest with her knuckles. The spray of verbena falls from MARK S shirt to the path.] MARK Where? MANA [With a mysterious smile.] Inside the hill. TO-MORROW 39 MARK What? MANA Lava red hot! I can hear it thumping. You know what will happen some day ? MARK When? MANA When this that s happened to me happens to you. MARK Well, what then? MANA The hilltop will burst and blow up, and the lava will rush out and burn things. I wouldn t like to be too near you then. MARK [With a puzzled smile.] Wouldn t you? [Outside, right, the voice of ROSALIE calls: " Mana! Where are you? Mana!" MANA listens. ] MANA Come! Let s go to the child. [Hand in hand, MANA and MARK go round the greenhouse. From the left, on the middle- ground path, enter PETER and JULIAN. PETER 40 TO-MORROW walks slowly, whittling a piece of bamboo. JULIAN slackens his pace to PETER S, visibly con trolling a restless nervousness.] PETER My daughter. So. JULIAN \She s a fresh miracle! There s no other like her in the world. PETER I believe you there. JULIAN Nothing can express, Mr. Dale, how truly I love her. Nothing ! PETER Nothing? Too bad! JULIAN Except my acts: They shall prove it to you. PETER That s better. JULIAN If you would only put me to the test ! PETER Thank you, sir. Believe you re fond of horses. TO-MORROW 41 JULIAN Very. PETER Raise them? JULIAN I keep a stud farm. PETEE Maybe you d tell me: How do you pick the sires? JULIAN By their pedigree. I have them selected by ex perts, here and abroad. PETER Mr. Henshawe: When I was in Egypt, at the tombs of the Pharaohs, I saw there pictures of horses noble thoroughbreds. JULIAN They used selection then, I suppose. PETER Ain t it singular? JULIAN What? PETER How ancient this horse-sense is for horses. 42 TO-MORROW JULIAN [Fidgeting.] I believe I was saying. Your daughter PETER She s a woman, you d say. JULIAN The woman I love. She loves me. I ask to marry her. Will you trust her to me? I have come for your answer. [Sitting on the bench, PETER goes on whittling for a moment; then he hands to JULIAN the piece of bamboo. ,] PETER There you are. JULIAN This! PETER It s bamboo. Squint one eye, and look through it with t other. JULIAN [Starts to do so, but stops, glancing sharply at PETER.] I don t understand. PETER When I was a child, that would have made a rare toy for me. TO-MORROW 43 [He reaches for it; JULIAN hands it to him.] Just see. [Looking through it with one eye, he points it up- ward and about in various directions.] My, what a spy-glass ! Little round sky, blue as marble ; bright green plums ; purple tree tops ; brown squirrel, nibbling a cone; gray cat-bird s nest; and yourself, Senator: You might be the Man-in-the- Moon if I were a child, now. JULIAN [Chafing.] If it pleases you to joke PETER [Quiet and intense."] It don t, sir. It hurts me much to remind you that this stick is a wonderful toy to a happy child that can see, but not to little Goldylocks your child. JULIAN [Starting.] What do you mean? PETER I mean to put you to the test, sir, as you asked me. JULIAN Speak plain, then. 44 TO-MORROW PETER Need I speak plainer? Rosalie was born blind. JULIAN [Controlling himself.] What of that, now, to me? PETER Now, and for always that is my answer. JULIAN [Darkly.] You refuse me Mana? [PETER resumes his whittling.] Because I took pity on a little waif, and adopted her as my child? PETER Pity, sir ! You should have taken pity before she was born. JULIAN Mr. Dale ! PETER I have heard, sir, you have three sisters. JULIAN You ve heard? PETER Two of them became blind at birth. The other has epilepsy. TO-MORROW 45 JULIAN [Wincing.] Who told you that? PETER Need I go on? Your father JULIAN Stop! This is insufferable. PETER What, sir? The truth? JULIAN From whom have you heard these things? PETER From an old school-fellow of your father s. I ve known him since many years: Jlinister Spofford. JULIAN [Startled. } Spofford! PETER He thinks the world of Mana; so he came and told me. JULIAN [In lowered voice.] My God, did he tell? 46 TO-MORROW PETER Everything, Mr. Henshawe: every thing. JULIAN About the child? [PETER nods., whittling.] And did he. And also PETER The mother. Yes. JULIAN What right by God, I say, what right had he to speak, or you to ask? Have you both no honor? PETER Senator Henshawe, sir: I have one daughter. JLf the Angel of Honor should come a-courting her, \I would look up his pedigree. The children of Honor don t always take the prize. JULIAN But Mana: you haven t told Mana? PETER She loves you I m afraid. JULIAN We love each other, Mr. Dale. You didn t tell her? TO-MORROW 47 PETER Love s a great thing, Mr. Henshawe: most as great as reason. JULIAN It would ruin me to her. It would end all. You didn t, Mr. Dale, for God s sake, you didn t? PETER Not for God s sake, sir, but for yours. I thought JULIAN {With a moan of relief.] Ah, thanks for that! PETER I thought you loved her. JULIAN You know that. PETER. I still hope it. JULIAN Can t you see how you ve tortured me? PETER {Putting his hand on JULIAN S shoulder. ] I should have seen it all sooner, my dear boy poor boy ! But I was so busy with these other chil dren [He indicates the flowers], I just didn t see. I m sorry. 48 TO-MORROW [He turns away.~\ My little, poor Mana! JULIAN But you see now don t you ? she must never know. She must never be tortured as I have been. She is too young, too joyous. Besides, she s a girl: vSuch thoughts are not for girls. PETER [Darting a keen glance.] Not, eh? That s queer! How long have you known Mana? JULIAN Less than a month, in time ; a thousand years in love. Love justifies all things. PETER " Love suffereth all, and is kind." JULIAN She shall not suffer, by heaven ! PETER She must, sir. She loves too well: yes, even the little child. JULIAN [With a famt show of cheerfulness.] Oh, well, as for the child the lightning, you know, never strikes twice. The chances are all to the good. TO-MORROW 49 PETER Chances ! [He flushes, with contracting brows. } JULIAN I tell you, I ve consulted a specialist, and he as sures me the chances are one in a thousand PETER [With a terrible look.] Mr. Henshawe! JULIAN [Stiffening.] Sir! [Clutching the bamboo in both hands, PETER looks hard at it, controlling himself. Then, putting it slowly in his pocket, he points right.] PETER That way s to the road. JULIAN Indeed! So I misunderstood? [Moving a few steps, he pauses.] Won t you give me one chance? PETER One chance to poison ? 50 TO-MORROW JULIAN I love her. Won t you listen ? [He follows PETER, and cries out.] You won t tell her? PETER [With deliberation] I ll give you this afternoon to tell her yourself. That s fair. [PETER turns up the central path. After a moment, JULIAN goes right, pausing by the greenhouse door] JULIAN Mr. Dale: Will you leave the decision to her? PETER You and I, sir, have nothing to do with it. [JULIAN goes into the greenhouse. PETER goes slowly left, along the middleground path. On tJie same path, right, MANA enters. Seeing PETER, her face lights up, and she approaches softly behind him] MANA Thinking? PETER [Turning toward her] My girl! [He goes to her and takes her extended hands] TO-MORROW 51 MANA [With eager happiness.] Well? PETER [Looking deep in her eyes.] It s all well there. MANA Where? PETER My girl has clear eyes. It will be as she sees it. MANA What s the matter? Hasn t he told you? PETER He s going to tell you. MANA [Quickly.] Is he ill? What has happened? PETER Nothing, child. It won t happen. MANA I don t understand. You re unhappy? [Slowly, her face clouding deeply] And I thought why, I thought It s all strange, like a dream ! 52 TO-MORROW PETER It will be to-morrow. [He turns away. MANA S face suddenly lights again. She goes to him fondly.] MANA Oh, my dear, forgive me! I see now. It s you. You re afraid you ll lose me? What a notion! Of course it won t happen. [Smiling."] I ll never go back on my Daddy ! PETER I know that. MANA Then why do you gaze at me so? PETER Child, look round us! [He puts one arm about her, and points to the gar den.] Here we are, home folks, all together. Quite a family ! MANA Dear flowers! PETER There they are, toeing the line stubborn little upstarts, growing up smart, all bowing " Hello ! " to their step-dad, Peter Dale. TO-MORROW 53 MANA They don t look afraid of him. PETER Oh, at first, they all wanted to go their own ways ; but they ve had to mind their pistils and quintines, I tell you. When they were babies, I ve bottled em, and weaned em, and boxed em, and put em to bed, and tucked up their tendrils. And when they grew bigger and put on their petals, I ve picked out their wardrobes and done their courting and wedding for *em. You might say, I m kind o nurse, priest and selectman combined. MANA You re their dear old Father Nature that s what you are. PETER No, I m plain a gardener, learning how, and try ing to teach my family. Only here I ve raised mil lions of step-flowers, but just one flower: that s Mana. MANA [Kissing him.] Dear Dad! PETER Just so: just your old useless Dad. For you see, I can garden Mother Nature s childer, but not my own. 54 TO-MORROW MANA You ve brought us all up together. Have I turned out such a naughty-flower-girl? PETER [Pinching her cheek. ~\ Well, kind of a " sport," I m glad to say. But tain t what you are; it s what I can t do for you, that bothers me when I think of them. [Looking at the flowers, he bends over the one with the white string.] Look here! MANA Why, it s the blue poppy blossomed f PETER Yes, it s blue. I made it so, and I can keep it so for a hundred generations: true blue. Like you, girl. MANA [Smiling.] True blue, Dad? PETER But see now! To keep it true, I can give this poppy two things: environment and selection. But you I can give you only the first. MANA You mean, with selection, it s I that TO-MORROW 55 PETER I mean that when my flower-girl comes to the blos soming, she becomes a woman; and woman is herself garden and gardener, and the flowers of God are in her keeping. MANA But Dad, dear, you ve taught me that always. Why do you remind me? PETER Poppies need a lot of reminding. It s in their sap to hark way back to the old times : to dream and forget to-morrow. And as for girls There ! I m forgetting my fruit trees I [He starts away.] MANA But Dad You haven t told me what Julian said. PETER Oh, something for you to decide. MANA For him? PETER For you both. MANA But can I? 56 TO-MORROW PETER Nobody else can. MANA Is it hard? PETER You won t take long about it. MANA But tell me PETER He ll teU you. [Pausing, he watches something in the air; then catches it quickly with his hand, murmuring to himself:] Look at that now! MANA [Coming near.] What? PETER [Opens his hand, revealing a white, downy filament.] These wild things will blow into the garden. MANA A milk-weed seed? PETER No ; a nettle. [He puts it in his pocket, murmuring aloud: ] TO-MORROW 57 To-day the seed of Man blows on the wind, but to-morrow Mana ! The Senator s coming back soon. I leave you in charge of the garden. [He goes out, left. MANA comes slowly down to fhe pool, sees the starfish, looks down at it pensively, touching it with her foot, and reaching upward far arms in unconscious longing. From the right ROSALIE enters, with flowers. She comes toward the pool, humming low. Hearing her, MANA turns. ~\ ROSALIE Jack and Jill Went up the hill To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down And broke his crown MANA [Running to meet her.] And Jill came tumbling after! [Laughing, she lifts ROSALIE S face, kissing it; then leads her to the bench.] ROSALIE Hello, Mana! MANA What s my Rosalie got here? 58 TO-MORROW ROSALIE Wildflowers. MANA Where did you get them? ROSALIE Mr. Spoff ord fetched em to me. He sent way up to the mountains for em, cause I like wild flowers better than tame ones. MANA Why? ROSALIE Cause they don t smell so noisy. MANA Noisy! Why, how do wild ones smell? ROSALIE Like bells far away. But these here in the gar den, they re loud as trumpets noontimes, when the sun s hot. What kind are these? MANA Let me see. [Sorting tJiem.