Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2047 page)

MISS G. (
going on with her drawing
).

You are very kind, Major. I have no faith in the future.

MAJOR M.

No faith in the future! Your worthy friend, Dr. Downward, doesn’t take
that
view of your prospects, I am sure. I was sorry he had to hurry back to London on the day when he introduced you to us. Is there any chance of our soon seeing the Doctor again?

MISS G.

Yes. He speaks of paying another visit to his patient in Norfolk, and of coming here afterwards to see me in my new home.

MAJOR M.

I am delighted to hear it. When you have told the good Doctor all your news, I may have something to tell him on my side in which your interests are concerned. (
Smiling, and lowering his voice.
) There are younger men than I am in this neighbourhood who have the taste to admire you. There is one young gentleman whose daily walks take him wonderfully often in the direction of the cottage. Aha! you understand
now?

MISS G. (
aside, in alarm
).

Does he mean Midwinter?

MISS M. (
aside, in alarm
).

Does he mean Allan?

MAJOR M.

Look into the future, Miss Gwilt, and you may see the lady who is soon to be mistress of this great estate!

(
He walks up the stage towards the door.
)

MISS G. (
aside, with an air of relief
).

He means Armadale!

MISS M. (
aside
).

How
can
papa be so blind? Is it possible he doesn’t see that Allan comes to the cottage for
me?

MAJOR M. (
returning
).

Neelie! didn’t you tell me you wanted to see the nets drawn this morning, and the fish taken out of the lake?

MISS M.

Yes, papa.

MAJOR M.

Come with me, then. I see the gamekeeper and his men getting into the boat. (
To
MISS G.) Look more cheerfully at your prospects, Miss Gwilt. I say no more!

(THE MAJOR
and
MISS M.
go out.
MISS G.
puts aside her drawing materials, rises, and walks irritably up and down the room.
)

MISS G.

My position becomes more insupportable every day. The insolence of Miss Milroy; the blindness of her father to what is going on under his own eyes; the utter impossibility of my marrying Armadale, as Doctor Downward had planned — everything is at cross purposes, everything is going wrong! I wish I was hundreds of miles from this place! I wish I had been left dead at the bottom of the river! (
Pauses.
) Strange! whenever I am most reckless, whenever I am most wretched now — the thought of that friend of Armadale’s comes and softens me. Midwinter! I am thinking of Midwinter again! Have I a heart still left? and has that man touched it?

(MIDWINTER
appears at the verandah.
)

MID.

Miss Gwilt, may I hope that I am not intruding on you? I have something to tell you this morning, and I hardly know how to approach the subject.

MISS G. (
smiling
).

Am I so very terrible?

MID.

You are the kindest and gentlest of women!

MISS G. (
aside
).

What is it that speaks to me in his voice? — what is it that looks at me in his eyes? (
To
MID.) You seem agitated. Has anything vexed you this morning?

MID.

I have parted this morning from something very precious to me. I have thought it right, in case of accidents, to destroy your letter — the only letter you have ever written to me.

MISS G.

My letter? Ah, yes! I wrote to thank you for your merciful silence about me in this place. You have told nobody here that I am the woman whom you saw charged at the police-station with an attempt on her life.

MID.

As a favour to
me,
don’t, pray don’t, speak of it again!

MISS G.

I dare not ask myself what you must think of me. I can claim your pity, and I can claim no more! (
She leaves him dejectedly, and seats herself in a corner of the room.
)

MID.

For God’s sake, Miss Gwilt, believe that you inspire me with a feeling worthier of you than pity! My heart bleeds for you! my heart longs for you! (
He kneels at her feet.
) I have dared to love you! (
A pause.
) With the first love I have ever known — with the last love I shall ever feel! Have I offended you?

MISS G.

Should I remain here if you had offended me? I am only sorry; not for myself — for
you.

MID.

For me?

MISS G.

I have suffered as few women suffer. My life has been wasted already! You are at the beginning of
your
life. What misfortunes can
you
have known?

MID.

I have known no happiness till the day when Allan Armadale found me friendless at the village inn. Oh, Miss Gwilt! the new feeling that you have roused in my heart does not make Allan less dear to me. I see Allan as my brother when I see
you
as my wife. The love that you inspire is a noble love. It takes nothing from me which is due to others; it leaves me grateful as ever, and true as ever, to my first friend. Give me one look of encouragement! Let me hope!

MISS G.

