One-Act Plays Part 92

[_To him._] Let us meet soon. I have--I know not what To say--nay, no import; but chance has parted Our several ways too long. To leave you thus, Without a word--

ANNE. You are in haste, my lord!

By the true faith, here are two friends indeed!

Two lovers crossed: and I,--'tis I that bar them.

Pray tarry, sir. I doubt not I may light Upon some link-boy to attend me home Or else a drunken prentice with a club, Or that patched keeper strolling from the Garden With all his dogs along; or failing them, A pony with a monkey on his back, Or, failing that, a bear! Some escort, sure, Such as the Borough offers! I shall look Part of a pageant from the Lady Fair, And boast for three full moons, "Such sights I saw!"

Truly, 'tis new to me: but I doubt not I shall trick out a mind for strange adventure, As high as--Mistress Fytton!

HERBERT. Say no more, Dear lady! I entreat you pardon me The lameness of my wit. I'm stark adream; You lighted here so suddenly, unlooked for Vision in Bankside.... Let me hasten you, Now that I see I dream not. It grows late.

ANNE.

And can you grant me such a length of time?

HERBERT.

Length? Say Illusion! Time? Alas, 'twill be Only a poor half-hour [_loudly_], a poor half-hour!

[_Apart._] Did she hear that, I wonder?

THE PLAYER [_bowing over ANNE's hand_]. Not so, madam; A little gold of largess, fallen to me By chance.

HERBERT [_to him_].

A word with you-- [_Apart._] O, I am gagged!

ANNE [_to THE PLAYER_].

You go with us, sir?

[_He moves towards door with them._]

THE PLAYER. No, I do but play Your inn-keeper.

HERBERT [_apart, despairingly_].

The eagle is gone blind.

[_Exeunt, leaving doors open. They are seen to go down the walk together. At the street they pause, THE PLAYER, bowing slowly, then turning back towards the inn; ANNE holding HERBERT's arm. Within, the door on the left opens slightly, then MARY appears._]

MARY.

'Tis true. My ears caught silence, if no more.

They're gone....

[_She comes out of her hiding-place and opens the left-hand cas.e.m.e.nt to see ANNE disappearing with HERBERT._]

She takes him with her! He'll return?

Gone, gone, without a word; and I was caged,-- And deaf as well. O, spite of everything!

She's so unlike.... How long shall I be here To wait and wonder? He with her--with her!

[_THE PLAYER, having come slowly back to the door, hears her voice.

MARY darts towards the entrance to look after HERBERT and ANNE. She sees him and recoils. She falls back step by step, while he stands holding the door-posts with his hands, impa.s.sive._]

You!...

THE PLAYER.

Yes.... [_After a pause._] And you.

MARY. Do you not ask me why I'm here?

THE PLAYER.

I am not wont to shun the truth: But yet I think the reason you could give Were too uncomely.

MARY. Nay;--

THE PLAYER. If it were truth; If it were truth! Although that likelihood Scarce threatens.

MARY. So. Condemned without a trial.

THE PLAYER.

O, speak the lie now. Let there be no chance For my unsightly love, bound head and foot, Stark, full of wounds and horrible,--to find Escape from out its charnel-house; to rise Unwelcome before eyes that had forgot, And say it died not truly. It should die.

Play no imposture: leave it,--it is dead.

I have been weak in that I tried to pour The wine through plague-struck veins. It came to life Over and over, drew sharp breath again In torture such as't may be to be born, If a poor babe could tell. Over and over, I tell you, it has suffered resurrection, Cheating its pain with hope, only to die Over and over;--die more deaths than men The meanest, most forlorn, are made to die By tyranny or nature.... Now I see all Clear. And I say, it shall not rise again.

I am as safe from you as I were dead.

I know you.

MARY. Herbert--

THE PLAYER. Do not touch his name.

Leave that; I saw.

MARY. You saw? Nay, what?

THE PLAYER. The whole Clear story. Not at first. While you were hid, I took some comfort, drop by drop, and minute By minute. (Dullard!) Yet there was a maze Of circ.u.mstance that showed even then to me Perplext and strange. You here unravel it.

All's clear: you are the clue. [_Turning away._]

MARY [_going to the cas.e.m.e.nt_].

[_Apart._] Caged, caged!

Does he know all? Why were those walls so dense?

[_To him._] Nan Hughes hath seized the time to tune your mind To some light gossip. Say, how came she here?

THE PLAYER.

All emulation, thinking to match you In high adventure:--liked it not, poor lady!

And is gone home, attended.

[_Re-enter d.i.c.kON._]

d.i.c.kON [_to MARY_] They be lost!-- Thy mask and m.u.f.fler;--'tis no help to search.

Some hooker would 'a' swallowed 'em, be sure, As the whale swallows Jonas, in the show.

MARY.

'Tis nought: I care not.

d.i.c.kON [_looking at the fire_].

Hey, it wants a log.