~\ Here s lupines, anemones, columbines, wild-pop pies, Cassiopes oh, lovely ones: just like those Mark and I used to pick in the mountains : blue, white, yellow, red, purple ! TO-MORROW 59 ROSALIE What s purple? MANA This Cassiope. ROSALIE I mean you know: What s purple hisself? MANA Ohl [Looking in the child s sightless eyes, MANA hesi tates and her face quivers. Bending down, she kisses her.~\ You darling! [Then, assuming a quaint cheerfulness, she speaks, confidentially. ] Purple s a prince, grand and proud! ROSALIE What s yellow? MANA Yellow s a dancing fairy. ROSALIE What s red? MANA Red s a laughing little devil. ROSALIE What s blue? 60 TO-MORROW MANA Blue? Blue s a soft, shy bird. 1 ROSALIE I like you, Mana. You know things. Other folks are stupid. MANA Oh, not Uncle Julian. He knows things. ROSALIE Not flowers. He hates flowers. MANA Hates flowers? ROSALIE Cause Father Peter makes new ones. He said so just now to Mr. Spofford. MANA Is Uncle Julian with Mr. Spofford now? ROSALIE He s talking with him on the piazza. They whis pered, but I heard em. MANA Talking about flowers? ROSALIE Bout flowers and newspapers and you and my Mama. TO-MORROW 61 MANA [After a slight pause. ] Your Mama, Rosalie? ROSALIE Yes; she died, I guess. Is gitimate died? MANA Gitimate? I don t think so. ROSALIE Well, Uncle Julian felt bad, anyway. And he told Mr. Spofford not to tell. MANA [Slowly. } Not to tell. ROSALIE And then I came away to find my starfish. MANA [Picking it up, gives it to her.~\ Here it is. ROSALIE Thank you. And I remembered its song: the one you teached me. MANA [Kneeling down beside her.] Yes? 62 TO-MORROW ROSALIE " With my fingers in the dark I can feel " Mana, what s the dark? MANA It s it s [JULIAN enters -from the greenhouse. Not yet see ing him, MANA puts her arms around the child and speaks low.] It s a secret, dear. JULIAN [Tensely, coming forward.] What s a secret? MANA [Springing up at his voice] Ah, Julian! JULIAN Are you keeping something from me, Mana? What s the child been prattling? MANA She and I have been chattering about wildflowers and you. JULIAN [Starting] About me? So the secret s about me? TO-MORROW 63 [Glancing at ROSALIE, MAN A motions silence to him, and draws him away. Outside, right, an auto mobile horn is heard] ROSALIE Uncle Julian! JULIAN [Gently.] Well, Pixy? ROSALIE You ve forgot something to-day. JULIAN Have I? What? ROSALIE To kiss me. JULIAN [Coming to her.] Now I m ashamed. [He lifts her and kisses her fondly. ] ROSALIE [As he puts her down] It s the third time. That s pretty bad. JULIAN [Smiling] What shall I do to make up ? 64 TO-MORROW ROSALIE Ask Mana. She knows things. [ROSALIE turns away to the bench, -fingering her wild- flowers, which she smells of, one by one.] JULIAN [As if playfully, to MANA.] Do you know things? MANA [Gently, looking in his face.] Do you? JULIAN [Clouding, ,] Why do you ask? MANA Dear, you re worried. JULIAN I have something to tell you. MANA Father Peter said so. JULIAN [Quickly.] So you ve seen your father? Just now? MANA A minute ago. TO-MORROW 65 JULIAN [Controlling emotion. ] Well, and what did he say about me? MANA Why, nothing. What did he say to you, when you told him? JULIAN He said He said that KOSALIE [Calling, and holding out a flower.] Oh, smell of this one ! JULIAN [Glancing toward the child, speaks to MANA.] Dearest, get your hat. We ll go for a ride again, shall we? MANA Do you think you can catch me this time? JULIAN If I don t, I ll die in the saddle 1 Come ; I ll show , you that little bungalow in the cypresses. Run in * and get your hat. I ll have the horses ready. ROSALIE [Coming toward them.] Oh, go in the carriage, and take me ! 66 TO-MORROW JULIAN Not to-day, Pixy. [He stoops to lift a spray of verbena from the path.] ROSALIE [Pouting.] Deary me I [MANA starts to go out. In front of "her, JULIAN holds out the spray of verbena. With a bril liant smile, he looks m her eyes.] JULIAN I ve found a memento. You brought this back from our ride? MANA An armful. JULIAN For me? That was dear of you. May I wear it? [He reaches for her hand.~\ Won t you do me the honor ? [Offering the spray for her to put in his coat, he is about to kiss her.] MANA [Drawing shyly away, waves to him, with a smile.] In two minutes ! TO-MORROW 67 [She goes off, round the greenhouse. JULIAN stands looking after her. Outside the click of the gate is heard.] ROSALIE Uncle Julian! [JULIAN closes his eyes, as in sudden pain. Holding in one hand her starfish, ROSALIE gropes with the other and twitches his coat.] Uncle Julian! What s gitimate? JULIAN [Turning quickly.] Hush, Rosalie. Come into the house. [He leads her by the hand into the greenhouse. Out side, is heard the querulous, slightly husky voice of a woman, calling: "Ignatius! Ignatius!" Soon after, on the greenhouse path, MRS. HEN- SHAWE enters. She is a woman past sixty, of hanasome features, penetrating eyes and force ful presence, but dowdy in dress, and fidgety in her slow movements. Her outward appear ance conveys a crass contrast of qualities. She wears a dull-colored gown, beneath a duster of ample dimensions. On her head is an ultra- fashionable hat, swathed in a light- green auto mobile veil, and in her white- gloved hand is a purple parasol. Close behind her follows a small, trig, business-like woman of about thirty, 68 TO-MORROW with twinkling eyes: Miss WINCH. She also is dressed for automobiling, but in plain, prac tical garb. In her hands she holds a small cam era, which she is focusing upon MRS. HEN- SHAWE.] MRS. HENSHAWE \_Muttering audibly.] Men ! These men ! Did he expect me to wait for him in the motor! . v MISS WINCH [Cheerily.] More in the sun, please ! MRS. HENSHAWE [Turning portentously to stare at her.] Now, what are you snapshotting there? MISS WINCH [Clicking her kodak.] The Honorable Mrs. Henshawe, President of the Social Topics Society, bestowing her congratulations on the daughter of the Wizard Plant Breeder Miss Mana Dale, engaged to her son, the Senator. Front page ! Portrait by Winch, Special Artist of " The Live Rail ! " [She laughs pleasantly.] TO-MORROW 69 MRS. HENSHAWE [Gasping. ] Well, of all ! [She sinks into a garden chair, near the greenhouse. Miss WINCH, tucking the kodak under her arm, takes a small pad from her hat 9 and a pencil from her glove.] MISS WINCH Seen the announcement in this morning s edition? [MRS. HENSHAWE moves the open parasol between them, raises her voice, and calls:] MES. HENSHAWE Ignatius ! [Muttering agam.] My stars, these clergymen! They re worse than women: dawdling, dawdling! MISS WINCH [Writing on her pad.] Rev. Mr. Spofford, in Mrs. Henshawe s car, Has tens to join in congratulations. [Peering round the parasol.] Is that correct? [Closing the parasol, MRS. HENSHAWE looks at her with dumb reproof. Miss WINCH bites her 70 TO-MORROW It is detestable, ma am, but it s my job. Salary and city editor s orders I You ll forgive me? MRS. HENSHAWE [Rising.] Well, young person, all the world, I suppose, must earn its living nowadays. But I was born before your time. [Crossing to the bench, she calls again:] Ignatius ! MISS WINCH [Following her.] Report of engagement absolutely false: Is that what you wish to say? MRS. HENSHAWE I wish to say nothing if you ll let me. My son told me explicitly to say nothing before this even ing. MISS WINCH All the world is so interested in your son. MRS. HENSHAWE Now, if only it were somebody else s son ! If there is one gift from God, it s a little gossip about somebody else s children. But to bottle up one s own business in one s own mouth it s enough to make the cork fly in the Devil s face ! TO-MORROW 71 MISS WINCH First met her in the Blind Asylum, we understand. [Mus. HENSHAWE turns to speak, but closes her lips again grimly. ] So attached to the child! MRS. HENSHAWE Julian s a fool. I told him so. He would insist on adopting the poor thing. MISS WINCH So romantic! MRS. HENSHAWE Oh, he s romantic, when it comes to women. He fairly magnetizes em. Fee-faw-fum, fair ladies !\ They can t resist him. Just like his father. MISS WINCH Inherited ! MRS. HENSHAWE [Rising, flustered.] I never said so. MISS WINCH Sorry, ma am. [Enter, right, on the middle ground path, RAEBURN and MARK. MARK is pushing a wheelbarrow, with a shovel m it. They stop by the cactus bed.] 72 TO-MORROW MARK [Earnestly, to RAEBUEN.] You say it sometimes skips a generation? RAEBURN Sometimes but seldom. MISS WINCH [Glancing toward the men, speaks to MRS. HEN- SHAWE.] Belong here? [From the greenhouse, MANA enters. She wears a felt hat and carries a short whip. Seeing MRS. HENSHAWE, she comes forward graciously.] MANA Dear Mrs. Henshawe 1 MRS. HENSHAWE [With open arms] Sweet child ! My pretty Mana ! Well, well, well ! [She embraces MANA, with cordial ejaculations, while Miss WINCH, at one side, points the camera. RAEBURN, indicating the three women, speaks to MARK.] \^^ RAEBURN There are the Three Fates, Freeman: Yesterday, To-day, and To-morrow ! TO-MORROW 73 MARK [Glancmg.] All women. [He begins to shovel the weeded cacti into his wheel barrow. Leaving him, RAEBURN passes along the middle ground path and goes out, left.] MANA [To MRS. HENSHAWE.] When did you come? Has Julian told [Catchmg sight of Miss WINCH, who clicks the cam era, MANA checks herself, and bows slightly. ] Oh ! I beg your pardon. MISS WINCH That s funny. They usually tell me to do that. But but I do beg your pardon, Miss Dale. You see, it s bread and butter ; and in my business, there s no butter in good manners. You do understand? MANA [With a smile.] Why, certainly. MISS WINCH That s nice of you. Good day ! [She goes off by the greenhouse path.] 74 TO-MORROW MRS. HENSHAWE [Starting after her.