Stephen Archer and Other Tales, George MacDonald [free ebook reader txt] 📗

at SIR WALTER.)

Ger. You may go, William. (COL. G. retires slowly .)

Ger. Aunt, you have been a mother to me; but were you really my mother, I must not listen to such words of my father. He has good reasons for what he does, though I admit there is something in it we don't understand. ( Aside .) If I could but understand how Constance-

Mrs. C. What do you say? What was that about Constance?

Ger. Oh, nothing, aunt. I was only thinking how difficult it is to understand people.

Mrs. C. If you mean Constance, I agree with you. She is a most provoking girl.

Ger. ( smiling ) I am sorry to hear that, aunt.

Mrs. C. I'm very glad you were never so silly as take a fancy to the girl. She would have led you a pretty dance! If you saw how she treats that unfortunate Waterfield! But what's bred in the bone won't out of the flesh.

Ger. There's nothing bred in her I would have out, aunt.

Mrs. C. Perhaps she originated her vulgarity. That is a shade worse.

Ger. Vulgarity , aunt! I cannot remember the meaning of the word when I think of her .

Mrs. C. If you choose to insult me, Arthur-

Exit .

Ger. It is high time I were gone! If I should be called in now to settle matters between-William! William!-William!

Enter COL. G.

Ger. To-morrow, William. Not a word. If you will go with me, I shall be glad. If you will not, I shall go without you.

Exit .

Col. G. Yes, sir.-I wish Warren were here with the old man. I don't know what to do till he comes.

Enter CONSTANCE.

Con. I thought my aunt was here, William.

Col. G. No, miss. She was here, but she's gone again.

Con. Could I see Mr. Gervaise for a moment?

Col. G. Certainly, miss. I'll tell him.

Con. Is he still determined on going, William?

Col. G. Yes, miss;-to-morrow, he says.

Con. To-morrow!

Col. G. Yes, miss. I think he means to start for Dover in the morning.

Con. What am I to do?

Col. G. What's the matter, miss?

Con. What can I do? I know he is angry with me. I don't quite know why. I wish I had never-I can't help it now. My heart will break. ( Weeps .)

Col. G. Don't let him go to Dover to-morrow, miss.

Con. He would have listened to me once. He won't now. It's all so different! Everything has gone wrong somehow.

Col. G. Do try to keep him from going, miss.

Con. He would but think me forward. I could bear anything better than have him think ill of me.

Col. G. No fear of that, miss. The danger is all the other way.

Con. What other way, William?

Col. G. He thinks you don't care a bit about him.

Exit . CONSTANCE drops on the dais, nearly under the veiled Psyche .

Enter GER. and stands a moment regarding her .

Ger. Constance.

Con. ( starting up, and flying to him with her hands clasped ) Arthur! Arthur! don't go. I can't bear you to go. It's all my fault, but do forgive me! Oh, do, do- dear Arthur! Don't go to-morrow. I shall be miserable if you do.

Ger. But why, my-why, Constance?

Con. I was your Constance once.

Ger. But why should I not go? Nobody wants me here.

Con. Oh, Arthur! how can you be so cruel? Can it be that-? Do say something. If you won't say anything, how can I know what you are thinking-what you wish? Perhaps you don't like-I would-I have-I won't-Oh, Arthur! do say something.

Ger. I have nothing to say, Constance.

Con. Then I have lost you-altogether! I dare say I deserve it. I hardly know. God help me! What can I have done so very wicked? Oh! why did you take me out of the streets? I should have been used to them by this time! They are terrible to me now. No, no, Arthur! I thank you-thank you-with my very soul! What might I not have been by this time! But I used to lie in that corner, and I daren't now!

Enter COL. G. behind .

It was a happy time, for I had not offended you then. Good-bye. Won't you say one word to me?-You will never see me again.

She pauses a moment; then exit weeping-by the back door, behind
the Psyche . COL. G. follows her .

Ger. How could she love that fellow? ( Looking up .) Gone? gone! My Constance! My Psyche! I've driven her into the wild street! O my God! William! William! Constance! Which door? I won't go, Constance-I won't. I will do anything you ask me. What was that she said?- Good-bye ! God in heaven!-William! you idiot! where are you? William!

He rushes out by the front door. Re-enter COL. G. by the back
door .

Col. G. It was lucky I met Bill! He's after her like the wind. That message will bring her back, I think. I could trust that boy with anything! But where is he? ( Enter THOMAS.) What, friend! here at last! Thank God! Just sit down a moment, will you? ( Peeps into the room off the study .) He's not there! I heard him calling this moment! Perhaps he's in the house.-Did you leave the door open, sir?

