FullReads

Besides . . .

( refilling his glass )
I feel that you do an injustice to this drink.
Already it has made a new being of me.

( He looks at Annabelle.)
I feel an emotion that I have never known before.
If I were in heaven, I should sing.

ANNABELLE.
Oh! Won’t you sing?

THE ANGEL.
The fact is, I know nothing but hymns. And I’m tired of them. That was one reason why I left heaven. And this robe. . . . ( He descends to the floor, viewing his garment with disapproval.) Have you an extra suit of clothes you could lend me?

JIMMY.
( reflectively )

Yes, I think I have some things that might fit. ( The Angel waits.) Do you want them now? I’ll look.

He goes into the bedroom. . . . The Angel looks at Annabelle until his gaze becomes insupportable, and she covers her eyes. Then he comes over to her side.

THE ANGEL.
( gravely )

I am very much afraid of you. ( He takes her hands in his.)

ANNABELLE.
( smiling )

One would never guess it!

THE ANGEL.
I am more afraid of you than I was of God. But even though I fear you, I must come close to you, and touch you. I feel a strange, new emotion like fire in my veins. This world has become beautiful to me because you are in it. I want to stay here so that I may be with you. . . .

ANNABELLE.
( shaken, but doubting )

For how long?

THE ANGEL.
For ever. . . .

ANNABELLE.
( in his arms )

Darling!

THE ANGEL.
I am so ignorant!
There is something I want to do right now,
only I do not know how to go about it properly.

He bends shyly toward her lips.

ANNABELLE.
I will teach you.

She kisses him.

THE ANGEL.
Heaven was nothing to this. They kiss again. . . . Enter Jimmy, with an old suit of clothes over his arm. He pauses in dumbfounderment. At last he regains his voice.

JIMMY.
Well! They look up. Neither of them is perturbed.

THE ANGEL.
( blandly )

Has something happened to annoy you?

( Jimmy shakes the clothes at him in an outraged gesture.)

Oh, my new costume. Thank you so much!

He takes the clothes from Jimmy, and examines them with interest.

JIMMY.
( bitterly, to Annabelle )

I suppose I’ve no right to complain. You can make love to anybody you like. In fact, now that I come to think of it, I predicted this very thing. I said you’d fall in love with the next man you met. So it’s off with the old love, and–

ANNABELLE.
( calmly )

I have never been in love before.

JIMMY.
The fickleness of women is notorious. It is exceeded only by their mendacity. But Angels have up to this time stood in good repute. Your conduct, sir, is scandalous. I am amazed at you.

THE ANGEL.
It may be scandalous, but it should not amaze you. It has happened too often before. I could quote you many texts from learned theological works. “And the sons of God looked at the daughters of men and saw that they were fair.” But even if it were as unusual as you imagine, that would not deter me.