Scene 8

A room on the other side of the island. It is pristine, but charming. A sizeable brass bed occupies center stage on which ADELINE is ostensibly sleeping. To the left is a large picture window through which we can see a section of deep green tropical countryside. It is dawn. ARMANDO, in a dressing gown, is gazing out the window, smoking a cigarillo. ARMANDO Are you asleep?

ADELINE

No.
                                                            (HE turns toward her and sees that SHE is crying.)

ARMANDO

What? What is the matter? (HE sits on the bed and takes her by the shoulders. SHE turns her head away.) ARMANDO I hurt you.

ADELINE

No…oh, no.

ARMANDO

Come. You must see the Cuba I grew up in. It is beautiful to me now. But it was not with six people in one room.

ADELINE

My robe…I left it at the Nacional…

ARMANDO

                                                            (laughing and taking her hand)
Foolish lady. (But Adeline's modesty will not permit her to be seen naked. So she takes the sheet and wraps it about her, then rises and goes to the window.) ARMANDO Look out there…everything is so green…and look at the sky…the last star is being swallowed by the dawn…

ADELINE

It's very beautiful…

                                                          (SHE bursts into sobs. HE takes her in his arms.)

ARMANDO

Why the tears, lovely lady?

ADELINE

You don't have to call me that anymore.

ARMANDO

But you are a lovely lady, after all.

ADELINE

No, I'm not. I'm old and withered…and this all must have been very painful for you.

ARMANDO

What do you talk? Is that why you are crying?

ADELINE

All those beautiful women…like Inez. And now me.

ARMANDO

You make me very angry when you speak like that.

ADELINE

But it's true.

ARMANDO

Adeline. Listen to me. It is not what I have done for you. It is what you have done for me.
                                        If you only knew the winter,
                                        How could you recognize the spring?
                                        I was like a lonely eagle
                                       Who did not know he had a broken wing. I was bound to the earth
Till now,
Existing beneath the ground,
Living within the night.
I was chained to the world
Till now;
I suddenly look around
And what was dark is light.
I can touch that star in the sky,
The universe and I are one;
Now at last I can finally fly,
My wings will not melt in the sun.
Take my hand,
Together we'll soar
For I am
Bound to the earth
No more. ADELINE That is so lovely. I only wish it were true.

ARMANDO

Why do you think it is not?

ADELINE

Oh, Armando, you're the most wonderful liar in the whole world…and the kindest.

ARMANDO

But as a lover…

ADELINE

Well, I've nothing to compare it with, you know.

ARMANDO

I did not do my job well.

ADELINE

No! No, that isn't true.

ARMANDO

If I had, you would not be crying now and saying the things you are saying. You did not enjoy it.

ADELINE

Oh, Armando. I was so busy wondering how you could enjoy it, I couldn't.

ARMANDO

                                                              (sweeping her into his arms and moving toward the bed)
Then we shall have to begin again.

ADELINE

Armando, look! It's begun to rain.

ARMANDO

Good. Then we can spend the whole day in bed.

                                                           (HE kisses her passionately, and the strains of "Bound to the Earth swell.)

 

LIGHTS DIM