Part 49
HE. Everlasting dust has been most of our life----
SHE. Everlasting years and years of dust!
HE. You on your lovely blue gown----
SHE. And you on your manly pink cloak.
HE. If she didn't sweep, we wouldn't need dusting----
SHE. Nor need taking down, I should say----
HE. With her stupid, clumsy hands----
SHE. Her crooked, monkey paws----
HE. And we wouldn't need putting back----
SHE. I with my back to you----
HE. I with my back to you.
SHE. It's been hours, days, weeks---- by the sound of that everlasting clock---- and the coming of day and the going of day---- since I saw you last!
HE. What's the use of the sun with its b.u.t.terfly wings of light-- what's the use of a sun made to see by-- if I can't see you!
SHE. Manikin!
HE. Minikin?
SHE. Say that again!
HE. Why should I say it again--don't you know?
SHE. I know, but sometimes I doubt----
HE. Why do you, what do you doubt?
SHE. Please say it again!
HE. What's the use of a sun----
SHE. What's the use of a sun?
HE. That was made to see by----
SHE. That was made to see by?
HE. If I can't see you!
SHE. Oh, Manikin!
HE. Minikin?
SHE. If you hadn't said that again, my doubt would have filled a balloon.
HE. Your doubt--which doubt, what doubt?
SHE. And although I can't move, although I can't move unless somebody shoves me, one of these days when the sun isn't here, I would have slipped over the edge of this everlasting shelf----
HE. Minikin!
SHE. And fallen to that everlasting floor into so many fragments, they'd never paste Minikin together again!
HE. Minikin, Minikin!
SHE. They'd have to set another here--some Minikin, I'm a.s.sured!
HE. Why do you chatter so, prattle so?
SHE. Because of my doubt--because I'm as positive as I am that I sit here with my knees in a knot--that that human creature--loves you.
HE. Loves me?
SHE. And you her!
HE. Minikin!
SHE. When she takes us down she holds you much longer.
HE. Minikin!
SHE. I'm sufficiently feminine--and certainly old enough--I and my hundred and seventy years--I can see, I can feel by her manner of touching me and her flicking me with her mop--the creature hates me--she'd like to drop me, that's what she would!
HE. Minikin!
SHE. Don't you venture defending her! b.o.o.by--you don't know live women!
When I'm in the right position I can note how she fondles you, pets you like a parrot with her finger-tip, blows a pinch of dust from your eye with her softest breath, holds you off at arm's length and fixes you with her spider look, actually holds you against her cheek--her rose-tinted cheek--before she releases you! If she didn't turn us apart so often, I wouldn't charge her with insinuation; but now I know she loves you--she's as jealous as I am--and poor dead me in her live power!
Manikin? */
HE. Minikin?
SHE. If you could see me--the way you see her----
HE. But I see you--see you always--see only you!
SHE. If you could see me the way you see her, you'd still love me, you'd love me the way you do her! Who made me what I am? Who dreamed me in motionless clay?
HE. Minikin?
