Trifles (Mrs. Peters)

(Mr. Henderson) This feels good. Come up to the fire, ladies.

I'm not--cold.

(Mr. Henderson) Here's a nice mess.

Oh, her fruit; it did freeze. She worried about that when it turned so cold. She said the fire'd go out and her jars would break.

(Mr. Henderson) Yes, but I would like to see what you take, Mrs.

Peters, and keep an eye out for anything that might be of use to us.

Yes, Mr. Henderson.

(Mrs. Hale) I'd hate to have men coming into my kitchen, snooping around and criticizing.

Of course, it's no more than their duty.

(Mrs. Hale) ...Wish I'd thought of that sooner. Seems mean to talk about her for not having things slicked up when she had to come away in such a hurry.

She had bread set.

(Mrs. Hale)...She'll feel awful bad after all her hard work in the hot weather. I remember the afternoon I put up my cherries last summer. (FIRST MOMENT OF TENSION WITH THE CHAIR)

Well, I must get those things from the front room closet. You coming with me, Mrs. Hale? You could help me carry them. (exit & return) My, it's cold in there.

(Mrs. Hale)...She used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir. But that- oh, that was thirty years ago. This all you was to take in?

She said she wanted an apron. Funny thing to want, for there isn't much to get you dirty in jail, goodness knows. But I suppose just to make her feel more natural. She said they was in the top drawer in this cupboard. Yes, here. And then her little shawl that always hung behind the door. Yes, here it is. (MOMENT OF TENSION WITH THE DOOR)

(Mrs. Hale) Mrs. Peters?

Yes, Mrs. Hale?

(Mrs. Hale) Do you think she did it?

Oh, I don't know.

(Mrs. Hale) Well, I don't think she did. Asking for an apron and her little shawl. Worrying about her fruit.

Mr. Peters says it looks bad for her. Mr. Henderson is awful sarcastic in a speech and he'll make fun of her sayin' she didn't wake up.

(Mrs. Hale) Well, I guess John Wright didn't wake when they was slipping that rope under his neck.

No, it's strange. It must have been done awful crafty and still. They say it was such a--funny way to kill a man, rigging it all up like that.

(Mrs. Hale) That's just what Mr. Hale said. There was a gun in the house. He says that's what he can't understand.

Mr. Henderson said coming out that what was needed for the case was a motive; something to show anger, or--a sudden feeling.

(Mrs. Hale)...Wonder how they are finding things upstairs. I hope she had it a little more red-up up there. You know, it seems kind of sneaking. Locking her up in town and then coming out here and trying to get her own house to turn against her!

But Mrs. Hale, the law is the law.

(Mrs. Hale) I s'pose 'tis. Better loosen up your things, Mrs. Peters. You won't feel them when you go out.

TAKE OFF YOUR FUR TIPPET AND PULL THE CRATE OUT FROM UNDER THE TABLE AND PUT IT ON THE TABLE --She was piecing a quilt.

(Mrs. Hale) I don't know as there's anything so strange, our takin' up our time with little things while we're waiting for them to get the evidence. I don't see as it's anything to laugh about.

Of course, they've got awful important things on their minds.

(Mrs. Hale) Mrs. Peters, look at this one. Here, this is the one she was working on, and look at the sewing! All the rest of it has been so nice and even. And look at this! It's all over the place! Why, it looks as if she didn't know what she was about! (She starts messing with the stuff)

Oh, what are you doing, Mrs. Hale?

(Mrs. Hale) Just pulling out a stitch or two that's not sewed very good. Bad sewing always made me fidgety.

(with a glance at door, nervously) I don't think we ought to--touch things...

(Mrs. Hale) I'll just finish up this end. Mrs. Peters?

Yes, Mrs. Hale?

(Mrs. Hale) What do you suppose she was so nervous about?

Oh-I don't know. I don't know as she was nervous. I sometimes sew awful queer when I'm just tired. Well, I must get these things wrapped up. They may be through sooner than we think. I wonder where I can find a piece of paper, and string.

(Mrs. Hale) In that cupboard, maybe.

Why, here's a bird cage! Did she have a bird, Mrs. Hale?

(Mrs. Hale) Why, I don't know whether she did or not-I've not been here for so long. There was a man around last year selling canaries cheap, but I don't know as she took one; maybe she did. She used to sing real pretty herself.

Seems funny to think of a bird here. But she must have had one, or why would she have a cage? I wonder what happened to it...I s'pose maybe the cat got it.

I s'pose maybe the cat got it.

No, she didn't have a cat. She's got that feeling some people have about cats— being afraid of them. My cat got in her room and she was real upset and asked me to take it out.

(Mrs. Hale) ...My sister Bessie was like that. Queer, ain't it?

Why, look at this door. It's broke. One hinge is pulled apart.

(Mrs. Hale) Looks as if someone must have been rough with

it.