~\ Phenomenal ! [Then turning, with a wreath of smiles, to MANA.] And now, you sweet, sweet thing, tell me all about it! MANA [Simply.] Really, there s nothing to tell. It s all just just feeling. MRS. HENSHAWE Yes, yes, of course. Don t / know? First love, and first kisses and full moons ! MANA [TFif^ increasing reserve.] Please, Mrs. Henshawe ! MRS. HENSHAWE If there is one gift from heaven that I ve made my specialty, it s the first love of two unspoiled hearts that beat as one. You might say, I ve devoted my life to it, my dear. Sympathy: sympathy with young souls and a little chat about it ! Oh, that s why I never grow old. They may call it a cruel world, a sinful world, my dear ; but " Love among the Ruins ": it s still " Love among the Ruins " for me! TO-MORROW 75 MANA [Uneasily.] Have you seen Julian? MRS. HENSHAWE Ah, the Benedick, the Benedick! There s a ro mantic boy! He was born to be a lover, my dear, and a poet ; but they dragged him into politics ; and to be sure, there s some money in it. But to think it should be you to steal his old bachelor heart at last! Plow did you wheedle him? Thirty-six! That s a stubborn age for marriage. " Who s Who " puts him down forty, but shouldn t I know ! Thirty-seven his next birthday. And you, my love: twenty-five ? twenty-four ? MANA [Retreating. ] Twenty-four. I think I must go and find him. He said if you will excuse MRS. HENSHAWE Will I? Will I? Don t I know! Heart to heart, wing and wing, wireless messages, magnets magnets ! Tell Julian [She pauses in consternation. MANA, going out, right, has smiled and tossed a kiss to MARK in the background. Beholding it, MRS. HEN SHAWE stands open-mouthed.~\ 76 TO-MORROW Highty-tighty 1 Lignum vitae 1 So so ! [Sitting on the bench, she leans sidewise and squints at MARK, who is at work. Then, opening and raising her parasol, she rises and walks toward him, up the central path. Here she hems in her throat, and speaks with distinct affability.] Beautiful flowers ! [At her voice, MARK drops his wheelbarrow precip itately and moves off.] MARK Fine! [He goes out, left. MRS. HENSHAWE follows as far as the cross path and peers after him. Enter, from the greenhouse, JULIAN and a plump, eld erly, clerical gentleman, earnest and urbane: MR. SPOFFORD.] H. SPOFFORD ;No, Julian. It s against my conscience. You ve suffered, and caused suffering, too much by ignoring the sanctity of social usages. I cannot permit you to err a second time, without protest. JULIAN But there s to be no ignoring of social usages. I m going to TO-MORROW 77 SPOFFORD Not to mention, I say, something else which cannot be mentioned. You must remember, I have known Mana also since childhood. The happiness of you both is equally dear to me. JULIAN Well, then, if you really care for our happiness, you will not interfere now. SPOFFORD But this announcement of your engagement in the newspapers. When are you going to deny it? JULIAN I m not going to deny it. I ve told you: there s no danger whatever. SPOFFORD Julian ! After your talk with Mr. Dale JULIAN What right had you to speak to him ! It was dis honorable damnable ! As for my marriage that s not your gamble. SPOFFORD [Start mg back.] Gamble! How dare 78 TO-MORROW JULIAN I repeat! This is a matter which concerns only Mana and me. Mr. Dale saw the justice of that. He has left the decision to Mana. MRS. HENSHAWE [Approaching from the middle ground.] Men, men! Always wrangling never reason ing! What s the discussion? Now, now, Julian dearest: [Offering her cheek\ A kiss for your mother? JULIAN [Pacing to and fro.] Good-morning, Mother; good-morning! MRS. HENSHAWE Not at all; it s afternoon. And no kisses? Re served, I suppose, for others not mothers ! Now, now, Ignatius ! [SPOFFORD starts uneasily.] No, not a kiss : an apology ! SPOFFORD From me? MRS. HENSHAWE How much longer, Ignatius, how much longer must I sit in the motor? SPOFFORD My dear Sally TO-MORROW 79 JULIAN Why did you bring him now, Mother? MRS. HENSHAWE [Bristling. ] I? I didn t: he came! He said he wanted to speak with you about your engagement. JULIAN [Morosely.] He wants me to break it. MRS. HENSHAWE Break what? JULIAN Break my oath, and my honor, and Mana s heart, and my own! Do you wish this too, Mother? Do/ you wish it for the sanctity of social usages ? SPOFFORD Of course she wishes it. MILS. HENSHAWE My dear boy it s all one to me ! JULIAN All one! MRS. HENSHAWE I m a great believer in social usages, if that s what you mean. And I never let my heart-breaks stand 80 TO-MORROW in the way of my happiness. But, of course, you must judge for yourself. What s her income? JULIAN [Turning away, bitterly.] Mother ! SPOFFORD {With reproof.] Sally! MRS. HENSHAWE [Glancing toward the cactus bed.~\ Judging by looks, it wouldn t half fill a wheel barrow. You blessed child ! [ With effusion she greets MANA, who enters from the greenhouse] SPOFFORD [Also greeting her] Well, well! MANA Dear Uncle Spoff ord halloa ! SPOFFORD [Kissing her hand] Always lovelier, I declare ! JULIAN [TFi/& repressed excitement] Mana ! The horses are ready. TO-MORROW 81 MANA So am I. I ve been hunting for you. JULIAN Come. [He takes her riding whip, and starts to go, right. In the left middle ground, MARK reenters.] SPOFFORD [Uneasily. ,] Wait. Julian has something to tell you. MANA [Quietly.] I know. SPOFFORD You know what it s about? JULIAN [To SPOFFORD.] Stop! [To MANA.] Come! SPOFFORD [With excitement.} It s about the child. [MRS. HENSHAWE gasps, and hurries, gesticulating, to SPOFFORD.] 82 TO-MORROW MANA [To JULIAN.] Rosalie? JULIAN Yes. Will you come? We ll discuss it. SPOFFORD Wait ! Children, my conscience will not permit you to go yet. As your oldest friend, I claim the right to discuss this with you now before you do anything rash. MANA Rash, Uncle Spofford? JULIAN Mana, do you wish me to tell you, or him ? [He is drawing Tier away. They are entering the greenhouse. SPOFFORD puts aside MRS. HEN- SHAWE, who is trying to whisper to him, and speaks with perturbed command.] SPOFFORD The child, I say, Julian, speak now and here ! Or shall I? JULIAN [With sudden coolness.] I will. TO-MORROW 83 [With set face he returns. After a pause, he speaks huskily. ] Manu, the child is. mine. MANA [Very low.] The child. JULIAN My own illegitimate. Now I have told you. MRS. HENSHAWE [With ineffectual gestures.] My God! JULIAN This clergyman, with his conscience, has forced me to tell you like this brutally, inhumanly. [With supplication. } Mana, my dear! MANA [Very gently.] She told me. JULIAN [Awe-struck.] She? -Rosalie? MANA That she died and you loved her 84 TO-MORROW JULIAN Yes, it is true. And I am not ashamed. [Look ing at SPOFFORD.] But lie is our friend he is ashamed. He tells me that because of the chil whom I love, and whose mother I loved, I have n< right to you that I must give you up 1 SPOFFORD [To MANA.] My dear, don t you see, it would surely come out in the end; it would all be discovered. MANA Discovered ? SPOFFORD The whole scandal. MRS. HENSHAWE [Sinking on to the bench, in tears.] Men, men! MANA Discovered? That he raised the child, you mean? and adopted and cared for it, instead of casting it adrift on the world like so many little ones to struggle for life and love? SPOFFORD [Embarrassed.] You see there are are complications ; and be- TO-MORROW 85 ing a public man, it could never be concealed. Dear girl, now you can see why my conscience forbade JULIAN Mana! Does your conscience forbid? MANA I m afraid I don t know. I ve never discovered my conscience. I ve only just discovered my heart. JULIAN [Springing to her side.] Ah! Then you ve decided? MANA Father Peter said it wouldn t take me long. Are the horses saddled? JULIAN [Going with her.~\ Mana, my dear love ! [They go out. As they go, MARK from the mid dle ground comes slowly forward.] SPOFFORD [Intensely.] Sally! They re gone! What shall we do? MRS. HENSHAWE [Rising, m great agitation.] Let them go ! 86 TO-MORROW SPOFFORD But the blindness the cause. Great heaven ! He didn t tell her the worst. He omitted to men tion MRS. HENSHAWE [ShrSly.] Stop it! If you mention anything else, I ll have hysterics ! [Slie hurries off, along the greenhouse path. SPOF- FORD starts to follow her. As he passes the cen tral path, MARK steps abruptly in his way. ] SPOFFORD [Trying to pass.] I beg your pardon MARK [Tensely.] What was it he omitted to mention? Tell me. SPOFFORD On my word! Who are you? A gardener? MARK Yes. Tell me. SPOFFORD [Avoiding MARK S eye.] Is anything wrong in the garden? TO-MORROW 87 MARK So it seems. [With quiet menace. ] Tell me! SPOFFORD Insolence! What do you want? MARK [Slowly.] I want you to tell me. SPOFFORD Let me pass. Are you mad? MARK [Breathing hard.] If you don t tell me I think I will kill you. SPOFFORD [Looks in MARK S quivering face.] Young man If you are really Well, then Don t speak it aloud! [He whispers an instant to MARK, whose flushed face sets pale and hard.] MARK So! SPOFFORD [Hurrying past him up the path., glances backward in fear.] God-a-mercy ! 