Plays: Lady Frederick, The Explorer, A Man of Honour. Maugham William Somerset
Frederick
That's the worst of Monte. One meets as many creditors as in Bond Street. Say I'm engaged.
Madame Claude says she will wait till miladi is free.
You make a mistake. One should always be polite to people whose bills one can't pay.
Show her in.
Yes, miladi.
Is it a big one?
Oh, no; only seven hundred pounds.
By Jove.
My dear friend, one must dress. I can't go about in fig-leaves.
One can dress simply.
I do. That's why it costs so much.
You know, you're devilish extravagant.
I'm not. I'm content with the barest necessities of existence.
You've got a maid.
Of course I've got a maid. I was never taught to dress myself.
And you've got a footman.
I've always had a footman. And my mother always had a footman. I couldn't live a day without him.
What does he do for you?
He inspires confidence in tradesmen.
And you have the most expensive suite of rooms in the hotel.
I'm in such a dreadful mess. If I hadn't got nice rooms I should brood over it.
Then, as if that weren't enough, you fling your money away at the tables.
When you're as poor as I am, a few louis more or less can make absolutely no difference.
[With a laugh.] You're quite incorrigible.
It's really not my fault. I do try to be economical, but money slips through my fingers like water. I can't help it.
You want a sensible sort of a man to look after you.
I want a very rich sort of a man to look after me.
If you were my wife, I should advertise in the papers that I wasn't responsible for your debts.
If you were my husband, I'd advertise immediately underneath that I wasn't responsible for your manners.
I wonder why you're so reckless.
When my husband was alive I was so utterly wretched. And afterwards, when I looked forward to a little happiness, my boy died. Then I didn't care any more. I did everything I could to stupefy myself. I squandered money as other women take morphia – that's all.
It's the same dear scatter-brained, good-hearted Betsy that I used to know.
You're the only person who calls me Betsy now. To all the others I'm only Elizabeth.
Look here, what are you going to do with this dressmaker?
I don't know. I always trust to the inspiration of the moment.
She'll make a devil of a fuss, won't she?
Oh, no; I shall be quite nice to her.
I daresay. But won't she be very disagreeable to you?
You don't know what a way I have with my creditors.
I know it's not a paying way.
Isn't it? I bet you a hundred louis that I offer her the money and she refuses it.
I'll take that.
Here she is.
Madame Claude.
Best of women. This is a joyful surprise.
[Drawing herself up.] I 'eard quite by chance that your ladyship was at Monte.
So you came to see me at once. That was nice of you. You're the very person I wanted to see.
[Significantly.] I'm glad of that, my lady, I must confess.
You dear creature. That's one advantage of Monte Carlo, one meets all one's friends. Do you know Mr. Fouldes? This is Madame Claude, an artist, my dear Paradine, a real artist.
[Grimly.] I'm pleased that your ladyship should think so.
How d'you do.
Now, this gown. Look, look, look. In this skirt there's genius, mon cher. In the way it hangs my whole character is expressed. Observe the fullness of it, that indicates those admirable virtues which make me an ornament to Society, while the frill at the bottom just suggests those foibles – you can hardly call them faults – which add a certain grace and interest to my personality. And the flounce. Paradine, I beseech you to look at it carefully. I would sooner have designed this flounce than won the Battle of Waterloo.
Your ladyship is very kind.
Not at all, not at all. You remember that rose chiffon. I wore it the other day, and the dear Archduchess came up to me and said: "My dear, my dear." I thought she was going to have a fit. But when she recovered she kissed me on both cheeks and said: "Lady Frederick, you have a dressmaker worth her weight in gold." You heard her, Paradine, didn't you?
You forget that I only arrived last night.
Of course. How stupid of me. She'll be perfectly delighted to hear that you're in Monte Carlo. But I shall have to break it to her gently.
[Unmoved.] I'm sorry to intrude upon your ladyship.
Now what are you talking about? If you hadn't come to see me I should never have forgiven you.
I wanted to have a little talk with your ladyship.
Oh, but I hope we shall have many little talks. Have you brought your motor down?
Yes.
That's charming. You shall take me for a drive in it every day. I hope you're going to stay some time.
That depends on circumstances, Lady Frederick. I 'ave a little business to do here.
Then let me give you one warning – don't gamble.