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！
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 But they have all been discharged。 We can't ask them to do anything。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL ＇to her sister＇。 And the Grimstones are coming to lunch with the new curate。 Vernon asked them on Sunday。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 Perhaps there's something cold。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 Vernon so dislikes a cold lunch。
DR。 FREEMANTLE ＇to Newte＇。 Were you able to get hold of Vernon last night？
NEWTE。 Waited up till he came in about two o'clock。 Merely answered that he wasn't in a talkative moodbrushed past me and locked himself in。
DR。 FREEMANTLE。 He wouldn't say anything to me either。 Rather a bad sign when he won't talk。
NEWTE。 What's he likely to do？
DR。 FREEMANTLE。 Don't know。 Of course it will be all over the county。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 And dear Vernon is so sensitive。
DR。 FREEMANTLE。 It had to comethe misfortune IS …
NEWTE。 The misfortune IS that people won't keep to their own line of business。 Why did he want to come fooling around her？ She was doing well for herself。 She could have married a man who would have thought more of her than all the damn fools in the county put together。 Why couldn't he have left her alone？
DR。 FREEMANTLE ＇he is sitting at the head of the table； between Newte on his right and the Misses Wetherell on his left。 He lays his hand on Newte's sleevewith a smile＇。 I'm sure you can forgive a man with eyes and ears in his headfor having fallen in love with her。
NEWTE。 Then why doesn't he stand by her？ What if her uncle is a butler？ If he wasn't a fool； he'd be thanking his stars that 'twas anything half as respectable。
DR。 FREEMANTLE。 I'm not defending himwe're not sure yet that he needs any defence。 He has married a clever； charming girl ofas you saya better family than he'd any right to expect。 The misfortune is； thatby a curious bit of ill…luckit happens to be his own butler。
NEWTE。 If she takes my advice； she'll return to the stage。 No sense stopping where you're not wanted。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 But how can she？
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 You see； they're married！
DR。 FREEMANTLE ＇to change the subject＇。 You'll take an egg？
Newte has been boiling some。 He has just served them。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL ＇rejecting it＇。 Thank you。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 We're not feeling hungry。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 He was so fond of her。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 She was so pretty。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 And so thoughtful。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 One would never have known she was an actress。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 If only she hadn't …
Bennet has entered。 Newte is at fireplace。 The old ladies have their backs to the door。 Dr。 Freemantle； who is pouring out tea； is the first to see him。 He puts down the teapot； staring。 The old ladies look round。 A silence。 Newte turns。 Bennet is again the perfect butler。 Yesterday would seem to have been wiped out of his memory。
BENNET。 Good morning； Miss Wetherell。 Good morning； Miss Edith。 ＇To the two men＇ Good morning。 I was not aware that breakfast was required to be any earlier than usual； or I should have had it ready。
THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL。 We are sure you would； Bennet。 But you see； under the circumstances； wewe hardly liked to trouble you。
BENNET ＇he goes about the room； putting things to rights。 He has rung the bell。 Some dead flowers he packs on to Newte's tray； the water he pours into Newte's slop…basin＇。 My duty； Miss Edith； I have never felt to be a trouble to me。
THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL。 We know； Bennet。 You have always been so conscientious。 But； of course； after what's happened＇They are on the verge of tears again。＇
BENNET ＇he is piling up the breakfast things＇。 Keziah requested me to apologise to you for not having heard your bell this morning。 She will be ready to wait upon you in a very few minutes。 ＇To the Doctor＇ You will find shaving materials； doctor； on your dressing… table。
DR。 FREEMANTLE。 Oh； thank you。
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