The Girl with the Green Eyes Part 9

AUSTIN. Of _me_? I'll never give _her the chance_.

MRS. TILLMAN. It isn't a question of chance; you just can't help it sometimes, can you, George?

TILLMAN. No, you can't.

MRS. TILLMAN. And so--

AUSTIN. Don't worry! Your daughter's safe with me. I'm not the jealous sort myself and I love Jinny so completely, so calmly, and yet with my heart, and soul, and mind, and body, she'll never have a _chance_ even to _try_ to be jealous of _me_!

TILLMAN. s.h.!.+

[_JINNY enters Right._

JINNY. I found poor Maggie up in my room crying! She says she can't bear to have me go away. I think she's sorry now she wouldn't come with me as maid--and I said good-by to cook and she sniffed!

[_AUSTIN looks at his watch._

AUSTIN. Oh! we ought to go!

MRS. TILLMAN. Good-by, darling!

[_Kissing JINNY and embracing her a long time, while AUSTIN and TILLMAN shake hands warmly and say good-by._

JINNY. [_Going to her father._] Good-by, father. Dear old father!

[_With happy emotion._

[_AUSTIN meanwhile is shaking hands with MRS. TILLMAN._

JINNY. [_Returns to her mother._] Darling--oh, how good you've always been to me! Oh, mummy darling, I _shall_ miss you! You'll send me a letter to-morrow, won't you, or a telegram? Send a telegram--you've got the address!

MRS. TILLMAN. [_With tears in her eyes._] Yes, it's written down!

JINNY. You can tell father, but no one else!

[_Hugs and kisses her mother._

TILLMAN. Come, Susan! They'll lose their train!

[_JINNY again embraces her father._

ALL. Good-by! Good-by!

[_JINNY, starting to go with AUSTIN, suddenly leaves him and runs back again to her mother and throws herself in her arms. They embrace, in tears._

JINNY. Good-by, mother!

MRS. TILLMAN. Good-by, my darling!

TILLMAN. Come, come! they'll lose their train!

[_JINNY runs to AUSTIN, and with his arms about her, they hurry to the door Left. They go through the doors at back to window in the corridor. JINNY stops at the door and she and AUSTIN face each other a moment._

JINNY. [_Looking up at him._] Oh, Jack!

[_She throws her arms about his neck and buries her face on his shoulder._

AUSTIN. Jinny, Jinny dear, you're not sorry?

JINNY. [_Slowly raises her head and looks at him, smiling through her tears, and speaks in a voice full of tears and little sobs._] Sorry? Oh, no! Oh, no! It hurts me to leave them, but I never was so _happy_ in my life!

[_He kisses her and they hurry out, with his arm about her._

MRS. TILLMAN. [_In the corridor, lifts the window._] I hear the door--

TILLMAN. There they are!

[_SUSIE rushes across the stage with a bowl of rice in her arms and goes out Left._

[_MR. and MRS. TILLMAN wave and say "Good-by!" "Good-by!" "Good-by!"

They close the window in silence. The sound is heard as the window frame reaches the bottom. They turn and come slowly forward, TILLMAN wiping his eyes and MRS. TILLMAN biting her lips to keep the tears back. They come into the front room and stop, and for a second they look around the empty room. TILLMAN puts his hand in his pocket and takes out his cigar case. MRS. TILLMAN, turning, sees him; she goes to him swiftly and touches his arm, looking up at him through her tears. He turns to her and slowly takes her in his arms and holds her there close and kisses her tenderly on the cheek._

[_SUSIE enters Left, with empty bowl, sobbing aloud, as_

THE CURTAIN FALLS

ACT II

(_Two months later_)

_The Vatican, Rome; the Tribune of the Apollo Belvedere; a semicircular room with dark red walls; in the centre is the large statue of Apollo.

There are doorways at Right and Left. There is a bench on the right side of the room. A single LADY TOURIST enters Right, takes a hasty glance, yawns, and looking down at her Baedeker, goes out Left. A PAPAL GUARD is seen pa.s.sing outside in the court. A FRENCHMAN and his WIFE (with Baedekers) are seen approaching; they are heard talking volubly. They enter Left._

BOTH. Ah!--

[_They stand a moment in silent admiration._

HE. [_Reading from Baedeker._] Apollo Belvedere. [_He looks up._] C'est superb!

SHE. [_Beaming with admiration._] Magnifique! Voila un homme!

HE. _Quelle grace!_

SHE. _Quelle force!_