46
A LEGHORN HAT
read a signboard). —Baudoyer, Uncle! Baudoyer Square! Here we are!
- Nonancourt. —What luck! Let's hunt up number eight...
- All. —Here it is! Let's go in!
- Nonancourt. — Ah, not a doorman! And my son-in-law, didn't give me a latch key!
- Hélène. —Papa, I can't go any further; I must sit down!
- Nonancourt (Hastily). — Not on the ground! It's hard macadam!
- Bobin. —There's a light in the house . . .
- Nonancourt. — It is in Fadinard's apartment. He has arrived ahead of us... (Knocks, and calls loudly.) Fadinard! Son-in-law! (All shout with him.) Fadinard! Fadinard!
- Tardiveau (To Vézinet). — A bit of quiet, Sir!
- Vézinet. — Quite so, Sir, I shall brush myself when I get home.
- Nonancourt (Shouting). —Fadinard!
- Bobin. — Your son-in-law is trying to freeze us out...
- Hélène. — He won't open to us, Papa.
- Nonancourt. — We'll go to the police.
- All. — Yes, yes! To the police! (All start to go out, upstage.)
- Félix (Entering by a street to the right). — Ah, what a crowd!
- Nonancourt (Seeing him). — His man! Come here, Rascal!
- Félix. — Wait, it's my master's wedding party! Sir, have you seen my master?
- Nonancourt. — Have you seen my scapegrace son-in-law?
- Félix. — I've been hunting for him over two hours...
- Nonancourt. — We'll get along without him — Open the door, Ninny!
- Félix. — Oh, Sir, I can't! I'm forbidden. There's a woman inside...
- All. — A woman!
- Nonancourt (Loudly). — A woman!
- Félix. — Yes, Sir, without her hat . . . Since this morning... with...
- Nonancourt (Furiously). — Enough! (Hurls Félix to the right) A mistress! On his wedding day!
- Bobin. — Without a hat!
- Nonancourt. — Warming her feet at the conjugal hearth. And we, his wife, we, decent people, we have been running around, for fifteen hours, with myrtles in our arms. (Handing his myrtle to Vézinet.) Shame! Shame!
