1. Explanatory comment. tle Bo-Peep, subject of an eighteenth-century 2. Person excessively concerned with minor nursery rhyme. details. 4. Bishop's ceremonial headdress. 3. English novelist (1775-1817). 'Bo-Peep': Lit
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2816 / TOM STOPPARD
A light change to evening. The paper lanterns outside begin to glow. Piano music from the next room.
SEPTIMUS enters with an oil lamp. He carries Thomasina's algebra prim
er, and also her essay on loose sheets. He settles down to read at the
table. It is nearly dark outside, despite the lanterns.
THOMASINA enters, in a nightgown and barefoot, holding a candle
stick. Her manner is secretive and excited.] SEPTIMUS My lady! What is it? THOMASINA Septimus! Shush!
[She closes the door quietly.]
Now is our chance! SEPTIMUS For what, dear God?
[She blows out the candle and puts the candlestick on the table.] THOMASINA D O not act the innocent! Tomorrow I will be seventeen!
[She kisses SEPTIMUS/MZJ on the mouth.]
There! SEPTIMUS Dear Christ! THOMASINA Now you must show me, you are paid in advance. SEPTIMUS [Understanding.] Oh! THOMASINA The Count plays for us, it is God-given! I cannot be seventeen
and not waltz. SEPTIMUS But your mother? THOMASINA While she swoons, we can dance. The house is all abed. I heard
the Broadwood. Oh, Septimus, teach me now! SEPTIMUS Hush! I cannot now! THOMASINA Indeed you can, and I am come barefoot so mind my toes. SEPTIMUS I cannot because it is not a waltz. THOMASINA It is not? SEPTIMUS No, it is too quick for waltzing. THOMASINA Oh! Then we will wait for him to play slow. SEPTIMUS My lady? THOMASINA Mr Hodge!
[She takes a chair next to him and looks at his ivork.]
Are you reading my essay? Why do you work here so late? SEPTIMUS To save my candles. THOMASINA YOU have my old primer. SEPTIMUS It is mine again. You should not have written in it.
[She takes it, looks at the open page.]
THOMASINA It was a joke. SEPTIMUS It will make me mad as you promised. Sit over there. You will have us in disgrace.
[THOMASINA gets up and goes to the furthest chair.]
THOMASINA If mama comes I will tell her we only met to kiss, not to waltz.
SEPTIMUS Silence or bed.
THOMASINA Silence!
[SEPTIMUS pours himself some more wine. He continues to read her essay. The music changes to party music from the marquee. And there are fireworks?small against the sky, distant flares of light like exploding meteors.
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ARCADIA II.7 / 28 1 7
HANNAH enters. She has dressed for the party. The difference is not, however, dramatic. She closes the door and crosses to leave by the garden door. But as she gets there, VALENTINE is entering. He has a glass of wine in his hand.]
HANNAH Oh . . . [But VALENTINE merely brushes past her, intent on something, and half-drunk. ]
VALENTINE [TO her.] Got it!
[He goes straight to the table and roots about in what is now a considerable mess of papers, books and objects, HANNAH turns back, puzzled by his manner. He finds what he has been looking for?the 'diagram '.
Meanwhile, SEPTIMUS, reading Thomasina's essay, also studies the diagram.
SEPTIMUS and VALENTINE study the diagram doubled by time. ] VALENTINE It's heat. HANNAH Are you tight,' Val? VALENTINE It's a diagram of heat exchange. SEPTIMUS So, we are all doomed! THOMASINA [Cheerfully.] Yes. VALENTINE Like a steam engine, you see?
[HANNAH fills Septimus's glass from the same decanter, and sips from it. ]
She didn't have the maths, not remotely. She saw what things meant, way
ahead, like seeing a picture. SEPTIMUS This is not science. This is story-telling. THOMASINA IS it a waltz now? SEPTIMUS No .
[The music is still modern. ]
VALENTINE Like a film. HANNAH What did she see? VALENTINE That you can't run the film backwards. Heat was the first thing
which didn't work that way. Not like Newton. A film of a pendulum, or a
ball falling through the air?backwards, it looks the same. HANNAH The ball would be going the wrong way.
