ACT III, cont'd.
Scene 5
GIULIA, GIANNINO, TERESA, ANDREA
GIULIA (At the US door, calling out ) Teresa! Teresa! Fetch Giannino's coat and blue cap, will you? (Goes to door L.) Giannino! (Giannino enters L, Teresa enters US and gives Giulia the hat and coat.) Come darling; Papa is taking you for a walk.
GIANNINO Where?
GIULIA (Gives him a hug and kiss, then puts on his coat.) To secure a box for the ballet this evening. Aren't you glad? Darling, how dirty you are! Look at your hands; they're positively black! Never mind -- just put on your gloves, and don't keep Papa waiting. (Smooths his hair.) There. Where are your gloves? In your pocket? (Andrea enters and dons his fur coat.) Now the other hand ... quickly, now! Papa is already here. Straighten your fingers. There! When will you ever learn to dress yourself? Already seven years old! Here we are. Go on, now, darling.
ANDREA Forward, march!
GIULIA Be good, Giannino. (Andrea and Giannino exit, Giulia accompanies them to the door.) Teresa? Teresa!
TERESA (Enters US.) Signora?
GIULIA Dinner at seven, yes? Tell Antonietta to set the table with special care, please. Unlock the china cabinet and take out the floral porcelain. (Teresa exits US. After a moment, the electric bell sounds OS. Giulia goes to the mirror and tidies her hair. Enter Gustavo, Costanzo.)
END SCENE
Scene 6
GIULIA, GUSTAVO, COSTANZO
GIULIA Hello! (Costanzo shakes her hand. Gustavo bows courteously, then stands aside, ill at ease. Giulia sits on the divan, inviting Costanzo to join her.) Did you chance to meet my husband on your way here?
COSTANZO We saw him walking out with Giannino, but they went toward the piazza. I don't think he saw us, did he, Gustavo?
GUSTAVO What? No, I don't believe so.
GIULIA He was going to the theatre to secure a box for tonight. He promised Giannino some time ago. (Silence.) He was so keen to go.
COSTANZO Who?
GIULIA Giannino. (Silence.)
COSTANZO Ah, to the ballet!
GIULIA Sieba.
COSTANZO Yes, the Manzotti production. (Silence.) It's very extravagant.
GIULIA Really? I don't remember. I saw it at La Scala when it premiered. But that was some time ago.
COSTANZO Yes, ten years, at least. (Silence. Then to Giulia, softly.) The conversation seems to be lagging. (Silence.) The music is quite lovely.
GIULIA What music?
COSTANZO Sieba. Wasn't that what we were speaking of?
GIULIA Oh! Yes. (Silence.)
COSTANZO Written by Marenco, yes?
GIULIA I'm not sure ....
COSTANZO Gustavo, the music of Sieba was written by Marenco, yes?
GUSTAVO Marenco. Yes. (Silence.)
GIULIA You'll be coming with us to the ballet, will you not, Monticelli?
COSTANZO (Softly.) You're being cruel!
GIULIA (Softly.) Am I? (Aloud. ) Velati -- have you nothing to say? (Gustavo, ill at ease, makes a gesture indicating "no." Giulia rises, crosses US, where there is a small cupboard. She opens it, touches a spring which opens a secret compartment, and extracts from it a packet of letters tied with blue ribbon. She closes the cupboard and crosses back DS. Without looking a Gustavo, she hands him the letters.) These are your letters. (He makes a move to take them, but she pulls back her hand imperceptibly.) Will you take them?
GUSTAVO If you like.
GIULIA Take them. (He does so.) Well ... it's ended, then? Really ended? (Pause.) You'll probably say I want it so. Won't you? Because it was I who asked you to come here, and for that reason.
GUSAVO (After a pause, without looking at her.) My friend -- things have reached the point in which -- I think -- (Costanzo has stood and gone to the door in an attempt to make a discreet exit.)
GIULIA Monticelli, are you leaving? (Sits on the divan.)
COSTANZO I was ....
GIULIA Please don't go. (To Gustavo.) You were saying?
