Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2042 page)

(
She offers him her hand.
HORACE
hesitates.
)

Julian
(
advancing towards them
). Horace! (
Aside in deep agitation.
) Oh, that
I
should plead with him to forgive her! I who love her better than my life! Horace! do you hesitate? do you doubt the priceless value of a woman who can speak the truth?

(
A pause.
HORACE
rises to his feet, holds out his hand, hesitates, and draws it back again. The clock strikes six while he is still in doubt. At the last stroke
LADY JANET
and
GRACE ROSEBERRY
appear together in the conservatory.
)

Horace
(
with an outburst of despair
). I can’t forgive her! (
He goes out on the left.
)

Julian
(
contemptuously
). Horace, I pity you!

(LADY JANET
advances to
JULIAN,
followed by
GRACE. LADY JANET’S
voice is grave. She is anxious and depressed; she must convey to the audience that
GRACE
has succeeded in shaking her conviction of
MERCY’S
innocence.
)

Lady J.
(
to
JULIAN). What has
he
to forgive? And why do
you
pity him?

(MERCY
starts at the sound of
LADY J.’s
voice.
JULIAN
makes no answer. He draws back on the right, and stands apart watching
MERCY. GRACE
points to
MERCY,
standing with clasped hands, struggling to control herself.
)

Grace
. Does your Ladyship remember the question which I asked you on our way to this room? What made her interfere when the police officer was going to take me away? Look at her — and see the motive in her face!

Lady J.
(
to
MERCY —
gravely and gently, without noticing
GRACE). In justice to
you
I have refused to take the view of your conduct which this lady takes. Am I right? or wrong?

Mercy
. My heart is heavy, madam. I dare not answer you. Let my actions speak for me. (
She removes the jewels that she wears, and approaches
GRACE,
who occupies the middle of the stage.
) The bounty of Lady Janet gave these jewels to Grace Roseberry. To Grace Roseberry I restore them, in Lady Janet’s presence.

(GRACE
takes the jewels, and turns to
LADY JANET. MERCY
remains at the right-hand side of the stage.
)

Grace
(
showing the jewels to
LADY JANET). Is your Ladyship answered?

Lady J.
(
absorbed in her own grief
). She has owned it! False? Unworthy of the love she inspired in me? No, I won’t believe it even now!

Grace
(
continuing
). I am waiting to receive your Ladyship’s apologies.

Lady J.
(
suddenly turning on
GRACE). Miss Roseberry! I would rather be deceived, as I have been deceived — I would rather suffer as I suffer now — than possess your unforgiving nature. (
Controlling herself.
) I ask your pardon for the past, and your indulgence for the future.

Grace
. My indulgence for the future?

Lady J.
For your father’s sake, I will make your prospects in life my care. But I cannot give you the place in my heart (
she looks at
MERCY) which
she
held. I can never love
you,
as I loved
her.

Grace
(
coldly
). I have no sympathy, madam, with an attachment to an adventuress. If I recover my place in Society, I recover all that I want.

(
She goes out by the conservatory. The
SERVANT
appears at the same moment, at the door on the left, and whispers to
JULIAN,
who advances to meet him.
MERCY
observes them, and guesses what has happened.
)

Mercy
. The Matron is here! (
To the
SERVANT.). I will not keep the lady waiting.

(
The
SERVANT
goes out.
MERCY
advances a few steps towards
LADY J. —
and stops, trembling.
LADY J.
advances to meet her.
JULIAN
draws back, observing them.
)

Lady J.
(
gently
). You wish to speak to me?

Mercy
. My last words in this house, Lady Janet, must be said to
you.
I am returning to a life of humiliation. The shadow of my old disgrace falls on me once more. We shall never meet again, madam. At this last moment I stand before you in sorrow and in shame. Generous benefactress! Second mother! Does my repentance plead for me?

Lady J.
My child! I gave you a mother’s love. What is there that a mother’s love cannot forgive?

