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Hilda's Gold Brick (Karma Series — 1st Shot)
From a Collection of Crowley's Plays and Scenarios
Open on department store — various types of shoppers. Hilda Howard — a girl of tremendous possibilities, but all powers at present directed toward herself, what she likes, what she wants — behind the glove counter, discontentedly speculating on the inequalities of life. She is lost in profound reverie when floorwalker calls her attention to waiting customers: a dowager, calmly inspecting her through lorgnette, and a man, Althorpe by name, who regards her with cool effrontery. Hilda flushes and returns to work, furious, however, over the call-down, the calm stare of the woman, and the boldness of the man.
On her way home, down principal thoroughfare, she notes smart equipages carrying elegant men and women, the richness of the dressing of various windows, etc., and the increasing poverty away from the Avenue and around her home, the barrenness and ill-ordered streets. On the way she spurns a beggar and show impatience over the slow movements of age, or the weak.
She enters her home. Ma Howard, spineless, gossipy, lazy and uses cards incessantly. In the room is seated an ‘incurable’, Mrs. Jones, a rather nauseating type of chronic invalid. Hilda shows extreme disgust and impatience. The invalid apologetically and painfully withdraws.
No supper. Hilda prepares it, violently. She picks things out of half empty cans, bread stuck in one corner, cups messy, etc., etc., while mother tells cards.
“My goodness! A change!!” ————
Supper on table. Hilda seats herself and tries to eat. Mother sloppily drinks her tea, napkin spread over a full chest. (Ma Howard carries the comedy relief throughout.) Hilda gets more and more exasperated, and finally breaks out with: “I'm sick of it all! I'm sick of this eternal grind! I'm sick of poverty! I'm sick of life!” Her mother looks mildly round-eyed at this, blinks her eyes, wipes her mouth, and begins telling the cards.
“Um-m-m! A dark man!” ————
Hilda dashes away her tears, jumps up, powders her nose, grabs a hat and goes out. While Ma Howard “My goodness” ———— She never finishes anything.
Hilda tramps down the street, bumps into a pal. Pal says “Cheer up; let's go and have a dance.” They go to a cheap dance-hall, where everything is gaudy' where there are assembled be-frizzed girls, would-be swains in loud neck-ties, checked hosiery and bull-nosed footwear. A fuzzy crowd. The cheap dance-hall irritates her; weary and bitter, she could weep.
Into this scene comes a girl who has a job in a rich man's home as “practical” nurse. She is dressed in better taste, her hair is well combed, her footwear proper. She is frankly amused, having a sense of humour and a less selfish outlook on life. She asks Hilda why she does not strike out, get out, do something else.
“Tom Althorpe wants someone for his sex-year old. Widower; millionaire; lives in Plainfield. It would be a change and — maybe the Fairy Prince?” — Then with a twinkle and airy flirt of the hand: “You can always go back to gloves and floorwalkers, you know!”
Hilda, desperate, consents; and they agree to meet the next day at noon.
Establish Althorpe home, a mansion surrounded by beautiful, well-kept acres. Mrs. Chafin, the housekeeper is in charge, Althorpe spending the most of his time in the city —a “Sport.”
At this time the estate is undergoing extensive alterations. A new roadway is being built, an attractive bridge, etc., John Jeffries, 26, civil engineer, in charge as representative of Randolph and Smith, architects.
John's house is in a small suburb, Ridgeway. He lives with his mother, a kindly soul, and his sister, Cora; at the present time, however, having weekends only with them.
Cora is the round, soft-fat, weal-mouthed type, who would munch chocolates all day and nurse her emotions. She has outbursts of temper, so violent as to approach insanity; is shown throwing a cup at John's head during a meal, merely because he teases her — she takes it in fun at first, and turns angry without warning. Cora is very unlike her brother physically.
She is in love with Victor Vane, secretary to Althorpe, and has been betrayed by him, but this fact is not known to the Jeffries family.
The Jeffries family realize Cora's weaknesses; when she has one of these violent outbursts she loses control of her left eyelid, and her mouth is twisted on same side.
