Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1962 page)

Clara.
A last question, and I have done. (
To
CRAYFORD.) You drew the lot to stay in the hut — and you are here. He (
pointing to
STEVENTON) drew the lot to stay — and he is here. Richard Wardour drew the lot to stay. Why is Richard Wardour not here?

Cray.
You forget that some members of the expedition died in the hut, before the rescuing-party from England found their way to us.

Clara.
Did Richard Wardour die in the hut?

(
A pause.
)

Lucy
(
aside to
CRAYFORD). You must, William! you must!

Clara.
Did Richard Wardour die in the hut?

Cray.
(
uneasily
). Yes!

Clara
(
to
STEVENTON). Do you say yes, too?

Stev.
(
uneasily
). My brother-officer has answered you.

Lucy
(
eagerly interposing
). You see, Clara, it is just as I said it was. There is hope that the missing men may have reached the fur settlements, and that we shall hear of them yet. Try to forget the rest, and to take comfort in that. And for the present, as a favour to
me,
let us change the subject.

Clara.
Yes — let us change the subject. Lieutenant Crayford, Lieutenant Steventon, have you either of you ever been in the Highlands of Scotland?

Stev.
I have been in the Highlands.

Clara.
Did you hear anything, when you were there, of the Second Sight?

Stev.
Yes.

Clara.
Do you believe in the Second Sight?

Stev.
I hardly know what to say. I have never given the subject any serious thought.

Clara.
I won’t put your credulity to the test. I won’t ask you to believe anything more extraordinary than that I had a strange dream, in England, long since. The dream showed me your lost companions in the Arctic wilderness. And the tale it told of the missing men was not the tale that you and your brother-officer have told to
me.

Cray.
My dear young lady! how can you believe in a dream?

Clara
(
still addressing
STEVENTON,
without noticing the interruption
).
You
tell me Richard Wardour remained in the hut, and Frank went with the exploring party. My dream showed me Richard Wardour and Frank, together.

(
Looks fixedly at
STEVENTON,
who attempts to reassure her by gestures in the negative.
)

Cray.
(
aside to
LUCY). Dream or vision, it showed her the truth! Accident made Wardour one of the exploring party, after all.

Clara
(
still addressing
STEVENTON).
You
tell me that many men of the party persisted in continuing the journey. My dream only showed me two men on the journey — Richard Wardour and Frank.

(STEVENTON
rejoins by the same gestures as before.
)

Cray.
(
to
LUCY). The truth once more! Frank alone supported Wardour’s fierce resolution to push on. The whole exploring party came back to the hut, except those two.

Clara
(
to
STEVENTON). Was there a time, on the journey, when a crimson light appeared in the sky? Was there a time when the weary men committed themselves to the floating icebergs? (CRAYFORD
starts.
) My dream showed me the crimson light. My dream showed me the floating iceberg. And, again, there were but two men on it. And, again, those two men were Richard Wardour and Frank.

Stev.
(
confusedly
). I know nothing of what happened on the journey — I was left behind in the hut.

(
Turns, and retires up the stage.
CLARA
follows, still speaking to him.
)

Lucy
(
to
CRAYFORD). William! you started when she spoke of the iceberg.

Cray.
Any man alive must have started, knowing what I know. I myself questioned our comrades when they came back to us. The last they saw of Frank and Wardour, those two were afloat on a drifting iceberg — and the northern lights were aflame in the dreary sky. Call me weak, superstitious — what you will. I can’t face her, after this. Let me go, Lucy — let me go!

(
Exit, hurriedly, into the inner cavern.
STEVENTON,
from whom
CLARA
has withdrawn while
CRAYFORD
has been speaking his last words, descends the stage again to
LUCY,
leaving
CLARA
standing thoughtfully apart on the right-hand side of the cave.
)

Stev.
One word, Miss Crayford, before I leave you. Ask me anything else you like — but don’t ask me to deceive her again.

(
Exit into the inner cavern.
LUCY
crosses to
CLARA.)

Lucy.
Still thinking? Still not satisfied? They have answered all your questions. Surely you believe them now?

Clara.
I believe that Frank died, a victim to Wardour’s vengeance, in the solitudes of the frozen deep. And, in their heart of hearts, your brother and your brother’s friend believe it too.

Lucy.
No, no, no. You have no reason — they have no reason — to think that horrible thought.

