The Double Windowing, Charles Dufresny [red queen ebook txt] 📗

/> Lucy (low) Like Desmond. (Aloud) Some smart fellow who--

Widow Some man of good counsel.

Lucy Very good.

Widow A man with a head.

Lucy By the way, Desmond came this afternoon.

Widow Desmond's come--

Lucy Yes, Madame. He's a smart fellow, Desmond.

Widow Assuredly.

Lucy A man of good counsel.

Widow Without a doubt.

Lucy A man with a head. If you told him your difficulties--

Widow He knows my husband's business--

Lucy Yours will be in good hands.

Widow Go--tell him that he can find me in the garden.

Lucy Right away, Madame.

Widow A wise person ought to take advice.

Lucy You will follow Desmond's. What wisdom. What wisdom.

[Curtain in the original. End of Act I.]

Widow Ah, Lucy, how ashamed I am to tell you of the distant vows I have made to Desmond.

Lucy So long as those distant vows don't come too soon, I approve of them.

Widow If I were less virtuous than those ancient wives who could envisage no other consolation except to swallow the ashes of their husbands!

Lucy You see in your nephew the living features of your husband, his uncle. Catching the possessor of those features will cure you of your scruples.

Widow Lucy, do you suppose Desmond misunderstands my motives?

Lucy Not at all. I'm sure he understands them perfectly. But, be discreet. A man understands a widow's hint.

Widow I have always spoken to him with an indifference, a frigidity--

Lucy See the fate of virtue--

Widow I have expressed all the ideas of tenderness with perfect circumspection, but--shrewdly, delicately, with refinement. Really, without these precautions, I would expose myself to continual remorse. I would imagine, without end, that the soul of the departed reproached me. Yes, even in this moment, I hear his complaints, the sound of his voice, actually in my ears.

(Enter Desmond, after Lucy has signalled him to do so.)

Desmond Madame.

Widow Ah, Heaven, shh! It's you, Desmond. You've frightened me. I thought I heard the voice of my husband.

Desmond Really, there's quite a resemblance in our voices. The whole world used to mistake us.

Widow My husband had a very agreeable voice.

Desmond Let's talk business.

Widow The resemblances in families is remarkable. You've got your uncle's manners--even his brusqueness.

Desmond Following the advice I have given you--

Widow You have his gestures, his manner, his way of looking. I love most your way of looking--

Desmond Let's think about finishing.

Widow What still charms me in my husband is your softness, your wit, your entire person.

Desmond Madame, I've spoken to the Countess, and I think it's important that you pacify her--but you are not honoring me with your attention.

Widow With my attention! It's you who don't listen to me.

Desmond But really, it's wise to give in to her--

Widow You urge me to give away all my wealth?

Desmond Only a small part of it. Otherwise, you jeopardize--

Widow You don't know how much better it would be if I keep it. It would be better for you.

Desmond For me?

Widow For, in the future--you understand, sir. I could really, for you-- Right, Lucy--I can't explain any more, sir. You understand, don't you--

Desmond I--

Widow Because propriety prevents me from saying to you--

Lucy You've told him that already.

Widow I will say only, that having reflected on what the Countess didn't say, I fear that the husband she intends for Arabella is none other than yourself.

Desmond Me, Madame?

Lucy The gentleman would be wiser to go to the source of the wealth.

Widow I believe it, but from the fear that the Countess will give you, in spite of yourself, to Arabella, I have resolved not to give my money until the marriage contract is signed--and a husband other than yourself is the lucky man. And, I have a thousand other good reasons to communicate to you about this. But, I can't say a word now. Follow me, Lucy.

(Exit Widow.)

Desmond Lucy.

Lucy Sir, I have to go.

(Exit Lucy.)

Desmond What to do now?

(Enter Arabella.)

Arabella Tell me quickly--how did your conversation go with my aunt?

Desmond I think I've convinced her that she should let me arbitrate between her and the Countess.

Arabella That's funny.

Desmond She's disposed to agree to whatever I suggest, and--in a word--she's working for our marriage, without even knowing it.

Arabella Without knowing it. That makes me delighted.

Desmond Do you understand what our happiness is?

Arabella You will judge against her interest. Nothing could be funnier. It charms me totally.

Desmond You are pleased by the joke. The humor of it is what touches you. Your first sensation ought to be a passionate feeling of happiness.

Arabella Happiness touches me, too.

Desmond Too, too. You have a delightful choice of words--very revealing.

Arabella Oh, don't quibble with me. I am going to have a good laugh with the Countess.

Desmond What! Leave me without witnessing--

Arabella I will witness you wonderfully.

(Enter Lucy.)

Arabella Ah, Lucy, everything is going wonderfully. You see me in joy. But, in recompense, Desmond is angry. I believe he almost wishes that our marriage should be prevented, and that he will run into some obstacle.

Lucy Then he can rejoice, for the obstacle has come. Your uncle is returned, sir.

Desmond My uncle, ah Heaven, I am in despair.

Arabella All our schemes are ruined. Ah, Desmond, why do you love me so much? It always makes you so unhappy. Really, I feel worse than you--no hope--I am desolated.

Desmond Desolated, you say?

