plays [48]
I have refused him - refused him, I tell you - refused
him. The blame is mine; are you so mad and wicked that you will
not see?
ANTHONY. I see this: that man must die.
DOROTHY. He? never! You forget, you forget whom you defy; you
run upon your death.
ANTHONY. Ah, my girl, you should have thought of that before.
It is too late now.
DOROTHY. Anthony, if I beg you - Anthony, I have tried to be a
good sister; I brought you up, dear, nursed you when you were
sick, fought for you, hoped for you, loved you - think of it,
think of the dear past, think of our home and the happy winter
nights, the castles in the fire, the long shining future, the
love that was to forgive and suffer always - O you will spare,
you will spare me this.
ANTHONY. I will tell you what I will do, Dolly: I will do just
what you taught me - my duty: that, and nothing else.
DOROTHY. O Anthony, you also, you to strike me! Heavens, shall
I kill them - I - I, that love them, kill them! Miserable,
sinful girl! George, George, thank God, you will be far away! O
go, George, go at once!
ANTHONY. He goes the coward! Ay, is this more of your
contrivance? Madam, you make me blush. But to-day at least I
know where I can find him. This afternoon, on the Pantiles, he
must dance attendance on the Duke of York. Already he must be
there; and there he is at my mercy. DOROTHY. Thank God, you are
deceived: he will not fight. He promised me that; thank God I
have his promise for that.
ANTHONY. Promise! Do you see this? (PRODUCING NECKLACE) the
thing he bribed your maid with? I shall dash it in his teeth
before the Duke and before all Tunbridge. Promise, you poor
fool? what promise holds against a blow? Get to your knees and
pray for him; for, by the God above, if he has any blood in his
body, one of us shall die before to-night. (HE GOES OUT.)
DOROTHY. Anthony, Anthony! . . . O my God, George will kill him.
MUSIC: 'CHE FARO,' AS THE DROP FALLS.
DROP.
MUSICAL INDUCTION: 'Gavotte;' 'IPHIGENIE EN AULIDE.' GLUCK
ACT IV.
The Stage represents the Pantiles: the alleys fronting the
spectators in parallel lines. At the back, a stand of musicians,
from which the 'Gavotte' is repeated on muted strings. The music
continues nearly through Scene I. Visitors walking to and fro
beneath the lines. A seat in front, L.
SCENE I
MISS FOSTER, BARBARA, MENTEITH; VISITORS
MISS FOSTER (ENTERING; ESCORTED BY MENTEITH, AND FOLLOWED BY
BARBARA). And so, Menteith, here you are once more. And vastly
pleased I am to see you, my good fellow, not only for your own
sake, but because you harbinger the Beau. (SITS, L.; MENTEITH
STANDING OVER HER.)
MENTEITH. Honoured madam, I have had the pleasure to serve Mr.
George for more than thirty years. This is a privilege - a very
great privilege. I have beheld him in the first societies,
moving among the first rank of personages; and none, madam, none
outshone him.
BARBARA. I assure you, madam, when Mr. Menteith took me to the
play, he talked so much of Mr. Austin that I couldn't hear a word
of Mr. Kean.
MISS FOSTER. Well, well, and very right. That was the old
school of service, Barbara, which you would do well to imitate.
This is a child, Menteith, that I am trying to form.
MENTEITH. Quite so, madam.
MISS FOSTER. And are we soon to see our princely guest,
Menteith?
MENTEITH. His Royal Highness, madam? I believe I may say quite
so. Mr. George will receive our gallant prince upon the Pantiles
(LOOKING AT HIS WATCH) in, I should say, a matter of twelve
minutes from now. Such, madam, is Mr. George's order of the day.
BARBARA. I beg your pardon, madam, I am sure, but are we really
to see one of His Majesty's own brothers? That will be pure! O
madam, this is better than Carlisle.
MISS FOSTER. The wood-note wild: a loyal Cumbrian, Menteith.
MENTEITH. Eh? Quite so, madam.
