Who are they? Gelsomino, Harlequin, Pantaloon. The Man
of the World, wrapped dramatically in a great black cloak, arrives.
"Arrives" is poor. He approaches. Pantaloon totters down to him. "Wait,
and your love will come." He waits and his love comes, waddling most
amazingly and wrapped in the tablecloth. We are sure it's Clown, and
who wouldn't be? But the Man of the World--for a real Man of the
World--is strangely deceived. He kneels to her adoringly; he rises and
would embrace her passionately.
ALICE. "Love of my life," he says. "Let us away!"
[Harlequin waves his wand. The tablecloth has gone. It is Clown indeed,
clownish and undoubted.
Yes, it's Clown, it's Clown, it's Clown! And Clown says:--"Whither away,
fair sir?" And the Man of the World just withers.
[He grinds his teeth, does the Man of the World (if there is anything
in the orchestra that will do it). And he goes, defeated. "Exit,
baffled, the Man of the World."
Alice is breathless.
Harlequin and Gelsomino are alone now, and Harlequin wraps Gelsomino, all
trembling as he is, in the cloak which the Man of the World dropped there.
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