GUSTAVO Things have reached the point in which -- after what occurred yesterday -- whatever you may think of me, I promise -- it isn't true that --
COSTANZO (Aside.) Good God, what a fool he's making of himself!
GUSTAVO After all, it would be in your own best interests, and for your own peace of mind -- perhaps it's for the best. I must speak frankly with you. Aside from any personal consideration of min -- that is -- it is certainly not my wish -- not that I -- whatever people say of my engagement, I could tell you it's all rubbish -- but it's best to say, the situation for both of us being -- I don't know --
COSTANZO (Aside.) Well said!
GIULIA Are you quite finished? Would you like me to be frank with you? (Stands and crosses nearer to him.) You're no better than any other man. You kept me for two years, which is as long as you felt comfortable. Then you wearied of it; but out of habit, or laziness, or perhaps fear, you allowed your love for me to become a chain which you could not break. A man -- a real man, not a puppet -- would have had the courage to tell me. And, being the kind of woman I am, you might have told me without trepidation. You know very well that even if I still loved -- which I do not, I assure you -- I would do nothing to keep you bound to me, because there is something that matters more to me than you. I could, if I wanted to, force you to stay bound to me, and you would do so, out of fear. I could keep you and even enjoy it, now that I no longer love you. a puppet such as you wouldn't rebel. But I find it isn't really worth the trouble. You needn't worry -- you see how calm I am. Take care, though. I'll tell you what I told Monticelli. Take care what you do. Marry, or don't marry; it makes no difference to me. But keep appearances in front of my husband. Don't suddenly estrange yourself from us, for he wouldn't understand such behaviour. He may -- not doubt, no -- but he may wonder, remember the past and what happened yesterday; he might reconstruct every detail. And he might lose that complete trust -- that blind trust -- in me, which I hold so dear and of which I have such great need. Ah! I wish I could do as I please, even take another lover if I like, without having to pretend as I have done. But you know I love my husband -- in my own way, to be sure; but I do love him, and I mustn't give him the slightest cause to worry. Do we understand each other? Come to see us whenever you like -- that is, when the meagre amount of honor and good sense in you deem it advisable. And don't worry that seeing you may cause me any pain, or that my memories of you may rob me of any sleep or appetite. Oh, no! It shall be as tedious for me to see you as it will be for you to come here -- but it must be done. You may pride yourself on having escaped all of this unscathed, but put out of your mind the presumption that you leave me with any regrets. I don't love you any more. I don't know that I ever truly loved you. It does seem incomprehensible that I could have loved a man such as you. Yesterday when I left you, I said, "Don't even think of marrying her!" Poor girl! How I feel for her! Don't think she'll love you as you believe I did -- yes, I hope she is smarter than I, and understands at once that loving you isn't worth it. It's a waste of time! Oh -- one last thing. Do me the courtesy to return everything you have of me: letters, notes, photographs -- everything. Please don't be so low as to keep anything. It wouldn't do ever to boast of having been my lover, nor to congratulate yourself. I shall send for the things tomorrow. (The bell sounds OS. Costanzo hurries to the US door and looks out.) Do we understand each other?
COSTANZO Signora, your husband!
GIULIA Do we understand each other?
COSTANZO (Agitatedly.) Your husband is in the anteroom!
GIULIA (Turning to Costanzo.) I'm quite finished. (Enter Andrea.)
END SCENE
Scene 7
GIULIA, ANDREA, GUSTAVO, COSTANZO
GIULIA (Going to Andrea.) Did you secure a box?
ANDREA Yes. (To Gustavo.) Good evening, my friend. Has Monticelli told you? Everything's done. It's over!
COSTANZO (Aside.) You'll never know how right you are!
GIULIA I was afraid there'd be no tickets left; it's so late.
ANDREA There was no problem.
GIULIA And Giannino?
ANDREA I sent him up with Teresa to get washed and dressed.
GIULIA Such a good father! (To Costanzo.) May I offer you a vermouth?
COSTANZO Thank you; I never indulge.
TERESA (Entering US.) Dinner is served.
GIULIA (To Costanzo.) And you were too late. (To Gustavo.) May I take your arm? (All exit to the dining room.)
CURTAIN
END PLAY
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