Visible Noir, Act II Scene 3

Act II Scene 3
---At the house of the Rogue. The up-stage wall resembles pale scrap wood
---like a Louisiana cabin. The Rogue sits in a wood chair far to left-stage and is
---sharpening a collection of knives, wearing a thin shirt. His coat, hat, and a
---ruffled white shirt lie across a little table, under a few knives. Pidgin-Brow
---stands with his nose among those knives. 1

ROGUE
Stop, now, those are the sharp ones.
---(He gets up and pushes the pony's nose away from the blades. He sits down
---again.)
Damn! You should see this, pony. There's a piece of bone stuck fast on this edge.
---(He clatters his fingernails along the blade, then throws it aside and
---slouches in his chair. He pulls out his watch.)
Is it five o' clock? Almost. I suppose I should get dressed.
---(He picks up his coat, dumping the knives into the chair. He puts on the
---white shirt and hat. He turns to Pidgin-Brow.)
Sorry you can't come to this party. You know, the Violet man's going to be there.
---(He picks up the rejected knife from the floor and speaks to himself.)
I hope I can still use this one. It's one of the best.
---(With a knife from the chair, he saws at the blade of the first. He speaks
---louder.)
I never told Mr Violet about the party they were planning, but he will have caught sight of it when he walked past the lover's house on his way home.
---(He places both knives in his right trousers pocket.)
That is, if Mr Violet can see tonight. Is it cloudy?
---(He pokes his head out the left-stage exit.)
Very. It might even rain.
---(He puts on his hat, hiding a small dagger in the band.)
So Mr Violet's got eyes tonight!
---(He looks at his watch again.)
Five o' clock.
---(He looks at Pidgin-Brow.)
It's very funny that Mr Violet has fallen for the lady. The hill-stealer wants a wife.
---(Putting the watch away.)
Makes such a mess of things, too. Is he miserable?
---(He looks up.)
He's made ME miserable just watching him. Disgraceful, long-legged crayfish. He's trying to climb out of his shell because he thinks this woman's got some love for him. So clumsy at getting at he wants, no one actually KNOWS what he wants.
---(He cranes his head to right-stage, then looks forward again.)
I thought he was jumpy around me because he knew I wanted to do in Jonquil anyway. She's the trophy I've wanted for years.
---(He slips a knife up his sleeve.)
I thought Violet wanted the same! I thought he hired me so he could occupy me with a false scent and then kill Jonquil himself. After all - the perfect murder of the perfect lady - it's too precious to split between two different rogues.
---(He puts on his coat, and hides several knives under the lapel.)
But Mr Violet wants her killed out of mercy. Because, yes, he loves Lanternon's mistress.
---(He pauses, then puts two knives in his left trousers pocket, and walks
---offstage.)2