Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 48

GERARDO [_holding the back of a chair; he hesitates, then shakes his head._] Who are you?

MISS COEURNE. My name is Miss Coeurne.

GERARDO. Yes.... Well?

MISS COEURNE. I am very silly.

GERARDO. I know. Come here, my dear girl. [_He sits down in an armchair and she stands before him._] Let's have a good earnest talk, such as you have never had in your life--and seem to need. An artist like myself--don't misunderstand me; you are--how old are you?

MISS COEURNE. Twenty-two.

GERARDO. You are sixteen or perhaps seventeen. You make yourself a little older so as to appear more--tempting. Well? Yes, you are very silly. It is really none of my business, as an artist, to cure you of your silliness.... Don't take this badly.... Now then! Why are you staring away like this?

MISS COEURNE. I said I was very silly, because I thought you Germans liked that in a young girl.

GERARDO. I am not a German, but just the same....

MISS COEURNE. What! I am not as silly as all that.

GERARDO. Now look here, my dear girl--you have your tennis court, your skating club; you have your riding cla.s.s, your dances; you have all a young girl can wish for. What on earth made you come to me?

MISS COEURNE. Because all those things are awful, and they bore me to death.

GERARDO. I will not dispute that. Personally, I must tell you, I know life from an entirely different side. But, my child, I am a man; I am thirty-six. The time will come when you, too, will claim a fuller existence. Wait another two years and there will be some one for you, and then you won't need to--hide yourself behind curtains, in my room, in the room of a man who--never asked you, and whom you don't know any better than--the whole continent of Europe knows him--in order to look at life from his--wonderful point of view. [_Miss Coeurne sighs deeply._] Now then.... Many thanks from the bottom of my heart for your roses. [_He presses her hand._] Will this do for to-day?

MISS COEURNE. I had never in all my life thought of a man, until I saw you on the stage last night in "Tannhauser." And I promise you--

GERARDO. Oh, don't promise me anything, my child. What good could your promise do me? The burden of it would all fall upon you. You see, I am talking to you as lovingly as the most loving father could. Be thankful to G.o.d that with your recklessness you haven't fallen into the hands of another artist. [_He presses her hand again._] Let this be a lesson to you and never try it again.

MISS COEURNE [_holding her handkerchief to her face but shedding no tears_]. Am I so homely?

GERARDO. Homely! Not homely, but young and indiscreet. [_He rises nervously, goes to the right, comes back, puts his arm around her waist and takes her hand._] Listen to me, child. You are not homely because I have to be a singer, because I have to be an artist. Don't misunderstand me, but I can't see why I should simply, because I am an artist, have to a.s.sure you that I appreciate your youthful freshness and beauty. It is a question of time. Two hundred, maybe three hundred, nice, lovely girls of your age saw me last night in the role of Tannhauser. Now if every one of those girls made the same demands upon me which you are making--what would become of my singing? What would become of my voice?

What would become of my art?

[_Miss Coeurne sinks into a seat, covers her face and weeps._]

GERARDO [_leaning over the back of her chair, in a friendly tone_]. It is a crime for you, child, to weep over the fact that you are still so young. Your whole life is ahead of you. Is it my fault if you fell in love with me? They all do. That is what I am for. Now won't you be a good girl and let me, for the few minutes I have left, prepare myself for to-morrow's appearance?

MISS COEURNE [_rising and drying her tears_]. I can't believe that any other girl would have acted the way I have.

GERARDO [_leading her to the door_]. No, dear child.

MISS COEURNE [_with sobs in her voice_]. At least, not if--

GERARDO. If my valet had stood before the door.

MISS COEURNE. If--

GERARDO. If the girl had been as beautiful and youthfully fresh as you.

MISS COEURNE. If--

GERARDO. If she had heard me only once in "Tannhauser."

MISS COEURNE [_indignant_]. If she were as respectable as I am!

GERARDO [_pointing to the piano_]. Before saying good-by to me, child, have a look at all those flowers. May this be a warning to you in case you feel tempted again to fall in love with a singer. See how fresh they all are. And I have to let them wither, dry up, or I give them to the porter. And look at those letters. [_He takes a handful of them from a tray._] I don't know any of those women. Don't worry; I leave them all to their fate. What else could I do? But I'll wager with you that every one of your lovely young friends sent in her little note.

MISS COEURNE. Well, I promise not to do it again, not to hide myself behind your curtains. But don't send me away.

GERARDO. My time, my time, dear child. If I were not on the point of taking a train! I have already told you, I am very sorry for you. But my train leaves in twenty-five minutes. What do you expect?

MISS COEURNE. A kiss.

GERARDO [_stiffening up_]. From me?

MISS COEURNE. Yes.

GERARDO [_holding her around the waist and looking very serious_]. You rob Art of its dignity, my child. I do not wish to appear an unfeeling brute, and I am going to give you my picture. Give me your word that after that you will leave me.

MISS COEURNE. Yes.

GERARDO. Good. [_He sits at the table and autographs one of his pictures._] You should try to become interested in the operas themselves instead of the men who sing them. You would probably derive much greater enjoyment.

MISS COEURNE [_to herself_]. I am too young yet.

GERARDO. Sacrifice yourself to music. [_He comes down stage and gives her the picture._] Don't see in me a famous tenor but a mere tool in the hands of a n.o.ble master. Look at all the married women among your acquaintances. All Wagnerians. Study Wagner's works; learn to understand his _leit motifs_. That will save you from further foolishness.

MISS COEURNE. I thank you.

[_Gerardo leads her out and rings the bell. He takes up his piano score again. There is a knock at the door._]

VALET [_coming in out of breath_]. Yes, sir.

GERARDO. Are you standing at the door?

VALET. Not just now, sir.

GERARDO. Of course not! Be sure not to let anybody come up here.

VALET. There were three ladies who asked for you, sir.

GERARDO. Don't you dare to let any one of them come up, whatever she may tell you.

VALET. And then here are some more letters.

GERARDO. Oh, all right. [_The Valet places the letters on a tray._] And don't you dare to let any one come up.