both in the cricket
eleven when Harrow played Eton at Lords!4
1. Capital of Portugal. and Hodge could have been in the same team (of 2. Spoil my chances. eleven players) that played against Eton at Lords 3. At Cambridge University. cricket ground in London. 4. Contemporaries also at Harrow School, Byron
.
2776 / TOM STOPPARD
[BERNARD a-pproaches her and stands close to her.] BERNARD [Evenly.] Do you mean that Septimus Hodge was at school with
Byron? HANNAH [Falters slightly.] Yes ... he must have been ... as a matter of fact. BERNARD Well, you silly cow.
[With a large gesture of pure happiness, BERNARD throws his arms around HANNAH and gives her a great smacking kiss on the cheek. CHLOE enters to witness the end of this.]
CHLOE Oh?erm ... I thought I'd bring it to you.
[She is carrying a small tray with two mugs on it.] BERNARD I have to go and see about my car. HANNAH Going to hide it? BERNARD Hide it? I'm going to sell it! Is there a pub I can put up at in the
village?
[He turns hack to them as he is about to leave through the garden.]
Aren't you glad I'm here?
[He leaves.] CHLOE He said he knew you. HANNAH He couldn't have. CHLOE No, perhaps not. He said he wanted to be a surprise, but I suppose
that's different. I thought there was a lot of sexual energy there, didn't you? HANNAH What? CHLOE Bouncy on his feet, you see, a sure sign. Should I invite him for you? HANNAH To what? No. CHLOE YOU can invite him?that's better. He can come as your partner. HANNAH Stop it. Thank you for the tea. CHLOE If you don't want him, I'll have him. Is he married? HANNAH I haven't the slightest idea. Aren't you supposed to have a pony? CHLOE I'm just trying to fix you up, Hannah. HANNAH Believe me, it gets less important. CHLOE I mean for the dancing. He can come as Beau Brummel5 HANNAH I don't want to dress up and I don't want a dancing partner, least of
all Mr Nightingale. I don't dance. CHLOE Don't be such a prune. You were kissing him, anyway. HANNAH He was kissing me, and only out of general enthusiasm. CHLOE Well, don't say I didn't give you first chance. My genius brother will
be much relieved. He's in love with you, I suppose you know. HANNAH [Angry.] That's a joke! CHLOE It's not a joke to him. HANNAH Of course it is?not even a joke?how can you be so ridiculous?
[GUS enters from the garden, in his customary silent aivkwardness.] CHLOE Hello, Gus, what have you got?
[GUS has an apple, just picked, with a leaf or two still attached. He offers
the apple to HANNAH.]6
HANNAH [Surprised. ] Oh! . . . Thank you! CHLOE [Leaving.] Told you.
5. George Bryan Brummel (1778?1840), known apple to Adam in the Garden of Eden; cf. also the as 'Beau' because of his elegant clothes. golden apple of discord given by Paris to the god6. Cf. Genesis 3.1?6, specifically Eve's gift of an dess Aphrodite in Greek legend.
.
ARCADIA II.5 / 2777
[CHLOE close the door on herself.] HANNAH Thank you. Oh dear.
SCENE THREE
The schoolroom. The next morning. Present are: THOMASINA, SEPTIMUS, JELLABY. We have seen this composition before: THOMASINA at her place at the table; SEPTIMUS reading a letter which has just arrived; JELLABY waiting, having just delivered the letter.
'The Couch of Eros' is in front of SEPTIMUS, open, together with sheets of paper on which he has been writing. His portfolio is on the table. Plautus (the tortoise) is the paperweight. There is also an apple on the table now, the same apple from all appearances.
SEPTIMUS [With his eyes on the letter.] Why have you stopped? [THOMASINA is studying a sheet of paper, a 'Latin unseen' lesson,7 She is having some difficulty.]
THOMASINA Solio insessa . . . in igne . . . seated on a throne ... in the fire . . . and also on a ship . . . sedebat regina . . . sat the queen . . . SEPTIMUS There is no reply, Jellaby. Thank you.
[He folds the letter up and places it between the leaves of 'The Couch of Eros'.]
JELLABY I will say so, sir. THOMASINA . . . the wind smelling sweetly . . . purpureis velis . . . by, with or from purple sails? SEPTIMUS [To JELLABY] I will have something for the post, if you would be so
kind. JELLABY [Leaving.] Yes sir. THOMASINA . . . was like as to?something?by, with or from lovers?oh,
Septimus!?musica tibiarum imperabat . . . music of pipes commanded . . . SEPTIMUS 'Ruled' is better. THOMASINA . . . the silver oars?exciting the ocean?as if?as if?amorous? SEPTIMUS That is very good.
[He picks up the apple. He picks off the twig and leaves, placing these
on the table. With a pocket knife he cuts a slice of apple, and while he
