Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 115

PAOLO. Mario, who knew him!

ANNA. I ignore that.

PAOLO. Did he ever speak of it?

MARIO. Do not reply, Anna, do not answer, come away--he is ill, he does not reason--poor devil--it will pa.s.s and he will understand then--

ANNA. No, it is useless.

PAOLO. A useless tragedy, isn't it, Anna?

ANNA. Do you require anything more of me?

PAOLO [_imperiously_]. Yes. I want the letters which you wrote to Luciano.

ANNA. That is just. I will go and get them. [_Exits._]

PAOLO. All!

[_Anna returns and hands Paolo a key._]

ANNA. They're in my desk, in the first drawer at the right. They are tied with a black ribbon.

PAOLO. Very well. [_Exits._]

MARIO. Pardon him, Anna, he does not know what he is doing. He loves you so much? He is rather weak.

ANNA. Oh, without pity!

MARIO. As are the weak. He loves you--he loves you.

ANNA. Worse for him that he loves me. He will lose.

MARIO. No, it is for you to help him.

ANNA. As long as I can.

[_Paolo returns with the letters in his hand, goes to the desk and takes out the others, throws them all into the fire-place and lights them._]

MARIO. What are you doing? Look, Anna!

[_Anna stands rigid, erect and watches the letters burn, and murmurs as though to herself._]

ANNA. Gone! Gone! Gone!

[_Paolo comes to Anna with hands clinched as though in prayer, bursts into tears and kneels before her. Mario goes off half in contempt and half in despair._]

PAOLO [_on his knees_]. And now--can you pardon me?

[_Anna reluctantly rests a hand upon his head, then indulgently and discouragingly._]

ANNA. Rise--rise.

PAOLO. Tell me that you pardon me. I swear that I want to die here and now.

ANNA. Yes, yes. Arise; do not remain so. It hurts me.

PAOLO [_getting up_]. I do not know what got into my head--but I have suffered a great deal.

ANNA. Yes, I see. Yes ... calm yourself.

PAOLO. Mario has no tact ... it was he who irritated me from the first.

[_Anna starts to go._] Do not go. Stay here a moment. [_Anna sits upon the sofa._] You see the stroke of madness has pa.s.sed. It was only because Mario was here. Mario is good, judicious, but his presence irritated me. Yes, yes, you were right. But you should also understand the state of my mind. [_He walks up and down._] After all, what does all this disturbance mean? It means that I love you--and it seems to me that is the essential thing! One must consider the source of things. It is five years that we are husband and wife and you cannot say I have ever given you the slightest reason for regret. I do not believe so. Five years are five years. I have worked up to a good position, you have always figured in society; a pastime which I would never have enjoyed alone. I had friends, the club, the other husbands after the first year of marriage, in the evenings, I renounced everything. I do not wish to praise myself, but--

ANNA. Please don't walk up and down so much!

PAOLO. Excuse me. Will you allow me to sit here next to you? [_Long silence._] When shall I see you smile, Anna? No, do not get up. Then it is not true that you have pardoned me!

ANNA. What do you wish, Paolo? What do you wish of me? Say it quickly!

PAOLO. You made me promise never to speak of it.

ANNA. Oh, but I said that you would break your promise immediately. You are wrong though, believe me. Do not ask me anything. When there is no more danger I promise you, and I will keep my promise. I promise that I will tell you everything without your asking me. And it will be good for both of us. But I wish to choose the moment.

PAOLO. All right then. Do not tell me anything, but come away with me, with me alone. I will attend to Mario. He was coming to please you and he will be much happier to see us leave together, as a sign of peace. I understand that it is repulsive to you to re-awaken those memories; all right, instead of awakening them I will make you forget them--I swear it--I swear that I will never speak of them again, but come away with me and you shall see how much love....

ANNA. Do not insist, Paolo. If you insist I shall come--but--

PAOLO. No, no, I do not insist. You see me here begging. I do not want you by force. But listen once more, listen. I am grateful, you must understand, for that which you have done. Oh, I shall recompense you for it all my life. I realize there is not a more saintly woman in all the world, but you must enter into my soul and feel a little pity also for me.

ANNA. Ah, ah! [_Laughs bitterly._]

PAOLO. Why do you prolong this torment? You said when there is no more danger! What danger is there? Upon whom depends this danger--from you or from me? What can time change for us? I have always loved you, I love you now, and in this moment I love you as I have never loved you! Give me your hand--only your hand. G.o.d, Anna! You are beautiful! And you are my wife--you are my wife and the oath which you took when we were married, is not only one of faithfulness, but of love. Come away--come away.

ANNA. No, no, no.

PAOLO. No? Are you afraid? Afraid of being unfaithful to him?

ANNA. Paolo--Paolo!

PAOLO. And if I wish it?

ANNA. You cannot wish it.

PAOLO. And if I want?

ANNA. Paolo!--