Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2021 page)

(He points off on the right.)

Phil.
Yes, Sir Percival.

(The house-bell is heard ringing at a distance.)

Sir P.
What’s that?

Phil. (hurrying to the window and looking out.)
The police!

Sir P.
Keep them waiting at the front door. Five minutes’ start of them is all I want.

(He hurries out on the right.
PHILLIP
goes out on the left.)

THE THIRD SCENE.

DATE: September 16.
PLACE : The Waiting-room at a Lunatic Asylum.

The stage is closed in to represent a room of moderate size, plainly furnished. A door at the side on the right. Another door at the back.
FOSCO
and the Matron of the asylum are discovered. The Matron is standing by a table.
FOSCO
is seated at the other side of the table, his head on his breast, his hands hanging over his knees, in an attitude of the deepest dejection. His voice and manner are alike subdued when he speaks.

Fosco.
When did the doctor receive Miss Halcombe’s letter?

The Mat.
Two days since, sir.

Fosco.
Is it known how she discovered the address of this asylum?

The Mat.
She applied, I believe, to the rector of Old Welmingham.

Fosco.
Ah! the rector knew it, of course, through Mrs. Catherick. Miss Halcombe has been ill, has she not?

The Mat.
Quite broken down, sir, from grief at Lady Glyde’s death.

Fosco.
Her object is to see Anne Catherick. Does she mention the motive?

The Mat.
The interest she feels in the poor woman’s case is the only motive Miss Halcombe mentions.

Fosco.
And the doctor permits her to see Anne?

The Mat.
The doctor has no reason for refusing, sir. Miss Halcombe has addressed him with a proper introduction. I am told to expect her between the visitors’ usual hours — twelve and three.

Fosco.
In this room?
(The Matron bows.)
Can I wait anywhere, out of the way of other visitors, if they come?

The Mat.
I can’t tell you, sir. I must ask the doctor.

Fosco.
I have reason for wishing to say two words to Miss Halcombe, alone, before she sees Anne Catherick. Perhaps you will convey my request to the doctor, and ask him to give me his answer here?

The Mat.
Certainly, sir.

(She turns to leave the room by the door on the right.
FOSCO
stops her.)

Fosco.
One moment! I do not wish Miss Halcombe to be informed that I am in the house. You understand?

The Mat.
Yes, sir.

(She goes out on the right. A pause.)

Fosco (thoughtfully).
Broken by illness and grief, she is coming here today. Innocent of all suspicion of the truth, when she lifts her eyes — the dim and weary eyes that have wept over Laura’s death — to look at Anne Catherick, what will she see? The sister whom she has mourned as dead, a living being, imprisoned here! I could leave any other woman unprepared to meet the shock. Marian pleads with me in spite of myself! I, who have carried this gigantic fraud to completion —
I
am in danger of destroying my own edifice with my own hands! And what for? For a woman’s sake!
(He rises.)
A word from me may strengthen her to bear it. To vaguely alarm her with the presentiment of something unexpected to come, and yet to keep her ignorant of secrets which she may guess but must never know — what a problem confronts me! Is there a man living who can solve it? Inspiriting conclusion! Consoling thought! I am the man.

The Matron enters on the right.

The Mat.
The doctor is engaged, sir. If you have no objection to wait in the garden, the servant will inform you when Miss Halcombe comes.

Fosco.
I will wait in the garden. Which is the nearest way?

The Mat. (opening the door on the right).
The door on the left, sir, at the bottom of the staircase.

Fosco (to himself).
I shall see her again!

(He bows profoundly to the Matron, and goes out.)

The Mat. (looking after him).
Perfect manners! A gentleman in the truest sense of the word! Anne Catherick must be mad indeed to shudder with terror whenever she hears us mention his name!

(A man-servant appears at the door in the flat, showing in
MARIAN HALCOMBE
and
WALTER HARTRIGHT. MARIAN
is dressed in deep mourning. In look and manner they both present the appearance of persons who are overwhelmed by grief. The servant, seeing the Matron in the room, is about to retire. The Matron, after looking at
MISS HALCOMBE,
signs to him to wait.)

Mar. (to the Matron).
I wish to see one of the patients here, named Anne Catherick.

The Mat.
Will you give me your name, ma’am?

Mar.
Take that card to the doctor.

