The Miracle Worker- Act 2

Keller: But he has to learn some respect!

Do you like the child? How empty the house is, tonight.

Annie: The room's a wreck, but her napkin is folded. I'll be in my room, Mrs. Keller. Viney: Don't be long, Miss Annie. Dinner be ready right away!

Folded her napkin. My Helen-folded her napkin-

Annie: She ate from her own plate. She ate with a spoon. Herself. And she folded her napkin.

Folded-her napkin?

Annie: I didn't come here for love. I came for money!

Hm?

Annie: Maybe after a million and one words.

I should like to learn those letters, Miss Annie.

Annie: What kind of asylum? Keller: For mental defectives.

I visited there. I can't tell you what I saw, people like animals, with rats, in the halls, and-What else are we to do, if you give up?

Keller: This girl, this-cub of a girl-presumes! I tell you, I'm of half a mind to ship her back to Boston before the week is out. You can inform her so from me!

I, Captain?

Keller: Miss Sullivan, you are here only as a paid teacher. Nothing more, and not to lecture- Annie: I can't unteach her six years of pity if you can't stand up to one tantrum! Old Stonewall, indeed. Mrs. Keller, you promised me help.

Indeed I did, we truly want to-

Annie: Does he, now?

Is it?

Annie: Ohh-Italy? Keller: What? Annie: Can't have everything, how would this garden house do? Furnish it, bring Helen here after a long ride so she won't recognize it, and you can see her every day. If she doesn't know. Well?

Is that all?

Annie: I'll teach you tomorrow morning. That makes only half a million each!

It's her bedtime. (Helen objects and stabs Annie. Kate gives her a sweet) I'm sorry Miss Annie.

Keller: Katie, I will not have it! Now you did not see when that girl after supper tonight went to look for Helen in her room-

No.

Aunt Ev: ...and I'd think twice before locking her up with that kind-is that man John L. Viney: You give me her, Miss Kate, I'll sneak her in back, to her crib.

This child never gives me a minutes worry.

Keller: At the office! James: Will you? I thought what she said was exceptionally intelligent. I've been saying it for year.

To his face? Or will you take it, Jimmie, as a flag?

Keller: I have not yet consented to Percy! Or to the house, or to the proposal! Or to Miss Sullivan's staying on when I-Very well, I consent to everything! For two weeks. I'll give you two weeks in this place, and it will be a miracle if you get the child to tolerate you.

Two weeks? Miss Annie, can you accomplish anything in two weeks?

Jimmie: But her table manners are the best she has. Well. Keller: Let her this time, Miss Sullivan, it's the only way we get any adult conversation. If my son's half merits that description. I'll get you another plate. Annie: I have a plate, thank you.

Viney! I'm afraid what Captain Keller says is only too true, she'll persist in this until she gets her own way.

Annie: I'll have enough work without looking after a servant! But that boy Percy could sleep here, run errands-

We can let Percy sleep here, I think, Captain?

Annie: Does she know where she is?

We rode her out in the country for two hours.

Keller: What in heaven's name is so extraordinary about folding a napkin?

Well, it's more than you did, Captain.

Annie: Why does she get a reward for stabbing me?

Well-we catch our flies with honey, I'm afraid. We haven't the heart for much else, and so many times she simply cannot be compelled.

(Kate comes around the corner with folded sheets on her arm and watches Annie and Helen for a moment) Annie: Very good girl-

What are you saying to her?

Annie: I guess no mother's ever minded to count. (Helen and Annie spell again)

What did she spell?

Keller: The fact is, today she scuttled any chance she ever had of getting along with the child. If you can see any point or purpose to her staying on her longer, it's more than-

What do you wish me to do?

Viney: Oh yes, this one's the angel of the family, no question bout that. (Helen comes running out of the house)

What happened?

Keller: I, ah-wanted first to make my position clear to Mrs. Keller, in private. I have decided I-am not satisfied-in fact, am deeply dissatisfied-with the manner in which- Annie: Excuse me, is this little house ever in use? (etc) Keller: Yours, young lady, isn't it obvious? And the second is that you persuade me there's the slightest hope of your teaching a child who flees from you now like the plague, to anyone else she can find in this house. Annie: There isn't.

What, Miss Annie?

Keller: She's a hireling! Now I want it clear, unless there's an apology and complete change of manner she goes back on the next train. Will you make that quite clear?

Where will you be, Captain, while I am making it quite-

Annie: Yes.

Where would you-take Helen?

Annie: No. No, she won't know what spelling is till she knows what a word is.

Yet you keep spelling to her. Why?

Keller: Anything or not, two weeks, then the child comes back to us. Make up your mind, Miss Sullivan, yes or no? Annie: Two weeks. For only one miracle? I'll get her to tolerate me.

You can't think as little of love as you said. Or you wouldn't stay.

Viney: What am I gone do, Miss Kate? It's noontime, dinner's comin', I didn't get them breakfast dishes out of there yet.

You run along Martha.

Annie: Give up?

You said it was hopeless.

Keller: Us!

Please? Like the lost lamb in the parable, I love her all the more.

Keller: Why must she depend on you for the food she eats? Annie: I want control of it. (etc.) Keller: Miss Sullivan. Do you like the child? Annie: Do you?

(long pause) You could have a servant here-

Annie: I spelt card. She spelt cake. No, it's only a finger-game to her, Mrs. Keller. What she has to learn first is that things have names.

