第22章

CHLOE.[Catching at this straw] You will! You see, I don't know what I'll do.I've got soft, being looked after--he does love me.

And if he throws me off, I'll go under--that's all.

HILLCRIST.Have you any suggestion?

CHLOE.[Eagerly] The only thing is to tell him something positive, something he'll believe, that's not too bad--like my having been a lady clerk with those people who came here, and having been dismissed on suspicion of taking money.I could get him to believe that wasn't true.

JILL.Yes; and it isn't--that's splendid! You'd be able to put such conviction into it.Don't you think so, Dodo?

HILLCRIST.Anything I can.I'm deeply sorry.

CHLOE.Thank you.And don't say I've been here, will you? He's very suspicious.You see, he knows that his father has re-sold that land to you; that's what he can't make out--that, and my coming here this morning; he knows something's being kept from him; and he noticed that man with Dawker yesterday.And my maid's been spying on me.It's in the air.He puts two and two together.But I've told him there's nothing he need worry about; nothing that's true.

HILLCRIST.What a coil!

CHLOE.I'm very honest and careful about money.So he won't believe that about me, and the old man wants to keep it from Charlie, I know.

HILLCRIST.That does seem the best way out.

CHLOE.[With a touch of defiance] I'm a true wife to him.

CHLOE.Of course we know that.

HILLCRIST.It's all unspeakably sad.Deception's horribly against the grain--but----CHLOE.[Eagerly] When I deceived him, I'd have deceived God Himself--I was so desperate.You've never been right down in the mud.You can't understand what I've been through.

HILLCRIST.Yes, Yes.I daresay I'd have done the same.I should be the last to judge [CHLOE covers her eyes with her hands.]

There, there! Cheer up! [He puts his hand on her arm.]

CHLOE.[To herself] Darling Dodo!

CHLOE.[Starting] There's somebody at the door.I must go; I must go.

[She runs to the window and slips through the curtains.]

[The handle of the door is again turned.]

JILL.[Dismayed] Oh! It's locked--I forgot.

[She spring to the door, unlocks and opens it, while HILLCRISTgoes to the bureau and sits down.]

It's all right, Fellows; I was only saying something rather important.

FELLOWS.[Coming in a step or two and closing the door behind him]

Certainly, Miss.Mr.Charles 'Ornblower is in the hall.Wants to see you, sir, or Mrs.Hillcrist.

JILL.What a bore! Can you see him, Dodo?

HILLCRIST.Er--yes.I suppose so.Show him in here, Fellows.

[As FELLOWS goes out, JILL runs to the window, but has no time to do more than adjust the curtains and spring over to stand by her father, before CHARLES comes in.Though in evening clothes, he is white arid disheveled for so spruce a young mean.]

CHARLES.Is my wife here?

HILLCRIST.No, sir.

CHARLES.Has she been?

HILLCRIST.This morning, I believe, Jill?

JILL.Yes, she came this morning.

CHARLES.[staring at her] I know that--now, I mean?

JILL.No.

[HILLCRIST shakes has head.]

CHARLES.Tell me what was said this morning.

HILLCRIST.I was not here this morning.

CHARLES.Don't try to put me off.I know too much.[To JILL]

You.

JILL.Shall I, Dodo?

HILLCRIST.No; I will.Won't you sit down?

CHARLES.No.Go on.

HILLCRIST.[Moistening his lips] It appears, Mr.Hornblower, that my agent, Mr.Dawker--[CHARLES, who is breathing hard, utters a sound of anger.]

that my agent happens to know a firm, who in old days employed your wife.I should greatly prefer not to say any more, especially as we don't believe the story.

JILL.No; we don't.

CHARLES.Go on!

HILLCRIST.[Getting up] Come! If I were you, I should refuse to listen to anything against my wife.

CHARLES.Go on, I tell you.

HILLCRIST.You insist? Well, they say there was some question about the accounts, and your wife left them under a cloud.As Itold you, we don't believe it.

CHARLES.[Passionately] Liars!

[He makes a rush for the door.]

HILLCRIST.[Starting] What did you say?

JILL.[Catching his arm] Dodo! [Sotto voce] We are, you know.

CHARLES.[Turning back to them] Why do you tell me that lie? When I've just had the truth out of that little scoundrel! My wife's been here; she put you up to it.

[The face of CHLOE is seen transfixed between the curtains, parted by her hands.]

She--she put you up to it.Liar that she is--a living lie.For three years a living lie!

[HILLCRIST whose face alone is turned towards the curtains, sees that listening face.His hand goes up from uncontrollable emotion.]

And hasn't now the pluck to tell me.I've done with her.I won't own a child by such a woman.

[With a little sighing sound CHLOE drops the curtain and vanishes.]

HILLCRIST.For God's sake, man, think of what you're saying.She's in great distress.

CHARLES.And what am I?

JILL.She loves you, you know.

CHARLES.Pretty love! That scoundrel Dawker told me--told me--Horrible! Horrible!

HILLCRIST.I deeply regret that our quarrel should have brought this about.

CHARLES.[With intense bitterness] Yes, you've smashed my life.

[Unseen by them, MRS.HILLCRIST has entered and stands by the door, Left.]

MRS.H.Would you have wished to live on in ignorance? [They all turn to look at her.]

CHARLES.[With a writhing movement] I don't know.But--you--you did it.

MRS.H.You shouldn't have attacked us.

CHARLES.What did we do to you--compared with this?

MRS.H.All you could.

HILLCRIST.Enough, enough! What can we do to help you?

CHARLES.Tell me where my wife is.

[JILL draws the curtains apart--the window is open--JILL looks out.They wait in silence.]

JILL.We don't know.

CHARLES.Then she was here?

HILLCRIST.Yes, sir; and she heard you.

CHARLES.All the better if she did.She knows how I feel.

HILLCRIST.Brace up; be gentle with her.