Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1984 page)

WEST. Yes. Well, I won’t judge in a hurry. I’ll look again, (
saunters off
L. U. E.)

[
Promenaders exeunt slowly,
L. U. E.

MRS. P. (
aside
). He evidently suspects something, and cannot be deceived much longer. Poor Emily! I can’t understand her. What can be the reason for her strange conduct? (
music for
MISS MILBURN’S
entrance.

Enter,
R. D., MISS MILBURN,
with an absent, weary air.

MRS. P. (
lightly.
) Oh, here you are come back? The voluntary eclipse of the star has been missed already.

MISS M. You are not dancing, dear? I really don’t know what to do with myself, (
takes seat,
R. C.,
languidly.
) I think I need rest, (
rises
) Good-night. (
going to
R. D.)

MRS. P. (
stops her
). What nonsense! Go and hide yourself in slumber on your birthday
fête?

MISS M. Don’t speak to me of my birthday
fête!
I wish I had never had one. (
seated
R. C.)

MRS. P. And then you are engaged to Mr. Westcraft. He has been looking for you everywhere, (C.)

MISS M. Mr. Westcraft! (
contemptuously.
) Will you please see if there are any ices there? (MRS. P.
hands her an ice from
L. C.
table
) Let me have some. Thanks. (
scarcely tastes it, puts it down wearily.
) I — I think I had better retire.

MRS. P. Don’t think of it.

MISS M. Why should I not stop away?

MRS. P. Oh! it would look so bad. How could you?

MISS M. What if I had a reason?

MRS. P. Oh! is it a good one?

MISS M. I don’t know. (
abruptly
) Oh! I am so unhappy!

MRS. P. You unhappy, dear?

MISS M. I have a great mind to tell you. (MRS. P.
approaches
MISS M.
affectionately
) I wish to return to Europe.

MRS. P. Ah! Is London so tempting a place?

MISS M. London? London is a dreadful smoky, great, busy, slow-going place, where every good thing comes from abroad, even to the money. But Paris is the refuge for the dull and weary, who have the minds to appreciate it. It’s the gayest city in the world! I don’t regret London, but I have never been at peace since I have seen Paris,.

MRS. P. Ah, I thought your unrest sprang from something like this. I saw you were sighing for something.

MISS M. It is a most charming place!

Enter,
R. U. E.
and by
C. D. F., RUTH,
with bunch of flowers. Drops on one knee and offers flowers to
MISS MILBURN.

MISS M. Ruth! (
takes flowers.
) Why, you ought not to be here. Thank you. You are not strong enough to be out. Do go in, do go in.

RUTH. I only wanted to see you and bring you these, with my sincere wishes for your happiness on your birthday.

MISS M. My happiness! (
bitterly, almost in tears
) I can’t bear it! I’ll go away — I am only plagued more and more. (
kindly
) But don’t you be pained — it is not your fault, Ruth!

RUTH. I did not mean to grieve you, miss, (
kisses
MISS MILBURN’S
hand, and exits
D. F.
and off
R. U. E.)

MISS M. Poor old Ruth! poor girl! I was speaking to the doctor about her — he says she is dying of a heart broken, nothing else. Even a slave can love. (
sighs
) Ah!

MRS. P. But you have not told me what ails your heart. And how are the men there?

MISS M. The men?

MRS. P. The men. I suppose they do have gentlemen in Paris?

MISS M. I hardly know. They were much about the same as anywhere else. There was only one, indeed, whom I met more frequently than the others in society.

MRS. P. Ah! Mr. Westcraft was not altogether wrong, in fearing the influence of the French gentlemen.

MISS M. Mr. Westcraft! If he does me the discredit of suspecting me before marriage, he will do well not to have my hand at all. I can easily refuse him.

MRS. P. Then you do love a French gentleman? Poor heart! Come, what was
the
French gentleman like?

MISS M. You wouldn’t like me to let you suppose I accepted him as a suitor? Pshaw! he was of high rank, fashionable, moving in the same society as myself, and so we danced together, and we saw each other. I met him everywhere — it was Fate! it was Fate that brought us together! No one can resist his fate! It was certainly strange. It was not my fault! How you look at me! (MRS. P.
smiles
) Don’t you understand me? (
rises
) I wish I was dead! (
sadly
) Do you understand that? (
to
L.
and return to
C.
with emotion.
)

MRS. P. (R. C.
up, quietly smiling to herself
). So you completely forgot Mr. Westcraft?

MISS M. Who said so? Have I ever loved Mr. Westcraft?

MRS. P. I don’t know. On what terms did you part with the French gentleman?

MISS M. (
affectedly light tone
). As the best friends in the world. But I remembered Mr. Westcraft. On the eve of my departure, my new acquaintance wished to know how he might renew the pleasure I had given him. (R. C., Mrs. PENFOLD
to
C.) I had in tell him that I was going back to the Island of Trinidad, where he would have to come for it. “When shall I come?” asked he, in the most matter-of-fact of tones. “Oh, you may come to my birthday
fête,
on my plantation, on New Year’s Day,” said I. (
pretended careless tone
) He took out his pocket-book, and wrote that down as business-like as possible — and — (
embarrassed
) we shook hands, and he smiled, and I laughed, and there’s an end on’t! (
faint forced laugh.
)

Enter,
L. U. E.,
frowning with annoyance,
WESTCRAFT
to
C.

