Streetcar Named Desire Blanche Scene 4

(Entering)

Stella!

STELLA: Hmmh?

Baby, my baby sister!

STELLA: Blanche, what’s the matter with you?

He’s left?

STELLA: Stan? Yes.

Will he be back?

STELLA: He’s gone to get the car greased. Why?

Why! I’ve been half crazy, Stella! When I found out you’d been insane enough to come back in here after what happened- I started to rush in after you!

STELLA: I’m glad you didn’t.

What were you thinking of? Answer me! What? What?

STELLA: Blanche, I’d forgotten how excitable you are. You’re making much too much fuss about this.

Am I?

STELLA: Yes, you are, Blanche… He’s really very, very ashamed of himself.

And that- that makes it all right?

STELLA: No, it isn’t all right for anybody to make such a terrible row…rushed about the place smashing the light bulbs with it.

He did- what?

STELLA: He smashed all the light bulbs with the heel of my slipper!

And you- you let him? Didn’t run? Didn’t scream?

STELLA: I was- sort of- thrilled by it. Eunice and you had breakfast?

Do you suppose I wanted any breakfast?

STELLA: There’s some coffee left on the stove.

You’re so- matter of fact about it, Stella.

STELLA: What other can I be? He’s taken the radio to get it fixed. It didn’t land on the pavement so only one tube was smashed.

And you are standing there smiling!

STELLA: What do you want me to do?

Pull yourself together and face the facts.

STELLA: And what are they, in your opinion?

In my opinion? You’re married to a madman!

STELLA: No!

Yes, you are, your fix is worse than mine is! Only you’re not being sensible about it. I’m going to do something. Get hold of myself and make myself a new life.

STELLA: Yes?

But you’ve given in. And that isn’t right, you’re not old! You can get out.

STELLA: I’m not in anything I want to get out of.

What- Stella?

STELLA: I said I am not in anything that I have a desire to get out of… People have got to tolerate each other’s habits, I guess.

I don’t understand you. I don’t understand your indifference. Is this a Chinese philosophy you’ve- cultivated?

STELLA: Is what- what?

This- shuffling about and mumbling- “One tube smashed- beer bottles- mess in the kitchen.”- as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened! Are you deliberately shaking that thing in my face?

STELLA: No.

Stop it. Let go of that broom. I won’t have you cleaning up for him.

STELLA: Then who’s going to do it? Are you?

I? I!

STELLA: No, I didn’t think so.

Oh, let me think. If only my mind would function! We’ve got to get hold of some money, that’s the way out!

STELLA: I guess that money is always nice to get hold of.

Listen to me. I have an idea of some kind. Do you remember Shep Huntleigh? Of course you remember Shep Huntleigh. I went out with him at college and wore his pin for a while. Well-

STELLA: Well?

I ran into him last winter. You know I went to Miami during the Christmas holidays?

STELLA: No.

Well, I did. I took the trip as an investment, thinking I’d meet someone with a million dollars.

STELLA: Did you?

Yes. I ran into Shep Huntleigh- I ran into him on Biscayne Boulevard, on Christmas Eve, about dusk… getting into his car- Cadillac convertible; must have been a block long!

STELLA: I should think it would have been- inconvenient in traffic!

You’ve heard of oil-wells?

STELLA: Yes- remotely.

He has them, all over Texas. Texas is literally spouting gold in his pockets.

STELLA: My, my.

Y’know how indifferent I am to money. I think of money in terms of what it does for you. But he could do it, he could certainly do it!

STELLA: Do what, Blanche?

Why- set us up in a- shop!

STELLA: What kind of a shop?

Oh, a- shop of some kind! He could do it with half what his wife throws away at the races.

STELLA: He’s married?

Honey, would I be here if the man weren’t married? How do I get to Western Union?- Operator! Western Union!

STELLA: That’s a dial phone, honey.

I can’t dial, I’m too-

STELLA: Just dial O.

O?

STELLA: Yes, “O” for Operator!

Give me a pencil. Where is a slip of paper? I’ve got to write it down first- the message, I mean… Let me see now… “Darling Shep. Sister and I in desperate situation.”

STELLA: I beg your pardon!

“Sister and I in desperate situation. Will explain details later. Would you be interested in-?” “Would you be- interested- in…” You never get anywhere with direct appeals!

STELLA: Don’t be so ridiculous, darling!

