The Man from Home by Harry Leon Wilson (book series to read .TXT) đź“•
MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY [quickly]. You are invidious, mon ami! My affair isnot settled--am I a clumsy oof?
HAWCASTLE [leaning toward her across the table and speaking sharply andearnestly]. No, Hélène. Your little American, brother Horace, is so inlove with you, if you asked him suddenly, "Is this day or night?" hewould answer, "It's Hélène." But he's too shy to speak. You're awoman--you can't press matters; but Almeric's a man--he can. He can urgean immediate marriage, which means an immediate settlement, and a directone.
MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY [seriously, quickly]. It will not be small, thatsettlement?
[He shakes his head grimly, leaning back to look at her. She continueseagerly.]
You have decide' what sum?
[He nods decidedly.]
What?
HAWCASTLE [sharply, with determination, yet quietly]. A hundred andfifty thousand pounds!
MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY [excited and breathless]. My friend! Will she?
[Turns and stares toward ETHEL'S room, where the pia
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[coldly]
Why?
[rising]
It was she who found these people. Indeed, we might say that both you and I owe her something also.
[Comes around behind table to MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY.]
Even a less captious respectability than Lady Creech's might have looked askance at the long friendship
[kisses her hand]
which has existed between us. Yet she has always countenanced us, though she must have guessed—a great many things. And she will help us to urge an immediate marriage. You know as well as I do that unless it is immediate, there'll be the devil to pay. Don't miss that essential: something must be done at once. We're at the breaking-point—if you like the words—a most damnable insolvency.
[Enter ALMERIC from the grove. He is a fair, fresh-colored Englishman of twenty-five, handsome in a rather vacuous way. He wears white duck riding-breeches, light-tan leather riding-gaiters and shoes, a riding-coat of white duck, a waistcoat light tan in shade, and a high riding-stock, the collar of which is white, the "puffed" tie pink; a Panama hat [pg 029] with a fold of light tan and white silk round the crown. Carries a riding-crop.]
[as he enters]
Hello, Governor!
[His voice is habitually loud and his accent somewhat foppish, having a little of the "Guardsman" affectation of languor and indifference.]
Howdy, Countess!
[He drops into a chair at the breakfast-table with a slight effect of sprawling.]
[sharply]
Almeric!
Out riding a bit ago, you know, with Miss Granger-Simpson. Rippin' girl, isn't she?
[leaning across the table toward him, anxiously]
Go on!
[continuing, slapping his gaiters carelessly with his crop]
Didn't stop with her, though.
[angrily]
Why not?
A sort of man in the village got me to go look at a bull-terrier pup. Wonderful little beast for points. Jolly luck—wasn't it? He's got a head on him—
[bitterly]
We'll concede his tremendous advantage over you in that respect.[pg 030]
[Throws his cigar disgustedly into one of the coffee-cups on the table.]
[eagerly]
Is that all you have to tell us?
Oh no! She accepted me.
[HAWCASTLE drops into a chair with a long breath of relief.]
[waving her parasol]
Enfin! Bravo! And will she let it be soon?
[sincerely]
I dare say there'll be no row about that; I've made her aw'fly happy.
On my soul, I believe you're right—and thank God you are!
[Rises as he speaks and walks up centre. Breaks off short as he sees HORACE.]
"OH NO! SHE ACCEPTED ME"
"OH NO! SHE ACCEPTED ME"
Here's the brother—attention now!
[HORACE enters the hotel. He is a boyish-looking American of twenty-two, smooth-shaven. He wears white flannels, the coat double-breasted and buttoned, the tie is light blue "puffing" fastened with a large pearl. He wears light-yellow chamois gloves, white shoes, a small, stiff English straw hat with blue-and-white [pg 031] ribbon. When he speaks it is with a strong "English accent," which he sometimes forgets. At present he is flushed and almost overcome with happy emotion. As he comes down the steps MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY rushes toward him, taking both his hands.]
[excitedly]
Ah, my dear Horace Granger-Simpson! Has your sister told you?
[radiant, but almost tearful]
She has, indeed. I assure you I'm quite overcome.
[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, dropping his hands, laughs deprecatingly, and steps back from him.]
Really, I assure you.
[shaking hands with him very heartily]
My dear young friend, not at all, not at all.
