Home is the Hunter (15 page)

Tell me, what’s the news? We don’t have many travellers visiting us, nowadays.

ULYSSES

Sorry, ma’am—I don’t think you should come too near me. I’ve been sleeping in rough places. This cloak is filthy.

PENELOPE

Have you heard nothing about my husband—Ulysses?

ULYSSES

They say he’s dead. I’m sorry, but that’s what they say.

PENELOPE

(To
CLIA
)

You see! Then why shouldn’t I choose another husband?

CLIA

And marry a man you don’t love?

PENELOPE

He could be a man who loves me. That is better than no man at all.

(
ULYSSES
starts eating, slowly now, as
PENELOPE
watches him. He says nothing.)

CLIA

But that isn’t how you feel!

PENELOPE

If you were I, how would you feel?

(She speaks to
ULYSSES
.)

You have travelled and seen many women. Tell me—am I too old to marry?

ULYSSES

No.

PENELOPE

Am I too ugly?

ULYSSES

No.

PENELOPE

Wouldn’t you say—as a man who has learned a lot about life in his travels—that this house needs a master? Or that my son needs a father’s advice? He’s almost eighteen now, you know.

(
ULYSSES
is silent.
PENELOPE
turns away, speaking as if to herself.)

Or that I need love, like any other woman?

(
ULYSSES
pushes away the bowl of soup and drops the hunk of bread on the table.
PENELOPE
walks slowly to the centre of the Hall.)

If Ulysses were alive—but he isn’t. He can’t be, or he surely would have sent some messages to me during those long, long years. Wouldn’t he? Look at me! Am I the kind of woman who is so easily forgotten?

(She faces him.
ULYSSES
rises abruptly, and walks toward the door.)

ULYSSES

Thank you for the food, ma’am.

PENELOPE

Are you leaving? So soon?

(
ULYSSES
halts, almost at the door, as if trying to control himself.)

CLIA

He’s got worries of his own. Stop pestering the man! He has nowhere to go, don’t you see? And he’s travelled far.

(Poor
CLIA
is at the stage of wringing her hands.)

PENELOPE

(To
ULYSSES
)

Then why not stay here, for tonight at least? I shan’t bother you any more with my troubles. But I’ll give you news to take on your journey.

(Her voice rises.)

Tonight, I’ll choose a husband.
That
story will buy you many a free meal on your travels.

(She begins to laugh.)

CLIA

Oh, Penelope! How cruel you are!

PENELOPE

Cruel? Who has been cruel?

(Suddenly, she turns and runs to the steps. Her laughter has changed to weeping.
ULYSSES
stares after her.
PENELOPE
halts with her foot on the first step.)

Oh, help me! Athena!

(
ATHENA
appears on the dais, and she stands there, looking down on
PENELOPE
.)

ATHENA

Careful, now! You are doing very nicely. But don’t get emotional, or you’ll spoil your plan.

PENELOPE

I can’t go on with it, I
can’t
—

(She turns and looks at
ULYSSES
,
brushing away her tears. He stands very erect, now, watching her.)

ATHENA

Penelope,
think!...
Oh—

(She throws up her hands helplessly as
PENELOPE
runs to
ULYSSES
,
who has suddenly held open his arms.)

—Penelope!

PENELOPE

Ulysses, Ulysses!

ULYSSES

(Catching her in his arms, looking at her. He throws his hat aside, and drops his cloak.)

Penelope...

(He kisses her passionately.)

ATHENA

Oh, you human beings! No wonder your lives get so muddled.

(She walks down the steps and across the Hall to the large doorway.)

When will you learn wisdom? But then—I suppose it isn’t so much fun to be wise.

(She looks at them as she passes by, and sighs as she watches a long kiss.)

It must be fun to be human, just once in a while...

(She suddenly halts, almost at the threshold.)

And now I’m losing
my
wits. I’m still needed here. After all the trouble I’ve had in bringing Ulysses home, I’m not going to leave this job half-done. Look at them! At this moment they haven’t a thought between them. Here, you two! Enough’s enough. Snap out of it!

(She claps her hands sharply together, and then retires into the background, composes herself to wait, and becomes quite motionless.)

ULYSSES

(Holding
PENELOPE
suddenly away from him)

You little devil! That was a fine performance to tear a man’s heart out. Was that the idea—tear it out, then jump on it with both feet?

(But he is laughing. Suddenly he becomes serious.)

When did you recognise me? Or was it Eumaeus who let you know I had come home?

PENELOPE

(Evasively)

He didn’t
tell
me.

ULYSSES

(Letting her go)

Then, when did you know me?

PENELOPE

Don’t you mean how did I know you?

