Osman Pasha.
J’en suis ravi.
Arthur.
I’ve told Ronny to come in and have a cup of coffee. [To Anne.] I thought you’d like to say how d’you do to him.
Anne.
Are you very busy to-day?
Arthur.
We’re always busy. Isn’t that so, Excellency?
Osman Pasha.
En effet, et je vous demanderai permission de me retirer. Mon bureau m’appelle.
[He gets up and shakes hands with Violet.]
Violet.
It was charming of you to come.
Osman Pasha.
Mon Dieu, madame, c’est moi qui vous remercie de m’avoir donné l’occasion de saluer votre grâce et votre beauté.
[He bows to the rest of the company. Arthur leads him towards the door and he goes out.]
Anne.
You take all these compliments without turning a hair, Violet.
Arthur.
[Coming back.] You know, that’s a wonderful old man. He’s so well-bred, he has such exquisite manners, it’s hard to realise that if it were possible he would have us all massacred to-morrow.
Appleby.
I remember there was a certain uneasiness in England when you recommended that he should be made Minister of Education.
Arthur.
They don’t always understand local conditions in England. Osman is a Moslem of the old school. He has a bitter hatred of the English. In course of years he has come to accept the inevitable, but he’s not resigned to it. He never loses sight of his aim.
Appleby.
And that is?
Arthur.
Why, bless you, to drive the English into the sea. But he’s a clever old rascal, and he sees that one of the first things that must be done is to educate the Egyptians. Well, we want to educate them too. I had all sorts of reforms in mind which I would never have got the strict Mohammedans to accept if they hadn’t been brought forward by a man whose patriotism they believe in and whose orthodoxy is beyond suspicion.
Anne.
Don’t you find it embarrassing to work with a man you distrust?
Arthur.
I don’t distrust him. I have a certain admiration for him, and I bear him no grudge at all because at the bottom of his heart he simply loathes me.
Appleby.
I don’t see why he should do that.
Arthur.
I was in Egypt for three years when I was quite a young man. I was very small fry then, but I came into collision with Osman and he tried to poison me. I was very ill for two months, and he’s never forgiven me because I recovered.
Appleby.
What a scoundrel!
Arthur.
He would be a little out of place in a Nonconformist community. In the good old days of Ismael he had one of his wives beaten to death and thrown into the Nile.
Appleby.
But is it right to give high office to a man of that character?
Arthur.
They were the manners and customs of the times.
Mrs. Appleby.
But he tried to kill you. Don’t you bear him any ill will?
Arthur.
I don’t think it was very friendly, you know, but after all no statesman can afford to pay attention to his private feelings. His duty is to find the round peg for the round hole and put him in.
Anne.
Why does he come here?
Arthur.
He has a very great and respectful admiration for Violet. She chaffs him, if you please, and the old man adores her. I think she’s done more to reconcile him to the British occupation than all our diplomacy.
Mrs. Appleby.
It must be wonderful to have power in a country like this.
Violet.
Power? Oh, I haven’t that. But it makes me so proud to think I can be of any use at all. I only wish I had the chance to do more. Since I’ve been here I’ve grown very patriotic.
[Ronald Parry comes in. He is a young man, very good-looking, fresh and pleasant, with a peculiar charm of manner.]
Arthur.
Ah, here is Ronny.
Ronny.
Am I too late for my cup of coffee?
Violet.
No, it will be brought to you at once.
Ronny.
[Shaking hands with Violet.] Good morning.
Violet.
This is Mr. Parry. Mr. and Mrs. Appleby.
Ronny.
How d’you do?
Arthur.
Now, Ronny, don’t put on your Foreign Office manner. Mr. and Mrs. Appleby are very nice people.
Mrs. Appleby.
I’m glad you think that, Sir Arthur.
Arthur.
Well, when you left your cards with a soup ticket from the F.O. my heart sank.
Appleby.
There, my dear, I told you he wouldn’t want to be bothered with us.
Arthur.
You see, I expected a pompous couple who knew all about everything and were going to tell me exactly how Egypt ought to be governed. A Member of Parliament doesn’t inspire confidence in the worried bosom of a Government official.
Violet.
I don’t know if you think you’re putting Mr. and Mrs. Appleby at their ease, Arthur.
Arthur.
Oh, but I shouldn’t say this if I hadn’t been most agreeably disappointed.
Mrs. Appleby.
I never forget the days when Mr. Appleby used to light the kitchen fire himself and I used to do the week’s washing every Monday morning. I don’t think we’ve changed much since then, either of us.
Arthur.
I know, and I’m really grateful to the Foreign Office for having given you your letter.
Mrs. Appleby.
It’s been a great treat to us to come and see you. And it’s done my heart good to see Lady Little. If you don’t mind my saying so she’s like a spring morning and it makes one glad to be alive just to look at her.
Violet.
Oh, don’t!
Arthur.
