按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Ernest has entered； with some wood； he is going towards the fire。
BENNET ＇to Ernest＇。 Leave the fire for the present。 Take away this tray。 ＇Ernest takes up the tray； and goes out。 Bennet speaks over the heads of the Misses Wetherell to Newte＇ Breakfast will be ready in the morning…room； in a quarter of an hour。
NEWTE ＇at first puzzled； then indignant； now breaks out＇。 What's the little game on hereeh？ Yesterday afternoon you were given the sackby your mistress； Lady Bantock； with a month's wages in lieu of noticenot an hour before you deserved it。 What do you mean； going on like this； as if nothing had happened？ Is Lady Bantock to be ignored in this house as if she didn't existor is she not？ ＇He brings his fist down on the table。 He has been shouting rather than speaking。＇ I want this thing settled！
BENNET。 Your bath； Mr。 Newte； is quite ready。
NEWTE ＇as soon as he can recover speech＇。 Never you mind my bath； I want …
Vernon has entered。 He is pale； heavy…eyed； short in his manner； listless。
VERNON。 Good morningeverybody。 Can I have some breakfast； Bennet？
BENNET。 In about ten minutes； I will bring it up here。 ＇He collects the kettle from the fire as he passes； and goes out。＇
VERNON。 Thank you。 ＇He responds mechanically to the kisses of his two aunts； who have risen and come to him。＇
NEWTE。 Can I have a word with you？
VERNON。 A little later on； if you don't mind； Mr。 Newte。 ＇He passes him。＇
NEWTE ＇he is about to speak； changes his mind＇。 All right； go your own way。 ＇Goes out。＇
DR。 FREEMANTLE。 〃Remember〃； says Marcus Aurelius …
VERNON。 Yesgood old sort； Marcus Aurelius。 ＇He drops listlessly into a chair。＇
Dr。 Freemantle smiles resignedly； looks at the Misses Wetherell； shrugs his shoulders； and goes out； closing the door after him。
The Misses Wetherell whisper togetherlook round cautiously； steal up behind him； encouraging one another。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 She's so young。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 And so adaptable。
VERNON ＇he is sitting； bowed down； with his face in his hands＇。 Ah； it was the deception。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL ＇she puts her old thin hand on his shoulder＇。 What would you have done； dear； if she had told youat first？
VERNON ＇he takes her hand in hisanswers a little brokenly＇。 I don't know。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 There's something we wanted to tell you。 ＇He looks at her。 They look across at each other。＇ The first Lady Bantock； your great…grandmamma …
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 She danced with George III。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 She was a butcher's daughter。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 He was quite a little butcher。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 Of course； as a rule； dear； we never mention it。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 We felt you ought to know。 ＇They take each other's hands； on tip…toe they steal out。 They close the door softly behind them。＇
Vernon rises。 He looks at the portraitdraws nearer to it。 With his hands in his pockets； stops dead in front of it； and contemplates it in silence。 The door of the dressing…room opens。 Fanny enters。 She is dressed for going out。 She stands for a moment； the door in her hand。 Vernon turns。 She closes the door and comes forward。
VERNON。 Good morning。
FANNY。 Good morning。 George stayed the night； didn't he？
VERNON。 Yes。 He's downstairs now。
FANNY。 He won't be going for a little while？
VERNON。 Can't till the ten o'clock train。 Have you had breakfast？
FANNY。 II've had something to eat。 I'm sorry for what I did last nightalthough they did deserve it。 ＇Laughs。＇ I suppose it's a matter than can easily be put right again。
VERNON。 You have no objection to their staying？
FANNY。 Why should I？
VERNON。 What do you mean？
FANNY。 There's only one hope of righting a mistake。 And that is going back to the point from where one went wrongand that was our marriage。
＇A moment。＇
VERNON。 We haven't given it a very long trial。
FANNY ＇with an odd smile＇。 It went to pieces at the first。 I was in trouble all last night； you must have known it。 You left me alone。
VERNON。 Jane told me you had locked yourself in。
FANNY。 You never tried the door for yourself； dear。 ＇She pretends to rearrange something on the mantelpieceany excuse to turn away her face for a moment。 She turns to him again； smiling。＇ It was a mistake； the whole thing。 You were partly to blame。 You were such a nice boy。 I 〃fancied〃 youto use George's words。 ＇She laughs。＇ And when a woman wants a thing； she is apt to be a bit unscrupulous about how she gets it。 ＇She moves about the room； touching the flowers； rearranging a cushion； a vase。＇ I didn't invent the bishop； that was George's embroidery。 ＇Another laugh。＇ But； of course； I ought to have told you everything myself。 I ought not to have wanted a man to whom it would have made one atom of difference whether my cousins were scullery…maids or not。 Somehow； I felt that to you it might。 ＇Vernon winces。＇ It's natural enough。 You have a big position to maintain。 I didn't know you were a lordthat was your doing。 George did find it out； but he never told me； least of all； that you were Lord Bantockor you may be pretty sure I should have come out with the truth； if only for my own sake。 It hasn't been any joke for me； coming back here。
VERNON。 Yes。 I can see they've been making things pretty hard for you。
FANNY。 Oh； they thought they were doing their duty。 ＇He is seated。 She comes up behind him； puts her hands on his shoulders。＇ I want you to take them all back again。 I want to feel I have made as little commotion in your life as possible。 It was just a little mistake。 And everybody will say how fortunate it was that she took herself off so soon with that＇She was about to say 〃that theatrical Johnny；〃 thinking of Newte。 She checks herself。＇ And you will marry somebody belonging to your own class。 And those are the only sensible marriages there are。
VERNON。 Have you done talking？
FANNY。 Yes！ Yes； I think that's all。
VERNON。 Then perhaps you'll let me get in a word。 You think me a snob？ ＇Fanny makes a movement。＇ As a matter of fact； I am。
FANNY。 No； that's not fair。 You wouldn't have married a girl off the music…hall stage。
VERNON。 Niece of a bishop； cousin to a judge。 Whether I believed it or not； doesn't matter。 The sham that isn't likely to be found out is as good as the truth； to a snob。 If he had told me your uncle was a butler； I should have hesitated。 That's where the mistake began。 We'll go back to that。 Won't you sit down？ ＇Fanny sits。＇ I want you to stop。 There'll be no mistake this time。 I'm asking my butler's niece to do me the honour to be my wife。
FANNY。 That's kind of you。
VERNON。 Oh； I'm not thinking of you。 I'm thinking of myself。 I want you。 I fell in love with you because you were pretty and charming。 There's something else a man wants in his wife besides that。 I've found it。 ＇He jumps up； goes over to her； brushing aside things in his way。＇ I'm not claiming it as a right； you can go if you like。 You can earn your own living； I know。 But you shan't have anybody else。 You'll be Lady Bantock