+Glove Young Man.+
You loved me....
+Laura.+
Rather, thought I did!
+Glove Young Man.+
Nonsense!
You loved me well enough to promise--Yes,
You promised.
+Laura.+
[_Wildly._]
Spare me this remembrancing!
+Glove Young Man.+
What makes you talk so queerly!
+Laura.+
Who are you
To comprehend, were I to tell!
+Glove Young Man.+
You try!
Poetry-stuff’s not my long suit, but I
Can do a lot of comprehending! Fire
Away!...
[_Sits._]
Engagement’s off?
+Laura.+
It never was!
+Glove Young Man.+
What’s come between us? You’re the only girl
In all the world for me! And I am just
The same old Charley-boy you’ve always known!
+Laura.+
[_Hands over ears, shudders, then apostrophizes picture._]
Forgive, O Masterpiece, this squalid scene!
+Glove Young Man.+
Why, where does he come in?
+Laura.+
[_Takes a sudden resolution, and addresses_ +Glove Young Man+.]
The I erstwhile
You knew no longer am the I you see!
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Considers this._]
I’m getting it! Go on!
+Laura.+
Into mine own
Came I, this very hour!
+Glove Young Man.+
Yea, verily!
Go right ahead!
+Laura.+
To me hath been vouchsafed
Behind the veil to glimpse, art’s face that screens
From gaze profane!
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Airily._]
I haven’t an idea
Where we are bound for, but we’re on the way!
+Laura.+
To-day I start upon a pilgrimage!
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Starts up._]
Where ... where’s your ticket taken to?
+Laura.+
[_Impressively._]
This spot!
+Glove Young Man.+
She’s crazy!
[_Falling back into seat._]
+Laura.+
Standing here, shall I be drawn
Across the border-line dividing art
From life, as such as you conceive it!
+Woman at her Toilet.+
[_Unseen, mournfully._]
Oh!
[_Mournful echoes resound through the gallery._]
+Laura.+
[_Listens, a moment, puzzled, then continues._]
Absorbed, as ’twere, in yonder dusky shades.
[_Indicating portrait._]
Forth into sunlit groves the real I
Shall fare, and not alone! in Italy!
[_The mournful exclamations are repeated with intensity._]
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Wrought up to passion._]
She’s mad! This is your work, you villain, you!
[_Throws his gloves into the face of the portrait._]
[+Laura+ _shrieks wildly; cries of indignation from all the
pictures are heard. There is a flash of lightning, followed
by a loud thunder-clap. Then the_ +Young Man with a Glove+
_and the_ +Woman at her Toilet+ _are seen in the foreground,
together._]
+Woman at her Toilet.+
’Tis as I feared! Oh, save her!
+Young Man with a Glove.+
... And ourselves!
[_Together the two stand, arms upraised, appealing._]
+Young Man with a Glove+ _and_ +Woman at her Toilet+
O comrades! Ye Co-Masterpieces, here
Collected! In the sacred name of art
Avenge the insult that, offered to one,
Is offered to us all!
[_Cries from_ +Unseen Pictures+ _of “We will!”_]
Saints Michael, George,
Of Raphael....
+The Two Saints.+
Here! Here!
+Young Man with a Glove.+
Works of Poussin--!
+Unseen Pictures.+
Here!
+Young Man with Gloves.+
Correggios! Michelangelos! Rembrandts!
Da Vincis! Rubens’! Antony Van Dycks!
Paolo Veronese! Rembrandts!
[_All answer to the roll-call._]
Help, in the name of Titian, and of art!
[_There is a vivid flash of lightning, followed by a terrific
thunder-clap. When the momentary darkness passes it is seen
that the_ +Young Man with a Glove+ _and the_ +Woman at her
Toilet+ _have disappeared;_ +Laura+ _is lying on the bench,
swooning, or asleep, while the_ +Glove Young Man+ _is in the
picture-pose, within the frame._]
+Glove Young Man.+
[_After a pause, breaking his picture-pose, addresses an
imaginary audience._]
Yes, it’s me all right,
The same old Charley-boy you know! I can’t explain
My present straitened circumstances, but
I’m quite aware how foolish I must look!
