Cæsar's Wife: A Comedy in Three Acts. Maugham William Somerset

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СКАЧАТЬ come and told you. I was so pleased and excited that I forgot.

Violet

      I don't quite know why you should have been so excited.

Anne

      It will be very nice for me to have Ronny so near. You see, now I've given up my flat I shan't come to Egypt very often and I should never have seen Ronny. I can run over to Paris constantly. Besides, it's a step, isn't it? And I want to see him an Ambassador before I die.

Violet

      I don't see what good it will do him in Paris to speak Arabic like a native.

Arthur

      Oh, well, that is the F.O. all over. The best Persian scholar in the Service has spent the last six years in Washington.

Ronny

      It's been a great surprise for me. I expected to remain in Egypt indefinitely.

Violet

      [Recovering herself.] I expect you'll have a very good time in Paris. When do you go?

Ronny

      There's a boat the day after to-morrow. Sir Arthur thought I'd better take that.

Violet

      [Scarcely mistress of herself.] As soon as that! [Recovering, gaily.] We shall miss you dreadfully. I can't imagine what I shall do without you. [To Anne.] You can't think how useful he's been to me since I came here.

Ronny

      It's very kind of you to say so.

Violet

      He's invaluable at functions and things like that. You see, he knows where everyone should sit at dinner. And at first he used to coach me with details about various people so that I shouldn't say the wrong thing.

Arthur

      If you had you'd have said it so charmingly that no one would have resented it.

Violet

      I'm so afraid that the man who takes Ronny's place will refuse to write my invitations for me.

Arthur

      It's not exactly the duty of my secretaries.

Violet

      No, but I do hate doing it myself. And Ronny was able to imitate my handwriting.

Arthur

      I'm sure he could never write as badly as you.

Violet

      Oh, yes, he could. Couldn't you?

Ronny

      I managed to write quite enough like you for people not to notice the difference.

Violet

      You know, there are thirty-two invitations to do now.

Anne

      Why don't you send cards?

Violet

      Oh, I think a letter is so much more polite. Somehow I don't feel old enough to ask people to dine with me in the third person.

Ronny

      I'll come and do them the moment Sir Arthur can let me go.

Arthur

      You'd better do them before Violet goes out.

Violet

      That'll be very soon. The Khedive's mother has asked me to go and see her at half-past three. I'll get the list now, shall I? I don't think I'll wait for Christina. If she wants to see you on business I dare say she'd rather I wasn't there.

Arthur

      Very well.

Violet

      [To Ronny.] Will you come here when you're ready?

Ronny

      Certainly.

      [She goes out.]

Arthur

      Have you finished that report yet?

Ronny

      Not quite, sir. It will be ready in ten minutes.

Arthur

      Put it on my desk.

Ronny

      All right, sir.

      [Exit. Arthur and Anne are left alone. He looks at her reflectively.]

Arthur

      Violet is very sensitive to anything that might be considered a slight.

Anne

      It's very natural, isn't it? A high-spirited girl.

Arthur

      She likes me to tell her my arrangements. It gives her a little feeling of importance to know things before other people.

Anne

      Oh, of course. I quite understand. I should do the same in her place.

Arthur

      I ought to have remembered and told her that Ronny was going. She was just a little vexed because she thought I'd been fixing things up behind her back.

Anne

      Yes, I know. It would naturally put her out for a moment to learn on a sudden that one of the persons she'd been thrown in contact with was going away.

Arthur

      [With a twinkle in his eye.] I'm wondering if I must blame you for the loss of an excellent secretary.

Anne

      Me?

Arthur

      I don't know why the F.O. should suddenly have made up their minds that your brother was wanted in Paris. Have you been pulling strings?

Anne

      [Smiling.] What a suspicious nature you have!

Arthur

      Anne, own up.

Anne

      I thought Ronny was getting into a groove here. There didn't seem to be much more for him to do than he has been doing for some time. If you will have the truth, I've been moving heaven and earth to get him moved.

Arthur

      How deceitful of you not to have said a word about it!

Anne

      I didn't want to make him restless. I knew he'd be mad to go to Paris. I thought it much better not to say anything till it was settled.

Arthur

      D'you think he's mad to go to Paris?

Anne

      [Fencing with him.] Any young man would be.

Arthur

      I wonder if he'd be very much disappointed if I made other arrangements.

Anne

      What do you mean, Arthur? You wouldn't prevent him from going when I've done everything in the world to get him away.

Arthur

      [Abruptly.] Why should you be so anxious for him to go?

      [She looks at him for an instant in dismay.]

Anne

      Good heavens, don't speak so sharply to me. I told Violet just now. I wanted him to be more get-at-able. I think he stands a much better chance of being noticed if he's in a place like Paris.

Arthur

      [With a smile.] Ah, yes, you said you were coming less frequently to Egypt than in the past. It might be worth while to keep Ronny here in order to tempt you back.

Anne

      Egypt isn't the same to me that it was.

Arthur

      I hope my marriage has made no difference СКАЧАТЬ