The Stepmother, A Drama in Five Acts Part 12

Pauline And this is what you call being good humored?

(Gertrude appears.)

The General My child, there are feelings in my heart that you should never rouse in me; you ought to know this. They are my very life. Do you wish to be the death of your father?

Pauline Oh!

The General Dear child! I have had my day. My lot, with you and Gertrude at my side, is an enviable one. But, however sweet and charming is my life, I would quit it without regret, if by that means I could render you happy; for happiness is a debt we owe to those who owe to us their existence.

Pauline (noticing the door ajar, aside) Ah! she is listening. (Aloud) Father, I didn't mean what I said, but suppose I felt a love of that kind and it was so violent that I was likely to die of it?

The General It would be best for you to tell me nothing about it, and wait for your happiness until my death. And yet, since there is nothing more sacred, nothing more dear next to G.o.d and country, than children to their parents, children in their turn ought to hold sacred their parents' wishes and never to disobey them, even after their death. If you do not remain faithful to this hatred of mine, I think I should come forth from my grave to curse you!

Pauline (kissing her father) Oh! you bad, bad man! At any rate, I shall now find out whether you can keep a secret or not. Swear to me on your honor that you'll not repeat a syllable of what I told you.

The General I promise you that. But what reason have you for distrusting Gertrude?

Pauline If I told you, you would not believe it.

The General Are you trying to torture your father?

Pauline No. But which do you place first,--this hatred for traitors, or your own honor?

The General They are both first with me, for they are based upon a common principle.

Pauline Very well; if you throw away your honor by violating your oath, you may as well throw away your hatred. That is all I wanted to find out.

The General If women are angelic, they have in them also something of the diabolical. Tell me, who has filled the head of such an innocent girl as you are with ideas like these? This is the way they lead us by the--

Pauline (interrupting him) Good-night, father.

The General You naughty child!

Pauline Keep my secret, or I will bring you a son-in-law that will drive you wild.

(Pauline enters her own apartment.)

SCENE EIGHTH

The General (alone) There must certainly be some key to this enigma! It must be discovered! Yes, and Gertrude shall discover it!

(Scene curtain.)

SCENE NINTH

(Pauline's chamber; a small plain room with a bed in the centre and a round table at the left; the entrance is at the right, but there is a secret entrance on the left.)

Pauline At last I am alone! At last I can be natural! Married? My Ferdinand married? If this is so, he is the falsest, foulest, vilest of men! And I could kill him! Kill him? But I myself could not survive one hour the knowledge that he was actually married. My stepmother I detest!

And if she becomes my enemy, there will be war between us, and war in earnest. It would be terrible, for I should tell my father all I know.

(She looks at her watch.) Half-past eleven, and he cannot come before midnight, when the whole household is asleep. Poor Ferdinand! He has to risk his life for a few minutes' chat with her he loves! That is what I call true love! Such perils men will not undergo for every woman! But what would I not undergo for him! If my father surprised us, I would be the one to take the first blow. Oh! To suspect the man you love is to suffer greater torment than to lose him! If he dies, you can follow him in death; but doubt--is the cruelest of separations!--Ah! I hear him.

SCENE TENTH

Ferdinand and Pauline (who locks the door).

Pauline Are you married?

Ferdinand What a joke! Wouldn't I have told you?

Pauline Ah! (She sinks back on a chair, then falls upon her knees.) Holy Virgin, what vows shall I make to thee? (She kisses Ferdinand's hand.) And you, a thousand blessings on your head!

Ferdinand Who could have told you such a foolish thing?

Pauline My stepmother.

Ferdinand Why, she knows all about me, and if she did not, she would set spies to discover all; for suspicion with such women as that is cert.i.tude!

Listen, Pauline, moments now are precious. It was Madame de Grandchamp who brought me into this house.

Pauline And why?

Ferdinand Because she is in love with me.

Pauline How horrible! And what of my father?

Ferdinand She was in love with me before her marriage.

Pauline She is in love with you; but you, are you in love with her?

Ferdinand Do you think if I were, I should have remained in this house?

Pauline And she is still in love with you?

Ferdinand Yes, unhappily she is! I ought to tell you that she was at one time beloved by me; but to-day I hate her from the bottom of my heart, and I sometimes ask myself why. Is it because I am in love with you, and every genuine and pure love is by nature exclusive? Is it because the contrast between an angel of purity, such as you, and a devil like her excites in me just as much hatred towards her as it rouses love towards you, my joy, my bliss, my beauteous treasure? I cannot say.

But I hate her, and I love you so much that I should not regret dying if your father killed me; for one talk with you, one hour spent in this chamber by your side, seems, even when it is pa.s.sed away, a whole lifetime to me.

Pauline Oh, say those dear words again! For they bring back my confidence once more. After hearing you speak thus, I forgive you the wrong you have done me in telling that I am not your first and only love, as you are mine. It is but a lost illusion, that is all! Do not be vexed with me.