Early morning of the following day. A salon of the guest suite assigned to Maria Dominica. Doors at right and left. At back, on the left, is the entrance from the hallway. When the curtain rises Symphorosa is speaking to the Chambermaid.
Symphorosa—We do not know how soon her highness Maria Dominica may arrive. Her telegram said this morning, but there is no train in the morning, so she must be coming by motor. That means we may look for her at any moment.
Chambermaid—Yes, your highness. [Beatrice enters at left.]
Symphorosa—[Hurries to her and embraces her.] Darling ... why are you up so early? It’s barely seven o’clock. There, there!... Do you feel better?
Beatrice—[Unhappily.] I haven’t slept. I never closed an eye, I was so restless.... Is the guest suite ready?
Chambermaid—Everything is in perfect order.
Beatrice—[Tearfully.] The bath?
Chambermaid—We have just lit the fire. The water will be warm in half an hour. [At a nod from Beatrice she exits at right.]
Beatrice—Is she to have these three rooms?
Symphorosa—Yes. This salon—— [Points to the right] and that one; the bedroom with the dressing room; and the bath. [Beatrice dries her eyes.]
Symphorosa—Don’t cry, dear. The good Lord will help us.
Beatrice—Only He can help us now. When does Dominica arrive?
Symphorosa—Can’t tell exactly. She is coming by motor.
Beatrice—If she had only come yesterday—even yesterday evening——
Symphorosa—[Sighs.] Ah, yes....
Beatrice—This beautiful summer day! And to think that it is the most tragic day of my life! Could you ever have believed that Maria Dominica would be on her way to ask my daughter’s hand in marriage with her son ... and I awaiting her in tears? [Weeps.]
Symphorosa—My dear! [Embraces her.]
Beatrice—How is Albert?
Symphorosa—He is asleep.
Beatrice—Fortunate man! And Alexandra?
Symphorosa—She came down at six, and went riding. Alone. I hear you talked with her last night.
Beatrice—Yes. She came to my bedside at three o’clock. Oh, that I had been spared that interview!
Symphorosa—Was she disrespectful?
Beatrice—No, she was repentant. She told me everything—everything that happened.
Symphorosa—The very last thing too?
Beatrice—If only she hadn’t told me that!
Symphorosa—What did you say to her?
Beatrice—Not a word. I wasn’t able to. My whole body turned to ice.
Symphorosa—What did she do?
Beatrice—Kissed my hand and went out. I haven’t seen her since. [A brief pause.] That man—is he still here?
Symphorosa—He is here—but——
Beatrice—[Explosively.] He is here?
Symphorosa—Yes, but——
Beatrice—There is no but which can justify his being here still.
Symphorosa— ... But he is packing his trunk.
Beatrice—[To the Chambermaid who has entered at right.] Well?
Chambermaid—Your highness, a motor is entering the grounds. You can see it from the window. There are two ladies in it.
Beatrice—Now my Calvary begins. Symphorosa—don’t leave me. Where is Hyacinth?
Symphorosa—Gone out for a walk.
Beatrice—I don’t want to see him. Last night I sent for him to give him a scolding.
Symphorosa—Yes?
Beatrice—And he scolded me instead. Let him keep out of my sight.
Symphorosa—Why are you so angry with him?
Beatrice—Because he was right.
Cæsar—[Enters at left.] Your highness, the motor has driven up.
Beatrice—We’re coming, we’re coming. [She exits quickly with Symphorosa. Cæsar exits at back. The door remains open. Off stage their voices are heard in an exchange of greetings. Dominica enters with Beatrice and Symphorosa. She wears a motoring coat. Behind her comes the Countess, who helps her off with the coat, hat and veil and gives them to the Chambermaid, who exits at right, taking the things with her.]
Dominica—[Animatedly continuing the conversation begun outside.] ... simply by starting at four this morning, my dear. I’m not fond of travelling by day in the summertime. I can’t endure the heat. The car ran beautifully. Barely three hours. And the distance is over two hundred kilometers.
Beatrice—Well, what time did you rise?
Dominica—At half-past two. While you were still dancing here. [Beatrice sighs.]
Symphorosa—What an energetic woman you are, Dominica! How youthful!
Dominica—[With spiritual fervor.] There is nothing I can’t be ... for my son. [Beatrice sighs.] That’s the second time you have sighed.
Beatrice—I was thinking of my poor dear husband. How fond he was of you.
Dominica—I was fond of him too ... very.
Beatrice—Symphorosa, will you go and see that everything is ready? We hadn’t expected you so early.
Dominica—I didn’t telegraph the hour of my arrival because you never can be sure when you are motoring. But I don’t mind waiting. [Sits.] What a joy it is to sit down again without having a landscape rushing past you!
Symphorosa—Excuse me, dear, while I see that everything has been made comfortable for you. [She exits at right.]
Beatrice—Will you have breakfast now?
