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！
TIMSON。 Well； then； I see 'em plainer than I see ＇pointing at
BERTLEY＇ the two of you。
WELLWYN。 Be quiet； Timson！
BERTLEY。 Not even her husband believes you。
MEGAN。 ＇Suddenly。＇ Don't I！
WELLWYN。 Come； Megan； you can see the old fellow's in Paradise。
BERTLEY。 Do you credit such asuch an object？
＇He points at TIMSON； who seems falling asleep。
MEGAN。 Naow！
＇Unseen by anybody； ANN has returned。
BERTLEY。 Well； then； my boy？
MEGAN。 I seen 'em meself。
BERTLEY。 Gracious！ But just now you were will
MEGAN。 ＇Sardonically。＇ There wasn't nothing against me honour；
then。 Now you've took it away between you； cumin' aht with it like
this。 I don't want no more of 'er； and I'll want a good deal more
of 'im； as 'e'll soon find。
＇He jerks his chin at FERRAND； turns slowly on his heel； and
goes out into the street。＇
＇There follows a profound silence。＇
ANN。 What did I say； Daddy？ Utter！ All three。
＇Suddenly alive to her presence； they all turn。
TIMSON。 ＇Waking up and looking round him。＇ Well； p'raps I'd better
go。
＇Assisted by WELLWYN he lurches gingerly off the dais towards
the door； which WELLWYN holds open for him。
TIMSON。 ＇Mechanically。＇ Where to； sir？
＇Receiving no answer he passes out； touching his hat； and the
door is closed。＇
WELLWYN。 Ann！
＇ANN goes back whence she came。＇
＇BERTLEY； steadily regarding MRS。 MEGAN； who has put her arm up
in front of her face； beckons to FERRAND； and the young man
comes gravely forward。＇
BERTLEY。 Young people； this is very dreadful。 ＇MRS。 MEGAN lowers
her arm a little； and looks at him over it。＇ Very sad！
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Dropping her arm。＇ Megan's no better than what I am。
BERTLEY。 Come； come！ Here's your home broken up！ ＇MRS。 MEGAN
Smiles。 Shaking his head gravely。＇ Surely…surely…you mustn't
smile。 ＇MRS。 MEGAN becomes tragic。＇ That's better。 Now； what is
to be done？
FERRAND。 Believe me； Monsieur； I greatly regret。
BERTLEY。 I'm glad to hear it。
FERRAND。 If I had foreseen this disaster。
BERTLEY。 Is that your only reason for regret？
FERRAND。 ＇With a little bow。＇ Any reason that you wish； Monsieur。
I will do my possible。
MRS。 MEGAN。 I could get an unfurnished room if ＇she slides her eyes
round at WELLWYN I 'ad the money to furnish it。
BERTLEY。 But suppose I can induce your husband to forgive you； and
take you back？
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Shaking her head。＇ 'E'd 'it me。
BERTLEY。 I said to forgive。
MRS。 MEGAN。 That wouldn't make no difference。 ＇With a flash at
BERTLEY。＇ An' I ain't forgiven him！
BERTLEY。 That is sinful。
MRS。 MEGAN。 I'm a Catholic。
BERTLEY。 My good child； what difference does that make？
FERRAND。 Monsieur； if I might interpret for her。
＇BERTLEY silences him with a gesture。 MRS。 MEGAN。＇
＇Sliding her eyes towards WELLWYN。＇ If I 'ad the money to buy
some fresh stock。＇
BERTLEY。 Yes； yes； never mind the money。 What I want to find in
you both； is repentance。
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇With a flash up at him。＇ I can't get me livin' off of
repentin'。
BERTLEY。 Now； now！ Never say what you know to be wrong。
FERRAND。 Monsieur； her soul is very simple。
BERTLEY。 ＇Severely。＇ I do not know； sir； that we shall get any
great assistance from your views。 In fact； one thing is clear to
me； she must discontinue your acquaintanceship at once。
FERRAND。 Certainly； Monsieur。 We have no serious intentions。
