Prince. Pipers!
Larrabee. Um! (Grunt of assent.)
Prince. Realize, I trust?
Madge. We can't tell—it may be somcthing—it may be nothing.
Prince. Well, if it's something, I'm in it, I hope. (Going a step or so towards Madge)
Madge. Why, of course, Sid—whatever you think is due for opening the box.
Prince. Fair enough. (As if it was all settled to go on.) Now 'ere. (Glances round quickly.) Before we starts 'er goin' what's the general surroundin's?
Larrabee. What's the good of wasting time on (Going near Prince.)
Prince (up to him). If I'm in this, I'm in it, ain't I? An' I want to know wot I'm in.
Madge. Why don't you tell him, Jimmie!
Prince. If anything 'appened, 'ow'd I let the office know 'oo to look out for?
Larrabee. Well—I'm willing to give him an idea of what it is, but I won't give the name of the (Hesitates.)
(Madge goes up to arch.)
Prince. That's all I ask—wot it is. I don't want no names.
Larrabee (nearer Prince and speaking lower). You know we've been working the Continent. Pleasure places and all that.
Prince. So I've 'eard.
(Madge motions them to wait. Looking off quietly. Nods them to proceed. Remaining up L.C.)
Larrabee. It was over there—Homburg was the place. We ran across a young girl who'd been havin' trouble. Sister just died. Mother seemed wrong here. (Touches forehead.)
Prince. Well—you run across 'er.
Larrabee. Madge took hold and found that this sister of hers had been having some kind of a love affair with a—well—with a foreign gentleman of exceedingly high rank—or at least—expectations that way.
Prince. A foreign gentleman?
Larrabee. That's what I said.
Prince. I don't so much care about that, yer know. My lay's 'ere at home.
Larrabee. Well, this is good enough for me.
Prince. 'Ow much was there to it?
Larrabee. Promise of marriage.
Prince. Broke it, of course.
Larrabee. Yes—and her heart with it. I don't know what more she expected—anyway, she did expect more. She and her child died together.
