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JEAN’S FIRST VISIT TO THE THEATRE
When I invited Jean to the theatre I was afraid she would refuse my invitation, but she had accepted it. I still doubted whether she would come: her religion did not allow to go to a theatre, play cards or love a man of other religious views. How ever, when I met her at the entrance to the theatre I saw she hadthrown off her religious scruples. She looked eager and her dark eyes sparkled with excitement. Our seats were in the pit. They were not expensive, but we could see the stage quite well. I gave her the programme and my opera glasses. Presently the lights went down; then the curtain rose upon a scene of eighteenthcentury Paris at the time of the French Revolution. It was a melodrama full of hopeless love and heroic selfsacrifice, a play after Dickens’s novel “A Tale of Two Cities”.When Martin Harvey, a famous actor, who played the leading part of Sydney Carton appeared on the stage, Jean’s eyes were
full of interest and delight. She was greatly impressed by pale, dark Carton and delicate, charming Lucie Manette, the girl he loved. During the interval Jean said: “Oh, Mr. Shannon, how splendid it is! So different from what I expected! I can’t tell you what a treat it is for me! I feel so sorry for poor Sydney Carton! He is so much in love with Lucy and she ... It must be a frightful thing to be in love and not to be loved!” “Quite,” I agreed gravely. “At least they are good friends, and friendship is a wonderful thing.”
She consulted her programme to conceal her flush. “The girl who does Lucie is very sweet, she has such lovely, blonde hair and is so young!” “Well, in real life she is Martin Harvey’s wife, must be about fortyfive, and that blonde hair is a wig.”
“Please, don’t, Mr. Shannon! How can you joke about such things?” she cried in a shocked voice... As the last scene was under way Jean’s hand, small and hot, touched mine. We sat hand in hand as though to support each other while watching Carton with a pale face and carefully arranged hair mount the guillotine and meet his death. Jean couldn’t keep her tears and they fell upon the back of my hand like raindrops in spring. When at last the play came to its end there was a storm of applause and many curtain calls for Miss de Silva and Martin Harvey. Miss Jean Law, however, was too overcome to join in such a banal applause, her feelings were too deep for words. Only when we were in the street she whispered with shining eyes. “Oh, Robert, you can’t believe me how much I’ve enjoyed myself!” It was the first time she had used my Christian name. (After “Shannon’s Way” by A. Cronin)
TEXT 2
A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
(Nick dials the number. Helen answers the call.)
H e l e n : Hullo!
N i c k : Thank God, is that you, Helen?
H e l e n : Sure, that’s me, Nick, darling. You sound a bit an
noyed. Is anything the matter?
N i c k : Well, I’ve been trying to get connected with you for nearly ten minutes and...
H e l e n : But what’s wrong? The line wasn’t engaged, I hope?
N i c k : Yes, it was. Besides, I got the wrong number several times...
H e l e n : Oh, Nick, I’m so sorry!
N i c k : That’s all right now. I say, Helen, have you got any thing special on tonight?
H e l e n : No, not really. Why?
N i c k : I suggest our going to the theatre.
H e l e n : I’d love to. What are we going to see?
N i c k : I’ve got two tickets for “Lady Windermere's Fan” by Oscar Wilde. It’s the first night.
H e l e n : Oh, it’s at the Maly Theatre, isn’t it?
N i c k : I have heard the play is worth seeing. It is staged very well. The scenery is simple, but good and the acting is splendid.
H e l e n : And what about the seats? I hope they are not in the balcony or in the gallery?
N i c k : Oh, dear, no. They are in the dresscircle, box 5.
H e l e n : Let’s hope we’ll enjoy ourselves. Will you call for me or shall we meet at the theatre?
N i c k : I’d rather call for you. I don’t like waiting and you take such a long time to get ready.
H e l e n : So I do. But I love to look smart when I go to the theatre.
N i c k : All right, then. I’ll call for you at 5.30, so we’ll have plenty of time to get to the theatre before the performance starts.
H e l e n : That suits me perfectly. I’ll be waiting for you. And, oh, Nick! Thank you ever so much for your invitation.
N i c k : That’s all right, dear. See you tonight.
H e l e n : Byebye!
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