Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2008 page)

Geo.
All right! I am going into the garden to smoke. Leave the glass door open, so that I can get in again. (
He takes up his hat
) Now for a stroll in the moonlight! (
He goes out by the glass door.
)

The Servant
(
calling off, on the left
). Stephen!

(
A Second Servant appears; takes the supper-tray, &c., &c., from the First Servant, and goes out on the left. The First Servant then extinguishes the candles, and rakes out the fire. That done, he goes to the windows and the door, and draws back the curtains which have hitherto screened them. The moonlight streams in, making broad strips of light on the floor of the hall, alternating with strips of black shadow thrown on it by the pediments between the windows. Having left the glass door open, the Servant looks round for the last time, sees everything right, and goes out with his lamp. For a little while the stage is left empty, the interval being filled up by the orchestra playing very low, the violins with the mutes on. At the end of the interval
WRAGGE
appears at the glass door.
)

Wragge.
I have narrowly missed meeting Mr. Bartram in the garden. (
He looks round the hall.
) The only way of avoiding him was to run the risk, and venture in here. (
He looks at his watch.
) Ten o’clock — and no light in the window yet. What is Magdalen about, I wonder?

(GEORGE
appears at the glass door.
)

Geo.
Did I see a man pass this way? Yes! there he is! (
He advances noiselessly towards
WRAGGE.)

Wragge
(
hesitating
). What had I better do? Go back to the garden? or stop here? (GEORGE
suddenly touches him on the shoulder.
WRAGGE
turns in alarm.
) Who’s that?

Geo.
George Bartram.

(GEORGE
steps back for a moment, locks the glass door, and puts the key in his pocket.
)

Wragge
(
loftily
). What does this mean, Mr. Bartram?

Geo.
It means that I can draw my own conclusions from what I see. You were to have met me at eleven. You come here at ten. The place was the garden. I find you in the house. Magdalen Vanstone is in the house too!

Wragge.
Quite a mistake, I assure you.

Geo.
You don’t leave St. Crux till I am satisfied. Where is she?

Wragge
(
aside
). The Trust is in the bureau, there! I can’t be doing wrong, if I get him out of this room. (
To
GEORGE.) In the garden.

Geo.
Come back then to the garden.

(
He opens the glass door again, and takes
WRAGGE
by the arm. As they go out together,
MAGDALEN
appears at the sliding door.
)

Mag.
(
hesitating at the entrance
). Not a sound to break the silence! not a living creature near! Nothing but the black shadow and the ghastly moon. (
She advances a step, and looks behind her.
) The door! I must secure Wragge from being surprised. I must close the door. (
She closes the door, and pauses again.
) The dreadful stillness! not even a breath of air stirring! Is the place as empty as it looks? How can I tell, standing here? I’ll count three, and cross the hall. One, two, three! (
She rapidly crosses the hall, and stops at the supper-table.
) He told me to show a light in the window. (
She takes a candle from the table.
) Where are the matches? There is a box on the bureau. (
She goes with the candle to the bureau, and lights it — then starts, and, leaving the candle on the bureau, looks suspiciously towards the sliding door, and listens.
) Did I hear a sound? Is the door moving?

(
The door slowly slides back with its grating sound.
MAGDALEN
stands looking towards it petrified with terror. A figure in white appears at the door, pauses, and advances slowly, alternately seen in the moonlight and lost in the shadows. It is
ADMIRAL BARTRAM,
clothed in his white dressing-gown, with his basket of keys in his hand, walking in his sleep.
)

Mag.
(
drawing back from him as he approaches her, and speaking under her breath
). The admiral! Walking in his sleep!

Adm. B.
(
in the monotonous tone of a man speaking in a dream
). Put it back in the drawer! Noel’s last letter to me. I won’t have it burnt, George. I won’t have it burnt.

Mag.
(
as before
). Dreaming! dreaming of the Trust!

Adm. B.
Let it be. I want to look in. I want to see it safe with my own eyes.

(
He takes the key from his basket, then places the basket on the top of the bureau, opens the bureau and the drawer, lifts up the letter in it, and stands for a moment with the letter in his hand.
MAGDALEN
attempts to take it from him, and draws back, recoiling from his face.
)

Mag.
(
in a whisper
). His glassy eyes are staring at me in their sleep! I daren’t take it from him.

