AMADEUS
Rather. We won"t see much of each other.
CECILIA
We"ll have to correspond.
AMADEUS
As we have done before.
CECILIA
We"re used to it.
AMADEUS
Yes. (_Pause_) Tell me by the way: do you actually want to a.s.sist at that charity concert?
CECILIA
Why not? I couldn"t say no to Marie. Have you any objection?
AMADEUS
No--why should I? But we might use the half hour that"s left to go over something. (_He goes to the music-stand_) What do you want to sing?
CECILIA
Oh, something of yours, for one thing ...
AMADEUS
Oh, no, no.
CECILIA
Why not?
AMADEUS
There"s nothing within yourself that prompts you to sing it anyhow.
CECILIA
Just as you say, Amadeus.--I don"t want to intrude either.
AMADEUS (_bending forward and searching among the music_) How would Schumann be--"The Snow-drop?" Or ... "Old Melodies" ... and "Love Betrayed"....
CECILIA
Yes. And perhaps von Wolf"s "Concealment," and something by Brahms. "No more to meet you, was my firm decision...."
AMADEUS
Yes, I was just holding it in my hand. (_As if casually, and very dryly_) So you went for a walk with Sigismund after all?
CECILIA
Yes. He sent his regards to you.
AMADEUS (_smiling_)
Did he? (_As he brings the music sheets to the piano_) Why doesn"t he come here instead?
CECILIA
One of the things I like about him is that he won"t.
AMADEUS
Is that so?--Oh, well!--I"ll send him my regards, too. But it"s really too bad that he won"t come here any more. It was very nice to hear him play his waltzes--those evenings were really very pleasant.... I just happened to mention them to the Countess this afternoon.
CECELIA
Oh, you did?--And I have just seen her picture.
AMADEUS
Her picture?
CECILIA
I went with Sigismund to the Art Gallery.
AMADEUS
Oh.--They tell me it"s a great success.
CECILIA
It would be a wonder if it were not. The artist spent six months on it, they say....
AMADEUS
Is that too much for a good picture?
CECELIA