The Fifth Column

Act Two Scene Four

Same as Scene III, but four thirty o’clock in the morning. Both rooms are dark and DOROTHY BRIDGES is asleep in her bed. MAX and PHILIP come down the corridor, and PHILIP unlocks the door of Room 110 and switches on the light. They look at each other, MAX shakes his head. They are both so covered with mud that they are almost unrecognizable.

PHILIP. Well, another time.

MAX. I am very sorry.

PHILIP. It’s not your fault. Want to bathe first?

MAX. [His head on his arms] Go ahead and take it. I am too tired.

[PHILIP goes into the bathroom. Then comes out]

PHILIP. There’s no hot water. Only reason we live in this damn death trap is for hot water, and now there’s none!

MAX. [Very sleepily] I am very sad to fail. I was certain they were coming. But they did not come.

PHILIP. Get your clothes off, and get some sleep. You’re a marvellous bloody damned scout officer, and you know it. Nobody could do what you’ve done... it’s not your fault if they call off the shoot.

MAX. [Really utterly and completely exhausted] I am too sleepy. I am so sleepy I am sick.

PHILIP. Come on, I’ll get you to bed.

[He pulls his boots off and helps him to undress.

PHILIP tumbles him into bed]

MAX. The bed is good.

[He takes hold of the pillow with his arms and spreads his legs wide]

I sleep on my face, and then it does not frighten anybody in the morning.

PHILIP. [From the bathroom] Take the whole bed. I’m bunking in another room.

[PHILIP goes into the bathroom and you hear him splashing. He comes out in pajamas and a dressing gown, opens the door connecting the two rooms, ducks under the poster and goes over to the bed and climbs in]

DOROTHY. [In the dark] Darling, is it late?

PHILIP. Fiveish.

DOROTHY. [Very sleepily] Where have you been?

PHILIP. On a visit.

DOROTHY. [Who is still really asleep] Did you keep your appointment?

PHILIP. [Rolling away to one side of the bed so that he is back to back with her] The man didn’t show up.

DOROTHY. [Very sleepily, but anxious to impart news] There wasn’t any shelling, darling.

PHILIP. Good!

DOROTHY. Good night, darling.

PHILIP. Good night!

[You hear a machine-gun go pop-pop-pop a long way away through the open window. They lie very quietly in the bed and then we hear PHILIP say]

Bridges, are you asleep?

DOROTHY.[Really asleep] No, darling. Not if —

PHILIP. I want to tell you something.

DOROTHY. [Sleepily] Yes, my very dear.

PHILIP. I want to tell you two things. I’ve got the horrors, and I love you.

DOROTHY. Oh, you poor Philip.

PHILIP. I never tell anybody when I get the horrors, and I never tell anybody I love them. But I love you, see? Do you hear me? Do you feel me? Do you hear me say it?

DOROTHY. Why, I love you all the time. And …