WEST. (
aside, coming down
C.). She is not in the ball-room. I’ll swear to that. (
aloud
) Oh, there you are! This is a pretty way of treating the man with whom you are engaged for the next dance!

MISS M. I am not well.

WEST. Not well? Plaguey awkward, when they’re forming for the next dance. (
bites his lips, etc., in suspicious impatience.
)

MISS M. I must retire for repose.

MRS. P. I’ll go with you, dear. (
aside to
MISS M.) I have not heard all the story. (MISS MILBURN
rings bell on table,
L. C.,
and goes towards
L. D.,
followed by
MRS. PENFOLD.

MISS M. (
aside to
MRS. P.). Not now. (GIRL
opens
L. D.)

MRS. P. At least, what is his name? (MISS MILBURN
turns to whisper to her.
)

SERVANT
enters,
L. U. E.
to
D. F.

SERVANT. The Count de Leyrac! (MISS MILBURN
starts and turns. Chord.
)

Enter,
L. U. E.
to
C.. MAURICE DE LEYRAC. LEYRAC
salutes the
LADIES
and comes dawn a little,
C.
Music of Waltz, piano. Exit
GIRL, L. D.

LEY. Eh! I have not made any mistake? This is New Year’s Day, 1830. This is the Island of Trinidad. This is Miss Milburn’s birthday party. (
recognises
MISS MILBURN,
salutes her profoundly respectfully
) Excuse me, but surely you have not forgotten the appointment you did me the honour of making. (MISS MILBURN
takes his hand.
)

[
Exit
SERVANT, L. U. E.

LEY. I beg to apologize if my costume is not quite correct, but the ship entered the harbor only an hour ago. (
cease music.
)

MISS M. I beg to apologize, you so surprised me. I did not ho — hope — believe you were in earnest.

LEY. Never more so in all my life!

WEST. (
to
MISS MILBURN). Who is this?

LEY. (
turns and eyes
WESTCRAFT
steadily. They look at each other
). Ah! a member of the family, no doubt? (MISS MILBURN
whispers with
MRS. PENFOLD
animatedly, both glancing at
LEYRAC) Most happy to know you, sir. Would you like to shake hands with me? (WESTCRAFT
comes to his left during this, to place himself between
LEYRAC
and
MISS MILBURN) You are her brother? No? Her uncle, of course!

WEST. (
curtly
) No! nothing of the sort. (MRS. PENFOLD
laughs faintly, and
WESTCRAFT
gives her an angry look.
)

LEY. How stupid of me! Her cousin? (WESTCRAFT
raises his hand passionately to strike
LEYRAC,
who grasp it, and forces him to shake hands with him
) Delighted to make your acquaintance. Ah! it has been the one dream of my life to look upon your superb island. I know all about it, as far as reading will teach. Your productions are as numerous as valuable; indigo, liquorice, sugar, cotton, cochineal, dyestuffs, oranges, limes, cocoa, pineapples, and I know not what else. I shall be most happy to be your guest. (
to
MISS MILBURN) I like your island, I like your cousin! I like his rich-brown face. I feel assured that I shall be delighted here, with such a pilot (
to
WESTCRAFT,
bowing
) to the countless beauties.

WEST. I do not doubt your
assurance,
Mr. Frenchman, but I do doubt that you will see much of this island if I am to show it you.

LEY. (
fiercely.
) Ah! (
politely
). I am very sorry to hear of such a loss of anticipated pleasure

WEST. (
contemptuously
). All very well, but fine words butter no parsnips. (
turns to go up
R.)

LEY. (
puzzled
). Fine words butter no parsnips? Oh! more productions of this superb island! Fine words — butter — parsnips! Indigo, liquorice, sugar, cotton, cochineal, dye-stuffs, oranges, limes, cocoa, pineapples, fine words, butter, parsnips. (
laughs
.)

MRS. P. and MISS M. (
laugh at
WESTCRAFT). Ha, ha, ha!

LEY. Why this is the earthly paradise! (
bows to
MRS. P.
and
MISS M.,
who take seats,
L. C.) and you the angels that inhabit it. (
ladies return the salute, smiling
).

Enter,
L. U. E.
to
C., LADY.

LADY (
to
WESTCRAFT). Are you coming? (LEYRAC
bends over back of
MISS MILBURN’S
chair, to chat with her.
)

WEST. (
to
LADY). Wait a moment. (
to
LEYRAC) If you have got anything to say to Miss Milburn, don’t whisper to her, but speak out.

LEY. Speak out? As you do?

WEST. Yes!

LEY. A thousand thanks, but I prefer to whisper! (
turns his back on
WESTCRAFT,
and continues to speak with
MISS M.)