“Marionettes, Inc.” Summary & Analysis

Smith and Braling walk down the street together around 10:00 P.M. Both men are about thirty-five years old, and both are “eminently sober.” Smith complains that Braling has cut their night far too short—it’s Braling’s “first night out in years,” and yet he wants to go home at 10:00 P.M. Braling attributes the short night to his “nerves.”

Smith says he doesn’t know how Braling “managed” to go out tonight at all. He says that he’s been unsuccessfully badgering Braling about going out for “a quiet drink” for ten years. Now that Braling finally agreed, however, he “insist[s] on turning in early.” Braling says dejectedly that he can’t push his luck. Smith asks how Braling got out of the house in the first place, claiming that he must have “put sleeping powder in [his] wife’s coffee.” Braling says “that would be unethical.” He says Smith will understand shortly how Braling managed to get out of the house.

As the two men turn a corner, Smith says that he knows Braling has a terrible marriage. Braling tries to attest it hasn’t been that bad, but Smith continues, saying that word “got around” about how Braling’s wife got Braling to marry her—it was 1979, right when Braling was about to leave for Rio. Braling cuts off his friend’s flashback, lamenting that he never did get to see Rio.

Smith continues, recounting how the future Mrs. Braling “tore her clothes,” “rumpled her hair,” and “threatened to call the police” unless Braling would agree to marry her. Braling tells Smith that he needs to realize that his wife has always been “nervous.” Smith says that regardless, the whole situation was “unfair.” After all, Braling didn’t even love her. Smith asks Braling if he ever made that clear to his wife before he married her, and Braling says that he did—he “was quite firm on the subject.” Smith can’t believe that Braling still chose to marry her, but Braling admits that he had to. He did it for the sake of his business and for his parents—something “like that would’ve killed them.”

Smith reflects that the Bralings have been married for ten years. With his “gray eyes steady,” Braling says that all of that is about to change. He pulls out a blue ticket, and Smith gasps—“it’s a ticket for Rio on the Thursday rocket.” Smith is delighted that Braling will finally be able to visit Rio, but he tentatively asks if doing so won’t upset Braling’s wife. With small, nervous smile, Braling says that it won’t upset his wife because she won’t even know he’s gone. Braling will be back from Rio in a month, and the only person who will know he ever left is Smith.

Sighing, Smith says that he wishes he could go to Rio, too. Braling notes that Smith’s marriage “hasn’t exactly been roses” either, and Smith agrees. His problem, he asserts, is that his wife, Nettie, “overdoes it.” He remarks to Braling that after ten years of marriage, you’d think your wife would no longer “sit on your lap for two hours every evening, call you at work twelve times a day, and talk baby talk.” Gravely, Smith says that it’s only getting worse—this past month is the clingiest Nettie has ever been. Smith wonders if his wife is “a little simple-minded.” Braling thinks that assessment is “conservative.”

The two men arrive at Braling’s house, and Braling tells Smith that he will now reveal his big secret regarding how he snuck out of the house. Braling gestures to the second floor of the house, and Smith notices a man peering down at him from the window above. The man (later called Braling Two) is about thirty-five years old, has slightly greying hair, “sad gray eyes,” and a small mustache.

Smith exclaims in disbelief that the man in the window looks exactly like Braling. When Braling hushes Smith, Braling Two disappears from the window. Thinking he is seeing things, Smith wonders if he’s going insane. Seconds later, the front door opens, and the Braling lookalike steps outside to speak with the men. The two Bralings greet each other, and Smith asks if they’re identical twins. Braling says that they’re not and tells Smith to press his ear against Braling Two’s body. Hesitantly, Smith does so and hears a faint ticking noise coming from inside Braling Two’s chest. Smith exclaims that “It can’t be,” and listens again, only to hear the same ticking noise.

Smith “stagger[s] back,” and his eyes “flutter.” Reaching out to touch Braling Two’s warm cheeks and hands, Smith asks where Braling got such a thing. Braling answers, “Isn’t he excellently fashioned?” Smith asks again where Braling got it. Braling tells Braling Two to give Smith his card. Performing a “magic trick,” Braling Two produces a business card that reads, “MARIONETTES, INC. Duplicate self or friends; new humanoid plastic 1990 models, guaranteed against all physical wear. From $7,600 to our $15,000 deluxe model.”

