Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2016 page)

Madame F.
Sir Percival is engaged, Miss Halcombe. His lawyer has unexpectedly arrived from London.

(LAURA
rouses herself on the sofa, and looks towards
MARIAN.)

Mar. (aside).
Is there anything wrong?

Fosco (interpreting her thoughts).
Yes, Miss Halcombe, there is something wrong.

Mar. (resenting his interference).
I asked no questions, count. I don’t understand you. (LAURA
raises herself on the sofa, and looks towards them.
MARIAN
joins her.)
Have you rested? What do you say to a stroll in the garden?

(LAURA
rises. They go out together on the right.)

Madame F. (humbly).
Am I pardoned, count?

Fosco (giving her his hand).
For the future, respect me in my moments of exaltation. In those moments I forget my anxieties — I breathe freely once more.

Madame F.
Can I do nothing to relieve your anxieties? I have been of some use to you in the past. Remember when we were alone with Anne Catherick in the summer-house at Limmeridge! I helped you to tempt her into revealing Sir Percival’s secret. I hid her from discovery by Sir Percival and Miss Halcombe, who were both looking for her. Are you still anxious about Anne?

Fosco.
I have no fear about Anne. She is in hands that I can trust — she is safely hidden in London. My anxieties are all centred in this house. I see clouds rising on the domestic horizon. I see a coming collision of interests between Miss Halcombe and Me.

Madame F. (satirically).
Is Count Fosco afraid of Miss Halcombe?

Fosco (aside, taking a turn on the lawn).
Count Fosco is afraid of himself! Magnificent Marian, at the ripe age of sixty I adore you with the volcanic ardour of eighteen! All the gold of my rich nature is poured out at your feet. Alas for my wife! My wife gets nothing but the shillings and the pennies!

Madame F. (following
FOSCO). Relieve my suspense! You see clouds rising in the domestic horizon. What do you mean?

(SIR PERCIVAL
opens the study door, with a paper in his hand.)

Sir P. (calling from the study).
Fosco! where are you?

Fosco (to
MADAME FOSCO). You hear that voice? Percival shall tell you what I mean.
(He turns towards the house and calls back.)
Here — in the garden.

(SIR PERCIVAL
advances into the garden.)

Sir P.
There’s no time, Fosco, for preparing my wife’s mind.
(He holds up the paper.)
She must sign this tonight. The lawyer must have the money before the end of the week.

Fosco (to his wife).
Are you answered?
(To
SIR PERCIVAL.) Can I see the lawyer?

Sir P.
He has just gone. He was obliged to get back to London to-night. The deed, signed and witnessed, must follow him the first thing to-morrow. Where is Lady Glyde?

Madame F.
Lady Glyde is walking in the garden with Miss Halcombe. Shall I go and find her?

Sir P.
I shall be much obliged to you if you will.

(MADAME FOSCO
goes out on the right.)

Fosco.
How much money is it?

Sir P.
Six thousand pounds. (FOSCO
starts.)
Five thousand for my pressing debts. And one thousand as a loan to you. Ain’t I the best friend you ever had in your life?

Fosco.
My best friend, tell me one thing. What does Lady Glyde do in signing that paper?

Sir P.
She authorises her trustees to sell out six thousand pounds of her money. I must have two witnesses. You will be one, and I shall ask Miss Halcombe to be the other.

Fosco (startled).
Miss Halcombe!
(He considers for a moment.)
No; any way Lady Glyde would have Miss Halcombe to advise her.

Sir P.
She won’t have anything of the sort. I shan’t allow either of them to read what is written here. I shall give them the folded deed to sign, and there will be an end of it. How cursedly hot it is! Come into the house and have a cool drink!

Fosco (thoughtfully).
I will wait for you here. (SIR PERCIVAL
goes back into the house by way of the study.
FOSCO
continues, alone.)
My good friend Percival, as the English say, you see no further than your nose! Even if Lady Glyde is foolish enough to sign blindly when she is asked, there is Miss Halcombe to advise her to read first!

Enter
MADAME FOSCO
on the right, hurriedly, and in agitation.

Madame F.
Count! you told me just now that you felt no anxiety about Anne Catherick.

Fosco.
Well?