88 TO-MORROW [He disappears. The gate clicks. MARK stands with closed eyes and clenched hands. Outside, right, the clatter of horses hoofs sounds harsh on the stone court, then muffled on the roadway. Meantime, in the left middleground, PETER DALE enters quietly. Hearing the hoofs, MARK starts, and runs up the central path, meeting PETER. There, clutching PETER S arm, he points along the row of eucalyptus trees, staring. The sound of galloping grows fainter in the distance. CURTAIN. ACT SECOND ACT SECOND Among the cypresses on the California coast. A cliff, overlooking the sea. The scene is sparsely overshadowed by somber wraiths of trees: writh ing bouglis and contorted skeleton trunks, twisted slantwise -from the shore, from which the stricken grove seems to be -fleeing in rooted frenzy. Through the dun-green foliage and stark gray silhouettes, the setting sun reddens the purple Pacific between fog-banks. On the left, a jutting elevation of the cliff rises above the scene s level, and scrambles in sharp, rocky heaps beyond sight, leaving a rough-sided stone niche, on the ground level, shut off from the sea and the winds. By this stands a boulder; near by, lies the log of a fallen tree. On the right, clutched and half concealed by the cypresses, the porch and squat roof of a small bungalow blend with the surroundings. From the left enters a woman, wearing a gray auto mobile veil. She is followed, with quick steps, by a man dressed in a chauffeur s uniform. The 91 92 TO-MORROW woman looks about her furtively; goes to the porch and tries the door; then peers through a slit in the shade-drawn window. The woman is Miss WINCH. MISS WINCH Have they tied their horses yet? THE CHAUFFEUR Just hitched em yonder in the lean-to. Coming this way. MISS WINCH [Points off right.] How near to the shore is the main road that way? CHAUFFEUB Bout a quarter mile. Turns a loop there into the tall pine. MISS WINCH Go back to the auto and wait. When you hear me whistle this [She blows softly a little whistle attached to her watch chain.] blow your motor horn in answer, and take the car round to the loop. I ll join you there. We ll attend to those other assignments later. TO-MORROW 93 CHAUFFEUR O. K. [He goes out. The woman stands a moment, looking off left; then she moves quickly toward the bungalow, and disappears behind it. Enter, left, MANA and JULIAN. MANA S face is vaguely troubled. She walks close to JULIAN, who appears rather to lead than to accompany her. Restively she turns her head, glancing from tree to tree.~\ JULIAN We re almost there. What s the matter? MANA [In a low voice.] They seem half human. JULIAN Are you afraid, dear? MANA Alive in death like ghosts. JULIAN What are you talking about? [MANA points with a gesture at once fascinated and repelled toward the trees.] The cypresses ? 94 TO-MORROW MANA I ve never been among them before. I never dared. JULIAN [With a laugh.] Silly child! Afraid of cypress trees? MANA Often I ve ridden past them on the bright road. But I always galloped by. They seemed like things in a nightmare reaching long arms, and trying to scream, but dumb. Do you think they suffer? JULIAN What nonsense ! MANA Julian, don t you see: they re trying to escape from something; they stare always backward in ter ror. Even the dead ones struggle. JULIAN Naturally; they ve fought the sea-winds for a thousand years. MANA Fought for life for a thousand years ! JULIAN That s what makes them so picturesque. TO-MORROW 95 MANA Always to be rooted where their seeds fell in the bitterness of the wind just to cling to life! JULIAN The survival of the fittest, my dear 1 MANA Where the fittest are the saddest. JULIAN [Taking Tier arm, leads Tier nearer the bungalow. } Come, come; my garden girl must learn to love these wild things. These stunted, storm-beaten shapes are romantic, beautiful in their grimness. MANA May be so. But always I have loved to see things of joy, not sorrow. JULIAN Why then, forget them. Look there! [He points; she gazes a moment, without speaking. He shows his disappointment.] -Well? MANA [Murmurs.] Your bungalow? 96 TO-MORROW JULIAN [Softly.] Ours. MANA [With sinking voice.] How gray it is, and still! JULIAN You re tired, dear. [Going to the porch, he unlocks the door.] Come in. The sun has set. MANA [Looking back at the cypresses.] For a thousand years! [They go within and disappear. After a brief pause, MARK enters from the left. He is heated with riding, and covered with dust. Going hastily toward the bungalow, he pauses near the door, gazing in. Slowly then he moves off, right, and disappears among the trees, as JULIAN and MANA come out again.] JULIAN And what do you say to our bungalow ? MANA You built it? TO-MORROW 97 JULIAN Every rafter and shingle with dreams of you. MANA It looks as if it had grown here, ages ago. Have you dreamed of me for so long? JULIAN [With embarrassment.] Why, Why, of course ages ! [MANA steals away from the house. He follows anx iously.] Mana, what is it? MANA It reminds me of something. JULIAN Of what? MANA When I was a child a picture in Grimm s Fairy Tales: a little house in the woods. It used to scare me. Underneath it was written: " Deep in the twilight wood was a robber s hut." JULIAN \Playfully assuming a terrible aspect.] Aha! Behold the robber! [Laughing, he seizes her.] Yield, captive princess ! 98 TO-MORROW MANA [Draws away fearfully.] Don t kiss me here. JULIAN [Discomfited.] And why not here? MANA I don t know. Maybe we have no right to bring happiness here. [Gazing about her.] Somehow they seem to watch us, with sad eyes. JULIAN [Growing gloomy.] I m afraid it s not just the trees. MANA [Moving farther away.] You, too, are strange here. JULIAN Tell me : Are you thinking about the child? MANA [Pensively.] We must love her very much, mustn t we? It is terrible to be blind. How long has she been so ? TO-MORROW 99 JULIAN I feared you were brooding on that. Do you think the worse of me? MANA Worse? No, dear Julian; only differently. You ve always cared for her? JULIAN Always. MANA Then why ? [She pauses.] JULIAN [Uneasily. } Well? MANA Why haven t you told her? JULIAN [Startled.} Told her! Rosalie? MANA Daddy is so much dearer than uncle: Uncle Julian. JULIAN [Looking at the ground and shifting his feet.] Oh, that you mean! 100 TO-MORROW [He is silent for a moment; then glancing up, he is about to speak, when MANA contmues pen sively.] MANA Always it s been a dear name to me at home in the garden. JULIAN [Nervously. ] Mana MANA Do you know, I believe, before you came, my garden was the world, and Father Peter was God. JULIAN Do you mean that I crawled like Old Nick into your Eden? MANA Don t tease. No, but he always taught me to think, and just to think was happiness: to study flow ers and stars and fruit trees ; to train wild plants to be thoroughbred; to know the rising of the Dip per and the constellations. It was all fun but so quiet. Till one day came a great rumbling. I looked over the garden fence, and there through the dust came a strange knight riding, and I thought like poor Henny Penny surely the sky is f all- ing 1 TO-MORROW 101 JULIAN [With a smile. ] A knight! Bless me, who was he? MANA Ah, Julian the Enchanter ! since that day, my lord, I have been under your spell: my garden has been shaken with strange thunder, my sky has fallen, and my thoughts are full of wild feeling. Oh, what are you? What is this place? Are we real, or only a dream ? JULIAN [Passionately.] What does it matter? We are together. You are mine. MANA Hardly I seem to know myself. [She sits on the fallen log.] JULIAN Mine ! You are mine now alone. I claim all of you now. MANA [Simply.] You have no need. No, Julian ; I have forgotten too much to need reminding why. Even at this mo ment Father Peter is waiting, wondering, watching the road, listening for the sound of horses. And TO-MORROW Mark [She smiles, with affectionate, reminiscent look] great, slow, quiet Mark he has dropped his garden tools, and stands listening also, waiting to wish me good-night. JULIAN [Mutters low.} His garden tools! MANA [Oblivious. ] They are far away, that always have been near me, JULIAN [In a flat voice.] Mark: you ve never told me about him. MANA [Starting from her thoughts.} About Mark? Why, there s nothing to tell about Mark. He s just my Adam s rib. I came out of his marrow, like Eve, to ask all the questions and do all the mischief. Or you might call him a shaggy old tree-trunk, and me the hamadryad. JULIAN [Sitting beside her, looks close in her face.] And where does Apollo come in? MANA [Smiling faintly.] Oh, he comes in time, doesn t he? TO-MORROW 103 JULIAN [Fervently ] How I love you ! MANA Wait: let us think. JULIAN No, let us love. MANA To think is sweet when we love. JULIAN But now, now, Mana, you you here in the night, speaking, breathing, bewilder me, madden me ! MANA [Low and fascinated.] And you : it is wild and wonderful t JULIAN Say then to-night! Shall it not be to-night? At last to possess each other ! MANA [Eluding his embrace, rises. ] No, but to be possessed 1 Not to possess each other that can never be. But to be possessed by a power above us yonder [With a glad cry, she looks up through the boughs.] Ah! my star my star! 104i TO-MORROW JULIAN Mana ? MANA [Mysteriously, pointing. } Hush: look: wish with me! [Looking upward. } Star white, star bright, First star I ve seen to-night, I wish I may I wish I might Have the wish I wish to-night! JULIAN Amen to that ! MANA [With a "happy sigh.} Now that takes me home to the garden! JULIAN With an incantation? MANA You ll not laugh at me? Listen: When I was a little girl, once at sunset, Father Peter took Mark and me into the garden. " Now, children, wish ! " he said, and he showed us that star. " That little snow- flake of fire," he said, " is the wish of all the world. Venus, men call it : Venus Uranus the love of the mind. Whoever wishes upon that star his wishes come true." TO-MORROW 105 JULIAN The love of the mind? Surely you mean of the heart. MANA [Shaking her head.] The heart forgets; only the mind remembers. [Moving away.] Come ; let s go. JULIAN Go! Where? MANA Home to the garden. JULIAN In the dark? with nothing to eat? MANA How far is it? JULIAN Eighteen miles at least. We must wait till moon- rise. MANA I forgot. Well, then, [With a glad thought] I know what! JULIAN What? 106 TO-MORROW MANA A camp-fire! Here, by this cliff; it s sheltered here from the wind. Let s build a camp-fire. JULIAN Splendid ! MANA I haven t built one since the redwoods. Stars and a camp-fire: what fun! JULIAN I ll get some matches. [JULIAN goes into the bungalow. MANA, stooping down, begins to gather wood on the ground, humming to herself. The scene grows dimmer in the twilight.] MANA " First star I ve seen to-night " What fun ! [Visibly a tranquil reverie steals over her. Laying an armful of the gathered dead wood near the rocky niche, she stands with her back to the boulder looking under the boughs toward the paling sunset. Silently where she is gazing the shadowy figure of MARK emerges and stands silhouetted. MANA S lips part, and she reaches one hand toward him. Thus, motionless, they TO-MORROW 107 stand gazing at each other shadow confront ing shadow. Only the sound of the sea is faintly heard. Suddenly the voice of JULIAN snaps the silence.] JULIAN [Coming from the house, holds up a little ~box.~\ Here they are. [For an instant, MANA moves her hand across her eyes, but does not turn. As quickly the form of MARK disappears. She gazes again. JULIAN speaks lower. ] Mana! [MANA seems not to hear. She moves again slowly to gather boughs, and resumes her humming. In the quiet pause, JULIAN watches her, fasci nated, where she bends in the dusk, rapt in a kind of happy reverie. He murmurs to him- The drift-wood gatherer! MANA [Humming. } Five, six: Pick up sticks! JULIAN I ll have you painted like that, against the sea and the twilight. 