Published by Good Press, 2019

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      EAN 4064066247577

Table of Contents

       PROLOGUE PRESENT DAY

       CHARACTERS

       PROLOGUE

       ACT I THEIR FIRST LIFE TOGETHER. TIME—2000 B.C. EGYPT

       CHARACTERS

       ACT I

       ACT II THEIR SECOND LIFE TOGETHER. TIME—325 B.C. GREECE

       CHARACTERS

       ACT II

       ACT III THEIR THIRD LIFE TOGETHER. TIME—FIFTEENTH CENTURY ITALY

       CHARACTERS

       ACT III

       EPILOGUE PRESENT DAY

       CHARACTERS

       EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

       PRESENT DAY

       Table of Contents

CHARACTERS

       Table of Contents

PROLOGUE

       Table of Contents

      Scene—Room in Lattin’s London house. Mrs. Lattin lies on sofa. A picture of Ancient Egypt, showing the Nile, palms and temples on wall easily visible to her.

      Time—Present day, evening.

      Mrs. Lattin

      What time is it, nurse—now?

      Nurse

      Close on half-past five.

      Mrs. Lattin

      (With irritability of a sick woman.) Not later? Are you sure? It’s so dark.

      Nurse

      (Soothingly.) The dusk is closing in; I’ll light your lamp.

      Mrs. Lattin

      Half-past five, you said? My husband expected to be back before this. Hasn’t he come? The appointment was for half-past two.

      Nurse

      The Foreign Office takes its time. Mr. Lattin will come to you the moment he gets in.

      Mrs. Lattin

      You’re sure? I thought I heard his step.

      Nurse

      I’ll go and see the moment the lamp is lit. But he never forgets. He always comes in here first.

      Mrs. Lattin

      But he’s so long to-day, longer than usual. And he looked so grave, nurse, when he left. He looked worried, I thought. You noticed it?

      Nurse

      He is taken up with these politics just now. It’s only natural, considering the crisis in Egypt. But he’s always so in earnest, isn’t he? I noticed nothing unusual. The Government is lucky to have him at such a time. No one could fill his place. (Brings lamp.) There’s the lamp. Is the shading right?

      Mrs. Lattin

      Fill his place! No, indeed. Phillip understands the natives better than anybody in the world. And the country too (wistfully). If only I could bring myself to go back to Egypt with him. (Irritably.) The light catches my eye there. To the left a little. Now to the right. Thank you.

      Nurse

      The doctors all agree it’s best not, don’t they? The dry climate——

      Mrs. Lattin

      It’s not that, nurse. Dryness is what I need—warmth and dryness. It’s something else. Egypt frightens me. I can’t sleep there. Dreams come to me.

      Nurse

      The doctors said it was the effect of the climate on the nerves.

      Mrs. Lattin

      Oh, I know. I’d face it if I could—another winter. It means so much to Mr. Lattin, doesn’t it? Nurse! It’s curious—it’s strange, don’t you think—that Mr. Lattin feels nothing of that I feel there? I mean——

      Nurse

      Hark! I think that’s Mr. Lattin’s step. I’ll go and see.

      Mrs. Lattin

      It can’t be the new doctor, can it?

      Nurse

      Dr. Ogilvie? Not yet. Six o’clock he was to come. He won’t be here before his time. These great specialists are busy men.

      Mrs. Lattin

      (Wearily.) I’ve seen so many doctors. I hardly feel as if I had the strength for a new examination. Dr. Ogilvie will do me no good.

      Nurse

      Still you will see him. For your husband’s sake.

      Mrs. Lattin

      Ah, yes, for Phillip’s sake. I think my husband’s coming, nurse.

      (Enter Phillip.)

      Nurse

      Good-evening, Mr. Lattin. Mrs. Lattin is a