Hope? Do you ask me to be your wife — knowing no more of me than you know now?

MID.

Let me know that you love me, and I known enough.

MISS G.

Have you forgotten how we first met? Have you never asked yourself —
 
— ?

MID.

I have asked myself nothing that could give you a moment’s pain.

MISS G. (
to herself
).

Oh, my past life! my past life! I was dreaming that I loved him. How cruelly he has awakened me! (
To
MID.) Rise, I entreat you. I cannot answer you now. Give me time to think.

MID. (
rising, and seating himself by her
).

Are you not your own mistress? (
A pause.
MISS G.
makes no answer.
MIDWINTER
takes her hand, and proceeds.
) Forgive me, if I press the question. Is there any obstacle in the way?

(DR. DOWNWARD
appears silently under the verandah. Neither
MISS G.
nor
MID.
observe him.
)

MISS G. (
to
MID.).

Pray don’t press me to-day. I’m nervous — I’m out of spirits — I’m not well.

DR. D. (
advancing
).

Can I be — medically — of any use? (MISS G.
and
MID.
both start.
MID.
crosses to the opposite side of the room. The
DOCTOR
advances benignantly towards
MISS G.) A little nervous, my child? The heat of this fine summer weather! I always carry a bottle of smelling-salts for ladies’ use. Try it, my dear girl, try it! (
He gives the smelling-bottle to
MISS G.,
looks furtively towards
MIDWINTER,
and speaks aside.
) I’ll get rid of Mr. Midwinter to begin with. (
Approaching
MIDWINTER.) Good morning, my dear Sir. Heavenly weather, is it not? How beautiful the country is when the sun is shining, and the birds are singing, and the grass is green! They told me at the cottage I should find Major Milroy here. Where is he?

MID.

They are netting the fish, Doctor, at the other end of the lake. The Major and Miss Milroy have gone to see the nets drawn.

DR. D.

To see the nets drawn means, I presume, to see the fish die? — die, on this heavenly day! As a matter of fact, how sad! As a matter of cookery, how necessary! I am not a sporting man, Mr. Midwinter. Death in any form is — medically — abhorrent to me. I think I’ll wait here until the expiring struggles of our watery fellow-creatures are over. I can eat a fish with infinite relish, but I can
not
see a fish die. Would you mind telling the Major?

MID. (
after looking towards
MISS G.,
who makes a sign to him to go
).

I will tell the Major with pleasure. (
In a whisper as he passes
MISS G.) I love you! (
Exit
).

DR. D. (
aside
).

Now for Miss Gwilt! (
Seating himself by her.
) Better, my child? Have you done with the smelling-bottle? (
Takes it from her.
) That’s right! Now tell me all your news. Are you happy here?

MISS G. (
absently, as if thinking of
MID.)

I am not happy.

DR. D.

Not happy! Look at the sun, my child! Look at the birds! Look at the grass — and don’t, don’t take life on the gloomy side!

MISS G. (
impatiently
).

There is no disguising it, Doctor. Your plan for restoring me to my lost place in the world — your scheme for marrying me to Mr. Armadale — has failed.

DR. D. (
shocked
).

My “scheme”? What a word to use! Scheming implies something cunning and wicked. Am
I
cunning? Am
I
wicked?

MISS G. (
sincerely believing in him
).

You know that I do you justice. I thank you for offering me the chance of becoming Mrs. Armadale. It is a chance that I have lost. We must give it up.

DR. D. (
honestly scandalised
).

Give it up? Mr. Armadale’s rental reaches ten thousand a year. Mr. Armadale’s widow has an income secured to her on the estate of two thousand a year. All this is at the disposal of my adopted child; and my adopted child says “Give it up” without a word of regret!

MISS G.

I can’t regret not marrying Armadale. I dislike him — I distrust him — I’m afraid of him!

DR. D.

May I ask why?

MISS G.

I told you, Doctor, when we first met. My mother was the unhappy cause of a fatal quarrel between two brothers, and one of them was Armadale’s father. (
She shudders with superstitious dread.
) I’m afraid! I’m afraid!

DR. D. (
walking aside and speaking to himself
).

And the other — if I am rightly informed — was Midwinter’s father. Something may come of this. (
He returns abruptly to
MISS G.) My dear girl, don’t let us waste our precious time in mystifying each other. Suppose we speak plainly? When I came into this room I found you alone with Mr. Midwinter, and I thought I saw your hand in his.