The Secret Rapture

The Secret Rapture Summary | Act 1, Scene 1 Summary

The scene is a darkened bedroom. When a door opens, there is just enough light to illuminate the figure of a man in the bed with a sheet over his face, and a woman in a chair at the foot of the bed. Marion comes in, looks at the man, starts to leave, but stops when Isobel (the woman in the chair) calls Marion's name. This startles Marion, who had not known she was there. Isobel asks Marion not to turn on the main light, saying she came to the room for some peace. Marion asks if Isobel was with "him" when he died. Isobel admits she was, and says there is a moment when you see the soul leave the body. "Like a bird". Marion feels guilty that she was not there, but Isobel reassures her: he was barely conscious, and did not even know who she was. (At this point, it is not clear who "he" is, and what his relationship is to Marion and Isobel).

Marion asks if "he's" still wearing a ring she gave him a couple of months ago. Isobel realizes that Marion wants it back and tells her it is in the chest of drawers. Once Marion has retrieved the ring, she says she thinks Isobel is "heroic" for coming and staying with "him" in his last days. Then, uncomfortable about asking for the ring right away and not waiting a little longer, Marion explains she wanted to find it before Katherine took it, sold it, and spent all the money on booze. Isobel, somewhat abruptly, suggests they go downstairs. Marion takes this to mean that Isobel disapproves about her taking the ring back, but before they can talk any further, Tom finds them and asks if they're coming downstairs, saying it's "awkward" with everybody "crowding" in the bedroom.

Marion goes on about Katherine, whom she says is drunk. Isobel says it does not matter, especially to "Dad" (the man in the bed). Tom says, "he's in the hands of the Lord," then asks if there is an ambulance coming. When Isobel tells him that all the arrangements for taking the body away have been made, Marion asks if Katherine was any help - not just after their dad died but when Isobel was nursing him. Isobel says Katherine helped, but Marion says that Isobel is just being kind. Isobel suggests that Marion has misjudged Katherine: "Dad loved her." Marion suggests that Katherine was just using him, but Isobel says that his love for her was the only thing that "distinguished his life." She asks Tom what he thinks. He says that they are probably both right, and that it must be wonderful to be a woman and have that "instinct" about people.

Isobel suggests she goes down and make some supper, but Tom has taken care of it. Marion suddenly bursts out with anger, accuses Isobel of trying to humiliate her about the ring and rushes out of the room. Tom apologizes on her behalf, but Isobel says it is all right; Marion is grieving in her own way. Tom does not quite believe her and explains that Marion is always angry. He also says he does not understand why: she has everything she wants, her political party (the Conservatives) is in power and she is certain to get a position in the cabinet. Isobel asks if he ever gets angry. Tom says no, not since he "made Jesus [his] friend. He goes on to talk about himself as an awful sinner, but that since Jesus became his friend wonderful things have happened to him, that strange coincidences have turned negatives into positives.

When he is finished, Isobel asks him to tell her if Marion ever feels seriously angry with her. Tom agrees. Isobel asks if the undertaker has arrived. When Tom says yes, Isobel suggests it is time to go downstairs. Instantly Katherine's voice is heard. She comes on, leading us into the next scene.