Requiem for a Nun

REQUIEM FOR A NUN 215

(to Stevens)

You see? Not just a napkin; the right napkin. That's how I'm trained.

(he stops suddenly, noticin- Trmple, who has done not' inq annarently:

just standing ttie-e holding the milk. But he see-is to ki.low what

is going on: to her) What's this for?

TEMPLE

I don't know.

He moves; they kiss, not Iona but not a peck either-, dcfinitely a kiss

between a man and a woman. Then, carrying the milk, Temple crosses toward

the hall door.

(to Stevens)

Good-bye then until next June. Bucky will send you and Maggie a

postcard.

(she goes on to the dnor, pauses and looks back at Stevens) I may even

be wrong ahout Temple Drake's odor too; if you should hannen to hear

sometbing you haven't heard yet and it's true, I may even ratify it.

Nl~,ybe you can even believe that-if you can believe you are going to

hear anything that you haven't heard yet.

STEVENS

Do you?

TEMPLE

1~,Fter a moment)

Not from me, Uncle Gavin. If s-mcone wants to go to heaven, who am I

to stop them? Good night. Goodbye.

She exits, closes the door. Stevens, very grave, turns back and sets his

highball down on the tray.

GOWAN

Drink up. After all, I've got to eat supper and do some packing too.

How about it?

STEVrNS

About what? The packing, or the drink? What about you? I thought you

were going to have one.

GOWAN

Oh, sure, sure.

(takes up the sm,,ill filled gl-iss) Maybe you had better

go on and leave us to our revenge.