The Complete Plays of J. M. Barrie - 30 Titles in One Edition. Джеймс Барри

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СКАЧАТЬ writing is resumed, PROFESSOR watches her, sighs, then comes to himself.) I don’t seem to be able to do any work to-day.

      LUCY. I’ll sit over there. I think my being so near disturbs you. (Takes paper and pen and goes to table.)

      PROFESSOR. I don’t see how that can be; my other secretaries always sat here.

      (She writes, PROFESSOR, unable to keep his mind upon his work, finally takes papers and chair and goes over and sits at the table.)

      LUCY. You were to sit over there.

      PROFESSOR. Bless my soul, what am I doing here? (Returns to table.)

      LUCY. Did Sommering found his bi-signal alphabet on that of Schilling?

      PROFESSOR. Sommering? Never!

      LUCY. I thought not.

      PROFESSOR. Have I put Schilling before Sommering?

      LUCY. Yes.

      PROFESSOR. I used to have an intellect. I really had, Miss White. All gone, all gone!

      LUCY. There is something that I can’t make out.

      (PROFESSOR goes to her.)

      What is it that the small spring Z is joined to? (Hands him paper.)

      (COSENS enters, comes slowly in front of table and listens.)

      PROFESSOR (reading). ‘A steel spring X is connected by a copper cylinder Y with the terminal BD, and a small spring Z is joined by means of the circular bar EFG to the terminal LUCY: (PROFESSOR goes to table and takes diagram.)

      Hullo, Dick. (Looks at diagram, showing it to LUCY.) There is no LUCY in the diagram.

      LUCY. No.

      PROFESSOR. Doctor, do you see any LUCY?

      COSENS. Yes.

      PROFESSOR. Where?

      COSENS (pointing to LUCY). There.

      PROFESSOR. Eh? Oh, her name. This is no jesting matter, Dick, I must resign my chair. (Taps his brow.) Cotton wool, cotton wool.

      (COSENS lowers on LUCY, who quakes beneath his gaze. He opens door for her and she goes as if in disgrace.)

      COSENS. Tom, I’ve found out what’s the matter with you.

      PROFESSOR. What?

      COSENS. Can you stand a shock?

      PROFESSOR. Tell me the worst — quick! Is it grave?

      COSENS. It is very grave. My poor friend, you are in love. (Emphatically.)

      PROFESSOR. What! In love — I — you — how dare you, Dick? Playing with me. Very cruel.

      COSENS. Oh, I didn’t give it to you. You are in love, and at your age it’s bound to be a bad case. You ought to have had it long ago.

      PROFESSOR. Love! Horrible I (Dazed.)

      COSENS. Ah! you feel that it is true!

      PROFESSOR. Love — me! (Suddenly) Who is the woman?

      COSENS. You don’t know?

      PROFESSOR. I haven’t an idea.

      COSENS. Poor Tom!

      PROFESSOR. But it is impossible — I was all right a month ago.

      COSENS. Do you think it can’t happen in a month?

      PROFESSOR (fiercely). Then who is the woman?

      COSENS. Why should I know? I only recognise the symptoms. I am not acquainted with your lady friends.

      PROFESSOR. Lady friends? (Growing pale) Dick, it can’t be the little Dowager, can it? I haven’t been paying attentions to her without knowing it, have I?

      COSENS. Search your heart, Tom!

      PROFESSOR. Dick, when we were sitting there, she and I — I think she was talking about love to me!

      COSENS. Are you sure, Tom, that you didn’t talk about it to her?

      PROFESSOR. Dick! (He rings bell.)

      COSENS. Poor old man!

      PROFESSOR. Brain addled! Might do anything.

      (Enter EFFIE.)

      Effie, have you noticed me paying particular attention to any lady lately?

      EFFIE. Losh preserve us.

      PROFESSOR. To the Dowager, for instance? Have you?

      EFFIE. No, sir.

      PROFESSOR. On your oath?

      EFFIE. On my oath, sir.

      PROFESSOR. Do you hear that, Dick? Effie would know. It’s all right — right as rain. (To effie) Send Miss White here.

      (Exit EFFIE.)

      COSENS. Why do you want Miss White?

      PROFESSOR. To ask her the same question.

      COSENS. Good heavens!

      PROFESSOR. Why are you so surprised? If such a thing has been going on with any other lady than the Dowager she must have noticed it. She has been with me constantly.

      (LUCY enters, followed by EFFIE.) I don’t need you any more, Effie.

      (EFFIE goes reluctantly.)

      Miss White, since you have been in this house, have I spoken a dozen sentences to any lady besides yourself?

      LUCY. Not so far as I know.

      PROFESSOR. That won’t do. On your oath.

      LUCY. On my oath.

      PROFESSOR. There, Dick, that settles it. Confess that you were merely trying to frighten me.

      COSENS (almost whispering). I was doing nothing of the kind. I was telling you the truth.

      PROFESSOR. Snap my fingers! (Snaps them at COSENS.)

      Snap my fingers!

      (PROFESSOR glares at him and goes.)

      COSENS. So, Miss White.

      LUCY. Please don’t fold your arms in that way. It frightens me. I’ll do anything you like. Shall I say 99?

      COSENS. I have found you out! You know what I mean! I wonder you have not managed to lure him to a proposal.

      LUCY. СКАЧАТЬ