SCENE NINE

(JENNY, LIZA, TOTTIE. Night. Candlelight. They have a candle, a looking-glass, an apple. With lots of shushing, they arrange themselves, so that TOTTIE has the candle, JENNY the glass, LIZA the apple. LIZA places herself in front of, and not too near, the glass. A clock begins to strike twelve. This is what they’ve been waiting for. Immediately, solemnly, LIZA bites into the apple, throws the bitten-out chunk over her left shoulder. TOTTIE wants to retrieve the bite of appleJENNY restrains her. They take the apple from LIZA, hand her a comb. Ceremoniously she combs her hair, staring all the while into the mirror, peering into the space over her shoulder in the mirror. The others are waiting expectantly, TOTTIE tries to look in the glass, obscuring LIZA’S own view of it, they signal TOTTIE to move away. Suddenly LIZA bursts into excited laughter, doubles up, dances around, gives a ‘hooch’ of delight.

TOTTIE and JENNY crowding, cutting each other’s lines, in a rush:)

JENNY: Did you see him, Liza?

TOTTIE: Which one, Liza?

JENNY: Was it the Gyptian?

TOTTIE: Was it Kello?

JENNY: Black-eyed Kello?

LIZA: still dancing about, laughing, nodding ‘yes’, clutching at JENNY.

TOTTIE: Do me! My turn!

JENNY: (sternly) No!

TOTTIE: I want to see my man! Give me an apple! (She looks for the apple piece that LIZA threw over her shoulder)

JENNY: Sumph! It’s past twelve o the clock! You can’t tell fortunes now!

(She or LIZA blows out the candle)

You can’t see anyone now!