Dominica—Later, thank you. We had some tea before we started. If you please, Countess, tell Luetzen he is not to awaken my son on my account, not before his accustomed hour. [The Countess exits at right.] I hear you were up late last night, dissipating with Albert. He likes that.
Beatrice—Oh ... he is so gracious ... so easy to entertain....
Dominica—Don’t be modest. I daresay you contrived all sorts of schemes to amuse and entertain him.
Beatrice—[Bitterly.] We did our best, of course.
Dominica—And now, my dear, let us come to the point. I am a simple, practical woman, you know. They haven’t nicknamed me “the cook” in Vienna for nothing.
Beatrice—Oh!
Dominica—Tut, tut! I know that’s what they call me, and I am proud of it. But, first of all, give me a nice kiss. [They stand up and kiss.] That’s right! [They sit.] And now to business. You realize why I am here.
Beatrice—Oh, Dominica!
Dominica—In a word: My son wishes to marry your daughter. [They rise again, kiss, and sit down. Beatrice weeps.]
Dominica—Don’t cry, Beatrice. This is nothing to cry about.
Beatrice—No, certainly not ... but I am so overwhelmed.
Dominica—Compose yourself, dear. Albert telegraphed me yesterday that he didn’t trust himself to speak to you about Alexandra without me. You know he never makes a step without me.
Beatrice—A good, dutiful son.
Dominica—Yes, so he is. [Majestically.] Happy the people who get such a king.... But there! He asked me to come at once so that he might tell her how enchanted he is with her. [Both rise, embrace and kiss each other, then sit down.]
Beatrice—Oh, my dear Dominica!
Dominica—I don’t wonder. She is such a perfect creature,—beautiful, good, clever and queenly. That is what I admire most about her—her proud, imperious ways.
Beatrice—How nice of you to say so!
Dominica—Haven’t you noticed that in the past ten years our young women have become infected with a certain rather vulgar freedom of manner, imported from foreign countries? Not she. She is grave, majestic, aloof, perhaps a bit too aloof ... I mean a bit too cold toward her inferiors.
Beatrice—Cold? Oh, I wouldn’t say that.
Dominica—That is precisely what I admire in her.
Beatrice—She has altered of late. She is quite warm to her inferiors now.
Dominica—To think that the desire of my sainted husband is at last to be fulfilled! This marriage, you know, was his——
Beatrice—His most cherished wish. [Sighs.]
Dominica—I am very happy, Beatrice, that the obstacles which lay in the way of this marriage are vanished. Now Albert can follow the call of his heart. [She sighs deeply.]
Beatrice—Now it’s you who sighed.
Dominica—I don’t deny it, Beatrice. It is no great credit to our diplomats that my son must marry for love. It grieves me to think that the incompetence of our diplomats should compel my son to follow the call of his heart.
Beatrice—Perhaps he’ll be happier for it.
Dominica—If we had had a Metternich, Albert might have been very unhappy, but then there would have been a real marriage. Don’t be angry at my candor.... One’s Family, you know!... We are not what we are—to strive for personal happiness.
Beatrice—Alas, no.
Dominica—If you knew what Albert has gone through. First that Russian girl, Olga Constantinovna....
Beatrice—Oh, I know. And then the English girl, Patricia.
Dominica—You know that, too?
Beatrice—I have followed his political career with the utmost interest. And then, in Dresden, came Leopoldine Charlotte ... the fat one.
Dominica—How well you know everything! From there he went to Portugal.
Beatrice—In the middle of July ... Silvina Gonzaga, that odious infanta.
Dominica—Odious? That doesn’t describe her. Perhaps there is a word for it in Portuguese. In any case “odious” is quite inadequate. And then came that amazing affair with Marie Hermine in Brussels.
Beatrice—She is fully two heads taller than Albert.
Dominica—Yes. But we never knew it because she had always sent us bust portraits.
Beatrice—Yes, I know.
Dominica—How perfectly charming of you to know everything!
Beatrice—Oh, well, you see, I have regarded Albert as one of the family ever since he was a child. [Hyacinth enters at back.]
Hyacinth—Welcome, Dominica. [Embraces her.]
Dominica—Karl!
Hyacinth—[Crosses to Beatrice, kisses her on the forehead.] Good morning, Beatrice. You are looking splendid, Dominica.
Dominica—You, of all people! Are you here for a holiday?
Hyacinth—Only for a few days. But perhaps I am interrupting your——
Dominica—Not at all. Well, here I am, and you know why I am here.
Hyacinth—And I am delighted. [Takes her hand; kisses it.]
Dominica—We were just talking of how my poor son had been tossed about by the exigencies of politics before he arrived at last in the calm, happy harbor of your dear family. Olga Constantinovna——
Hyacinth—Of the blue eyes. A magnificent girl.
Dominica—Do you know her?
Hyacinth—I danced with her mother in Munich.
Dominica—Odd to hear you say that.
Hyacinth—Oh, in those days——
Dominica—She really was a beautiful girl. But politics, you know. And when King Edward left Marienbad that ended all hope of an alliance with England. Whereupon the English princess began studying the Bulgarian language. With an eye to the Bulgarian crown prince.
