Scene Six

 
 

It is Backstage. IRENE is surrounded by doting ADMIRERS all holding copies of her latest book for her to sign.
FIRST ADMIRER
That was so inspiring, Madame Polenska!

SECOND ADMIRER

I've already read your latest book three times, and I just got it on Tuesday!

THIRD ADMIRER

How do you say "You're the cat's whiskers" in Hindustani? (As the ADMIRERS continue to flatter Irene, HAYDEN appears tentatively. CHARLOTTE goes to him.)
CHARLOTTE
You did very well, Mr. whatwasyournameagain?

HAYDEN

Waltzinger.

CHARLOTTE

My accountant will be sending you the check.

HAYDEN

Yes, you told me.

CHARLOTTE

Is there something else you wanted?

HAYDEN

I hoped to speak to...her.

CHARLOTTE

Can't I help you?

HAYDEN

I must speak to her personally.

CHARLOTTE

I'm afraid she's far too busy at the moment. And after she's finished, we have to catch a train for Washington. Madame is reading tomorrow for the President and some of his friends.

HAYDEN

                                                                      (calling out)
Irene!   (IRENE looks up for only a moment, then immediately returns to signing the books. BUTCH glares at him. The music of In the Spring Of Our Youth swells. LIGHTS DIM. On the screen we see a photograph of the White House as it appeared in 1921. IRENE, CHARLOTTE and BUTCH are walking down a hallway, led by a black BUTLER. SENATOR PITOU and his wife BERTHA, both of them considerably older than when we saw them in Act One, are coming from the opposite direction.)
CHARLOTTE
Senator...Mrs. Pitou...

SENATOR

How nice to see you, Mrs. Braden.

BERTHA

Charlotte, how well you are looking!

CHARLOTTE

Polenskaism, my dear. Madame, surely you remember the Senator and his wife. (Both the SENATOR and his WIFE try to conceal the shock of seeing how Irene has changed.)
IRENE
But of course!

SENATOR

Been a lot of water under the bridge.

BERTHA

That memorable night on the Oceanic. How can I ever forget it! It nearly scared me to death. I hope tonight will not be that terrifying.

IRENE

Polenska never knows what her guides have in mind.

CHARLOTTE

Oh, excuse me...this is Madame's...uh...bodyguard, Mr. Biggenwalt.

SENATOR

Nice to know ya, son.

                                                                 (THEY shake hands.)

IRENE

Forgive Polenska, Senator, but I know so little about American politics. You are still a senator?

BERTHA

My husband has been a senator for thirty-two years.

IRENE

What a remarkable country!
 
  (The set is wheeled off and another set slides on from the opposite side of the stage. We are in a room in the White House, and an intimate group of people, including PRESIDENT & MRS. HARDING, SENATOR & MRS. PITOU, CHARLOTTE, BUTCH and a few OTHERS, sit with their backs to us facing IRENE who is upstage center and facing the audience.)
IRENE
I do not know how many of you here are familiar with my humble work. Let me just explain that anything that happens here tonight has nothing to do with me, Polenska, but only with the Masters, whom I am fortunate to be in contact. Now if we will all bow our heads in silent prayer.
Bhagavita, agavita, karma, jnana, joo,
Agavita, bhagavita, dhoti, lungi, too.
Are you there, my Masters?
Are you there, please let me know---
Knock once for yes
And twice for no.
                             (Loud knock.)
Oh, Master Shu!
It is you!
We are very lucky tonight. We have Master Shu. Master Shu has contact with everyone who has ever passed over to the other side.

SENATOR

                                                                   (whispering to his wife)
Wasn't it Firewater years ago?

BERTHA

Fancy you remembering that.

IRENE

Master Shu,
Master Shu.
Tell us please what we must do.
                        (in a much deeper Hindu-sounding voice)
Each one of us is,
And whatever is, is not---
If you are cold,
You think you are cold,
Perhaps you are cold,
But what is cold is hot.
For it is truth
There is no truth,
Whatever you feel
Is never real,
And what is real
Is false.
This is the path,
No, that is the path,
The path is over there---
There is no path,
There can be no path,
There isn't even air.
The salvation lies in being,
But being is a lie---
Whatever you think you're seeing
You're not seeing with your eye.
There is no eye,
There is no ear,
You do not see,
You do not hear.
A circle is not a circle,
A dot is not a dot.
Each one of us is,
And whatever is, is not.
BERTHA
This is different than years ago. Much deeper.

IRENE

What is that, Master Shu? Come in stronger. I can hardly hear you. What you say? You have a cold.
                                                                      (SENATOR laughs.)
We are so sorry to disturb you. Oh? It is all right.
                                                                      (looking up)
Master Shu says it is all right.
                                                                      (back in a semi-trance)
Someone on the other side wants to come through. His name is...George.
                                                                      (again looking up)
Does anyone know someone who has passed on named George?

MRS. HARDING

My husband's father was named George.

IRENE

He is wearing around his neck---how you say---a stethescope?

MRS. HARDING

His father was a doctor!

IRENE

Come in, George!
                                                                 (changing her voice, deep and American)
Warren, it is Papa!

PRESIDENT

Yes? Papa?

IRENE

Remember your red-and-white striped tricycle?

MRS. HARDING

He did have a red-and-white striped tricycle.

BERTHA

Remarkable! (BLACKOUT. Downstage right, we see MRS. FARGUESON in a section her own home with WILMA and HAZEL.)

         MRS. FARGUESON

 A red-and-white striped tricycle! Do you know how much research she was doing on President Harding for five weeks before she went to Washington in order to come up with a red-and-white striped tricycle? That woman is an absolute, complete fraud! (SHE reaches for the telephone and dials a number.)

                  WILMA

 Who are you calling?

MRS. FARGUESON

You'll see soon enough.
  (Telephone rings downstage left. A spot falls on OLIVER DE KOVEN picking up the receiver.)

                DE KOVEN

 Hello?

MRS. FARGUESON

I would like to speak to Dr. De Koven.

DE KOVEN

Speaking.

MRS. FARGUESON

This is Hesperia Fargueson...you don't know me, but I think we may be of mutual benefit to each other...
   
LIGHTS DIM