The Man from Home | Page 2

name or rank of my employer.
MARIANO. [with gesture and accent of despair]. Again incognito! Every year he come to our hotel for two, three day, but always incognito.
[He finishes setting the table.]
We lose the honor to have it known.
RIBIERE. [looking at his watch]. He comes in his automobile from Naples. Everything is to be as on my employer's former visits--strictly incognito. It is understood every one shall address him as Herr von Gr?llerhagen--
MARIANO [repeating the name carefully]. Herr von Gr?llerhagen--
RIBIERE. He wishes to be thought a German.
[Takes a note-book from case.]
MARIANO. Such a man! of caprice? Excentrique? Ha!
RIBIERE. You have said it. Last night he talked by chance to a singular North American in the hotel at Napoli. To-day he has that stranger for companion in the automobile. I remonstrate. What use? He laugh for half an hour!
MARIANO. He is not like those cousin of his at St. Petersburg an' Moscowa. An' yet though Monseigneur is so good an' generoso, will not the anarchist strike against the name of royalty himself? You have not the fear?
RIBIERE [opening his note-book]. I have. He has not. I take what precaution I can secretly from him. You have few guests?
MARIANO [smiling]. It is so early in the season. Those poor musician' [nodding off right] they wait always at every gate, to play when they see any one coming. There is only seex peoples in the 'ole house! All of one party.
RIBIERE. Good! Who are they?
MARIANO. There is Milor', an English Excellency--the Earl of Hawcastle; there is his son, the Excellency Honorabile Almeric St. Aubyn; there is Miladi Creeshe, an English Miladi who is sister-in-law to Milor' Hawcastle.
RIBIERE [taking notes]. Three English.
MARIANO. There is an American Signorina, Mees Granger-Seempsone. Miladi Creeshe travel with her to be chaperone. [Enthusiastically.] She is young, generosa, she give money to every one, she is multa bella, so pretty, weeth charm--
RIBIERE [puzzled]. You speak now of Lady Creeshe?
MARIANO [taken aback]. Oh no, no, no! Miladi Creeshe is ol' lady [tapping his ears]. Not hear well. Deaf. No pourboires. Nothing. I speak of the young American lady, Mees Granger-Seempsone who the English Honorabile son of Milor' Hawcastle wish to espouse, I think.
RIBIERE. Who else is there?
MARIANO. There is the brother of Mees Granger-Seempsone, a young gentleman of North America. He make the eyes [laughing] all day at another lady who is of the party, a French lady, Comtesse de Champigny. Ha, ha! That amuse' me!
RIBIERE. Why?
MARIANO. Beckoss I think Comtesse de Champigny is a such good friend of the ol' English Milor' Hawcastle. A ma?tre d'h?tel see many things, an' I think Milor' Hawcastle and Madame de Champigny have know each other from long, perhaps. This d��jeuner is for them.
RIBIERE. And who else?
MARIANO. It is all.
RIBIERE. Good! no Russians?
MARIANO. I think Milor' Hawcastle and Madame de Champigny have been in Russia sometime.
RIBIERE [putting his note-book in his pocket]. Why?
MARIANO. Beckoss once I have hear them spik Russian togezzer.
RIBIERE. I think there is small chance that they recognize my employer. His portrait is little known.
MARIANO. And this North American who come in the automobile--does he know who he travel wiz? Does he know his Highness?
RIBIERE. No more than the baby which is not borned.
MARIANO [lifting his eyes to heaven]. Ah!
RIBIERE [looking at his watch]. Set d��jeuner on the terrace instantly when he arrive: a perch, petit pois, iced figs, tea. I will send his own caviar and vodka from the supplies I carry.
MARIANO. I set for one?
RIBIERE. For two. He desires that the North American breakfast with him. Do not forget that the incognito is to be absolute.
[Exit into hotel.]
MARIANO. Va bene, Signore!
[Puts finishing-touches to the table.]
[Enter from the grove, LORD HAWCASTLE. He is a well-preserved man of fifty-six with close-clipped gray mustache and gray hair; his eyes are quick and shrewd; his face shows some slight traces of high living; he carries himself well and his general air is distinguished and high-bred. He wears a suit of thinly striped white flannel and white shoes, a four-in-hand tie of pale old-rose crape, a Panama hat with broad ribbon striped with white and old-rose of the same shade as his tie. His accent is that of a man of the world, and quite without affectation. He comes at once upon his entrance to a chair at the table.]
[MICHELE enters at same time up left, with a folded newspaper.]
HAWCASTLE [as he enters]. Good-morning, Mariano!
MARIANO [bowing]. Milor' Hawcastle is serve.
[Takes HAWCASTLE'S hat and places it upon a stool behind table.]
MICHELE [hands HAWCASTLE newspaper from under his arm]. Il Mattino, the morning journal from Napoli, Milor'.
HAWCASTLE [accepting paper and unfolding it]. No English papers?
MICHELE. Milor', the mail is late.
[Exit up left.]
HAWCASTLE [sitting]. And Madame de Champigny?
[MARIANO serves coffee, etc.]
[As HAWCASTLE speaks the COMTESSE DE CHAMPIGNY enters from hotel. She is a pretty Frenchwoman of thirty-two.