Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-01-17
not natural to come home after twelve o'clock

not natural to come home after twelve o'clock
well we'll say twelve oclock-when the din
ner was all over at half-past nine.
Monsieur Crying to speak)
Madame. You told me yourself that it would
be-well, then. am astonished. 1t is very dis
quieting. l beg Of you to answer (bursting
into tears aud sinking on the sofa) and you
will not speak to me!
Madame. Oh. mother, mother. Who could
have foretold that one day your daughter
would be reduced to swallowing her tears.
Monsieur (broken-hearted)
Madame. And that is nothing! 1t ia only the
beginning Of my unnappiness Pushing away
her husband). Leave me! l do not need your
hypocritcal consultations. You have seen me
weep-I am in tears-what more can you ask?
This is too much. Monsieur loses patience
and strides UP and down the lbrary.]
Madame. Oh. / know am very ridiculous
Ought to weep? Ought not rather to accus-
tom myself to the position which has been made
| for me? Many women are deserted by their
! husbands and yet live TRANQUILITY. All marriages
cannot end in divorces Ours was accomplished
under too happy auspices All the world re-
| iolced-with the exception Of my poor old aunt
Rosalie. who saw clearly. so she did. Yes. sir
she saw clearly, in spite Of her eighty-ive years
She said to me- My child, be on your guard
| you are marrying worn out man."
Monsieur (protesting)
| Madame. You appeared worn out,-a man
who had been much talked about st the time of
his first youth, and VINO brought into his house
hold the habits OF dissipation and misconduct
| Cor some moments Monsieur has been giving
more and more vivid signs of impaticnce; on
| hearing the word misconduct" he breaks a
wooden paper-cutter which he has taken up
from the mantelpece.)
Madame. You see. you break everything.
| That is your fashion OF answering
| Monsieur Exploding but, no! he will not
allow himself to be carried away by anger. He
feels already that ne is suffocatlng. In order 10
calm himself he goes to the sideboard and pours
himself out glass Of water.)
! Madame. All. you are thirsty? don't won
der. The dinner this evening must have made
! you thirsty.
Monsieur (Heis about to drink. but
| he changes his mind and takes out decanter
| Of sherry.)
Madame Well, indeed "a little sherry-and
some bitters-that will do you good-that will
set you to rights-( furiously) / will only beg
| you. when you wish to drink sherry and water.
not to make it in here. The other day you let
| several drops of some horrible sugary punch
fail on the velvet of my prieDeu =
Monsle'r with an air OF polite, but cold re-
Madame with an explosion). And am now
prouder than ever Of my prie-Dieu What
fort of prayer. Thank heaven, have not learned
to disdan the aid of faith and you will never
force me to despse it.
Monsieur (smiling)
| IHUldTie On KNOW your theories. They
have led you to forget in turn all your duties.
to disown your family as you have disowned
your religion as you disOwn morality.
Monsieur (resigned to everything is silent }
| Madame What did you say? Yes, smile. II
you choose. free-thinker that you are. You will
not be able to make me forget the lessons that
| my mother taught me- And my mother was q
very intelligent woman, do you hear?
| Monsieur (shrugging his shoulders)
| Madame. You doubt it, Ah it was only
necessary for you to insult my mother, [Sob-
bing.l And what day do YOU take for your in
sults3 day that was always n festival in nv
family and that recalls to me the sweetest lows
Of my childhood-my birthday
Monsieur Cooking at his wife with a broken
hearted airy =
| Madame. Yes. to-day is Saint Felica's dsv.
But you did not even think of it. Admit that
You did not think of it; that you never think
| of it!
Monsieur (about to speak,
| Madame. No. no; be still You will only tell
me another falsehood.
Monsieur. (Sm!ling at his wife)
Madame. Well, 60 on What Is It? Speak!
Monsieur. (Still preserving silence, takes from
his pocket a Jewel case which he opens and pre-
sents to his wife)
Madame. bracelet! For me? Examining
1t and reading the inscription) Felicia" You
were delayed by waiting to get this? with eff
fuslon.) All, my dearest Charles how good YOU
are and how love you! (She throws herself
on his neck Curtain.