The Graduate Page 11
“A mile,” Benjamin said. “But there might not be a bar.”
“Let’s go see.”
“But Elaine,” he said. “I mean why did you—why did you say the Taft.”
She turned in her seat to look at him again. “What is the matter,” she said.
“Well nothing,” he said. “I’m just—I’m just wondering if they have a bar or not. I mean let’s go see. Let’s go see if they do or not.”
They walked in through the door of the Verandah Room and Elaine chose the table in the corner by the window. Benjamin helped her off with her coat and they sat. Elaine looked out the window at the grounds for a few moments, then turned back to Benjamin. “I have the feeling I’ve been here before,” she said. “Don’t they have a ballroom here?”
“I don’t know.”
“I think they do,” she said. “I think I came to a party here once.”
Benjamin nodded without looking at her. Elaine opened her mouth to say something more, then suddenly began frowning toward the entrance of the bar. She leaned forward and rested her hand on one of Benjamin’s sleeves. “There’s a man over there that keeps staring at us,” she said.
Benjamin shook his head.
“One of the elevator operators,” she said. “He stared at us when we came in and he still is.”
“Elaine, let’s go.”
“Look,” she said. “There’s two of them. They’re talking about us.”
“Elaine—”
“They’re just standing in the doorway staring at us and talking together. One of them pointed at us.”
Suddenly a waitress placed two drinks in front of them, then disappeared. Elaine looked up and frowned after her. “What’s happening,” she said.
Benjamin cleared his throat.
“Benjamin?”
“Elaine, let’s go now.”
“Why did she bring us these drinks.”
“I ordered as we came in the door.”
“No you didn’t.”
“Just drink it, please.”
“What?”
“Just drink your drink, please.”
“But she made a mistake.”
Benjamin shook his head. “She didn’t,” he said. “I ordered as we came in the door.”
“You did not.”
“Elaine, I did,” he said. “I said it to her quietly as we passed her.”
“Why are you saying that.”
“Because I did!” Benjamin said. “You didn’t.”
“Will you please drink it!”
She looked down at the drink on the table in front of her. “This isn’t what I wanted,” she said.
“Goddammit!” Benjamin said. He reached across the table for the drink, which was a martini, and drank it quickly. “Benjamin, what is happening.”
“Nothing.”
“Well something is,” she said. “What is it.”
“I just don’t like this place,” Benjamin said.
“Why not.”
“Because I don’t.”
“Well why did you lie to me about ordering the drinks.”
“I didn’t.”
“Then why are you so upset.”
“Let’s get out!” Benjamin said. He stood suddenly, jarring the table with his knees, and took Elaine’s coat off the empty chair at the side of the table. He dug into his pocket for some money to drop on the table, then reached for Elaine’s hand. “Come on, come on.”
He hurried ahead of her out of the Verandah Room and into the lobby. One of the clerks stopped when he saw him and smiled. “Good evening, Mr. Gladstone,” he said. Benjamin rushed past him.
“Benjamin?” Elaine said.
“Come on!” He pulled her toward the entrance of the hotel.
“Benjamin? Do they know you here or something?”
They walked out across the pavilion in front of the hotel and to the parking lot. Benjamin opened the door of his car for her and pushed the coat into her hands. “Please get in,” he said.
“But Benjamin?”
“Goddammit, will you get in this car, Elaine!”
She got into the car. Benjamin closed the door after her and walked around to the other side. As soon as he was inside and the door was closed he put his hands up over his face. For a long time he sat shaking his head with his hands covering his eyes. “Elaine?” he said finally. “I like you. I like you so much.”
She watched him but didn’t answer.
“Do you believe that, Elaine?”
She nodded.
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“You’re the first—you’re the first thing for so long that I’ve actually liked. The first person I could actually stand to be with.”
She reached up and took one of his hands down from his face.
“I mean my whole life is such a waste. It’s just nothing, Elaine.” He waited a moment longer, then pulled his hand away from her and shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said, reaching into his pocket for the keys of his car. “I’ll take you home.”
She watched him fit the key into the ignition switch and turn on the engine. “Benjamin?” she said.
“What, Elaine.”
“Are you having an affair with someone?”
Benjamin stared at his hand on the key.
Elaine shook her head. “I’m sorry,” she said.
“Elaine?”
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “It’s not my business.”
Benjamin slowly turned the key and the engine stopped. He sat staring at his hand for several moments, then looked up slowly and out the windshield of his car. “It just happened,” he said. “It was just this shabby thing that happened along with everything else.” He looked at her. “Can you understand that? Can you understand that, Elaine?”
She nodded.
“But what do you think of me now.”
“What?”
“Do you think anything of me now?” She nodded.
“But what do you think.”
Elaine shrugged. “I think you had an affair with someone,” she said. “What else am I supposed to think.”
“But don’t you despise me?” She frowned at him. “Don’t you?”
She took his hand again. “Benjamin?” she said, her eyes on his hand. “Was she married or something?” He nodded. “With a family?”
