The Lucky Man | Page 7

shortly. Where does she reside? Far from here?
Cadwell: No.
Bendish: Better still. For in the beginning of these things it's devilishly
tiresome to carry three letters back and forth day in day out.
Cadwell: No trouble to do it. You can do it without going out.
Bendish: How's that?
Cadwell: She resides here.
Bendish: Is it Olivia?
Cadwell: You have said it.
Bendish: Ah, sir--!
Cadwell: (interrupting him) What's wrong with you?
Bendish: Have you considered carefully what you are doing?
Cadwell: Very carefully.
Bendish: Olivia is a friend of Laura. In her sight. You cannot be
thinking or you intend to lose everything. Eh, sir, where is the probity,
the honor. Think, I tell you--
Cadwell: (interrupting him) I love moralizing. It puts me to sleep.
Bendish: (seeing Jenny appear) Hold, sir. Here's Jenny. Instruct her in
all these plans.
(Enter Jenny)
Cadwell: Eh, good day, Jenny. What do you want?
Jenny: To bid you good day, sir. I have to speak to you for madam.
Cadwell: (to Bendish) My jerkin. (Cadwell dresses throughout this
scene without listening to Jenny)
Jenny: If I hadn't believed myself able to do you and madam a service,
sir, I wouldn't undertake to speak to you. I flatter myself you will find
what I have to say agreeable. You know I am in your interests. It pains
me to see that you don't wish to be happy. What wouldn't I give to see
you make serious reflections on your humor. As for me, I believe you
too honest a man not to reproach yourself sometimes for your conduct
towards Laura.
Cadwell: My watch.
Jenny: Dare one tell you that dividing your love between twenty
coquettes makes you neither more attractive nor more happy. Your
feelings should be faithful to the most loveable lady in the kingdom.

Believe me, sir, and you will be believing an affectionate girl totally in
your interests: Be happy while you can. There will come a time when
the desire to be happy will only meet with despair. You will not always
be attractive, and you won't always find a Laura to love you.
Cadwell: My sword.
Jenny: Fifty thousand francs and Laura! In these days a pretty sum. It
ought to be very tempting to you--and I don't know anybody else who
wouldn't be tempted by all that.
Cadwell: My purse.
Jenny: Truly sir, it's useless for you to say or do something, to put to
use the merit you have, and you have great merit if one believes the
consensus--I intend to become the greatest lady in Paris if I can get you
to fifty thousand francs and Laura.
Cadwell: My wig.
Jenny: What I am saying to you must be very unpleasant for you not to
reply one word to me.
Cadwell: How do I look, Jenny?
Jenny: Oh! Not very good at all. You enrage me.
Cadwell: My gloves, my hat. (to Jenny) Goodbye, Jenny. (to Bendish
as he leaves) Hey, Bendish.
Bendish: Sir?
Cadwell: (whispering in Bendish's ear) Listen.
(Exit Cadwell)
Jenny: (aside) On my oath, there's a villainous man. (to Bendish) And
you, you imagine that I am used to your coldness and lack of love?
Bendish: I love moralists--they put me to sleep.
Jenny: Go, go, traitor, I will teach you.
Bendish: (interrupting her) You don't know what you are saying.
Jenny: What, a girl like me, a man like you. Rascal. Infamous!
Bendish: Leave, leave, these pretty names, these illustrious names, to
the unworthy master I serve--give me softer ones, more agreeable.
Jenny: Give you sweet names!
Bendish: Ah, pardon, child. I have my head full of Cadwell's follies.
Jenny: (interrupting him) And your own?
Bendish: That without thinking what I do--
Jenny (interrupting him) Very obliging way of justifying yourself. I
will hold you to account.

Bendish: I will reply with the same words he said to me when I tried to
censure his conduct.
Jenny: I believe it. You know that I have my complaints about you and
that I find you very bad--
Bendish: How do I look, Jenny?
Jenny: Ah, traitor! You copy Cadwell. But don't think that I am crazy
enough to copy Laura.
Bendish: Goodbye, child. I bid you good day.
Jenny: Plague on the fool!
CURTAIN
ACT II. Scene: Same as Act I. Time: A short time later.
Lackey: I'm going to find out if one can see, madam.
Arabella: Eh! My child--tell me a bit, I beg you, Cadwell--is he here?
Lackey: I don't know. I don't believe so. Shall I ring, madam?
Arabella: Yes, ring. (Lackey pulls a bell cord) (Aside) Where can
Cadwell be? His conduct doesn't satisfy me any more. He has the gift
of tasting everything he finds agreeable the very moment he finds it.
And the lack of promptness