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Scene 7
[The fire bubbles in the fireplace, crackling with the remains of wood. Nearby, on an armchair upholstered in burgundy velvet, sits an elderly plump man. He is dozing: the pipe with tobacco is hardly held in his hands; his round, small glasses have slipped off his nose; the newspaper rests on his knees. The room, furnished expensively and tastefully, was plunged into twilight. Silence hung like a thundercloud in the air. Suddenly, rustling the hem of a strictly dark green dress, a tall, stately woman runs in. Black hair, with barely noticeable grey, pulled into a bun, thin lips pursed. She is pale.]
BEATRICE (sternly): Alexander![The man continues to sleep, not noticing BEATRICE. BEATRICE stops - a mask of fear, replaced by pure surprise. BEATRICE wrings her hands and begins to look around.]
I throw away my pen and lean back in my chair. Some kind of nonsense creeps into my head. I sigh and begin to massage my eyes, lightly pressing on the eyelid. Brilliant fireworks scatter in the darkness, bright to the point of pain and clouding of reason. Finally, after a couple of minutes, I pull myself together, sigh again and bend over to the sheet, crossing out the last line. BEATRICE (scared): Alexander![The man starts and wakes up. ALEXANDER blinks eyes for a couple of seconds, coming to senses. Then, seeing BEATRICE, ALEXANDER squints, trying to make out the expression on her face, finally adjusts his glasses and notices BEATRICE's agitated state.]
ALEXANDER (not understanding): Beatrice... what happened?.. I don’t understand anything... Why are you so scared?...[BEATRICE starts pacing the room and wringing her hands. ALEXANDER waits patiently, watching through his glasses. Several times, BEATRICE opens her mouth, but immediately closes it again. Finally, BEATRICE shuddered, sank to the floor and burst into sobs. ALEXANDER, hastily throwing away the newspaper, rushed to her.]
ALEXANDER (mumbling): Beatrice, dear, what shocked you so much?.. BEATRICE (quickly, hysterically): What a shame!.. In my house!.. How could we allow this to happen, Alexander?!.. Oh, what a shame!.. Alexander (discouraged): But what happened? Tell me, please! I am sure that we will definitely sort everything out! Beatrice![BEATRICE continues to sob as she sits on the patterned rug. ALEXANDER completely confused. Suddenly, ALEXANDER's face clears up, he rushes to the table, pours water into a cut glass and splashes it in BEATRICE's face. BEATRICE immediately calms down and looks at ALEXANDER, dismayed.]
I jump out of my chair and start pacing around the room that serves as my office. Small, only twenty steps, it is overflowing with paper, dust and the smell of old wood. The carpet, holding back so as not to sneeze from the dust, eats up my hasty steps. “What if it’s completely different?” I mutter, rubbing the bridge of my nose, picking up the sheet from the table and glancing over the lines, “let’s create, so to speak, a certain effect of surprise...”[The fire burns welcomingly in the fireplace. Nearby, on an armchair upholstered in burgundy velvet, sat an elderly, plump man. He is dozing: the pipe with tobacco is barely held in his hands; his round, small glasses have slipped off his nose; the newspaper rests on his knees. The cozy room is expensively and tastefully furnished. Suddenly, rustling the hem of a strictly dark green dress, a tall, stately woman runs in. Black hair, with barely noticeable grey, pulled into a bun, thin lips pursed. She is pale.]
BEATRICE (in panic): Alexander![The man starts and wakes up. ALEXANDER blinks his eyes for a couple of seconds, coming to his senses. Then, seeing BEATRICE, ALEXANDER squints, trying to make out the expression on her face, finally adjusts his glasses and notices BEATRICE's agitated state.]
ALEXANDER (not understanding): Beatrice... what happened?.. I don’t understand anything... Why are you so scared?...[BEATRICE starts pacing the room and wringing her hands. ALEXANDER waits patiently, watching through his glasses. Several times, BEATRICE opens her mouth, but immediately closes it again. Finally, she shuddered, sank to the floor and burst into sobs. ALEXANDER hastily threw away the newspaper and rushed to her.]