Hyacinth—What did Albert do?
Dominica—We sent him on a trip into Africa to heal his broken heart.
Beatrice—And Patricia learned to speak Bulgarian.
Dominica—Fluently. But nothing came of that either. She was married in Sweden to Prince Olaf. Now, with all her Bulgarian erudition, she lives among the Swedes. I hear that the Bulgarian minister to Stockholm is delirious with joy because she always speaks Bulgarian with him. And out of that, between Sweden and Bulgaria ... came an enormous trade in pig iron. To this day the good Bulgarians do not dream to what they owe all that iron.
Beatrice—And don’t you know why nothing came of the Bulgarian marriage?
Dominica—I understand that the Serbs thwarted Delcassé’s schemes.
Beatrice—That is the official explanation. The real reason is more interesting. Patricia’s family sent Arthur and the Bulgarian court sent Philip for a final conference. As you know, Arthur can’t hear a thing with his left ear, and Philip is totally deaf in his right ear. At the court dinner, where the conference was to take place, they were seated side by side, in the order that rank and etiquette demanded, so that each had his deaf ear turned to the other. But neither of them realized it. In the beginning each spoke a few words, but receiving no answer, became offended and said no more. Both of them went home in a rage and that is how Patricia came to be a Swedish princess, and why there is so much pig iron in Bulgaria to-day.
Hyacinth—I never heard that story before. And so, Dominica, you are taking our little girl away from us.
Dominica—Yes, Karl. Is she still asleep?
Beatrice—No. She went riding early this morning.
Dominica—When can I see her?
Beatrice—[In a panic.] When can you see her?... Ah-h-h ... God! [She is greatly distressed; presses her hand to her forehead.] My head.... Oh! [Sways weakly.]
Hyacinth—[Forcibly.] My dear, I beg of you, I sincerely urge you not to be ill; I forbid you to be ill.
Dominica—What’s the matter with you, dear?
Beatrice—It started last night ... at supper ... a sudden weak spell....
Hyacinth—It was very inconsiderate of you.
Beatrice—But Karl——
Dominica—If you really don’t feel well——
Hyacinth—What if she doesn’t feel well? I don’t feel so well myself just now. I forbid you to faint.... Sit down. [With an expression of dread, Beatrice sits.]
Dominica—[Goes to her in alarm.] But what is the matter?
Hyacinth—[Restraining her.] I shall tell you, Dominica.
Beatrice—[Terrified; quavering.] Karl! Karl!
Hyacinth—Peace! Let me speak now. Dominica, you are regarded—and not without reason—as the cleverest woman in Europe.
Dominica—But Karl!
Hyacinth—Now don’t be modest. You’ll be needing all your cleverness in a moment. For we have a bit of a difficulty here. I don’t consider it so, but Beatrice, apprehensive as usual, does.... Something has happened, Dominica.
Dominica—Jesus and Mary! Not to Alexandra?
Hyacinth—There! Didn’t I say she was the cleverest woman in——
Dominica—Something has happened ... to Alexandra?
Hyacinth—No, but almost.
Beatrice—[Terrified.] Karl!
Dominica—Good heavens!
Hyacinth—I implore you, don’t you faint too.
Dominica—Karl! You terrify me.
Hyacinth—On the contrary. I am reassuring you.
Dominica—What happened, in heaven’s name?
Hyacinth—Simply this—that since Albert came here he has conducted himself like a fish.
Dominica—Like a fish? [Dominica is sitting at left, Beatrice at right and Hyacinth stands between them.]
Beatrice—How can you say such a thing?
Hyacinth—It is true. He was cold and mute.
Dominica—Poor Albert! That was on my account. He wanted me to be here before he——
Hyacinth—No one in the world could have suspected that. Least of all Alexandra, who was quite attracted by him and who was deeply wounded by his indifference.
Dominica—Did he make it as conspicuous as that?
Hyacinth—It couldn’t possibly have been more conspicuous. He is a very good son, but a very bad marriage candidate. Just the same, your son is idolized here. Both by the girl and by her good mother. [His gesture indicates Beatrice.]
Dominica—You dear, sweet——
Beatrice—Oh, Dominica, if you only knew ... if you only knew——
Hyacinth—And amid all this adoration he strutted like a ... like a....
Dominica—Fish.
Hyacinth—Worse than that! The girl didn’t sleep ... wept all night long....
Dominica—How terrible!
Hyacinth—And we all suffered with her ... her mother, I, the boys, the professor.
Dominica—[Suspiciously.] What professor?
Hyacinth—[Mopping his brow.] That’s just it. [With a glance at Beatrice.] There is a teacher here, a tutor to the boys. A nice, cultured straightforward young man. And he ... well ... toward the end ... when everyone was desperate ... an extraordinary thing occurred, which was, indeed, only another proof of the adoration in which your son——
Beatrice—[Terrified; beseechingly.] Karl!
Dominica—Go on.
