The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts

Автор

Оноре де Бальзак

Жанр

Зарубежная классика

Год написания книги

2017

<< 1 ... 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 ... 47 >>

На страницу:

Перейти

23 из 47

Настройки чтения

Размер шрифта

Высота строк

Поля

The General Yes, Madame Charny. Doesn't she live near Saint-Melo? That is by no means at the other end of the world.

Gertrude Just use a little tact, some of the manoeuvres of an old soldier, and be very gentle, and you will soon learn whether this child —

The General

Why should I worry about it? Here comes Pauline herself.

SCENE FOURTH

The same persons, Marguerite, then Pauline.

The General Ah! It is you, Marguerite. You came near causing the death of my daughter last night by your carelessness. You forgot —

Marguerite

I, General, cause the death of my child!

The General You forgot to take away the vase containing flowers of a strong scent, and she was almost suffocated.

Marguerite

Impossible! I took away the vase before the arrival of M. Godard, and

Madame must have seen that it was not there while we were dressing

Mademoiselle —

Gertrude

You are mistaken. It was there.

Marguerite (aside) She's a hard one. (Aloud) Does not Madame remember that she wished to put some natural flowers in Mademoiselle's hair, and that she remarked about the vase being gone?

Gertrude

You are inventing a story. But where did you carry it?

Marguerite

To the foot of the veranda.

Gertrude (to the General)

Did you find it there last night?

The General

No.

Gertrude I took it from the chamber myself last night, and put it where it now stands. (Points to the vase of flowers on the veranda.)

Marguerite

Sir, I swear to you by my eternal salvation —

Gertrude

Do not swear. (Calling.) Pauline!

The General

Pauline!

(Pauline appears.)

Gertrude

Was the vase of flowers in your room last night?

Pauline

Yes. Marguerite, my dear old friend, you must have forgotten it.

Marguerite Why don't you say, Mademoiselle, that some one put it there on purpose to make you ill!

Gertrude

Whom do you mean by some one?

The General You old fool, if your memory failed you, it is unnecessary for you, at any rate, to accuse anybody else.

Pauline (aside to Marguerite)

Keep silence! (Aloud) Marguerite, it was there! You forgot it.

Marguerite

It is true, sir, I was thinking of the day before yesterday.

The General (aside) She has been in my service for twenty years. Strange that she should be so persistent! (Takes Marguerite aside.) Come! What did you say about the flowers for my daughter's hair?

Marguerite (while Pauline makes signs to her)

I said that, sir – I am so old that my memory is treacherous.

The General But even then, why did you suppose that any one in the house had an evil thought towards —

Pauline