‘Not even when I’m drunk.’
Julia giggled, and Jimmie felt the worst of the scene was over.
‘Now you know just as well as I do that you can act him off his head.
I tell you, you’re going to be the greatest actress since Mrs Kendal.
What do you want to go and hamper yourself with a man who’ll always be a millstone round your neck?
You want to go into management; he’ll want to play opposite you.
He’ll never be good enough, my dear.’
‘He’s got looks.
I can carry him.’
‘You’ve got a pretty good opinion of yourself, haven’t you?
But you’re wrong.
If you want to make a success you can’t afford to have a leading man who’s not up to the mark.’
‘I don’t care.
I’d rather marry him and be a failure than be a success and married to somebody else.’
‘Are you a virgin?’
Julia giggled again.
‘I don’t know that it’s any business of yours, but in point of fact I am.’
‘I thought you were.
Well, unless it means something to you, why don’t you go over to Paris with him for a fortnight when we close?
He won’t be sailing till August.
It might get him out of your system.’
‘Oh, he wouldn’t.
He’s not that sort of man.
You see, he’s by way of being a gentleman.’
‘Even the upper classes propagate their species.’
‘You don’t understand,’ said Julia haughtily.
‘I bet you don’t either.’
Julia did not condescend to reply.
She was really very unhappy.
‘I can’t live without him, I tell you.
What am I to do with myself when he’s away?’
‘Stay on with me.
I’ll give you a contract for another year.
I’ve got a lot of new parts I want to give you and I’ve got a juvenile in my eye who’s a find.
You’ll be surprised how much easier you’ll find it when you’ve got a chap opposite you who’ll really give you something.
You can have twelve pounds a week.’
Julia went up to him and stared into his eyes searchingly.
‘Have you done all this to get me to stay on for another year?
Have you broken my heart and ruined my whole life just to keep me in your rotten theatre?’
‘I swear I haven’t.
I like you and I admire you.
And we’ve done better business the last two years than we’ve ever done before.
But damn it, I wouldn’t play you a dirty trick like that.’
‘You liar, you filthy liar.’
‘I swear it’s the truth.’
‘Prove it then,’ she said violently.
‘How can I prove it?
You know I’m decent really.’
‘Give me fifteen pounds a week and I’ll believe you.’
‘Fifteen pounds a week?