Hyacinth—With characteristic feminine logic it was deemed expedient to invite the professor to last night’s reception ... in order to stimulate Albert’s interest a bit. A stupid idea, of course ... but from it you can glean the somewhat ecstatic regard in which your son is held here.
Dominica—What a charming, naïve idea!
Hyacinth—Wasn’t it? [Flashes Beatrice a triumphant glance.] Yes, and then came something which hadn’t been reckoned with. This professor—a fine, a serious, a most estimable young man—it appeared that he—think of it—that he had been secretly in love with Alexandra. [In terror Beatrice rises. There is a brief pause.]
Dominica—[Emphatically.] Such things happen. [Reassured, Beatrice sits down.]
Hyacinth—[With a triumphant glance at Beatrice.] Yes, and no wonder. He sees her every day. She is beautiful. The rest was inevitable. Think of all those ancient romances of the Tutor and the Princess——
Dominica—What then?
Hyacinth—Put yourself in this poor young man’s place. Though desperately in love, he lends himself to this innocent deception, knowing, poor fellow, that he is only a means to an end.
Dominica—It was all Albert’s fault. Why did he hesitate to speak? I consider his reticence exaggerated under the circumstances.
Hyacinth—Remember it was out of consideration for you. Really, Albert’s devotion to you borders on the fantastic.
Dominica—After all, it is gratifying. [With tears in her eyes.] Well, and then?
Hyacinth—[Mopping his brow.] Well, as I said, this young man sat down to supper with me ... this martyr ... I really must call him that ... this wretched human sacrifice ... and there at the table he endured such tortures that tears came to my eyes, watching him.
Dominica—I don’t wonder. It is really quite touching.
Hyacinth—And the poor girl, who is tender-hearted as she can be, could not bear to see him suffer so ... and she would have sent him away ... but the professor ... solely for the sake of the family ... solely for Alexandra’s sake ... solely for the sake of your son’s happiness ... the professor played the comedy through, though his heart was bleeding....
Dominica—Poor fellow....
Hyacinth— ... Until Albert, who knew nothing of all this, insulted him.
Dominica—[Horrified.] The professor?
Hyacinth—Yes, him.
Dominica—This poor young man?
Hyacinth—This poor young man. Think of it!
Dominica—What did Albert do?
Hyacinth—He called him an impertinent little upstart.
Dominica—Terrible! And didn’t you interfere?
Hyacinth—How could I?
Dominica—What did the young man do?
Hyacinth—What could he do? He bowed his head. I thought my heart would break.
Dominica—Poor, brave fellow! And what did Alexandra say?
Hyacinth—[Mopping his brow.] I am glad that you, too, are sorry for this nice young man.
Dominica—What did Alexandra do?
Hyacinth—You are not only clever but sympathetic as well.
Dominica—And Alexandra?
Hyacinth—If you could only have seen him standing there, this poor, industrious scientist.... Would you believe it? An astronomer! With his hopeless, despairing, inarticulate love; with his shattered romance; with his bleeding heart ... and Albert insulting him with cold, withering elegance.... And there he stood with bowed head ... disgraced irreparably ... annihilated ... after he had made such a sacrifice for the family.... Can you picture it? Such loyalty—and such a martyrdom? You tell me, as a woman, is such a young man not noble?
Dominica—[Emphatically.] Most noble!
Hyacinth—[Rhetorically.] Is he the sort of young man who should be driven out? Is he the sort who should be despised?
Dominica—Certainly not.
Hyacinth—[With increasing fervor.] Is he the sort who should be insulted? Who should be mistreated? Who should be punished?
Dominica—God forbid.
Hyacinth—[Still more impassioned.] Again I ask you: Does such a young man deserve to be driven away? To be insulted? To be mistreated? Or does he deserve ... to ... what shall I say? ... to ... I don’t know myself ... he deserves ... to ... to——
Dominica—To be kissed!
Hyacinth—Yes, that is just what happened to him. [Sinks weakly into a chair; mops his brow; murmurs to himself.] I thought she’d never say it.
Dominica—[Taken aback.] Eh?... What happened to him?
Hyacinth—Just what you said. Alexandra kissed him.
Dominica—Alexandra?
Hyacinth—As you said.
Dominica—I? Yes. Um, yes.
Hyacinth—After Albert insulted him she couldn’t stand by and see him suffer any longer. She kissed him, in mine and Albert’s presence.
Dominica—And what did Albert do?
Hyacinth—How could he, poor chap, understand what was going on? Naturally, he didn’t see it all as clearly as you see it now.
Dominica—[Without conviction.] I? Yes ... yes ... of course.
Hyacinth—And Beatrice ... who is such a stickler for form ... sits here worrying herself almost to death [turns to Beatrice] about something which Dominica, as you see, finds perfectly natural, yes, almost inevitable. Isn’t it so?
Dominica—[Without conviction.] Certainly, certainly.
Hyacinth—It was a charming gesture on Alexandra’s part. I am truly proud that throughout the entire episode she conducted herself just as you yourself would have done. We may all be proud of her. [As he speaks Beatrice gives him furtive, grateful glances.]
