SCENE: _A drawing-room in_ MADAME DE CÉRAN’S _château at_ SAINT GERMAIN. The Art of Being Bored ACT I _A drawing-room, with a large entrance at the back, opening upon another room. Entrances up and down stage. To the left, between the two doors, a piano. Right, an entrance down-stage; farther up, a large alcove with a glazed door leading into the garden, left; a table, on either side of which is a chair; to the right, a small table and a sofa, armchairs, etc._ FRANCOIS. (_Looking among the papers which litter the table_) It couldn’t be on top here—nor here. _Revue Matérialiste_ ... _Revue des Cours_—_Journal des Savants_—— (_Enter_ LUCY.) LUCY. Well, Francois, have you found the letter? FRANCOIS. No, Miss Lucy, not yet. LUCY. Pink paper—opened—no envelope? FRANCOIS. Is it addressed to Miss Watson? LUCY. Didn’t I tell you it was addressed to me? FRANCOIS. But—— LUCY. The point is, have you found it? FRANCOIS. Not yet, but I shall look everywhere, and ask—— LUCY. Don’t ask; there’s no need. But it must be found, so look carefully. Go over every foot of ground from where you gave us our letters this morning, to this room. It couldn’t have fallen anywhere else. Please, please hunt for it! (_She goes out_) FRANCOIS. (_Alone, as he returns to the table_) “Hunt, hunt?” _Revue Coloniale_—_Revue Diplomatique_—_Revue Archéologique_—— (_Enter_ JEANNE _and_ PAUL.) JEANNE. (_Gaily_) Someone here! (_To_ FRANCOIS) Madame de Céran—— PAUL. (_Taking her hand_) Sh! (_To_ FRANCOIS, _gravely_) Is Madame la comtesse de Céran in the château at present? FRANCOIS. Yes, Monsieur. JEANNE. (_Gaily_) Very well, tell her that Monsieur and Madame Paul—— PAUL. (_As before, coldly_) Be good enough to announce to her that M. Raymond, Sub-prefect[1] of Agenis, and Mme. Raymond, have arrived from Paris, and await her pleasure in the drawing-room. [1] A prefect is the officer in charge of the administrative affairs of the Department, one of the ninety-six divisions of France. JEANNE. And that—— PAUL. (_As before_) Sh! That’s all, please. FRANCOIS. Very well, M. le sous-préfet. (_Aside_) Newlyweds!— Shall I take Monsieur’s—? (_He takes their bags and rugs, and goes out_) JEANNE. Now, Paul—— PAUL. No “Paul” here: “M. Raymond!” JEANNE. What, d’you want me to——? PAUL. Not here, I tell you. JEANNE. (_Laughing_) What a scowl! PAUL. Please, you mustn’t laugh out loud. JEANNE. How is this, Monsieur, you are scolding me? (_She throws herself into his arms, but he disengages himself, terrified_) PAUL. Silly! That’s enough to spoil everything! JEANNE. Oh! What a bore! PAUL. Precisely! That time you struck exactly the right note. You surely haven’t forgotten all I told you in the train? JEANNE. Why, I thought you were joking! PAUL. Joking? So you don’t want to be a Prefect’s wife?—Tell me? JEANNE. Yes, if it would please you.