The Romancers | Page 6

Our hatred is ended in the marriage of our dear ones.
[Indicating the wall] Henceforth let there be no Pyrenees!
PERCINET. Who would have believed that my father could change so!
SYLVETTE. I told you everything would turn out happily! [While the
lovers go up-stage with PASQUINOT, STRAFOREL rises and hands a
folded paper to BERGAMIN.]
BERGAMIN. [Aside] What is it? This paper--your signature? What is
it, if you please?
STRAFOREL. [Bowing] Monsieur, it's my bill! [He falls down again.]
Curtain

* * * * *
ACT II
SCENE: The same, except that the wall has disappeared. The benches
which were formerly against it are removed to the extreme right and
left. There are a few extra pots of flowers and two or three plaster
statues. To the right is a small garden table, with chairs about it.
As the curtain rises, PASQUINOT is sitting on the bench to the left,
reading a paper. BLAISE is at the back, busy with his rake.
BLAISE. So the notary comes to-night, Monsieur Pasquinot? It is
pleasant, now that the wall is down, and you living together this past
month. It was high time, I'm thinking. The little lovers must be happy!
PASQUINOT. [Raising his head and looking about] So you like it
without the wall, Blaise?
BLAISE. The garden is superb!
PASQUINOT. Yes, my property has increased a hundred per cent!
[Poking a tuft of grass with his foot] Have you watered the grass?
[Furiously] You have no business doing that during the day!
BLAISE. But Monsieur Bergamin told me to!
PASQUINOT. Ah, I see! He seems to think that the more grass is
watered the better it becomes. Well, take those plants out of the
green-house. [As BLAISE begins arranging plants which he gets from
the green-house--just off-stage--enter BERGAMIN at the back.]
BERGAMIN. [Watering some flowers from a large watering can] Dear
me, these plants never get enough water! [To a tree] Hey there, old man,
you never get enough to drink, do you? There's for you! [Laying down
the watering can, he looks about him with satisfaction.] Yes, it is better
now. Very pretty--those statues there are a decided improvement.
[Catching sight of PASQUINOT] How are you? [No answer.] How are

you? How are you? [PASQUINOT raises his head.] Well?
PASQUINOT. My friend, why ask that? We see each other all the
time!
BERGAMIN. Oh, very well. [Seeing BLAISE arranging the plants]
Will you take those plants back?! [BLAISE, not knowing what to do,
takes them back immediately. PASQUINOT raises his eyes, shrugs his
shoulders, and then resumes his reading. BERGAMIN walks back and
forth, and finally sits down near PASQUNOT. There is a pause.] I used
to come here every day, in silence--
PASQUINOT. [Laying aside his paper] I, too--it was most amusing!
BERGAMIN. And our secret!
PASQUINOT. The very danger was amusing.
BERGAMIN. And the things we had to say of each other--!
PASQUINOT. Very amusing.--Bergamin?
BERGAMIN. Pasquinot?
PASQUINOT. Something's lacking now.
BERGAMIN. The idea! [After a moment's reflection] Yes, I agree with
you. Funny--are you losing your sense of the romantic? [He looks at
PASQUINOT and says, aside] His waistcoat often lacks a button! It's
disgusting! [He rises and walks back and forth.]
PASQUINOT. [Looking over his paper--aside] He looks like some
immense beetle. [He pretends to be reading as BERGAMIN passes
him.]
BERGAMIN. [Aside] See the ridiculous way he reads! [He whistles as
he walks away up-stage.]
PASQUINOT. [Aside] Whistling! Oh, Heavens! Don't do that,

whistling makes me nervous.
BERGAMIN. [With a smile] Remember the mote in your neighbor's
eye. You, too, get on my nerves sometimes.
PASQUINOT. I?
BERGAMIN. You tell the same story twenty times a day.
PASQUINOT. Why, I--
BERGAMIN. And when you sit down you swing your foot like a
pendulum. At meals you roll your bread in a most disgusting manner.
PASQUINOT. Ha, you take me to task for my irritating mannerisms!
But let me tell you, you are no less unpleasant. You are ridiculous and
thoroughly selfish. I know now what the trouble is: the wall-- with it,
we were happy, now we don't live at all.
BERGAMIN. We didn't do this for ourselves, did we?
PASQUINOT. No, we did not!
BERGAMIN. It was for our children.
PASQUINOT. For our children, yes. Let us therefore suffer in silence,
and regret our former liberty.
BERGAMIN. Sacrifice is the lot of parents.
[SYLVETTE and PERCINET appear at the left, up stage, arm in arm.]
PASQUINOT. Sh!--the lovers!
BERGAMIN. [Looking at them] See them! How they love each other!
Like the old pilgrims of love, they return each day to the sacred spot.
[The lovers, who have meantime disappeared, re-appear on the opposite
side of the stage, and come down toward the old men.]

PASQUINOT. If they are talking as they usually do, their conversation
will be