More Portmanteau Plays Part 44

[_Jonathan looks at her to be sure she is in earnest. Then he smiles._

JONATHAN

I'll finish _Zen.o.bia_ for tomorrow.

NATHANIEL

Agreed! Can you get the scenery ready?

JONATHAN

I painted it last week.

LEt.i.tIA

You must have the orchestra, too, Jonathan.

JONATHAN

Yes, ma'am. Susan has some new pieces.

NATHANIEL

Is Susan the orchestra?

JONATHAN

Yes, sir.

NATHANIEL

What else have you written?

JONATHAN

A lot of plays, sir. Mother and I used to write little plays. I don't write many any more.

NATHANIEL

Why not?

JONATHAN

I'm getting too big.

NATHANIEL

Do you ever write anything beside plays?

JONATHAN

Yes, sir.

NATHANIEL

That's splendid. Stories?

JONATHAN

Yes, sir.... And I've written some po--poetry.

NATHANIEL

Excellent!

JONATHAN

They're not very good, but Susan always wants me to write the poetry for the music.

[_Aunt Let.i.tia has repacked the trunk and locked it. She sees that Nathaniel and Jonathan are getting on famously._

LEt.i.tIA

I'll go to the house now and you can talk to Jonathan, Nathaniel.

[_Jonathan looks appealingly at Let.i.tia, but with a smile she goes downstairs._

_Jonathan and Nathaniel look at each other for an embarra.s.sed minute, then Jonathan takes refuge at his theatre._

NATHANIEL

May I see some of your plays?

JONATHAN

Do you really want to see them?

NATHANIEL

Yes.

[_Jonathan goes to a box on the piano in which there are many ma.n.u.scripts carefully bound. He hands one to Nathaniel._

JONATHAN

Here is one that mother and I wrote. She loved the theatre.

NATHANIEL (_taking the strange-looking little ma.n.u.script._ _Reading_:)