And when will she learn it?

Annie: Ho, there's nothing impaired in that head, it works like a mousetrap!

But after a child hears how many words, Miss Annie, a million?

Annie: Oh, I was just making conversation. Saying it was a sewing card.

But does that (imitates letters) mean that to her?

Annie: Everything. The food she eats, the clothes she wears, fresh air, yes the air she breathes, whatever her body needs is a primer, to teach her out of. It's the only way, the one who lets her have it should be her teacher. Not anyone who loves her, you have so many feelings they fall over each other like feet, you won't use your chances and you won't let me.

But if she runs from you-to us-

Keller: He's afraid. What does he want out of me. James: My God, don't you know? Everything you forgot, when you forgot my mother. Keller: What! One thing that girl's secret is not, she doesn't fire one shot and disappear! Katie. Don't mind what he-

Captain, I am proud of you.

Keller: I can't understand it. I had every intention of dismissing that girl, not setting her up like an empress. James: Yes, what's her secret, sir? Keller: Secret? James: That enables her to get anything she wants out of you? When I can't. Keller: She does not get anything she- James: Don't-don't

Captain.

Keller: Then if you won't, I must. I simply will not-Miss Sullivan. Annie: Captain Keller. Keller: Yes, I-Well, come in. Katie.

Captain.

Annie: That's all.

Captain. With your permission?

Annie: And some old furniture, all our own-

Captain? Do you think that walnut bedstead in the barn would be too-

Annie: Yes, that's the point. I'll have to live with her somewhere else. Keller: What! Annie: Till she learns to depend on and listen to me.

For how long?

Keller: For what?

For letting this girl have what she needs.

Annie: Here. Give up, why, I only today saw what has to be done, to begin! I want complete charge or her. Keller: You already have that. It has resulted in- Annie: No, I mean day and night. She has to be dependent on me.

For what?

Annie: Yes, but I'm not accustomed to it. Keller: No, of course not. Viney!

Give her something, Jimmie, to quiet her.

Keller: I want you to give her notice.

I can't

Keller: Katie. I did not bring you all the way out here to the garden house to be frivolous. Now, how does Miss Sullivan propose to teach a deaf-bling pupil who won't let her even touch her?

I don't know.

Aunt Ev: I can't wait out here a minute longer, Kate, why, this could go on all afternoon, too.

I'll tell the Captain you called.

Annie: No, it's how I watch you talk to Mildred.

Mildred.

Annie: I know. In two weeks.

Miss Annie, I-Please be good to her. These two weeks, try to be very good to her-

Annie: Mrs. Keller, I don't think Helen's worst handicap is deafness or blindness. I think it's your love. And pity. Keller: Now what does that mean? Annie: All of you her are so sorry for her you've kept her like a pet, why, even a dog you housebreak. No wonder she won't let me come near her. It's useless for me to try to teach her language or anything else here. I might as well-

Miss Annie, before you cam we spoke of putting her in an asylum.

Annie: I know an ordinary tantrum well enough, when I see one, and a badly spoiled child- (etc.) Keller: Kate, for the love of heaven will you-

Miss Annie, please, I don't think it serves to lose our-

Annie: She's changed.

Miss Annie, put up with it. And with us.

Keller: No, I really must insist you-Now she's hurt herself. Annie: No, she hasn't. Keller: Will you please let her hands go?

Miss Annie, you don't know the child well enough yet, she'll keep-

Annie: The graves. No, it made me strong. But I don't think you need send Helen there. She's strong enough. No, I have no conditions, Captain Keller.

Miss Annie.

Annie: It's hopeless here. I can't teach a child who runs away. Keller: Then-do I understand you-propose- Annie: Well, if we all agree it's hopeless, the next question is what-

Miss Annie. I am not agreed. I think perhaps you underestimate Helen.

Keller: He wouldn't have got around if we'd had a Southerner in command, instead of a half-breed Yankee traitor like Pemberton...What the matter there?

Miss Annie. You see, she accustomed to helping herself from our plates to anything she-

Keller: What?

Not ineffectual. Helen did fold her napkin.

Annie: As long as it takes. I packed half my things already. Keller: Miss Sullivan! Annie: Captain Keller, it meets both our conditions... Keller: And what is your intention... Annie: The asylum? I grew up in such an asylum...The room Jimmie and I played in was the deadhouse, where they kept the bodies till they could dig-

Oh, my dear-

Annie: Any baby. Gibberish, grown-up gibberish, baby-talk gibberish, do they understand one word of it to start? Somehow they begin to. If they hear it, I'm letting Helen hear it.

Other children are not-impaired.

Keller: Why can't my son be? He can't bear me, you'd think I treat him as hard as this girl does Helen-

Perhaps you do.

Annie: I think everybody else here does.

She did fold her napkin. She learns, she learns, do you know she began talking when she was six months old? She could say "water". Not really-"Wahwah." "Wahwah," but she meant water, she knew what she meant, and only six months old. I never saw a child so bright, or outgoing. It's still in her, somewhere, isn't it? You should have seen her before her illness, such a good-tempered child-

Keller: The child practically climbed out of her window to escape her!.........From the moment she stepped off the train she's been nothing but a burden, incompetent, impertinent, ineffectual, immodest-

She folded her napkin, Captain.

Keller: For all she knows, she could be in another town-

That's her sign for me.

Annie: I like to hear myself talk.

The Captain says it's like spelling to the fence post.