Comedy Of Marriage And Other Tales - LightNovelsOnl.com
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You are like my father. It seems to me that when anyone begins to like billiards at all, they become infatuated with the game; and you two people are two of a kind.
MARTINEL
My son, when a man grows old, and has no family, he has to take refuge in such pleasures as these. If you take bait-fis.h.i.+ng as your diversion in the morning and billiards for the afternoon and evening, you have two kinds of amus.e.m.e.nt that are both worthy and attractive.
LeON
Oh, ho! Bait-fis.h.i.+ng, indeed! That means to say, getting up early and sitting with your feet in the water through wind and rain in the hope of catching, perhaps each quarter of an hour, a fish about the size of a match. And you call that an attractive pastime?
MARTINEL
I do, without a doubt. But do you believe that there is a single lover in the world capable of doing as much for his mistress throughout ten, twelve, or fifteen years of life? If you asked my opinion, I think he would give it up at the end of a fortnight.
MME. DE RONCHARD
Of a truth; he would.
LeON [_interrupts_]
Pardon me, I should give it up at the end of a week.
MARTINEL
You speak sensibly.
PEt.i.tPRe
Come along, my dear fellow.
MARTINEL
Shall we play fifty up?
PEt.i.tPRe
Fifty up will do.
MARTINEL [_turns to_ Mme. de Ronchard]
We shall see you again shortly, Madame.
MME. DE RONCHARD
Well, I have had enough of Havre for the present.
[_Exit_ Martinel _and_ Pet.i.tpre C.]
SCENE III.
(Leon _and_ Mme. de Ronchard.)
LeON
Martinel is a good fellow. Not a man of culture, but bright as suns.h.i.+ne and straight as a rule.
MME. DE RONCHARD [_seated_ L.]
He is lacking in distinction of manner.
LeON [_inadvertently_]
How about yourself, Aunt?
MME. DE RONCHARD
What do you mean?
LeON [_corrects himself and approaches_ Mme. de Ronchard]
I said, how about yourself? You know what I mean--you have such an intimate knowledge of the world that you are a better judge of human nature than anyone I know.
MME. DE RONCHARD
Indeed, I am. You were too small a boy to recollect it, but nevertheless, I went a great deal into society before my husband spent all my money, and let me tell you that I was a great success. For instance, at a grand ball given by the Turkish amba.s.sador, at which I was dressed as Salammbo--
LeON [_interrupts_]
What, you, the Carthaginian princess?
MME. DE RONCHARD
Certainly. Why not? Let me tell you that I was greatly admired, for my appearance was exquisite. My dear, that was in eighteen hundred and sixty--
LeON [_sits near_ Mme. de Ronchard]
Oh, no dates! for goodness sake, no dates!
MME. DE RONCHARD
It is not necessary to be sarcastic.
LeON
What! I, sarcastic? G.o.d forbid! It is simply this: in view of the fact that you did not wish this marriage to take place, and that I did, and that the marriage has taken place, I feel very happy. Do you understand me? It is a triumph for me, and I must confess that I feel very triumphant this evening. Tomorrow, however, vanish the triumpher, and there will remain only your affectionate little nephew. Come, smile, Auntie. At heart you are not as ill-natured as you pretend to be, and that is proved by the generosity of soul you have evinced in founding at Neuilly, despite your modest means, a hospital for--lost dogs!
MME. DE RONCHARD
