Lulu Bett

“ DWIGHT.)
DWIGHT. Now! The festive opera cloak. Allow me! My word, what a picture! Lulu the charmer dressed for her deboo into society, eh?
NINIAN. Dwight, shut your head. I want you to understand this is Miss Lulu Bett's party–and if she says to leave you home, we'll do it.
DWIGHT. Ah, ha! An understanding between these two.
CORNISH. Well, Miss Lulu, I think you're just fine anyway.
LULU. Oh, thank you. Thank you.... (Enter DI.)
INA. All ready, darling?
DI. All ready–and so excited! Isn't it exciting, Mr. Cornish?
DWIGHT. Bless me if the whole family isn't assembled. Now isn't this pleasant! ”

“ She gave him her hand, with her peculiar sweetness of expression—almost as if she were sorry for him or were bidding him good-bye.
"That shows who you dress for!" he cried. "You dress for me; Ina, aren't you jealous? Lulu dresses for me!"
Ina had come in with Di, and both were excited, and Ina's head was moving stiffly, as in all her indignations. Mrs. Bett had thought better of it and had given her presence. Already Monona was singing.
"Lulu," said Dwight, "really? Can't you run up and slip on another dress?"
Lulu sat down in her place. "No," she said. "I'm too tired. I'm sorry, Dwight." ”

“ Lulu said, twisting her smile.
"Why, my land, I love her," Mrs. Bett explained, "but she wiggles and chitters."
Cornish never made the slightest effort, at any time, to keep a straight face. The honest fellow now laughed loudly.
"Well!" Lulu thought. "He can't be so very much in love." And again she thought: "He doesn't know anything about the letter. He thinks Ninian got tired of me." Deep in her heart there abode her certainty that this was not so.
By some etiquette of consent, Mrs. Bett cleared the table and Lulu and Cornish went into the parlour. ”

“ Lulu said no more. After a long time:
"You always was jealous of Inie," said Mrs. Bett, and went to her bed.
As soon as her mother's door had closed, Lulu took the lamp from its bracket, stretching up her long body and her long arms until her skirt lifted to show her really slim and pretty feet. Lulu's feet gave news of some other Lulu, but slightly incarnate. Perhaps, so far, incarnate only in her feet and her long hair.
She took the lamp to the parlour and stood before the photograph of Ninian Deacon, and looked her fill. She did not admire the photograph, but she wanted to look at it. ”

“ In some corresponding orgy of leisure and liberation, Lulu sat down with no needle.
"Inie ought to make over her delaine," Mrs. Bett comfortably began. They talked of this, devised a mode, recalled other delaines. "Dear, dear," said Mrs. Bett, "I had on a delaine when I met your father." She described it. Both women talked freely, with animation. They were individuals and alive. To the two pallid beings accessory to the Deacons' presence, Mrs. Bett and her daughter Lulu now bore no relationship. They emerged, had opinions, contradicted, their eyes were bright. ”

“ LULU. Why?
INA. Why set people wondering till we have to?
LULU. They don't have to wonder as far as I'm concerned. (Exit.)
MRS. BETT. I'm going through the kitchen to set with Grandma Gates. She always says my visits are like a dose of medicine. (Exit MRS. BETT.)
INA. It certainly has changed Lulu–a man coming into her life. She never spoke to me like that before.
DWIGHT. I saw she wasn't herself. I'd do anything to avoid having a scene–you know that.... You do know that, don't you?
INA. But I really think you ought to have written to Ninian. It's–it's not a nice position for Lulu. ”

“ Beyond open doors, Mrs. Bett listened, sang, it may be, with them; for when the singers ceased, her voice might be heard still humming a loud closing bar.
"Well!" Cornish cried to Lulu; and then, in the formal village phrase: "You're quite a musician."
"Oh, no!" Lulu disclaimed it. She looked up, flushed, smiling. "I've never done this in front of anybody," she owned. "I don't know what Dwight and Ina'd say...." She drooped. ”

“ Or no! You don't know! But you will"—and more of the same sort, everybody laughing heartily, save Lulu, who looked uncomfortable and wished that Dwight wouldn't, and Mrs. Bett, who paid no attention to anybody that night, not because she had not been introduced, an omission, which she had not even noticed, but merely as another form of "tantrim." A self-indulgence.
They emerged for croquet. And there on the porch sat Jenny Plow and Bobby, waiting for Di to keep an old engagement, which Di pretended to have forgotten, and to be frightfully annoyed to have to keep. ”

