Marco Praga: The Ideal Wife (Part Four)

(ACT II, cont'd.)
 

Scene 3

GIULIA, GUSTAVO

 

(Gustavo, ill at ease, stands by the desk, Giulia at the opposite side of the room. She looks around, taking in everything, then tosses her fur on a chair. There is a long silence. She then walks about slowly, still scrutinizing every object. )

 

GUSTAVO     Well?

GIULIA     I'm just looking around. I believe this is the second time I've been here. The first time was two years ago. You thought it was imprudent to meet here in broad daylight, so we went back down -- and now here we are, two years later! How funny!  (Continues to look around. )  What a cozy little place! That's your bedroom in there, isn't it? There is the library, and the anteroom. I've a good memory, haven't I? There was a bowl of chestnuts right here, the last time, roasted just for me. And there were flowers, also just for me. But you weren't expecting me today. Oh -- that chair wasn't there before.  (Crosses to it and sits.)  How comfortable! It fits like a glove! Aren't you going to offer me a cigarette?

GUSTAVO    (Holding out the box to her.)  Smoking isn't good for you.

GIULIA     True.  (Takes a cigarette.)  I'll just light one to give the room atmosphere. May I have a  light, please?  (Gustavo hands her a box of matches. )  For goodness' sake, light it for me! Do you think I'm in the habit of carrying matchboxes in my purse?  (Gustavo strikes a match and lifts it to her cigarette. Giulia draws slowly away, obliging him to lean in towards her, their faces very close, almost inviting a kiss. Gustavo throws the match aside and moves away.)  What a frown! Are you in bad humour today, too? Are you still unwell? Do you want me to go?  (Stands.)

GUSTAVO     Didn't you receive my letter?

GIULIA     Oh -- yes. it's right here. I glanced at it.  (Sits back down.)

GUSTAVO     You should have read it more carefully.

GIULIA     I still can; I haven't yet destroyed it. Would you like for us to read it to together?

GUSTAVO     No! You were to have read it yourself, instead of coming here.

GIULIA     Blessed boy! I only wanted to make sure you had gone to Turin.

GUSTAVO     I told you I had.

GIULIA     I had to make sure you were still here.

GUSTAVO     I explained it all in my letter. If you had read it --

GIULIA     Oh, I read it well enough. But I didn't take it seriously. You wrote that we must end it. Why? There has to be a reason for everything in this world. Well? Why must we end it? Has something changed between us? I love you, you love me ..... You do love me, don't you?

GUSTAVO     I've said so, haven't I?

GIULIA     No, never! Then you do love me. Why must we end it?  (She stands, goes to him, and walks slowly around him.)  I forgive you everything. Isn't that kind of me? You've only been preoccupied of late: something has given you cause for worry. This morning I thought: Gustavo needs a great deal of love and affection -- and so I've come to give it.

GUSTAVO     And to take another of those foolish, reckless chances that compromise my peace of mind and yours, and ruin my life. I've scolded you about this before.

GIULIA     Oh, really! Let's just be reasonable for a moment. Do sit down, for heaven's sake! Come and sit next to me. Why are you being so dreadfully formal?  (Silence.)  My husband is in Genova.

GUSTAVO     And?

GIULIA     And? Que tu es bête! And -- so I could come to you.

GUSTAVO     You forget that I live in the center of Milan. Someone could have seen you coming up here. You care nothing for discretion!

GIULIA     I'm not afraid of gossips, for they take most pleasure in gossiping about what they believe to be secret and to malign a woman who takes every precaution to conceal her guilt. But they never bother themselves with women who show no fear.

GUSTAVO     A wonderful theory indeed! And most convenient.

GIULIA     Accurate, as well. And then, you know quite well I could tell my husband of my coming.

GUSTAVO     Here? To my house?

GIULIA     To your office -- and here, if worse comes to worse. I could tell him I came to see you, at any rate.

GUSTAVO     What reason could you give him?

GIULIA     The same reason I gave Monticelli.

GUSTAVO     Ah. Do you think it would suffice?

GIULIA     For Monticelli, well -- he already knows, it seems. But I don't care about that. For my husband, who never doubts me, it would be almost too convincing.

GUSTAVO     You would toy with your life in this way, and with your future, for a lark -- for the sheer pleasure of being reckless?

GIULIA     (Passionately.)  Because I love you! Because I need to see you! I couldn't have stayed home without seeing you all day today, anxious about everything you said to me last night, tormented by what you wrote. Now I can go back home satisfied. Now I am happy and calm.

GUSTAVO     (Standing.)  Good God! You have a very peculiar way of reasoning! This is torture!

GIULIA     (Interrupting him by throwing her arms around his neck.)  Poor man! It is torture to be so loved, isn't it? You're right; I love you too much -- much too much!

GUSTAVO     Lord, such a woman! You must leave now. You've stayed far too long.