MISS FOSTER. When she has seen as much of the Royal Family as
you, my good fellow, she will find
him. The blame is mine; are you so mad and wicked that you will
not see?
ANTHONY. I see this: that man must die.
DOROTHY. He? never! You forget, you forget whom you defy; you
run upon your death.
ANTHONY. Ah, my girl, you should have thought of that before.
It is too late now.
DOROTHY. Anthony, if I beg you - Anthony, I have tried to be a
good sister; I brought you up, dear, nursed you when you were
sick, fought for you, hoped for you, loved you - think of it,
think of the dear past, think of our home and the happy winter
nights, the castles in the fire, the long shining future, the
love that was to forgive and suffer always - O you will spare,
you will spare me this.
ANTHONY. I will tell you what I will do, Dolly: I will do just
what you taught me - my duty: that, and nothing else.
DOROTHY. O Anthony, you also, you to strike me! Heavens, shall
I kill them - I - I, that love them, kill them! Miserable,
sinful girl! George, George, thank God, you will be far away! O
go, George, go at once!
ANTHONY. He goes the coward! Ay, is this more of your
contrivance? Madam, you make me blush. But to-day at least I
know where I can find him. This afternoon, on the Pantiles, he
must dance attendance on the Duke of York. Already he must be
there; and there he is at my mercy. DOROTHY. Thank God, you are
deceived: he will not fight. He promised me that; thank God I
have his promise for that.
ANTHONY. Promise! Do you see this? (PRODUCING NECKLACE) the
thing he bribed your maid with? I shall dash it in his teeth
before the Duke and before all Tunbridge. Promise, you poor
fool? what promise holds against a blow? Get to your knees and
pray for him; for, by the God above, if he has any blood in his
body, one of us shall die before to-night. (HE GOES OUT.)
DOROTHY. Anthony, Anthony! . . . O my God, George will kill him.
MUSIC: 'CHE FARO,' AS THE DROP FALLS.
DROP.
MUSICAL INDUCTION: 'Gavotte;' 'IPHIGENIE EN AULIDE.' GLUCK
ACT IV.
The Stage represents the Pantiles: the alleys fronting the
spectators in parallel lines. At the back, a stand of musicians,
from which the 'Gavotte' is repeated on muted strings. The music
continues nearly through Scene I. Visitors walking to and fro
beneath the lines. A seat in front, L.
SCENE I
MISS FOSTER, BARBARA, MENTEITH; VISITORS
MISS FOSTER (ENTERING; ESCORTED BY MENTEITH, AND FOLLOWED BY
BARBARA). And so, Menteith, here you are once more. And vastly
pleased I am to see you, my good fellow, not only for your own
sake, but because you harbinger the Beau. (SITS, L.; MENTEITH
STANDING OVER HER.)
MENTEITH. Honoured madam, I have had the pleasure to serve Mr.
George for more than thirty years. This is a privilege - a very
great privilege. I have beheld him in the first societies,
moving among the first rank of personages; and none, madam, none
outshone him.
BARBARA. I assure you, madam, when Mr. Menteith took me to the
play, he talked so much of Mr. Austin that I couldn't hear a word
of Mr. Kean.
MISS FOSTER. Well, well, and very right. That was the old
school of service, Barbara, which you would do well to imitate.
This is a child, Menteith, that I am trying to form.
MENTEITH. Quite so, madam.
MISS FOSTER. And are we soon to see our princely guest,
Menteith?
MENTEITH. His Royal Highness, madam? I believe I may say quite
so. Mr. George will receive our gallant prince upon the Pantiles
(LOOKING AT HIS WATCH) in, I should say, a matter of twelve
minutes from now. Such, madam, is Mr. George's order of the day.
BARBARA. I beg your pardon, madam, I am sure, but are we really
to see one of His Majesty's own brothers? That will be pure! O
madam, this is better than Carlisle.
MISS FOSTER. The wood-note wild: a loyal Cumbrian, Menteith.
MENTEITH. Eh? Quite so, madam.
MISS FOSTER. When she has seen as much of the Royal Family as
you, my good fellow, she will find