Still in disbelief, Smith asks how long “this [has] gone on,” and Braling answers that he’s had Braling Two for a month, but this is the first time he’s actually put him to use. For the past month, Braling has kept the marionette in a locked toolbox in the cellar. After all, Braling’s wife never goes into the cellar, and Braling is the only one with the key to the box. Tonight, he simply told his wife he was going on a walk to purchase a cigar, went down into the cellar instead, and sent Braling Two back upstairs. The real Braling then slipped out of the house so he could go out with Smith.

Smith says Braling Two even smells like the real Braling—“Bond Street and Melachrinos” (cigarettes). Braling admits that “It may be splitting hairs,” but he thinks using his marionette is “highly ethical.” What Braling’s wife really wants is Braling himself, and that is what she is getting. Braling explains, “I’ve been home all evening. I shall be home with her for the next month. In the meantime, another gentleman will be in Rio.” He notes that when he returns from his month abroad, he’ll simply put Braling Two back in his locked toolbox in the cellar.

After mulling the situation over for a few moments, Smith asks if Braling Two can go without some sort of “sustenance” for a whole month. Proudly, Braling says that his marionette can last six months without sustenance and can eat, drink, sleep, and even sweat like a human. Braling asks the marionette if he will take good care of Braling’s wife. Braling Two answers, “Your wife is rather nice.[…] I’ve grown rather fond of her.”

Shaking with excitement, Smith asks how long Marionettes, Inc. has been in business, and Braling says they’ve been operating in secret for two years. Tentatively, Smith asks if he could possibly purchase a marionette too. Braling hands Smith the business card, and Smith turns it around in his hands, thanking his friend profusely. He says all he wants is “a little respite,” even just once a month. Currently, Smith’s wife hates when he’s out of the house for even an hour. Even though he loves her, Smith just wants some space. He asks Braling if he remembers the poem that reads, “Love will fly if held too lightly, love will die if held too tightly.”

Braling says that Smith is actually fortunate—Nettie loves Smith too much, while Mrs. Braling simply hates Braling. Smith says the problem is that Nettie loves him “madly,” when he really just wants her to love him “comfortably.” Braling wishes his friend luck and reminds him to visit Braling Two a few times over the next month—it would look suspicious if Smith suddenly stopped coming over. Smith agrees to stop by, and the two friends say their goodbyes.

Walking down the street, Smith smiles to himself and begins to whistle quietly, business card in hand. The card reads, “Clients must be pledged to secrecy, for while an act is pending in Congress to legalize Marionettes, Inc., it is still a felony, if caught, to use one.” Smith continues reading. The card also says that “Clients must have a mold made of their body and a color index check of their eyes, lips, hair, skin, etc. Clients must expect to wait for two months until their model is finished.” Smith thinks to himself that two months isn’t all that long to wait. In just two months, his ribs will be healed from being constantly crushed by Nettie’s embrace. His hand will be healed from being constantly squeezed and held, and his bruised lip will repair itself, too.

Smith thinks to himself that he doesn’t wish to seem “ungrateful.” Turning the business card over, Smith reads, “Marionettes, Inc. is two years old and has a fine record of satisfied customers behind it. Our motto is ‘No Strings Attached.’ Address: 43 South Wesley Drive.” The city bus pulls up, and Smith climbs on, humming as he does. He thinks about how he and Nettie have fifteen thousand dollars in their joint bank account. He can just “slip eight thousand out as a business venture, you might say.” Besides, in some ways, the marionette will actually pay itself off—with interest.

Smith arrives at his house and wanders into his bedroom and finds Nettie—“pale, huge, and piously asleep.” He is overwhelmed by the sight of her “innocent face.” Softly, he says to Nettie that, if she were awake, she would “smother” him with affection. He accuses her of making him “feel like a criminal,” because she’s been a sweet, loving wife. He says he sometimes can’t believe that she picked him over Bud Chapman. He also can’t believe that she only seems to love him more and more each day, and that in the past month, she’s loved him “more wildly than ever before.”

