346
PARTISAN REVIEW
(He notices his nurses.)
Hm, I've got company. It had to happen.
(He darts over to the underclothes and starts unpinning them and stuffing
them into his pockets. Meanwhile the nurses are coming up onto the stage. They
advance on him slowly, inexorably.)
Wait, wait! You wouldn't want me to lose my little treasures!
(They surround him and start leading him off. He doesn 't put up much of
a struggle.)
Wait, not so fast. Look-what about that pink slip!
(He eludes them and goes and grabs the slip. He takes advantage ofthis to
pocket a nightdress as well. The nurses come back and start leading him off
again.)
But not so fast! Here, look, just that little girdle too. It's only a
tiny little girdle!
(He eludes them and goes and grabs the girdle. Plus two or three more ar–
ticles. When the nurses surround him again, the only thing left on the clothesline
is a pair
of
black panties.)
Ah well, all right, let's go. Let's go, since we have to. But no
shock treatment tonight , huh! That's a promise, huh? No shock
treatment!
(He turns around and sends a pathetic glance at the panties. In one bound
he escapes the nurses yet again, jumps up onto the stage and returns, brandish–
ing the panties.)
Okay, okay, I'm coming. With my flag. The pirates' black flag.
Long live death!
(The nurses lead him off. For the last time, we hear):
But no shock treatment tonight, huh! That's a promise. To–
morrow if you like, okay, but not tonight, no shock treatment.
