THE SETTING is EASTON HOUSE. It is the morning after COUNT STRAUD and WEASLIE arrived on the morn after the Solstice.

The Eastons, father and daughter, have bid adieu to our heroes and they are walking to their horses in the late-morning heat.

BRONALD and the Easton’s Man, MAURICE, have tacked the horses in the early hours and the pair of dappled mares have uneasily awaited their charges as the morning sun waned. Their eyes are wide and full of fear.

WEASLIE attempts to secure a pack to the back of his saddle and he steps in horseshit. STRAUD notices but stifles comment. Soon they are on their way back to the town.

THE HORSES are energetic at first but try to settle down as the men regain their privacy away from EASTON HOUSE. It is slow in the strangeness.

BRONALD WEASLIE

WELL, SIR, HIS… UH…


STRAUD remains silent. WEASLIE’S MARE walks to his 1:30.

BRONALD WEASLIE

THE SKETCH WAS PROMISING.


A silence hangs between the two. It is a cold morning and the mist hangs heavy across the trees.

BRONALD WEASLIE

SIR, A MAN LIKE THAT PROBABLY DOESN’T GET A LOT OF WORK.

STRAUD

EXCUSE ME?


WEASLIE stops, as if stunned.

BRONALD WEASLIE

HE PROMISED TEN FOOT. MORE THAN YOU ASKED.

STRAUD

YES, I SENT FOR LIFE-SIZE.

BRONALD WEASLIE

SO HE PROMISES MORE.


STRAUD grumbles, inaudible in the horse’s clatter.

BRONALD WEASLIE

IT WILL LOOK BEAUTIFUL ABOVE THE FIREPL–


STRAUD speaks with a sudden volume to startle the birds.

STRAUD

WE’RE NOT BUYING.

BRONALD WEASLIE

BUT WHY–

STRAUD

WE’RE NOT BUYING.


BRONALD suffers silence for a moment but seems to burn, seethe, if quietly.

BRONALD WEASLIE

SIR, I BEG –

STRAUD

I DON’T WANT IT!

BRONALD WEASLIE

SIR?

STRAUD

THE MAN’S GOT NO TALENT – THAT’S NOT THE FACE OF MY FATHER.


WEASLIE remains silent for a moment.

BRONALD WEASLIE

WELL, THAT, SIR, I MUST ADMIT I CAN BARELY CONTEST — BUT –


STRAUD turns toward the man, after staring absently at the pines while talking.

BRONALD WEASLIE

SIR I THINK THEY NEED THE MONEY.

STRAUD

WEASLIE?


WEASLIE pauses, as if he has rehearsed the following.

BRONALD WEASLIE

THE GIRL ISN’T A GIRL.

STRAUD

(pause) EXCUSE ME?

BRONALD WEASLIE

THE EASTON DAUGHTER. SHE’S A HE.


STRAUD is silent.

WEASLIE, nervous at the silence, fumbles insecurely.

BRONALD WEASLIE

MY COUSIN FROM GALL’WAY WROT’ OF A DOC’ WHO~

STRAUD

WEASLIE!!


WEASLIE stops talking in embarrasment but his horse keeps idling on.

STRAUD

WEASLIE, QUITE HONESTLY YOU DISGUST ME. I KNOW NOT OF WHAT YOU SPEAK OF IN YOUR LETTERS TO YOUR KIN, NOR DO I WANT TO KNOW.

BRONALD WEASLIE

SIR, I–

STRAUD

DISGUSTING, REALLY.


A silence hangs over the pair again, but as it lingers, they both feel secret confusion and regret.