The Second Mrs. Tanqueray Arthur W. Pinero (free children's online books txt) đ
Download in Format:
- Author: Arthur W. Pinero
Book online «The Second Mrs. Tanqueray Arthur W. Pinero (free children's online books txt) đ». Author Arthur W. Pinero
them here.
Aubrey
Laughing mirthlessly. Ha, ha, ha! They say Orreyed has taken to tippling at dinner. Heavens above!
Paula
Oh! Iâve no patience with you! Youâll kill me with this life! She selects some flowers from a vase on the table, cuts and arranges them, and fastens them in her bodice. What is my existence, Sunday to Saturday? In the morning, a drive down to the village, with the groom, to give my orders to the tradespeople. At lunch, you and Ellean. In the afternoon, a novel, the newspapers; if fine, another driveâ âif fine! Teaâ âyou and Ellean. Then two hours of dusk; then dinnerâ âyou and Ellean. Then a game of BĂ©sique, you and I, while Ellean reads a religious book in a dull corner. Then a yawn from me, another from you, a sigh from Ellean; three figures suddenly riseâ ââGood night, good night, good night!â Imitating a kiss. âGod bless you!â Ah!
Aubrey
Yes, yes, Paulaâ âyes, dearestâ âthatâs what it is now. But, by-and-by, if people begin to come round usâ â
Paula
Hah! Thatâs where weâve made the mistake, my friend Aubrey! Pointing to the window. Do you believe these people will ever come round us? Your former crony, Mrs. Cortelyon? Or the grim old vicar, or that wife of his whose huge nose is positively indecent? Or the Ullathornes, or the Gollans, or Lady William Petres? I know better! And when the young ones gradually take the place of the old, there will still remain the sacred tradition that the dreadful person who lives at the top of the hill is never, under any circumstances, to be called upon! And so we shall go on here, year in and year out, until the sap is run out of our lives, and weâre stale and dry and withered from sheer, solitary respectability. Upon my word, I wonder we didnât see that we should have been far happier if weâd gone in for the devil-may-care, cafĂ©-living sort of life in town! After all, I have a set and you might have joined it. Itâs true I did want, dearly, dearly, to be a married woman, but whereâs the pride in being a married woman among married women who areâ âmarried! Ifâ âSeeing that Aubreyâs head has sunk into his hands. Aubrey! My dear boy! Youâre notâ âcrying?
He looks up, with a flushed face. Ellean enters, dressed very simply for walking. She is a low voiced, grave girl of about nineteen, with a face somewhat resembling a Madonna. Towards Paula her manner is cold and distant.
Aubrey
In an undertone. Ellean!
Ellean
Good morning, papa. Good morning, Paula.
Paula puts her arms round Ellean and kisses her. Ellean makes little response.
Paula
Good morning. Brightly. Weâve been breakfasting this side of the house, to get the sun.
She sits at the piano and rattles at a gay melody. Seeing that Paulaâs back is turned to them, Ellean goes to Aubrey and kisses him; he returns the kiss almost furtively. As they separate, the servants re-enter, and proceed to carry out the breakfast-table.
Aubrey
To Ellean. I guess where youâve been: thereâs some gorse clinging to your frock.
Ellean
Removing a sprig of gorse from her skirt. Rover and I walked nearly as far as Black Moor. The poor fellow has a thorn in his pad; I am going upstairs for my tweezers.
Aubrey
Ellean! She returns to him. Paula is a little depressedâ âout of sorts. She complains that she has no companion.
Ellean
I am with Paula nearly all the day, papa.
Aubrey
Ah, but youâre such a little mouse. Paula likes cheerful people about her.
Ellean
Iâm afraid I am naturally rather silent; and itâs so difficult to seem to be what one is not.
Aubrey
I donât wish that, Ellean.
Ellean
I will offer to go down to the village with Paula this morningâ âshall I?
Aubrey
Touching her hand gently. Thank youâ âdo.
Ellean
When Iâve looked after Rover, Iâll come back to her.
She goes out; Paula ceases playing, and turns on the music-stool looking at Aubrey.
Paula
Well, have you and Ellean had your little confidence?
Aubrey
Confidence?
Paula
Do you think I couldnât feel it, like a pain between my shoulders?
Aubrey
Ellean is coming back in a few minutes to be with you. Bending over her. Paula, Paula dear, is this how you keep your promise?
Paula
Oh! Rising impatiently and crossing swiftly to the settee, where she sits, moving restlessly. I canât keep my promise; I am jealous; it wonât be smothered. I see you looking at her, watching her; your voice drops when you speak to her. I know how fond you are of that girl, Aubrey.
Aubrey
What would you have? Iâve no other home for her. She is my daughter.
Paula
She is your saint. Saint Ellean!
Aubrey
You have often told me how good and sweet you think her.
Paula
Good!â âyes! Do you imagine that makes me less jealous? Going to him and clinging to his arm. Aubrey, there are two sorts of affectionâ âthe love for a woman you respect, and the love for a woman youâ âlove. She gets the first from you: I never can.
Aubrey
Hush, hush! you donât realise what you say.
Paula
If Ellean cared for me only a little, it would be different. I shouldnât be jealous then. Why doesnât she care for me?
Aubrey
Sheâ âsheâ âshe will, in time.
Paula
You canât say that without stuttering.
Aubrey
Her disposition seems a little unresponsive; she resembles her mother in many ways; I can see it every day.
Paula
Sheâs marble. Itâs a shame. Thereâs not the slightest excuse; for all she knows, Iâm as much a saint as sheâ âonly married. Dearest, help me to win her over!
Aubrey
Help you?
Paula
You can. Teach her that it is her duty to love me; she hangs on to every word you speak. Iâm sure, Aubrey, that the love of a nice woman who believed me to be like herself would do me a world of good. Youâd get the benefit
Free ebook «The Second Mrs. Tanqueray Arthur W. Pinero (free children's online books txt) đ» - read online now
Similar e-books:
Comments (0)