Three Plays by Granville-Barker - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
ANN. [_To her sister again._] Don't talk about me.
SARAH. They can see that you're whispering.
CARNABY. . . . Informing me now she was a woman and wanted excitement.
GEORGE. There's a curse.
CARNABY. How else d'ye conceive life for women?
SARAH. George is naturally cruel. Excitement's our education. Please vary it, though.
CARNABY. I have always held that to colour in the world-picture is the greatest privilege of the husband. Sarah.
SARAH. [_Not leaving_ ANN'S _side_.] Yes, Papa.
CARNABY. Sarah, when Sir Charles leaves Brighton. . .
SARAH _rises but will not move further_.
CARNABY. [_Sweetly threatening._] Shall I come to you?
_But she goes to him now._
CARNABY. By a gossip letter from town . . .
SARAH. [_Tensely._] What is it?
CARNABY. You mentioned to me something of his visiting Naples.
SARAH. Very well. I detest Italy.
CARNABY. Let's have George's opinion.
_He leads her towards_ GEORGE.
GEORGE. Yes?
CARNABY. Upon Naples.
GEORGE. I remember Naples.
CARNABY. Sarah, admire those roses.
SARAH. [_Cynically echoing her father._] Let's have George's opinion.
_Now_ CARNABY _has drawn them both away, upon the terrace, and, the coast being clear_, LORD JOHN _walks towards_ ANN, _who looks at him very scaredly_.
CARNABY. Emblem of secrecy among the ancients.
SARAH. Look at this heavy head, won't it snap off?
_The three move out of sight._
LORD JOHN. I'm sober now.
ANN. I'm not.
LORD JOHN. Uncompromising young lady.
ANN. And, excuse me, I don't want to . . . play.
LORD JOHN. Don't you wish me to apologise quietly, to you?
ANN. Good manners are all mockery, I'm sure.
LORD JOHN. I'm very much afraid you're a cynic.
ANN. I'm not trying to be clever.
LORD JOHN. Do I tease you?
ANN. Do I amuse you?
LORD JOHN. How dare I say so!
ANN. [_After a moment._] I was not frightened.
LORD JOHN. You kissed me back.
ANN. Not on purpose. What do two people mean by behaving so . . . in the dark?
LORD JOHN. I am exceedingly sorry that I hurt your feelings.
ANN. Thank you, I like to feel.
LORD JOHN. And you must forgive me.
ANN. Tell me, why did you do it?
LORD JOHN. Honestly I don't know. I should do it again.
ANN. That's not quite true, is it?
LORD JOHN. I think so.
ANN. What does it matter at all!
LORD JOHN. Nothing.
