Five Comedies

Fran

1 Françoise A Comedy in Four Acts 120 Five Comedies Characters FRANÇOISE LAURENT HENRI DE TRÉGENEC DOCTOR LAURENT, Françoise’s father JACQUES DE LA HYONNAIS DUBUISSON MADAME DUBUISSON [his wife] CLÉONICE DUBUISSON [their daughter] MARIE-JEANNE, the doctor’s maid Scene: in and around Bourges. 121 Act One The doctor’s home at Bourges.—A drawing room indicative of a simple, secure lifestyle, tasteful and orderly. At rear, a large glass door opening on a partly visible consulting room. At left, door from the anteroom. Door at right, leading to the dining room. Center stage, a pedestal table. At right, a fireplace. Scene 1 [Dubuisson, Marie-Jeanne, both entering.] DUBUISSON: So then, Marie-Jeanne, he ain’t home? MARIE-JEANNE: Oh, no, Monsieur Dubuisson; it isn’t nearly time for him to come back yet. DUBUISSON: He’s got a fine practice, Doctor Laurent. Got the biggest medical business in the whole Bourges neighborhood. He must be making big money, your boss? MARIE-JEANNE: Oh, sure, he could be a rich man if he wanted; but he treats too many of the poor people, and he doesn’t charge you moneyed folk enough. DUBUISSON [half proud, half defensive]: “You moneyed folk”? . . . Well now . . . I was just bringing him . . . [He sits to the right of the table.] MARIE-JEANNE: The payment for his visits to your young lady last year? He did mention that to me, and to save you the trouble of having to come back, there’s his bill—he left it with me this morning. Does that look right? [She has brought the bill from the consulting room.] DUBUISSON [examining the piece of paper that Marie-Jeanne has given him]: Let’s have a look. [Aside.] He’s forgotten two house calls. [He takes some money from his pocket and counts it out onto the table.] MARIE-JEANNE: So then, she’s quite better now, is she, Mam’zelle Cléonice? DUBUISSON: Too much so—she’s been running off to dances all winter. Living in Paris . . . Costs you an arm and a leg! MARIE-JEANNE [going upstage]: Poor fellow! Wait a bit till I hear your troubles. Tell us then, Papa Dubuisson— DUBUISSON: What? MARIE-JEANNE: Does that bother you maybe, when I talk to you like that? 122 Five Comedies DUBUISSON: No, not at all! You’re from the same neck of the woods as me. MARIE-JEANNE: Sure! We’re born natives of the one place, both of us—or the next best thing, anyhow, ’cause you was running a pub at Cluis-Dessous when I was milkmaid at Cluis-Dessus. You’ve made your way in life better than what I have! I can remember how I used to say to you, “You’ll go a long way, Christophe Dubuisson; you’ve got your finger in fifty pies—job here and a job there, getting blood out of stones all over the place; you’re sure to make a packet!” DUBUISSON [with a sly, good-humored smile]: Well? MARIE-JEANNE: Well, doesn’t it seem a bit funny to you, that you’re the number one banker in Berry, and you’ve got a house in Paris, house here in town, and château in the country? DUBUISSON: The château did kind of bother me at first; costs more than it’s worth; but that was my wife’s idea, so I got used to it. Now that sets me thinking . . . [He rises.] You know Monsieur Henri de Trégenec? MARIE-JEANNE: I should think I do! It was Doctor Laurent that taught him, but really I was the one that brought him up. What do you want to know about him? DUBUISSON: Is he a steady lad—does he look after himself? MARIE-JEANNE: Ah, well now, having grown up with us, he hasn’t been taught to be a miser. DUBUISSON: I’m not at all keen on misers; can’t stand them! . . . But . . . does he throw his money away? MARIE-JEANNE: Him? Well now, what does it matter to you? DUBUISSON: Nothing! Look, aren’t you going to check your money? MARIE-JEANNE: Oh goodness no; you can count a lot better than I can. Wait a moment, somebody’s ringing the bell. [She goes out to the left.] DUBUISSON [looking at the bill]: He’s forgotten two house calls, no less! . . . It...