Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1977 page)

           
Vendale
. The mountain that lies between us and Italy! The mountain that we cross to-morrow!

           
Obenreizer
. (
stopping in his walk
,
and pursuing his own train of thought
). It sounds like the old waterfall at home. The waterfall which my mother showed to travellers — if she
was
my mother!

           
Vendale
. If she
was
your mother?

           
Obenreizer
. (
still pursuing his thoughts
). The sound of that waterfall changed with the weather, as does the sound of all falling waters, and flowing waters. I remember it as sometimes saying to me for whole days — ”Who are you, my little wretch? — Who are you, my little wretch?” — I remember it other times saying, when its sound was hollow, and storm was coming up the pass — ”Boom! Boom! Boom! Beat him! Beat him! Beat him!” like my mother in a rage — if she
was
my mother.

           
Vendale
. Why do you say “
if
”
?

           
Obenreizer
. What do I know about it? I am so obscurely born, how can I say? I was young: the rest of my family were men and women. My so-called parents were old. Anything is possible of a case like mine.

           
Vendale
. Did you ever doubt —
 
— ?

           
Obenreizer
. Bah! Here I am in the world. What does it matter how I come there?        

           
Vendale
. At least you are Swiss?

           
Obenreizer
. How do I know? I say to you: “At least you are English.” How do
you
know?

           
Vendale
. By what I have been told from infancy.

           
Obenreizer
. You believe what you have been told from infancy? Good! To cut it short — I will believe what
I
have been told from infancy, too.

(
Resumes his walk up and down the room
.)

           
Vendale
. Have you no recollections of your early days?

           
Obenreizer
. (
continuing his walk
). I have recollections of feeling hunger; I have recollections of feeling cold; I have recollections of feeling the stick!
There
is the biography of my early days! Pity me or laugh at me, which you please — and then forget all about me, as soon as possible. Twenty years ago I should have begged your loose halfpence of you. Now, all I beg of you is — to change the subject!

(
Goes to the window
,
opens the shutter
,
and looks out
.)

           
Vendale
. (
speaking to himself
). There is something he won’t confess about his early life. Is there any clue here to what Wilding wanted with him in the bygone time?

           
Obenreizer
. (
closing the window-shutter
,
and addressing
V
ENDALE
). Dark and cold, my brother-traveller! Not a creature passing on the earth! Not a star to be seen in the heavens! Your fire is burning low — we must mend it. (
Goes to the door and calls off
.) More wood! (
The
W
AITER
enters
,
and puts wood on the fire
. O
BENREIZER
continues; standing near the door
,
and speaking to himself
.) Where will he put the receipt to-night? If he sleeps, I shall find out. But suppose he wakes? I’ll make sure. (
Takes a phial from his breast-pocket
.) I’ll try the laudanum to-night.

           
The Waiter
(
to
V
ENDALE
). Any more orders, sir.

           
Vendale
. No more orders.

           
Obenreizer
. Yes! one more order! Bring some of the best brandy you have in the house. (
The
W
AITER
goes out
.) The cold is piercing, in spite of all the fire we can make here. A little brandy will do neither of us any harm.

           
Vendale
. I am afraid it will be bad brandy in such a place as this.

           
Obenreizer
. Our flasks are empty — bad brandy is better than none. (
The
W
AITER
enters with brandy and two wine-glasses on a tray
.) Put it here.

(
The
W
AITER
puts the tray on the table near the door
.)

           
Vendale
. (
to the
W
AITER
). Have you got your orders for the morning? (
The
W
AITER
crosses to
V
ENDALE
. O
BENREIZER
,
with his back towards them
,
drugs a glass of brandy at the tabl
e. V
ENDALE
continues to the
W
AITER
.) Do the guides know that we want them for crossing the mountain?

           
The Waiter
. Yes, sir.

           
Vendale
. You are to call us early, mind.

           
The Waiter
. At four o’clock, sir?

           
Vendale
. At four o’clock. (
The
W
AITER
goes out
. O
BENREIZER
crosses with the drugged brandy to
V
ENDALE
.)

           
Obenreizer
. You are a judge of these things. Try it, and tell me. (V
ENDALE
drinks the brandy
.) Bad, I’m afraid?

