THE SPIRIT OF CONTRADICTION.
Pandolfo.It is not to be tolerated! They do it on purpose to drive me out of my senses!
Paolo Galanti.Who has made you angry, Signor Pandolfo?
Pan.Who? Does any one ask? My wife and daughter—— What! whom do I see? You, Benini!
Ben.So you recognised me at once? I thought you had forgotten me altogether.
Pan.No, sir, I had not forgotten you. Am I a man to forget old friends?... For we certainly are old friends.
(They shake hands cordially.)
(They shake hands cordially.)
(They shake hands cordially.)
Ben.We are, indeed! Twenty years——
Pan.No, not twenty years; eighteen or nineteen.... We used to see a great deal of each other—do you remember?
Ben.Don’t I?
Pan.We often used to dispute; because you are of a most contradictory temper.
Ben.I?
Pan.Would you deny it?
Ben.Well, no—I was young and impetuous in those days, and had not much sense—or indeed none at all.
Pan.That is not the case—you were not altogether without sense.... It is true you had your little eccentricities—but, after all....
Ben.And you never paid the slightest attention to my words....
Pan.That is not true! I always attended to you—I always had the greatest consideration for you, I assure you; and it gives me more pleasure than I can express to find you here again.
(They shake hands again.)
(They shake hands again.)
(They shake hands again.)
Pao.(aside to Benini). My word! I have never yet seen him receive any one so well!
Pan.You must come to see my wife.
Ben.I do not know whether Signora Angelica will be disposed to welcome me after all these years.
Pan.Of course she will! I’ll answer for that! Why—an intimate friend of mine! Yet she does everything she possibly can to contradict and oppose me, that woman!—She has not a bad disposition—I would not say that; but it is a certain perversity of humour. Just imagine that, at this very moment, when all the visitors present in the place are going to assemble in these rooms, she could find no better way of spending her time than in going off for a long walk on the beach. Never lets herself be seen—persists in withdrawing from society—mere madness, I call it!... We have a daughter, and if this sort of thing goes on, how shall we ever get her settled in life?
Pao.Oh! as to that, the young lady cannot fail to find——
Pan.What! are you, too, going to contradict me?
Pao.No, most certainly not! Only, since the ladies are going out, if you will permit me, I should like to accompany them for part of the way.
Pan.Hm!
Pao.I will just go and fetch my hat and umbrella.
Pan.(aside). What a bore he is—always in the way!
Pao.(aside to Benini). Signor Pandolfo appears to have a great regard for you.
Ben.(aside to Paolo). Quite true; there was a time when I could get him to do anything I wanted.
Pao.(as before). Do, like a good fellow, one thing for me,—say a word or two in my favour.
Ben.(ditto). In your favour? All right! It is just what I was thinking of doing.
Pao.(ditto). Thanks!
Ben.(ditto). Oh! you’ve nothing to thank me for.
Pao.(ditto). I shall be back soon. (Exit.)
Ben.(aside). Now I’ll do his business. (To Pandolfo.) I understand why you gave permission to that young man to escort your wife and daughter.
Pan.I never gave him permission. And what did you understand?
Ben.Galanti is an amiable fellow——
Pan.Nothing of the sort!
Ben.Witty.
Pan.Do you see any wit inhim?
Ben.Good-looking——
Pan.A dandified fool!
Ben.Courteous——
Pan.Too much so. The fellow agrees with every one.
Ben.He would be a son-in-law quite after your own heart. I would, but——
Pan.Son-in-law, be hanged! If you don’t look out you will make me use language I shall regret!
Ben.Well, don’t get angry.... Every one believes that he is going to marry your daughter.
Pan.Then he may whistle for her. My Elisa’s husband ought to be a young man with brains; and this Galanti of yours is a fool.
Ben.Well, not quite that.
Pan.He is! I want a man of character, and this jackanapes is nothing but a weather-cock!
Vittorio Bersezio.
Vittorio Bersezio.
Vittorio Bersezio.
Vittorio Bersezio.