DOCTOR
Look—what do you want with me?
PARISIAN
By God, you know quite well what I want with you.
DOCTOR
No—Devil take me!
PARISIAN
Oh—indeed yes! I am coming to ask a service of you—no one ever comes to you for anything else.
DOCTOR
Ah! Ah! It seems to me that I know you.
PARISIAN
I should think so, I am a patient.
DOCTOR
I treated you?
PARISIAN
And gallantly! Meaning that if I am sure of my legs, and if I have the honor of telling you, your very humble servant, Doctor Ivans—I owe it to you.
DOCTOR
Can’t you be more precise?
PARISIAN
Don’t you recall a drowning case, a man already green like a meadow that you, as they say—into whose lungs you breathed air, and into his esophagus you poured a little cup of Brandy.
DOCTOR
I remember. You’d thrown yourself into the sea to save a poor devil who was drowning.
PARISIAN
Go on!
DOCTOR
And you almost drowned with him.
PARISIAN
What do you want? One has heart or done doesn’t. And indeed, it’s a shame to a man with heart to see another drinking a cup without throwing himself in the water to drink with him.
DOCTOR
(laughing, getting up)
And you were drinking so well that without me, you would have swallowed all the water in the port of Portsmouth.
PARISIAN
Luckily you arrived; as you said: Enough like this: Let’s stop the trouble and here I am.
DOCTOR
It’s an old story. What do you want from me?
PARISIAN
Oh, don’t worry. It’s not to pay you for your prescription. What I want, since that day—I don’t know if it’s because I was too soaked, but my pockets are dry—you see, which is a pity—what I want—damn—it’s hard to say.
DOCTOR
(putting his hand in his pocket)
Look—say it all the same.
PARISIAN
They say you are embarking for Australia.
DOCTOR
It’s true.
PARISIAN
On the Marco Polo.
DOCTOR
That’s true, too.
PARISIAN
As ship’s doctor.
DOCTOR
As ship’s doctor.
PARISIAN
Well—I said this to myself—Parisian, my lad—you want to see the world, but cannot pay the transportation expenses—you have to go find Doctor Ivans—he has a good heart, a man like no other—indeed! He will get you free passage. And you—during the voyage will serve him—gratis, of course. Damn—if the thing is agreeable to you, Doctor, you will be doing me a proud service.
DOCTOR
That would make you really happy?
PARISIAN
More than your refusal would cause me sorrow.
DOCTOR
Well, my friend, that works with me.
PARISIAN
Really true?
(Melida enters and concerns herself with the tea.)
PARISIAN
Ah! Doctor—if I were a crazy woman, I would kiss you—
(offering his hand)
Ah—Doctor—
(withdrawing his hand)
Pardon—pardon!
DOCTOR
Well—what?
(offering his hand)
PARISIAN
(hiding his hand behind his back)
Never! Never! Never!
DOCTOR
It’s to see if you have fever.
PARISIAN
In that case it’s another matter. Oh, yes—I have a fever—of joy—of—well—what are you putting in my hand, Doctor?
DOCTOR
Me? Nothing.
PARISIAN
A half crown. No—thanks—no—no!
DOCTOR
My friend, it’s to drink my health—and of this child and her sister.
PARISIAN
Really—it’s for that?
DOCTOR
Oh, my God, yes—! Not for anything else.
PARISIAN
If it’s for that, it’s sacred—and it will be done—conscientiously. By the way—when do we leave?
DOCTOR
Hush! Be here at eight o’clock in the evening—with your baggage—you will pass for one of the household.
PARISIAN
What? It’s for tonight.
DOCTOR
Hush! I tell you.
PARISIAN
Ah—I understand. They don’t know this yet in the family. Mum’s the word, Doctor, till tonight.
DOCTOR
Till tonight, my lad.
(Exit the Parisian.)
MELIDA
There you are, Father, we’ve hardly seen you since morning.
DOCTOR
(looking at her)
Yes, and poor child, you’ve profited by my absence—to weep.
MELIDA
It’s not my fault, Father. I am doing what I can! You see my mouth is smiling.
DOCTOR
(pulling out his handkerchief and drying her eyes)
Yes—and your eyes are weeping.
MELIDA
Oh—it’s not for only for me! To follow you, to serve you, to love you everywhere, somewhere—that would be too much joy—! But Williams, Williams, father—
(Williams enters.)
DOCTOR
Williams is a man, my child.
MELIDA
Oh—he’ll die