Hilda meets the nursery girl, who takes her to Mrs. Chafin, who has come into town to engage a girl. Mrs. Chafin questions Hilda and, on the recommendation of the other girl, who is known to Mrs. Chafin through the Spencer-Smiths, her employers, accepts her.
In the Althorpe home Hilda holds herself aloof from the other servants. Victor Vane, at Plainfield for a few days going over accounts for Althorpe, is attracted, but Hilda feels a dislike for him. She meets John and they fall in love. This happens so quickly and unexpectedly, Hilda is thrown off her feet and gives full sway to her emotions. Vane is furious, his vanity being insulted.
Events follow each other so quickly Hilda does not meet John's family, though she does learn he lives in Hideway with his mother. She does not hear of Cora.
Althorpe shows up from the city, sees Hilda with the child, and has designs. He shows her marked courtesies. At this turn of affairs Hilda's ambitions are aroused. She is shown wandering through a rich drawing-room, speculating; she stands by dining room door, looking into it. She sees magnificence all round her, and her will rises to meet it. She has a vision of herself as Mrs. Althorpe.
She becomes cool to John. Vane smiles sarcastically, knowing the master is sure to fool her.
One day a note is handed to her. “Meet me at 3 St. Mark's at noon.” She deliberately, then packs her grip, tells Mrs. Chafin she is leaving, and goes.
She meets Althorpe. They argue; she firm. An agreement is reached, but no title is put on the screen. Fade out.
Later Hilda is discovered in a sumptuous duplex apartment, richly gowned, seduction everywhere, obsequious servants. Althorpe established. There is a snappy set, rich living. She snubs former equals.
Hilda, as nursery maid, sent her mother small sums though resenting having to do so, as her heart was set on finery more than ever. She now gives her considerably more, and Ma blossoms out in wonderful regalia — “Always knew it; the cards never lie”——— etc. There is a scene with Ma in rich flat, where she weeps because Hilda will not take her in. She is also shown with her neighbours, weeping about the “ingratitude of children,” how she “slaved over Hilda, worrying her fingers to the bone, and now is deserted,” etc.
During this period Vane reports at the apartment for orders, etc. On one occasion Althorpe hands Vane a check, saying: “Place to the account of Mrs. Althorpe.” Their eyes do not meet; but it must be established by this action that Althorpe and Hilda are not married, although her guests greet her as Mrs. Althorpe, and that these two men understand each other. Hilda thinks Vane ignorant of the true state of affairs, and carries herself with assurance, though she finds her detestation of Vane constantly increasing.
Hilda discovers herself to be pregnant.
Althorpe is killed in an automobile accident; he dies intestate. Hilda claims his estate, the family lawyer calls, a marriage certificate is shown, papers gone over, etc., and she is not opposed. Vane, by election of the Board, succeeds Althorpe as president of his business, they knowing Vane has for some time carried the business alone.
Vane now comes to Hilda. She proudly keeps him in his place. He says: “Come to me or” ——— calmly looking the place over, eying her coolly and being very deliberate ——— “I will disclose the forged marriage certificate.”
It is a blow. Vane enjoys his triumph. “There is no reason why we should not be friends and ——— help each other.” She knows he means it. A murderous hate burns in her, but pride finally consents. Although she drives her bargain — “In one year, after” ——— She then goes abroad till the baby is born.
John, the tortoise, is shown hammering along at his profession, mounting slowly but solidly.
After Hilda's baby is born, she takes a rich abode, seeks friends by lavish entertainments. The baby is kept out of sight. At this time the baby and wealth and fashion vie with each other for supremacy, but Hilda's subconscious self is with the baby.
Victor Vane is shown saying goodbye to Cora, teasing her about his going to “Mrs. John Althorpe at Neuilly-sur-Seine,” the mention of whose name has always aroused Cora's jealousy. She cajoles, pleads, threatens — she weeps copiously. He leaves, cruelly scornful, thoroughly enjoying her unhappiness.