The Mat. (after looking at the card).
The doctor is engaged just now, ma’am. As soon as he is at liberty he shall have your card. Will you and the gentleman please to take seats?

(She beckons to the servant, and whispers a few words in his ear. The man nods, and goes out by the
door in the flat. The Matron goes out by the door on the right.)

Mar. (absently and sadly).
Have you written to make inquiries, Walter? Is there any news of Sir Percival Glyde?

Wal.
Terrible news! You know that he escaped the police — thanks to the swiftness of his horse? You know that he lay hidden on the coast, for some days afterwards, waiting his opportunity of crossing to France?

Mar.
Yes.

Wal.
The seaports were all watched. He attempted to cross in a fishing boat. The wreck of the vessel was discovered yesterday — and one of the drowned bodies has been identified as the body of Sir Percival Glyde.

Mar. (to herself).
One of them has escaped me!

Wal. (hearing her).
One of them?

Mar.
There are two men who are guilty of Laura’s death. There are two men whom I have vowed to bring to a day of reckoning. Sir Percival was one of the two.

Wal.
Still that dreadful thought! Is it not misery enough to know that Laura is dead?

Mar.
Laura has died a murdered woman! Laura has died, with her vile husband’s privity and consent, by Count Fosco’s hand! (WALTER
answers by a gesture of horror and dissent.)
Walter! on the fatal day when I parted you from her, you promised us a brother’s devotion, if we ever needed it. I appeal to that devotion now! I ask you to look at past events with my eyes. You know that I was separated from Laura by a false message which took me to Cumberland?

Wal.
Yes.

Mar.
When I got back to Blackwater Park, the house was literally a solitude. I was left to search the rooms, and see for myself that Laura had gone — gone after I had telegraphed warning her to wait my return. When I got back to London the next day, I had nothing — absolutely nothing — to guide me but my own experience of what had happened, and my own knowledge that Laura’s death would put thousands of pounds into the needy hands of Sir Percival and the count. Acting on my own suspicion only — mark that! — I went to the lawyer, and insisted on his instantly sending to the count’s house. What news did the messenger bring back? The news of Laura’s death under that man’s roof! I had left her at Blackwater, on the second of the month, in perfect health. I was informed that she had died the next day, of heart disease, in Count Fosco’s house! Am I mad? is there no evidence that she was decoyed to London for a purpose — is there no suspicion of foul play — implied in all this? Ha! you are turning pale — you are seeing with
my
eyes — you are thinking with
my
thoughts at last.

Wal.
Oh, the horror of it! the horror of it! Oh, my lost love! when my heart dwells on your memory now, must I think of you as the victim of a crime!

(He hides his face in his hands.)

Mar.
Vengeance! That innocent blood cries to God, and man for vengeance! Shall it cry in vain? (WALTER
starts to his feet, electrified by her last words.)
Have I roused you? Is my purpose, your purpose now? Oh, my friend, precious time has been lost while I lay prostrate under the blow that has fallen on me! Help me, before it is too late! Help me to drag this hideous secret into the light of day!

Wal. (eagerly).
How can I help you in this place? Why do you bring me here?

Mar.
I bring you here in sheer despair of knowing what else to do. Anne Catherick may have seen something, may have heard something, which will put the clue into our hands.

Wal.
No! no! no! The inquiry must begin, where the plot began, at Blackwater Park.

Mar.
I have been there again. Useless! The time lost while I lay ill has raised a fatal obstacle in our way. People who saw Laura have forgotten the dates. Neither the gardener who met her in the grounds, nor the station-master who gave her the railway ticket, can fix the day. The valet and his wife, who were the only servants left in the house, are nowhere to be found. I have tried and tried, and I come back defeated at every point. The count will escape us next. Walter! if we move heaven and earth to do it, let us lay our hands on the count!

(The door at the back opens, and the man-servant appears, showing in
FOSCO. MARIAN
stands petrified
at the sight of him. The servant goes out, closing the door.)

Wal. (observing
MARIAN,
and speaking in a whisper).
Is this the man?

Mar. (faintly).
Yes!

(FOSCO,
having paused a moment at the door, with his eyes fixed on
MARIAN,
advances, without taking the slightest notice of
WALTER,
and bows to her with the most profound respect.
MARIAN
draws back from him in horror.)