SCENE.--_The Fountain in the Garden of the Luxembourg. It is surrounded
by Promenaders._
MONSIEUR JOLICOEUR.
A LADY (_unknown_).
M. JOLICOEUR.
'Tis she, no doubt. Brunette,--and tall:
A charming figure, above all!
This promises.--Ahem!
THE LADY.
Monsieur?
Ah! it is three. Then Monsieur's name
Is JOLICOEUR?...
M. JOLICOEUR.
Madame, the same.
THE LADY.
And Monsieur's goodness has to say?...
Your note?...
M. JOLICOEUR.
_Your_ note.
THE LADY.
Forgive me.--Nay.
(_Reads_)
"_If Madame_ [I omit] _will be_
_Beside the Fountain-rail at Three,_
_Then Madame--possibly--may hear_
_News of her Spaniel._ JOLICOEUR."
Monsieur denies his note?
M. JOLICOEUR.
I do.
Now let me read the one from you.
"_If Monsieur Jolicoeur will be_
_Beside the Fountain-rail at Three,_
_Then Monsieur--possibly--may meet_
_An old Acquaintance. 'INDISCREET_.'"
THE LADY (_scandalized_).
Ah, what a folly! 'Tis not true.
I never met Monsieur. And you?
M. JOLICOEUR (_with gallantry_).
Have lived in vain till now. But see:
We are observed.
THE LADY. (_looking round_).
I comprehend....
(_After a pause._)
Monsieur, malicious brains combine
For your discomfiture, and mine.
Let us defeat that ill design.
If Monsieur but ... (_hesitating_).
M. JOLICOEUR (_bowing_).
Rely on me.
THE LADY (_still hesitating_).
Monsieur, I know, will understand ...
M. JOLICOEUR.
Madame, I wait but your command.
THE LADY.
You are too good. Then condescend
At once to be a new-found Friend!
M. JOLICOEUR (_entering upon the part forthwith_).
How? I am charmed,--enchanted. Ah!
What ages since we met ... at _Spa_?
THE LADY (_a little disconcerted_).
At _Ems_, I think. Monsieur, maybe,
Will recollect the Orangery?
M. JOLICOEUR.
At _Ems_, of course. But Madame's face
Might make one well forget a place.
THE LADY.
It seems so. Still, Monsieur recalls
The Kürhaus, and the concert-balls?
M. JOLICOEUR.
Assuredly. Though there again
'Tis Madame's image I retain.
THE LADY.
Monsieur is skilled in ... repartee.
(How do they take it?--Can you see?)
M. JOLICOEUR.
Nay,--Madame furnishes the wit.
(They don't know what to make of it!)
THE LADY.
And Monsieur's friend who sometimes came?...
That clever ... I forget the name.
M. JOLICOEUR.
The BARON?... It escapes me, too.
'Twas doubtless he that Madame knew?
THE LADY (_archly_).
Precisely. But, my carriage waits.
Monsieur will see me to the gates?
M. JOLICOEUR (_offering his arm_).
I shall be charmed. (Your stratagem
Bids fair, I think, to conquer them.)
(_Aside_)
(Who is she? I must find that out.)
--And Madame's husband thrives, no doubt?
THE LADY (_off her guard_).
Monsieur de BEAU--?... He died at _Dôle_!
M. JOLICOEUR.
Truly. How sad!
(_Aside_)
(Yet, on the whole,
How fortunate! BEAU-_pré_?--BEAU-_vau_?
Which can it be? Ah, there they go!)
--Madame, your enemies retreat
With all the honours of ... defeat.
THE LADY.
Thanks to Monsieur. Monsieur has shown
A skill PRÉVILLE could not disown.
M. JOLICOEUR.
You flatter me. We need no skill
To act so nearly what we will.
Nay,--what may come to pass, if Fate
And Madame bid me cultivate ...
THE LADY (_anticipating_).
Alas!--no farther than the gate.
Monsieur, besides, is too polite
To profit by a jest so slight.
M. JOLICOEUR.
Distinctly. Still, I did but glance
At possibilities ... of Chance.
THE LADY.
Which must not serve Monsieur, I fear,
Beyond the little grating here.
M. JOLICOEUR (_aside_).
(She's perfect. One may push too far,
_Piano, sano_.)
(_They reach the gates._)
Here we are.
Permit me, then ...
(_Placing her in the carriage._)
And Madame goes?...
Your coachman?... Can I?...
THE LADY (_smiling_).
Thanks! he knows.
Thanks! Thanks!
M. JOLICOEUR (_insidiously_).
And shall we not renew
Our ... "_Ems_ acquaintanceship?"
THE LADY (_still smiling_).
Adieu!
My thanks instead!
M. JOLICOEUR (_with pathos_).
It is too hard!
(_Laying his hand on the grating._)
To find one's Paradise is barred!!
THE LADY.
Nay.--"Virtue is her own Reward!"
[_Exit._
M. JOLICOEUR (_solus_).
BEAU-_vau_?--BEAU-_vallon_?--BEAU-_manoir_?--
But that's a detail!
(_Waving his hand after the carriage._)
AU REVOIR!