Act III

In Dubedat's studio. Viewed from the large window the outer door
is in the wall on the left at the near end. The door leading to
the inner rooms is in the opposite wall, at the far end. The
facing wall has neither window nor door. The plaster on all the
walls is uncovered and undecorated, except by scrawlings of
charcoal sketches and memoranda. There is a studio throne (a
chair on a dais) a little to the left, opposite the inner door,
and an easel to the right, opposite the outer door, with a
dilapidated chair at it. Near the easel and against the wall is a
bare wooden table with bottles and jars of oil and medium, paint-
smudged rags, tubes of color, brushes, charcoal, a small last
figure, a kettle and spirit-lamp, and other odds and ends. By
the table is a sofa, littered with drawing blocks, sketch-books,
loose sheets of paper, newspapers, books, and more smudged rags.
Next the outer door is an umbrella and hat stand, occupied partly
by Louis' hats and cloak and muffler, and partly by odds
and ends of costumes. There is an old piano stool on the
near side of this door. In the corner near the inner door
is a little tea-table. A lay figure, in a cardinal's robe and
hat, with an hour-glass in one hand and a scythe slung on its
back, smiles with inane malice at Louis, who, in a milkman's
smock much smudged with colors, is painting a piece of brocade
which he has draped about his wife.

She is sitting on the throne, not interested in the painting, and
appealing to him very anxiously about another matter.

MRS DUBEDAT. Promise.

LOUIS [putting on a touch of paint with notable skill and care
and answering quite perfunctorily] I promise, my darling.

MRS DUBEDAT. When you want money, you will always come to me.

LOUIS. But it's so sordid, dearest. I hate money. I cant keep
always bothering you for money, money, money. Thats what drives
me sometimes to ask other people, though I hate doing it.

MRS DUBEDAT. It is far better to ask me, dear. It gives people a
wrong idea of you.

LOUIS. But I want to spare your little fortune, and raise money
on my own work. Dont be unhappy, love: I can easily earn enough
to pay it all back. I shall have a one-man-show next season; and
then there will be no more money troubles. [Putting down his
palette] There! I mustnt do any more on that until it's bone-dry;
so you may come down.

MRS DUBEDAT [throwing off the drapery as she steps down, and
revealing a plain frock of tussore silk] But you have promised,
remember, seriously and faithfully, never to borrow again until
you have first asked me.

LOUIS. Seriously and faithfully. [Embracing her] Ah, my love, how
right you are! how much it means to me to have you by me to