Requiem for a Nun

REQUIEM FOR A NUN 281

TEMPLE

So am 1. Why else do you think I sent Bucky on to his grandmother, except

to get him out of a house where the man he has been taught to call his

father, may at any moment decide to tell him he has none? As clever a spy

as you must surely have heard my husband-

NANCY

(interrupts)

I've heard him. And I heard you too. You fought back-that time. Not for

yourself, but for that little child. But now you have quit.

TEMPLE

Quit?

NANCY

Yes. You gave up. You gave up the child too. Willing to risk never seeing

him again maybe.

(Temple doesn't answer)

That's right. You don't need to make no excuses to me. Just tell me what

you must have already strengthened your mind up to telling all the rest

of the folks that are going to ask you that. You are willing to risk it.

Is that right?

(Temple doesn't answer)

All right. We'll say you have answered it. So that settles Bucky. Now

answer me this one. Who are you going to leave the other one with?

TEMPLE

Leave her with? A six-months-old baby?

NANCY

That's right. Of course you cant leave her. Not with nobody. You cant no

more leave a six-months-old baby while you run away from your husband with

another man, than you can take a six-months-old baby with you on that

trip. That's what I'm talking about. So maybe you'll just leave it in

there in th',it cradle; it'll cry for a while, but it's too little to cry

very loud and so maybe wont nobody hear it and come meddling, especially

with the house shut up and locked until Mr Gowan gets back next week, and

probably by that time it will have hushed-

TEMPLE

Are you really trying to make me hit you again?