The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts Part 11

Ferdinand And what has she been doing?

Gertrude You have not been false to me? You do not want to kill me?

Ferdinand Kill you? She? I?

Gertrude Am I the victim of one of G.o.dard's jokes?

Ferdinand Gertrude, you are beside yourself!

G.o.dard (to Pauline) Ah! Mademoiselle, that is bad play!

Pauline You lost a great deal by not taking my stepmother for a partner.

Gertrude (to Ferdinand) Ferdinand, I do not know whether I am rightly or wrongly informed; but this I do know; I prefer death to the loss of our hopes.

Ferdinand Take care! The doctor has been watching us very keenly for the last few days.

Gertrude (aside) She has not once looked back at him! (Aloud) She will marry G.o.dard, for her father will compel her to do so.

Ferdinand G.o.dard would make an excellent match for any one.

The General I can't stay here any longer! My daughter plays vilely, and you, Vernon, have trumped my king!

Vernon My dear General, it was a finesse.

The General You stupid! Come, it is ten o'clock, and time to go to sleep instead of playing cards. Ferdinand, be good enough to take G.o.dard to his room. As for you, Vernon, you deserve to sleep on the floor as a punishment, for trumping my king.

G.o.dard It is, after all, merely a matter of five francs, General.

The General It is also a matter of honor. (To Vernon) Come, now, although you have played so badly, let me hand you your hat and cane.

(Pauline takes a flower from the vase and plays with it.)

Gertrude (aside) A signal! I will watch her this night, even though my husband should afterwards kill me for it!

Ferdinand (taking a candlestick from Felix) M. de Rimonville, I am at your service.

G.o.dard I wish you good-night, madame. My respects to you, mademoiselle.

General, good-night.

The General Good-night, G.o.dard.

G.o.dard De Rimonville--Doctor, I--

Vernon (looking at him and blowing his nose) Good-bye, my friend.

The General (attending the doctor on his way out) Good-bye till to-morrow, Vernon, but come early.

SCENE SIXTH

Gertrude, Pauline and the General.

Gertrude My dear, Pauline refuses G.o.dard.

The General And what are your reasons, my daughter?

Pauline I do not like him sufficiently to take him for a husband.

The General Well, never mind! We will look out some one else for you; but it is time for this to end, for you are now twenty-two, and people will begin to talk about you, my wife and me unless you make an early choice.

Pauline May I not be permitted, if I choose, to remain single?

Gertrude She has made her choice, but probably wishes to tell you by yourself.

I will leave you, and she will confess it. (To Pauline) Good-night, my child; talk freely with your father. (Aside) I will listen.

(Gertrude enters her chamber and proceeds to close the door.)

SCENE SEVENTH

The General and Pauline.

The General (aside) Act as my daughter's confessor! I am utterly unfitted for such a task!

She might rather act as confessor to me. (Aloud) Pauline, come here.

(He takes her on his knee) Now, do you really think, my pet, that an old trooper like me doesn't understand your resolution to remain single? Why, of course, that means, in every language in which it has ever been uttered, that a young person is in a special hurry to be married--to some one that she is in love with.

Pauline Papa, I would like to tell you something, but I cannot have confidence in you.

The General And why not, mademoiselle?

Pauline Because you tell everything to your wife.

The General And you mean to tell me that you have a secret of such a kind that it cannot be revealed to an angel, to the woman who has educated you--to your second mother!

Pauline Oh! If you are going to be vexed, I shall get off to bed. I used to think that a father's heart would be a place of unfailing refuge for a daughter.

The General You silly child! Come, I am going to be in a good humor.

Pauline How kind you are! But listen! Suppose I were in love with the son of one of those whom you detest?

The General (rising abruptly to his feet and repulsing her) I should detest you!