Thirty Pieces of Silver: A Play in Three Acts by Howard Fast

That’s right. I don’t know when—to-day, to-morrow, ten days from now——
    ( shaking her head, her face suddenly contorted )
    But I’m going to. That’s the important thing.
    MILDRED Have you lost your mind?
    JANE No—I shouldn’t have thrown it at you this way, but I had to talk to someone. I’ve been fighting it out with myself all day—and this is no good either. Please forget it, Mildred.
    MILDRED ( trying to embrace her ) You poor thing. Why don’t you——
    JANE ( smiling and pushing her away ) No, no, please don’t. This is one I can’t explain, Mildred. Thanks for coming. Now go ahead. Here’s Hilda.
    MILDRED Just don’t do anything quick. Please—promise me.
    JANE Sure——
    ( MILDRED leaves. JANE turns back to the living-room where LORRY is exhibiting the cake. )
    LORRY See, Hilda—it’s for me. But I’ll give you a piece. That’s a promise right now.
    JANE Hilda, what possessed you to decide to spend the afternoon in the basement?
    HILDA I had to sort out my things, Mrs. Graham. I accumulate a lot of junk. It seems I can’t bear to throw anything away.
    JANE What for?
    HILDA Don’t you know?
    ( She looks at JANE curiously. )
    I’m leaving.
    JANE What do you mean, you’re leaving?
    LORRY Where are you going, Hilda?
    HILDA Nowhere—just nowhere at all. Lorry, why don’t you please take that cake into the kitchen, and then if you’ll set the table real nice, we’ll have a party——
    ( She breaks off, looking at the child. )
    â€”and that’ll be fine.
    LORRY But where are you going?
    HILDA Don’t you want a party, Lorry?
    JANE Lorry, do what Hilda says. Then I’ll have the party with you.
    LORRY All right——
    ( She picks up the cake and leaves. )
    JANE Please make sense, Hilda. Is this because of that silly scrap we had yesterday?
    HILDA ( shaking her head ) No——
    JANE Then what? Don’t you know what happened here yesterday? David was upset, and that’s why he said what he did about Grace.
    HILDA It isn’t that. Last night I came in here after you went to bed, and Mr. Graham was here, and he accused me of listening to what you were saying—and well, we had a fight and he fired me. That’s all. I thought you knew.
    JANE ( walking over to HILDA ) He fired you?
    HILDA Yes.
    JANE But what happened?
    HILDA I don’t know what happened, Mrs. Graham. It just happened. It always does. It always does, doesn’t it? I’m not complaining. You stretch like a rubber band, and then you decide to be a human being, not a rubber band. And I’m sick of trying to be one—for Mr. Graham or you.
    JANE ( interrupting ) What a way to talk, Hilda.
    HILDA How do you want me to talk, Mrs. Graham?
    JANE (going over and putting her arms around HILDA ) Ever since I was able to think, Hilda, I’ve been trying to get this world I live in to make sense to me. I said to myself, If I do what I have to do, it will make sense. And sometimes, I think that if I do what I have to do, it will just come crashing down around my ears. Maybe it has already; I don’t know——
    ( The doorbell rings. )
    That’s David. Hilda, go and have that 1 party with Lorry. We can’t settle this now. Please, Hilda.
    HILDA ( pilling away from her ) All right, Mrs. Graham. Only don’t try to make believe nothing happened. Don’t treat me like a little girl. I’m older than you, Mrs. Graham. Remember that.
    ( She goes through the dining-room archway, leaving Jane standing there unhappily. Then Jane goes to the door and opens it. David enters. )
    DAVID ( dully ) Hello, Jane.
    ( He comes into the room, walking without spirit. JANE closes the door and then starts toward the stairs. )
    JANE I’ve been like this for the last hour. I’ll put on a dress and be down in a moment.
    DAVID (in the same tone ) All right.
    ( JANE goes up the