108 TO-MORROW MANA [Oblivious.] Seven, eight: Lay them straight. JULIAN [Approaching her.] Let me help you. MANA [Handing him an armful of dead branches.] Here they are, Mark. " Lay them straight." JULIAN [Stops abruptly, looking at her. Then, after a pause, speaks.] Why do you call me Mark? MANA [Starting.] Ah! [Puzzled.] What did I say? JULIAN No matter. [He turns quickly and carries the branches behind the rock, beyond sight. MANA follows and, stand ing by the boulder, speaks to him behind it.] TO-MORROW 109 MANA No: not the big ones first. Take that moss for kindling. Scoop the sand first. That s it. [Humming.] " I wish I may I wish I might ! " JULIAN When did you learn to make camp-fires? MANA I? I ve made thousands back in the redwoods. Suppers and breakfasts for both. JULIAN For both? MANA He s always so fond of my flapjacks, even when I burn them. Is there any buckwheat flour? JULIAN [Coming -from behind the rocfc.] I ll look in the cupboard and see. MANA No, let me. I ll find something. Start the fire. JULIAN Very well. [Handing the box.] Take some matches. There s a candle on the table. 110 TO-MORROW MANA What fun! It s just like old times. [Springing lightly toward the bungalow, she calls back.} Oh, and Mark, where s the griddle? JULIAN [Starting again, eyes her keenly.} Under the shelf. [Speaking slowly, while his face darkens.} But my name isn t Mark. MANA [Not hearing the last, speaks from the porch.} The dear camp-fire! [She goes indoors. JULIAN stands a moment, look ing after her. Within the house a match is struck, and soon candle-light shines through the open door. JULIAN S face grows darker with feeling; and he murmurs harshly.} JULIAN So ! In the redwoods. Mark ! [He turns slowly and, gathering up more fuel, moves behind the rock. In a moment his stooping shadow is cast, by a flickering glow, across the scene. The glow increases, and smoke drifts upward along tlie stony ridges on the left. On TO-MORROW 111 the right, MARK enters from the cypresses, and stands gaunt in the firelight. Deliberately, he crosses toward the rock, and pauses near it. Suddenly the stooped shadow of JULIAN length ens to full height, and his voice comes sharp from behind the rock.] Who are you? MARK [Quietly.] Mark Freeman. JULIAN What brings you here? MARK I was sent. JULIAN Who sent you? MARK The master. JULIAN Who s he? MARK Peter Dale. JULIAN [Coming from behind the rock.] What do you want here? MARK Justice. TO-MORROW JULIAN What do you mean? Justice for whom? MAEK For the uncreated, and the living. JULIAN You talk rubbish. If you re sane, speak your business and be gone. MARK I come for Mana Dale. JULIAN By what authority? MARK Her father s. JULIAN Go back, and tell her father that her husband will bring her to-morrow. Mana is my wife. MARK [Still more quiet. ] That s a lie. JULIAN Take care, fellow. Leave this place. MARK With her. TO-MORROW 113 JULIAN Go, I say. This is my land. You are trespass ing. MARK You, sir, are trespassing on the Creator s land. JULIAN [Moving, in agitation.] What does her father want? MARK You know. JULIAN He insulted me and my family. I ll have no more dealings with him. MARK You ll not need. JULIAN My family ! He, a gardener, of a breed of farm ers and ranchmen: he to quibble about family! Let him know my father was a justice, and I am a senator. We are no common stock. MARK All men are common stock, sir. We all came [He points to the sea } from yonder. There s no quibble about democracy. [He turns, and moves toward the bungalow. JULIAN follows him feverishly. ] 114 TO-MORROW JULIAN Where are you going? MAEK In there. JULIAN Stop. Tell Mr. Dale Mana loves me. That is enough. MARK Yes ; that s enough. [He moves on.~\ JULIAN [With sudden intensity, causing MAEK to pause.] Wait! [Then slowly. .] Peter Dale did not send you. MARK What do you mean? JULIAN You came for yourself because you love Mana Dale. MARK [HarsUy.] That s not so. TO-MORROW 115 JULIAN All right. So be it. Then I appeal to your honor. Mana is the same as my wife. MARK [Keenly.] How do you mean the same ? JULIAN To-morrow we re to be married. MARK Ah! [He moves on again.] JULIAN She s chosen. It s too late. MARK For you ; not for her. JULIAN Well, then, not for me: for her sake, keep away! MARK For her sake! You re a rascal. [From within the house, M ANA S voice calls: "Julian!"] JULIAN She s coming! In God s name, go! Give me a chance. 116 TO-MORROW MARK There s only one chance. You ve had it. JULIAN I know. You think I m a scoundrel. But I ve been tempted. MARK Tempted ! JULIAN Yes ; can you blame me ? Her father gave me only this afternoon. We went riding. Well, we rode fast and far. Curse you, why did you fol low? MARK [With a scorching looJc.~\ Great God! [He turns to go into the house. JULIAN gets in his way.] JULIAN [Feverishly] Stop. You don t know what she is to me. I ve never loved so but once. I won t lose her. That s why I lied. But listen ! If you ll go away, I ll risk it. I ll tell her. MARK You promised before. TO-MORROW 117 JULIAN This time I will. MARK The truth : not the trimmings ! JULIAN {Painfully. } Yes, the truth : all of it. MANA [Calls from within.] See what I ve found. JULIAN [Wildly.-] Go ! I promise by God ! MARK [Slowly.] Well I ll take care of the horses. [He disappears in the darkness, left. JULIAN moves out of the ftre s glow into the obscurity of the background, where his form, indistinctly visible, paces back and forth against the pale sea-line. From the bungalow, MANA reappears, carrying in her hand a covered basket. She comes lightly from the porch toward the fire, still humming to herself.] 118 TO-MORROW MANA " Star white, star bright " Look ! I couldn t find the griddle, but see : here s lots of good things. And what do you think I found in this basket. My dear! Where are you? JULIAN [Huskily. ,] Here. Come and see: A quaint little doll. MANA [She lifts it from the basket. ] We must take it home to Rosalie. [Approaching, JULIAN looks at her, trembling; takes the doll in his hand, then lets it fall to the ground.] JULIAN It s hers. MANA [Stooping to lift it, looks up suddenly as JULIAN turns away with a moaning sound.~\ Julian, what is it? JULIAN [Shuddering. ] You were right. They suffer. They are pur sued. They look backward in pain, and they can not escape. TO-MORROW 119 MANA [Gomg to him.] My dear, what are you speaking of? JULIAN [Wildly, pointing at the cypresses.] Of these curst things: these memories with dead arms and stricken limbs these haunted human plants, that have sprung up, and live on, where the Creator blasted them in the sowing. MANA Darling, forget my words. Those were strange, sickly thoughts. See : I m quite happy now. JULIAN Happy in ignorance, my Mana. MANA What s happened? Why have you changed so? JULIAN God ! O fool ! Why of all spots should I have brought you here ! MANA Here : to your bungalow ? JULIAN A haunted house! But I will tell you yes, I must tell you why. 120 TO-MORROW MANA Haunted? JULIAN It was because I wanted to dare them here in their den. I wanted to bring you you, star-white, holy, here to the place of the plague, and make it clean for always. I wanted you to drive them back into their own hell these devils of days that are gone! [MANA holds out the doll.] MANA Julian is it this ? JULIAN [Takes it again, stares at it blankly, then looks closer.] There they are : Do you see those stitches how many, how small, how patient? MANA It is finely sewn. JULIAN [Agonized.] Those are mad stitches, Mana. Ah, God, they ll drive me mad now. [He -flings the doll into the darkness.] MANA My dear, my dear, let me help you. TO-MORROW 121 JULIAN It was not I not I ! I m no worse than the others. I m just a victim. Why do they mock me! MANA Be calm. Tell me. JULIAN And now they ll tear you from me 1 MANA Don t! JULIAN If I tell, you won t leave me? MANA Don t fear. JULIAN Those stitches, Mana [He pauses. ] MANA [Gently. } They were hers? JULIAN Hester s : her mother s. MANA She sewed them for Rosalie? 122 TO-MORROW JULIAN Before. While she was waiting. . MANA Waiting? JULIAN [Pomting toward the bungalow. } There. MANA I see, dear. JULIAN I loved her. She wanted to be hidden away, be cause [He buries his face.] MANA She was afraid? JULIAN She loved me. At first it was all too sudden to marry. And then then she would not marry me, because [His voice breaks. ] MANA [Pitifully.] Don t fear. JULIAN Because TO-MORROW 123 [Looking m MANA S face, he reaches for her hand, with a cry.] Ah, no you ll leave me I MANA [Caressing his hand.~\ Never fear! JULIAN Promise me ! You do promise ? MANA Of course, dear. JULIAN Thank God ! Ah, now I can tell. You see. It was because. She would not marry me, because [He breaks down.] I can t! MANA [Gently.] There s no need. JULIAN [Controlling himself. } Because of of the madness. It came upon her after. You see there was a family taint, so she thought she told me she dreamed MANA [Murmurs.] Julian ! TO-MORROW JULIAN She dreamed it would be born blind. MANA [Family.] Rosalie? JULIAN [Very slowly. ] And she sewed, and she sewed, and it "hap pened. And she died there. MANA [With deep pity. ] And you did not know her family ? JULIAN [Staring at her.] Her family ! [He grasps MANA S arm his features twitching and speaks huskily.] Yes, yes, that was it her family. I I did not know. [With bowed head, he sinks upon the ground, cling ing to MANA S knees. She caresses his fore head] MANA It is over, dear. It s over now. The ghosts are gone. See, the cypresses are beautiful in the star light. TO-MORROW 125 JULIAN [Hysterically.] ^ Yes, it s over. And you won t leave me? MANA [Gently. } Why should I? JULIAN No, no, that s it. Why should you? You ll tell them that, won t you? That s what I told your father. MANA You told my father this ? JULIAN Not all, of course ; but enough MANA But I thought JULIAN He wouldn t listen, you see. MANA Wouldn t listen! JULIAN [Growing more hysterical.] He wouldn t let me explain. He wasn t fair! He wasn t fair! 126 TO-MORROW MANA Father Peter not fair ! JULIAN No I I began to tell him all everything : how I d seen a specialist MANA Specialist JULIAN How twas years ago, anyway, and the chances are all with me absolutely. But he wouldn t listen ! MANA Chances ? JULIAN A thousand to one it could never happen again. Never ! it couldn t, it couldn t ! MANA I don t understand. JULIAN Ah, no matter; I m mad with it all. But it s over now. You ve said so yourself, Mana. It s over; it s all over. And you ve promised. And you ll tell them so, God bless you J You ve promised not to leave me because of it. MANA Because of the past you mean. TO-MORROW 127 JULIAN Yes, yes ; and the future s all safe positively. MANA Safe? JULIAN No danger, no danger at all. So what do we care for your father now? My God! We ll face him together, won t we ? him, and that other fellow curse him ! MANA Julian, Julian, I don t understand what you re saying. What danger ? to whom ? JULIAN [Wildly. } None, I say, none! MANA Be calm, dear. You frighten me. Tell me. Is my father opposed to our marriage? JULIAN He left it to you ; entirely to you. MANA But what did he say? JULIAN He said he had nothing to do with it, nothing! And that s true. 128 TO-MORROW MANA [Appealing!?