Morituri: Three One-Act Plays Part 41

If you choose to call them "adventures."

The Painter.

Agreed, sir! And an excess of happiness will flow out of my soul like a prayer.--Yet it seems I am forgetting the greatest happiness. I shall be with you. I may paint you.

The Marshal.

Take care!

_TENTH SCENE_.

THE SAME. THE VALET DE CHAMBRE. THE QUEEN. THE TWO MAIDS OF HONOUR.

Valet.

Your Majesty!

(The Queen _rustles over from the left to the right, without bestowing a glance on the two men. At the door on the right she gives the_ Valet _a scroll with which he advances. Then she goes out, followed by the Maids of Honour_.)

The Marshal.

Now the hastily contrived reward of our misdeeds is at hand. (_To_ Jean.) My n.o.ble sir, bestir yourself. (_To_ The Painter.) That is the handsome Jean as an angel of justice! (_He unfolds the scroll and reads, laughing_.)

The Painter.

And to me, what do you bring to me?

The Valet.

(_With an expression of awkward contempt_.) You?--Nothing!

The Painter.

Exquisite!

The Valet.

But yes! Your reward shall be meted out to you in the office of the Marshal of the court.

The Painter (_amused_).

Indeed?

The Valet.

Yes! (_Behind the scenes on the right are heard cries of "Jean!

Jean!"_)

The Deaf Maid of Honour.

(_Hurries in from the right_.) Jean! Have you forgotten her Majesty?

The Valet (_sweetly_).

Oh, no! Tell her Majesty I am coming directly.

The Painter and The Marshal.

(_Look at each other, and break out into laughter_.)

The Marshal.

Look, look, my friend! He seems to have got into bad habits.

The Painter (_pointing at him_).

It is rightly so. I had almost begged him, at the court where we men are forbidden, proudly to represent the eternal masculine. (_Laughing, they both bow to him_.)

(_Exit_ The Valet.)

The Painter.

But we are going into the flowery open, to our merry pursuits.

The Marshal.

And to combat! (_They walk arm in arm, bowing right and left, toward the door, past_ The Marquises, _who, without hiding their disrespect, nevertheless recognise them in a not uncourtly fas.h.i.+on_.)

Curtain.

FOOTNOTE:

[Footnote 1: Milchbart--literally "milky beard."]

[Footnote 2: The colonel.]

[Footnote 3: The doc.u.ment is defective here--showing "--iry." I have inserted the word "fairy" based on context.--Transcriber]