Clara
(
repeating the words, as if lost in thought
). “A time may come when I shall forgive
you.
But the man who has robbed me of you shall rue the day when you and he first met.” — Oh, Frank! Frank! does Richard Wardour live? — live, with your blood on his conscience, and my image in his heart?

Lucy.
Come! come out into the pleasant sunshine. For my sake, Clara — for my sake!

Clara
(
rousing herself
). For your sake? Yes, yes — any wish of yours is the wish of my best friend.

(CLARA
puts her arm in
LUCY’S
arm. They advance a step towards the mouth of the cavern.
CLARA
suddenly stops.
)

Lucy.
Why do you stop?

Clara.
I can’t pass the mouth of the cavern! Not a step, Lucy — not a step farther!

Lucy.
My love! we have the beach all to ourselves — there is not a creature in sight. You are looking, you are speaking, as if there was something dreadful in the bright air beyond us!

Clara.
There
is
something dreadful! I feel it — though I see nothing. Nearer and nearer, in the empty air! darker and darker, in the sunny light! (
Crosses slowly towards the inner cavern, looking back over her shoulder as she speaks.
) Come where the others have gone! In here, Lucy! in here!

(
Stops at the entrance to the inner cavern — turns, as if fascinated, and looks out fixedly at the solitary view over the beach.
MRS. STEVENTON
appears at the inner cavern.
)

Lucy
(
to
MRS. S.) She’s faint and ill. Help me to lead her in here.

Mrs. S.
There’s water on the table, there. Let me get her some water. (
Observes
CLARA
attentively.
) What is she looking at? I see nothing.

Clara
(
pointing to the mouth of the cave
). It’s coming! nearer and nearer! nearer and nearer! (
Turns to
LUCY,
with a low wailing cry.
) Hide me from it! Hide me from it!

(LUCY
and
MRS. S.
lead her into the inner cavern. The stage remains vacant for a moment. Then the shadow of a man is projected, in the sunlight, across the mouth of the cavern. After another pause,
RICHARD WARDOUR
appears, looking in vacantly. He is clothed in rags; his hair is tangled and grey; his looks and gestures are those of a man whose reason is shaken, and whose bodily powers are sinking from fatigue. As he advances a few steps into the cavern,
MRS. STEVENTON
reappears, as if to fetch the water for
CLARA
from the refreshment-table; sees
WARDOUR;
and starts back with a cry of terror.
LIEUTENANT STEVENTON
appears at the inner cavern, followed by
ROSE. ROSE,
alarmed at
WARDOUR,
stays by
MRS. S. STEVENTON
advances to question the intruder.
)

Stev.
What a strange figure! Who are you?

Ward.
A starving man.

(BATESON,
Officers, and Sailors appear at the mouth of the cavern, all looking at
WARDOUR.)

Rose
(
to
STEVENTON). Pray give him some food!

Ward.
Throw me some bones from the table. Give me my share along with the dogs.

Stev.
Bateson, give him some bread and meat. (BATESON
obeys.
) Where do you come from?

Ward.
(
pointing to the distant view
). From the sea.

Stev.
Shipwrecked, I suppose? I heard something of a strange boat having been thrown on the beach, thirty or forty miles higher up the coast. When were you wrecked, my man?

Ward.
When? (
Pauses, and makes gestures, indicating an effort to collect his ideas.
) When? (
Shakes his head.
) I can’t get the wash of the sea out of my ears. I can’t get the shining stars all night, and the burning sun all day, out of my brain. When was I wrecked? When was I first adrift in the boat? When did I get the tiller in my hand, and fight against hunger and sleep? When did the gnawing here — (
touches his breast
) — and the burning here — (
touching his head
) — first begin? I can’t tell you. I have lost all reckoning of it. I can’t think, I can’t sleep, I can’t get the wash of the sea out of my ears. What are you baiting me with questions for? Let me eat!

Stev.
(
to
MRS. S.). The poor wretch is out of his mind. Bateson, make a little weak grog in one of those empty bottles, and give it to him.

Mrs. S.
See! he is eating no more. What is he going to do with his bread and meat?

(WARDOUR
looks fixedly at the food in his hand, glances round towards the beach, smiles, and puts the bread and meat in an old bag, slung over his shoulder.
BATESON
gives him the rum-and-water.
)