           
Vendale
. It has a coarse after-flavour. I don’t like it!

           
Obenreizer
. (
taking the glass from him
). There is a little still left in the glass. I’ll try it next. (
Puts the glass to his lips
.) Booh! It burns! Vile bad brandy; as you say! (
Throws the rest into the fire
.)

           
Vendale
. The time is getting on, isn’t it? Look at your watch; mine has stopped.

           
Obenreizer
. The time
is
getting on! We must get what rest we can. One word before I leave you. When you are travelling, do you lock your door at night?

           
Vendale
. Not I! I sleep too soundly.

           
Obenreizer
. You sleep so soundly? What a blessing!

           
Vendale
. Anything but a blessing to the rest of the house, if they had to knock me up from the outside of the door! If the waiter comes in and wakes me, I shall not disturb the other people in the inn.

           
Obenreizer
. I understand. I leave my room open also. But let me advise you one thing. I am a Swiss who knows. When you travel in my country, always put your papers — and your money also, of course — under your pillow. Always under your pillow!

           
Vendale
. You are not complimentary to your countrymen!

           
Obenreizer
. My countrymen are like the majority of men. The majority of men will take what they can get. Adieu! At four in the morning.

(
Exit
.)

           
Vendale
. (
rising from the sofa and mending the fire
). My travelling-companion is a strange fellow. And the strangest part of him is — what he said just now about his early life. I fancy I can guess, for the first time, what poor Wilding wanted with him. It seems wonderful now that the thing never struck me before. The adopted child was taken to Switzerland, as we know. Obenreizer is Wilding’s age. Obenreizer doubts if his parents
were
his parents. Obenreizer speaks English with so little accent, that English might have been the first language he learnt. Is the lost man now sleeping in the next room to me? (
Takes a turn on the stage
.) My head feels heavy — the effect of the cold, I suppose? (
Puts more wood on the fire
,
and crouches over it
,
warming himself
.) Poor Wilding’s last wishes are sacred to me. His whole fortune is left to the missing man — and that man is not found yet. I’ll question Obenreizer more closely! (
Paces the stage once more
.) My head feels heavier and heavier. That bad brandy is affecting me already, no doubt. Foolish of me to drink even the little I did. (
Stops
,
pursuing the former train of thought
.) Suppose it turns out that Obenreizer
is
the missing man? Should I like him to be the real Wilding? I get on very well with him, but I should hardly like that. Should I like him to be rich? No — he has influence enough over Marguerite as it is, and wealth might give him more. (
A pause
,
his head sinks on his breast — he rouses himself by an effort
.) What am I thinking of? Ought any likings or dislikings of mine to stand between me and the discharge of my duty to my dead friend? No! Come what may of it, that duty shall be done. To-morrow — when my head is clearer — I’ll think of it again. (
Goes to the window and looks out
,
closes the shutter
,
and returns to the sofa
.) I’m in bad condition for crossing the mountain. My legs feel weary, only with walking about the room. (
Stretches himself on the sofa
.) An hour’s rest will put me right — the sofa is nearest the fire. I feel sleep coming on me — I’ll stop here. (
Closes his eyes. For a few moments nothing happens on the stage; then the candles go out suddenly in their sockets. The firelight is left in the room. In a moment more the heavy latch on the inner side of the door is raised softly. The door opens by an inch at a time
,
and
O
BENREIZER
steals in. He wears nothing but his trousers and his flannel shirt. The collar of the shirt is thrown open
,
and the sleeves are turned up to the elbows. Advancing towards the bed
,
his foot strikes against the table
. V
ENDALE
starts up and rushes across the stage to him
.)

           
Vendale
. What now? Who is it?

           
Obenreizer
. (
surprised and seizing him by the shoulders
). Not in bed yet! Then something
is
wrong!

           
Vendale
. (
releasing himself
). What do you mean?

           
Obenreizer
. First tell me — are you ill?

           
Vendale
. Ill? No.

           
Obenreizer
. I have had a bad dream about you. I tried to rest after it, but it was impossible. I was anxious to know you were safe — and yet I was afraid you would laugh at me! I have been minutes hesitating at the door — I have at last come in. You satisfy me that my dream
was
a dream — shall I leave you again? My fire has gone the way of your candles. Do you wish to sleep?