I consider but your comfort, Madame, in wearing my mask.

DUCHESS [_smiling subtly_]

Nay, you would be surprised at what considers my comfort and what does
not. Your mask, for instance, does not.

[_She sinks upon her chaise longue, intensely graceful and
beautiful. GWYMPLANE lets his eyes rest upon her for a moment._]

Your mask, do remove it. I have always heard artists were most gallant
to women. See, I remove mine.

GWYMPLANE

[_Stifled with surprise and emotion._]

Madame ... Madame....

DUCHESS

Come! I command you to obey me. Pray take off your mask! You can have
no idea how I hate mentioning a desire twice.

[_GWYMPLANE removes his mask. The DUCHESS looks at him intently
and sighs._]

DUCHESS

It must be wonderful to be you.

[_She motions him to a black cushion with golden tassels at the
foot of her couch._]

GWYMPLANE

[_Who has by this time mastered himself._]

To be me, Madame? [_bitterly_] But of course your life is a revel of
laughter; so why should not your thoughts be forever jesting through
your words?

DUCHESS

I am not jesting.

GWYMPLANE [_surprised_]

Madame?

DUCHESS

It must be wonderful to be you and wind through forests and across
hills into new cities with your drummers beating attention for you,
through lines of unknown faces, faces over whom you have a rare--a
great power. For you can moisten them with tears--choke away their
breath with laughter. And afterwards, when you have finished your
performance and are walking on the outskirts of some alien city, tell
me, do not certain ones steal out to you and tell you of the
blasphemous fancies you have stirred awake in their souls?

GWYMPLANE

What are you saying, Madame, what are you not saying!

DUCHESS

[_Leaning forward and taking one of his beautiful hands._]

O, Gwymplane, I am lonely. You can have no idea how lonely. Everything
around me is so false to my desires, is so alien to what I feel myself
to be.

GWYMPLANE

You are so beautiful, Madame. Your loneliness only makes you more so.
It lends the quality of a goddess to what is already earthly majesty.

[_He is about to press his strange lips to her hands, when
suddenly he remembers and resists._]

DUCHESS

Ah, you were going to kiss my hand. Why didn't you kiss it? [_She
stretches it out close to his mouth._] See--here--here it is, most
soft and white.

[_GWYMPLANE draws away, p