Dominica—A splendid girl. A girl of spirit! [Majestically.] Happy the people who get such a queen.
Hyacinth— ... And if you want to know—I kissed the poor fellow myself.
Dominica—You were right. Louis XVI., after his wife’s recovery from a dangerous confinement, kissed a nurse. [Emphatically.] Such things happen. [After a brief pause.] So that was the terrible thing?
Hyacinth—Yes, that was it. [Points to Beatrice.] She fainted dead away. But she ... she was angry with the professor anyhow.
Beatrice—[Quite reassured now.] I? I look upon it in the same light as Dominica does. Only I wasn’t sure she would see it the way I did.
Hyacinth—She is angry with the tutor on account of Napoleon. He teaches the boys that——
Dominica—Can’t you bear him, either, this Napoleon?
Hyacinth—She loathes him!
Dominica—Dear, in my sainted husband’s library there is a curiosity,—a little French book which proves quite conclusively that Napoleon never lived. I’ll send it to you. Read it. It is most comforting.... There ... dearest.... So that was your tragic difficulty.
Beatrice—Yes, you clever, practical darling.
Dominica—Poor little tutor! Now he is beginning to interest me. What is to become of him?
Beatrice—He is packing. Oh, he feels that, after what has happened, he cannot stay on here another moment.
Dominica—He is quite right. But are you letting him go like that?
Beatrice—Well, you see, my dear ... he is now ... the poor fellow is now like an exploded cartridge.
Dominica—One must be very careful with cartridges. It is just such people who become writers of memoirs, American lecturers or publicists for the opposition party. One cannot be too careful. I have had painful experiences in such matters. Tutors, adjutants.... I shall speak to him myself.
Beatrice—Thank you, you clever darling.
Dominica—Had I been here I should have warned you in the first place not to trifle with a tutor. A tutor near a princess is as dangerous as a lighted match near a tin of gasoline. And, in any case, there was no need for all this haste. Had you waited one day more ... then I’d have been here. There is an old English proverb which says: “Act in haste and repent at your leisure.”
Hyacinth—[Significantly.] In England!
Dominica—Now then ... when can I see this tutor? [The Chambermaid enters at right.]
Beatrice—At once. Is everything ready?
Chambermaid—Yes, your highness.
Beatrice—Send Cæsar to me here. [The Countess and Symphorosa enter at right.]
Symphorosa—Everything is ready now, Dominica, dear; and there is a surprise for you in there.
Dominica—Nothing will surprise me now, dear Symphorosa.
Symphorosa—This will, I think. Albert is awaiting you in the drawing room.
Dominica—Albert? Up this early? On my account! You are right, dear. This is a most joyful surprise. I’m coming. [As she goes.] Meantime, bring this professor to me here.
Beatrice—I shall arrange it at once. But I am afraid you will find him difficult.
Hyacinth—And I’ll wager that you won’t find him difficult at all.
Dominica—Karl, I haven’t wagered since 1886, when I bet my sainted husband that I would give birth to a boy.
Hyacinth—And it was a girl?
Dominica—Two, Karl, two at a time. Come, Countess. [She exits at right. Symphorosa and the Countess follow her. Hyacinth and Beatrice look at each other in silence. He smiles triumphantly.]
Beatrice—You have a good heart, Karl, and a good head. [Kisses him on the brow.] There is but one thing I am still afraid of——
Hyacinth—In heaven’s name, what now?
Beatrice—When she speaks to her son in there ... won’t he have a different opinion about it all?
Hyacinth—There are two reasons why he won’t have a different opinion. In the first place, he won’t be such a fool as to disagree with his mamma; and in the second place, I mean to be present at the interview. [Starts to go.]
Beatrice—[Hurries after him.] Karl, dear ... wait.... I have been very unfair to you.... What can I do to make you forgive me?
Hyacinth—[At the door, right.] All I ask of you is never to fall on my neck again. To-morrow you will write those words in a copy book one hundred times: “Old brooms sometimes sweep clean.” [He exits.]
Beatrice—No manners at all. [Cæsar enters at back.]
Beatrice—Cæsar! You will go downstairs and ask Dr. Agi if he will be good enough to come up at once and wait in this room. Her highness, the Princess Dominica wishes to speak to him.
Cæsar—Very good, your highness.
Beatrice—What are you serving her highness for breakfast?
Cæsar—Tea, cold salmon, cold beef, cold chicken ... cold....
Beatrice—Cæsar! Why, that is last night’s supper....
Cæsar—I beg pardon, your highness. It is this morning’s breakfast. I had it put on the table at one this morning, and no one has eaten a bite of it yet.
Beatrice—Have you lost your senses, Cæsar?
Cæsar—Quite likely, your highness.... Another breakfast will be served.
Beatrice—Why are you so pale?
Cæsar—I didn’t sleep well, your highness. I suffered agonies. Mostly on account of the tea.