BERTLEY。 All the more shame to you； then！
FERRAND。 Monsieur； I see perfectly your point of view。 It is very
natural。 ＇He bows and is silent。＇
MRS。 MEGAN。 I don't want'im hurt'cos o' me。 Megan'll get his mates
to belt himbein' foreign like he is。
BERTLEY。 Yes； never mind that。 It's you I'm thinking of。
MRS。 MEGAN。 I'd sooner they'd hit me。
WELLWYN。 ＇Suddenly。＇ Well said； my child！
MRS。 MEGAN。 'Twasn't his fault。
FERRAND。 ＇Without ironyto WELLWYN。＇ I cannot accept that
Monsieur。 The blameit is all mine。
ANN。 ＇Entering suddenly from the house。＇ Daddy； they're having an
awful！
＇The voices of PROFESSOR CALWAY and SIR THOMAS HOXTON are
distinctly heard。＇
CALWAY。 The question is a much wider one； Sir Thomas。
HOXTON。 As wide as you like； you'll never
＇WELLWYN pushes ANN back into the house and closes the door
behind her。 The voices are still faintly heard arguing on the
threshold。＇
BERTLEY。 Let me go in here a minute； Wellyn。 I must finish
speaking to her。 ＇He motions MRS。 MEGAN towards the model's room。＇
We can't leave the matter thus。＇
FERRAND。 ＇Suavely。＇ Do you desire my company； Monsieur？
＇BERTLEY； with a prohibitive gesture of his hand； shepherds the
reluctant MRS。 MEGAN into the model's room。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇Sorrowfully。＇ You shouldn't have done this； Ferrand。 It
wasn't the square thing。
FERRAND。 ＇With dignity。＇ Monsieur； I feel that I am in the wrong。
It was stronger than me。
＇As he speaks； SIR THOMAS HOXTON and PROFESSOR CALWAY enter
from the house。 In the dim light； and the full cry of
argument； they do not notice the figures at the fire。 SIR
THOMAS HOXTON leads towards the street door。＇
HOXTON。 No； Sir； I repeat； if the country once commits itself to
your views of reform； it's as good as doomed。
CALWAY。 I seem to have heard that before； Sir Thomas。 And let me
say at once that your hitty…missy cart…load of bricks regime
HOXTON。 Is a deuced sight better； sir； than your grand…motherly
methods。 What the old fellow wants is a shock！ With all this
socialistic molly…coddling； you're losing sight of the individual。
CALWAY。 ＇Swiftly。＇ You； sir； with your 〃devil take the hindmost；〃
have never even seen him。
＇SIR THOMAS HOXTON； throwing back a gesture of disgust； steps
out into the night； and falls heavily PROFESSOR CALWAY；
hastening to his rescue； falls more heavily still。＇
＇TIMSON； momentarily roused from slumber on the doorstep； sits
up。＇
HOXTON。 ＇Struggling to his knees。＇ Damnation！
CALWAY。 ＇Sitting。＇ How simultaneous！
＇WELLWYN and FERRAND approach hastily。＇
FERRAND。 ＇Pointing to TIMSON。＇ Monsieur； it was true； it seems。
They had lost sight of the individual。
＇A Policeman has appeared under the street lamp。 He picks up
HOXTON'S hat。＇
CONSTABLE。 Anything wrong； sir？
HOXTON。 ＇Recovering his feet。＇ Wrong？ Great Scott！ Constable！
Why do you let things lie about in the street like this？ Look here；
Wellyn！
＇They all scrutinize TIMSON。＇
WELLWYN。 It's only the old fellow whose reform you were discussing。
HOXTON。 How did he come here？
CONSTABLE。 Drunk； sir。 ＇Ascertaining TIMSON to be in the street。＇
Just off the premises； by good luck。 Come along； father。
TIMSON。 ＇Assisted to his feet…drowsily。＇ Cert'nly； by no means；
take my arm。
＇They move from the doorway。 HOXTON and CALWAY re…enter； and
go towards the fire。＇
ANN。 ＇Entering from the house。＇ What's happened？
CALWAY。 Might we have a brush？
HOXTON。 ＇Testily。＇ Let it dry！
＇He mov