/.] But why? why? JULIAN The child, of course. The damnable prudery \ He s prejudiced. MANA No not Father Peter ! JULIAN [Growing wilder. } I tell you, he wouldn t even hear me I When he talked of the blindness, I told him my own doctor gave a thousand chances MANA [Breathing quicker.] The blindness. Your doctor ! JULIAN Wouldn t that satisfy God Himself? A thousand chances ! MANA [Drawing away from him, appalled.] ^ No, no, Julian! not you! [They gaze for a moment in each other s eyes fear fully. JULIAN S eyes fall. He reaches toward her.] TO-MORROW 129 JULIAN Mana Mana ! You ve promised. I mustn t lose you. I can t ! MANA [With an anguished cry.] God not you, not you ! JULIAN [Clinging to her, hysterically.] 1 can t, Mana! I can t lose you. You ve prom ised ! You ve promised me, Mana. I love you ! You know how I love you. I can t I won t lose you ! I won t ! No, Mana Mana ! MANA [Tearing herself from him.] Let me go ! [She rushes into the bungalow, closing the door. JULIAN stands for an instant, dazed, swaying, muttering: " Mana, Mana, no ! " Then, re covering himself, he staggers after her. As he reaches the porch, the candle-light from the window is obscured by a shadow, which emerges from behind the porch pillar. Before him stands MARK who has entered from the darkness beyond. JULIAN pauses and draws back, breath- Ing hard. Then he speaks huskily. } 130 TO-MORROW JULIAN She s mine. She s promised. MARK [Stepping toward him.] You lie. [Seizmg JULIAN with both arms, he lifts him bodily, with a mighty clutch, and bears him into the middle ground. Here the two forms sway in the firelight, now -flickering from its embers. Partly freeing himself, JULIAN cries out, strug gling for release.] JULIAN You devil, let go ! [Gagging him with one hand, MARK twists backward JULIAN S torse, and forces him backward, writh ing, beyond the glow of the fire. At JULIAN S cry, the door has opened, and MANA looks forth, straining to see.] MANA [Groping outward.] Who is there? [Silently the forms wrestle backward. On the dim verge of the cliff they pause, panting. There, with a sudden jerk, one is flung outward, falling, and disappears with a quivering cry.~\ TO-MORROW MANA [Calls, in fear.~\ What s that? [Stumbling toward the cliff, she confronts the tall form of MARK, moving into the firelight.] You? Is it you! [With a smothered, half -joyful sound, she runs to him, crouching close, as for protection.] * MARK [Looking down at her.} Don t worry. MANA [Faintly.] Where is he? MARK [Points toward the cliff.] Below there. I wasn t taking any chances. MANA [Drawing bach.] Mark! What have you done? MARK [Slowly, staring ahead of him.] I pulled a weed. 132 TO-MORROW [With a low, moaned cry, MAN A sinks on the ground, cowering. The fire goes out in darkness. Faintly, from the right, a whistle sounds; from the left, a far motor-horn. Below the cliff, dully, the surf beats. CURTAIN. ACT THIRD ACT THIRD The garden: late afternoon. Long shadows of eucalyptus trees fall across the flame-colored flowers. Far on the mountains the slant sun beams sharpen the ridges of the golden canyons. In the central path stands ROSALIE, alone. She seems bewildered. She is listening. From the left rises a droning of men s voices in song. The sleepy sound draws nearer and, along the mid- dleground path, laborers enter m file. They are Mexican half-breeds and Japanese coolies, bearing on their backs brush-heaps of small trees. Some of these have fallen and clutter the paths. Passing through the flowers, they disappear, right, the Mexican workmen murmuring their stuttered song, the Japanese m stolid silence.* While they have been passing, ROSALIE has picked up a small broken branch, and stands -finger ing it, as she tries to hum the men s minor-keyed song, which dies away beyond the scene. * Throughout the act, at times, similar workmen pass singly, or in small groups across the scene, in the background. 135 136 TO-MORROW From the right enters a young woman, dressed as a trained nurse. She has a hushed, imper sonal air. She comes toward ROSALIE. THE YOUNG WOMAN [In a low voice.] Little girl. ROSALIE [Starting. ,] Who are you? THE YOUNG WOMAN They want you in the house. ROSALIE Why are the paths all mixed? They re full of broken things. I can t find the way. THE YOUNG WOMAN Take my hand. ROSALIE It s been a long, long afternoon. Where s Mana? THE YOUNG WOMAN Come. ROSALIE [Going with her.] Who wants me? What s the matter with the gar den to-day? TO-MORROW 137 [They go into the greenhouse. From the right enter MRS. HENSHAWE and SPOFFORD. MRS. HEN- SHAWE S eyes are red with weeping, and occa sionally she sobs. SPOFFORD is divided in his attention between a bundle of newspapers, which he holds under his arm reading from one which is open and his solicitude for MRS. HENSHAWE. Together they pass slowly along the middle ground path.~\ MRS. HENSHAWE My poor boy ! SPOFFORD Such hideous headlines ! Pray be calm. MRS. HENSHAWE And to think we should have to hunt for her now! SPOFFORD The afternoon editions are worse than this morn ing s. [Mutters as he reads. } " Senator s Mystery Unsolved " MRS. HENSHAWE Ha ! I ll solve it, if he lives my poor boy ! SPOFFORD [Consolingly.] There, there ! 138 TO-MORROW MBS. HENSHAWE Fall from a cliff him! Ridiculous! SPOFFORD [Muttering. ] " Alleged Bride denies she is Married." Hideous ! MRS. HENSHAWE [Pausing to look at the wheelbarrow in the path.] Oh, I have my suspicions ! SPOFFORD Suspicions : what are they ? MRS. HENSHAWE Well, if I m wrong, she ll get married, that s all and stop these scandalous newspapers. SPOFFORD Of course. We ll find her at once. She must get married before any further editions ! MRS. HENSHAWE And give peace to my poor, dying boy ! SPOFFORD Bear up, Sally. Their marriage now may solve everything. TO-MORROW 139 MRS. HENSHAWE [As they go out, seizes SPOFFORD S arm, and points suddenly off scene, toward the left foreground.] There ! That fellow ! [They go out. On the path behind the bench MARK enters, followed soon by PETER. On his en trance, there is evident in MARK S face and movements a new and feverish energy, controlled but burning inward. Pausing in the path, he breaks suddenly a flower from its stalk and me chanically tears its petals to pieces, while his eyes search the garden. PETER enters slowly, holding in both hands his inverted straw hat, into which he looks down pensively.] PETER It s breed, Mark; breed. That s the only rock- bottom. When folks are bred thoroughbred, these things won t happen. MARK [Murmurs.] She isn t here. PETER Pigs for pork, humans for happiness : then some day we may breed the Three Graces. MARK All day she s kept from me. 140 TO-MORROW PETER Love, Will-power, Reason: these three. And the greatest of these is Reason. [Glancing at the flower, which MARK has torn and scattered on the path, he touches MARK S arm.] You re losing the pollen. MARK [Starting.] Too bad! too bad! Can t be mended now. PETER Oh, time and tending mend most things. MARK [Searchingly.] Will he die, you think? PETER Believe they re expecting the surgeon from San Francisco. MARK [Introspective.] It s murder, isn t it! PETER That might be the word, if the man dies. TO-MORROW 141 MARK Death makes no difference. The man she loves I forgot that! He was the man she loves. And I did it! PETER Couldn t trust him. You know, I sent you. MARK Yes, but that s not all. My God, sir! [With sudden conviction, lie turns to PETER.] I must tell you why! PETER No need, I guess. MARK {Bursting forth.] I love Mana ! I love her. That s why I did it. PETER [With a faint smile. ~\ Just so. MARK I never knew till last night. Last night I thought of you, yes and her, God knows : but God knows I thought of myself. PETER [Nodding.] All of us: just so. TO-MORROW MARK All at once, like black thunder, I knew it: I wanted her I wanted her ! PETER Have you told her? MARK Told her I Would she ever forgive me? Besides could I call it love ! The man she loves to kill him, in fight, like a strong beast ! PETER Don t be too hard on strong beasts. They make the best men with right breeding. You saved her. MARK Yes, but I wanted her myself. PETER I guess there s no salvation without selfishness, nor love without passion. Come, Mark ; passion ain t the first of graces, but it made you strong last night. Thank God for it ; that s all. I do. MARK But, I tell you, it made me blind. I might have waited and protected her not killed him. PETER True enough. But you didn t. TO-MORROW MARK No, I didn t even stop to pity. The whole horror maddened me. I felt like Samson in the dark. I could have pulled the sky down. And there, when we stood on the cliff PETER Just a question ! If he d thrown you over, how about Mana then? MARK I keep living it through again! PETER Why not forget it ? Have you seen Mana to day? MARK Three times. Each time she looked at me God, such a look! Then she almost fled from me. Now she s disappeared. PETER Have you looked for her? MARK Yes, but I was wrong. I ll not give her any more pain. PETER Why not tell her what you ve told me ? TO-MORROW MARK Oh, I know now what to do. I ll keep out of her sight for good. [He turns away with a gesture of passionate suffer ing. PETER, with an anxious look, follows him.] PETER Just be sure it s for good. You re not calculat ing ? MARK Don t worry. To die would be good good as a deep plunge and a long, cold swim out to sea. But that wouldn t square me with myself, would it? No; I know what to do. Good-by. PETER Are you wanting the law ? MARK The truth. He lied to them about last night, and that has given me my freedom. Well, I don t want it from him. I m going to tell the facts. [He starts away, right. PETER doesn t move, but speaks quietly.] PETER Mark! TO-MORROW 145 MARK [Pausing."] Yes, sir. PETER You ve known her and me twenty years? MAEK Twenty odd, sir. PETER Seems like she deserves your confidence ahead o strangers. MARK [Returning slowly.] Why, you re right, sir. You re always right. I