The Big Drum Part 44

In April we walk under the chestnut-trees once more in the Champs-Elysees----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Smiling through her tears._] And the Allee de Longchamp----!

PHILIP.

As husband and wife--we shall be an old married couple by then----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Pulling on her glove._] And drink milk at the d'Armenonville----!

PHILIP.

And the Pre-Catelan----!

OTTOLINE.

And we'll make pilgrimages, Phil----!

PHILIP.

Yes, we'll gaze up at the windows of my gloomy lodgings in the Rue Soufflot--what was the number?----

OTTOLINE.

[_Contracting her brows._] _Quarante-trois bis._

PHILIP.

[_Banteringly._] Where you honoured me with a visit, madame, with your maid Nanette----

OTTOLINE.

[_Warding off the recollection with a gesture._] Oh, don't----!

PHILIP.

Ha, ha, ha! A shame of me----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Turning from him._] Do get your hat and coat.

PHILIP.

[_Going into the vestibule._] Where's your car?

OTTOLINE.

[_Moving towards the vestibule._] In South Square.

PHILIP.

[_Returning to her, a cape over his shoulders, a soft hat on his head._] Eight o'clock!

OTTOLINE.

Eight o'clock.

[_He takes her hands and they stand looking into each other's eyes._

PHILIP.

[_After a pause._] Fancy!

OTTOLINE.

[_Faintly._] Fancy! [_He is drawing her to him slowly when, uttering a low cry, she embraces him wildly and pa.s.sionately._] Oh! [_Clinging to him._] Oh, Phil! Oh--oh--oh----!

PHILIP.

[_Responding to her embrace._] Otto--Otto----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Breaking from him._] Oh----!

[_She hurries to the outer door. He follows her quickly, closing the vestibule door after him. Then the outer door is heard to shut, and the curtain falls. After a short interval, the curtain rises again, showing all the doors closed and the study in darkness save for the light of the fire. The bell rings, and again there is an interval; and then the vestibule door is opened by_ JOHN--_attired for waiting at table--and_ BERTRAM _brushes past him and enters._ BERTRAM _is in evening dress._

BERTRAM.

[_As he enters, brusquely._] Yes, I know I'm a little too soon. I want to speak to Mr. Mackworth--before the others come, I mean t'say----

[JOHN _switches on the light of a lamp by the vestibule door. It is now seen that_ BERTRAM _is greatly fl.u.s.tered and excited._

JOHN.

[_Taking_ BERTRAM's _hat, overcoat, etc._] I'll tell Mr. Mackworth, sir. He's dressin'.

[JOHN, _eyeing_ BERTRAM _wonderingly, goes to the door of the bedroom_. _There, having switched on the light of another lamp, he knocks._

PHILIP.

[_From the bedroom._] Yes?

JOHN.