The Notorious Mrs Ebbsmith by Arthur Wing Pinero

Author:Arthur Wing Pinero
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783197897
Publisher: Oberon Books
Published: 2016-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

ACT THREE

The scene is the same as before, but it is evening, and the lamps are lighted within the room, while outside it is bright moonlight.

AGNES, dressed as at the end of the preceding Act, is lying upon the settee propped up by pillows. A pretty silk shawl, with which she plays restlessly, is over her shoulders. Her face is pale, but her eyes glitter, and her voice has a bright ring in it. KIRKE is seated at a table, writing. GERTRUDE, without hat or mantle, is standing behind the settee, looking down smilingly upon AGNES.

KIRKE: (Writing.) H’m— (To AGNES.) Are you often guilty of this sort of thing?

AGNES: (Laughing.) I’ve never fainted before in my life; I don’t mean to do so again.

KIRKE: (Writing.) Should you alter your mind about that, do select a suitable spot on the next occasion. What was it your head came against?

GERTRUDE: A wooden chest, Mr Cleeve thinks.

AGNES: With beautiful, rusty, iron clamps. (Putting her hand to her head, and addressing GERTRUDE.) The price of vanity.

KIRKE: Vanity?

AGNES: Lucas was to take me out to dinner. While I was waiting for him to dress I must needs stand and survey my full length in a mirror.

KIRKE: (Glancing at her.) A very excusable proceeding.

AGNES: Suddenly the room sank and left me—so the feeling was—in the air.

KIRKE: Well, most women can manage to look in their pier-glasses without swooning—eh, Mrs Thorpe?

GERTRUDE: (Smiling.) How should I know doctor?

KIRKE: (Blotting his writing.) There. How goes the time?

GERTRUDE: Half past eight.

KIRKE: I’ll leave this prescription at Mantovani’s myself. I can get it made up to-night.

AGNES: (Taking the prescription out of his hand playfully.) Let me look.

KIRKE: (Protesting.) Now, now!

AGNES: (Reading the prescription.) Ha, ha! After all, what humbugs doctors are!

KIRKE: You’ve never heard me deny it.

AGNES: (Returning the prescription to him.) But I’ll swallow it—for the dignity of my old profession. (She reaches out her hand to take a cigarette.)

KIRKE: Don’t smoke too many of those things.

AGNES: They never harm me. It’s a survival of the time in my life when the cupboard was always empty. (Striking a match.) Only it had to be stronger tobacco in those days, I can tell you. (She lights her cigarette.)

GERTRUDE is assisting KIRKE with his overcoat. LUCAS enters, in evening dress, looking younger, almost boyish.

LUCAS: (Brightly.) Well?

KIRKE: She’s to have a cup of good bouillon—Mrs Thorpe is going to look after that—and anything else she fancies. She’s alright. (Shaking hands with AGNES.) The excitement of putting on that pretty frock—

AGNES gives a hard little laugh.

(Shaking hands with LUCAS.) I’ll look in tomorrow. (Turning to GERTRUDE.) Oh, just a word with you, nurse.

LUCAS has been bending over AGNES affectionately; he now sits by her, and they talk in undertones; he lights a cigarette from hers.

KIRKE: (To GERTRUDE.) There’s many a true word, et cetera.

GERTRUDE: Excitement?

KIRKE: Yes, and that smart gown’s connected with it too.

GERTRUDE: It is extraordinary to see her like this.

KIRKE: Not the same woman.

GERTRUDE: No, nor is he quite the same man.

KIRKE:

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