532
PARTISAN REVIEW
MARION:
When one gets to know you well, you're raw meat. You lack
class.
ELENA:
Then make me a prostitute.
MARION:
Let's get married.
ELENA:
I'd never marry you.
MARION:
Dearest-what if I'm the one who won't marry you?
ELENA:
I want to be a prostitute.
MARION:
I don't touch prostitutes . . . I could send you to a friend
though. He has a job where you could work like half
in
a whorehouse.
ELENA:
What does half-in-a-whorehouse mean?
MARION:
It
means in a whorehouse ... on the Mexican border.
ELENA:
(She looks frightened.)
I won't do that.
MARION:
Are you a snob, doctor? Think of all the poor creeps down
there and how they're crawling for you.
ELENA:
(Her voice lacks size.)
I'm getting out.
MARION:
Get out.
ELENA:
I'll go.
MARION:
Can you find the door?
ELENA:
I'd like to kill myself.
MARION:
You haven't the guts.
ELENA:
Don't taunt me. I could do it.
MARION
reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small bottle.
MARION:
I've been saving this for myself. They're like sleeping pills.
Except that two is enough. That's all. Two capsules. But it's enough.
Lays the capsules on the table between them.
ELENA:
You think I won't?
MARION:
I think you'll look at them.
(He laughs.)
ELENA
reaches for a drink, and with an impulsive motion swal-
lows the pills.
ELENA:
There, I'm done. It's done.
MARION:
You'll be asleep soon.
ELENA:
You don't care.
MARION:
You're great, baby,
if
you can hold out.
(stands up abruptly)
I mean like I don't know if I can watch.
ELENA:
How long have you had those pills?
MARION:
I put them in my pocket today.
ELENA:
But when did you begin to think of having them ... for me?
MARION:
Lying next to you in bed. The first time. When you were just
beginning to go with Eitel, I said to myself, "This child is the ma–
terial out of which suicides are made."
ELENA:
You knew.
