_Marco._ (_Alarmed, trying to pacify him._) Come, come, Raphael, let us be friends.
_Raph._ (_With a vacant stare._) Friends!--oh, yes! delighted! (_Bowing with cold politeness, in the manner of his first introduction._) Mademoiselle Marco, I believe--beautiful, very beautiful, but (_shaking his head mournfully_) false, false, fatally false. (_Sighing, and putting his hand to his head._) Ah, yes! and now we are friends (_shaking both her hands, and looking at her earnestly_),--yes, yes, real friends; for we no longer love, no longer deceive each other.
_Raph._ We thought we were happy. (_Laughing._) Vain delusion! we were breaking our hearts. (_With a sudden alteration of tone and countenance conveying that the recollection of his home had suddenly come to his mind._) Yes, yes (_with a tremulous voice_), breaking our hearts; but we were not the only sufferers. No, no: there were other hearts breaking, others (_in an agony of suppressed grief_) I had forgotten. But my absence is desired, and some older friends claim my politeness. Adieu! (_Going._)
_Marco._ You will call and see me sometimes in Paris?
_Raph._ (_Gayly bowing with affected politeness._) You are very kind; but I fear I shall not often be able to profit by your politeness, for my work--you understand--it is necessary that I should repair the time I have lost; and besides, when I and the persons who reside with me have recovered our happiness, it would be indiscreet to revive recollections that might jeopardize it.
_Marco._ (_Coldly._) Well, then, at least you’ll try? (_Sits on sofa._)
_Raph._ (_Suffocating with suppressed emotion._) Yes, yes: I will try. (_Puts his hand hastily to his heart with an exclamation of acute pain._)
_Raph._ (_After a violent effort to calm himself._) ’Tis nothing, ’tis nothing! (_Staggering to go off, L._)
_Raph._ Yes, yes, oh, yes! Don’t you know--they are waiting for me.
_Raph._ (_With scorn._) No, no (_with a maniac smile_): I shall walk, walk. (_Bitterly._) Poverty should walk: the weather is superb (_endeavoring to be gay_)--and (_his forces nearly abandoning him_)--my heart--is so light--I--I (_staggering to table, and taking his hat_)--Adieu, Mademoiselle Marco, adieu (_faintly_)--adieu, adieu! (_Staggers off, L._)
