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！
BILL。 I shall marry her。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Oh！ Bill！ Without love…without anything！
BILL。 All right； mother！ ＇To SIR WILLIAM＇ you've mistaken your man；
sir。 Because I'm a rotter in one way； I'm not necessarily a rotter
in all。 You put the butt end of the pistol to Dunning's head
yesterday； you put the other end to mine to…day。 Well！ ＇He turns
round to go out＇ Let the d…d thing off！
LADY CHESHIRE。 Bill！
BILL。 ＇Turning to her＇ I'm not going to leave her in the lurch。
SIR WILLIAM。 Do me the justice to admit that I have not attempted to
persuade you to。
BILL。 No！ you've chucked me out。 I don't see what else you could
have done under the circumstances。 It's quite all right。 But if you
wanted me to throw her over； father； you went the wrong way to work；
that's all； neither you nor I are very good at seeing consequences。
SIR WILLIAM。 Do you realise your position？
BILK。 ＇Grimly＇ I've a fair notion of it。
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇With a sudden outburst＇ You have nonenot the
faintest； brought up as you've been。
BILL。 I didn't bring myself up。
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇With a movement of uncontrolled anger； to which his son
responds＇ Youungrateful young dog！
LADY CHESHIRE。 How can youboth？
＇They drop their eyes； and stand silent。
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇With grimly suppressed emotion＇ I am speaking under the
stress of very great painsome consideration is due to me。 This is
a disaster which I never expected to have to face。 It is a matter
which I naturally can never hope to forget。 I shall carry this down
to my death。 We shall all of us do that。 I have had the misfortune
all my life to believe in our position hereto believe that we
counted for somethingthat the country wanted us。 I have tried to
do my duty by that position。 I find in one moment that it is gone
smokegone。 My philosophy is not equal to that。 To countenance
this marriage would be unnatural。
BILL。 I know。 I'm sorry。 I've got her into thisI don't see any
other way out。 It's a bad business for me； father； as well as for
you
He stops； seeing that JACKSON has route in； and is standing
there waiting。
JACKSON。 Will you speak to Studdenham； Sir William？ It's about
young Dunning。
After a moment of dead silence； SIR WILLIAM nods； and the butler
withdraws。
BILL。 ＇Stolidly＇ He'd better be told。
SIR WILLIAM。 He shall be。
STUDDENHAM enters； and touches his forehead to them all with a
comprehensive gesture。
STUDDENHAM。 Good evenin'； my lady！ Evenin'； Sir William！
STUDDENHAM。 Glad to be able to tell you； the young man's to do the
proper thing。 Asked me to let you know； Sir William。 Banns'll be up
next Sunday。 ＇Struck by the silence； he looks round at all three in
turn； and suddenly seeing that LADY CHESHIRE is shivering＇ Beg
pardon； my lady； you're shakin' like a leaf！
BILL。 ＇Blurting it out＇ I've a painful piece of news for you；
Studdenham； I'm engaged to your daughter。 We're to be married at
once。
STUDDENHAM。 Idon'tunderstand yousir。
BILL。 The fact is； I've behaved badly； but I mean to put it
straight。
STUDDENHAM。 I'm a little deaf。 Did you saymy daughter？
SIR WILLIAM。 There's no use mincing matters； Studdenham。 It's a
thunderboltyoung Dunning's case over again。
STUDDENHAM。 I don't rightly follow。 She'sYou've！ I must see my
daughter。 Have the goodness to send for her； m'lady。
LADY CHESHIRE goes to the billiard…room； and calls： 〃FREDA； come
here； please。〃
STUDDENHAM。 ＇TO SIR WILLIAM＇ YOU tell me that my daughter's in the
position of that girl owing to your son？ Men ha' been shot for less。
BILL。 If you like to have a pot at me； Studdenham you're welcome。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇Averting his eyes from BILL at the sheer idiocy of this
sequel to his words＇ I've been in your service five and twenty years；
Sir William； but this is man to manthis is！
SIR WILLIAM。 I don't deny that； Studdenham。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇With eyes shifting in sheer anger＇ No'twouldn't be
very easy。 Did I understand him to say that he offers her marriage？
SIR WILLIAM。 You did。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇Into his beard＇ Wellthat's something！ ＇Moving his
hands as if wringing the neck of a bird＇ I'm tryin' to see the rights
o' this。
SIR WILLIAM。 ＇Bitterly＇ You've all your work cut out for you；
Studdenham。
Again STUDDENHAM makes the unconscious wringing movement with
his hands。
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇Turning from it with a sort of horror＇ Don't；
Studdenham！ Please！
STUDDENHAM。 What's that； m'lady？
LADY CHESHIRE。 ＇Under her breath＇ Youryourhands。
While STUDDENHAM is still staring at her； FREDA is seen standing
in the doorway； like a black ghost。
STUDDENHAM。 Come here！ You！ ＇FREDA moves a few steps towards her
father＇ When did you start this？
FREDA。 ＇Almost inaudibly＇ In the summer； father。
LADY CHESHIRE。 Don't be harsh to her！
STUDDENHAM。 Harsh！ ＇His eyes again move from side to side as if
pain and anger had bewildered them。 Then looking sideways at FREDA；
but in a gentler voice＇ And when did you tell him aboutwhat's come
to you？
FREDA。 Last night。
STUDDENHAM。 Oh！ ＇With sudden menace＇ You young！ ＇He makes a
convulsive movement of one hand； then； in the silence； seems to lose
grip of his thoughts； and pits his hand up to his head＇ I want to
clear me mind a bitI don't see it plain at all。 ＇Without looking
at BILL＇ 'Tis said there's been an offer of marriage？
BILL。 I've made it； I stick to it。
STUDDENHAM。 Oh！ ＇With slow； puzzled anger＇ I want time to get the
pith o' this。 You don't say anything； Sir William？
SIR WILLIAM。 The facts are all before you。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇Scarcely moving his lips＇ M'lady？
LADY CHESHIRE is silent。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇Stammering＇ My girl waswas good enough for any man。
It's not for him that'sthat's to look down on her。 ＇To FREDA＇ You
hear the handsome offer that's been made you？ Well？ ＇FREDA moistens
her lips and tries to speak； but cannot＇ If nobody's to speak a
word； we won't get much forrarder。 I'd like for you to say what's in
your mind； Sir William。
SIR WILLIAM。 IIf my son marries her he'll have to make his own
way。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇Savagely＇ I'm not puttin' thought to that。
SIR WILLIAM。 I didn't suppose you were； Studdenham。 It appears to
rest with your daughter。 ＇He suddenly takes out his handkerchief；
and puts it to his forehead＇ Infernal fires they make up here！
LADY CHESHIRE； who is again shivering desperately； as if with intense
cold； makes a violent attempt to control her shuddering。
STUDDENHAM。 ＇Suddenly＇ There's luxuries that's got to be paid for。
＇To FREDA＇ Speak up； now。
FREDA turns slowly and looks up at SIR WILLIAM； he involuntarily
raises his hand to his mouth。 Her eyes travel on to LADY