Tho. Nay. Th' dur wur oppen. Aw seigh sombory run eawt as aw coom oop.

Col. G. My boy! my boy! It will kill him!-Stop here till I come back. ( Rushes out .)

Tho. Aw connot stop. Aw'm tired enough, God knows, to stop anywheeres; mo yed goes reawnd and reawnd, an' aw'd fain lie mo deawn. But aw mun be gooin'. Nobory can tell what may be coomin to mo Mattie. Aw mun go look, go look! Ha! ha! they couldn't keep mo, owd mon as aw wur! But aw wish aw hed a word wi' th' mon first.

Enter WARREN.

War. ( aside ) This must be the old fellow himself! Here he is after all! ( Peeps into the room .)

Tho. Theer be nobory theer, sir. Th' maister's run eawt, and th' mon after him.

War. Run out!

Tho. Aw niver says what aw donnot mane. An' aw'm glad yo're theer, sir; for William he towd mo to stay till he coom back; but aw've not geet so mich time to spare; and so be's yo're a friend ov th' maister's, yo'll mebbe mind th' shop a smo' bit. Aw mun goo ( going ).

War. I say, old man-your name's Thomas Pearson-ain't it?

Tho. Yigh. Aw yer. But hea cooms to to knaw mo name?

War. I know all about you.

Tho. Ivvery body knaws ivvery body yere! Aw connot stur a fut fur folks as knaws mo, and knaws mo name, and knaws what aw be after. Lonnon is a dreedfu' plaze. Aw mun geet mo lass to whoam. Yo'll mind th' shop till th' maister cooms back. Good neet ( going ).

War. ( stopping him ) They want you here a bit. You'd better stop. The man will be back directly. You're too suspicious.

Tho. Nea, maister, thae'rt wrung theer. Aw've trusted too mich-a theawsand times too mich.

War. You trusted the wrong people, then.

Tho. It taks no mak o' a warlock to tell mo that, maister. It's smo' comfort, noather.

War. Well now, you give me a turn, and hear what I've got to say.

Tho. Yo're o' tarred wi' th' same stick. Ivvery body maks gam ov th' poor owd mon! Let me goo, maister. Aw want mo chylt, mo Mattie!

War. You must wait till Mr. Gervaise's man comes back.

Tho. ( despairingly ) O Lord. Th' peack ov sunbrunt lies they ha' been tellin' me sin' aw coom yere!-childer an o'!

War. Have patience, man. You won't repent it.

Tho. What mun be, mun. Aw connot ha' patience, but aw con stop. Aw'd rayther goo, though. Aw'm noan sorry to rest noather. ( Sits down on the dais .)

Enter BILL.

War. Here, boy! Don't let the old man go till some one comes.
Exit .

Bill . All right, sir! Hillo, daddy! There you are! Thank God!

Tho. What fur, boy? Wull he gie mo mo Mattie again-dosto think?

Bill . That he will, daddy! You come along, an' you'll know a honest boy next time.-I can't till I see Mr. William, though.

Tho. Iv thae manes th' maister's mon yere, he's run eawt. An' aw connot goo witho. Aw'm keepin' th' shop till he coom back. An' aw dunnot mich care to goo witho. Aw dunnot mich trust tho. Th' Lord have a care ov mo! Aw dimnot knaw which to trust, and which not to trust. But aw mun wait for maister William, as yo co' him.

Bill . All right, daddy!-Don't you stir from here till I come back-not for nobody-no, not for Joseph!

Tho. Aw dunnot knaw no Joseph.

Bill . I'll soon let you see I'm a honest boy! As you can't go to Mattie, I'll bring Mattie to you: see if I don't! An' if she ain't the right un, I'll take her back, and charge ye nuffin for carriage. Can't say fairer than that, daddy!

Tho. Bless tho, mo boy! Dosto mane it true?

Bill . Yes-an' that you'll see, afore you're an 'alf an hour older, daddy. When Mr. William comes, you say to him, "Bill's been.-All right."

Tho. Aw dunnot like secrets, lad. What don yo mane? Ivvery body seems to mane something, and nobory to say it.

Bill. Never you mind, daddy! "Bill's been.-All right." That's your ticket. I'm off. Exit .

THOMAS gets up, and walks about, murmuring to himself. A knock
at the door .

Tho. Somebory after