The Notorious Mrs. Ebbsmith | Page 9

[In a low voice.] Yes, but--is that possible?
AGNES. [In the same tone, watching him askance, a frightened look in
her eyes.] Why not?
LUCAS. Young man and woman . . . you and love . . . ? Scarcely upon
this earth, my dear Agnes, such a life as you have pictured.
AGNES. I say it can be, it can be--!
[FORTUNE enters, carrying a letter upon a salver, and a beautiful
bouquet of white flowers. He hands the note to LUCAS.]
LUCAS. [Taking the note, glancing at AGNES.] Eh! [To FORTUNE,
pointing to the bouquet.] Qu'avez-vous la?
FORTUNE. Ah, excuse. [Presenting the bouquet to AGNES.] Wiz
compliment. [AGNES takes the bouquet wonderingly.] Tell Madame
ze Duke of St Olphert bring it in person, 'e says.
LUCAS. [Opening the note.] Est-il parti?
FORTUNE. 'E did not get out of 'is gondola.
LUCAS. Bien. [FORTUNE withdraws. Reading the note aloud.]
"While brushing my hair, my dear boy, I became possessed of a strong
desire to meet the lady with whom you are now improving the shining
hour. Why the devil shouldn't I, if I want to. Without prejudice, as my
lawyer says, let me turn up this afternoon and chat pleasantly to her of
Shakespeare, also the musical glasses. Pray hand her this flag of truce
--I mean my poor bunch of flowers--and believe me yours, with a touch
of gout, ST. OLPHERTS." [Indignantly crushing the note.] Ah!

AGNES. [Frowning at the flowers.] A taste of the oddities, I suppose?
LUCAS. He is simply making sport of us. [Going on to the balcony,
and looking out.] There he is. Damn that smile of his!
AGNES. Where? [She joins him.]
LUCAS. With the two gondoliers.
AGNES. Why--that's a beautiful face! How strange!
LUCAS. [Drawing her back into the room.] Come away. He is looking
up at us.
AGNES. Are you sure he sees us?
LUCAS. He did.
AGNES. He will want an answer--[She deliberately flings the bouquet
over the balcony into the canal, then returns to the table and picks up
her work.]
LUCAS. [Looking out again cautiously.] He throws his head back and
laughs heartily. [Re-entering the room.] Oh, of course, his policy is to
attempt to laugh me out of my resolves. They send him here merely to
laugh at me, Agnes, to laugh at me--[coming to AGNES angrily.] laugh
at me!
AGNES. He must be a man of small resources. [Threading her needle.]
It is so easy to mock.
END OF THE FIRST ACT

THE SECOND ACT
The Scene is the same as that of the previous Act. Through the
windows some mastheads and flapping sails are seen in the distance.

The light is that of late afternoon.
AGNES, very plainly dressed, is sitting at the table, industriously
copying from a manuscript. After a moment or two, ANTONIO and
NELLA enter the room, carrying a dressmaker's box, which is corded
and labelled.
NELLA. E permess, Signora (Permit us, Signora.)
ANTONIO. Uno scatolone per la Signora (Am enormous box for the
Signora.)
AGNES. [Turning her head.] Eh?
NELLA. E venuto colla ferrovia--(It has come by the railway--)
ANTONIO. [consulting the label.] Da'Firenze. (From Florence.)
AGNES. By railway, from Florence?
NELLA [Reading from the label.] "Emilia Bardini, Via Rondinelli."
AGNES. Bardini? That's the dressmaker. There must be some mistake.
Non e per me, Nella. (It isn't for me, Nella.)
[ANTONIO and NELLA carry the box to her animatedly.]
NELLA. Ma guardi, Signora! (But look, Signora!)
ANTONIO. Alla Signora Cleeve!
NELLA. E poi abbiamo pagato il porto della ferrovia. (Besides, we
have paid the railway dues upon it.)
AGNES. [Collecting her sheets of paper.] Hush, hush! Don't trouble me
just now. Mettez-la n'importe ou. [They place the box upon another
table.]
NELLA. La corda intaccherebbe la forbice della Signora. Vuole che

Antonio la tagli. (The cord would blunt the Signora's scissors. Shall
Antonio cut the cord?)
AGNES. [Pinning her sheets of paper together.] I'll see about it bye and
bye. Laissez-moi!
NELLA. [Softly to ANTONIO.] Taglia, taglia! (Cut, cut!) [ANTONIO
cuts the cord, whereupon NELLA utters a little scream.]
AGNES. [Turning, startled.] What is it?
NELLA. [Pushing ANTONIO away.] Questo stupido non ha caoito la
Signora e ha tagliata la corda. (The stupid fellow misunderstood the
Signora, and has severed the cord.)
AGNES. [Rising.] It doesn't matter. Be quiet!
NELLA. [Removing the lid from the box angrily.] Ed ecco la scatola
aperta contro voglia della Signora! (And now here is the box open
against the Signora's wish) [Inquisitively pushing aside the paper which
covers the contents of the box.] O Dio! Si vede tutto quel che vi e! (O
God! And all the contents exposed!) [When the paper is removed, some
beautiful material trimmed with lace, &c., is seen.]
NELLA. Guardi, guardi, Signora! (Signora, look, look!) [AGNES
examines the contents of the box