378
JONATHAN STRONG
on the dresser. Now everything is wrong. I am beginning to feel so
uneasy with these older people. I want to go talk to Louie.
S. I was showing Patrick my painting.
MRS. S. Oh, but he's been in here before.
S. I told him the story about it.
MRS. S. What did you make of that, Patrick?
She is sounding like my mother does sometimes, sort of menacing.
I cannot talk. My mouth is trembling. I think she knows about every–
thing. What if my father knows? Maybe he has some people out
looking for me now. Or what if Charles lets out where I am because
I have not been very nice to her lately, I have not talked to her much.
Mrs. Supperburger takes a sip of her drink, and now she does not
look as angry, just worried instead and very sweet.
MRS. S. Patrick ... Think what you are supposed to be. I'm a
nice woman. I was watched over when I was little, but when I grew
up I found I was able to take the world as it is. I'm willing to accept
things. But where is love? What will happen to that little girl who
rang the bell at dinner, without you? Arthur reads Swinburne. Well,
that's fine. But that's sex. Where is love? That's beauty and color, and
sound-music, you see, sensual things, dancing, colors and hair, that
boat. That couldn't stay, Patrick, do you see? Because that depended
on two people being exactly the same and wanting the same, and stay–
ing the same. They can't. And you'll walk up and down this street,
Patrick. You're only eighteen. You have to draw, to do something,
not just be beautiful, not just draw beautifully but draw strongly.
If
you had a family ... who can teach you this?
I am too scared. In a moment I am going to have to get up and
leave, run out of here.
The front room on the fourth floor is a guest room. Louie is
unpacking his things because he will be staying over the weekend.
I did not know this was his room, but I am glad to be here. He says,
"Hello, Pony," when I come in, but then he does not know what
else to say and keeps busy with his unpacking. I do not want to talk
anyway. I sit down on the bed, He is looking at me again. Suddenly
I am starting to cry and he is beside me saying things will be all right.
Now it is later, and very dark. We hear someone in the hall. It is
both Mr. and Mrs. Supperburger, and they have coats on. They say