Arabella Desolated, desperate.

Desmond What? You suffer?

Arabella Oh, how unhappy I am.

Desmond Ah, what a joy for me! You have feelings. I am loved. I don't want anything else in the world. I want only your heart.

Lucy You won't have that either.

Desmond But Lucy, is it really true that my uncle is back? What, in the very moment I was convinced we'd be happy forever. Ah Heaven, is there a misery equal to mine?

(Enter Tuneless.)

Tuneless The steward is back. What a reversal. He took an express coach and returns just in time to desolate us. His wife's rage is going to rebound on us--for she already knows.

Lucy For me, I wish them both what they deserve. To the wife, a dead husband. To the husband, a dead wife. At least their desires will not be accomplished quickly.-- You will never be married.

Desmond Here's my uncle coming now.

Arabella What shall we say to him?

Lucy What role to play?

Tuneless I don't know at all.

(Enter Bramble.)

Bramble Listen, what's this all about? Vainly do I question everybody. Each one turns his back on me, without any response. Everyone in mourning. Nephew, why are you dressed in mourning?

Desmond (bowing and exiting) Sir--

Bramble Another fleeing mute. And you, Arabella, what have you to tell me?

Arabella (curtsying) Not a thing, sir.

(Exit Arabella.)

Bramble Again--hey, I beg you, Lucy, ease me of my uncertainty. Why the mourning?

Lucy For a costume party.

(Exit Lucy.)

Bramble And you, Tuneless--won't you explain to me what I already begin to suspect. If it were the Countess who was dead, then everybody would be in mourning--right? My dear Tuneless, hide nothing from me. You are my only confidant--

Tuneless Well, but-- (aside) What the devil am I going to say?

Bramble What ought I to think in seeing all this?

Tuneless In seeing all this black clothing, you ought to think they are dressed in black.

Bramble Hmm! I doubt--

Tuneless Tell me. What are you worried about? I will tell you if it is true.

Bramble It must be, but I don't believe it.

Tuneless Nor I, sir.

Bramble My heart tells me enough. (hands over his eyes) My wife is dead.

Tuneless (aside) This give me an idea. Let him believe it. He is in love with Arabella, that's good, too. (aloud) Yes, my word, sir. There's no keeping it from you. One divines immediately what one fears or wishes most. You've guessed it. Your wife is--dead.

Bramble I've observed that no one dared tell me the news.

Tuneless It jumps right at you. I dared not tell you. I am certain you are strong enough to bear it.

Bramble It happens to everybody.

Tuneless You take it like a Caesar.

Bramble I bet she died Saturday night.

Tuneless Right.

Bramble 'Cause I woke from a dream with a terrible start.

Tuneless You see the sympathy between those two who love each other.

Bramble I sensed a cold hand.

Tuneless And, she told you goodbye.

Bramble I saw an invisible phantom. There--who disappeared. But, how did her death occur?

Tuneless I am going to tell you, sir. You know that Saturday night--

Bramble Yes?

Tuneless In the moment she appeared to you--death took her. But the ghost already told you--

Bramble What happened?

Tuneless Death took her. I don't like to tell sad tales like these.

Bramble Tell me some circumstances.

Tuneless If you absolutely wish to know the circumstances, I'll tell you right away that she died suddenly.

Bramble Of apoplexy?

Tuneless No, sir--of--of emotion. They just told her you had died at the wells. Suddenly, a seizure came on--and the faint turned into a coma--and you are now a widower.

Bramble (drawing out a handkerchief) If it is true she died of sadness, I am obligated to weep. (low) But, how shall I manage it? Boo hoo.

Tuneless Don't weep any more. I've got important business to discuss.

Bramble Really, I've suffered an irreparable loss.

Tuneless That can be repaired, sir--for--

Bramble She was the best of wives--boo hoo.

Tuneless Listen to me, please--

Bramble Easy going--affectionate--boo hoo.

Tuneless Listen, will you!

Bramble Tender--boo--sincere hoo--honest boo--the best heart--the best heart-- hoo--hoo--hoo.

Tuneless (aside) If he's going to weep forever, he'll mess up my plans. (pulling Bramble by the arm) Sir, you make me feel compassion for you. The woman didn't die of sadness. I told you at first to console you. But the truth is--as all the doctors agree--she died of pure joy!

Bramble I cannot believe she wished my death.

Tuneless To wish your death, no, but she hoped you wouldn't live as long as she.

Bramble Oh, as to that, I believe it, indeed.

Tuneless She wished to inherit your wealth.

Bramble Ah! Self-interest.

Tuneless Interest rendered her soft and caressing. But, at the bottom she had a hardness for you.

Bramble Ah, that's a bad heart.

Tuneless You remember, one day, enraged against you, she had such self control she was able to embrace you. She almost split. She told her maids all the injuries she wished, but didn't dare to express to you. In her mind, she was strangling you.

Bramble A bad woman.

Tuneless Malicious.

Bramble Secretive.

Tuneless Darkly so.

Bramble If I were so indignant--

Tuneless Malign--

Bramble Outrageous.

Tuneless Demonic.

Bramble So extravagant.

Tuneless She was a devil.

Bramble