ULYSSES

(Angry)

I don’t mean
how,
I mean
when.

(Catching her by her wrists)

When?

PENELOPE

Oh, Clia, he really
does
love me!... Darling, darling, I knew all along that the beggar was you. Now, don’t blame Eumaeus. I just sort of extracted the news from him. And besides, why did you hide it from me?

(
ULYSSES
is silent.)

When I came into the Hall this afternoon and found Eryx and Melas here, I had to play for time. And suddenly, suddenly I saw you at the door—oh, Ulysses, you made the most beggarly beggar I ever saw! Then I knew it was quite safe to announce the contest.

ULYSSES

Safe, was it?

PENELOPE

But don’t you see—you are
bound
to win! Only you know how to manage that Great Bow. And remember, I said the contest was open to everyone in the Hall tonight. Don’t I get a kiss for being clever?

ULYSSES

(Looks at the Great Bow and then says quietly)

Why had there to be a contest?

PENELOPE

I was forced to do
something.
You saw that.

ULYSSES

Why are the men still here? They were leaving this morning. If they had, there would have been no need for any contest.

(
PENELOPE
tries to evade his eyes, but he turns her face toward his.)

What kept them here?

PENELOPE

(Dejectedly)

I did.

ULYSSES

(Watching her carefully)

Why?... Did you play with the idea of marrying Melas?

PENELOPE

(Angry)

No! Nor Eryx. Nor any of the others.

(More quietly)

I—I kept them here only after I knew you were coming home.

ULYSSES

(Slowly)

Did you hate me so much?

PENELOPE

No—oh, don’t you see?

ULYSSES

Frankly, I don’t.

PENELOPE

Oh, there were so many reasons. But chiefly—chiefly—

ULYSSES

Yes?

PENELOPE

(Quickly)

You wouldn’t want those men to escape from here, without paying for what they have done. Would you? After all, the Hero of the Trojan War doesn’t just come home and, and—

ULYSSES

The Hero of the Trojan War only wanted to come home and relax with his wife and son.

PENELOPE

Then why didn’t the Hero of the Trojan War come home when the last battle was won?

ULYSSES

So this mess is all
my
fault, is it?

(
PENELOPE
pulls her hands free and covers her face to hide her tears. He draws her gently to him.)

And so it is... I’m sorry, Penelope... Forgive me.

PENELOPE

(Throwing her arms around him again)

Oh, Ulysses... Can you forgive me?

(The curtain closes swiftly.)

There has been a short passage of time: the same characters are still in the Hall. Only,
PENELOPE
is now sitting on
ULYSSES
’
knees, and he sits in his chair. They are both talking, explaining, while poor
ATHENA
sits on one of the broad steps and sleeps,
CLIA
,
her back turned tactfully, has dozed off, too, by the hearth. (The slant of the sunshine coming in through the main entrance has altered; but the shadow has not yet reached the mark that
ERYX
had scored on the floor.)
TELEMACHUS
enters, and halts just inside the door, amazed,
ULYSSES
immediately jumps to his feet, swinging
PENELOPE
behind him, and draws his dagger as he faces the door,
ATHENA
is jolted awake.

ULYSSES

(Furious)

Sweet suffering Jupiter! Don’t do that to me, boy! I thought it was one of those bastards sneaking in.

(
CLIA
is awake, too, now.)

TELEMACHUS

Sorry, Father, I really am.

(He comes forward nervously, and then beams with delight.)

But I’m glad you told Mother who you are.

PENELOPE

I would have probably found out, anyway.

TELEMACHUS

Oh no, you wouldn’t. His disguise was cool, it really was.

ULYSSES

(Sheathes his dagger and smiles)

Well, we shan’t argue about that. Where’s Eumaeus?

TELEMACHUS

Just outside.

(He whistles and
EUMAEUS
shambles in.)

We did what you told us. We—

ULYSSES

(Quickly)

Good, good. And where is Philetius?

TELEMACHUS

He’ll be out in the stables.

ULYSSES

Bring him here.

TELEMACHUS

Yes, sir!

(He runs into the yard.)

PENELOPE

What on earth was Telemachus trying to say?
We did what you told us?

ULYSSES

Oh, they were just helping to strengthen my will power. Well, it’s good to know that Philetius got safely home.

PENELOPE

(Still thinking of
TELEMACHUS
)

But, darling, what did they—

ULYSSES

The last time I saw him, we were out on a raid together—a night raid on the Trojan camp.

(As he speaks,
TELEMACHUS
enters with a thin man of about fifty. This is
PHILETIUS
.
He comes to attention when he sees
ULYSSES
.
But
ulysses
catches him in a rough bear hug.)

Philetius, you old rascal, you old ruffian...