Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 98

PERSONS

LOUISE.

VAN DER ELST [_Notary_].

VENNEMA [_Louise's Father_].

SOPHIE [_Serving Maid_].

Applications for permissions to produce LOUISE must be addressed to Pierre Loving, 240 W. 4.

LOUISE

A PLAY BY J. H. SPEENHOFF

[SCENE: _A large fas.h.i.+onably appointed room with few decorations on the walls. The latter are papered in yellow with large black lilies. To the right, a tall broad window with heavy brown curtains. To the left, an old gold harp with a little footstool.

Behind, to the right, a door with brown portieres, affording a view of a vestibule and banister. To the left, down front, a broad couch with black head cus.h.i.+ons. Next to it the end of a heavy broad oaken table, with the side turned toward the couch. Behind, the back wall has an open chimney with carved wood and ornaments on it. Beside the chimney, on both sides, are two large comfortable chairs and two others by the table and window respectively. On the table are the remains of breakfast: fruit gla.s.ses and two empty champagne bottles_.

_As the curtain rises Louise is discovered lying on the couch with her feet extended toward the audience. She lies quietly and gazes blankly in the distance. Closer scrutiny reveals that she is in the last stage of intoxication. On the whole, it is rather a lady-like inebriety and expresses itself now and again by way of a heavy sigh, looseness of limb, a languid flutter of the eyelids and a disposition to be humorous. It is about three in the afternoon. As for the tone of the room, there are a lot of yellows, blacks and browns; the light is quite subdued. Soon after the rise of the curtain, Louise begins slowly and dreamily to hum a melody. She stops for a while, gazes blankly around and starts humming again. Then she raises herself, crosses her arms on the tables and rests her head on them. Her hair is loosely arranged--or disarranged. Her dressing gown is black and white._

_A bell is rung downstairs. Louise does not seem to hear it.

Another ting-a-ling. You can hear the maid going downstairs. The door opens and shuts. Two pairs of feet are heard climbing the stairs. The maid parts the portieres, shows Van der Elst in and points Louise out to him, meanwhile remaining discreetly behind the portieres._

_The truth is that Sophie is very much embarra.s.sed. She looks as if she has been called away from her proper duties. She is a healthy maid, with tousled blond hair, cotton dress, blue ap.r.o.n, maid's cap and is in her stocking feet. She goes toward Louise, then stops confusedly at a little distance from her. She moves a chair needlessly, in timid embarra.s.sment, and wipes her lips with her ap.r.o.n._]

SOPHIE. Here's a gentleman to see you--to see--you, madam.

[_Louise doesn't hear._]

SOPHIE [_approaches the end of table_]. A gentleman has come--come to see--you.

LOUISE [_raising herself on her elbows; with her head on her hands_].

What are you doing?

SOPHIE [_confusedly_]. I--madam? Why, nothing. But there's a gentleman ... you see....

LOUISE. A gentleman? Very well, you may go. [_She closes her eyes._]

SOPHIE. But ... but ... he wishes to speak to you. A gray-haired gentleman. He is standing by the portieres ... over there. [_Indicates Van Elst._]

[_Louise does not pay any attention to Sophie or Van Elst, but composes herself for another nap on the couch._]

SOPHIE. May he come in? [_A long pause._] May he...? [_Louise does not answer. Sophie waits a bit, then she beckons Van Elst into the room._]

She won't answer, sir. Maybe you'd better come back in an hour or so....

VAN ELST. Hm! No. That's impossible. [_Looks at Louise._] What's the matter with madam? Is she asleep?

SOPHIE. No ... you see ... she is, you know....

VAN ELST [_approaching_]. What?

SOPHIE. She isn't well....

VAN ELST. Ah, not well?

SOPHIE. Yes, from.... [_Hesitates._]

VAN ELST [_spying the bottles on the table_]. Has madam consumed those?

SOPHIE. Yes, yes. It's awful. [_Pause._]

VAN ELST. Does this happen very often?

SOPHIE. Yes. Oh, yes, quite often.

VAN ELST. Indeed!

SOPHIE. Hadn't you better go until ... for a while?

VAN ELST. No, no. I shall....

SOPHIE. Very well, sir, you know best. [_Sophie goes out of the room on tiptoe._]

[_Now that Sophie is out of the room, one has an opportunity to scrutinize Van Elst more closely. He is a prosperous-looking country gentleman about fifty years old. He wears a s.h.i.+ning tophat, white vest with a gold chain across his stomach, tight-fitting blue trousers, low shoes, white socks and a short blue coat. He is clean-shaven and when he removes his hat, one observes that his hair is close-cropped. His walking-stick, contrary to expectations, is light and slim. He takes a chair near the window, directly behind the harp, puts his hat, cane and gloves beside him on the floor and looks around. He glances at Louise, shakes his head solemnly, coughs, wipes his forehead, puts his handkerchief carefully away, coughs again, moves his chair and after some signs of nervousness, says_]:

VAN ELST. Miss ... may I have a word with you? [_Louise doesn't hear._]

VAN ELST [_with growing embarra.s.sment_]. I ... I should like to speak to you.

LOUISE [_a little wildly_]. Are you there?

VAN ELST [_taken aback_]. Yes ... no ... yes.... I.... Whom do you mean?

LOUISE. Come here beside me.

VAN ELST [_astonished_]. Certainly, but....

LOUISE [_sighing_]. Come ... come.

VAN ELST. Aren't you making a mistake? I'm not....

LOUISE [_raising herself halfway, left elbow on table, head on hand, the other arm outstretched on the table. She looks unseeingly at him_].

Don't you want to?

VAN ELST. But I'm not ... how shall I put it? I've come to speak with you very seriously.