+Unseen Pictures.+
[_Menacingly, with a clash of swords._]
Hush!
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Leaning forward, addresses them._]
Ladies, Gentlemen, and Landscapes!
This is an honor I did not expect!
But since ’tis thrust upon me....
+Unseen Pictures.+
Hush!
[_As before._]
+Glove Young Man.+
I won’t hush!... May I smoke?... Oh, very well!
If no one wants to play.... But just you wait!
[_Resumes picture-pose._ +Gardien+ _passes through, right to
left._]
Hey, Conductor! Stop this car! I want to get out! Conductor!
[+Gardien+ _passes on without noticing him. Pictures threaten as
before._ +Elderly Party+ _and_ +Young Woman+ _enter from the
right._]
+Elderly Party.+
I wonder how them two young courtin’ folks
Is gittin’ on!... Say, Mandy, don’t this look
Like Charley Black!
[_Staring at_ +Glove Young Man+.]
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Raising hat._]
Oh, Mrs. Johnson! Mandy! How-de-do!
Would you mind calling up a messenger?
Of course I’m doing this for pleasure, but....
+Elderly Party.+
It is his living image!
+Young Woman.+
[_Shocked._]
Charley Black,
Indeed? Why, Auntie, this is Art!
[_They go out, left._]
+Glove Young Man.+
I’m art,
Am I? We’ll see!
+Unseen Pictures.+
Hush!
[_The_ +Husband+ _and_ +Wife+ _enter from the left._]
+The Husband.+
[_Looking about._]
This is the room
We started from. We’ve lost our way again!
These galleries are wretchedly mapped out!
I shall report....
+Glove Young Man.+
Beg pardon! I myself
Have lost my way, and so if you....
+The Wife.+
My dear!
That portrait raised its hat to me!
+The Husband.+
What’s that?
How dare you, sir, take such a liberty!
[_Shaking his fist at the_ +Glove Young Man+.]
+The Wife.+
I think he wants to know the time!... Quarter
To five!
[_Consulting her watch, tells the_ +Glove Young Man+.]
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Groans._]
What, nearly time to close!
+The Wife.+
My dear,
He’s telling us it’s nearly time to close!
Most civil of him!
+The Husband.+
A disgrace to Art!
I should report the matter if I knew
To whom such matters are reported! Come!
[_Leading the_ +Wife+ _away to the right._]
+The Wife.+
[_Bowing politely to the_ +Glove Young Man+.]
Most civil!
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Groans._ +Unseen Pictures+ _cry, “Hush!” He then shouts._]
Help! Help! Police!
[_Again the Pictures silence him. From the left the_ +German
Lady+ _returns, and from the right the_ +Youngest Pupil+.]
+Youngest Pupil.+
I want to see
If he’s come back!
[_The_ +German Lady+ _begins, “Ach Wunder--” but breaks off,
rubbing her eyes._]
+Youngest Pupil.+
Oh, it’s someone else!
+Teacher.+
You’re dreaming! It’s the same!
+Class.+
Of course it is!
+Youngest Pupil.+
He’s changed his clothes, then!
+Glove Young Man.+
Dear young lady, I
Am Charley Black. This is my business card.
If you would be so kind....
+Youngest Pupil.+
Oh! He’s alive!
+Teacher.+
He can’t be!
+Youngest Pupil.+
But he is! Aren’t you alive?
+Glove Young Man.+
I am, indeed; the livest ever. Though
That’s not exactly news to me!
+Youngest Pupil.+
He is!
He says he is himself!
+Teacher.+
[_Leading the_ +Youngest Pupil+ _away, right._]
He can’t be! If
He were ’twould say so here in Baedeker!
+Class.+
Of course!
+Glove Young Man.+
This grows monotonous!
[_Notices_ +German Lady+ _still gazing at him, puzzled._]
Although
Not introduced, if you would be so kind--
+German Lady.+
[_Shrieks, running away to the left._]
Ach, du lieber....
+Glove Young Man.+
[_Wearily._]
Gesundheit!
+German Lady.+
[_Returning, says with conviction._]