I am ready--I am
ready.
[_Exit_ FOTHERBY, _leading_ BRUMMELL, _the_ NURSE _following_.
THE SET OF TURQUOISE
THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH
ACT I, SCENE I
CHARACTERS: Count of Lara, a poor nobleman; Beatrice, his wife
Miriam, a maid, who personates a page.
SCENE: Count of Lara's villa. A balcony overlooking the garden.
LARA. The third moon of our marriage, Beatrice!
It hangs in the still twilight, large and full,
Like a ripe orange.
BEATRICE. Like an orange? yes,
But not so red, Count. Then it has no stem.
Now, as 'tis hidden by those drifts of cloud,
With one thin edge just glimmering through the dark,
'Tis like some strange, rich jewel of the east,
In the cleft side of a mountain.
And that reminds me--speaking of jewels--love,
There is a set of turquoise at Malan's,
Ear-drops and bracelets and a necklace--ah!
If they were mine.
LARA. And so they should be, dear,
Were I Aladdin, and had slaves o' the lamp
To fetch me ingots.
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