Beatrice—On account of what tea?
Cæsar—On account of the terrible mistake. Father Hyacinth was served the hot tea and your highness got the cold consommé.
Beatrice—I am glad I did. I would have fainted away in that horrible moment if I hadn’t had that sip of ice-cold soup. It revived me.
Cæsar—Thank you, your highness. You have taken a great load off my mind.
Beatrice—You are not to punish the man who made the mistake.
Cæsar—No, your highness. Perhaps you would wish me to give him a little reward?
Beatrice—Let us not go to extremes.... The professor is to wait here. [She exits at right. Cæsar goes to the door at left, but it opens and Alexandra enters.]
Alexandra—Has the princess arrived?
Cæsar—Yes, your highness.
Alexandra—Where is she?
Cæsar—In there, your highness. [Points to right.] I believe she is changing her clothes after her long motor ride.
Alexandra—And what are you doing here?
Cæsar—I have been told to summon—— [Stops.]
Alexandra—To summon whom?
Cæsar—[Reluctantly.] Professor Agi.
Alexandra—[Sharply.] What do they want of Professor Agi?
Cæsar—He is to come up here and wait.
Alexandra—Very good. Send him up. [She sits.]
Cæsar—But ... if your highness pleases ... I am to send Mr. Agi up here to wait for——
Alexandra—Professor Agi.
Cæsar—Professor Agi up here to wait for her highness, who wishes to speak with him.
Alexandra—Just do as you were told. Send Professor Agi up.
Cæsar—Yes, your highness. [He exits at back. After a brief pause Agi enters, dressed for travelling.]
Agi—Your highness sent for me?
Alexandra—No. But I waited here because I learned that you had been sent for.
Agi—Is there anything your highness wanted?
Alexandra—What sort of costume is that you are wearing?
Agi—A travelling costume.
Alexandra—You are going away?
Agi—Yes. [There is a pause.] Is there anything your highness wanted?
Alexandra—And what is to become of the boys?
Agi—I don’t know.
Alexandra—Aren’t you sorry to leave them?
Agi—Indeed.... I am very sorry. [A pause.] Is there anything your highness wanted?
Alexandra—Princess Maria Dominica, the mother of the Crown Prince, has come.
Agi—I know.
Alexandra—And do you know why she has come?
Agi—I know that, too.
Alexandra—Well? [A pause.] Sit down, please.
Agi—Thank you. [He does not sit.]
Alexandra—[She rises.] I haven’t spoken with the Princess yet. I haven’t even seen her yet. Perhaps within the next few minutes we shall meet. And then ... she will tell me why she has come.
Agi—Yes. [There is a pause.]
Alexandra—Is that all you have to say about it?
Agi—Practically.
Alexandra—I don’t understand this mocking tone!
Agi—Not mocking, only incredulous. I am not a boy any more, to believe in fairy tales.
Alexandra—[With significance.] ... Boy?
Agi—Yes, your highness, not a boy.
Alexandra—[Regarding him sternly, reproachfully.] What is this attitude you have assumed toward me?
Agi—One of utmost deference, your highness.
Alexandra—Why this pretense? Have you forgotten what happened last night?
Agi—I have forgotten, your highness.
Alexandra—Have you? And have you also forgotten what I——
Agi—I have forgotten that, too, your highness.
Alexandra—Was it so easy to forget?
Agi—I didn’t say that.
Alexandra—If I had known——
Agi—You must have known.
Alexandra—That you would forget?
Agi—I ... must forget, and your highness must deny it ... and ... he must not remember it.
Alexandra—He shall remember it, and I don’t deny it. But I see that what I gave you was too precious. More precious than you deserve. Perhaps ... a kingdom.
Agi—That is not so precious. I know of one that was offered in exchange for a horse.
Alexandra—You even insult me! You speak like a sullen child.
Agi—No, your highness ... what I am saying, what I am doing, my departure to-day ... these are my answer to your highness’ kiss.
Alexandra—I hadn’t expected you to utter that word.
Agi—Uttering it doesn’t hurt. The kiss itself was much more painful.
Alexandra—[Cuttingly.] More painful for you than for me?
Agi—Oh, yes. It made me feel your profound pity for me, and also your utter contempt. It was a supercilious thing to do. It implied that I was not a human being at all ... that I could be treated ... like a child or a pet animal.
Alexandra—Is that the way you took it?
Agi—If I hadn’t taken it like that——
Alexandra—Then what?
Agi—Then I should be kissing you still.
Alexandra—[Resentfully.] I see it was all a stupid mistake on my part.
Agi—It was too much, your highness ... too much at a time. That is why it was unconvincing.
Alexandra—Unconvincing?
Agi—Yes. For we hadn’t reached that stage ... and yet ... suddenly you had kissed me.... Afterwards ... I went out into the garden ... and wandered about ... for a long time ... not among the roses ... but out under the oaks where the morning breeze was unscented and cool.... There ... at daybreak ... I grew calmer ... and could weigh and consider.... And I felt like a beggar into whose hat someone had tossed a thousand crown note instead of a copper ... and who must, in all honesty, run after the giver and offer it back.