After Vane's departure Cora becomes restless, irritable, and John one day surprises her in the garden in a burst of weeping. He takes her in his arms and asks an explanation of her unhappiness. She then tells him of her relations with Vane. He is stunned, and angry, but cooperates with Cora. They keep the story from the mother and John gives her 500 dollars with which to go to “Bar Harbor, the farther away the better for a rest and a change.” Cora leaves.
At all her entertainments Hilda is openly snubbed by one or more of the guests who accept her hospitality — she is an upstart. This wounds Hilda's pride, she smarts under the sneers, but nevertheless sticks to her guns.
A French Marquis is paying her court, desiring her money. Hilda had a vision of her mother being told she (Hilda) is a Marquise, and she laughs joyously at the picture.
A man, immaculately dressed, is seen passing through an hotel corridor. He enters an automobile, and we later see him entering Hilda's house — an afternoon call. His face has not yet been seen. Inside we discover him to be Vane — Vane the master as distinguished from the secretary, and a sinister shadow.
Vane claims Hilda, but she refuses to fulfil her promise, thinking a rich marriage will enable her to defy him. Vane threatens exposure. “I'll start suspicions about marriage unless you yield.” Hilda has a wish-phantasm of killing him.
Later period: Hilda's house prepared for an elaborate soirée; she is dressing for the occasion, when a letter is handed to her. It is from Vane: “I shall wait to-night for my answer.” Hilda paces the floor, her eyes light on her gun, she picks it up, thinks a moment, then empties the bulleted shells and refills with blank cartridges, resolving to frighten Vane. She takes the gun downstairs, secreting it in a drawer.
Vane, in his room, dressed for the soirée, with the exception of coat. He is busily writing; he finishes, and there is flashed on the screen a letter to the Althorpe family solicitor, exposing the fake marriage certificate. A knock is heard on the door, and a broker is ushered in. Vane receives from him three visiting cards of the Marquis. He lays these beside the letter on the desk, and passes over a considerable sum of money to the broker, who, bowing his profuse thanks, withdraws. Vane then draws on his coat, folds the letter and places it in his waistcoat pocket.
Hilda moves among her guests feeling the sword of Damocles ready to fall. She was never more brilliant, never more entertaining. The Marquis is captivated, and Hilda is anxious to bring things to a climax with him. There is a love scene; and the Marquis is proposing, when Vane quietly steps into the scene. He stops, pulls out a case and deliberately lights a cigarette. The Marquis, indignant at such insolence, haughtily takes a step toward Vane, who does not move. Hilda tries to brazen it through, and indicates to the Marquis that they will leave the scene. With one step Vane blocks the way, takes the three cards from his waistcoat pocket and thrusts them in the face of the Marquis (flash IOUs for large sums), who is completely beaten, leaving the scene a whipped cur. Hilda steps forward, looks at the cards still lying in Vane's outstretched hand. He smiles quietly; Hilda faints: Vane opens the French window which leads to the garden.
The Soirée ends; Vane remains. He does not love Hilda, he wants to tyrannize and revenge himself for Hilda's hate. He presses his attentions on her. She fights him off. He persists, like a tiger with prey, taunting her about the Marquis, enjoying her agony. She grasps her gun; they grapple, the gun is discharged and Vane falls dead.
Hilda blank, stunned as she thought the gun carried no bullets. She holds it up, examines the chambers, there are five blanks and one discharged cartridge. She stares at it stupidly. (This bewilderment continues throughout subsequent scenes.)
The servants, wakened, gather jabbering excitedly, and report the shooting. Hilda is arrested; a deputy remains in charge of the house.
In the morning Hilda is interrogated by the police, and insists that blank cartridges only were in the gun. But it is found upon examination, that the bullet taken from Vane's body fits her gun.
The house is gone over thoroughly, the room examined, the servants questioned. One of these servants says two shots were fired in rapid succession, and sticks to this assertion throughout. The other servants say one only, and they stick to their assertions.