“ Six magazine editors had rejected Miss Lulu Bett as a serial. Happily, all signs failed. The crisply-told little novel of the household drudge and her fortunes went into one edition after another; a play from the novel was sought and Miss Gale fashioned it herself; the annual Pulitzer prize was awarded to the play. Whether the concision of style practised so effectively in Birth was not carried a bit too far in Miss Lulu Bett must always remain a matter of opinion. The most interesting point, I think, is the change of ending which the requirements of the theatre forced upon Miss Gale. ”

“ They were in the dining-room now, all save Di, who was on the porch with Bobby, and Monona, who was in bed and might be heard extravagantly singing.
Lulu sat down with her hat on. When Dwight inquired playfully, "Don't we look like company?" she did not reply. He looked at her speculatively. Where had she gone, with whom had she talked, what had she told? Ina looked at her rather fearfully. But Mrs. Bett rocked contentedly and ate cardamom seeds. ”

“ NINIAN. Nice old lady.
MRS. BETT. Who's a nice old lady?
DWIGHT. You, Mama Bett! Who else but you–eh? Well, now, Nin, what about you. You've been saying mighty little about yourself. What's been happening to you, anyway?–
NINIAN. That's the question.
DWIGHT. Traveling mostly–eh?
NINIAN. Yes, traveling mostly.
DWIGHT. I thought Ina and I might get over to the other side this year, but I guess not–I guess not.
MRS. BETT. Pity not to have went while the going was good.
DWIGHT. What's that, Mama Bett? (Enter LULU.) Ah, the lovely Lulu. She comes, she comes! My word what a costoom. ”

“ The odd women are out in the world on their own; they no longer live “under the roofs” of their brothers-in-law. Miss Lulu Bett is almost an anachronism in 1920. The faithful servant has been replaced by the faithless one, who never by any chance remains long enough to become a familial appendage, or else she has not been replaced at all. ”

“ Warbleton was one of the prettiest little towns that he had ever seen. He liked the people—they seemed different. He was sure to like the place, already liked it. Lulu came to the door in Ninian's thin black-and-white gown. She shook hands with the stranger, not looking at him, and said, "Come to supper, all." Monona was already in her place, singing under-breath. Mrs. Bett, after hovering in the kitchen door, entered; but they forgot to introduce her.
"Where's Di?" asked Ina. "I declare that daughter of mine is never anywhere." ”

“ Ina was not yet the woman to cry for justice for its own sake, nor even to stand by another woman. She was primitive, and her instinct was to look to her own male merely.
"Well," she said, "of course. But why not let Dwight do it in his own way? Wouldn't that be better?"
She put it to her sister fairly: Now, no matter what Dwight's way was, wouldn't that be better?
"Mother!" said Lulu. She looked irresolutely toward her mother. But Mrs. Bett was eating cardamom seeds with exceeding gusto, and Lulu looked away. Caught by the gesture, Mrs. Bett voiced her grievance. ”

“ DWIGHT. Mother Bett!
MRS. BETT. What do you suppose Lulu married Ninian for–only to get shed of both of you.
INA. Oh please, please, somebody think a little bit of me. Dwight, do go after Lulu–go to the depot–she couldn't get away before the 8:37.
DWIGHT. My dear Ina, my dignity–
INA. Oh, please do go!
DWIGHT. Oh, my heavens! what a house full of women–
INA. Dwight, we can't get along without Lulu.
DWIGHT. Upsetting things about my ears. . .. (Exit.)
INA. Mama, I do think it's too bad of you–oh! now I'll try to get some breakfast. (Exit.) ”

“ INA. No, Dwight. And it's been a week since Lulu wrote. She said he'd bought her a new red dress–and a hat. Isn't it too funny–to think of Lulu–
DWIGHT. I don't understand why they plan to go straight to Oregon without coming here first.
INA. It isn't a bit fair to mama, going off that way. Leaving her own mother–why, she may never see mama again.
MRS. BETT. Oh I'm going to last on quite a while yet.
DWIGHT. Of course you are, Mama Bett. You're my best girl. That reminds me, Ina, we must run up to visit Aunt Mollie. We ought to run up there next week. She isn't well. ”

“ Bett's eyes tears gathered, but they were not for Lulu.
"I should think," she said, "I should think Lulie might have had a little more gratitude to her than this."
On their way to church Ina and Dwight encountered Di, who had left the house some time earlier, stepping sedately to church in company with Bobby Larkin. Di was in white, and her face was the face of an angel, so young, so questioning, so utterly devoid of her sophistication.
"That child," said Ina, "must not see so much of that Larkin boy. She's just a little, little girl." ”