Madame F.
She has done what I always feared she would do. She has discovered that Laura is married to Sir Percival Glyde. She has escaped from those hands that you were so sure of. She has found her way here.

Fosco (thunderstruck).
Are you out of your mind?

Madame F.
Not five minutes since I surprised her, in close conversation with Laura and Miss Halcombe, in the garden!

Fosco (bursting out in his own language).
Maledizione!
(He pauses a moment to control himself.)
It is over — I am myself again. Did they meet by appointment?

Madame F.
No. Anne Catherick had ventured into the grounds on the chance of seeing them this fine summer night.

Fosco.
What did you do when you discovered them?

Madame F.
I stepped behind a tree.

Fosco.
Admirable woman! Did Anne mention my name?

Madame F.
She mentioned both our names. She expressed surprise at our having left her to discover the marriage by chance —
 
—

Fosco.
Did she express distrust as well as surprise?

Madame F.
No. The favourable impression we have produced on her still maintains its hold on her mind. Her one idea, so far, is the idea of serving the interests of my niece.

Fosco.
What did she say? Repeat her own words, if you can.

Madame F.
She said to Laura: “If you are living in misery with the villain you have married, I have only to say the word, and the law will take him!”

Fosco (wiping his forehead).
We are on the brink of the precipice! Who spoke next? Miss Halcombe, of course. What did she say?

Madame F.
She said it was not safe to prolong the conversation at that time and in that place. She asked for Anne Catherick’s address —
 
—

Fosco.
And Anne gave it?

Madame F.
At a neighbouring farm-house, called Todd’s Corner. She described the people as old friends of hers. Miss Halcombe promised to see her to-morrow.

Fosco.
And on that they parted? My course is clear before me. I must get the start of Miss Halcombe.
(He produces his pocket-book, tears out a leaf, writes on it, and hands it to his wife.)
See! a note written in Miss Halcombe’s name! She has changed her mind. She makes an appointment with Anne to-night — there, in the shrubbery —
(he points off on the left)
— at eleven o’clock. I must secure her, before she does more mischief. Stop! Does Anne still dress in white?

Madame F.
She wears a brown cloak over her white dress, with a hood to it to pull over her face.

Fosco.
Good! She will not be noticed on her way here. Direct my note to Anne Catherick, and send a servant with it to Todd’s Corner. (MADAME FOSCO
goes out through the drawing-room.
FOSCO
takes a turn on the stage, and continues.)
There were two difficulties to meet in this matter of Anne — to keep her from discovering the marriage, and to keep her from taking Miss Halcombe into her confidence. Could I confide her once more to the doctor at the asylum? The doctor had already let her escape. What else could I do but place her in the hands of my own people, and trust to the progress of her fatal malady to relieve us of the charge of her? Am I to blame for the stupidity of my people? Bah! who is capable of preventing accidents and contending with fools!

Enter
LAURA
and
MARIAN
on the right.
MARIAN
speaks in a whisper to
LAURA,
pointing to
FOSCO,
who stands with his back towards them.

Mar.
If the count discovers that we have seen Anne, we are lost — remember that!
(She advances and addresses
FOSCO.) Still admiring the moonlight, count?

Fosco (turning).
Ah! the dear ladies. How good of you to pity the solitary Fosco, and come back to him again!
(He looks searchingly at
MARIAN.) Any adventures in the garden, Miss Halcombe?

Mar.
The age of adventures, count, is past!

(She turns away to
LAURA.)

Fosco (admiring her).
Superb creature! I could not have put a better face upon it myself!

(He turns away on his side.
MADAME FOSCO
reappears in the drawing-room.
MARIAN
walks apart slowly with
LAURA,
warning her once more.)

Mar.
Be careful, Laura. He suspects something already!

Fosco (on the other side of the stage, addressing his wife, who has joined him).
Is it done?

Madame F.
The servant has gone.

(SIR PERCIVAL
appears in the study, and advances to the lawn.)

Fosco.
Did anybody see you give him the letter?

Madame F.
Nobody.

Sir P. (looking about him).
Where are they? Oh, here you are. Lady Glyde, I am afraid I must trouble you about a little matter of business. Miss Halcombe, I want you to witness my wife’s signature, if you will be so kind. Fosco will be the other witness.