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I think I'll tell you two a secret. (_Susan p.r.i.c.ks up her ears_) Do you like secrets?
SUSAN
Yes, sir.
NATHANIEL
And can you keep them?
SUSAN
Oh, yes, sir.
NATHANIEL
Well, some day Mlle. Perrault is going to be my wife.
[_He kisses Mlle. Perrault's hand._
_Mlle. Perrault shows her engagement ring._
SUSAN
When?
NATHANIEL
Very soon. She is here on some war work and when she and her father go back to France I shall follow and we shall be married.
SUSAN
Ooh--
NATHANIEL
Now you mustn't tell.
SUSAN
Honest.
JONATHAN
No, sir!
MLLE. PERRAULT
Now, we have a secret. And you are going to sing me a little song.
SUSAN
Come on, Jonathan. Let's do the new one.
JONATHAN
Well, I'll try.
[_He is quite miserable with stage-fright._
_Susan sits at the piano and plays a chord. Then Jonathan begins to sing with much fear in his voice._
JONATHAN (_singing_)
All on a summer's day, With flowers by the way, A fair young prince and his purple knight Found a princess at her play.
So by the crescent moon He asked a royal boon And sat him down on a soft green knoll-- And the night-time came too soon.
MLLE. PERRAULT
Oh, that is just like a little French peasant song! How does it go?
La--la--la--la--la--la.
[_Susan begins to play it again._
_Jonathan sings more surely than before._
_Slowly Mlle. Perrault falls into the rhythm and very simply dances a little peasant dance to Jonathan's and Susan's song. The two youngsters are in the seventh heaven of delight._
So--when one is very happy or very sad, he makes a song and when he's very, very happy, he dances. And when he is very, very, very unhappy he dies. You see, _I_ am very, very happy. When do you play _Zen.o.bia_, Mr. Jefferson, Sr.?
JONATHAN
I'll have it ready tomorrow, maybe tonight.
NATHANIEL
We shall have a season ticket. But now, I want you to meet my blessed Aunt Let.i.tia. She hasn't changed one bit in all these years.
MLLE. PERRAULT
To Aunt Let.i.tia then. Good-bye, Jonathan. Tomorrow is the day of the great premiere.
JONATHAN (_awkwardly_)
Thanks.
MLLE. PERRAULT
And la belle pet.i.te Susanne, au revoir.