The letter is discovered in Vane's inside pocket, is read, and handed to the Prosecuting Attorney.
The lorgnette dowager is in a hotel in same city. The bell-boy brings in morning mail, papers, etc. She opens paper and reads:
She puts on her hat, calls maid, and goes to police station, and once more levels her lorgnette on Hilda. Others come and gaze at her. But humiliation, shame, mean nothing now: all these are swallowed up in the One Great Love, her baby. Though she does have a vision of herself with John; what her life might have been had she married him.
A corresponding-solicitor of the Althorpe estate solicitor has taken over the house and its contents, on behalf of ‘next of kin,’ a kindly old bachelor, and, having instructions so to do, appears on behalf of Hilda in the proceedings, as after all, Althorpe had cared for her, and she had borne him a child.
The trial takes place, the jury disagreeing, however, because of the five blank cartridges, and because neither Hilda's statement that there were six blanks, nor the testimony of the servant that two shots were fired, can be shaken. A verdict of ‘Insufficient evidence’ is returned, and Hilda is freed on her stating she would leave the country immediately. Hilda has held up throughout, but when reunited with her baby, she collapses and sobs pitifully.
She now signs a paper stating she has no claim on the Althorpe estate, packs a few personal things, is given a generous sum for her transportation, and another for the baby, and sails for home.
In the Jeffries home, Cora and her mother are awaiting the home-coming of John from a distant trip taken in the interests of Randolph and Smith. He arrives; there are the usual greetings, etc., and after a time, the mother busying herself over something to be done for her John, he and Cora find an excuse to go to the garden, where he questions her as to her present state of mind, etc., this being the first time he has seen her since her trip to Bar Harbour. She clings to him, helplessly; he is tender and compassionate.
Hilda arrives at her mother's flat. Ma is still telling the cards. “Well, my goodness; the cards just told me UNEXPECTED NEWS ! My” ——— she blinks stupidly at Hilda. Hilda very tenderly places her baby in Ma's lap, and kisses her, asking how she is, etc., all in a weary, silent manner. Ma utterly non-plussed.
Hilda decides to seek the village home of Jeffries, willing to acknowledge her weakness, and beg his mercy. Waiting a few minutes at the station, she buys a book “to read in the train,” but never opens it; she is too wretched.
She comes along the walk in time to witness the garden scene between John and Cora. She turns away hastily (secreting herself that she may not be seen), broken, her final hope gone, and creeps back to the station.
Arriving at Ma's flat and not seeing the baby, she looks her question. Ma indicates the baby is in the next room. Hilda enters room, lies down beside baby. She is tearless; she can neither sleep nor rest. Wearily she opens the book, which, unconsciously, she has carried throughout, and the audience reads with her the following:
“All that we are from mind results, on mind is founded, built on mind. Who acts or speaks with evil thought him doth pain follow, sure and blind. So there plants his foot, and so the car-wheel follows hard behind.”
It breaks down Hilda into tears; she sleeps. Fade out.
Fade in. Hilda takes stock of her life, its tragedies. Something new is born in her. We find her kindly to her mother, sympathetic with Mrs. Jones, the ‘incurable’, doing some menial thing for her. Mother blankly agape/ The baby is the regenerating influence in her life.
She goes to the same department store, seeks the manager and asks a jog. The Manager: “There is a vacancy eight now in the glove counter. Do you want it?” “I would be delighted. Are the same girls there?” The manager is glad to see Hilda; he notes her poise, her quiet assurance, her growth, and thinks “she would be lost” at the glove counter, and offers her the post of assistant to Miss Jones, buyer for a certain department at a salary of 2,000 dollars a year. This is quite beyond what Hilda expected, and she is very happy and gladly accepts.
Meantime Cora's facial grimace, which indicates her insane moods, has become permanent. John takes her to a specialist about her mental state. The Doctor says there is nothing wrong but “something on her mind,” and that she will be cured instantly if she can bring herself to open up. He tries to persuade her, but only makes her worse — a scene of shrinking hysterical horror follows.
