[COAST _goes on the balcony._ MRS. CARLEY, _on balcony, calls, "Here
comes_ DICK!" GEORGIANA _hesitates and then goes close to the window.
She stands in a chair so as to see over the others' heads, hidden behind
the curtain of the half-open window, and watches. The music is louder as
they pass under the balcony; a flag is seen almost on level with the
balcony floor. Those on the balcony wave and shout, and shouts are heard
in the street._ GEORGIANA _stands still, wiping the tears from her eyes
every moment with a tiny wad of a handkerchief, and as the music passes,
growing less loud,_
THE CURTAIN FALLS
ACT III
_Eight months later._ GEORGIANA'S _room, an octagonal room with dark
panel walnut woodwork and panels of yellow brocade, with furniture to
match. All in the simplest style of Louis XV. There is a fireplace on
the Left, and doors Right and Left. Two windows at the back. At right of
the Centre is a very large dressing table covered with massive silver
toilet articles, a big mirror, candelabra, etc., and a silver-framed,
photograph of_ DICK COLEMAN. _There is a low bench before the table,
tables and chairs about the room, and a most comfortable, roomy sofa, on
the Left, piled with embroidered pillows. It is after seven and the
lamps are lit._ STEVEN _enters from Left and sits on the sofa. He is
haggard, his clothes mussed, his linen rumpled and soiled. He is
painfully nervous and agitated; he cannot keep still; as soon as he sits
down he gets up; he goes from one place in the room to another, taking
up a picture without looking at it, sitting down and getting up again.
Twice he half whispers, half groans, "Good God!" He takes out a pistol
from his pocket, looks at it, and puts it away again as_ LIZZIE _enters
Right._
LIZZIE. Miss Carley says she'll be in as soon as she can.
STEVEN. [_Rising and going to the dressing table._] Is she dressing for
the ball now?
LIZZIE. No, sir, she's wearing a tea gown for dinner; it'll be a grand
sight, the ball, sir!
STEVEN. I suppose so.
LIZZIE. Pity _we_ couldn't 'ave got the Grand Duke here, sir, to dinner.
STEVEN. [_Moving about._] We couldn't afford to entertain a Russian
prince, Lizzie,--don't tell your mistress,--but I've been speculating
again and we're hard up.
LIZZIE. Oh, I am so sorry, sir--I know how to sympathize with you,
though we did get our money back! Perhaps you'll get yours.
STEVEN. How about you and Moles?
[_Comes to_ LIZZIE.
LIZZIE. Well, sir, last Tuesday we counted up, we're about two years
off, or fourteen hundred dollars distance, so to speak. We've calculated
then we could marry and settle down if we'd be satisfied with two rooms
and no children.
[_There is a knock on door Left._ Yes? [_Going to the door, opens it._]
Oh, come in, sir. [_Moves away._] Mr. Carley is here.
COAST. [_Entering._] Where's Miss Georgiana?
LIZZIE. She's dressing, sir. She'll be down in five or ten minutes.
[_Goes out Right._
COAST. How are you?
[_The two men nod a surly greeting._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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