Scene Five
The ship's lounge. There are a few tables and chairs, a piano
and another projection of water on the backdrop. It is night. Upstage center
are open double doors leading to the deck which we can see. The TWO AMERICAN
SPINSTERS we glimpsed at the Captain's table are strolling through. ESME,
CLARISSE and COLIN sit at one table, CAPTAIN at another. CLARISSE is distraught.
CAPTAIN is, as usual, soused.
FIRST AMERICAN SPINSTER
And they haven't been out of each other's sight in two weeks.
SECOND AMERICAN SPINSTER
Oh, it's so exciting, Jeanette. Mandalay Molly in love at last---and
with a Baron!
CLARISSE
I hate them! I hate them both!
(SHE jumps up and dashes through the doors upstage center leading
to the deck and disappears.)
ESME
Colin, stop her! She'll do something rash!
COLIN
(leaping up)
Clarisse!
(HE exits with ESME. A moment's pause. Then BARON appears from
the deck upstage. He holds the alligator briefcase in his hands, and he
is overjoyed.)
BARON
No woman ever bests Stuttgart Steiglitz.
(Hearing something, HE quickly conceals the briefcase in the
piano
bench.)
MALE VOICE (o.s.)
WOMAN OVERBOARD!
CAPTAIN
Gee whilikers. Women are always goin' overboard about somethin'.
(Through the upstage doors MOLLY appears with ANNIE MAY. It's
a different Molly now---or as different as Molly is capable of.)
ANNIE MAY
But, Missy Morry, at this rate we never get to Inn of Five Winds by
the 25th.
MOLLY
Oh, Annie May, who cares?
(SHE floats into the room toward Baron. He immediately begins
to play the piano.)
MOLLY
Good evening, my darling.
BARON
Good evening, my love.
MOLLY
It's as though we hadn't seen each other in days---when we were only
together twenty minutes ago.
BARON
Away from you, twenty minutes is an eternity.
(Although HE rises from the bench, the music continues---after
all, this is 1932 and things were different. THEY embrace. COLIN dashes
on, races to CAPTAIN, who is entranced by the two lovers.)
COLIN
Captain! Stop the ship!
CAPTAIN
Sssh!
COLIN
But my fiancée! She's in the ocean!
CAPTAIN
Schwimming at thish hour of the night? Sherves her right.
COLIN
Captain, please! We must save her!
CAPTAIN
Another interrupshun like that, shailor, and you'll be back in the brig!
COLIN
(rushing out)
This ship is insane! Insane, I tell you!
(MOLLY and BARON have not noticed the interruption at for one
second. THEY play the scene with little kisses on the neck, cheek, hands
and fingertips.)
MOLLY
So, my darling, this is what love is. It has been so long I have forgotten.
BARON
I have never known it before.
MOLLY
Oh, darling…
BARON
What, my love?
MOLLY
I don't know how to say it.
BARON
Say it, my love. Say it from the heart.
MOLLY
Return my briefcase.
BARON
What briefcase, beloved?
MOLLY
The one you took from under the bed when we were screwing on the floor.
BARON
But, my love, what can you possibly be talking about?
(SHE extracts a pistol from her evening purse and sticks it
into his ribs.)
MOLLY
Perhaps this will refresh your memory.
BARON
Darling, you wouldn't.
MOLLY
Don't test me, my lover.
CAPTAIN
I likea see young people in love.
BARON
(desperately returning to the piano)
You know what, beloved?
MOLLY
What, my sweet?
(SHE points the pistol at his temple.)
BARON
When you find the one you love,
What is there to do?
The moon, the stars, the sun you love
If the one you love
Loves you.
MOLLY
Don't move your head too much on the high notes, my darling. It is rather
dangerous.
BARON
East of Samoa,
West of Bombay,
I found my lover
One wonderful day.
The tropic sun caressed her shoulder,
The trade winds danced about her hair;
She smiled,
Castles rose in Spain---
So wild
Beat my pounding brain,
Though I was there
I knew not where
I was.
East of Samoa,
I gave my heart---
We vowed forever
Never to part.
The future soon became the past,
This love of ours was not to last---
She drifted away.
Now my heart lies somewhere
East of Samoa,
West of Bombay.
MOLLY
Beautiful. Now the briefcase, angel of my dreams.
CAPTAIN
Shing it again.
(As BARON is reaching into the piano bench, HE stops instantly
and attempts to fulfill Captain's request.)
BARON
East of Samoa,
West of Bombay---
MOLLY
The briefcase.
CAPTAIN
Don't shtop!
BARON
(still singing, but reaching into the seat)
I found my lover
One wonderful day.
(HE hands over the case, but as HE does so, the monocle falls
from his eye. HE makes a furtive attempt to retrieve it.)
MOLLY
(stunned)
Pierre!
BARON
Yes, Marie.
MOLLY
Pierre Montparnasse. The only man I ever loved. I should have known.
BARON
But this accursed monocle had to fall off.
MOLLY
No wonder you wore it while we were making love. And the dueling scar.
You can take that off, too, Pierre.
BARON
I would, Marie. Except it will not come off.
MOLLY
So you have been in Heidelburg since last we met.
BARON
Marseilles. A skirt threw acid because I left her. Luckily she was an
artist. Give me the gun, Marie.
(As if hypnotized, MOLLY hands it to him.)
Now the briefcase.
(SHE hands that to him, also.)
I am sorry, Marie. But I must take this to those who will pay the
highest price.
MOLLY
It was ever thus with you, Pierre. Strange. Until this moment I did
not care who got the documents.
BARON
But now?
MOLLY
I care very much.
BARON
Yet you still gave them to me.
MOLLY
What else could I do? I have always been putty in your hands, Pierre,
haven't I? And now…
BARON
Yes?
MOLLY
I have no alternative. I will be arrested and sent back to Paris to
pay for the murder of the Marquis de Longtemps.
BARON
And?
MOLLY
Do not worry, Pierre. I will not give you away.
BARON
You are quite a woman, Marie. Or should I say Mandalay Molly?
MOLLY
It took more than one man to change my name to Mandalay Molly.
BARON
I didn't ask you that.
MOLLY
I'm telling you anyway.
(HE turns and begins to exit upstage.)
MOLLY
The tropic sun caressed his shoulder,
The trade winds danced about his hair;
He smiled,
Castles rose in Spain---
So wild
Beat my pounding brain,
Though I was there
I knew not where
I was.
(BARON pauses on the deck outside. He now turns, unable to resist
a duet.)
MOLLY & BARON
East of Samoa,
I gave my heart---
We vowed forever
Never to part.
The future soon became the past,
This love of ours was not to last---
She drifted away.
Now my heart lies somewhere
East of Samoa,
West of Bombay.
(While singing the final bars, MOLLY moves toward the deck.
THEY end the song together at the railing. Then THEY kiss, a long, fateful,
passionate kiss. As they do, MOLLY grabs the briefcase out of his hand
and shoves him hard over the railing. The music swells. SHE clutches the
case to her bosom, a look of triumph on her face.)
MALE VOICE (o.s.)
MAN OVERBOARD!
CAPTAIN
Full shteam ahead!
BLACKOUT