GIULIA     It's only been a quarter of an hour. Let me stay just a little longer. Ten minutes? Five?

GUSTAVO     No, I should be going myself. I beg you, go now, Giulia.  (Giulia, disppointed, takes up her fur and begins to put it on. But she spies some papers on his desk, tosses her fur back on the chair, and proceeds to rummage through them.)  What are you doing now? What are you looking for?

GIULIA     Nothing. Merely seeing if there are any letters -- if you are deceiving me.

GUSTAVO     Not this, too!

GIULIA     Are you annoyed? If there's nothing here, then you needn't worry.  (Indicating a locked drawer.)  Will you open this for me?

GUSTAVO     There's nothing in there.

GIULIA    No?

GUSTAVO     Just bills.

GIULIA     Open it.

GUSTAVO     Then will you go?

GIULIA     I promise. Open it.  (Gustavo unlocks the drawer. Giulia looks through its contents.)  bills, bills, bills -- all paid in full. How "rangé" of you!

GUSTAVO     Enough?

GIULIA     Just a moment! What is this -- this rose-coloured paper?

GUSTAVO     Well, have a look, but be quick.

GIULIA     May I? It's nothing compromising. then.  (Begins to put it back, then changes her mind.)  But wait!  (Reads.)  Guglianetti -- ah!

GUSTAVO     Now have you had enough?

GIULIA     Yes.

GUSTAVO     And will you go?

GIULIA     Yes.  (But she lingers, still eyeing the desk.)

GUSTAVO     Well?

GIULIA     (Looking closely at the blotter.)  You can destroy whatever letters you receive, but to whom do you write? The blotter may reveal many things.  (Gustavo makes a gesture of annoyance, and crosses impatiently to the window and gazes out of it distractedly. giulia struggles to read the fragments of writing on the blotter.)  "Affec-tion-ately ... Gustavo ... "  (Turns the blotter this way and that.)  "At-tor-ney at law ... "  (She suddenly has an idea. Taking a small mirror from the desktop, she positions it above the blotter.)  "Costanzo ... Thursday ... twenty-eighth ... My dearest ... " (To Gustavo.)  "Dearest" who?

GUSTAVO     Stop this, I beg you.

GIULIA     Dearest who ?!

GUSTAVO     (Still looking out the window, he suddenly starts in fright. )  Giulia!!

GIULIA     What is it?

GUSTAVO     Your husband!

GIULIA     Oh -- !  (Hastily replaces the blotter and mirror.)

GUSTAVO     He's speaking with the housekeeper.

GIULIA     Heavens! -- has he gone?

GUSTAVO     He knows everything! He pretended to have left town -- and now he's come to surprise us together -- great God!  (Grabs her fur and puts it on.)  Is he coming? Is he coming?

GUSTAVO     He's still speaking to her.  (Hurries from the window, grabbing Giulia roughly by the arm.)  Do you see what you've done? Do you see? Hide!

GIULIA     Where?

GUSTAVO     In the library.

GIULIA     No, no, he may go in there -- better in there --  (Crosses to SL door.)  Go and look! Is he coming up?

GUSTAVO     (At the window.)  He is now.

GIULIA     Great God! How does he look? Angry?

GUSTAVO     I can't see him anymore. Quick!

GIULIA     (Already at the door, she suddenly recovers her composure.)  How stupid of me! He either knows and has come in search of me, or he doesn't  know, and so ...

GUSTAVO     (Nervously.)  So -- if he finds you here -- ?

GIULIA     What if, by chance, he heard from someone that I was here? How could I then explain having hidden in your house? Better that he finds us together openly, without all the subterfuge. He may scold, but he won't suspect. I'm staying!

GUSTAVO     Right here?!

GIULIA     Right here! I've come to tell you about your brother.

GUSTAVO     Here, at my house? Will he believe that?

GIULIA     Of course. At any rate, it's better this way.  (Sits, turning the back of the armchair towards the door in such a way as not to be seen by Andrea.)  Sit down, quick!

GUSTAVO     Are you insane?!

GIULIA     How do I look?

ETTORE     (Entering US.)  Signor Campiani asking to see you.

GIULIA     (Whispering agitatedly to Gustavo.)  Let him in!

GUSTAVO     (To Ettore.)  Show him in.  (Exit Ettore.)

 

END SCENE

 

Scene 4

GIULIA, ANDREA, GUSTAVO

 

ANDREA     (Entering.)  Am I disturbing you?

GUSTAVO     Not at all!

ANDREA     Your housekeeper said you're not well. I was about to leave --

GUSTAVO     (Standing and shaking the hand which Andrea has extended. )  I'm feeling much better.  (Giulia sits with her eyes fixed in feverish anxiety, listening to Andrea's first words. Having heard them, her face relaxes; now, reassured, she has collected herself. Without turning in her chair, she extends her hand to Andrea.)

