Paula.
It's a lie! It's all a lie! [ForcingElleandown upon her knees.] You shall beg my pardon for it. [Ellean utters a loud shriek of terror.] Ellean, I'm a good woman! I swear I am! I've always been a good woman! You dare to say I've ever been anything else! It's a lie!
[Throwing her off violently.
Aubreyre-enters.
Aubrey.
Paula! [Paulastaggers back asAubreyadvances. RaisingEllean.] What's this? What's this?
Ellean.
[Faintly.] Nothing. It—it's my fault. Father, I—I don't wish to see Captain Ardale again.
[She goes out,Aubreyslowly following her to the door.
Paula.
Aubrey, she—she guesses.
Aubrey.
Guesses?
Paula.
About me—and Ardale.
Aubrey.
About you—and Ardale?
Paula.
She says she suspected my character from the beginning ... that's why she's always kept me at a distance ... and now she sees through——
[She falters; he helps her to the ottoman, where she sits.
Aubrey.
[Bending over her.] Paula, you must have said something—admitted something——
Paula.
I don't think so. It—it's in my face.
Aubrey.
What?
Paula.
She tells me so. She's right! I'm tainted through and through; anybody can see it, anybody can find it out. You said much the same to me to-night.
Aubrey.
If she has got this idea into her head we must drive it out, that's all. We must take steps to—— What shall we do? We had better—better——What—what?
[Sitting and staring before him.
Paula.
Ellean! So meek, so demure! You've often said she reminded you of her mother. Yes, I know now what your first marriage was like.
Aubrey.
We must drive this idea out of her head. We'll do something. What shall we do?
Paula.
She's a regular woman too. She could forgivehimeasily enough—butme! That's just a woman!
Aubrey.
Whatcanwe do?
Paula.
Why, nothing! She'd have no difficulty in following up her suspicions. Suspicions! You should have seen how she looked at me! [He buries his head in his hands. There is silence for a time, then she rises slowly, and goes and sits beside him.] Aubrey!
Aubrey.
Yes.
Paula.
I'm very sorry.
[Without meeting her eyes, he lays his hand on her arm for a moment.
Aubrey.
Well, we must look things straight in the face. [Glancing round.] At any rate, we've done with this.
Paula.
I suppose so. [After a brief pause.] Of course, she and I can't live under the same roof any more. You know she kissed me to-night, of her own accord.
Aubrey.
I asked her to alter towards you.
Paula.
That was it, then.
Aubrey.
I—I'm sorry I sent her away.
Paula.
It was my fault; I made it necessary.
Aubrey.
Perhaps now she'll propose to return to the convent,—well, she must.
Paula.
Would you like to keep her with you and—and leave me?
Aubrey.
Paula——!
Paula.
You needn't be afraid I'd go back to—what I was. I couldn't.
Aubrey.
Sssh, for God's sake! We—you and I—we'll get out of this place ... what a fool I was to come here again!
Paula.
You lived here with your first wife!
Aubrey.
We'll get out of this place and go abroad again, and begin afresh.
Paula.
Begin afresh?
Aubrey.
There's no reason why the future shouldn't be happy for us—no reason that I can see——
Paula.
Aubrey!
Aubrey.
Yes?
Paula.
You'll never forget this, you know.
Aubrey.
This?
Paula.
To-night, and everything that's led up to it. Our coming here, Ellean, our quarrels—cat and dog!—Mrs. Cortelyon, the Orreyeds, this man! What an everlasting nightmare for you!
Aubrey.
Oh, we can forget it, if we choose.
Paula.
That was always your cry. Howcanone do it!
Aubrey.
Well make our calculations solely for the future, talk about the future, think about the future.
Paula.
I believe the future is only the past again, entered through another gate.
Aubrey.
That's an awful belief.
Paula.
To-night proves it. You must see now that, do what we will, go where we will, you'll be continually reminded of—what I was. I see it.
Aubrey.
You're frightened to-night; meeting this man has frightened you. But that sort of thing isn't likely to recur. The world isn't quite so small as all that.
Paula.
Isn't it! The only great distances it contains are those we carry within ourselves—the distances that separate husbands and wives, for instance. And so it'll be with us. You'll do your best—oh, I know that—you're a good fellow. But circumstances will be too strong for you in the end, mark my words.
Aubrey.
Paula——!
Paula.
Of course I'm pretty now—I'm pretty still—and a pretty woman, whatever else she may be, is always—well, endurable. But even now I notice that the lines of my face are getting deeper; so are the hollows about my eyes. Yes, my face is covered with little shadows that usen't to be there. Oh, I know I'm "going off." I hate paint and dye and those messes, but, by-and-by, I shall drift the way of the others; I sha'n't he able to help myself. And then, some day—perhaps very suddenly, under a queer, fantastic light at night or in the glare of the morning—that horrid, irresistible truth that physical repulsion forces on men and women will come to you, and you'll sicken at me.
