The Early Ayn Rand

ADRIENNE: You didn't know? But it's no secret. I was singing in a dive, just one step better than a cat house — not a very long step — when Walter discovered me, and he built the Breckenridge Theater. Tony here is studying medicine — on a Breckenridge scholarship. Harvey has nothing but Breckenridge cash between him and the Bowery Mission — only nobody would let him into the Mission, just as nobody will give him a job, because he drinks. That's all right, Harvey — I do, too, at times. Billy here —

TONY: For God's sake, Adrienne!

ADRIENNE: But we're among friends. We're all in the same boat, aren't we? Except Steve, of course. Steve is a special case and the less you know about him, the better.

BRECKENRIDGE: Adrienne, my dear, we know you have a wonderful sense of humor, but why overdo it?

ADRIENNE: Oh, I just thought I'd initiate your Volga Boatman here. He's joining the brotherhood, isn't he? He's got all the earmarks.

SERGE: It is very strange, all this, Miss Knowland, but I think it is beautiful.

ADRIENNE: [Dryly] It is very beautiful.

[FLASH comes back down the stairs]

SERGE: And it is the noble thing — the Breckenridge Theater in the so very vile Fourteenth Street, for the poor people to see the drama. The art brought to the masses, as it should. I have often wondered how Mr. Breckenridge can do it, with the such low prices of the tickets.

INGALLS: He can't. The noble thing costs him a hundred thousand dollars a season, out of his own pocket. SERGE: Miss Knowland?

INGALLS: No, Serge. Not Miss Knowland. The theater. That would have been much more sensible. But Walter never asks anything in return. He discovered her, he built the theater for her, he made her the star of Fourteenth Street, he made her famous — in fact, he made her in every sense but the proper one. Which is outrageous, when you look at Adrienne.

BRECKENRIDGE: Really, Steve!

SERGE: [To INGALLS] You are not able to understand the unselfish action?

INGALLS: No.

SERGE: You do not have the feeling that it is beautiful?

INGALLS: I've never had any beautiful feelings, Serge.

SERGE: [To ADRIENNE] I shall beg your forgiveness, Miss Knowland, since the person who should do so will not.

BRECKENRIDGE: Don't take Steve too seriously, Serge. He's not really as rotten as he sounds at times.

SERGE: By us in Moscow, a gentleman does not insult an artist.

BRECKENRIDGE: Oh, no matter what Steve says, he's always attended her every opening night.

ADRIENNE: [It is almost a scream] He... what?

BRECKENRIDGE: Didn't you know it? Steve's always been there, at every opening of yours — though I never caught him applauding, but the others made up for it; you've never lacked applause, have you, my dear?

ADRIENNE: [She has been looking at INGALLS all through BRECKENRIDGE's speech. She asks, still looking at INGALLS :] Walter... with whom?

BRECKENRIDGE: I beg your pardon?

ADRIENNE: With whom did he come to my openings?

BRECKENRIDGE: How can one ever ask "with whom" about Steve? Alone, of course.

ADRIENNE: [To INGALLS, her voice trembling with anger] You didn't see me in Little Women, did you?

INGALLS: Oh, yes, my dear, I did. You were very sweet and very coy. Particularly the way you let your hands flutter about. Like butterflies.

ADRIENNE: Steve, you didn't-

INGALLS: Yes, I did. I saw you in Peter Pan. You have beautiful legs. I saw you in Daughter of the Slums— very touching when you died of unemployment. I saw you in The Yellow Ticket.

ADRIENNE: Goddamn you, you didn't see that!

INGALLS: I did.

TONY: But, Adrienne, why are you so upset about it? Your greatest hits.

ADRIENNE: [She has not even heard TONY] Why did you go to my openings?

INGALLS: Well, my dear, there could be two explanations: either I'm a masochist or I wanted material for a conversation such as this.

[He turns away from her, the conversation ended, as far as he's concerned. There is a silence. Then FLASH says loudly:]

FLASH: Well, I don't know about you all, but I don't think it was a nice conversation.

TONY: [As FLEMING is about to snap at FLASH] Never mind, Harvey. I'll kill him for you one of these days.

FLEMING: Why in hell should Billy have a moron for a tutor?

BRECKENRIDGE: And why, may I ask, should you exhibit public concern about Billy's tutors, Harvey?

[FLEMING looks at him, then steps back, somehow defeated]

FLASH: [Belligerently] Whom you calling a moron, huh? Whom?

FLEMING: You.

FLASH: [Taken aback] Oh...

BILLY: Father, could I please be taken back to my room?

BRECKENRIDGE: Why, I didn't think you'd want to miss the party, Billy. However, if you prefer —