I’m inclined to feel very kindly to everyone who feels kindly towards her. You must enjoy yourselves in Upper Egypt and when you come back to Cairo you must let us know.
Appleby.
I’m expecting to learn a good deal from my journey.
Arthur.
You may learn a good deal that will surprise you. You may learn that there are races in the world that seem born to rule and races that seem born to serve; that democracy is not a panacea for all the ills of mankind, but merely one system of government like another, which hasn’t had a long enough trial to make it certain whether it is desirable or not; that freedom generally means the power of the strong to oppress the weak, and that the wise statesman gives men the illusion of it but not the substance — in short, a number of things which must be very disturbing to the equilibrium of a Radical Member of Parliament.
Anne.
On the other hand, you’ll see our beautiful Nile and the temples.
Arthur.
And perhaps they’ll suggest to you that however old the world is it’s ever young, and that when all’s said and done the most permanent on the face of the earth is what seems the most transitory — the ideal.
Appleby.
Fanny, it looks to me as though we’d bitten off as big a piece of cake as we can chew with any comfort.
Mrs. Appleby.
Oh, well, we’ll do our best. And though I never could do arithmetic I’ve always thought perhaps one might be saved without. Good-bye, Lady Little, and thank you for having us.
Violet.
Good-bye.
[There are general farewells and they go to the door. Ronny opens it for them. They go out.]
Ronny.
I forgot to tell you, sir, Mrs. Pritchard has just telephoned to ask if she can see you on a matter of business.
Arthur.
[With a grim smile.] Say I’m very busy to-day, and I regret excee
dingly that it will be quite impossible for me to see her.
Ronny.
[With a twinkle in his eye.] She said she was coming round at once.
Arthur.
If she’s made up her mind to see me at all costs she might have saved herself the trouble of ringing up to find out if it was convenient.
Anne.
Your sister is a determined creature, Arthur.
Arthur.
I know. I have some authority in the affairs of this country, but none over dear Christina. I wonder what she wants.
Violet.
Let us hope for the best.
Arthur.
I’ve noticed that whenever anyone wants to see me very urgently it’s never to give me anything. When Christina wants to see me urgently my only safety is in instant flight.
Violet.
You must be nice to her, Arthur. If you’re not she’ll only take it out of me.
Arthur.
It’s monstrous, isn’t it?
Violet.
After all, she kept house for you for ten years. Admirably, mind you.
Arthur.
Admirably. She has a genius for order and organisation in the house. Everything went like clockwork. She never wasted a farthing. She saved me hundreds of pounds. She led me a dog’s life. I’ve come to the conclusion there’s nothing so detestable as a good housekeeper.
Violet.
How fortunate you married me, then! But you can’t expect her to see that point of view. It’s very hard for her to be turned out of this very pleasant billet, and it’s natural that when you won’t do something she asks you she should put it down to my influence.
Anne.
It must have been a very difficult position for you.
Violet.
I did all I could to make her like me. I did feel rather like a usurper, you know. I tried to make her see that I didn’t at all want to put on airs.
Arthur.
Fortunately she’s taken it very well. I confess I was a little nervous when she told me she meant to stay on in Egypt to be near her son.
Anne.
It would be a detestable person who didn’t like Violet, I think.
Arthur.
Detestable. I should have no hesitation in having him deported.
Ronny.
I think I’d better be getting back to my work.
Anne.
Oh, Ronny, would you like me to come and help you with your packing?
Violet.
[To Ronny.] Are you going somewhere?
Ronny.
I’m leaving Cairo.
Anne.
Didn’t you know? Ronny has just been appointed to Paris.
Violet.
Is he going to leave Egypt for good?
[She is taken aback by the news. She clenches her hand on the rail of a chair; Arthur and Anne notice the little, instinctive motion.]
Ronny.
I suppose so.
Violet.
But why was it kept from me? Why have you been making a secret of it?
Arthur.
Darling, no one’s been making a secret of it. I — I thought Anne would have told you.
Violet.
Oh, it doesn’t matter at all, but Ronny has been in the habit of doing all sorts of things for me. It would have been convenient if I’d been told that a change was going to be made.
Arthur.
I’m very sorry. It was only arranged this morning. I received a telegram from the Foreign Office. I thought it would interest Anne, so I sent Ronny along to tell her.
Violet.
I hate to be treated like a child.
[There is a moment’s embarrassment.]
Anne.
It was stupid of me. I ought to have come and told you. I was so pleased and excited that I forgot.
Violet.
I don’t quite know why you should have been so excited.
Anne.
It will be very nice for me to have Ronny so near. You see, now I’ve given up my flat I shan’t come to Egypt very often and I should never have seen Ronny. I can run over to Paris constantly. Besides, it’s a step, isn’t it? And I want to see him an Ambassador before I die.
Violet.
I don’t see what good it will do him in Paris to speak Arabic like a native.
Arthur.
Oh, well, that is the F.O. all over. The best Persian scholar in the Service has spent the last six years in Washington.
