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if these were the meaning of life！ Do not make me think so
poorly of all of us women。 Sure； we can rise to admire a better
kind of man than Mr。 Austin。 We are not all to be snared with
the eye； dear aunt； and those that are … O！ I know not whether I
more hate or pity them。
MISS FOSTER。 You will give me leave； my niece： such talk is
neither becoming in a young lady nor creditable to your
understanding。 The world was made a great while before Miss
Dorothy Musgrave； and you will do much better to ripen your
opinions； and in the meantime read your letter； which I perceive
you have not opened。 （DOROTHY OPENS AND READS LETTER。） Barbara；
child； you should not listen at table。
BARBARA。 Sure； madam； I hope I know my place。
MISS FOSTER。 Then do not do it again。
DOROTHY。 Poor John Fenwick！ he coming here！
MISS FOSTER。 Well； and why not？ Dorothy； my darling child； you
give me pain。 You never had but one chance； let me tell you
pointedly： and that was John Fenwick。 If I were you； I would
not let my vanity so blind me。 This is not the way to marry。
DOROTHY。 Dear aunt； I shall never marry。
MISS FOSTER。 A fiddlestick's end！ every one must marry。
（RISING。） Are you for the Pantiles？
DOROTHY。 Not to…day； dear；
MISS FOSTER。 Well； well！ have your wish； Dolorosa。 Barbara；
attend and dress me。
SCENE III
DOROTHY
DOROTHY。 How she tortures me； poor aunt； my poor blind aunt； and
I … I could break her heart with a word。 That she should see
nothing； know nothing … there's where it kills。 O； it is more
than I can bear 。 。 。 and yet； how much less than I deserve！ Mad
girl； of what do I complain？ that this dear innocent woman still
believes me good； still pierces me to the soul with trustfulness。
Alas； and were it otherwise； were her dear eyes opened to the
truth； what were left me but death？ … He； too … she must still be
praising him； and every word is a lash upon my conscience。 If I
could die of my secret： if I could cease … but one moment cease
… this living lie； if I could sleep and forget and be at rest！ …
Poor John！ （READING THE LETTER） he at least is guiltless； and yet
for my fault he too must suffer； he too must bear part in my
shame。 Poor John Fenwick！ Has he come back with the old story：
with what might have been； perhaps； had we stayed by Edenside？
Eden？ yes； my Eden； from which I fell。 O my old north country；
my old river … the river of my innocence； the old country of my
hopes … how could I endure to look on you now？ And how to meet
John？ … John； with the old love on his lips； the old； honest；
innocent； faithful heart！ There was a Dorothy once who was not
unfit to ride with him； her heart as light as his； her life as
clear as the bright rivers we forded； he called her his Diana； he
crowned her so with rowan。 Where is that Dorothy now？ that
Diana？ she that was everything to John？ For O； I did him good；
I know I did him good； I will still believe I did him good： I
made him honest and kind and a true man； alas； and could not
guide myself！ And now； how will he despise me！ For he shall
know； if I die； he shall know all； I could not live； and not be
true with him。 （SHE TAKES OUT THE NECKLACE AND LOOKS AT IT。）
That he should have bought me from my maid！ George； George； that
you should have stooped to this！ Basely as you have used me；
this is the basest。 Perish the witness！ （SHE TREADS THE TRINKET
UNDER FOOT。） Break； break like my heart； break like my hopes；
perish like my good name！
SCENE IV
To her； FENWICK； C。
FENWICK （AFTER A PAUSE）。 Is this how you receive me； Dorothy？
Am I not welcome？ … Shall I go then？
DOROTHY （RUNNING TO HIM； WITH HANDS OUTSTRETCHED）。 O no； John；
not for me。 （TURNING； AND POINTING TO THE NECKLACE。） But you
find me changed。
FENWICK （WITH A MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE NECKLACE）。 This？
DOROTHY。 No； no； let it lie。 That is a trinket … broken。 But
the old Dorothy is dead。
FENWICK。 Dead； dear？ Not to me。
DOROTHY。 Dead to you … dead to all men。
FENWICK。 Dorothy； I loved you as a boy。 There is not a meadow
on Edenside but is dear to me for your sake； not a cottage but
recalls your goodness； not a rock nor a tree but brings back
something of the best and brightest youth man ever had。 You were
my teacher and my queen； I walked with you； I talked with you； I
rode with you； I lived in your shadow； I saw with your eyes。 You
will never know； dear Dorothy； what you were to the dull boy you
bore with； you will never know with what romance you filled my
life； with what devotion； with what tenderness and honour。 At
night I lay awake and worshipped you； in my dreams I saw you； and
you loved me； and you remember； when we told each other stories …
you have not forgotten； dearest … that Princess Hawthorn that was
still the heroine of mine： who was she？ I was not bold enough
to tell； but she was you！ You； my virgin huntress； my Diana； my
queen。
DOROTHY。 O silence； silence … pity！
FENWICK。 No； dear； neither for your sake nor mine will I be
silenced。 I have begun； I must go on and finish； and put fortune
to the touch。 It was from you I learned honour； duty； piety； and
love。 I am as you made me； and I exist but to reverence and
serve you。 Why else have I come here； the length of England； my
heart burning higher every mile； my very horse a clog to me？ why；
but to ask you for my wife？ Dorothy； you will not deny me。
DOROTHY。 You have not asked me about this broken trinket？
FENWICK。 Why should I ask？ I love you。
DOROTHY。 Yet I must tell you。 Sit down。 （SHE PICKS UP THE
NECKLACE； AND STANDS LOOKING AT IT。 THEN； BREAKING DOWN。） O
John； John； it's long since I left home。
FENWICK。 Too long； dear love。 The very trees will welcome you。
DOROTHY。 Ay； John； but I no longer love you。 The old Dorothy is
dead； God pardon her！
FENWICK。 Dorothy； who is the man？
DOROTHY。 O poor Dorothy！ O poor dead Dorothy！ John； you found
me breaking this： me； your Diana of the Fells； the Diana of your
old romance by Edenside。 Diana … O what a name for me！ Do you
see this trinket？ It is a chapter in my life。 A chapter； do I
say？ my whole life； for there is none to follow。 John； you must
bear with me； you must help me。 I have that to tell … there is a
secret … I have a secret； John … O； for God's sake； understand。
That Diana you revered … O John； John； you must never speak of
love to me again。
FENWICK。 What do you say？ How dare you？
DOROTHY。 John； it is the truth。 Your Diana； even she； she whom
you so believed in； she who so believed in herself； came out into
the world only to be broken。 I met； here at the Wells； a man …
why should I tell you his name？ I met him； and I loved him。 My
heart was all his own； yet he was not content with that： he must
intrigue to catch me； he must bribe my maid with this。 （THROWS
THE NECKLACE ON THE TABLE。） Did he love me？ Well； John； he said
he did； and be it so！ He loved； he betrayed； and he has left me。
FENWICK。 Betrayed？
DOROTHY。 Ay； even so； I was betrayed。 The fault was mine that I
forgot our innocent youth； and your honest love。
FENWICK。 Dorothy； O Dorothy！
DOROTHY。 Yours is the pain； but； O John； think it is for your
good。 Think in England how many true maids may be waiting for
your love； how many that can bring you a whole heart； and be a
noble mother to your children； while your poor Diana； at the
first touch； has proved all frailty。 Go； go and be happy； and
let me be patient。 I have sinned。
FENWICK。 By God； I'll have his blood。
DOROTHY。 Stop！ I love him。 （BETWEEN FENWICK AND DOOR； C。）
FENWICK。 What do I care？ I loved you too。 Little he thought of
that； little either of you thought of that。 His blood … I'll
have his blood！
DOROTHY。 You shall never know his name。
FENWICK。 Know it？ Do you think I cannot guess？ Do you think I
had not heard he followed you。 Do you think I had not suffered …
O suffered！ George Austin is the man。 Dear shall he pay it！
DOROTHY （AT HIS FEET）。 Pity me； spare me； spare your Dorothy！ I
love him … love him … love him！
FENWICK。 Dorothy； you have robbed me of my happiness； and now
you would rob me of my revenge。
DOROTHY。 I know it； and shall I ask； and you not grant？
FENWICK （RAISING HER）。 No； Dorothy； you shall ask nothing；
nothing in vain from me。 You ask his life； I give it you； as I
would give you my soul； as I would give you my life； if I had any
left。 My life is done； you have taken it。 Not a hope； not an
end； not even revenge。 （HE SITS。） Dorothy； you see your work。
DOROTHY。 O God； forgive me。
FENWICK。 Ay； Dorothy； He will； as I do。
DOROTHY。 As you do？ Do you forgive me； John？
FENWICK。 Ay； more than that； poor soul。 I said my life was
done； I was wrong； I have still a duty。 It is not in vain you
taught me； I shall still prove to you that it was not in vain。
You shall soon find that I am no backward friend。 Farewell。
MUSICAL INDUCTION： 'THE LASS OF RICHMOND HILL。'
ACT II。
The Stage represents George Austin's dressing…room。 Elaborate
toilet…table； R。； with chair； a cheval glass so arranged as to
correspo