The Lonely Way-Intermezzo-Countess Mizzie Part 100

Oh, don't, if you please. There is no real pleasure in knowledge of that kind when you don't uncover it yourself.

[_A carriage is heard stopping in front of the house._

PRINCE

That's he. Do you want to disappear before he comes out here? I can detain him that long.

MIZZIE

Don't trouble yourself, please. I prefer to stay. But don't imagine that there is anything astir within me.... This is nothing but a young man coming to call on my father. There he is now.... As to blood being thicker than water--I think it's nothing but a fairy tale. I can't feel anything at all, my dear Prince.

PHILIP (_comes quickly through the main entrance; he is seventeen, slender, handsome, elegant, but not foppish; shows a charming, though somewhat boyish, forwardness, not quite free from embarra.s.sment_) Good morning. (_He bows to Mizzie_)

PRINCE

Good morning, Philip.--Countess, will you permit me to introduce my son? This is Countess Mizzie, daughter of the old friend of mine in whose house you are now.

PHILIP (_kisses the hand offered him by Mizzie; brief pause_)

MIZZIE

Won't you be seated, please?

PHILIP

Thank you. Countess. (_All remain standing_)

PRINCE

You came in the carriage? Might just as well send it back, as mine is here already.

PHILIP

Won't you come back with me instead, papa? You see, I think Wasner does a great deal better than your Franz with his team of ancients.

MIZZIE

So Wasner has been driving you?

PHILIP

Yes.

MIZZIE

The old man himself? Do you know that's a great honor? Wasner won't take the box for everybody. Up to about two years ago he used to drive my father.

PHILIP

Oh....

PRINCE

You're a little late, by the way, Philip.

PHILIP

Yes, I have to beg your pardon. Overslept, you know. (_To Mizzie_) I was out with some of my colleagues last night. You may have heard that I pa.s.sed my examinations a couple of weeks ago, Countess. That's why we rather made a night of it.[6]

[6] "... Ein bissel gedraht." The term is specifically Viennese and implies not only "making a night of it," but also making the contents of that night as varied as the resources of the locality will permit.

MIZZIE

You seem to have caught on to our Viennese ways pretty quickly, Mister....

PRINCE

Oh, dear Mizzie, call him Philip, please.

MIZZIE

But I think we must sit down first of all, Philip. (_With a glance at the Prince_) Papa should be here any moment now. (_She and the Prince sit down_)

PHILIP (_still standing_)

If you permit me to say so--I think the park is magnificent. It is much finer than ours.

MIZZIE

You are familiar with the Ravenstein park?

PHILIP

Certainly, Countess. I have been living at Ravenstein House three days already.

MIZZIE

Is that so?

PRINCE

Of course, gardens cannot do as well in the city as out here. Ours was probably a great deal more beautiful a hundred years ago. But then our place was still practically outside the city.

PHILIP

It's a pity that all sorts of people have been allowed to run up houses around our place like that.

MIZZIE