“A son. She had a husband and a son.”
“Well, did they ever find out?”
“No.”
“And it’s all over now?”
“Yes.”
Elaine shook her head. “Why should I despise you,” she said. “But Elaine,” he said, turning to look at her. “I mean what if—what if it was someone you knew. How would you feel then.”
“I don’t know,” she said. “Would you hate me then?”
“I don’t think so,” she said. “Was it?”
“What?”
“Is it someone I know?”
“No.”
“Just a woman you met in a bar?”
Benjamin nodded.
“Well, was she bored and lonely and everything?”
“She was.”
“Then I suppose you relieved the boredom,” Elaine said. “I mean I don’t think it’s my business. I’m sorry I found out.”
“You are?”
“Well it seems to upset you that I did.”
“Elaine, it doesn’t upset me,” he said. “But would you—would you go out with me again if I asked you? After knowing about it?”
“I think so.”
“Well then, can I ask you out?”
“If you want.”
“Tomorrow? Can we do something tomorrow?”
“All right,” she said.
“During the day,” Benjamin said. “We’ll go for a drive or something during the day then.”
She nodded.
“And you’re sure you really want to. I wouldn’t want you to do it unless you really wanted to.”
“I do,” she said.
“You do.”
“Benjamin, I really do,” she said.
***
In the morning the sky was a bright blue and there was not a single cloud. On the Robinsons’ street the only sound was of a power lawnmower being pushed back and forth across the Robinsons’ front yard by a gardener. Benjamin parked his car, got out and walked quickly across the lawn to the door. He knocked and waited. Several moments later the door was opened by Mrs. Robinson. She was wearing a green housecoat. Benjamin stood looking at her, glanced over her shoulder into the house, then looked back at her face.
“Elaine and I are going for a drive today,” he said.
Mrs. Robinson stepped out onto the front porch and pulled the door shut behind her. “Shall we talk in your car?” she said. “I’d rather not talk in the house.”
“Well I’m not really sure there’s anything to—”
“Elaine is still asleep.” Mrs. Robinson slid her hands into the pockets of her housecoat. She stepped down from the porch and began walking across the lawn toward Benjamin’s car, nodding at the gardener as she passed him. She reached the car and got in. Benjamin stood watching her as she closed the door after her and folded her arms across her chest. Finally he shook his head and walked past the gardener to the side of his car.
“Mrs. Robinson?”
“Get in, Benjamin,” she said without looking at him.
“I really don’t think there’s much to say, Mrs. Robinson.”
“Get in this car.”
Benjamin waited a few moments longer, then walked around to get in under the steering wheel.
“Drive down the block,” she said, pointing ahead of them through the window.
Benjamin started the engine. “Mrs. Robinson,” he said, “I hope you won’t be offended if I say I think you’re being a little melodramatic about this. I don’t think there’s any great crisis that calls for—”
“Drive several houses down and park.”
Benjamin released the emergency brake and drove slowly along the curb until he was several houses away. Then he stopped the car and turned off the engine and sat back in his seat. For several moments it was perfectly quiet except for the noise of the lawnmower behind them.
“Benjamin, I’m sorry it’s come to this,” Mrs. Robinson said finally.
Benjamin nodded.
“But I’m telling you never to see her again.”
He nodded a second time.
“Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes you do.”
“I’m glad,” Mrs. Robinson said. “Why don’t we consider the matter closed then.”
“Because it’s not closed.”
“Isn’t it?”
“No it’s not,” Benjamin said, closing his hands around the bottom part of the steering wheel. “I have no intention of following your orders, Mrs. Robinson.”
“Benjamin?”
“Why don’t you tell me exactly what your objections are, Mrs. Robinson. Instead of—”
“Do you want me to?”
“Yes I do.”
“Well Benjamin?” she said. “Elaine is a very simple girl. She is sweet and she is uncomplicated.”
“Mrs. Robinson?”
“But she is thoroughly honest, Benjamin. She is thoroughly sincere.” She shook her head. “And Benjamin?” she said. “You are none of these things.”
“Mrs. Robinson?”
“What.”
“What time does she usually get up.”
“Well Benjamin, I don’t think you need to worry about that.”
“I think I do,” Benjamin said. “I think we have a date and I think she’s expecting me.”
“I’ll explain to her that you couldn’t make it.”
“No you won’t.”
“Benjamin?” she said, turning suddenly in her seat. “You are to go home now. You are to go home and never come back to this house.”
“Go to hell.”
“Don’t be cute, Benjamin.”
“I’m not, Mrs. Robinson.”
“Because I’ll make things most unpleasant if I have to.”
“You will.”
“Yes I will.”
Benjamin nodded. “Could I ask you what you plan to do, Mrs. Robinson?”
“Do I have to tell you?”
“Yes you do.”
“Well Benjamin?” she said, looking at the side of his face. “I’ll tell Elaine everything I have to in order to keep her away from you.”
