(Voice of Calpurina outside.) Lucrezia, Lucrezia !

Luc. Hurry up, Tortoise. What do you want ?

Calp. (appearing). Let's wait for mother here. You know
she particularly told us to . ..
Luc. I don't care a button. If she wants to mount gueird
over us, she ought to get up earlier, or sacrifice the time she
spends dyeing her hair. We're late already. All the young
men will be leaving the beach soon. If we don't go and get
ready, we might just as well not bathe at all. (Seeing Ortensia,
with a short sarcastic laugh) Oh ! The Countess Sibari, in
deshabille.
Calp. How pretty she is !

Luc. Pretty ! She is fair. All fair women look pretty
at a distance. Funny that she's alone.
Calp. She's not alone. There's the old lady with her.
Luc. The old lady doesn't count. It's just like saying



42 PLAYS AND PLAYERS IN MODERN ITALY

that a dog's not alone because he's got his taD. I
meant funny that she hasn't got any of her butterflies
round her.
