More Portmanteau Plays Part 67

Oh, look at your shadow!

[_Mlle. Perrault turns and sees her shadow on the wall._

I can make a bigger one than that.

MARY

Oh, come on, ma'mselle, let's all make shadows.

[_The three of them stand in front of the wall._

JOHN III

Boy, you come, too.

MLLE. PERRAULT

Come, boy.

[_Jonathan joins them standing so that his deformity doesn't show in the shadow._

Now, let's dance--Give me your hand--so.

[_The four dance, while Mlle. Perrault hums "All on a Summer's Day." They are having a very good time when Susan and Albert enter._

_Jonathan is a little conscious of Susan and Albert, and he manages to make several awkward moves._

MLLE. PERRAULT

Now, let's make everybody's shadow dance by itself.

MARY

Oh, come on.

JOHN III

You first, Mlle.

MARY

It's your turn, Mlle.

[_Mlle. Perrault stands before the wall and makes a very lovely shadow._

John, you do it now.

JOHN III

I won't. I'm going to be next to last.... He's going to be last.

[_Mary makes a pretty "statue."_

MARY

Now, John--

[_John III, holding a staff, stands bow-legged and pigeon-toed._

_All of them laugh._

MLLE. PERRAULT (_to John III_)

You little Jackanapes! You!

JOHN III (_to Jonathan_)

You can't do that.

[_Jonathan, still conscious of Susan, but more in the spirit of the game nevertheless, laughs almost gleefully._

JONATHAN

You just wait.

[_He stands in front of the wall and does some comical movements with his feet and legs, then he turns in such a way that for the first time the shadow of his hump is thrown into a pitiful distortion on the wall. He doesn't see it at first, for he is lost in the game with the children._

JOHN III (_yelling suddenly_)

Oh, look!

[_The children laugh immoderately, and Jonathan turns his head quickly, but in so doing alters the shadow. He smiles joyfully and then once more falls into the distorted picture._

MARY

Ooh--

JOHN III

That's funnier than mine.

[_Jonathan turns his head this time and sees the full horror of the thing._

_Mlle. Perrault and Susan have realized too late to protect Jonathan._

MLLE. PERRAULT

John! Mary! Tell the little boy good-bye. We must go.