The Girl with the Green Eyes Part 13

JINNY. How do you do, Peter? [_They shake hands._] I'm sorry to hear you are seedy, but you eat too many sweet things.

PETER. I'm not eating candy; it's soda mints! [_Showing a small bottle._] I _am_ bad to-day, mother.

MRS. CULLINGHAM. If you don't get better, we'll go to Carlsbad.

JINNY. How do you like Rome, Peter?

PETER. Oh, I don't know--too much Boston and not enough Chicago to make it a real lively town.

JINNY. [_Laughing._] I think I'll go look for Jack and tell him you've turned up.

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Perhaps he's found Ruth.

JINNY. [_With a change in her voice._] Yes, perhaps.

[_She goes out Right._

PETER. [_Going to the doorway Right, calls after her._] Ruth's in a room on your left, with rows of men's heads on shelves, Emperors and things,--but gee, such a _job lot_!

[_Comes back and looks up at the statue._

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Isn't it beautiful, Peter?

PETER. No, it's _too big_!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Still this one isn't broken!

PETER. That's a comfort! Yes, it has been mended, too! [_Examining._]

Oh, yes, it's only another of these second-hand statues. Say, you missed one whole one, the best I've seen yet! A Venus off in a fine little room, all mosaics and painted walls,--that's where I've been.

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Why, Peter Cullingham! _Alone?_ What kind of a Venus?

PETER. Oh, beautiful! I forgot to take my medicine!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. Was she--er--_dressed_, darling?

PETER. We--you know--she _had_ been, but she'd sort of pushed it a good way off!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. [_With a sigh._] You know we _ought_ to admire these things, Peter darling; that's partly what we've come to Europe for!

PETER. O pshaw! here comes a gang of tourists. Come on, let's skip!

MRS. CULLINGHAM. But Ruth and Mrs. Austin?

PETER. We didn't agree to wait, and we can all meet at our hotel.

[_A crowd of TOURISTS, led by a GUIDE, presses and crowds in the doorway. They drag their tired feet in a listless shuffle across the room and stand in a somewhat sheepish and stupid bunch at the statue.

One or two of the younger women nudge each other and giggle. The GUIDE stands a little in advance of them. The GUIDE describes the statue, and while he is doing so PETER and MRS. CULLINGHAM go out Right. Most of the TOURISTS turn and watch them go instead of looking at the statue._

GUIDE. This is the Apollo Belvedere, discovered at the end of the fifteenth century, some say in a Roman villa or farm-house near the Grotter Terratter. Very fine specimen both as marble and man. This statyer is calculated to make Sandow et cetery look like thirty cents.

Height seven feet, weight--

A MAN TOURIST. How much?

A GIRL TOURIST. Was he married?

[_t.i.tters from the group._

GUIDE. Give it up! Should judge he was. The G.o.d once held a bow in his left hand and probably a laurel wreath in his right.

ANOTHER WOMAN TOURIST. A what?

GUIDE. A laurel wreath. You want to take a good look at this, as it is a very fine piece. Now come along, please--make haste; we must finish up this place before feeding!

[_He leads the way out Right, and the TOURISTS follow, shuffling along, without speaking, MRS. LOPP and CARRIE lagging in the rear._

[_AUSTIN enters Left, followed by RUTH._

AUSTIN. This is where I left her with Apollo! [_Calls._] Jinny! She seems to have gone!

[_He looks behind the statue and out door, Right._

RUTH. Probably the Cullinghams, who were headed in this direction, found her, and they've all gone back for us; you see I walked all around the court first without going into the rooms, so I missed them, but found you.

AUSTIN. What shall we do? Sit down here and wait for them to come back, or shall I go in search?

RUTH. Oh, no, you might miss them, and then we'd all be lost! If you left Jinny here, she's sure to come back to meet you.

[_She sits on the bench and AUSTIN stands behind her._

AUSTIN. I'm sorry to learn you've been ill.

RUTH. Oh! it's nothing.

AUSTIN. Ah, I'm afraid it's a good deal. Will you forgive me if I say I think I know what it is!

[_She looks up startled._

[_After a moment._

You haven't forgotten the day of Jinny's and my wedding, when you told me Geoffrey Tillman needed a friend?

RUTH. I hoped _you'd_ forgotten; I oughtn't to have told you; I _oughtn't_ to have!

AUSTIN. Why not? I had a talk with Geoffrey, then, and he told me everything.

RUTH. He did! You are sure?

AUSTIN. Sure.