ALEXANDER (mumbling): Beatrice, dear, what shocked you so much?.. BEATRICE (quickly, hysterically): What a shame!.. In my house!.. How could we allow this to happen, Alexander?!.. What a shame!.. ALEXANDER (discouraged): But what happened? Tell me soon! I am sure that we will definitely sort everything out! Beatrice![BEATRICE continues to sob as she sits on the patterned rug. ALEXANDER decisively rushes to the table, pours water into a cut glass and splashes it in BEATRICE's face. BEATRICE instantly calms down and, frowning, stares at ALEXANDER. ALEXANDER shrugs.]
BEATRICE (in a menacing whisper): excuse me, dear, what are doing?[ALEXANDER spreads his hands.]
ALEXANDER (in an apologetic whisper): I’m sorry, but I should have brought you to your senses! BEATRICE (evil): There are more humane methods! Offer me a drink, by God! This is exactly what they do in good books! ALEXANDER: in general it’s not my fault![ALEXANDER nods to the side.]
The sheets of paper fall onto the table with a splat. I cross the room and rest my hands on the windowsill. I inhale - the smells of horse manure, dirt and slop fill my nose. But having pushed away all this veil, I catch with my nose what I can safely call the smell of the city - the now popular jasmine perfume, red French wine, pastel silk from which dresses are woven, baked, hot birdd on the tables, waiting for the family who decided to have dinner... salty surf, caramel apples, paper notices - all this is a smell that has ingrained itself into residents, homes and even stray cats. I look up from the window and thoughtfully approach the old wardrobe. The dusty shelves are filled with piles of papers, various books - from novels to textbooks - letters, drafts... I opened the creaky doors and fished out from the top shelf an almost empty bottle of expensive twelve-year-old brandy and a heavy glass. After that, looking around the room, I go up to one of the chairs. In one motion I throw off the clothes hanging on it and fall onto the soft seat. I uncork the bottle and the pungent smell of alcohol hits my nose, mixed with walnuts, leather and tobacco. Suddenly, an insight descended on me. I dropped the bottle on the table nearby with a crash, jumped up and rushed to the table, hitting the bottle. It fells with a crash, spilling half of the already tiny amount of alcohol, which immediately spread as a stain on the carpet. I waved my hand and sat down at the table. “What the hell is water when there’s brandy...” I muttered, chaotically groping around the table with my hands in search of a pen. BEATRICE (quickly, hysterically): What a shame!.. In my house!.. How could we allow this to happen, Alexander?!.. Oh, how will I look people in the eyes!.. ALEXANDER (discouraged): But what happened? Tell me soon! I am sure that we will definitely sort everything out! Beatrice![BEATRICE continues to sob as she sits on the patterned rug. ALEXANDER decisively approaches the cabinet, takes out from the top shelf an almost full bottle of expensive twelve-year-old brandy and a heavy glass, and then sits down again on the floor next to BEATRICE.
ALEXANDER confidently pours a full glass of brandy and hands it to BEATRICE.]
ALEXANDER: have a drink, calm down, and, for God's sake, tell me what happened![BEATRICE hesitantly takes the glass, takes a few sips and winces.]
BEATRICE (weakly): thank you, I think I feel better...[ALEXANDER takes a handkerchief from his pocket and wipes sweat from his forehead. ALEXANDER looks tense and tired.]
ALEXANDER: now tell me what happened? BEATRICE (sniffling): it's better to see... ALEXANDER (impatiently): what to see?! BEATRICE (hysterical): body![BEATRICE burst into sobs. ALEXANDER looks at her dumbfounded, then gets up and begins to walk around the room. Then ALEXANDER rushes to BEATRICE again and shakes her by the shoulders.]
ALEXANDER (hurriedly): for God's sake, Beatrice, what are you talking about?! Which body?! BEATRICE (through tears): real! In the middle of our living room! ALEXANDER: Whose?! BEATRICE (hysterical): I don't know! I didn't look! I immediately rushed to you so that we could resolve the issue before the guests woke up! ALEXANDER (grumbles): yeah... ALEXANDER (decisively): I'll call the police, and you stay here.[ALEXANDER stands up and quickly walks out of the room, leaving BEATRICE on the floor with a glass of brandy.]
