[5] This refers to a habit of Emperor William"s, from whom the Italian composer, Leoncavallo, among others, once received such an order.
GOVERNESS (_enters_)
The tea will be here in a moment.
AMADEUS
Now you must get back to bed, Peter. It"s late.
GOVERNESS (_wants to take the boy away_)
PETER
No, mamma must take me to bed as when I was a little baby.
CECILIA
Come on then!--Mercy me, how heavy you have grown. (_Goes out with Peter and the governess_)
MARIE
My, but she is pretty!
AMADEUS
Haven"t you discovered that before?
ALBERT
Well, good-by then!
AMADEUS
Until to-morrow. I shall be expecting you early--between nine and ten.
MARIE (_to Amadeus as she is going out_)
Don"t you regret having to leave her again at once?
AMADEUS
Duty, my dear Marie....
CECILIA (_returning_)
Oh, are you really going?--Good-by then--for a little while!
[_Albert and Marie go out._
CECILIA (_going to the fireplace_)
Home again! (_She sits down_)
AMADEUS (_near the door and speaking rather shyly_)
It"s a question whether it can please you as much as it does me.
CECILIA (_holds out her hand to him_)
AMADEUS (_takes her hand and kisses it; then he seats himself_) Tell me all about it.
CECILIA
What am I to tell? I haven"t left anything untold--or hardly anything.
AMADEUS
Well....
CECILIA
Getting home every night--and it was quite late at times, as you know--I sat down and wrote to you. I wish you had been equally explicit.
AMADEUS
But I have written you every day, too.
CECILIA
Nevertheless, my dear, it seems to me you must have lots to add.
(_With a laugh_) To many things you have referred in a strikingly casual fashion.
AMADEUS
I might say the same to you.
CECILIA
No, you can"t. My letters have practically been diaries. And that"s more than could be said of yours.--Well, Amadeus...? Without frankness the whole situation becomes meaningless, I should say.
AMADEUS
What is there to be cleared up?
CECILIA
Is it really all over with Philine?