runs to ULYSSES , who has suddenly held open his arms.)
—Penelope!
PENELOPE
Ulysses, Ulysses!
ULYSSES
(Catching her in his arms, looking at her. He throws his hat aside, and drops his cloak.)
Penelope...
(He kisses her passionately.)
ATHENA
Oh, you human beings! No wonder your lives get so muddled.
(She walks down the steps and across the Hall to the large doorway.)
When will you learn wisdom? But then—I suppose it isn’t so much fun to be wise.
(She looks at them as she passes by, and sighs as she watches a long kiss.)
It must be fun to be human, just once in a while...
(She suddenly halts, almost at the threshold.)
And now I’m losing my wits. I’m still needed here. After all the trouble I’ve had in bringing Ulysses home, I’m not going to leave this job half-done. Look at them! At this moment they haven’t a thought between them. Here, you two! Enough’s enough. Snap out of it!
(She claps her hands sharply together, and then retires into the background, composes herself to wait, and becomes quite motionless.)
ULYSSES
(Holding PENELOPE suddenly away from him)
You little devil! That was a fine performance to tear a man’s heart out. Was that the idea—tear it out, then jump on it with both feet?
(But he is laughing. Suddenly he becomes serious.)
When did you recognise me? Or was it Eumaeus who let you know I had come home?
PENELOPE
(Evasively)
He didn’t tell me.
ULYSSES
(Letting her go)
Then, when did you know me?
PENELOPE
Don’t you mean how did I know you?
ULYSSES
(Angry)
I don’t mean how, I mean when.
(Catching her by her wrists)
When?
PENELOPE
Oh, Clia, he really does love me!... Darling, darling, I knew all along that the beggar was you. Now, don’t blame Eumaeus. I just sort of extracted the news from him. And besides, why did you hide it from me?
( ULYSSES is silent.)
When I came into the Hall this afternoon and found Eryx and Melas here, I had to play for time. And suddenly, suddenly I saw you at the door—oh, Ulysses, you made the most beggarly beggar I ever saw! Then I knew it was quite safe to announce the contest.
ULYSSES
Safe, was it?
PENELOPE
But don’t you see—you are bound to win! Only you know how to manage that Great Bow. And remember, I said the contest was open to everyone in the Hall tonight. Don’t I get a kiss for being clever?
ULYSSES
(Looks at the Great Bow and then says quietly)
Why had there to be a contest?
PENELOPE
I was forced to do something. You saw that.
ULYSSES
Why are the men still here? They were leaving this morning. If they had, there would have been no need for any contest.
( PENELOPE tries to evade his eyes, but he turns her face toward his.)
What kept them here?
PENELOPE
(Dejectedly)
I did.
ULYSSES
(Watching her carefully)
Why?... Did you play with the idea of marrying Melas?
PENELOPE
(Angry)
No! Nor Eryx. Nor any of the others.
(More quietly)
I—I kept them here only after I knew you were coming home.
ULYSSES
(Slowly)
Did you hate me so much?
PENELOPE
No—oh, don’t you see?
ULYSSES
Frankly, I don’t.
PENELOPE
Oh, there were so many reasons. But chiefly—chiefly—
ULYSSES
Yes?
PENELOPE
(Quickly)
You wouldn’t want those men to escape from here, without paying for what they have done. Would you? After all, the Hero of the Trojan War doesn’t just come home and, and—
ULYSSES
The Hero of the Trojan War only wanted to come home and relax with his wife and son.
PENELOPE
Then why didn’t the Hero of the Trojan War come home when the last battle was won?
ULYSSES
So this mess is all my fault, is it?
( PENELOPE pulls her hands free and covers her face to hide her tears. He draws her gently to him.)
And so it is... I’m sorry, Penelope... Forgive me.
PENELOPE
(Throwing her arms around him again)
Oh, Ulysses... Can you forgive me?
(The curtain closes swiftly.)
SCENE 2
There has been a short passage of time: the same characters are still in the Hall. Only, PENELOPE is now sitting on ULYSSES ’
—Penelope!
