Madonna of the Seven Moons Page #4

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- You'll meet Angela.

- You two engaged yet?

- Not officially.

- But you I-love her very much, don't you?

What's the joke?

- She can't mention love without stammering!

- Beast!

Orchids. How lovely.

If I ever marry, I hope my husband

will be as attentive as you are.

The signs are very promising.

- Is your mother dressed yet?

- I don't know.

But Tessa tells me it's come off,

the new gown I persuaded her to wear.

I'm sorry. What is she going to wear?

- The new gown!

- It hasn't come off, it's going on.

I don't understand halfthe things you say.

Oh, Daddy!

There's to be no nonsense about it.

If you feel the least bit tired,

up to bed you come.

- Whatever anybody says.

- Don't fuss, Tessa.

I shall be perfectly all right.

- Who is it?

- It's only me.

Well, now, that's something like!

I But I've told her it's straight

to bed if she's at all tired.

Get along with you. You're a menace.

They're lovely.

And so are you.

Do you really want me to go down

looking like this?

Want? I insist!

There won't be a woman in Rome

to hold a candle to you.

You're so good to me, Guiseppe.

I love you very, very much.

And I, you, my dear.

I often think I am the luckiest woman

in the world.

Never let me go, Guiseppe. Never let me go!

May I come in?

Oh, Mummy! How wonderful you look!

Any hopes you had, young woman,

of being the centre of attraction

have gone with the wind.

Stop staring at me, you two,

you're making me embarrassed.

I'm offto give the band a drink.

- This is for you.

- What is it?

A little present for being so sweet to me.

- Oh, darling, you shouldn't do these things.

- Well, I must fly.

How beautiful. They must be very old.

Like the peasant women used to wear.

Yes.

Like the peasant women used to wear.

Mother of God, why do you look like that?

- Like what?

- A different person.

Someone I've never seen before.

Take them away, Tessa.

Put them in my jewel box.

My dear, what a transformation.

You stepped out of one century into another.

I'm not sure I feel comfortable in the new one.

You'll feel uncomfortable when you look as I do.

Had I your figure, I would run naked

through the hemlock without a blush!

That would be a very moving spectacle.

- Have you brought Millie with you?

- No.

She'll be here presently.

You don't expect her to go out with her mother?

Do you know, I think your wife

is the loveliest person I've ever seen.

As compliments are flying, Mrs Logan,

may I say how very charming you are

in that frock?

I'm glad. It was a pair of curtains yesterday.

My husband's longing to meet her

but I don't seem able to find him in this crowd.

Oh, there's Nesta. Come along, Angela.

I want you to meet her.

- That's my daughter.

- Hello, sir.

- Nesta, this is Angela.

- How do you do?

- See you all later.

- I'm so glad you were able to come.

It was very sweet of you to ask us.

Not at all, but I'm sure you two

would rather dance than talk to me.

If you don't mind,

I think I'd rather look for Jimmy.

- Who's Jimmy?

- Her husband, darling!

They're depressingly fond of each other.

- You never told me she had a husband!

- He's one of my oldest friends.

- My dance, I think.

- Is it?

Of course not. It's mine!

Hey! You're going the wrong way.

No, I'm sure they're not.

- At last I've got you.

- How do you mean, got me?

- To myself, of course.

- Why, so you have.

What happens next?

The most important moment of my life.

Oh, I'm glad to be present for that.

It couldn't very well have been otherwise.

- That's lucky, isn't it?

- It's more than lucky, it's...

Darling, will you have the ring

before you say yes

or say yes before you have the ring?

- What ring?

- This one.

- Darling...

- Well?

I think I'd like to say yes and have the ring

and have you kiss me all at the same time!

- I don't believe it's true.

- Neither do I.

- How do you feel?

- Dizzy.

Me too.

- Sit down if you're tired.

- I'm not tired.

- Shall we dance, then?

- Hello, Mrs Logan.

- Haven't you a partner?

- Yes, but I don't see him anywhere.

- Perhaps we can find him.

- Please don't bother.

He's sure to turn up. He always does.

- Ah, there you are.

- Oh, hello.

- That was frightfully rude of you.

- What?

You just passed Madame Labardi

without saying a word to her.

Did I? Good heavens, I've been trying

to catch a glimpse of her all evening.

Hello, Jimmy. I want you to meet my future wife.

Jimmy Logan, Angela Labardi.

- You're very lucky. How do you do?

- Congratulations to you both.

Thank you. We're going to break

the news to Mummy. Have you seen her?

- Very nearly.

- She went to the drawing room.

- Come along, Evelyn.

- See you later.

Ifwe're to catch that train to Florence,

we'd better slip away.

Oh, Mummy!

Evelyn's asked me and I said yes.

He gave me this and now I want

to tell everybody!

Angela!

Darling!

Hello, you two,

I thought you were never coming.

The best people are always late.

Who is that?

That's the dancing partner of Millie Fiske's,

Sandro Barucci.

Sandro Barucci?

Mummy!

I think she'll be all right now.

The pulse is normal. She seems to be sleeping.

- I advise you all to leave her.

- Leave her lying there alone?

Yes, I'd rather she wasn't disturbed.

I should let her sleep until the morning.

But I don't want to get married.

You don't know the things that can happen.

The amul things.

All my life, I've tried to avoid the world.

Now it's rushed in on me.

ANGELA. What form did the illness take?

Is it likely to come on again?

Mever let me go, Guiseppe.

Never let me go.

MAN. Rosanna. Rosanna.

Rosanna.

Florence.

- Return?

- No return.

Oh! Oh! Oh!

Oh, sir! Quickly!

What is it? What's the matter?

What are you shouting for?

Maddalena.

- Where is she?

- It's happened again.

She's gone! Just like she did the last time.

- And look, her jewel case.

- What is all this shindig about?

- Why, where's Mummy?

- She's gone.

- Gone?

- This happened before, Angela.

Daddy?

I lost her for a whole year.

The seven moons.

Well, here's where I leave you.

I wonder why artists always choose

the worst parts of a town.

The answer, my girl, is on the walls

of every picture gallery in Europe.

Ah! Get out of here! Get out, you scum!

Devils!

You gonna be all day plucking that fowl?

Hey, mind what you're doing

with those feathers.

Quite the duchess,

since Nino took you upstairs from the scullery!

Stop flapping, you old fool.

No, well, you never know.

You may soon be back again.

That's what you think.

Me? I'm not like the others. Where I am, I stay!

There's only one not like the others. Rosanna.

When she left, they came and went.

Came and went, as you will.

Ah, shut up.

Rosanna!

Why has she come back?

Rosanna!

- Rosanna!

- Nino!

You're not like the others, eh?

Where you are, you stay!

- She can't do this to me.

- Get back to the scullery, you!

There seems to be a little trouble

in the house over the way.

- Nino's woman has returned.

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