(
The Admiral replaces the letter and closes the drawer. He locks the bureau, then pauses, leaving the key in the lock, and thinking in his dream.
)

Adm. B.
George? What did I promise him when I locked up the Trust?

(
Absorbed in recovering the lost link, he takes the basket from the top of the bureau, leaving the key in the lock, and returns slowly along the way by which he came. Arrived near the sliding door, he pauses, recovers the lost idea, and speaks again.
)

Adm. B.
I’m not unreasonable, George. I promise to think it over to-night. If I’m in the mind, I’ll burn it to-morrow. Good night, George — good night.

(
He slowly disappears, leaving the sliding door open.
MAGDALEN,
who has hitherto watched him, spellbound, looks back at the bureau, and sees the key left in the lock.
)

Mag.
He has left the key! Fortune favours me at last. Now for the Trust! (
She lays her hand on the key, and suddenly hesitates.
) What would George say, if he saw me now? It’s mean — it’s unworthy of me — it’s acting the part of a thief. Oh, Norah! Norah! the thought of it revolts me — though I know it is for your sake.

(
Her head droops — she sinks on a chair near the bureau, and hides her face in her hands.
WRAGGE
appears again at the glass door.
)

Wragge.
I have given him the slip in the shrubbery. If I can only find Magdalen —
 
— (
He looks towards the bureau.
) There she is! (
He approaches
MAGDALEN.) I have been discovered. (MAGDALEN
looks up with a faint cry of alarm.
) Come away — we haven’t a moment to lose. (
Stooping over her, he sees the key in the lock.
) The key in the lock! What does that mean?

Mag.
Don’t ask me!

Wragge.
Scruples? When the game is in your own hands! (
He looks round towards the glass door.
) He isn’t after me yet — I’ll risk it! (
He unlocks the bureau, and opens the first drawer.
) Garden seeds. That won’t do. (
He opens the second drawer.
) Receipted bills. Memorials of the admiral’s folly! (
He opens the third drawer.
) A letter! Is this it?

(
He hands the letter, open, to
MAGDALEN.)

Mag.
(
starting
). Norah’s handwriting! Addressed to George! Ought I to read it?

(
She pauses, thinking, with the unread letter in her hand.
GEORGE
appears at the glass door.
WRAGGE
sees him, and crouches out of sight behind the bureau.
)

Geo.
The fellow has escaped me. Has he ventured back here? (
He approaches the bureau, and sees
MAGDALEN.) Who is that woman? One of the servants! What is she doing at her master’s bureau?

(
He advances softly, close to the bureau. At the same moment,
MAGDALEN,
deciding the question in her mind, says to herself,
“No!”
As she folds up the unread letter, she raises her head. The light of the candle falls on her face.
)

Geo.
(
thunderstruck
). Magdalen!!!

(MAGDALEN
springs to her feet, recognises him, and falls insensible into his arms. The letter drops from her hand to the floor.
)

Wragge
(
aside — rising cautiously from behind the bureau
). Is it the Trust? or isn’t it? I’ll secure it, if it is!

(
He picks up the letter.
GEORGE
places
MAGDALEN
in an arm-chair, looks round for help, and sees
WRAGGE.)

Geo.
Open a window. Give her air!

(WRAGGE
opens one of the windows, returns, and runs his eye over the letter by the light of the candle, while
GEORGE
tries to recover
MAGDALEN.)

Wragge
(
looking up in amazement from the letter
). The money restored? (
He indicates
GEORGE
and
MAGDALEN.) The marriage will follow! I may go back to my Pill.

Geo.
(
on his knees before
MAGDALEN). Disguised in a servant’s dress! Found near an open bureau! (
To
WRAGGE.) What does it mean?

Wragge.
It means nothing unworthy of her. I opened the bureau — not she. (
He places the letter on the bureau
). The letter will enlighten the lady. The lady will enlighten
you.

Geo.
(
trying to rouse her
). Magdalen! dear Magdalen!

(WRAGGE
turns back to go out by the glass door.
MAGDALEN
opens her eyes, sees
GEORGE
at her feet, and faintly utters his name. Her head sinks in confusion on
GEORGE’S
shoulder.
GEORGE
clasps his arms round her.
WRAGGE,
looking back from the door, takes off his hat with his customary flourish, and speaks his parting words.
)

Wragge.
Accept my best congratulations. Good evening!

THE CURTAIN FALLS.