PENELOPE
Ulysses, Ulysses!
ULYSSES
(Catching her in his arms, looking at her. He throws his hat aside, and drops his cloak.)
Penelope...
(He kisses her passionately.)
ATHENA
Oh, you human beings! No wonder your lives get so muddled.
(She walks down the steps and across the Hall to the large doorway.)
When will you learn wisdom? But then—I suppose it isn’t so much fun to be wise.
(She looks at them as she passes by, and sighs as she watches a long kiss.)
It must be fun to be human, just once in a while...
(She suddenly halts, almost at the threshold.)
And now I’m losing my wits. I’m still needed here. After all the trouble I’ve had in bringing Ulysses home, I’m not going to leave this job half-done. Look at them! At this moment they haven’t a thought between them. Here, you two! Enough’s enough. Snap out of it!
(She claps her hands sharply together, and then retires into the background, composes herself to wait, and becomes quite motionless.)
ULYSSES
(Holding PENELOPE suddenly away from him)
You little devil! That was a fine performance to tear a man’s heart out. Was that the idea—tear it out, then jump on it with both feet?
(But he is laughing. Suddenly he becomes serious.)
When did you recognise me? Or was it Eumaeus who let you know I had come home?
PENELOPE
(Evasively)
He didn’t tell me.
ULYSSES
(Letting her go)
Then, when did you know me?
PENELOPE
Don’t you mean how did I know you?
ULYSSES
(Angry)
I don’t mean how, I mean when.
(Catching her by her wrists)
When?
PENELOPE
Oh, Clia, he really does love me!... Darling, darling, I knew all along that the beggar was you. Now, don’t blame Eumaeus. I just sort of extracted the news from him. And besides, why did you hide it from me?
( ULYSSES is silent.)
When I came into the Hall this afternoon and found Eryx and Melas here, I had to play for time. And suddenly, suddenly I saw you at the door—oh, Ulysses, you made the most beggarly beggar I ever saw! Then I knew it was quite safe to announce the contest.
ULYSSES
Safe, was it?
PENELOPE
But don’t you see—you are bound to win! Only you know how to manage that Great Bow. And remember, I said the contest was open to everyone in the Hall tonight. Don’t I get a kiss for being clever?
ULYSSES
(Looks at the Great Bow and then says quietly)
Why had there to be a contest?
PENELOPE
I was forced to do something. You saw that.
ULYSSES
Why are the men still here? They were leaving this morning. If they had, there would have been no need for any contest.
( PENELOPE tries to evade his eyes, but he turns her face toward his.)
What kept them here?
PENELOPE
(Dejectedly)
I did.
ULYSSES
(Watching her carefully)
Why?... Did you play with the idea of marrying Melas?
PENELOPE
(Angry)
No! Nor Eryx. Nor any of the others.
(More quietly)
I—I kept them here only after I knew you were coming home.
ULYSSES
(Slowly)
Did you hate me so much?
PENELOPE
No—oh, don’t you see?
ULYSSES
Frankly, I don’t.
PENELOPE
Oh, there were so many reasons. But chiefly—chiefly—
ULYSSES
Yes?
PENELOPE
(Quickly)
You wouldn’t want those men to escape from here, without paying for what they have done. Would you? After all, the Hero of the Trojan War doesn’t just come home and, and—
ULYSSES
The Hero of the Trojan War only wanted to come home and relax with his wife and son.
PENELOPE
Then why didn’t the Hero of the Trojan War come home when the last battle was won?
ULYSSES
So this mess is all my fault, is it?
( PENELOPE pulls her hands free and covers her face to hide her tears. He draws her gently to him.)
And so it is... I’m sorry, Penelope... Forgive me.
PENELOPE
(Throwing her arms around him again)
Oh, Ulysses... Can you forgive me?
(The curtain closes swiftly.)
SCENE 2
There has been a short passage of time: the same characters are still in the Hall. Only, PENELOPE is now sitting on ULYSSES ’
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