Later: Hilda sane, healthy, self-respecting; kindly and helpful to all. A letter is enclosed in her pay envelope: “We have watched your work and are well pleased, and we have decided to make you a buyer of ————. Your salary will be 4,000 dollars a year. Your vacation of two weeks will start this week Saturday, and you will assume your new duties on your return.” All gather round and congratulate her. Fade out.
Fade in on an evening party at her home. Ma is presented, amid roars of laughter, with a wonderful new set of cards. There is gaiety and mirth, a pair of awkward lovers, a good character dancer, sandwiches, etc. The baby the king of the occasion — Hilda a gracious hostess. She announces: “This is to tell you all my good fortune — a fine promotion.” Cheer. Cheer. “And to-morrow I leave for the Adirondacks on a two weeks' vacation.” Fade out.
Hilda et al., shown in beautiful Adirondack scene, in the late afternoon, sun near the horizon, the baby toddling along, she lifting it up to see this vista, that panorama. Here they run across John, silently pacing along. They are amazed and delighted. After the first greetings a shadow falls between them, which Hilda quickly dispels by frankly, simply stating: “I thought the world had been made for me to play with: now I know it is made for me to work for.” She inquires about his mother, his wife. He, surprised. She explains the garden scene. He, sad, says: “My sister, Cora.” Hilda notices his voice and manner, and is quickly sympathetic. John states that Cora seems distraught, that she is mentally and emotionally disturbed, and is far from well.
Hilda asks if she may come to see her, John saying he would be glad, she leaves the baby with Ma and accompanies him to a small cottage, where are found Cora and her mother.
On seeing Hilda, Cora becomes violently agitated, hysterical. She is given a sedative, and quiets.
The mother, exhausted, retires and John and Hilda remain with Cora, who is apparently asleep; Hilda's sympathy, her tenderness with Cora, has roused the love which John has all this time tried in vain to suppress. He proposes to Hilda, who refuses with horror: “I? I who have killed a man!"
Cora wakes, jumps up in bed, and declaims her story.
Instead of going to Bar Harbour as planned, she followed Vane to Europe, got into Hilda's house during the soirée, his herself in the garden room with the revolver. She saw the fight between Hilda and Vane, and when Hilda seemed in danger, remembering her (Cora's) grievance against Vane, she pulled the trigger instantly the other gun discharged, saw Vane fall, and knew she had killed him. She was sick with horror; but, hearing his servants made good her escape when they were crowding around the door of the room in which Vane was shot. A steamer was sailing the next morning; she boarded it, and so escaped.
Cora insists Hilda shall accept John. Hilda yields, and Cora cries: “I've made amends!” She collapses, moaning, Hilda takes her in her arms, soothing her and assuring here there is nothing to forgive, having been imprisoned she knows how to sympathize with Cora. Under Hilda's attention Cora recovers, and her grimace disappears.
John stands nearby, solemnly happy. Fade out.
ON THIS OLD EARTH THERE'S NOTHING WORTH IN AGE AND YOUTH BUT LOVE AND TRUTH THESE TWO ALONE ALL ELSE ATONE.
Fade in on home of John and Hilda. Baby discovered with a couple of puppies. Ma earnestly assuring Mrs. Jeffries she had an “excellent fortune,” and, drawing another card, becomes quite triumphant.
John arrives from business, and there is a tender greeting. He picks up the baby, Hilda Calls “Dinner, Mothers,” and she, John and baby start from the room.
Open up on dinner table set out-doors by Cora, quietly happy in her work, this scene catching a glimpse of setting sun. Hilda, John and baby pause in foreground to regard the sunset as the two mothers appear in the rear of the scene. Ma in the best of humour.
(The immediately foregoing a mere vignette of “Happiness.”)
John picks up a book and opens it. Again the audience reads, this time the following.
“All that we are from mind results, on mind is founded, built of mind. Who acts or speaks with righteous thought his happiness doth surely find. So, failing not, the shadow falls forever on the place assigned.”
Dhammapada, I. 1, 2
Fade out.
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