[She is silent and motionless, but her head is lifted; her eyes are
open; she is alive again. When lights go on again, John and
Mary
Speaker still stand before chair she has left as if she were in it; it
is apparent that they believe themselves to be still looking at the old
woman.]
Mary Speaker
Nonsense... all in the dark?... What do you mean by all in the dark?
John Speaker
Nothing... nothing now. It has passed....
[Pointing to chair where
Cousin Fanny was.] She died with a
smile on her face!
John Thinker
But she isn't there....
Cousin Fanny isn't there.
... She's here.... She's over here with us... over here with us!
Mary Thinker
Here with us... over here, forever, now.
Mary Speaker
[Holding
John Speaker's hand and gazing at vacant chair.]
How beautiful she looks! She is at rest, now! She is better off so. Better dead. She is better at peace!
John Thinker
[Violently; starting towards other room.]
My God. I'm going to stop it... stop it... stop that lying... stop it at any cost.... I'm going to stop that pretending... that damned pretending....
Mary Thinker
[Quickly getting in front of him; holding him back.]
What are you going to do?
John Thinker
Stop it, I tell you.... Tell the truth... stop that pretense....
[Moves towards the other room. As he does so,
Mary Speaker
and John Speaker, for the first time become aware of John and
Mary
Thinker, and shrink back in terror and alarm, clinging together,
confused, convicted, abject, retreating, powerless;
Cousin Fanny
leaps in front of John Thinker at same instant, and bars him back, saying:]
Cousin Fanny
Stop!
John Thinker
Why? I will stop this pretense... Why not?
Cousin Fanny
[All four of the others lean forward and hang eagerly upon her words.]
You must not. It can't be done. It is the foundation upon which your society rests. It is necessary... over there!