ll tell her first what I ve told you. Where is she? PETER Somewheres in the garden, I guess. [They go out, by the foreground path, left. From the left middle ground SPOFFORD enters, looks about, and passes off, right, round the green house. Presently the tall cacti in the back ground are parted, and MANA emerges. She is dressed m a simple, flower-like gown of gray, and comes slowly down the central path to the pool. Here for a moment she stands silent and rigid, then sinks to a crouching posture on the margin, staring in the water. Behind her, from 146 TO-MORROW the left foreground, PETER enters, sees her and approaches quietly. Bending over, he touches her with a light caress, and speaks low.] PETER Is the pool filled with tears? MANA [Without turning, shivers.] With ice with ice. Last night there was a frost in the garden last night. PETER A few petals nipped, that s all. MANA And morning and noon and afternoon, the strange sunshine freezes. Father Peter, only you are the same. All other things have changed. PETER To grow is to change. MANA And to die ! I think I died last night. PETER Then I guess you went straight to heaven, girl. Come, a kiss for St. Peter! [With quaint tenderness, he draws lier to him. Ob livious, she looks away, right] TO-MORROW 147 MANA Perhaps he is dying now. But how can I go to him now ! PETER Better not. MANA Poor thing of fate poor Julian ! Ah, Father Peter, poor Love, that awakes in the dark, and thinks to know the awakener. The dreadful dark I PETER We mustn t be afraid of the dark, dear. We must strike a light. MANA It s not that he deceived me and himself. It s to think that God was deceived in us both: that God himself stumbled in the dark ! PETER Guess twouldn t be the first time since the crea tion. MANA Why couldn t I see even dimly I Why didn t the truth scorch me, before I touched it? How could I follow it, step by step, blindly to the edge of the cliff ah, hideous ! What s to become of him now? PETER Death ain t as certain as life. 148 TO-MORROW MANA [Turning, startled. ] Oh, do you think they d condemn him? PETER There s nobody been informed, has there? MANA Not yet. But would it be murder? PETER Might be called, if they knew. MANA And could he be hanged for it? PETER Oh ! [ With a pause ] Just who were you speak ing of? MANA Why, Mark. PETER [Smiling faintly.] Oh, him 1 MANA They couldn t they couldn t condemn him ! It was I I that brought it upon him : all that crime and horror because of me! He did it for me to save me. TO-MORROW 149 PETER To save more than you, my girl. MANA I know I know all the future ! All that you ve taught me I forgot. For a glamour a dreadful dream! Oh, dear Father! PETER Maybe it s been my mistake. MANA Yours ? PETER Maybe, I don t say. See that fence ? I m a gardener. Inside that fence here is mine to make experiments. Maybe I ve tried to experiment outside the fence. MANA What do you mean? PETER Why this, child: I said to myself, years ago: " Peter, you ve got the chance. Mana, your girl, she s hardy stock but fine, and California s a rare raising ground. You raise up your girl for happi ness, just joy, and clear thoughts, and love not the old wrong things of the past. Raise her up for To-morrow." Well, my dear [He points at the 150 TO-MORROW flowers ], I ve done that for them, and succeeded. But you see how it is : To-morrow ain t here yet for us. MANA Ah, but it will come ! Don t say it won t \ Don t deny yourself because of me. PETER [Ruminating*] Oh, I guess it ll come for all. But slower for us. The world s a bigger garden than mine, and it needs a bigger gardener. But the One I m trying to learn from knows the business. MANA What one? PETER The love that reasons, my dear: Imagination. Some folks call it God. MANA [Putting her face against him.] Whom I forgot ! Oh, I have sinned, I have sinned ! PETER [Caressingly.] Come: I don t take much stock in sin. Let s forget sin, shall we? TO-MORROW 151 MANA And you forgive me? God bless you! [She kisses Mm; then turns away.~\ But he he will never forgive me. PETER Mark? MANA I know it. I have seen him to-day, watching me with strange eyes. It was terrible ! PETER What like? MANA It haunts me. He s never looked at me so before. I couldn t stand his eyes. I crept away and hid. Three times: three times to-day! PETER I ve been waiting for to-day some years. MANA [With amazement.] Waiting for to-day 1 PETER Since I rooted him out of the mountains. He was a prime young stripling, and I wanted to see how 152 TO-MORROW he d transplant here to the garden. Well, the most I could do then was to tie a white string to him, and just wait, MANA A white string! PETER Yes. To-day, though, it looks like a blue ribbon. [Smiling happily, he starts away.] But you re the prize judge. . MANA I don t understand. PETER You will soon when you meet him. MANA How? PETER Oh, you ll know by a sign. Just obey it both of you. MANA Obey what sign? PETER When love has learned to reason, obey love. If you want me, I m over yonder. [He points off scene, left.] TO-MORROW 153 MANA {Following him.} Don t go. PETER [Pausing to return her caress.} Can t keep the Lord waiting any longer, my dear. To-day s my big job. [Laborers * are passing In the middle ground. He shows her the brushwood on their backs.] See those little fruit trees? Nigh a million seed lings I ve tested and thrown away just to pick out one, the best. The others are burned in the rubbish. So, you see, I must finish my job. To-day it s one in a million ! [He goes out, left. MANA follows him with her eyes; then she turns and moves slowly toward the greenhouse. In her path lies MARK S garden prong. Seeing it, she pauses with a look of reminiscence. Then she lifts it, examines the bend in the iron; tries to bend it, but cannot. Meantime MRS. HENSHAWE enters, in the left middleground. Seeing MANA, she sets her fea tures hard, and approaches, in slow-moving liasteJ\ * Two of these workmen, among the last to pass, pick up the fallen branches which clutter the path, and carry them away. 154 TO-MORROW MRS. HENSHAWE So, there you are! [MANA drops the iron, closing her eyes, as if struck.] And where have you kept yourself? Don t you know don t you know that he wants you? MANA [Without turning. ] I know., MES. HENSHAWE You know, and you stay away? God above I It s bad enough that he asked to be brought to this house. But now, now you your lover, your husband for he s as good as your husband lying in there at death s door, and you stay here in the garden I What do you say? MANA [In a low voice. ~] I said nothing. MRS. HENSHAWE Nothing! Have you seen the newspapers? [MANA quivers.] My stars ! Was ever such a such a But I m no nincumpoop, miss. I have a nose. I can smell a rat, even in a garden. I saw one just now with a red shirt. TO-MORROW 155 MANA [Turning.] Mrs. Henshawe! MRS. HENSHAWE [With increasing rapidity.] That s my name, Miss Dale, and it ought to be yours. It ought to be yours, this minute. Julian wants it to be. He s sent word by me that he wants it to be, before before in case he shouldn t recover. [Weeping. } Oh, you coZd-hearted girl! Why don t you speak? MANA J.TJL Jn. j.^i jn. [With wonder.] Do you want it to be? MRS. HENSHAWE I? The Lord knows, 7 don t except for Julian, for his sake. I m pleading for him. He may die. MANA {Intense and quiet.] You know the reason. MRS. HENSHAWE Don t talk to me of reasons ! I won t talk to you of red shirts. I say just forget everything and get married ! Mr. Spoff ord will marry you right off . Julian asks it. 156 TO-MORROW MANA I m sure Julian wouldn t ask it now if he were well. MRS. HENSHAWE [Exasperated.] How could he be well! That terrible fall last night ! I don t see how he slipped, but he says so. Anyway, he s been so generous, so chivalrous to you. Just as soon as he came to himself, he told the re porter, in the motor, that you were secretly married to him. He shielded your reputation. And now, what do you mean by denying your marriage pub licly in the newspapers ! [Breathing hard with pent-up emotion, MANA turns quickly to speak, but curbs herself. Then she murmurs low.] MANA I denied nothing. We are not married. MRS. HENSHAWE But you know you ve got to be. Come, don t be a fool. It s not only for him. You know it s for your own sake. You went alone with Julian to his bungalow, at night, in the lonely woods. And an other man followed you ! The newspapers have it all. So you know you ve got to get married. Don t be silly ! TO-MORROW 157 MANA Starting as at a quick sting.] Silly! [Her voice and face kindle."] Dear God, my friend, you and I are women. Do we not hear that word silly ringing in our souls, like the judgment bell: Silly women silly women! Think of us ! Our eyes ours hold the doom of the ages ; the life of a planet pleads at our lips ; the growth and beauty of our species they wait on our smile. And yet oh, pity ourselves ! Our eyes are ravished by a flying moment ; darkness, death, with a kiss we sow them in the upturned gazes of children ; and the choice of a thousand years what is it ? A flash of blinding desire ! \^* . - "" MRS. HENSHAWE [Gasping. } Now, why in the world MANA [Swept by her feelmg.~\ Ah, why indeed in the world! Is it only to con ceive and bear the children of silly women ? Have we never conceived the children of God ? borne and suckled them in clear dreams? Have we never sV- lected what breed our bodies shall bring forth? Not we, Mrs. Henshawe ! We silly women only know 158 TO-MORROW we have got to get married: for the sake of our lovers, for the sake of ourselves, for the newspapers, for every sake in the world except for the sake of our children. And so, my friend, we women say to each other: Don t be silly! MRS. HENSHAWE My stars! You needn t burst out like that. I don t like such allusions. I m sure we re all the chil dren of God if it must come to that. But we needn t worry about it on week days. I was talking of Julian. I say you have every reason in the world to marry him. MANA [With quiet tensity. } Would Rosalie s mother think so? MRS. HENSHAWE {With a scared look.] 1 Did he speak of all that? MANA I thought you knew. MRS. HENSHAWE [Fidgeting to control herself. ] Well, well, my child, as you say, we women are creatures of a kiss. We must take the consequences with the kisses. TO-MORROW 159 MANA Though the lips be poisoned I MRS. HENSHAWE [Increasingly moved.