Ronny.
It’s been a great surprise for me. I expected to remain in Egypt indefinitely.
Violet.
[Recovering herself.] I expect you’ll have a very good time in Paris. When do you go?
Ronny.
There’s a boat the day after to-morrow. Sir Arthur thought I’d better take that.
Violet.
[Scarcely mistress of herself.] As soon as that! [Recovering, gaily.] We shall miss you dreadfully. I can’t imagine what I shall do without you. [To Anne.] You can’t think how useful he’s been to me since I came here.
Ronny.
It’s very kind of you to say so.
Violet.
He’s invaluable at functions and things like that. You see, he knows where everyone should sit at dinner. And at first he used to coach me with details about various people so that I shouldn’t say the wrong thing.
Arthur.
If you had you’d have said it so charmingly that no one would have resented it.
Violet.
I’m so afraid that the man who takes Ronny’s place will refuse to write my invitations for me.
Arthur.
It’s not exactly the duty of my secretaries.
Violet.
No, but I do hate doing it myself. And Ronny was able to imitate my handwriting.
Arthur.
I’m sure he could never write as badly as you.
Violet.
Oh, yes, he could. Couldn’t you?
Ronny.
I managed to write quite enough like you for people not to notice the difference.
Violet.
You know, there are thirty-two invitations to do now.
Anne.
Why don’t you send cards?
Violet.
Oh, I think a letter is so much more polite. Somehow I don’t feel old enough to ask people to dine with me in the third person.
Ronny.
I’ll come and do them the moment Sir Arthur can let me go.
Arthur.
You’d better do them before Violet goes out.
Violet.
That’ll be very soon. The Khedive’s mother has asked me to go and see her at half-past three. I’ll get the list now, shall I? I don’t think I’ll wait for Christina. If she wants to see you on business I dare say she’d rather I wasn’t there.
Arthur.
Very well.
Violet.
[To Ronny.] Will you come here when you’re ready?
Ronny.
Certainly.
[She goes out.]
Arthur.
Have you finished that report yet?
Ronny.
Not quite, sir. It will be ready in ten minutes.
Arthur.
Put it on my desk.
Ronny.
All right, sir.
[Exit. Arthur and Anne are left alone. He looks at her reflectively.]
Arthur.
Violet is very sensitive to anything that might be considered a slight.
Anne.
It’s very natural, isn’t it? A high-spirited girl.
Arthur.
She likes me to tell her my arrangements. It gives her a little feeling of importance to know things before other people.
Anne.
Oh, of course. I quite understand. I should do the same in her place.
Arthur.
I ought to have remembered and told her that Ronny was going. She was just a little vexed because she thought I’d been fixing things up behind her
back.
Anne.
Yes, I know. It would naturally put her out for a moment to learn on a sudden that one of the persons she’d been thrown in contact with was going away.
Arthur.
[With a twinkle in his eye.] I’m wondering if I must blame you for the loss of an excellent secretary.
Anne.
Me?
Arthur.
I don’t know why the F.O. should suddenly have made up their minds that your brother was wanted in Paris. Have you been pulling strings?
Anne.
[Smiling.] What a suspicious nature you have!
Arthur.
Anne, own up.
Anne.
I thought Ronny was getting into a groove here. There didn’t seem to be much more for him to do than he has been doing for some time. If you will have the truth, I’ve been moving heaven and earth to get him moved.
Arthur.
How deceitful of you not to have said a word about it!
Anne.
I didn’t want to make him restless. I knew he’d be mad to go to Paris. I thought it much better not to say anything till it was settled.
Arthur.
D’you think he’s mad to go to Paris?
Anne.
[Fencing with him.] Any young man would be.
Arthur.
I wonder if he’d be very much disappointed if I made other arrangements.
Anne.
What do you mean, Arthur? You wouldn’t prevent him from going when I’ve done everything in the world to get him away.
Arthur.
[Abruptly.] Why should you be so anxious for him to go?
[She looks at him for an instant in dismay.]
Anne.
Good heavens, don’t speak so sharply to me. I told Violet just now. I wanted him to be more get-at-able. I think he stands a much better chance of being noticed if he’s in a place like Paris.
Arthur.
[With a smile.] Ah, yes, you said you were coming less frequently to Egypt than in the past. It might be worth while to keep Ronny here in order to tempt you back.
Anne.
Egypt isn’t the same to me that it was.
Arthur.
I hope my marriage has made no difference to our friendship, Anne. You know how deeply I value it.
Anne.
You used to come and see me very often. You knew I was discreet and you used to talk over with me all sorts of matters which occupied you. I was pleased and flattered. Of course I realised that those pleasant conversations of ours must stop when you married. I only came here this winter to collect my goods and chattels.
Arthur.
You make me feel vaguely guilty towards you.
Anne.
Delphi Collected Works of W. Somerset Maugham (Illustrated) Page 409