Alexandra—I am glad to see that you know your place so well.
Agi—It is morning, your highness. The sun is shining.
Alexandra—And not the stars.
Agi—No, no; not the stars.
Alexandra—[Nervously.] I am very glad of it.
Agi—And I. Because you are glad.
Alexandra—I am very glad of it. It is better like this.
Agi—We can’t make it better. [There is a brief pause. Hyacinth enters at right. Agi bows.]
Hyacinth—Well, my son, at last you are here. The Princess wants to talk to you. Yes, and the Crown Prince, too.
Agi—The Crown Prince?
Hyacinth—He would like to make amends for ... that unfortunate misunderstanding of yesterday.
Agi—Forgive me, father ... but I must ask them to excuse me. I am leaving. My box is already on the wagon.
Hyacinth—And you proposed to leave us without farewells?
Agi—I have just said good-bye to her highness.
Alexandra—Yes, and in a most extraordinary way.
Hyacinth—How?
Alexandra—Coldly. Sullenly. As if I had insulted him.
Hyacinth—Well, isn’t that interesting? This is the second time he has divined my thoughts. Yes, you did insult him, my child. Certainly you hurt his vanity ... perhaps also his self-respect ... with that kindly little kiss. That is what you mean—isn’t it, my son?
Agi—Yes, father.
Alexandra—A tragic moment like that ... and you call it a kindly little kiss!
Hyacinth—[To Agi.] You have your athletic habits to thank for this wisdom, this healthy clarity of judgment.
Alexandra—And the things he said yesterday ... about his life and his death and his immortality.... Were they all untrue?
Hyacinth—Don’t you see? Sudden anguish seeks expression in the strongest language. That is why common people, for instance, become profane in such moments.
Alexandra—Is that all it meant?
Hyacinth—All? That is a great deal, my daughter, for it manifests a profound sorrow. An exclamation of pain, as it were, in which the words are not important.
Alexandra—Which of his words shall I believe then?
Hyacinth—The ones he leaves unspoken now. [A brief pause.] Well, and you, my daughter? Now! Be candid.
Alexandra—I, Hyacinth?... If I am to be candid, I believe I love him a little. [Puts her head on his shoulder.]
Hyacinth—I myself thought you loved him ... until you kissed him.
Alexandra—You say that, too? I don’t understand any of you. Is there anything the matter with me?
Hyacinth—No, my child.
Alexandra—And you don’t believe it was love either?
Agi—No, your highness.
Alexandra—But I——
Hyacinth—You don’t understand yourself, my child. It was pity that stirred in you last night. And at half past two it expressed itself in that bitter kiss.
Alexandra—Bitter?
Hyacinth—It wasn’t me you kissed, and yet I know it was bitter.
Alexandra—I am very unhappy, Hyacinth. But when you talk to me like this ... if you would only stay on a day or two longer and keep talking to me like this ... then I should feel better.
Hyacinth—I’ll stay, my child. I’ll stay three days more to keep you cheerful; I’ll stay four days——
Agi—Permit me to take my leave. [Bows.] Your highness. [Nervously takes leave of Hyacinth.]
Alexandra—[Cannot bring herself to let him go like this.] I admire your calm. Your mastery of yourself. Yet I know you are only pretending. This isn’t what you’d like to do. [She obstructs Agi’s way.]
Agi—Perhaps not, your highness.
Alexandra—That isn’t what you’d like to say.
Agi—Perhaps not.
Alexandra—But ... if you can control yourself so perfectly now, why didn’t you last night? [Angrily.] That’s what I want to know.
Hyacinth—I’ll stay a week.
Alexandra—[More and more hysterically.] If you can be so calm now, why weren’t you calm then? Why did you do what you did? Why? Why? What did you want?
Agi—I don’t know. That is the strangest part of what happened last night. I didn’t quite know what I wanted.
Alexandra—You didn’t know?
Agi—No.
Alexandra—You didn’t know, and yet——
Hyacinth—My child ... be calm ... I’ll stay a fortnight.
Alexandra—[With growing indignation, unheeding him.] He didn’t know what he wanted ... yet he dragged me along with him ... appealed to my sympathy ... my credulity ... dragged me and I clung to him ... ready for anything ... even my own destruction ... even if the whole world crumbled to pieces ... I would have clung to him ... and ... he ... he—— [Albert enters quietly. She sees him but continues as if he were not there.] He didn’t know what he wanted ... and didn’t care what harm he did ... as long as he could gratify a momentary impulse ... he——
Albert—[With mild irony.] Xara, you misjudge him. He is a free spirit. He is not like us.
Alexandra—[Unheeding him.] He only wanted to destroy everything ... to make a scandal.... Yes, he was ill-mannered and ignorant——
Albert—You are unjust. He is an astronomer.
Alexandra—And now I say his conduct was impertinent.
Agi—Your highness!