“ And whose disgrace is it, pray?"
"Ninian's," said Lulu.
"Ninian's! Well, he's gone. But you're here. And I'm here. Folks'll feel sorry for you. But the disgrace—that'd reflect on me. See?"
"But if we don't tell, what'll they think then?"
Said Dwight: "They'll think what they always think when a wife leaves her husband. They'll think you couldn't get along. That's all."
"I should hate that," said Lulu.
"Well, I should hate the other, let me tell you."
"Dwight, Dwight," said Ina. "Let's go in the house. I'm afraid they'll hear—"
As they rose, Mrs. Bett plucked at her returned daughter's sleeve. ”

“ LULU. Mother, Mr. Deacon–Ninian, you know–wants Ina and Dwight and me to go to the theater to-night in the city.
MRS. BETT. Does, does he? Well, you mind me, Lulie, and go on. It'll do you good.
LULU. Yes, mother. I will. (Exit with pies.)
MRS. BETT. No need breaking everybody's neck off, though, as I know of. Monona, get out from under my feet.
MONONA. Grandma, compared between what I am, you are nothing.
MRS. BETT. What do you mean–little ape?
MONONA. It's no fun to get you going. You're too easy, grandma dear! (Exit. Enter NINIAN.)
NINIAN. All right–Dwight and Ina are game. Oh, Mrs. Bett! ”

“ Adventure–adventure is what the woman wants. I'm too tame for her.
INA. Idiot. (Back at window, BOBBY LARKIN appears. DI slips across to him.)
MRS. BETT. I s'pose you all think I like being left sitting here stark alone?
NINIAN. Why, Mrs. Bett–
INA. Why, mama–
LULU. Oh, mother, I'll stay with you.
DWIGHT. Oh, look here, if she really minds staying alone I'll stay with her.
MRS. BETT. Where you going anyway?
LULU. The theater, mama.
MRS. BETT. First I've heard of it. (MONONA is heard chanting.)
INA. You'll have Monona with you, mama. (MRS. BETT utters one note of laughter, thin and high.) ”

“ Cornish cried, and he kissed her.
"And now," said Dwight, "nobody must mind if I hurry a little wee bit. I've got something on."
He and Ina and Monona were at dinner. Mrs. Bett was in her room. Di was not there.
"Anything about Lulu?" Ina asked.
"Lulu?" Dwight stared. "Why should I have anything to do about Lulu?"
"Well, but, Dwight—we've got to do something."
"As I told you this morning," he observed, "we shall do nothing. Your sister is of age—I don't know about the sound mind, but she is certainly of age. If she chooses to go away, she is free to go where she will." ”

“ She wished to go, wished it with violence, but she contrived to give to her arbitrary refusal a quality of contempt. When Jenny arrived with Bobby, she had brought a sheaf of gladioli for Mrs. Bett, and took them to her in the kitchen, and as she laid the flowers beside her, the young girl stopped and kissed her. "You little darling!" cried Mrs. Bett, and clung to her, her lifted eyes lit by something intense and living. But when the ice cream party had set off at last, Mrs. Bett left her supper, gathered up the flowers, and crossed the lawn to the old cripple, Grandma Gates. ”

“ CORNISH: And I'm not much good in a business way. Sometimes I think that I may never be able to make any money.
LULU: Lots of men don't.
CORNISH: Well, there it is. I'm no good at business. I'll never be a lawyer. And–and everything I say sounds wrong to me. And yet I do believe that I'd know enough not to bully a woman. Not to make her unhappy. Maybe–even, I could make her a little happy.
LULU: Lots of men do.
(Voices. Enter INA, DWIGHT and MRS. BETT.)
INA: Oh, Dwight! she's still here.
DWIGHT: So this is where we find our Lulu!
LULU: Did you want me, Dwight?
INA: Want you? Why, Lulu! ”

“ In the early hours of the next afternoon with the sun shining across the threshold, Lulu was paring something at the kitchen table. Mrs. Bett was asleep. ("I don't blame you a bit, mother," Lulu had said, as her mother named the intention.) Ina was asleep. (But Ina always took off the curse by calling it her "si-esta," long i.) Monona was playing with a neighbour's child—you heard their shrill yet lovely laughter as they obeyed the adult law that motion is pleasure. Di was not there.
A man came round the house and stood tying a puppy to the porch post. ”