It was quiet for several moments.
“I don’t believe you,” Benjamin said finally.
“Then you’d better start believing me.”
“I don’t think you could do that, Mrs. Robinson. I don’t think you could tell her that.”
“I hope I don’t have to.”
Benjamin turned suddenly in his seat. “You can’t do that,” he said, taking her wrist. “You can’t do that, Mrs. Robinson.”
She stared back at him.
“Mrs. Robinson,” he said, shaking his head, “I’m asking you not to do that. I’m asking you please not to do that!”
“Go home now,” she said. She pulled her wrist away
“Mrs. Robinson, don’t wreck it. I’m asking you please not to wreck it!”
Benjamin stared at her several moments, then turned suddenly toward the door. He grappled for the handle and threw it open. Then he jumped quickly out into the street. A car swerved around him, honking its horn. Without closing the door of his car he hurried back up the street to the Robinsons’ house and past the gardener, who stopped mowing the lawn to watch him. The front door was locked. He ran around the house and in through the kitchen.
“Elaine!”
He ran through the kitchen and the dining room.
“Elaine! Elaine!”
A door opened upstairs. Benjamin ran part way up the carpeted stairs.
“Elaine!”
“Benjamin?”
“I’m coming up, Elaine!”
“Well, could you wait till I’m dressed?” she said. “I’ll be right down.”
Benjamin hurried to the top of the stairs. Elaine was standing in a doorway at the end of the hall. He rushed the length of the hall to where she was and took her hand to pull her back into the room.
“What is the matter,” she said.
“I want you to meet me on the corner,” Benjamin said, trying to catch his breath. “I want you to go over the back fence and I’ll pick you up on the next street.”
“What are you talking about.”
“Will you please do that!”
“No,” she said, frowning at him.
“Please!”
“What is happening.”
He began dragging her toward the door but she pulled away from him.
“I’m not even dressed, Benjamin.”
“You are.”
“My shoes.”
“Well get them on.”
“Do you mind if I eat breakfast before we go?”
“Get the shoes on,” Benjamin said. “I’ll be right back.” He ran out the door and down the hall to one of the rooms in the front of the house. He hurried to a window overlooking the front yard and threw aside the curtain just in time to see Mrs. Robinson appear. She was walking quickly up the street. She walked up onto the lawn. Benjamin turned and ran back through the hall. Elaine was standing in her doorway.
“Why aren’t your shoes on!”
“Because I want to know what’s happening, Benjamin.”
Benjamin hurried past her and into the room. The shoes were beside the bed. He picked them up. “Will you come on!” he said.
“No,” she said. She stood in the center of the room scowling at him.
“Elaine!” Benjamin said.
Suddenly a door slammed downstairs. Benjamin looked up, stood very still for a few seconds, then dropped the shoes on the floor and took one of Elaine’s hands. “Elaine,” he said, “I have to tell you something.”
“What.”
“That woman.”
“What?”
“That woman, Elaine. That older woman.”
“What are you talking about.”
“Elaine,” Benjamin said, shaking his head, “it wasn’t just some woman.”
“What?”
“It wasn’t just some woman with a husband and a son.”
“Who was it then?”
Mrs. Robinson appeared in the doorway and stopped. Elaine looked at her and then back at Benjamin. “Will somebody please tell me what is—” Suddenly she stopped talking. Her head turned slowly back toward her mother. Mrs. Robinson looked down at the floor, then cleared her throat quietly and left the room. Elaine pulled her hand away from Benjamin but continued staring through the empty doorway.
“Elaine?”
“Oh my God.”
“Elaine?”
“Oh my God,” she said again. She looked for a moment at Benjamin, then walked slowly to her window. She stared out through the glass at a house on the other side of the driveway. For a long time it was perfectly quiet. Finally Benjamin took a step toward her. “Elaine?” he said.
She spun around to face him. “Get out of here!” she said.
“But Elaine?”
She rushed across the room to him and began pushing him toward the door. “Get out!” she said.
“But Elaine?”
“Get out! Get out of this house!” She pushed him as far as the doorway and then out through it, slamming the door shut. Then it was perfectly silent again.
Benjamin stood with his head tilted slightly to the side, staring at Mrs. Robinson, who was at the end of the hallway still wearing her green housecoat and standing very straight and motionless, staring back at him.
“Elaine?” he said quietly.
“Oh my God!” Elaine said from the other side of the door.
“Benjamin?” Mrs. Robinson said to him from the end of the hall. “Goodbye.” She turned around and disappeared into a room and closed the door behind her.
***
For several weeks Benjamin stayed at home. Sometimes he would go out by the pool and look down into the water and sometimes he would walk slowly around the block. But usually he sat in his room staring down at the rug or looking out through the window at some wires he could see running along beside the street on telephone poles. Then after he had been home for nearly a month and Christmas had passed and the new year had started he decided to marry Elaine.
Part Three
Chapter Six