Albert—Don’t answer her, Hans! I forbid it, Hans! And if you will permit me ... Hans ... I will kiss you, Hans. [Embraces him and kisses him on the cheek.]
Hyacinth—Bravo! I leave to-morrow.
Agi—[Good-humoredly.] Thanks, your highness. You overwhelm me.
Albert—Do you mind?
Agi—Not this one.
Albert—Shall I kiss you again?
Agi—Thanks, your kindness, that would be too much. One was just enough. [Georg and Arsen enter at back. Each carries a bouquet of flowers in his hand. They pause a moment on the threshold, then come down to center, where they stand embarrassed. Albert goes down left.]
Georg—Professor—— [He is too touched to speak; gives Agi the flowers. So does Arsen.]
Agi—For me? [Takes them.]
Georg—Yes. [Turns away; wipes the tears from his eyes. Arsen hides his face against Georg’s shoulder.]
Agi—There, now! Can these be—the Indians? The celebrated Indians? [Georg and Arsen turn and embrace him affectionately.] We must have a happy leavetaking. Not like this. Why, you ought to be delighted. From now on—no more history lessons. Now comes history itself. [He bows, and exits at back with the boys. There is a pause.]
Albert—Don’t be angry, Xara. I owed him that.
Alexandra—Him?
Albert—In consolation for that kiss you gave him yesterday. [Alexandra looks suspiciously at Hyacinth.]
Hyacinth—Yes ... yes. It is true.
Alexandra—Well, then ... I was not to blame?
Hyacinth—No, my child.
Alexandra—And I didn’t make an irreparable blunder?
Hyacinth—That is almost impossible for one in your social position.
Alexandra—[Mournfully.] And I wasn’t a heroine?
Hyacinth—No, my child.
Alexandra—What was I then?
Hyacinth—Don’t ask, my child. [There is a brief pause.]
Albert—[With ceremonious elegance.] Alexandra ... last night you made handsome amends for a blunder of mine. I ask you now to stay at my side through life. And when I am at fault be always as ... as ... courageous as you were then. Will you? [Extends his hand to her.]
Alexandra—[Gives him her hand. There is a brief silence.] Albert ... it is my duty to be quite candid. If I tell you honestly that at this moment I feel no other sentiment toward you than respect ... and friendship——
Albert—Then I answer you, Xara, that it suffices me now.
Alexandra—[Wistfully but kindly.] We haven’t contrived a love match, have we?
Albert—No. No. Decidedly not. [With each “no” he shakes her hand.]
Alexandra—No.
Hyacinth—No.
Albert—May I say what we have contrived instead?
Alexandra—Yes.
Albert—We have contrived ... something more beautiful.... Love that comes after marriage. The deeper and stronger happiness that ... that——
Hyacinth—That comes later and endures longer.
Albert—Extraordinary that you can always express one’s innermost thoughts so neatly. Think of this: Katherine of Württemberg was the happiest wife in the world. And yet hers was one of those compulsory marriages which Napoleon—— [Looks around] Napole.... But happy, you see, nevertheless.
Alexandra—[Sighs.] Nevertheless. [There it a pause. Dominica enters.]
Dominica—My dear Alexandra. [Embraces her.]
Alexandra—Welcome, Aunt Dominica. [Kisses her hand with profound reverence.]
Dominica—Tell me, my dears, hasn’t the professor come yet?
Hyacinth—Oh, yes; he was here.
Dominica—Well?
Hyacinth—And he has gone away. [A long silence.]
Dominica—What does this silence mean? Why don’t you speak? [Another silence during which Beatrice enters.]
Beatrice—[Regards the silent group; terror seizes her; she cries out.] Merciful heaven! Has something happened again?
Hyacinth—The professor was kissed.
Beatrice—[In alarm.] By whom?
Hyacinth—By Albert.
Beatrice—[With a sigh of relief.] Oh!
Dominica—What does this mean? One after another, you are all kissing this person. What sort of man is he?
Hyacinth—A most admirable man.
Beatrice—Did you kiss him, too?
Hyacinth—Yesterday. But I shall kiss him again before he goes away.
Dominica—There appears to be no further need for me to talk to him. The young man has had his reward.
Albert—It seems to me, mother, that a man who had performed such a great service for the family deserved it. Not only from the bride but also from the bridegroom. [Dominica nods assent.]
Hyacinth—Especially from the bridegroom.
Dominica—Quite right.
Beatrice—If he hasn’t gone yet ... perhaps I ought to kiss him too ... what?
Dominica—I fancy he has had enough. But I shall kiss ... your daughter.
Alexandra—Dear Aunt ... if you deem me worthy....
Dominica—Entirely, my dear daughter, with only this suggestion: That you remember now and again that your sainted father used to call you his swan. Think often of what it means to be a swan ... gliding proudly ... majestically ... where the moon gleams on the mirror of the water ... gliding always in that purple radiance ... and never coming ashore. For when a swan walks, my daughter ... when she waddles up the bank ... then she painfully resembles another bird.