(
She offers her hand.
MERCY
lifts it to her lips.
LADY J.
takes
MERCY
in her arms — sighs to herself — and goes out, by the conservatory.
MERCY,
overwhelmed, sinks crouching on the floor.
JULIAN
approaches her and softly touches
MERCY
on the shoulder.
)

Julian.
Rise, poor wounded heart! Beautiful, purified soul, the angels in heaven rejoice over you! Take your place among the noblest of heaven’s creatures!

Mercy
(
lifting her head
). Those words are for better and happier women than I am! My heart’s truest gratitude thanks you, sir. (
She rises and tries to leave him.
JULIAN
detains her by the hand.
) Let me go! While I can still control myself, let me go!

Julian
(
in low tones — controlling his agitation
). I have something to say to you before you go. All your worldly interests here depended on your concealing the truth. Answer me, in one word — Yes or No. Have you told the truth — to your own prejudice and to your own loss — for conscience’ sake?

Mercy
(
faintly
). Yes!

Julian.
Is a woman who can make that sacrifice a woman who will prove unworthy of the trust, when a man places in her keeping his honour and his name?

Mercy
(
vaguely understanding him
). Oh!

Julian.
Mercy! from the first moment when I saw you I loved you. You are free. I may own it now. I may ask you to be my wife.

Mercy
. No, no! Let me go! Think of what you sacrifice! It cannot, must not be!

Julian
(
drawing back in sudden fear
). If you cannot love me say so — and I leave you.

Mercy
. How
can
I say so? Where is the woman in my place whose heart could resist you? Oh, have pity on my weakness! Help me to do my hard duty towards you. Remember how Mr. Holmcroft and Miss Roseberry have treated me. Others will do as they do. The scorn of every creature you know will strike at you through me. (JULIAN
tries to speak.
) No; not a word more! Spare me! pity me! leave me!

Julian.
Leave you? Never! My darling, we will go away from England — we will find a home among new people, in a new world. I am weary of the old world. I despise its narrow prejudices, its mean superstitions. I can be happy anywhere if
you
are with me. It rests with you, and you alone, to make the happiness or the misery of my life.

Mercy
(
yielding
). Oh! if I could only believe that! If I
could
make you happy —
 
— !

Julian.
Look at me! The mere hope that I may prevail on you has made me happy!

Mercy
(
shyly looking at him
). Think of your position!

Julian.
The most enviable position I know of is the position of a man who has got a good wife.

Mercy
. Think of your friends.

Julian
(
taking her hand
). Here is the nearest and dearest friend of all.

Mercy
. What will the world say?

Julian
(
taking her in his arms
). What can the world give me in exchange for You?

THE END.

A drama in five acts.

PERSONS OF THE DRAMA.

ALAN ARMADALE.
MIDWINTER.
MAJOR MILROY.
DOCTOR DOWNWARD.
CAPTAIN MANUEL.
MR. DARCH.
ABRAHAM SAGE.
FRANCIS.
A TRADESMAN’S LAD.
THE MAYOR AND CORPORATION OF THORPE-AMBROSE, SERVANTS, POLICEMEN IN PLAIN CLOTHES.

MISS GWILT.
MISS MILROY.
LOUISA.

MISS GWILT.

ACT I. — THE GOVERNESS.

SCENE. —
The Park at Thorpe-Ambrose. On the actor’s right the paling and garden gate leading to
MAJOR MILROY’S
cottage. Entrances to the stage through the trees at the back and by a shrubbery path on the actor’s left. Garden seats placed here and there among the trees.
MAJOR MILROY
and
MISS MILROY
are discovered seated at a rustic table.
MISS M.
is making a nosegay. The
MAJOR
has a newspaper in his hand. He is absorbed over his reading, and is perpetually interrupted by questions from his daughter.

MISS M.

Papa! has anybody answered your advertisement for a governess for me?

MAJOR M.