hear, I hear.
LOUISA
Then go open.
PATRICK
Fine! Why rush? You can plainly hear—it’s some common person—the knock of a servant probably—
LOUISA
Perhaps the one rapping so humbly is coming to seek help for some poor sick person or some injured worker! You know Doctor Ivans’ orders are to open quickly—whatever may be the manner of the person knocking.
(two small knocks)
Go ahead, Patrick, go ahead!
(Patrick heads out.)
PATRICK
Coming—ah, I don’t know if it’s the sorrow of leaving you or the memory of the sea—but I don’t feel well.
(Exit Patrick.)
LOUISA
I’m beginning to think it’s really lucky I’m leaving. I might have been mad enough to marry that boy—I’d noticed he had no wit, but now I begin to see he has no heart.
(Enter Robinson with the Doctor.)
ROBINSON
Word of honor—of an honest man, Doctor Ivans, I cannot give you more than 200 pounds sterling for all this.
DOCTOR
(aside)
He ought to say—word of a trickster.
(aloud)
Anyway, can I have the money tonight by ten o’clock?
ROBINSON
I need to prepare a bill of sale.
DOCTOR
That’s very true—but it will be ready in twenty minutes. Send it to me.
ROBINSON
The Bill, together with 200 pounds will be delivered to you by six o’clock, Dr. Ivans.
DOCTOR
You always have to be careful about people who give their word about everything.
(noticing the Parisian in the antechamber)
Ah! Ah! There’s someone waiting for me in the antechamber, and you didn’t tell me about him, Louisa?
LOUISA
I didn’t know it, sir. It’s that imbecile of a Patrick; he is so upset about our departure that under the pretext of helping me, he messes up everything.
DOCTOR
It’s to me you wish to speak, young man?
PARISIAN
Yes, Doctor, with your permission, if it doesn’t disturb you.
DOCTOR
Not in the least. Come in: I am yours.
(to Mr. Robinson)
So, at six o’clock, Mr. Robinson?
(The Parisian enters.)
ROBINSON
At six.
(He leaves.)
LOUISA
Should I tell Miss Melida to come make tea?
DOCTOR
If you like.
(Louisa leaves.)
DOCTOR
The two of us now.
PARISIAN
The honor is mine, Doctor.
DOCTOR
Look—what do you want with me?
PARISIAN
By God, you know quite well what I want with you.
DOCTOR
No—Devil take me!
PARISIAN
Oh—indeed yes! I am coming to ask a service of you—no one ever comes to you for anything else.
DOCTOR
Ah! Ah! It seems to me that I know you.
PARISIAN
I should think so, I am a patient.
DOCTOR
I treated you?
PARISIAN
And gallantly! Meaning that if I am sure of my legs, and if I have the honor of telling you, your very humble servant, Doctor Ivans—I owe it to you.
DOCTOR
Can’t you be more precise?
PARISIAN
Don’t you recall a drowning case, a man already green like a meadow that you, as they say—into whose lungs you breathed air, and into his esophagus you poured a little cup of Brandy.
DOCTOR
I remember. You’d thrown yourself into the sea to save a poor devil who was drowning.
PARISIAN
Go on!
DOCTOR
And you almost drowned with him.
PARISIAN
What do you want? One has heart or done doesn’t. And indeed, it’s a shame to a man with heart to see another drinking a cup without throwing himself in the water to drink with him.
DOCTOR
(laughing, getting up)
And you were drinking so well that without me, you would have swallowed all the water in the port of Portsmouth.
PARISIAN
Luckily you arrived; as you said: Enough like this: Let’s stop the trouble and here I am.
DOCTOR
It’s an old story. What do you want from me?
PARISIAN