[fanning himself with his hat and wiping his brow]
I assure you I am, I assure you I am—it's quite overpowering—isn't it?
Ah, poor Monsieur Horace!
I say, don't take it that way, you know. She's very happy.[pg 032]
[crossing and grasping his hand]
She's worthy of it—she's worthy of it. I know she is. And when will it be?
Enchanting.
Oh, the date? I dare say within a year—two years—
[COMTESSE starts to exclaim, but HAWCASTLE checks her.]
Oh, but I say, you know! Isn't that putting it jolly far off? The thing's settled, isn't it? Why not say a month instead of a year?
Oh, if you like, I don't know that there is any real objection.
I do like, indeed. Why not let them marry here in Italy?
Ah, the dashing methods of you Americans! Next you'll be saying, "Why not here at Sorrento?"
Well, and why not, indeed?
And then it will be, "Why not within a fortnight?"
And why should it not be in a fortnight?
Ah, you wonderful people, you are whirlwinds, yet I see no reason why it should not be in a fortnight.[pg 033]
[passively]
Just as you like, Governor, just as you like.
Enchanting.
My son is all impatience!
[genially]
Quite so!
[gayly]
Shall we dispose at once of the necessary little details, the various minor arrangements, the—the settlement?
[Interrupts himself with a friendly laugh.]
Of course, as a man of the world, of our world, you understand there are formalities in the nature of a settlement.
[interrupting eagerly and pleasantly, laughing also]
Quite so, of course, I know, certainly, perfectly!
[heartily]
We'll have no difficulty about that, my boy. I'll wire my solicitor immediately, and he'll be here within two days. If you wish to consult your own solicitor you can cable him.
[with some embarrassment]
Fact is, I've a notion our solicitor—Ethel's man of business, that is—from Kokomo, Indiana, where our Governor lived—in fact, a sort of guardian of hers—may be here almost any time.[pg 034]
[taken aback]
A sort of guardian—what sort?
[apologetically]
I really can't say. Never saw him that I know of. You see, we've been on this side so many years, and there's been no occasion for this fellow to look us up, but he's never opposed anything Ethel wrote for; he seems to be an easygoing old chap.
[anxiously]
But would his consent to your sister's marriage—or the matter of a settlement—be a necessity?
[easily]
Oh, I dare say; but if he has the slightest sense of duty toward my sister, he'll be the first to welcome the alliance, won't he?
[reassured]
Then when my solicitor comes, he and your man can have an evening over a lot of musty papers and the thing will be done. Again, my boy,
[taking HORACE'S hand]
I welcome you to our family. God bless you!
I'm overpowered, you know—really overpowered.
[Fans himself again and wipes his forehead.]
Come, Almeric.
[Aside to MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, whom he joins for a moment.][pg 035]
Let him know it's a hundred and fifty thousand pounds.
[Exit into hotel, followed immediately by ALMERIC.]
[HORACE turns toward MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY; she gives him both hands.]
[smiling]
My friend, I am happy for you.
[joyously]
Think of it, at the most a fortnight, and dear old Ethel will be the Honorable Mrs. St. Aubyn, future Countess of Hawcastle!
[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, lightly, at the same time withdrawing her hands and picking up her parasol from the chair where she has left it.]
Yes, there is but those little arrangement over the settlement paper between your advocate and Lord Hawcastle's; but you Americans—you laugh at such things. You are big, so big, like your country!
Ah, believe me, the great world, the world of yourself, Countess, has thoroughly alienated me.
[coming close to him, looking at him admiringly]
Ah, you retain one [pg 036] quality! You are big, you are careless, you are free.
[She lays her right hand on his left arm. He takes her hand with his right hand. They stand facing each other.]
[smiling]
Well, perhaps, in those things I am American, but in others I fancy I should be thought something else, shouldn't I?
[earnestly]
You are a debonair man of the great world; and yet you are still American, in that you are ab-om-i-nab-ly rich.
[She laughs sweetly.]
The settlement—Such matter as that, over which a Frenchman, an Italian, an Englishman might hesitate, you laugh! Such matter as one-hundred-fifty thousand pounds—you set it aside; you laugh! You say, "Oh yes—take it!"
[his eyes wide with surprise]
A hundred
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