and Completely, perhaps even frantically, searched for.
When the lights go up, Pete is standing in the open closet door, holding a
final garment, a negligee, in his hands. He is about 25. He does not look
like a criminal. That is, he is not a standardised recognisable criminal or
gangster type, quite. He looks almost like the general conception of a
college man, or a successful young automobile or appliance salesman. His
clothes are ordinary, neither flashy nor sharp, simply what everybody
wears. But there is a definite 'untamed' air to him. He is handsome,
attractive to women, not at all unpredictable because you-or they-know
exactly what he will do, you just hope he wont do it this time. He has a
hard, ruthless quality, not immoral but unmoral.
He wears a light-weight summer suit, his hat is shoved onto the back of his
head so that, engaged as he is at present, he looks exactly like a youthful
city detective in a tough moving picture. He is searching the flimsy
negligee, quickly and without gentleness, drops it and turns, finds his
feet entangled in the other garments on the floor and without pausing,
kicks himself free and crosses to the desk and stands looking down at the
litter on it which he has already searched thoroughly and savagely once,
with a sort of bleak and contemptuous disgust.
Temple enters, left. She wears a dark suit for traveling beneath a
lightweight open coat, is hatless, carries the fur coat which we have seen,
and a child's robe or blanket over the same arm, and a filled milk bottle
in the other hand. She pauses long enough to glance at the littered room.
Then she comes on in and approaches the table. Pete turns his head; except
for that, be doesn't move.
PETE
Well?
TEMPLE
No. The people where she lives say they haven't seen her since she left
to come to work this morning.
PETE
I could have told you that.
(he glances at his wrist watch)
We've still got time. Where does she live?
TEMPLE
(at the table)
And then what? hold a lighted cigarette against the sole of her foot?
276 WILLIAM FAULKNER
PETE
It's fifty dollars, even if you are accustomed yourself to thinking
in hundreds. Besides the jewelry. What do you suggest then? call
the cops?
TEMPLE
No. You wont have to run. I'm giving you an out.
PETE
An out?
TEMPLE
No dough, no snatch. Isn't that how you would say it?
PETE
Maybe I dont get you.
TEMPLE
You can quit now. Clear out. Leave. Get out from under. Save
yourself. Then all you'll have to do is, wait till my husband gets
back, and start over.
PETE
Maybe I still dont get you.
TEMPLE
You've still got the letters, haven't you?
PETE
Oh, the letters.
He reaches inside his coat, takes out the packet of letters and tosses
it onto the table.
Thcre you are.
TEMPLE
I told you two days ago I didn't want them.
PETE
Sure. That was two days ago.
They watch each other a moment. Then Temple dumps the fur coat and the
robe from her arm, onto the table, sets the bottle carefully on the
table, takes up the packet of letters and extends her other hand to
Pete.
TEMPLE
Give me your lighter.
Pete produces the lighter from his pocket and hands it to her. That is,
he extends it, not moving otherwise, so that she has
REQUIEM FOR A NUN 277
to take a step or two toward him to reach and take it. Then she turns and
crosses to the hearth, snaps the lighter on. It misses fire two or three
times, then lights. Pete has not moved, watching her. She stands
motionless a moment, the packet of letters in one hand, the burning
lighter in the other. Then she turns her head and looks back at him. For
another moment they watch each other.
PETE
Go ahead. Bum them. The other time I gave them to you, you turned them
down so you could always change your mind and back out. Burn them.
They watch each other for another moment. Then she turns her head and
stands now, her face averted, the lighter still burning. Pete watches her
for another moment.
Then put that junk down and come here.
She snaps out the lighter, turns, crosses to the table, putting the packet
of letters and the lighter on the table as she passes it, and goes on to
where Pete has not moved. At this moment, Nancy appears at the door, left.
Neither of them sees her. Pete puts his arms around Temple.
I offered you an out too.
(he draws her closer) Baby.
TEMPLE
Dont call me that.
PETE
(tightens his arms, caressing and savage too) Red did. I'm as good a
man as he was. Aint I?
They kiss. Nancy moves quietly through the door and stops just inside the
room, watching them. She now wears the standardised department-store
maidservant's uniform, but without cap and apron, beneath a lightweight
open topcoat; on her head is a battered almost shapeless felt hat which
must have once belonged to a man. Pete breaks the kiss.
Come on. Let's get out of here. I've even got moral or something. I
dont even want to put my hands on you in his house-
He sees Nancy across Temple's shoulder, and reacts. Temple reacts to him,
turns quickly and sees Nancy too. Nancy comes on into the room.
278 WILLIAM FAULKNER
TEMPLE
(to Nancy)
What are you doing here?
NANCY
I brought my foot. So he can hold that cigarette against it.
TEMPLE
So you're not just a thief: you're a spy too.
PETE
Maybe she's not a thief either. Maybe she brought it back.
(they watch Nancy, who doesn't
answer)
Or maybe she didn't. Maybe we had better use that cigarette.
(to Nancy)
How about it? Is that what you came back for, sure enough?
TEMPLE
(to Pete)
Hush. Take the bags and go on to the car.
PETE
(to Temple but watching Nancy) I'll wait for you. There
may be a little something I can do here, after all.
TEMPLE
Go on, I tell you! Let's for God's sake get away from here. Go on.
Pete watches Nancy for a moment longer, who stands facing them but not
looking at anything, motionless, almost bemused, her face sad, brooding
and inscrutable. Then Pete turns, goes to the table, picks up the lighter,
seems about to pass on, then pauses again and with almost infinitesimal
hesitation takes up the packet of letters, puts it back inside his coat,
takes up the two packed bags and crosses to the french window, passing
Nancy, who is still looking at nothing and no one.
PETE