Resurrection Blues by Arthur Miller Read Free Book Online

talk?
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    EMILY: I think I’ll have a look around the country for a bit . . .
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    SKIP: Don’t go far . . . please. To Felix: I’m expecting your call the moment you have any news, sir.
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    FELIX: Rest assured. Skip exits. To Emily: Then may I expect you for dinner, Miss Shapiro? I was serious about your haircut, I find it very moving in a way that is particularly important to me.
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    EMILY: A moving haircut!—in that case, yes, I’d love dinner . . .
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    FELIX: Until tonight then, Miss Shapiro!
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    He gets to the periphery where Henri intercepts him—intimately.
    HENRI: What happened?
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    FELIX: I can’t talk about it.
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    HENRI: Well, how did he get out?
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    FELIX: He paid off the guards.
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    HENRI: Where’d he get the money?
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    FELIX: How the hell would I know!—They’re trying to hand me this bullshit that he walked through the walls. They’re calling him a magician, but he paid them off and I’ve locked them all up and I’m going to find that little bastard if I do nothing else in my life!
    Â 
    He starts out; Henri grabs his arm.
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    HENRI: Felix! Do nothing! Thank your lucky stars, it’s a blessing.
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    FELIX, loudly, angered: A blessing? It’s chaos!—And I’m going to miss my analysis day in Miami!
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    Felix throws off Henri’s hand, goes to Emily, kisses
her hand.
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    Again!—Until tonight, Miss Shapiro!
    Â 
    With a gallant wave he exits. Henri starts to follow,
but halts and turns to Emily.
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    HENRI: You could stop this, you know.
    EMILY: Me!
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    HENRI: Couldn’t you try to dissuade him? Seriously—he can be very affected by good-looking women. He’s undergoing psychoanalysis now. I’ve never known him to be quite this ambivalent about things—last year he’d have shot this man by now. And to be candid, I thought his reaction to meeting you was amazingly genuine . . . I mean his feeling.
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    EMILY: And he did like my haircut.
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    HENRI: He’s a big baby, you know; his mother nursed him till he was seven.
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    EMILY: I hope you don’t expect me to pick up where she left off.
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    SARAH, closing her phone: I’m pregnant!
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    EMILY: Oh, Sarah!
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    She bursts into tears.
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    SARAH: What’s the matter? Taking her hand as she weeps loudly, uncontrolled . Oh Emily, what is it!
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    EMILY: I’m so glad for you! I mean you look so happy and I’m all fucked up! Kisses Sarah. Drink milk or something . . .
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    HENRI: I do admire your irony!
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    EMILY: Yes, I’m famous for it. Miss Irony Mud.—Okay, I’ll margarine the General.
    HENRI: Thank you, my dear.
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    EMILY: Tell me, Henri, as a truth-loving philosopher—wouldn’t you gladly resign from the human race if only there was another one to belong to?
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    HENRI: Oh, of course. But are we sure it would be any better?
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    Blackout.

SCENE 3
    Stanley, an apostle, softly plays a harmonica in Felix’s
office. Sneakers, unkempt ponytail, blue denim shirt,
backpack.
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    Felix enters.
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    FELIX: Thank you for coming.
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    STANLEY: Well, I was arrested.
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    FELIX: What’s your name again?
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    STANLEY: Stanley.
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    FELIX: You know who I am.
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    STANLEY: Of course. You’re the head.
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    FELIX: Tha-a-a-t’s right, I am the head. I’m told you’re very close to him.
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    STANLEY, cautiously: You could say that.
    FELIX: Asshole buddies.
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    STANLEY: . . . I never put it quite that way.
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    FELIX: I’m told you did some . . . service for us a while back.
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    STANLEY: I’ve made some mistakes in my life, that was one of the big ones.
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    FELIX: We need to know where he is. There’s good money in the information.
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    STANLEY: Thanks, but I really don’t need money right now.
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    FELIX: Then tell me gratis—where is he?
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    STANLEY: I’ve no idea.