Lover's Prayer Page #2

---

- Have you a tutor?

- No, I haven't had one for a long time.

That was a lie.

Yes, I see. You are quite grown up.

Hold your hands straight.

You haven't brought me anything,

except for your lustrous eyes, have you?

Perhaps you haven't any property

of your own. Not yet, I suppose.

I gazed at her and how dear she

already was to me and how near.

She was wearing a dark rather

worn dress with an apron.

How gladly would I have caressed

every fold of that apron.

The tips of her shoes looked

out from under her skirt.

And here I am sitting

opposite her, I was thinking.

I have met her. I know her.

God, what happiness!

How you do stare at me.

Zinaida! Boris has brought you a kitten!

A kitten!

What a funny little thing.

And what large ears.

I do thank you, Boris Yegorich.

It's very sweet of you.

You were kind enough to say yesterday that

you wanted a tabby kitten with large ears.

And here, you see, I have

procured one. Your word is law.

- In return for the kitten... your hand?

- Both of them.

What a pink little tongue.

Take it away.

Zinaida, come.

Sign at the bottom.

- What is the matter?

- Your mama has sent for you.

Your mama is annoyed because you

haven't come back with an answer.

Why, have I been her long?

- Over an hour.

- Over an hour?

- Where are you off to?

- I'm afraid that I must go home.

So I am to say that you

will honor us at six o'clock?

Yes, that's right, my dear.

You say just that.

Now, Monsieur Woldemar,

mind you come and see us again.

That Princess Zasyekin seems

to me une femme tres vulgaire,

with her requests to do

something for her daughter.

She seems to have endless lawsuits and

affairs. Des vilaines affaires d'argent!

Tiresome woman. I did, however, invite

her and her daughter to dinner tomorrow.

I remember now who this lady is.

In my youth, I knew the Prince Zasyekin.

A very well-bred man,

but a ridiculous man too.

They called him the Parisian because

he spent much of his time in Paris.

A relative of the late

French Duke, in fact.

Then he married some

minor official's daughter

and began to speculate

in a rather large way.

He completely ruined the family.

- I hope she won't try to borrow money.

- That is quite possible.

You've invited the daughter too?

Somebody was telling me she is a very

charming and cultivated young lady.

- She can't take after her mother, then.

- No. Nor her father.

I wonder what on

earth she's doing here.

I felt very uncomfortable

during their conversation.

Frankly, it seems like a rather

unlikely place for them to have chosen.

You say you knew this Prince Zasyekin?

- Is that the young Princess?

- It is.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes