Complete Works, Volume III (16 page)

DISSON
in the chair, still, his eyes open
.

DIANA
comes to him
.

She kneels by him
.

DIANA
. This is . . . Diana.

Pause
.

Can you hear me?

Pause.

Can he see me?

Pause.

Robert.

Pause.

Can you hear me?

Pause.

Robert, can you see me?

Pause.

It's me. It's me, darling.

Slight pause.

It's your wife.

DISSON’S
face in close-up
.

DISSON’S
eyes. Open.

The Basement

THE BASEMENT
was first presented by B.B.C. Television on 20 February 1967 with the following cast:

A stage version of
THE BASEMENT
, in double-bill with
TEA PARTY
, opened at the Duchess Theatre, London, on 17 September 1970, directed by James Hammerstein and produced by Eddie Kulukundis for Knightsbridge Theatrical Productions Ltd, with the following cast:

Exterior. Front area of a basement flat.

Winter. Night.

Rain falling.

Short stone flight of steps from street.

Light shining through the basement door.

The upper part of the house is dark.

The back of a man,
STOTT.
He stands in the centre of the area, looking towards the door.

He wears a raincoat, his head is bare.

Exterior. Front area.

STOTT’S
face. Behind him, by the wall, a girl,
JANE
. She is huddled by the wall. She wears a rainhat, clasps her raincoat to her.

Interior. Room.

The room is large and long. A window at one end looks out to a small concrete yard. There are doors to bathroom and kitchen. The room is comfortable, relaxed, heavily furnished. Numerous side tables, plants, arm-chairs, book-cabinets, bookshelves, velvet cloths, a desk, paintings, a large double bed. There is a large fire in the grate.

The room is lit by a number of table and standard lamps.
LAW
is lying low in an arm-chair, reading, by the fireside. Silence.

Exterior. Front area.

STOTT
still.

Interior. Room.

LAW
in arm-chair. He is smiling at his book.

He giggles. He is reading a Persian love manual, with illustrations
.

Exterior. Front area.

JANE
huddled by the wall
.

STOTT
moves to the door.

Interior. Room.

Doorbell
.
LAW
looks up from his book. He closes it, puts it on a side table, goes into the hall
.

Interior. Small hall.

LAW
approaches the front door. He opens it.

Silence.

He stares at
STOTT
.
From his position in the doorway
LAW
cannot see the girl
.

LAW
(
with great pleasure
). Stott!

STOTT
(
smiling
). Hullo, Tim.

LAW
. Good God. Come in!

LAW
laughs
.

Come in!

STOTT
enters
.

I can't believe it!

Interior. Room.

LAW
and
STOTT
enter.

LAW
. Give me your coat. You're soaking. Come on. That's it. I'm absolutely flabbergasted. You must be freezing.

STOTT
. I am a bit.

LAW
. Go on, warm yourself! Warm yourself by the fire.

STOTT
. Thanks.

LAW
. Sit down by the fire. Go on.

STOTT
moves to the fire.

LAW
takes the coat into hall.

Interior. Hall
.

LAW
comes into the hall, shaking the raincoat. He looks inside it, at the label, smiles. He hangs it on a hook
.

Interior. Room.

STOTT
warming his hands at the fire.
LAW
comes in.

LAW
. You haven't changed at all. You haven't changed . . . at all!

STOTT
laughs.

You've got a new raincoat though. Oh yes, I noticed. Hold on, I'll get you a towel.

LAW
goes to the bathroom.

STOTT
,
alone, looks up and about him at the room.

Interior. Room.

The room.

Interior. Bathroom.

LAW
in bathroom, at the airing cupboard. He swiftly throws aside a number of towels, chooses a soft one with a floral pattern.

Interior. Room.

LAW
comes in with a towel.

LAW
. Here's a towel. Go on, give it a good wipe. That's it. You didn't walk here, did you? You're soaking. What happened to your car? You could have driven here. Why didn't you give me a ring? But how did you know my address? My God, it's years. If you'd have rung I would have picked you up. I would have picked you up in my car. What happened to your car?

STOTT
finishes drying his hair, puts the towel on the arm of a chair
.

STOTT
. I got rid of it.

LAW
. But how are you? Are you well? You look well.

STOTT
. How are you?

LAW
. Oh, I'm well. Just a minute, I'll get you some slippers.

LAW
goes to the cupboard, bends
.

You're going to stay the night, aren't you? You'll have to, look at the time. I wondered if you'd ever turn up again. Really. For years. Here you are. Here's some slippers.

STOTT
. Thanks.

STOTT
takes the slippers, changes his shoes
.

LAW
. I'll find some pyjamas in a minute. Still, we'll have a cup of coffee first, or some . . . Or a drink? What about a drink?

STOTT
. Ah.

LAW
pours drinks, brings the drinks to the sofa and sits down by
STOTT
.