GIULIA     Good morning.

ANDREA     (Astonished.)  Giulia -- you?!

GIULIA     Then you didn't go to Genova.

ANDREA     Why are you here?

GIULIA     The same reason you're here, I expect. what you said last night about Velati's brother worried me so; I didn't sleep a wink. This morning, I was afraid something may have happened -- you left early; I believed you to be on your way to Genova. And so I said to myself: I must warn Velati. I went to his office, but he wasn't there, so I came here. But you -- why aren't you in Genova?

ANDREA     (Still a bit stupefied. )  I stopped by the Exchange on my way to the station, and found that a dispatch had arrived during the night which obliged me to postpone my trip.

GIULIA     If you had only told me. I would have felt easier in my mind knowing you were coming here.

ANDREA     I went back to the house at ten. You weren't there.

GIULIA     I took Giannino to school, then went to Velati's office.

ANDREA     (Sternly.)  Which proves to me once again that one must never discuss business matters with women -- especially women who are very impressionable.

GIULIA     (Feigning innocence.)  Why?

ANDREA     Because -- there was no reason for you to speak to Velati about this, and you certainly should not have come here to his home.  (To Gustavo.)  I apologize.

GIULIA     But --

ANDREA     Giulia, you are too intelligent to be told this. You should have written to Velati, asking him to come to our house.

GIULIA     But I did go to his office.

ANDREA     And since he wasn't there -- (He stops himself, gives her a disapproving look, silencing any remonstration from her. Then he turns to Gustavo.)  Well, then --

GUSTAVO     (Offering him a chair.)  Please.

ANDREA     Thank you.  (Sits.)  Has Giulia told you?

GUSTAVO     She started to, in fact, but then you arrived. I cannot thank you enough for all you've done --

ANDREA     Good Lord, I've not done anything. Rather, I've come to see about taking the necessary precautions.

GUSTAVO     Then there is some danger?

ANDREA     Nothing that can't be avoided. However, since, I am not going to Genova after all, I thought the day might be put to good use. I believed you to be out of town, so I went to your office to find out where I might write to you.

GUSTAVO     Yes, well -- I decided to stay in town.

ANDREA     I need your authorization.

GUSTAVO     But of course.

ANDREA    Perhaps you would like to explain the situation in detail?

GUSTAVO     I'd understand none of it. Only tell me, are funds needed?

ANDREA     Only your permission to act in whatever way I deem necessary. Should I need to consult you, may I find you in your office?

GUSTAVO     I'm going there now and shall stay till seven.

ANDREA     (Standing up.)  It's quite possible I shall drop by within the next few hours.

GUSTAVO     How can I thank you? But -- are you quite sure money isn't needed?

ANDREA     No; only your signature for payment due january. In the meantime --

GUSTAVO     May I come to your office?

ANDREA     If you prefer. Shall we say, five o'clock?

GUSTAVO     At five, then.

ANDREA     Giulia?  (Turning to her, he sees her putting a handkerchief to her eyes.)  Whatever is the matter?  (Giulia rises, drying her tears. Andrea stares at her a moment, then, still serious, but good-naturedly.)  Dear child!  (To Velati, offering his hand. )  Good day.

GUSTAVO     Again, thanks awfully.

ANDREA     Don't mention it.  (Lowering his voice, confidentially.)  By the way -- let me be the first to congratulate you.

GUSTAVO     Congratulate me for what?

ANDREA     Perhaps it's a bit premature, but her father has confided to me, my friend --

GUSTAVO     (Flustered. )  Really ...

ANDREA     Oh, come now!

GIULIA     (Suddenly alert, her eyes wide.)  You're engaged?!

ANDREA     Not yet -- but it seems that it may be in the works. That is, one may assume --

GIULIA     Signorina Bianchi!

ANDREA     There! You've already guessed the lady. But our friend may want to keep it secret yet.

GUSTAVO     I'm a close friend of the family; nothing more.

GIULIA     Yes, everybody knows how close .... My congratulations.

GUSTAVO     This is all very premature, I assure you.

ANDREA     (Heartily.)  We shall see! We shall see! I'll expect you later this afternoon?

GUSTAVO     Without fail.  (Giulia, meanwhile, unnoticed by the others, drops a glove on one of the chairs. Then arm-in-arm with Andrea, she crosses US. )

GIULIA     Till tomorrow.  (All three exit through the US door, repeating their farewells. Giulia's voice is heard OS. )  Oh, my glove!  (Re-enters, preceded by Gustavo, who runs to fetch her glove.)  I left it there, on that chair. (Gustavo finds it and brings it to her. She takes it and slaps his face with it, whispering furiously.)  Don't even think  of marrying her!  (Exit.)

 

END OF ACT II

 

[To be continued.]