A health to
my lady of the house!
JULIE. Bravo! Now you must kiss my slipper. Then the thing is
perfect.
[Jean hesitates and then seizes her foot and kisses it lightly.]
JULIE. Splendid! You should have been an actor.
JEAN [Rising]. But this mustn't go any further, Miss Julie. What if
someone should come in and see us?
JULIE. What harm would that do?
JEAN. Simply that it would give them a chance to gossip. And if
Miss Julie only knew how their tongues wagged just now--then--
JULIE. What did they say? Tell me. And sit down now.
JEAN [Sitting]. I don't wish to hurt you, but they used an
expression--threw hints of a certain kind--but you are not a child,
you can understand. When one sees a lady drinking alone with a man--
let alone a servant--at night--then--
JULIE. Then what? And for that matter, we are not alone. Kristin is
here.
JEAN. Sleeping! Yes.
JULIE. Then I shall wake her. [Rises]. Kristin, are you asleep?
KRISTIN. [In her sleep]. Bla--bla--bla--bla.
JULIE. Kristin! She certainly can sleep. [Goes to Kristin.]
KRISTIN. [In her sleep]. The Count's boots are polished--put on the
coffee--soon--soon--soon. Oh--h-h-h--puh! [Breathes heavily. Julie
takes her by the nose.]
JULIE. Won't you wake up?
JEAN [Sternly]. Don't disturb the sleeping.
JULIE [Sharply]. What?
JEAN. Anyone who has stood over the hot stove all day long is tired
when night comes. One should respect the weary.
JULIE. That's a kind thought--and I honor it.
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