The Double Widowing | Page 8

you can
remarry.
Widow Me! Me, remarry!
Countess Listen, to undertake a second marriage, you need the great
wealth your husband left you. And, this great wealth, having been
earned in managing my affairs--I could--I haven't yet signed off on
your husband's accounts--. That's why I beg you not to refuse the ten
thousand crowns that you have in your strongbox. I beg you, I really
do.
(Exit Countess.)
Widow (ill tempered) I beg you, she says, I beg you.
Lucy She begs you with a certain air--
Widow Taking on a tone--
Lucy Of people of quality who--
Widow Believing that their prayers--
Lucy Are a sort of command. A great lord who asks a citizen to do him
a service is like a banker respectfully asking payment on a promissory
note.
Widow She speaks as if one was in great fear of her.
Lucy You'd have less reason to fear if your husband were alive. For he
was as clever in protecting his prey as he was in catching it.
Widow Alas, I am indeed lost.
Lucy Madame, the Countess could easily cheat you. You may say that
she cannot cheat the widow of an honest steward, who enriched himself

as everyone does by entangling his affairs with hers. But, now she is
going to take from you unjustly that which your husband earned on the
fair and square.
Widow That's what I'm afraid of, Lucy.
Lucy They ought not to oppress widows--because they have lost their
main support.
Widow Their support. That's very true, I am without support.
Lucy Without support! That's why you ought to pacify the Countess.
That way you would peaceably obtain your husband's wealth. Then,
find some young man to be your support.
Widow Ah, Lucy. If I think of accommodating the Countess, it is not to
gain peace. But, before I give her anything, I wish to consult with some
smart man.
Lucy (low) Like Desmond. (Aloud) Some smart fellow who--
Widow Some man of good counsel.
Lucy Very good.
Widow A man with a head.
Lucy By the way, Desmond came this afternoon.
Widow Desmond's come--
Lucy Yes, Madame. He's a smart fellow, Desmond.
Widow Assuredly.
Lucy A man of good counsel.
Widow Without a doubt.
Lucy A man with a head. If you told him your difficulties--
Widow He knows my husband's business--
Lucy Yours will be in good hands.
Widow Go--tell him that he can find me in the garden.
Lucy Right away, Madame.
Widow A wise person ought to take advice.
Lucy You will follow Desmond's. What wisdom. What wisdom.
[Curtain in the original. End of Act I.]
Widow Ah, Lucy, how ashamed I am to tell you of the distant vows I
have made to Desmond.
Lucy So long as those distant vows don't come too soon, I approve of
them.
Widow If I were less virtuous than those ancient wives who could
envisage no other consolation except to swallow the ashes of their

husbands!
Lucy You see in your nephew the living features of your husband, his
uncle. Catching the possessor of those features will cure you of your
scruples.
Widow Lucy, do you suppose Desmond misunderstands my motives?
Lucy Not at all. I'm sure he understands them perfectly. But, be discreet.
A man understands a widow's hint.
Widow I have always spoken to him with an indifference, a frigidity--
Lucy See the fate of virtue--
Widow I have expressed all the ideas of tenderness with perfect
circumspection, but--shrewdly, delicately, with refinement. Really,
without these precautions, I would expose myself to continual remorse.
I would imagine, without end, that the soul of the departed reproached
me. Yes, even in this moment, I hear his complaints, the sound of his
voice, actually in my ears.
(Enter Desmond, after Lucy has signalled him to do so.)
Desmond Madame.
Widow Ah, Heaven, shh! It's you, Desmond. You've frightened me. I
thought I heard the voice of my husband.
Desmond Really, there's quite a resemblance in our voices. The whole
world used to mistake us.
Widow My husband had a very agreeable voice.
Desmond Let's talk business.
Widow The resemblances in families is remarkable. You've got your
uncle's manners--even his brusqueness.
Desmond Following the advice I have given you--
Widow You have his gestures, his manner, his way of looking. I love
most your way of looking--
Desmond Let's think about finishing.
Widow What still charms me in my husband is your softness, your wit,
your entire person.
Desmond Madame, I've spoken to the Countess, and I think it's
important that you pacify her--but you are not honoring me with your
attention.
Widow With my attention! It's you who don't listen to me.
Desmond But really, it's wise to give in to her--
Widow You urge me to give away all my