But I'll think of something, I’ve got to think of- something! Don’t, don’t laugh at me, Stella! Please, please don’t- I- I want you to look at the contents of my purse! Here’s what’s in it! Sixty-five measly cents in coin of the realm!

STELLA: Stanley doesn’t give me a regular allowance, he likes to pay bills himself, but- this morning he gave me ten dollars to smooth things over. You take five of it, Blanche, and I’ll keep the rest.

Oh, no. No, Stella.

STELLA: I know how it helps your morale just having a little pocket money on you.

No, thank you- I’ll take to the streets!

STELLA: Talk sense! How did you happen to get so low on funds?

Money just goes- it goes places. Sometime today I’ve got to get hold of a bromo!

STELLA: I’ll fix you one now.

Not yet- I’ve got to keep thinking!

STELLA: I wish you’d just let things go, at least for a- while…

Stella, I can’t live with him! You can, he’s your husband. But how could I stay here with him, after last night, with just those curtains between us?

STELLA: Blanche, you saw him at his worst last night.

On the contrary, I saw him at his best! What such a man has to offer is animal force and he gave a wonderful exhibition of that! But the only way to live with such a man is to- go to bed with him! And that’s your job- not mine!

STELLA: After you’ve rested a little, you’ll see it’s going to work out. you don’t have to worry about anything while you’re here. I mean- expenses…

I have to plan for us both, to get us both- out!

STELLA: You take it for granted that I am in something that I want to get out of.

I take it for granted that you still have sufficient memory of Belle Reve to find this place and these poker players impossible to live with.

STELLA: Well, you’re taking entirely too much for granted.

I can’t believe you’re in earnest.

STELLA: No?

I understand how it happened- a little. You saw him in uniform, an officer, not here but-

STELLA: I’m not sure it would have made any difference where I saw him.

Now don’t say it was one of those mysterious electric things between people! If you do I’ll laugh in your face.

STELLA: I am not going to say anything more at all about it!

All right, then, don’t!

STELLA: But there are things that happen between a man and a woman in the dark- that sort of make everything else seem- unimportant.

What you are talking about is brutal desire- just- desire! The name of that rattle- trap street car that bangs through the Quarter, up one old narrow street and down another…

STELLA: Haven’t you ever ridden on that street-car?

It brought me here. Where I’m not wanted and where I’m ashamed to be.

STELLA: Then don’t you think your superior attitude is a bit out of place?

I am not being or feeling at all superior, Stella. Believe me I’m not! It’s just this. This is how I look at it. A man like that is someone to go out with- once- twice- three times when the devil is in you. But live with? Have a child by?

STELLA: I have told you I love him.

Then I tremble for you! I just- tremble for you…

STELLA: I can’t help your trembling if you insist on trembling!

May I speak plainly?

STELLA: Yes, do. Go ahead. As plainly as you want to.

Well- if you’ll forgive me- he’s common!

STELLA: Why, yes, I suppose he is.

Suppose! You can’t have forgotten that much of our bringing up, Stella, that you just suppose that any part of a gentleman’s in his nature! Not one particle, no! Oh, if he was just- ordinary! Just plain- but good and wholesome, but- no. There’s something downright- bestial- about him! You’re hating me saying this, aren’t you?

STELLA: Go on and say it all, Blanche.

He acts like an animal, has an animal’s habits! Eats like one, moves like one, talks like one! There’s even something- sub- human- something not quite to the stage of humanity yet! yes, something- ape- like about him, like one of those pictures I’ve seen in- anthropological studies! Thousands and thousands of years have passed him right by, and there he is- Stanley Kowalski- survivor of the stone age! Bearing the raw meat home from the kill in the jungle! And you- you here- waiting for him! Maybe he’ll strike you or maybe grunt and kiss you! That is, if kisses have been discovered yet! Night falls and the other apes gather! There in the front of the cave, all grunting like him, and swilling and gnawing and hulking! His poker night- you call it- this part of apes! Somebody growls- some creature snatches at something- the fight is on! God! Maybe we are a long way from being made in God’s image, but Stella- my sister- there has been some progress since then! Such things as art- as poetry and music- such kinds of new light have come into the world since then! In some kinds of people some tenderer feelings have had some little beginning! That we have got to make growl and cling to, and hold as our flag! In this dark march toward whatever it is we’re approaching- Don’t- don’t hang back with the brutes!