Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1974 page)

(
Exit into the yard
.)

           
Vendale
. (
still absorbed over the letters
). Letter number one: — I write to tell Defresnier and Company of the red wine being sent with the white. And I refer incidentally to a payment of five hundred pounds made by our house to theirs, some time since. Letter number two: — Defresniers write back to apologise for the mistake, and then add that the five hundred pounds alluded to has never been received by their house. Letter number three: — I write back, enclosing them a copy of their own receipt for the sum. Letter number four — is Defresniers’ answer, just put into my hands. (
Leaving the desk
,
and coming forward with the letter in his hand
.) Let me read it again. (
Reads
.)

            “D
EAR
S
IR
, — I write to you, in the absence of my partner who has gone on business to Milan. The receipt of which you enclose a copy can be nothing but a forgery. The remittance of five hundred pounds must have been intercepted and stolen on its way to our hands. Suspicion points at a person who was not long since in our employment. We refrain from mentioning his name, until we are sure of his guilt.” — Who can this man be? In my position, it is useless to inquire! — ”Let us at once see the original receipt, and compare the handwriting in it, with certain specimens of handwriting in our possession. Don’t trust the post. Send a private messenger — and let him be a man who has been long in your service; who is accustomed to travelling, who is capable of speaking French, and who can be trusted to let no stranger scrape acquaintance with him on the route.” — Where am I to find the man, in this office? None of the clerks are accustomed to travelling abroad. None of the clerks can speak French. And what is the reason for this extraordinary caution? Here it is: — ”If the person whom we suspect is really guilty, circumstances may have occurred to put him on his guard — and, in that case, he is a man to hesitate at nothing, if he can get possession of the receipt which is the only evidence against him. Tell no one in existence of the turn things have taken. Everything depends on your interpreting
literally
the warning I give you in this letter.” — I know the man who writes those words — I am certain he would not have written them, without a serious reason for it. What am I to do? I have nobody whom I can rely on to send.

(O
BENREIZER
enters from the court-yard
,
shown in by
J
OEY
. J
OEY
stands apart for a moment
,
watching
.)

           
Obenreizer
. (
to
V
ENDALE
). A thousand pardons! I am afraid I disturb you!

           
Joey
(
aside
,
looking at
O
BENREIZER
). It was him as stole in when that bit of stuff fell on Master George’s breast! It’s him as steals in again, now, when bad news comes to Master George. He brings ill luck. I don’t like Mr. Openrazor!

(J
OEY
returns to the yard
,
looking back suspiciously
,
before he closes the door
.)

           
Obenreizer
. Is there any business this morning that I can do?

           
Vendale
. You come at a bad time, Mr. Obenreizer. You find my business threatened with a loss of five hundred pounds.

           
Obenreizer
. (
starting
). Five hundred pounds!

           
Vendale
. A remittance of ours to that amount has been stolen from the correspondents to whom we sent it.

           
Obenreizer
. Stolen!

           
Vendale
. And a forged receipt sent to us in their name — the name of your old employers, Defresnier and Company.

(
He looks again at the letter in his hand
.)

           
Obenreizer
. How — how has it happened?

           
Vendale
. (
pointing to the desk
). There is the correspondence. You can see for yourself. (O
BENREIZER
goes to the desk
,
and reads the letters.
V
ENDALE
continues
,
aside
.) Obenreizer was in Defresnier’s employment. He may be able to throw some light upon it! Suppose I show him the forged receipt? (
Takes a key and opens the door of the iron safe in which his papers are kept
.)

           
Obenreizer
. (
watching
V
ENDALE
from the desk
). Has he got the receipt? Oh, if he only takes it out of the safe!

           
Vendale
. (
producing the receipt
). Here it is! (
He drops the letter which he has hitherto kept mechanically in his hand — picks it up again — and looks at it. At the same moment
O
BENREIZER
stealthily advances a step towards him from the desk — then looks back to see that the door leading into the yard is closed
. V
ENDALE
continues
.) The letter! I had forgotten the caution. I am warned to trust nobody.

(
He returns to the safe
,
and stands before it
,
hesitating
,
with his back towards
O
BENREIZER
.)

           
Obenreizer
. (
stealthily advancing
). Not a soul to see us! And I am the strongest of the two!

(
At the moment when he is within arm’s length of
V
ENDALE
,
the door from the court-yard is loudly opened
,
and
J
OEY
reappears
. O
BENREIZER
starts back
.)

           
Joey
. Did you call, Master George?

           
Vendale
. No! Don’t interrupt us!

           
Joey
(
aside
,
after a suspicious look at
O
BENREIZER
). I won’t shut the door this time!

(
He goes out
,
leaving the door into the yard open
.)

           
Vendale
. (
to
O
BENREIZER
,
putting back the receipt
). Well? Have you read the letters?

           
Obenreizer
. I can’t tell you how surprised and sorry I am! Let us hope there is some mistake.

           
Vendale
. I have another letter, received this morning, which confirms the news.

           
Obenreizer
. May I see it?

           
Vendale
. It forbids me to act on my own discretion; otherwise you should see it directly.

(
He turns to lock the safe. At the same moment
O
BENREIZER
turns
,
and looks towards the yard. The door is wide open
,
and
J
OEY
and his men are passing backwards and forwards within view
.)

           
Obenreizer
. (
aside
). Force is hopeless. I’ll try fraud! (
To
V
ENDALE
.) Suppose you show me the receipt?

           
Vendale
. The very thing I was thinking of! But there’s an obstacle in the way. This letter insists on my keeping the whole thing a profound secret from everybody.

           
Obenreizer
. Without excepting
me?
Surely they must have forgotten —
 
— ?

           
Vendale
. No doubt they have forgotten! I had thought of asking your advice. And more — the receipt must be conveyed to Switzerland by private hand. I don’t know who I can trust —
 
—

           
Obenreizer
. Take it yourself — and I’ll go with you. Nothing could happen better. I came to tell you this morning that I have business which forces me to go to Switzerland.

           
Vendale
. (
aside
). Leave Marguerite!

           
Obenreizer
.
If Defresnier’s partner had remembered what he ought to have remembered, he would have saved you a world of trouble. As it is, what can you do? You are acting in a very serious matter, and acting entirely in the dark. As a man of business, you have no choice. You must be guided, not by the spirit, but by the letter of your instructions. You must go as I go — at once!

           
Vendale
. I must speak to Marguerite first.

           
Obenreizer
. By all means! Come and dine at my house — bring your luggage with you — and we will start by the mail train together. Is it agreed?

           
Vendale
. Agreed!

           
Obenreizer
. At seven to-night?

           
Vendale
. At seven to-night.

           
Obenreizer
. You take the receipt of course?

           
Vendale
. I take the receipt.

           
Obenreizer
. (
aside
). And I take it from you on the road!

(
Exit
.)

           
Joey
. I’ll carry your luggage, sir, to Mr. Openrazor’s house.

           
Vendale
. You have been listening!

           
Joey
. Not exactly, sir; but I’ve heard everything, for all that!

(
The Scene closes
.)

S
ECOND
S
CENE
—
A room in
W
ILDING’S
house — the room already shown in the Second Scene of the Second Act. Enter
S
ALLY
G
OLDSTRAW
,
followed by
J
OEY
.

           
Sally
. Mr. Joey!

           
Joey
. Miss Goldstraw!