The Miracle Worker by William Gibson Read Free Book Online Page B

JAMES, locks it, removes the key, and turns with her back against the door to stare ominously at HELEN, kicking on the floor.
    JAMES takes his hat from the rack, and going down the porch steps joins KATE and KELLER talking in the yard, KELLER in a sputter of ire.)
    KELLER: This girl, this—cub of a girl— presumes! I tell you, I’m of half a mind to ship her back to Boston before the week is out. You can inform her so from me!
    KATE [ EYEBROWS UP ]: I, Captain?
    KELLER: She’s a hireling ! Now I want it clear, unless there’s an apology and complete change of manner she goes back on the next train! Will you make that quite clear?
    KATE: Where will you be, Captain, while I am making it quite—
    KELLER: At the office!
    (He begins off left, finds his napkin still in his irate hand, is uncertain with it, dabs his lips with dignity, gets rid of it in a toss to JAMES, and marches off. JAMES turns to eye KATE. )
    JAMES: Will you?
    ( KATE’S mouth is set, and JAMES studies it lightly.)
    I thought what she said was exceptionally intelligent. I’ve been saying it for years.
    KATE [ NOT WITHOUT SCORN ]: To his face?
    (She comes to relieve him of the white napkin, but reverts again with it.)
    Or will you take it, Jimmie? As a flag?
    ( JAMES stalks out, much offended, and KATE turning stares across the yard at the house; the lights narrowing down to the following pantomime in the family room leave her motionless in the dark.
    ANNIE meanwhile has begun by slapping both keys down on a shelf out of HELEN’S reach; she returns to the table, upstage. HELEN’S kicking has subsided, and when from the floor her hand finds ANNIE’S chair empty she pauses. ANNIE clears the table of KATE’S, JAMES’S, and KELLER’S plates; she gets back to her own across the table just in time to slide it deftly away from HELEN’S pouncing hand. She lifts the hand and moves it to HELEN’S plate, and after an instant’s exploration, HELEN sits again on the floor and drums her heels. ANNIE comes around the table and resumes her chair. When HELEN feels her skirt again, she ceases kicking, waits for whatever is to come, renews some kicking, waits again. ANNIE retrieving her plate takes up a forkful of food, stops it halfway to her mouth, gazes at it devoid of appetite, and half-lowers it; but after a look at HELEN she sighs, dips the forkful toward HELEN in a for-your-sake toast, and puts it in her own mouth to chew, not without an effort.
    HELEN now gets holds of the chair leg, and half-succeeds in pulling the chair out from under her. ANNIE bangs it down with her rear, heavily, and sits with all her weight. HELEN’S next attempt to topple it is unavailing, so her fingers dive in a pinch at ANNIE’S flank. ANNIE in the middle of her mouthful almost loses it with startle, and she slaps down her fork to round on HELEN. The child comes up with curiosity to feel what ANNIE is doing, so ANNIE resumes eating, letting HELEN’S hand follow the movement of her fork to her mouth; whereupon HELEN at once reaches into ANNIE’S plate. ANNIE firmly removes her hand to her own plate. HELEN in reply pinches ANNIE’S thigh, a good mean pinchful that makes ANNIE jump. ANNIE sets the fork down, and sits with her mouth tight. HELEN digs another pinch into her thigh, and this time ANNIE slaps her hand smartly away; HELEN retaliates with a roundhouse fist that catches ANNIE on the ear, and ANNIE’S hand leaps at once in a forceful slap across HELEN’S cheek; HELEN is the startled one now. ANNIE’S hand in compunction falters to her own face, but when HELEN hits at her again, ANNIE deliberately slaps her again. HELEN lifts her fist irresolute for another roundhouse, ANNIE lifts her hand resolute for another slap, and they freeze in this posture, while HELEN mulls it over. She thinks better of it, drops her fist, and giving ANNIE a wide berth, gropes around to her MOTHER’S chair, to find it