I sigh tiredly and get up from the table. The smell of alcohol weighs unbearably on my head, preventing from thinking. I go to the window again, open it and let the autumn wind into the room. Taking a deep breath, I, on the way, clinging to a box lying on the floor, cross the room, and pull on a dark-brown suede coat. After hesitantly standing in the doorway and looking around at the chaos in the room, I slam the door and go out onto the stairwell. “Could you ask the maid to clean my room?” I ask, looking into the hostess’s room. She mutters something about my eternal mess, but, having received a couple of jingling coins, she immediately promises to do everything in the best possible way. I nod and literally run down the stairs to the street. Autumn has just begun to take over - the trees in some places are still stubbornly turning green, although most are already covered with a golden border. The bright blue sky, without a single cloud, stretched out in all directions. The sun smiles deceptively, but gives almost no warmth. The wind blows dry leaves along the cobblestone streets, and they crunch as they roll from one side to the other. Here and there on the pavement you can see yesterday's dirty puddles. I walk, opening my coat with a smile, and tired people flow towards me. I'll finish work after my walk.[BEATRICE gets up from the floor, dusts off her skirt in one motion and sits elegantly in an armchair, crossing her legs. BEATRICE thoughtfully shakes the glass of brandy and looks at the oily tears flowing down the walls of the heavy glass. There is a knock on the room.]
BEATRICE (tiredly): come in![A lean, tanned man of about forty in a gray suit enters the room. He takes off his hat, smiles slightly and nods to BEATRICE. BEATRICE nods in response and gestures to sit in the armchair opposite. MR AVER limps over to the chair and sits down in it.]
BEATRICE (bored): ah, Mister Iver, you would know how tiring it is to play a prim, nervous woman![BEATRICE rips off the scrunchy and her black, shiny hair falls over her shoulders, instantly making her look ten years younger than before.]
MR. IVER (with a smile): yes, I can imagine how difficult it was for you.[BEATRICE shakes her head offendedly and gives MR. IVER a displeased look.]
BEATRICE (coldly): Are you doubting my professionalism? MR. IVER (shaking his head): Definitely no, my lady. I just meant that hiding your bright personality behind the mask of an old, boring woman is a crime. BEATRICE (with a chuckle): don't grovel. Would you like some brandy? MR. IVER: with pleasure.[BEATRICE puts down the glass, jumps up from her chair with unusual ease and takes another glass from the cabinet. BATRIS blows the dust off the glass and with an elegant movement opens the bottle to pour brandy into the cut glass. BEATRICE hands the glass to MR. IVER and returns to her armchair. Every movement of BEATRICE is full of grace.]
MR. IVER: thank you, my lady.[The door opens. ALEXANDER waddles into the room. MR. IVER stands up and nods. ALEXANDER and MR. IVER shake hands. BEATRICE watches, taking another sip.]
ALEXANDER: nice to see you, Mr. Iver. As far as I understand, we are currently free? MR. IVER: yes, perhaps. Would you mind keeping my lady and I company? ALEXANDER (with a smile): I'm afraid there are too few chairs here. BEATRICE: since our wonderful company does not fit here, I suggest moving to the living room. Besides, lunch is coming soon, and, I'm afraid if we stay in the office, Alexander's brandy supplies will suffer greatly. MR. IVER (laughing): you are absolutely right. If Mr. Evergreen doesn't mind, I'll be happy to continue the conversation in the living room. ALEXANDER: no, not in any case, I will be only glad. BEATRICE (with a wide smile): That's great![BEATRICE stands up, leaving her glass on the table, takes ALEXANDER's arm on one side, and MR. IVER's on the other, and the whole company, discussing the weather, leaves the office. The room plunges into velvety silence, interrupted only by the crackling of the fire and the ticking of the wall clock.]
