The Yellow Book Volume I Part 27

_Julia._ Is Cyril going there, too?

_Mandeville._ I believe that he has an invitation, but I will persuade him to refuse it, if you would prefer him to remain at home.

_Julia._ You are very kind, Mr. Mandeville, but it is a matter of indifference to me where Lord Aprile goes.

_Mandeville._ Perhaps I ought not to have mentioned this to you?

_Julia._ [_Annoyed._] It does not make the least difference. In fact, I am delighted to think that you are taking Cyril out into the world. He is wretched in this house. [_With heroism._] I am glad to think that he knows anyone so interesting and clever and beautiful as Sarah Sparrow. I suppose she would be considered beautiful?

_Mandeville._ [_With a profound glance._] One can forget her--sometimes.

_Julia._ [_Looking down._] Perhaps--when I am as old as she is--I shall be prettier than I am at present.

_Mandeville._ You always said you liked my voice. We never see anything of each other now. I once thought that--well--that you might like me better. Are you sure you are not angry with me because I am taking Cyril to this rehearsal?

_Julia._ Quite sure. Why should I care where Cyril goes? I only wish that I, too, might go to the theatre to-night. What part do you play?

And what do you sing? A serenade?

_Mandeville._ [_Astounded._] Yes. How on earth did you guess that? The costume is, of course, picturesque, and that is the great thing in an opera. A few men can sing--after a fas.h.i.+on--but to find the right clothes to sing _in_--that shows the true artist.

_Julia._ And Sarah; does she look _her_ part?

_Mandeville._ Well, I do not like to say anything against her, but she is not quite the person I should cast for la Marquise de la Perdrigonde.

Ah! if you were on the stage, Miss de Trappe! You have just the exquisite charm, the grace, the majesty of bearing which, in the opinion of those who have never been to Court, is the peculiar distinction of women accustomed to the highest society.

_Julia._ Oh, I should like to be an actress!

_Mandeville._ No! no! I spoke selfishly--if you only acted with _me_, it would be different; but--but I could not bear to see another man making love to you--another man holding your hand and singing into your eyes--and--and----Oh, this is madness. You must not listen to me.

_Julia._ I am not--angry, but--you must never again say things which you do not mean. If I thought you were untruthful it would make me so--so miserable. Always tell me the truth. [_Holds out her hand._]

_Mandeville._ You are very beautiful!

[_She drops her eyes, smiles, and wanders unconsciously to the mirror._]

[Lady Doldrummond _suddenly enters from the boudoir, and_ Cyril _from the middle door_. Cyril _is handsome, but his features have that delicacy and his expression that pensiveness which promise artistic longings and domestic disappointment_.]

_Cyril._ [_Cordially and in a state of suppressed excitement._] Oh, mother, this is my friend Mandeville. You have heard me mention him?

_Lady Dol._ I do not remember, but----

_Cyril._ When I promised to go out with you this afternoon, I forgot that I had another engagement. Mandeville has been kind enough to call for me.

_Lady Dol._ Another engagement, Cyril?

[Lord Doldrummond _enters and comes down, anxiously looking from one to the other_.]

_Cyril._ Father, this is my friend Mandeville. We have arranged to go up to town this afternoon.

_Lady Dol._ [_Calmly._] What time shall I send the carriage to the station for you? The last train usually arrives about----

_Cyril._ I shall not return to-night. I intend to stay in town.

Mandeville will put me up.

_Lord Dol._ And where are you going?

_Mandeville._ He is coming to our dress rehearsal of the "Dandy and the Dancer."

_Cyril._ At the Parna.s.sus. [Lord _and_ Lady Doldrummond _exchange horrified glances_.] I daresay you have never heard of the place, but it amuses me to go there, and I must learn life for myself. I am two-and-twenty, and it is not extraordinary that I should wish to be my own master. I intend to have chambers of my own in town.

_Lady Dol._ Surely you have every liberty in this house?

_Lord Dol._ If you leave us, you will leave the rooms in which your mother has spent every hour of her life, since the day you were born, planning and improving. Must all her care and thought go for nothing?

The silk hangings in your bedroom she worked with her own hands. There is not so much as a pen-wiper in your quarter of the house which she did not choose with the idea of giving you one more token of her affection.

_Cyril._ I am not ungrateful, but I cannot see much of the world through my mother's embroidery. As you say, I have every comfort here. I may gorge at your expense and snore on your pillows and bully your servants.

I can do everything, in fact, but live. Dear mother, be reasonable.

[_Tries to kiss her. She remains quite frigid._]

[Footman _enters_.]

_Footman._ The dog-cart is at the door, my lord.

_Cyril._ You think it well over and you will see that I am perfectly right. Come on, Mandeville, we shall miss the train. Make haste: there is no time to be polite. [_He goes out, dragging_ Mandeville _after him, and ignoring_ Julia.]

_Lord Dol._ Was that my son? I am ashamed of him! To desert us in this rude, insolent, heartless manner. If I had whipped him more and loved him less, he would not have been leaving me to lodge with a G.o.d knows who. I disown him! The fool!

_Lady Dol._ If you have anything to say, blame _me_! Cyril has the n.o.blest heart in the world; _I_ am the fool.

_Curtain._

Transcriber's Notes:

Words in italics are surrounded by underscores, _like this_.

Greek words have been transliterated.

Punctuation was standardized. Words in dialect, obsolete or alternative spellings were not changed. The following were corrected:

missing 'f' added to 'of' ... implications of his speech ...

'allution' to 'allusion' ... without catching the allusion ...

'needed' to 'heeded' ... I had not heeded this ...

'undiscouragable' to 'undiscourageable' ... My undiscourageable search ...

'snggest' to 'suggest' ... reason to suggest that ...

'gasp' to 'grasp' ... his grasp had been insecure; ...