<br>
SERVANT<br>
<br>
Miss Marian Halcombe<br>
<br>
(Fosco is pleasantly surprised. He shoos the servant away. <br>
He slicks back his hair back, adjusts his smoking jacket. <br>
The servant exits as Marian enters)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
To what Miss Halcombe do we owe this honour?<br>
Each successive day was getting duller<br>
<br>
MARIAN <br>
(as she takes her coat off, revealing her red dress to him for the first time)<br>
<br>
Well I somehow thought you might be missing me<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
I must tell you scarlet is your color<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
I cannot spend all my life in mourning<br>
Though in ev'ry way I miss my sister<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
Truly you display a healthy attitude<br>
<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
I'm for the first time on my own<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
Really you need not be alone<br>
One should explore on'es playful side<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
You are a guide most qualified<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
I leave in the morning for the continent<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
In my provincial world I cannot be content<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
We could lead a life that would be well mis-spent<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
And I have no doubt that would be thrilling<br>
But alas it seems my glass requires refilling<br>
<br>
(Fosco takes her glass and re-fills it generously-as he does she quickly <br>
and surreptitiously looks on his desk<br>
for the document before hastily arranging herself on the sofa. <br>
He hands her the drink)<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
Delicious!<br>
<br>
Sir if I remove my shoes would that be shocking?<br>
<br>
FOSCO <br>
<br>
I'd be breathless as your buckles are undone<br>
I would walk to warsaw just to see your stocking <br>
And to see your shapely ankle I would run<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
You should know it took great courage for this visit<br>
But I must admit that I am glad that I am here<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
And that dress you're falling out of is exquisite<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
Though I'm trembling it is clearly not from fear<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
It's apparent we were made for one another<br>
We're each others moon and sun we're so well matched<br>
Though my feelings aren't remotely like a brother<br>
We are over twenty-one and unattached   <br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
I've been waiting all my life for an adventure<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
What in truth you have been waiting for is me<br>
Let us begin our minuette<br>
<br>
MARIAN  <br>
<br>
No looking back and no regret<br>
Don't I deserve a life of bliss?<br>
<br>
FOSCO (intimate)<br>
<br>
Think of this as the precipice<br>
<br>
(they kiss)<br>
<br>
FOSCO <br>
<br>
I can open up a world you've only heard of<br>
<br>
MARIAN <br>
<br>
Introduce me to a life beyond your dreams<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
We'll share secrets that we'll never breath a word of<br>
And we'll take pursuit of pleasure to extremes<br>
<br>
BOTH<br>
<br>
You and I are willing to defy convention<br>
You're my equal both in joie de vivre and wit<br>
We find another worthy of attention<br>
we don't care what others think of us one bit<br>
<br>
(they kiss)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
As a paramour I'm rather out of practice<br>
But I'll rise to this occasion I embrace<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
But that bard of yours is rather like a cactus<br>
May I save, if not my virtue then my face?<br>
Would you kindly shave it off<br>
Do be a darling?<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
Then i will fly back to your side just like a startling<br>
<br>
(Fosco leaves to shave. <br>
Marian dashes around the room looking for the document, <br>
opening drawers etc.)<br>
<br>
MARIAN (sotto voce)<br>
<br>
Think, think Marian. Where is it? Where is it?<br>
<br>
(she continues to look. She finds the document, reads it)<br>
<br>
MARIAN (sotto voce)<br>
<br>
Please! Yes!<br>
<br>
(she does not have time to put the paper back, before she hears him approaching. <br>
She hids it about her person. <br>
Fosco re-enters, in the mood for love. She sits herself quickly.)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
Now my chin is even softer than a baby<br>
Let's resume this tete a tete from where we were<br>
<br>
(She edges away from him)<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
Though my heart says yes my head's now saying maybe<br>
And my feet are growing colder and concur<br>
<br>
(She puts on her shoes again)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
When I left this room were we both not on fire?<br>
We'ren't we both about to give romance a whirl?<br>
<br>
(She stands up)<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
On reflection I found out I'm<br>
somewhat shy-er<br>
And perhaps I'm not really that kind of girl<br>
<br>
(Fosco pauses, looks at her intensely)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
It appears that you have lost your taste for kissing<br>
So I'd appreciate if you'd return what's missing<br>
<br>
(Wordlessly she gives the document back to him. He holds onto her a moment)<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
Please. Please let me go. Please.<br>
<br>
(He does so)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
This game is through <br>
You think you win<br>
But think about<br>
What might have been<br>
If you had let romance begin<br>
Instead of hiding<br>
In your shell<br>
<br>
One day you'll see<br>
What you have spurned<br>
My precious gift <br>
That you returned<br>
A gift for living well<br>
<br>
Your every day<br>
A great event<br>
Living on the continent<br>
Yes, it's true<br>
I would have you<br>
spellbound<br>
<br>
(she looks away from him)<br>
<br>
This game of hearts<br>
You gladly trade <br>
For solitaire<br>
(with venom) and old maid<br>
And so I say fare well<br>
<br>
MARIAN<br>
<br>
Someday your past will catch you up<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
Please don't let me keep you<br>
<br>
(She leaves. He gathers up all his cases as he prepares for his final exit)<br>
<br>
FOSCO<br>
<br>
I can get away with ev'rything<br>
Except the girl, perhaps<br>
My epic charms have undergone <br>
a temporary lapse<br>
<br>
But when it's time to make an exit<br>
and I am halfway out the door<br>
As long as one is leaving anyway<br>
then leave them wanting more<br>
<br>
(he leaves)<br>
<br>

 <br>