The Early Ayn Rand

BRECKENRIDGE: Of course, Billy. And I'm sorry that Harvey upsets you so much. You understand. Anything I do is only for your own good. I wouldn't take a chance on your life with some unproved new method. [As HELEN is about to speak] And so, Helen, we shall consider the matter closed.

[FLEMING turns abruptly. On his way to the stairs, he seizes a bottle from the sideboard and exits up the stairs]

FLASH: Well, I think this is one hell of a birthday party!

BRECKENRIDGE: We mustn't mind poor Harvey. He is an unfortunate case. [Looks at his watch] And now we'll turn to a much more cheerful subject, [Rises] Billy, my dear, just watch the lake. You'll see some-thing interesting in a few minutes. [To the others]

Now, please, I don't want anyone to follow me. I don't want anyone to see how it's done. Not till tomorrow. You'll get the best view from here. [Turns at the French doors] Who knows? Perhaps what you are about to see will be of great importance to all mankind.

[Exits through French doors and walks off Right into the garden]

HELEN: [Rises suddenly as if with a decision taken, starts toward the stairs, then stops and says to the others, vaguely, as an afterthought:] You will excuse me, please?... [Exits up the stairs]

TONY: I'm sorry, Bill. I've tried.

BILLY: It's all right... When you'll be a doctor on your own, Tony, I'll still be... like this. And then I'd like you to be my doctor.

TONY: [With an oddly stressed bitterness] When I'll be... a doctor...

BILLY: Everybody says you'll be a good one. Father says very nice things about you. About your hands, too. He says you have the hands of a great surgeon.

TONY: [Looks at his hands] Yes... he does... doesn't he? [Turns abruptly to go]

FLASH: Say, don't you want to see the fireworks?

TONY: Oh, take your fireworks and shove— [Exits Right]

FLASH: [Looking after him with open mouth] Well, I think he meant...

ADRIENNE: Yes, Flash. He meant exactly what you think.

[From offstage Right there comes the sound of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in G Minor played on the piano]

BILLY: Don't go, Miss Knowland. Everybody's going.

ADRIENNE: I'll stay, Bill. Let's open the doors and turn out the light, we'll see better. [She turns the light off, while FLASH throws the French doors open]

BILLY: Why does Tony always play such sad things?

ADRIENNE: Because he's very unhappy, Bill.

FLASH: You know, I can't figure it out. Nobody's happy in this house.

BILLY: Father is happy. [A magnificent rocket rises over the lake, much closer than the ones we've seen, and bursts into showers of stars]

FLASH: There it goes!

BILLY: Oh!... [The rockets continue at slow intervals]

FLASH: [Excitedly, between the sounds of the explosions] You see, Billy... you see... that's your father's new invention!... It works!... Those rockets are set off without any wires... without touching them... just like that, through space... Imagine? Just some sort of tiny little rays blasting those things to pieces!

ADRIENNE: Lovely precision... right on target... What if one chose a larger... [Then, suddenly, she gasps; it is almost a stifled scream]

FLASH: What's the matter?

ADRIENNE: [In a strange voice] I... just thought of something... [She is suddenly panicky, as she makes a movement to rush out, stops helplessly before the vast darkness of the garden, whirls around to ask:] Where's Walter? Where did he go?

FLASH: I don't know. We're not supposed to follow him.

ADRIENNE: Where's Steve?

FLASH: Don't know. I think he went out.

ADRIENNE: [Screaming into the garden] Steve!... Steve!...

FLASH: He won't hear you. This place is so big, there's miles and miles to the grounds, you can't find anybody out there at night.

ADRIENNE: I've got to -

BILLY: Look, Miss Knowland! Look!