Crying, Smith suddenly feels like he wants to rip up the business card and forget about the marionette altogether. When he moves to reach the card, however, his body protests in pain: “his hand ached and his ribs cracked and groaned.” He wanders out into the hall and into one of the other rooms in the house.

Humming, Smith opens his desk drawer and reaches in for the bankbook. He tells himself that he’s only taking eight thousand dollars and not a penny more. When he opens the bankbook, however, he realizes that something terrible has happened—ten thousand dollars have suddenly gone missing, leaving the couple with only five thousand dollars in their account. Immediately, Smith blames Nettie, yelling that she’s purchased “More hats, more clothes, more perfume.” He thinks she’s even purchased that little vacation house on the Hudson River that she’s been going on about for months—“without so much as a by your leave!”

Smith runs back into the bedroom, yelling for Nettie to wake up explain what she’s done with his money. At first, Nettie doesn’t wake up, but when she finally begins to stir, Smith’s mouth goes dry, and his knees give in. Collapsed by Nettie’s bedside, Smith frantically asks her again what she’s done with his money.

Suddenly, Smith has a “horrid thought,” and “terror and loneliness” overwhelm him, followed by “fever and disillusionment.” Although he doesn’t want to confirm his suspicion, he leans into Nettie and presses his ear against her chest. All he hears is “Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick.”

Smith walks alone in the street in the middle of the night. Meanwhile, Braling and Braling Two chat on their way to the cellar. Braling tells the marionette that it’s time to get into the toolbox, but Braling Two hesitates, saying, “That’s what I want to talk to you about […] The cellar. I don’t like it. I don’t like that toolbox.” Braling says he’ll try to make more comfortable arrangements for Braling Two, but the marionette continues, saying that “Marionettes are made to move, not lie still. How would you like to lie in a box most of the time?” He reminds Braling that there’s no way to shut him off.

Braling tells Braling Two that he only needs to be in the toolbox for a few days—just until Braling leaves for Rio. The marionette protests, saying that after Braling comes back from his month of “having a good time,” the marionette will be forced back into the box. Concerned, Braling says that the people at the marionette shop didn’t tell him that he was getting “a difficult specimen.” Braling Two replies, claiming, “There’s a lot they don’t know about us.”

Braling Two says he dislikes the thought of Braling spending a month in warm, happy Rio while Braling Two and Braling’s wife are “stuck here in the cold.” Braling protests, claiming that he’s dreamed of this trip for his whole life. He squints, imagining the tranquil waves, golden sand, and good wine. The marionette cries, “I’ll never get to go to Rio. Have you thought of that?”

Braling Two continues, saying that he’s “grown quite fond” of Mrs. Braling. Braling says he’s glad the marionette is “enjoying [his] employment,” but the marionette explains that it’s not quite that—he’s in love with Braling’s wife. Braling sputters, but the marionette continues, saying he’s “been thinking [about] how nice it is in Rio,” and how he’ll never be able to travel. He’s also been thinking about Braling’s wife, and how they could be “very happy” together.

Braling walks nervously toward the cellar door and stutters, saying that he needs to make a quick phone call, and that Braling Two should wait a few moments for him. The marionette challenges Braling by asking if he is calling Marionettes, Inc. to come pick Braling Two up. Braling quickly says, “No, no—nothing like that,” but tries to dash out of the cellar.

Braling Two grabs Braling with a “metal-firm grip,” and tells him not to run. Braling asks the marionette if Mrs. Braling “put [him] up to this,” but the marionette says no. Continuing, Braling asks if she found out about the marionette. With a smile, the marionette tells Braling that he’ll never know. Squirming unsuccessfully to get out the marionette’s grasp, Braling cries, “She must have guessed; she must have affected you!”

With Braling still in his grasp, Braling Two explains that he is going to put Braling in the toolbox, lock it, and get rid of the key. Then, he’ll buy a plane ticket to Rio for Braling’s wife. Braling cries out that they need to “talk this over,” but the marionette simply says, “Good-by[e], Braling.” Panicked, Braling asks the marionette what he means by “good-by[e].”

Ten minutes later, Mrs. Braling wakes up to a kiss on her cheek. She whispers, “Why—you haven’t done that in years.” In reply, “someone” says, “We’ll see what we can do about that.”