Aubrey.
I——!
Paula.
You'll see me then, at last, with other people's eyes; you'll see me just as your daughter does now, as all wholesome folks see women like me. And I shall have no weapon to fight with—not one serviceable little bit of prettiness left me to defend myself with! A worn-out creature—broken up, very likely,some time before I ought to be—my hair bright, my eyes dull, my body too thin or too stout, my cheeks raddled and ruddled—a ghost, a wreck, a caricature, a candle that gutters, call such an end what you like! Oh, Aubrey, what shall I be able to say to you then? And this is the future you talk about! I know it—I know it! [He is still sitting staring forward; she rocks herself to and fro as if in pain.] Oh, Aubrey! Oh! Oh!
Aubrey.
Paula——!
[Trying to comfort her.
Paula.
Oh, and I wanted so much to sleep to-night! [Laying her head upon his shoulder. From the distance, in the garden, there comes the sound ofDrummle'svoice; he is singing as he approaches the house.] That's Cayley, coming back from The Warren. [Starting up.] He doesn't know, evidently. I—I won't see him!
[She goes out quickly.Drummle'svoice comes nearer.Aubreyrouses himself and snatches up a book from the table, making a pretence of reading. After a moment or two,Drummleappears at the window and looks in.
Drummle.
Aha! my dear chap!
Aubrey.
Cayley?
Drummle.
[Coming into the room.] I went down to The Warren after you?
Aubrey.
Yes?
Drummle.
Missed you. Well? I've been gossiping with Mrs. Cortelyon. Confound you, I've heard the news!
Aubrey.
What have you heard?
Drummle.
What have I heard! Why—Ellean and young Ardale! [Looking atAubreykeenly.] My dear Aubrey! Alice is under the impression that you are inclined to look on the affair favourably.
Aubrey.
[Rising and advancing toDrummle.] You've not—met—Captain Ardale?
Drummle.
No. Why do you ask? By-the-bye, I don't know that I need tell you—but it's rather strange. He's not at The Warren to-night.
Aubrey.
No?
Drummle.
He left the house half-an-hour ago, to stroll about the lanes; just now a note came from him, a scribble in pencil, simply telling Alice that she would receive a letter from him to-morrow. What's the matter? There's nothing very wrong, is there! My dear chap, pray forgive me if I'm asking too much.
Aubrey.
Cayley, you—you urged me to send her away!
Drummle.
Ellean! Yes, yes. But—but—by all accounts this is quite an eligible young fellow. Alice has been giving me the history——
Aubrey.
Curse him! [Hurling his book to the floor.] Curse him! Yes, I do curse him—him and his class! Perhaps I curse myself too in doing it. He has only led "a man's life"—just as I, how many of us, havedone! The misery he has brought on me and mine it's likely enough we, in our time, have helped to bring on others by this leading "a man's life"! But I do curse him for all that. My God,I'venothing more to fear—I've paidmyfine! And so I can curse him in safety. Curse him! Curse him!
Drummle.
In Heaven's name, tell me what's happened?
Aubrey.
[GrippingDrummle'sarm.] Paula! Paula!
Drummle.
What?
Aubrey.
They met to-night here. They—they—they're not strangers to each other.
Drummle.
Aubrey!
Aubrey.
Curse him! My poor, wretched wife! My poor, wretched wife!
[The door opens andElleanappears. The two men turn to her. There is a moment's silence.
Ellean.
Father ... father...!
Aubrey.
Ellean?
Ellean.
I—I want you. [He goes to her.] Father ... go to Paula! [He looks into her face, startled.] Quickly—quickly! [He passes her to go out, she seizes his arm, with a cry.] No, no; don't go!
[He shakes her off and goes.Elleanstaggers back towardsDrummle.
Drummle.
[ToEllean.] What do you mean? What do you mean?
Ellean.
I—I went to her room—to tell her I was sorry for something I had said to her. And Iwassorry—Iwassorry. I heard the fall. I—I've seen her. It's horrible.
Drummle.
She—she has——!
Ellean.
Killed—herself? Yes—yes. So everybody willsay. But I know—I helped to kill her. If I had only been merciful!
[She faints upon the ottoman. He pauses for a moment irresolutely—then he goes to the door, opens it, and stands looking out.
Printed byBallantyne, Hanson, & Co.London and Edinburgh
Transcriber's NoteSpelling has been preserved as in the original, but several cases of missing punctuation have been corrected.
Spelling has been preserved as in the original, but several cases of missing punctuation have been corrected.