Free The Iceman Cometh by Harold Bloom, Eugene O’Neill

laughing and screeching.
    He settles himself in his chair, grumbling .
    Never thought I’d see the day when Harry HOPE’s would have tarts rooming in it. What’d Bessie think? But I don’t let ’em use my rooms for business. And they’re good kids. Good as anyone else. They got to make a living. Pay their rent, too, which is more than I can say for—
    He cocks an eye over his specs at mosher and grins with satisfaction . Bejees, Ed, I’ll bet Bessie is doing somersaults in her grave!
    He chuckles . Butmosher’s eyes are closed, his head nodding, and he doesn’t reply, so hope closes his eyes . rocky has opened the barroom door at rear and is standing in the hall beyond it, facing right. A girl ’s laugh is heard .
    ROCKY
    Warningly .
    Nix! Piano!
    He comes in, beckoning them to follow. He goes behind the bar and gets a whiskey bottle and glasses and chairs . margie and pearl follow him, casting a glance around. Everyone except larry and parritt is asleep or dozing. Even parritt has his eyes closed. The two girls, neither much over twenty, are typical dollar street walkers, dressed in the usual tawdry get-up . pearlis obviously Italian with black hair and eyes . margie has brown hair and hazel eyes, a slum New Yorker of mixed blood. Both are plump and have a certain prettiness that shows even through their blobby make-up. Each retains a vestige of youthful freshness, although the game is beginning to get them and give them hard, worn expressions. Both are sentimental, feather-brained, giggly, lazy, good-natured and reasonably contented with life. Their attitude toward rocky is much that of two maternal, affectionate sisters toward a bullying brother whom they like to tease and spoil. His attitude toward them is that of the owner of two performing pets he has trained to do a profitable act under his management. He feels a proud proprietor ’s affection for them, and is tolerantly lax in his discipline .
    MARGIE
    Glancing around .
    Jees, Poil, it’s de Morgue wid all de stiffs on deck.
    She catches LARRY’s eye and smiles affectionately .
    Hello, Old Wise Guy, ain’t you died yet?
    LARRY
    Grinning .
    Not yet, Margie. But I’m waiting impatiently for the end. PARRITT opens his eyes to look at the two girls, but as soon as they g la nce at him he closes them again and turns his head away .
    MARGIE
    As she and pearl come to the table at right, front, followed by ROCKY.
    Who’s de new guy? Friend of yours, Larry?
    Automatically she smiles seductively at PARRITT and addresses him in a professional chant .
    Wanta have a good time, kid?
    PEARL
    Aw, he’s passed out. Hell wid him!
    HOPE
    Cocks an eye over his specs at them — with drowsy irritation .
    You dumb broads cut the loud talk.
    He shuts his eye again .
    ROCKY
    Admonishing them good-naturedly .
    Sit down before I knock yuh down.
    margie and pearl sit at left, and rear, of table , rocky at right of it. The girls pour drinks . rocky begins in a brisk, business-like manner but in a lowered voice with an eye on HOPE .
    Well, how’d you tramps do?
    MARGIE
    Pretty good. Didn’t we, Poil?
    PEARL
    Sure. We nailed a coupla all-night guys.
    MARGIE
    On Sixth Avenoo. Boobs from de sticks.
    PEARL
    Stinko, de bot’ of ’em.
    MARGIE
    We thought we was in luck. We steered dem to a real hotel. We figgered dey was too stinko to bother us much and we could cop a good sleep in beds that ain’t got cobble stones in de mattress like de ones in dis dump.
    PEARL
    But we was outa luck. Dey didn’t bother us much dat way, but dey wouldn’t go to sleep either, see? Jees, I never hoid such gabby guys.
    MARGIE
    Dey got onta politics, drinkin’ outa de bottle. Dey forgot we was around. “De Bull Moosers is de on’y reg’lar guys,” one guy says. And de other guy says, “You’re a God-damned liar! And I’m a Republican!” Den dey’d laugh.
    PEARL
    Den dey’d get mad and make a bluff dey was goin’ to scrap, and den dey’d make up and cry and sing “School Days.” Jees,