Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1992 page)

WEST. Oh! curse you all! (
they laugh at him. He and
WOLF
and several
NEGROES
go up and exeunt
R. U. E.)

MISS M. I live again. You are free! (
takes
LEYRAC’S
hand,
C.)

LEYRAC. No! (
kisses her hand
) I am your slave! (
Picture.
)

CURTAIN.

A Drama,

In Four Acts.

1870.

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA.

ADMIRAL BARTRAM.
GEORGE BARTRAM.
NOEL VANSTONE.
CAPTAIN WRAGGE.
MR. PENDRIL.

—

MAGDALEN VANSTONE.
MRS. LECOUNT.
MISS GARTH.
MRS. WRAGGE.

Visitors, Servants, School-children, &c. &c.

—

Scene: The First Act in Somersetshire. The Second Act in York and its neighbourhood. The Third Act at Aldborough. The Fourth Act in Yorkshire.

PERIOD: The Present Time.

NO NAME.

ACT I.

(DATE MARCH 1, 1870.)

SCENE. —
The drawing-room of the late
MR. VANSTONE’S
house at Combe Raven, in Somersetshire. Entrances at the side, right and left. At the back, in the centre, an entrance to another room, closed by rich curtains which draw aside, and part in the middle.
MR. PENDRIL, GEORGE BARTRAM, and MISS GARTH, are discovered seated at a table; MISS GARTH
being dressed in deep mourning.
MR. PENDRIL
sits in the centre, fronting the audience, with his papers before him.
GEORGE
and
MISS GARTH
are at opposite sides of the table.

Miss G.
(
pointing to
MR. PENDRIL’S
papers
). Have you written to Michael Vanstone, Mr. Pendril?

Mr. P.
Yes. (
He takes up a paper.
) Here is a copy of my letter.

Miss G.
Have you received Michael Vanstone’s answer?

Mr. P.
(
taking up another paper
). By this morning’s post. Here is the answer.

Geo.
Don’t keep us in suspense! Good news or bad?

Mr. P.
Bad — as bad can be.

Miss G.
Michael Vanstone keeps the money?

Mr. P.
He keeps the money.

Miss G.
Poor Norah!

Geo.
Poor Magdalen!

(
A pause.
MISS GARTH
and
GEORGE
look at each other in silent distress.
)

Mr. P.
(
addressing them alternately
). George Bartram, Miss Garth, we must look the worst in the face boldly. The law leaves the orphan daughters of Andrew Vanstone at their uncle Michael’s mercy. And their uncle Michael’s decision has thrown them helpless and homeless on the world.

Geo.
Not helpless, while I can work for them.

Miss G.
Not homeless, while I am a living woman! One word, Mr. Pendril. Would it melt this man’s hard heart if you did more than write to him? Suppose you pleaded with him for his brother’s children at a personal interview?

Mr. P.
That is the very question which I was about to submit to you. George, I want your advice as well as Miss Garth’s. You were poor Andrew Vanstone’s trusted friend —
 
—

Miss G.
Friend! He might have been more than a friend. He might have been Andrew Vanstone’s son-in-law but for Magdalen’s infatuated attachment to Francis Clare.

Geo.
(
gently
). Don’t blame Magdalen, Miss Garth. I am almost old enough to be her father. (
Speaking modestly, without the slightest bitterness.
) Francis Clare has every advantage over me. He is young, he is handsome —
 
—

Miss G.
He is idle, he is selfish. He has neither head nor heart. Magdalen will live to rue the day when she gave her love to a man who is utterly unworthy of her.

Geo.
Let us drop the subject. (
To
MR. PENDRIL) You said just now you wished to take my advice.

Mr. P.
Your advice — as Andrew Vanstone’s friend. And Miss Garth’s advice as the governess who has brought up his girls from childhood. I wish to read to both of you my letter to Michael Vanstone, and the answer which he has sent to me in return. If you advise me after that to try the effect of a personal interview with him, I will start to-day by the first train.

Miss G.
(
rising
). Shall I fetch Magdalen?

Mr. P.
Where is she?

Miss G.
(
pointing to the curtains at the back
). With her sister in that room.