~\ It s as old as Babylon. The Bible women had their share of it! Why shouldn t we? [Hoarsely.] I I have had mine. Wild oats, wild oats woman must take them to her mill and grind them. MANA Yes, woman must reap them in her maidenhood. Woman must stand in the wild oats, like Ruth, wait ing with love in her eyes! Ah, dear Mrs. Hen- shawe, must she? [MANA puts one hand gently on MRS. HENSHAWE S shoulder. For an instant the older woman re turns her look of tenderness with a glance half fearful, half in tears. Then, embarrassed, she shakes MANA off, with a shrug of affected un concern.] MRS. HENSHAWE Why, why, after all, the poets sing of it. True love is blind. Roses must have thorns. It s not for us women to grow scientific and put an end to ro mance and poetry. 160 TO-MORROW MANA The poetry of truth, the romance of reason when shall our poets make love-songs of those? [From the greenhouse, the TRAINED NURSE enters.} THE NURSE Miss Dale. MRS. HENSHAWE Heavens! Is he worse? THE NURSE He is very low. He would like to speak with Miss Dale. MANA [Quietly. ] Very well. [THE NURSE goes out.~] MRS. HENSHAWE You are going in to him? MANA [Slowly. } Mrs. Henshawe : would you have me kill your son ? MRS. HENSHAWE [Staring.} Good God [ TO-MORROW 161 MANA I could not lie to him, even if I would. He has looked in my eyes before this day. He must never look there again till he is well enough to bear the truth. [She turns away.~\ MRS. HENSHAWE But I tell you [Enter SPOFFORD, right. He carries a newspaper. ~\ Ignatius, talk to her ! She is heartless cruel ! SPOFFORD [Approaching. ] My child, we have been hunting for you. MRS. HENSHAWE She won t go to him. SPOFFORD Mana, this is not becoming not right. MANA Uncle Spofford, yesterday, here, was it you who urged me not to marry Julian? SPOFFORD Yesterday, yes; but to-day that s all different. MANA Do you urge me differently now? 162 TO-MORROW SPOFFORD To marry him: surely. It s a matter of honor. It s your duty now to yourself. Yesterday, I warned you, lest you should do anything rash. But you did not heed. You have been very rash, very shockingly rash. [Showing the newspaper. ~\ Look at these headlines: shameful! After such things, in this case there is only one means to redeem your womanly repute. As a priest of the church, I offer to perform it : the sacrament of marriage. MANA {Very low. ] In this case, I should prefer another sacrament to that. SPOFFORD What? MANA " When this corruptible shall put on incorruption " [Poignantly] Ah, if this flesh is corruptible, are there no priests of God who shall refuse to perform sacrament of corruption? SPOFFORD Do you call marriage such? MANA No, but your profanement of marriage. TO-MORROW 163 SPOFFORD You mean the church s sacrament? MANA No, but your profanement of the church s. The true church is His who loved the children. Many have been His disciples. There was a priest named Mendel. Flowers were his flock. Reason was his holiness. The law of heredity was his prophet s staff. He, Uncle Spofford, he would never have offered to perform sacrament between Julian and me. SPOFFORD I don t know whom you speak of. I never heard of him. But I know you are a woman a young woman, whom I love as a daughter. And young women cannot overstep the customs of sex in society without personal dishonor. Public opinion does not permit it. MANA As you say. And have you thought, Uncle Spof ford, what this public opinion does permit? The ^ ^CUS^ * * *"" J\ idiot to have offspring, the criminal to curse his birth right, the insane to instill madness in their children s brains ! SPOFFORD Let me tell you 164 TO-MORROW MANA This public opinion permits palaces to be built for its own evil broods: prisons to preserve them, asylums to nourish them, and the fair bodies of young men and women, as temples, to rear their monstrous generations. Must you and I stand for such public opinion ? MRS. HENSHAWE That settles it, Ignatius. That confirms my sus picions. Now I can tell you why she talks like this. [Reenter, right, the TRAINED NURSE.] THE NURSE Miss Dale, the surgeon has come. [THE NURSE goes out.~\ SPOFFORD [To MANA.] You heard? MANA [Quietly.] I heard. SPOFFORD My dear child, whether he lives or dies, this mar riage should be. Is there no appeal I can make to your heart or your womanhood? TO-MORROW 165 MRS. HENSHAWE [Tearfully.} For Julian s sake ! MANA [Anguished.] Dear Mrs. Henshawe Uncle Spoff ord last night, there was a dark cliff and a miracle 1 Julian fell he, he fell and saved himself and me. To day, here in this sunlight, there hangs a darker cliff : and you and she are pushing me pushing me to the edge; but if I fall, Julian and I, and more than we, will go down into hell. I m weak, dear friends. Don t push me ! SPOFFORD [To MRS. HENSHAWE, with a look of troubled ques tioning.] What s she saying? MRS. HENSHAWE [Hurrying him off.] Come ; let s go to him. MANA Tell him, I send him peace. [MRS. HENSHAWE and SPOFFORD go off, right. MANA gazes after them, shuddering. Behind her, left, enters MARK. With swift motion, he approaches her his fajce lighted with inward TO-MORROW fire. Just behind her, he pauses and visibly con trols himself. Then, speaking, his voice rings wild and strange as of one in pain speaking through him.] MARK * Mana! [At his voice, MANA turns, glances in fear, and "wild-eyed springs away.] Wait! This moment is mine. [MANA pauses, compelled. ] I have killed this man. MANA [Hardly vocal. } Mark! MARK That s nothing. I weeded him out. But that s not it. There s more. MANA More? MARK You must know why. MANA [Mechanically. ] Why TO-MORROW 167 MARK Last night. At first I thought I thought only the master had sent me. MANA Didn t he? MARK Yes ; but then I stood nearby in the woods. You were gathering boughs. It was darkish. He d gone in the house. I came closer. You were standing still. MANA [Awe-struck. ,] It was you! MARK I thought you were looking at me. You didn t move. He came back. MANA [Murmurs.] You were gone ! MARK That was the beginning. I waited. After I d talked with the man MANA You spoke with him? MARK I went back in the dark and circled round you. 168 TO-MORROW The firelight made a mist. The trees were like hell. They wrestled and reached long arms; twisted their necks and looked at me with eyes terrible eyes they were yours. MANA Mine ! MARK Then I stood near the bungalow. You were talk ing together. I couldn t hear what you said. But soon you rushed in the door. Then the man was following. Then MANA Ah! MARK Then I knew. And a roaring burst in my ears, and a lightning across my eyes. I grappled, and with these hands I uprooted him. MANA To save me from him? MARK Yes. And to save you for myself. MANA For yourself? MARK Mana ! Mana, I love you. That was why f TO-MORROW 169 MANA [Breathless.] Mark! MARK It was all my life in one instant. [With a deep cry.] I have told you ! Now, good-by. [He starts away.] MANA Where are you going? MARK To him. MANA Why? MARK I owe him the truth. He told me last night that I came for you for myself. I denied it, but now I see he was right. MANA No! MARK And he was the man you love. It was murder. MANA [Tense and low.] But not yours. [MARK is moving away.] 170 TO-MORROW Wait. / have not spoken yet. This moment is also mine. MARK [Pausmg. ] Yours? , MANA You have made it mine. Now now I know my self. MARK {With vague questioning.] Mana ? MANA Listen! When we were children in the moun tains we made our camp-fire together. MARK In the redwoods. MANA " Five, six : Pick up sticks;" You remember? MARK [Murmuring. ] Seven, eight: Lay them straight." TO-MORROW 171 MANA Last night, in the cypresses, I was making the fire there. MARK Where? MANA Mark, in the redwoods not the cypresses. MARK [Staring.] But how ? MANA How could it be? I don t know. I was there in my thoughts. In my thoughts, you were with me there. And soon there you stood, in the sunset. You stood still. I thought you were looking at me. MARK [In wonder.] You you were looking at me 1 MANA Then you were gone. But soon, as I picked up the sticks, I thought you came close beside me. " Let me help you," you said. I did not look, but I gave you the sticks. Then I said: "Mark, lay them straight! " And suddenly he answered " Why? Why do you call me Mark? " And I saw it was he. Then I wondered. Love is strange. TO-MORROW MARK [Yearningly.] Love I love, Mana? MANA Ah, but now I do not wonder. If he were the man I love I should not be here. MARK If he were! If? MANA I should be there, with him. If he dies, that deed will also be mine, for I brought it upon you. MARK No! MANA But he is not the man I love nor ever was. MARK [Slowly, gazing at her.] Mana, is it you and me? MANA [Simply] All my life all our lives it has been. MARK [With awe] And we did not know: no one knew. TO-MORROW 173 MANA Yes, one. MAEK The master? MANA I think so. He said we should know, when we met, by a sign. MARK {With a great breath .] Ah, it is true. I see it now! His sign is upon us both. It was he who mated us, when we did not know. I am happy. . MANA We are happy. MARK Yes ; even though I have killed this man. MANA [Murmurs.] We! MARK Is this blasphemy which we speak? Yet it is love. MANA Mark! MARK Mana! 174 TO-MORROW [They move toward each other. MARK draws sud denly back, with a hoarse cry.~\ Ah I he is lying there. It may soon be death. I must go. MANA No ! If you do for you it may be death. MARK It will be law. MANA The law of men ! The law of love is wiser. MARK Shall I take my life from him, and also my love? MANA Would you take the life of your love? Then we must go together. MARK No ; the act was mine. MANA But the instigation mine. MARK The law will not say so. MANA Then the law will quibble. Will you kill the truth for that? TO-MORROW 175 MAEK Ah, God! Mana, Mana, the web of fate is around us. The deed cannot be undone; and the law of men [Enter the TRAINED NURSE, right. ,] THE NURSE Miss Dale MARK Ah, you hear THE NURSE Miss Dale, the Senator The doctors have con sulted together. They send you word MANA [Feverishly.] Speak 1 THE NURSE He will recover. MANA [Faintly.] Go! [THE NURSE goes out. During a long, silent mo ment, MANA and MARK look at each other.] MANA The law of men is appeased. MARK By the love of God 1 176 TO-MORROW [He takes her hand. In the middle ground, left, PETER enters, quietly. In his hand he carries a little tree, partly wrapped in paper. By the central path he pauses, in the sunset. Behind him far mountains and s~ky, petaled with radiant fire, seem to reflect the many-colored gladness of the flowers. MARK looks wonderingly in MANA S face.] Mana, yesterday we were children playing to gether. MANA [Happily.] So we shall be to-morrow. PETER [Glancing from his little tree to where they stand. ~\ One in a million ! [He gazes with a quaint smile. His gaze seems to fondle all the garden.] CURTAIN. THE END OVERDUE. YB 31878 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY