The Lucky Man | Page 9

your pin.
Arabella: (giving the watch) And here's your watch.
(Enter Jenny)
Jenny: What swap are you making? I want to see it.

Selina: It's nothing, Jenny. (to Arabella) Goodbye, madam, I am going
to take your carriage.
Arabella: Don't keep it.
Selina: I am not going far.
Jenny: Madam is coming here.
Selina: I just remembered something pressing.
(Exit Selina)
Arabella: Your mistress is coming you say?
Jenny: I hear her.
Arabella: I intend to avenge myself on the perfidy of Cadwell right
away.
(Exit Jenny) (Enter Laura)
Laura: Madam, I am in despair for having made you wait so long.
Arabella: I've come to tell you something which will surprise you the
most.
Laura: Don't delay, madam, for I'm already impatient about--
Arabella: (interrupting her) No, madam, if you please this will be in
front of Cadwell.
Laura: What role does he have to play in what you have to tell me?
Arabella: I intend to reveal to you what is in the heart of a man you
esteem a little too much.
Laura: (pointing to the door to Cadwell's apartment) Madam, there's the
door to his apartment. (calling) Jenny, Jenny.
(Enter Jenny)
Jenny: Madam?
Laura: Tell Cadwell that madam (pointing to Arabella) wishes to speak
to him.
Jenny: Cadwell. He left, more than an hour ago, madam.
Laura: Fine! (Jenny exits) (to Arabella) I am not to know then, madam,
what it is that is so important for me to learn?
Arabella: Abuse me. No, madam, I repeat to you, Cadwell doesn't
deserve any consideration from a person like you.
Laura: You appear to me to be sufficiently well instructed, madam, and
the manner in which you speak, will begin to displease me if you
continue to hide from me the reason--
Arabella: Well, madam, learn to your shame and mine that Cadwell is
deceiving us both; that he is the most villainous of men, and that having

been disabused of his lies myself, I believe I ought to bring you out of
your error.
Laura: You oblige me much, madam, although a trifle late. You will
permit me to say without getting angry that you would easily console
me in my error if you were still in yours.
Arabella: Cadwell easily made me believe all that he wished, madam.
There are explanations between us, him, you and me that--
Laura: (interrupting her) Ah, madam, such explanations between three
people are usually irritating. Avoid them, and give me without them all
the proofs that you can of his infidelity.
Arabella: You are going to see all of Cadwell, madam.
Laura: (aside) Ah--inconsistent man--
(Enter Bendish)
Bendish: (aside, staying at a distance) They're talking about my master.
Arabella: I will render you certain.
Laura: (aside) Faithless!
Bendish: That's him.
Arabella: (pulling out a letter from her purse and presenting it to Laura)
Here, madam. Read!
Laura: (aside) Traitor! Infidel!
Bendish: Oh, surely that's him. I recognize the epithets. Let's hear.
Arabella: This is the only letter of the thirty or so he wrote me that I
have kept. One of my women imprudently took the others from my
drawer. Happily I had this one about my person. It will suffice.
Bendish: I believe we'll have to move a little sooner than we thought.
(Laura takes the letter and reads it to herself)
Arabella: (after Laura has finished the letter) Well? What do you say to
that, madam?
Laura: Alas, madam, what can I say? I can say nothing.
Arabella: You take this affair with plenty of moderation.
Laura: Rumor is helpful.
Bendish: (aside) Please God we may be rid of that rumor.
Arabella: Adieu, madam.
Laura: Madam, I bid you good day.
Arabella: Aren't you going to give me back my letter?
Laura: Please leave it here with me.
Arabella: These sorts of things are not good in the hands of interested

parties.
Laura: It won't leave my hands.
Arabella: Goodbye then, madam. (Seeing Laura is going to escort her
out and preventing it) Madam, where are you going?
Laura: Madam, I leave you. It's just as well, I am in no condition.
Arabella: (interrupting her) Go back in then.
(Exit Arabella)
Bendish: (aside) I can see it plainly. Our good fortune is going to cause
us to flee to the country. Just heaven!
Laura: (perceiving Bendish) Ah, Bendish, where is your master?
Bendish: I believe he went to do something.
Laura: Go tell him to come to me as soon as possible. As soon as
possible, do you understand? Tell him that I have something to say to
him of the utmost importance, that he come at once. Bring him with
you. Do you understand clearly?
Bendish: Yes, madam, I understand too well--and I haven't understood
anything.
Laura: Go then, quickly. Stay! I am going to write a word. That