Fanny and the Servant Problem [28]
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 here--eh? Yesterday afternoon you were given the sack--by your mistress, Lady Bantock, with a month's wages in lieu of notice--not 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 exist--or 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 morning--everybody. 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. Yes--good 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 together--look 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 you--at first?
VERNON [he takes her hand in his--answers 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 portrait--draws 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?
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 here--eh? Yesterday afternoon you were given the sack--by your mistress, Lady Bantock, with a month's wages in lieu of notice--not 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 exist--or 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 morning--everybody. 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. Yes--good 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 together--look 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 you--at first?
VERNON [he takes her hand in his--answers 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 portrait--draws 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?