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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 Brummel. 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 thegarden y in his customary
silent awkwardness.) 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.) Hannah: (Surprised) Oh! ... Thank you! CHLOE: (Leaving) Told you.
    (chloE closes 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.
    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 ... purpureisvelis .. .
    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!— musicatibiarumimperabat ... 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 eats it, cuts another slice which he offers to Plautus.) 1HOMASINa: Regina
reclinabat ... the queen-was reclining—
    praeter descriptionem— indescribably—in a golden tent
...
    like Venus and yet more—Septimus: Try to put some poetry into
it. Thomasina: How can I if there is none in the Latin? Septimus: Oh, a critic!
Thomasina: Is it Queen Dido? Septimus: No. Thomasina: Who is the poet?
Septimus: Known to you. Thomasina: Known to me? Septimus: Not a Roman. Thomasina:
Mr Chater? Septimus: Your translation is quite like Chater.
    (Septimus picks up his pen and continues with his own writing.) Thomasina: I know who it is, it is your friend