Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1982 page)

           
Obenreizer
. Now?

           
Vendale
. She refuses.

           
Obenreizer
. She breaks her promise?

           
Vendale
. A promise which was extorted from her.

           
Obenreizer
. She sets my lawful authority at defiance —
 
—

           
Bintrey
. (
interposing
). Mr. Obenreizer —
 
—

           
Obenreizer
. There can be but one motive for such conduct.

           
Marguerite
. There
is
but one motive. I love him.

           
Obenreizer
. You love him? Ah! Marguerite, you said that once before. It was needless to sting me a second time by repeating it. All further restraint on my part is at an end. Do you know the man whom you love? That man is an impostor. (
Takes the Vendale papers from his pocket
.)

           
Vendale
. (
starting up
). What do you mean?

           
Obenreizer
. Yes, Marguerite! An impostor, in the disguise of a gentleman.

           
Vendale
. What?

           
Obenreizer
. I will not allow my ward to throw herself away on such a man as you! Until she comes of age she is under my care, and she must obey my will. Mr. Bintrey, you are fond of documents. There are the documents to prove what I say. Look at them!

(
Hands him the papers
.)

           
Bintrey
. (
looking at them
,
and starting to his feet
). What! Impossible!

           
Obenreizer
. Three years since, an English gentleman perished on this mountain; the papers taken from his body were preserved here.

           
Vendale
. How do you come by those papers?

           
Bintrey
. (
looking the papers over
). Quite needless to inquire. Go on.

           
Obenreizer
. The oldest of those papers is dated five-and-twenty years since. It is written by an Englishwoman settled in Switzerland. She is a childless widow. She adopts a child from the Foundling in England, and she brings that child out to Switzerland.

           
Marguerite
. Is George concerned in this?

           
Obenreizer
. Shortly after, the widow marries again. Her husband, interested in the adopted child, desires to give the boy the position of his son. The boy is never to be humiliated by knowing his real origin. He is to believe himself the child of the husband and wife who have adopted him. (
To
B
INTREY
.) Am I right, Mr. Bintrey?

           
Bintrey
. Entirely.

           
Marguerite
. (
to
B
INTREY
). What has George to fear in all this?

           
Obenreizer
. (
to
B
INTREY
). Are you composed enough to answer another professional question? What is legally necessary to complete this case?

           
Bintrey
. Evidence to prove whether the husband and wife are dead or living.

           
Obenreizer
. (
pushing over more papers
). There is the evidence that they are both dead. What is necessary next?

           
Bintrey
. The names and addresses of witnesses who can speak to the question of identity.

           
Obenreizer
. There they are.

           
Bintrey
. Complete. (
To
V
ENDALE
.) George, prepare yourself for a great shock.

           
Vendale
. The name! — the name of the widow who brought the child to Switzerland.

           
Obenreizer
. Mrs. Miller!

           
Vendale
. (
to
B
INTREY
). The name we found on the Foundling books when you and I looked at the register!

           
Bintrey
. Quite right! We have found the missing man!

           
Marguerite
. Oh! George! George! what is it?

           
Vendale
. Nothing, love, that I have not suspected already! (
To
O
BENREIZER
.) You are the lost Walter Wilding. You are the missing man.

           
Obenreizer
. (
with an ironical bow
). Pardon me! Mr. Vendale, I have not that honour. Y
OU
are the missing man. (
All rise
.)

           
Vendale
. Is he mad?

           
Bintrey
. It’s true!

           
Obenreizer
. The man you love, Marguerite, has no station in life, no name of his own.

           
Vendale
. Marguerite!

           
Obenreizer
. He is a bastard, brought up by public charity.

           
Marguerite
. (
throwing herself into
V
ENDALE’S
arms
). George! I never loved you as I love you now!

           
Bintrey
. He is one thing besides, Mr. Obenreizer. He is a man whose income you have just doubled. Mr. Vendale inherits the whole of the late Mr. Wilding’s fortune, thanks entirely to your exertions.

           
Obenreizer
. What!!

           
Bintrey
. Respect your engagement. Remember your promise! His income is doubled, and he claims his wife! Will you sign?

           
Obenreizer
. Never! Marguerite is here, in my power. I am still her guardian, and —
 
— (
advances to take her
).

           
Marguerite
. George!

           
Vendale
. (
placing himself between her and
O
BENREIZER
.) Don’t fear, love! Wait till the first bitterness of his defeat has passed away.

           
Bintrey
. Mr. Obenreizer will listen to reason directly.

           
Obenreizer
. Will he!

           
Vendale
. Don’t compel me to force you to sign.

           
Obenreizer
. Force me? (V
ENDALE
takes the forged receipt from his pocket and silently shows it to him. In a whisper
.) The forged receipt!

           
Vendale
. (
In a whisper
). What becomes of your authority over her now?

           
Bintrey
. (
producing the document
). Will you sign this?

           
Obenreizer
. (
to
V
ENDALE
). Does she know?

           
Vendale
. She does not know.

           
Obenreizer
. She will never know if I sign?

           
Vendale
. Never!

(V
ENDALE
passes to the table
,
and burns the receipt in the candle as
O
BENREIZER
signs the paper
.)

           
Bintrey
. (
aside
,
taking the signed document
). My sheet of paper has got the best of you after all!

           
Obenreizer
. (
standing apart from the rest
). So ends the dream of my life! (
He takes the phial of laudanum from his breast-pocket
,
and secretly drinks the poison
. J
OEY
and
S
ALLY
appear at the back
.)

           
Marguerite
. (
to
V
ENDALE
). What does it mean?

           
Obenreizer
. It means, Marguerite, that you are free.

           
Marguerite
. (
to
V
ENDALE
). Free?

           
Vendale
.
Yes.

           
Marguerite
. Look at him, George. Is the feeling wrong which tells me to forget the past? (V
ENDALE
withdraws a little
,
and motions her to speak to
O
BENREIZER
.
She approaches him; they look at each other for a few moments in silence
. M
ARGUERITE
gently addresses him
.) I am going to begin a new life, and a happy life. I wish to say something more than farewell. If I ever wronged you even in thought, forgive me! If you ever wronged
me
— for George’s sake, I forgive
you
. (O
BENREIZER
looks at her in silence
.) Why are you silent?

           
Obenreizer
. I once frightened you in the past time. Do I frighten you now?

           
Marguerite
. (
giving her hand
). You are looking at me very strangely.

           
Obenreizer
. I am looking at you for the last time. (
His strength fails him
,
he staggers
, V
ENDALE
and
B
INTREY
advance to support him
.
To
V
ENDALE
.) Don’t touch me! (
Recovers himself
.
To
B
INTREY
.) Thank you! Farewell! (
As he crosses the threshold of the door
,
the curtain falls
.)

CURTAIN