Pray are you Santa Claus? If this be true,
It gives me joy, great Saint, to welcome you.
Gaspard (half hidden behind curtain) [aside].
What store of courage has the charming jade!
Now on my life, she's not a bit afraid!
She thanks her stars for this fine stroke of luck;
Her curiosity has lent her pluck.
Baron [aside].
It's Eloise.—An awkward thing, forsooth,
If this young waiting-maid should learn the truth!
No gossip for a mile but straight would know
That I, their lord, had wandered his château
At midnight, clad more like a circus clown
Than some proud nobleman of high renown.
How shall I act? what say? I'm sick with dread.
The minx would doubtless follow if I fled.
Kris Kringle's gone, and I escape his ire,
Yet leave the frying-pan to find the fire.
[While the Baron speaks this aside, Eloise slowly draws nearer to him, examining his appearance as closely as the dim light will allow. Her manner shows extreme suppressed fun; she now and then places her hand over her mouth, as though to restrain herself from laughing aloud. Meanwhile Gaspard, still half concealed behind curtain, watches very intently what is passing. He seems distressed by the boldness of Eloise. He makes one or two gestures of eager learning, but Eloise entirely fails to perceive his presence. This affords Gaspard opportunity for much comic alarm and generally humorous by-play. The Baron retreats a little to L. as Eloise approaches him from R. At length Eloise addresses him, in a voice of mock gravity.]
Eloise.
Great Saint of Christmas! pardon, I beseech,
My wish to address you in poor mortal speech.
Yet now, while gazing on your reverend face,
I long to beg of you one special grace.
Gaspard (with signs of marked surprise) [aside].
Her words arouse in me an interest keen.
"One special grace." What can the vixen mean?