Mr. P.
I thought Norah’s sitting-room was up-stairs?

Miss G.
We have made a little change in the last two days. The windows of the room in there open on the garden. When Norah is weary of her books and her music, it is a relief to her — in her helpless condition, poor soul — to look out at the trees and the flowers.

Mr. P.
Can they hear us?

Miss G.
Impossible, the curtains are doubled. Why do you ask?

Mr. P.
Norah must not hear us. And Magdalen must not come in here.

Geo.
Why not? Sooner or later she and her sister must know the truth.

Mr. P.
Magdalen must
not
be present. Remember the stain that rests on the memory of her parents! My letter to Michael Vanstone discloses the miserable secret of his brother’s life. Can I read it — can I read the vile reply that has been sent to me — in Magdalen’s presence? I am sure you agree with me, it is not to be done.

(MISS GARTH
and
GEORGE
assent by a gesture. At the same moment, the curtains are parted in the middle, and a maid-servant appears in the room.
)

The Servant
(
to
MISS GARTH): Miss Magdalen’s love, ma’am. She has been told that Mr. Pendril is here. Is there any objection to her joining you in this room?

Miss G.
Mr. Pendril is engaged for the present. When he is able to attend to Miss Magdalen’s wishes I will let her know. (
The Servant waits.
) Well, is there anything more?

The Servant
(
handing a visiting-card to
MISS GARTH.) The gentleman is waiting outside, ma’am. He wishes to know if there is any answer.

Miss G.
(
reading the card
). Captain Wragge again!

Mr. P.
Who is Captain Wragge?

Miss G.
A distant relation of poor Mrs. Vanstone. An impudent vagabond who was once in the Militia I believe. He has had the insolence to write to Magdalen offering his condolences, and in the next sentence requesting a temporary loan of fifty pounds to purchase decent mourning. And here he is waiting for an answer! What had we better do?

Mr. P.
Take no notice of him. If he attempts to force his way into the house —
 
—

Miss G.
Impudent as he is, he will scarcely venture to do that.

Mr. P.
If he
should
venture, refer him to me. (
He turns to the Servant waiting at the back.
) No answer.

(
The maid-servant withdraws, closing the curtains behind her.

Mr. P.
(
to
GEORGE.) Has she closed the curtains again?

Geo.
(
after looking
). Yes.

Mr. P.
(
to
MISS GARTH). You are sure the girls can’t hear us?

Miss G.
You may read the correspondence without the slightest fear of their hearing us.

Mr. P.
(
taking up the copy of his letter
). From myself to Michael Vanstone; Bolton-Manthorpe, near York. (
He reads.
) “Sir, — You have already heard of the sudden death of your younger brother, Mr. Andrew Vanstone, in the late lamentable railway accident. I deeply regret to inform you that the death of Mrs. Vanstone has followed the catastrophe. She was in delicate health at the time, and she sank under the nervous shock occasioned by a too sudden communication of the calamity that had fallen on her. To this sad news, it is my professional duty to add a statement of some importance to yourself. The late Mr. Vanstone has died intestate, and the law makes you, as next-of-kin, sole heir to his property, to the total exclusion of the two daughters whom he has left behind him.”

Geo.
(
to
MISS GARTH). I know Michael Vanstone is a rich man. But I fancy my uncle told me his income died with him?

Miss G.
You must have misunderstood Admiral Bartram. There is no such excuse for Michael Vanstone as you suppose. His life-interest in the house at Bolton-Manthorpe, and in the handsome income attached to it, is continued to his son after him. (
To
Mr. PENDRIL). Go on.

Mr. P.
(
continuing
). “The circumstances under which you inherit the money are painful in the last degree. In justice to you and to your brother’s children, I must, nevertheless, relate them. Briefly, I am constrained to tell you that the late Mr. and Mrs. Vanstone lived together as man and wife, without being married, from the time of their first meeting to a period of less than a month since. At that time, the death of Mr. Vanstone’s lawful wife whom he had married privately, and from whom he had been privately separated more than twenty years — left him free to make the mother of his children his wife in the sight of the law. Without informing any one, myself included, of what he meant to do, he married her in London last month. I enclose you a copy of the certificate.”