Why, yes.

(Mrs. Hale) I wish if they're going to find any evidence they'd be about it. I don't like this place.

But I'm awful glad you came with me, Mrs. Hale. It

would be lonesome for me sitting here alone.

(Mrs. Hale) It would, wouldn't it? But I tell you what I do wish, Mrs. Peters. I wish I had come over sometimes when she was here. I--wish I had.

But of course you were awful busy, Mrs. Hale--your house and y--your children.

(Mrs. Hale) I could've come. I stayed away because it weren't cheerful-and that's why I ought to have come. I--l've never liked this place. Maybe because it's down in a hollow and you don't see the road. I dunno what it is, but it's a lonesome place and always was. I wish I had come over to see Minnie Foster sometimes. I can see now...

Well, you mustn't reproach yourself, Mrs. Hale. Somehow, we just don't see how it is with other folks until--something turns up.

(Mrs. Hale) Not having children makes less work...but it makes a quiet

house, and Wright out to work all day, and no company when he did come in. Did you know John Wright, Mrs. Peters?

Not to know him; I've seen him in town. They say he was a good man.

(Mrs. Hale) Yes-good; he didn't drink, and kept his word as well as most, I guess, and paid his debts. But he was a hard man, Mrs. Peters. Just to pass the time of day with him...like a raw wind that gets to the bone. I should think she would 'a' wanted a bird. But what do you suppose went with it?

I don't know, unless it got sick and died. (She reaches over and swings the broken door, swings it again, both women watch it.)

(Mrs. Hale) You weren't raised round here, were you?

(shake your head)

(Mrs. Hale) You didn't know-her?

Not till they brought her yesterday.

(Mrs. Hale) She-come to think of it, she was kind of like a bird her

self-real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and-fluttery. How she-did-change. HAPPY TONE CHANGE Tell you what, Mrs. Peters, why don't you take the quilt With you? It might take up her mind.

Why, I think that's a real nice idea, Mrs. Hale. There

couldn't possibly be any objection to it could there? Now, just what would I take? I wonder if her patches are in here--and her things.

(Mrs. Hale) Here's some red. I expect this has got

sewing things in it. What a pretty, box. Look like something somebody would give you. Maybe her scissors are in here. (opens box. Suddenly puts her hand to her nose.) Why-(MRS.

PETERS bends nearer, then turns her face away.) There's something

wrapped up in this piece of silk.

Why, this isn't her scissors.

(Mrs. Hale) Oh, Mrs. Peters-it's--

It's the bird!

(Mrs. Hale) But, Mrs. Peters-look at it! Its neck! Look at its neck! It's

all-other side to.

Somebody--wrung--its--neck!

(Mr. Henderson) Well. ladies, have you decided whether she was going to quilt it or knot it?

We think she was going to-knot it.

(Mr. Henderson) Is there a cat?

Well, not now. They're superstitious, you know. They leave.

(Mrs. Hale) She liked the bird. She was going to bury it in that pretty box.

When I was a girl-my kitten-there was a boy took a hatchet, and before my eyes-and before I could get there-- (Covers her face an instant.).lf they hadn't held me back I would have--hurt him.

(Mrs. Hale) I wonder how it would seem never to have had any children around. No, Wright wouldn't like the bird--a thing that sang. She used to sing. He killed that too.

We don't know who killed the bird.

(Mrs. Hale) I knew John Wright.

It was an awful thing was done in this house that night,

Mrs. Hale. Killing a man while he slept, slipping a rope around his neck that choked the life out of him.

(Mrs. Hale) His neck. Choked the life out of him.

We don't know who killed him! We don't know!

(Mrs. Hale) If there'd been years and years of nothing, then a bird to sing to you, it would be awful--still, after the bird was still.

I know what stillness is. When we homesteaded in Dakota, and my first baby died-after he was two years old, and me with no other then--

(Mrs. Hale) How soon do you suppose they'll be through looking for the evidence?

I know what stillness is. The law has got to punish crime, Mrs. Hale.

(Mrs. Hale) I wish you'd seen Minnie Foster when she wore a white dress with blue ribbons and stood up there in the choir and sang. Oh, I wish I'd come over here once in a while! That was a crime! That was a crime! Who's going to punish that?

We mustn't--take on.

(Mrs. Hale) ...If l was you I woundn't tell her her fruit was gone. Tell her it ain't. Tell her it's all right. Take this back to prove it to her. She-she may never know whether it was broke or not.

(takes the jar, looks about for something to wrap it in) My. It is a good thing the men couldn't hear us. Wouldn't they just laugh! Getting all stirred up over a little thing like a--dead canary. As if that could have anything to do with-with-wouldn't they laugh!

(Mr. Henderson) No, Mrs. Peters doesn t need supervising. For that matter a sheriff's wife is married to the law. Ever think ofit that way, Mrs. Peters?

Not--just that way.