The Unforseen Return | Page 4

remarks that have no foundation
except in your disordered imagination.
Mrs. Prim: My disordered imagination! What impudence. (furiously)
It's the disorder of your actions which make me speak out--and there is
nothing worse than the life you are living.
Lucy: How is that--what's wrong with our life if you please?
Mrs. Prim: What? Is there anything more scandalous than the
expenditures Belinda is constantly making--a girl without a penny in
income.
Lucy: You have credit, Madame.
Mrs. Prim: Just what she needs to maintain a large house and
extravagant tastes.
Lucy: Is she forbidden to make her fortune?
Mrs. Prim: And how is she to make her fortune?
Lucy: Very innocently. She drinks, eats, sings, laughs, gambles, walks

to take the air--and wealth comes to us while we sleep, I assure you.
Mrs. Prim: And meanwhile her reputation evaporates. She'll learn. She
won't have a penny of mine. My brother, who wanted her to be a nun
will disinherit her. Patience, patience, she won't always be young.
Lucy: Very true, that's why we must put our time to good use.
Mrs. Prim: Oh, very well--and all the profit you will get from that will
be to die in a charity ward: both dishonored.
Lucy: Oh, for that, no Madam. A successful marriage will prevent that
prophecy from being fulfilled.
Mrs. Prim: A successful marriage. She's going to get married?
Lucy: Yes indeed.
Mrs. Prim: Just in time! But I won't be a party to it. I won't help her
make anyone think she's either respectable or rich. I renounce her as
my niece, and I will not aid her to deceive anyone; goodbye.
Lucy: Don't trouble yourself--we know our business better than you.
Mrs. Prim: I believe this will be some grand alliance!
(Exit Mrs. Prim in a huff)
Lucy: This will be a fine marriage and when it is consummated you
will be honored to receive her and be her aunt. (shouting after Mrs.
Prim) You just wait and see! (Lucy is annoyed, stung by Mrs. Prim's
remarks. She would like to say more but cannot.)
Roger: (entering) Good day, child. Who was that old lady you were
talking with?
Lucy: Who? That was Mrs. Prim, my mistress's aunt.
Roger: I didn't recognize her. I wasn't paying much attention.
Lucy: The old girl's very well off. She owns a lot of property in London.
Belinda is very well connected, at least.
Roger: But she hasn't any money of her own.
Lucy: There's no reason to give up. Money will come. If her three
uncles, two aunts, three cousins and two nephews die--she will have a
very large inheritance. Ha, ha! Do you know that if the Plague were to
strike again, Belinda would cut quite a figure.
Roger: She has a nice figure already.
Lucy: Her beauty carries all before it.
Roger: My master is absolutely determined to marry her.
Lucy: And she is absolutely determined to marry him.
Roger: There would perhaps be some trouble if our good father were to

return --but he won't for a while. We'll have the time to prepare and my
master will be happy--except for the chagrin of marrying Belinda.
Lucy: What--what are you trying to say?
Roger: Marriage is subject to its ups and downs.
Lucy: You are very polite to think that Mr. Edward would ever repent
of marrying Belinda, a young lady that I have brought up myself.
Roger: So much the worse.
Lucy: A pretty girl, young and well developed.
Roger: That part doesn't reassure me.
Lucy: A girl easy to live with.
Roger: Most girls are not hard to live with--at first.
Lucy: A young lady who is wise and virtuous.
Roger: (wonderingly) And you say you raised her?
Lucy: (furiously) Why don't you go ahead and say what you want to
say wiseacre?
Roger: Well do you want me to speak openly? I don't like this alliance
at all. And I forsee that it won't benefit anyone. Mr. Edward spends his
money because he is in love and love makes a man open handed:
marriage ruins love. If my master becomes a miser where will we be?
Lucy: He's of too prodigal a nature ever to turn miser. Has he given
orders for today's feast?
Roger: Let's see. Three cooks arrived with their set ups. Leonard, the
famous Leonard marched at their head. The illustrious Florel has sent
six bottles of Champagne--he made it himself.
Lucy: So much the better. I love expensive stuff--but here is Mr.
Edward.
(Edward Townley enters from the house. He is youthful, open, and
expensively dressed.)
Edward: Ha! Good day, my dear Lucy--how are things with you, child?
And how is your beautiful lady?
Lucy: She's at home with Clarissa.
Edward: Go, run, my dear Lucy: beg her to come here as soon