LAW
. You're not living at Chatsworth Road any more, are you? I know that. I've passed by there, numbers of times. You've moved. Where are you living now?

STOTT
. I'm looking for a place.

LAW
. Stay here! Stay here as long as you like. I've got another bed I can fit up. I've got a camp bed I can fit up.

STOTT
. I don't want to impose upon you.

LAW
. Not a bit, not a bit.

Pause.

STOTT
. Oh, by the way, I've got a friend outside. Can she come in?

LAW
. A friend?

STOTT
. Outside.

LAW
. A friend? Outside?

STOTT
. Can she come in?

LAW
. Come in? Yes . . . yes . . . of course . . .

STOTT
goes towards the door.

What's she doing outside?

Exterior. Front door.

JANE
is standing in the narrow porch outside the door.

The door opens.

Interior. Room.

STOTT
brings the girl in.

STOTT
. This is Jane. This is Tim Law.

She smiles.

JANE
. It's kind of you.

LAW
. How do you do? I . . . must get you a towel.

JANE
. No, thank you. My hair was covered.

LAW
. But your face?

STOTT
comes forward
.

STOTT
. It's very kind of you, Tim. It really is. Here's a towel. (
He gives it to her
.) Here.

LAW
. But that's your towel.

JANE
. I don't mind, really.

LAW
. I have clean ones, dry ones.

JANE
(
patting her face
). This is clean.

LAW
. But it's not dry.

JANE
. It's very soft.

LAW
. I have others.

JANE
. There. I'm dry.

LAW
. You can't be.

JANE
. What a splendid room.

STOTT
. Isn't it? A little bright, perhaps.

LAW
. Too much light?

STOTT
turns a lamp off.

STOTT
. Do you mind?

LAW
. No.

JANE
begins to take her clothes off.

In the background
STOTT
moves about the room, turning off the lamps.

LAW
stands still.

STOTT
turns off all the lamps but one, by the fireside.

JANE
,
naked, gets into the bed.

Can I get you some cocoa? Some hot chocolate?

STOTT
takes his clothes off and, naked, gets into the bed
.

I was feeling quite lonely, actually. It is lonely sitting here, night after night. Mind you, I'm very happy here. Remember that place we shared? That awful place in Chatsworth Road? I’ve come a long way since then. I bought this flat cash down. It's mine. I don't suppose you've noticed the hi-fi stereo? There's all sorts of things I can show you.

LAW
unbuttons his cardigan.

He places it over the one lit lamp, so shading the light. He sits by the fire.

The lamp covered by the cardigan.

Patch of light on the ceiling.

Patch of light at
LAW’S
feet.

LAW’S
hands on the chair arms.

A gasp from
JANE
.

LAW’S
hands do not move.

LAW’S
legs. Beyond them, the fire almost dead.

LAW
puts on his glasses.

LAW
reaches for
The Persian Manual of Love.

LAW
peers to read.

A long sigh from
JANE
.

LAW
reads.

Exterior. Cliff-top. Day. Summer.

Long-shot of
STOTT
standing on a cliff-top.

Exterior. Beach.

The beach is long and deserted
.
LAW
and
JANE
,
in swimming costumes
.
JANE
building a sandcastle.
LAW
watches her
.

LAW
. How old are you?

JANE
. I’m very young.

LAW
. You are young.

He watches her work
.

You're a child.

He watches her.

Have you known him long?

JANE
. No.

LAW
. I have. Charming man. Man of great gifts. Very old friend of mine, as a matter of fact. Has he told you?

JANE
. No.

LAW
. You don't know him very well?

JANE
. No.

LAW
. He has a connexion with the French aristocracy. He was educated in France. Speaks French fluently, of course. Have you read his French translations?

JANE
. No.

LAW
. Ah. They're immaculate. Great distinction. Formidable scholar, Stott. Do you know what he got at Oxford? He got a First in Sanskrit at Oxford. A First in Sanskrit!

JANE
. How wonderful.

LAW
. You never knew?

JANE
. Never.

LAW
. I know for a fact he owns three chateâux. Three superb châteaux. Have you ever ridden in his Alvis? His Facel Vega? What an immaculate driver. Have you seen his yachts? Huh! What yachts. What yachts.

JANE
completes her sandcastle
.

How pleased I was to see him. After so long. One loses touch . . . so easily.

Interior. Cave. Day.

STOTT’S
body lying in the sand, asleep.

LAW
and
JANE
appear at the mouth of the cave. They arrive at the body, look down
.

LAW
. What repose he has.

STOTT’S
body in the sand.

Their shadows across him.

Interior. Room. Night.

LAW
lying on the floor, a cushion at his head, covered by a blanket.

His eyes are closed.

Silence.

A long gasp from
JANE
.

LAW’S
eyes open.

STOTT
and
JANE
in bed.

STOTT
turning to wall.

JANE
turns to the edge of the bed.