plays [44]
reputation,
and my aunt's too, begad! That's what I'm here for: I'm their
natural protector. And what I want you, Barbara Ridley, to
understand - you whose fathers have served my fathers - is just
simply this: if you've any common gratitude, you're bound to
help me in the work. Now Barbara, you know me, and you know my
Aunt Evelina. She's a good enough woman; I'm the first to say
so. But who is she to take care of a young girl? She's ignorant
of the world to that degree she believes in Beau Austin! Now you
and I, Bab, who are not so high and dry, see through and through
him; we know that a man like that is no fit company for any
inexperienced girl.
BARBARA. O Mr. Anthony, don't say that. (WEEPING.)
ANTHONY. Hullo! what's wrong?
BARBARA. Nothing that I know of. O Mr. Anthony, I don't think
there can be anything.
ANTHONY. Think? Don't think? What's this?
BARBARA. O sir! I don't know, and yet I don't like it. Here's
my beautiful necklace all broke to bits: she took it off my very
neck, and gave me her birthday pearls instead; and I found it
afterwards on the table, all smashed to pieces; and all she
wanted it for was to take and break it. Why that? It frightens
me, Mr. Anthony, it frightens me.
ANTHONY (WITH NECKLACE). This? What has this trumpery to do
with us?
BARBARA. He gave it me: that's why she broke it.
ANTHONY. He? who?
BARBARA. Mr. Austin did; and I do believe I should not have
taken it, Mr. Anthony, but I thought no harm, upon my word of
honour. He was always here: that was six months ago; and
indeed, indeed, I thought they were to marry. How would I think
else with a born lady like Miss Dorothy?
ANTHONY. Why, Barbara, God help us all, what's this? You don't
mean to say that there was -
BARBARA. Here it is, as true as true: they were going for a
jaunt; and Miss Foster had her gout; and I was to go with them;
and he told me to make-believe I was ill; and I did; and I stayed
at home; and he gave me that necklace; and they went away
together; and, oh dear! I wish I'd never been born.
ANTHONY. Together? he and Dolly? Good Lord! my sister! And
since then?
BARBARA. We haven't seen him from that day to this, the wicked
villain; and, Mr. Anthony, he hasn't so much as written the poor
dear a word.
ANTHONY. Bab, Bab, Bab, this is a devil of a bad business; this
is a cruel bad business, Baby; cruel upon me, cruel upon all of
us; a family like mine. I'm a young man, Barbara, to have this
delicate affair to manage; but, thank God, I'm Musgrave to the
bone. He bribed a servant-maid, did he? I keep his bribe; it's
mine now; dear bought, by George! He shall have it in his teeth.
Shot Colonel Villiers, did he? we'll see how he faces Anthony
Musgrave. You're a good girl, Barbara; so far you've served the
family. You leave this to me. And, hark ye, dry your eyes and
hold your tongue: I'll have no scandal raised by you.
BARBARA. I do hope, sir, you won't use me against Miss Dorothy.
ANTHONY. That's my affair; your business is to hold your tongue.
Miss Dorothy has made her bed and must lie on it. Here's Jack
Fenwick. You can go.
SCENE V
ANTHONY, FENWICK
ANTHONY. Jack Fenwick, is that you? Come here, my boy. Jack,
you've given me many a thrashing, and I deserved 'em; and I'll
not see you made a fool of now. George Austin is a damned
villain, and Dorothy Musgrave is no girl for you to marry: God
help me that I should have to say it.
FENWICK. Good God, who told YOU?
ANTHONY. Ay, Jack; it's hard on me, Jack. But you'll stand my
friend in spite of this, and you'll take my message to the man,
won't you? For it's got to come to blood, Jack: there's no way
out of that. And perhaps your poor friend will fall, Jack; think
of that: like Villiers. And all for an unworthy sister.
FENWICK. Now, Anthony Musgrave, I give you fair warning; see you
take it: one word more against your sister, and we quarrel.
ANTHONY. You let it slip yourself, Jack: you
and my aunt's too, begad! That's what I'm here for: I'm their
natural protector. And what I want you, Barbara Ridley, to
understand - you whose fathers have served my fathers - is just
simply this: if you've any common gratitude, you're bound to
help me in the work. Now Barbara, you know me, and you know my
Aunt Evelina. She's a good enough woman; I'm the first to say
so. But who is she to take care of a young girl? She's ignorant
of the world to that degree she believes in Beau Austin! Now you
and I, Bab, who are not so high and dry, see through and through
him; we know that a man like that is no fit company for any
inexperienced girl.
BARBARA. O Mr. Anthony, don't say that. (WEEPING.)
ANTHONY. Hullo! what's wrong?
BARBARA. Nothing that I know of. O Mr. Anthony, I don't think
there can be anything.
ANTHONY. Think? Don't think? What's this?
BARBARA. O sir! I don't know, and yet I don't like it. Here's
my beautiful necklace all broke to bits: she took it off my very
neck, and gave me her birthday pearls instead; and I found it
afterwards on the table, all smashed to pieces; and all she
wanted it for was to take and break it. Why that? It frightens
me, Mr. Anthony, it frightens me.
ANTHONY (WITH NECKLACE). This? What has this trumpery to do
with us?
BARBARA. He gave it me: that's why she broke it.
ANTHONY. He? who?
BARBARA. Mr. Austin did; and I do believe I should not have
taken it, Mr. Anthony, but I thought no harm, upon my word of
honour. He was always here: that was six months ago; and
indeed, indeed, I thought they were to marry. How would I think
else with a born lady like Miss Dorothy?
ANTHONY. Why, Barbara, God help us all, what's this? You don't
mean to say that there was -
BARBARA. Here it is, as true as true: they were going for a
jaunt; and Miss Foster had her gout; and I was to go with them;
and he told me to make-believe I was ill; and I did; and I stayed
at home; and he gave me that necklace; and they went away
together; and, oh dear! I wish I'd never been born.
ANTHONY. Together? he and Dolly? Good Lord! my sister! And
since then?
BARBARA. We haven't seen him from that day to this, the wicked
villain; and, Mr. Anthony, he hasn't so much as written the poor
dear a word.
ANTHONY. Bab, Bab, Bab, this is a devil of a bad business; this
is a cruel bad business, Baby; cruel upon me, cruel upon all of
us; a family like mine. I'm a young man, Barbara, to have this
delicate affair to manage; but, thank God, I'm Musgrave to the
bone. He bribed a servant-maid, did he? I keep his bribe; it's
mine now; dear bought, by George! He shall have it in his teeth.
Shot Colonel Villiers, did he? we'll see how he faces Anthony
Musgrave. You're a good girl, Barbara; so far you've served the
family. You leave this to me. And, hark ye, dry your eyes and
hold your tongue: I'll have no scandal raised by you.
BARBARA. I do hope, sir, you won't use me against Miss Dorothy.
ANTHONY. That's my affair; your business is to hold your tongue.
Miss Dorothy has made her bed and must lie on it. Here's Jack
Fenwick. You can go.
SCENE V
ANTHONY, FENWICK
ANTHONY. Jack Fenwick, is that you? Come here, my boy. Jack,
you've given me many a thrashing, and I deserved 'em; and I'll
not see you made a fool of now. George Austin is a damned
villain, and Dorothy Musgrave is no girl for you to marry: God
help me that I should have to say it.
FENWICK. Good God, who told YOU?
ANTHONY. Ay, Jack; it's hard on me, Jack. But you'll stand my
friend in spite of this, and you'll take my message to the man,
won't you? For it's got to come to blood, Jack: there's no way
out of that. And perhaps your poor friend will fall, Jack; think
of that: like Villiers. And all for an unworthy sister.
FENWICK. Now, Anthony Musgrave, I give you fair warning; see you
take it: one word more against your sister, and we quarrel.
ANTHONY. You let it slip yourself, Jack: you