ACT IV
Scene:The streets of London (many years later). Heavyweight and Diggers walk slowly along, searching the faces of the passers-by. Suddenly Heavyweight stops in front of a thin, emaciated woman.
Scene:The streets of London (many years later). Heavyweight and Diggers walk slowly along, searching the faces of the passers-by. Suddenly Heavyweight stops in front of a thin, emaciated woman.
Heavyweight: God! It’s you, Agatha, at last.... Have you come to this?
Agatha(unsteadily): Don’t interfere with me. I’m looking after myself. What I do is my affair.
Diggers(incoherently): Oh, Miss Agatha, Miss Agatha. (He strokes her hand.)
Heavyweight(tenderly): My dear. You’re worn out, thin, hungry. Wait. We’ll buy some food and wine and take you back. Come, Diggers. (They enter a shop. She leans against a lamp-post. A detective appears suddenly beside her.)
The Detective(addressing her sharply): Solicitin’, you was.... You come along o’ me.
Agatha(furiously): I won’t, I won’t! It’s a lie.
The Detective: Now, then, be civil.... Ticket o’ leave, ain’t you?
Agatha: Oh, what’s that to do with you? I’ve served my time. You’ve no further claim on me.
The Detective(grimly): ’Aven’t we? You just come along. (He takes her arm. Maddened, she deals him a vicious backhander in the mouth and escapes from his grasp, fleeing along the pavement.) That won’t do you no good, my girl. (He starts in pursuit. Heavyweight reappears, followed by the faithful Diggers.)
Heavyweight(anxiously): Agatha, Agatha.... My God! (Realising what has happened, he rushes in pursuit.)
Diggers: Oh, Miss Agatha, Miss Agatha. (He walks unsteadily after them, wringing his hands. There is a hoarse shout, off, then a horrible crash and a sharp, sickening scream. The detective and Heavyweight reappear, carrying a lifeless form.)
Diggers(in an agony): What’s happened? Oh, what’s happened to Miss Agatha?
The Detective(huskily): Run over. (Addressing Heavyweight): Not my fault, Sir. I couldn’t let ’er ’op it like that.
Heavyweight(brokenly): My poor fellow, I know. You only did your duty.... The social code must be upheld. Morality demands——(His voice breaks for the last time, and the curtain descends on his tears.)
The End of the Play.