The Romancers | Page 3

his father.]
SYLVETTE. [Aside] How clever!
BERGAMIN. How stupid! But I know now what has turned your silly head: you come here to read! [SYLVETTE starts as she hears this. PERCINET also shows signs of fear as his father pulls the book from the youth's pocket.] Plays! [He drops the book in horror.] And verse! Verse! That's what's turned your head. Now I see why you talk about eyes and honeysuckle. I tell you, to be useful, a wall doesn't have to be beautiful. I am going to have all this green stuff taken away, and the bricks re-laid and the holes stopped up. I want a white wall and a high one to keep the neighbors from looking into our park. I want no vines and honeysuckles. Along the top I'll sprinkle broken glass--
PERCINET. Pity!
BERGAMIN. No pity! I insist on it! Glass--all along the top of the wall! [SYLVETTE and PERCINET are in despair. BERGAMIN sits down on the bench.] And now, I have something to say to you. [He rises and examines the wall.] If the wall hasn't eyes, it may possibly have ears? [He is about to stand on the bench, when PERCINET takes fright and SYLVETTE clings close to her side of the wall, making herself as small as she can. BERGAMIN decides not to scale the wall, but motions to his son to do so.] See whether some curious listener--?
PERCINET. [Climbing to the top and leaning over so that SYLVETTE can hear him] Till to-night!
SYLVETTE. [Giving him her hand, which he kisses] I'll come as the clock is striking! I adore you!
BERGAMIN. [To PERCINET] Well?
PERCINET. [Jumping down--to his father] No one!
BERGAMIN. [Re-seating himself] Well, then, my boy, I should like to see you married.
SYLVETTE. [Aside] Oh!
BERGAMIN. What's that?
PERCINET. Nothing.
BERGAMIN. I thought I heard a cry?
PERCINET. [Looking into the air] Some wounded bird, perhaps.
BERGAMIN. I have given the matter my undivided attention, and have chosen a wife for you. [PERCINET whistles and walks away.] I tell you, I am in earnest and I intend to force you, if necessary. [PERCINET continues whistling.] Will you stop that confounded whistling! The young woman is rich--she's a jewel!
PERCINET. I want none of your jewels!
BERGAMIN. I'll show you, you young insolent!
PERCINET. [Grasping his father's cane, which is raised as if to strike him] Spring has filled the bushes with the songs of birds; the brooklets accompany the love-notes of wild birds.
BERGAMIN. Rascal!
PERCINET. [Still holding the cane] The whole world laughs and sings farewell to April. The butterflies--
BERGAMIN. Ruffian!
PERCINET. [As before] Wing their way across the meadows, to make love to the adored flowers! Love--
BERGAMIN. Villain!
PERCINET. Love opens wide the heart of all nature. And you ask me to consent to a marriage of reason!
BERGAMIN. Of course I do!
PERCINET. [Passionately] No, no, no, Father. I swear by this wall--which hears me, I hope--that my marriage will be more romantic than any dreamed of in the most poetic of the world's love stories! [He runs out.]
BERGAMIN. [Pursuing him] Ah, let me catch you--!
SYLVETTE. I can really understand now why Papa hates that odious old man!
[Enter PASQUINOT, left.]
PASQUINOT. Well, Mademoiselle, what are you doing here?
SYLVETTE. Nothing. Taking the air.
PASQUINOT. Alone? But, you silly girl, are you not afraid?
SYLVETTE. Not in the least.
PASQUINOT. Near this wall? I forbade you to come near it! You see that park over there? That belong to my mortal enemy!
SYLVETTE. I know it, Father dear.
PASQUINOT. Why, here you are exposed to any insult, any--if those rascals knew that my daughter were walking alone in this park-- Brr! It makes me shiver to think of! I'm going to have the wall repaired, and erect a huge iron grill on top of it.
SYLVETTE. [Aside] He'll never do it--it would cost too much!
PASQUINOT. Now go into the house--quick! [She goes out, PASQUINOT glowering at her.]
BERGAMIN. [Heard from the other side of the wall, as he enters] Take this note at once to Monsieur Straforel.
PASQUINOT. [Running to the wall and climbing to the top of it] Bergamin!
BERGAMIN. [Doing likewise] Pasquinot! [They embrace.]
PASQUINOT. How are you?
BERGAMIN. Pretty well.
PASQUINOT. How's your gout?
BERGAMIN. Better. And how is your cold?
PASQUINOT. Still troubles me, devil take it!
BERGAMIN. Well, the marriage is arranged!
PASQUINOT. What?
BERGAMIN. I heard everything--I was hidden in the bushes. They adore each other!
PASQUINOT. Bravo!
BERGAMIN. We must bring matters to a head. [He rubs his hands.] Ha, ha! Now we can do as we had planned--
PASQUINOT. Yes, and tear down the wall.
BERGAMIN. And live together.
PASQUINOT. Joining our properties.
BERGAMIN. By marrying our children. But I wonder whether they would be so anxious if they knew we wished it? A marriage arranged beforehand is not so tempting to two young children so romantic as ours. That is why we kept our own wishes a secret. I felt sure that after they had been separated--Sylvette in the convent, Percinet at school--they would