The Second Mrs. Tanqueray Arthur W. Pinero (free children's online books txt) đ
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as her own mother would have been had she lived. I know what you mean. How dare you?
Aubrey
You say that; very likely you believe it. But youâre blind, Paula; youâre blind. You! Every belief that a young, pure-minded girl holds sacredâ âthat you once held sacredâ âyou now make a target for a jest, a sneer, a paltry cynicism. I tell you, youâre not mistress any longer of your thoughts or your tongue. Why, how often, sitting between you and Ellean, have I seen her cheeks turn scarlet as youâve rattled off some tale that belongs by right to the club or the smoking-room! Have you noticed the blush? If you have, has the cause of it ever struck you? And this is the girl you say you love, I admit that you do love, whose love you expect in return! Oh, Paula, I make the best, the only, excuse for you when I tell you youâre blind!
Paula
Elleanâ âEllean blushes easily.
Aubrey
You blushed as easily a few years ago.
Paula
After a short pause. Well! Have you finished your sermon?
Aubrey
With a gesture of despair. Oh, Paula!
Going up to the window and standing with his back to the room.
Paula
To herself. A fewâ âyears ago! She walks slowly towards the door, then suddenly drops upon the ottoman in a paroxysm of weeping. O God! A few years ago!
Aubrey
Going to her. Paula!
Paula
Sobbing. Oh, donât touch me!
Aubrey
Paula!
Paula
Oh, go away from me! He goes back a few steps, and after a little while she becomes calmer and rises unsteadily; then in an altered tone. Look hereâ â! He advances a step; she checks him with a quick gesture. Look here! Get rid of these peopleâ âMabel and her husbandâ âas soon as possible! Iâ âIâve done with them!
Aubrey
In a whisper. Paula!
Paula
And thenâ âthenâ âwhen the time comes for Ellean to leave Mrs. Cortelyon, give meâ âgive me another chance! He advances again, but she shrinks away. No, no!
She goes out by the door on the right. He sinks on to the settee, covering his eyes with his hands. There is a brief silence, then a Servant enters.
Servant
Mrs. Cortelyon, sir, with Miss Ellean.
Aubrey rises to meet Mrs. Cortelyon, who enters, followed by Ellean, both being in travelling dresses. The Servant withdraws.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Shaking hands with Aubrey. Oh, my dear Aubrey!
Aubrey
Mrs. Cortelyon! Kissing Ellean. Ellean dear!
Ellean
Papa, is all well at home?
Mrs. Cortelyon
Weâre shockingly anxious.
Aubrey
Yes, yes, allâs well. This is quite unexpected. To Mrs. Cortelyon. Youâve found Paris insufferably hot?
Mrs. Cortelyon
Insufferably hot! Paris is pleasant enough. Weâve had no letter from you!
Aubrey
I wrote to Ellean a week ago.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Without alluding to the subject I had written to you upon.
Aubrey
Thinking. Ah, of courseâ â
Mrs. Cortelyon
And since then weâve both written and youâve been absolutely silent. Oh, itâs too bad!
Aubrey
Picking up the letters from the table. It isnât altogether my fault. Here are the lettersâ â
Ellean
Papa!
Mrs. Cortelyon
Theyâre unopened.
Aubrey
An accident delayed their reaching me till this evening. Iâm afraid this has upset you very much.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Upset me!
Ellean
In an undertone to Mrs. Cortelyon. Never mind. Not now, dearâ ânot tonight.
Aubrey
Eh?
Mrs. Cortelyon
To Ellean aloud. Child, run away and take your things off. She doesnât look as if sheâd journeyed from Paris today.
Aubrey
Iâve never seen her with such a colour.
Taking Elleanâs hands.
Ellean
To Aubrey, in a faint voice. Papa, Mrs. Cortelyon has been so very, very kind to me, but Iâ âI have come home.
She goes out.
Aubrey
Come home! To Mrs. Cortelyon. Ellean returns to us, then?
Mrs. Cortelyon
Thatâs the very point I put to you in my letters, and you oblige me to travel from Paris to Willowmere on a warm day to settle it. I think perhaps itâs right that Ellean should be with you just now, although Iâ âMy dear friend, circumstances are a little altered.
Aubrey
Alice, youâre in some trouble.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Wellâ âyes, I am in trouble. You remember pretty little Mrs. Brereton who was once Caroline Ardale?
Aubrey
Quite well.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Sheâs a widow now, poor thing. She has the entresol of the house where weâve been lodging in the Avenue de Friedland. Carolineâs a dear chum of mine; she formed a great liking for Ellean.
Aubrey
Iâm very glad.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Yes, itâs nice for her to meet her motherâs friends. Erâ âthat young Hugh Ardale the papers were full of some time agoâ âheâs Caroline Breretonâs brother, you know.
Aubrey
No, I didnât know. What did he do? I forget.
Mrs. Cortelyon
Checked one of those horrid mutinies at some faraway station in India, marched down with a handful of his men and a few faithful natives, and held the place until he was relieved. They gave him his company and a V.C. for it.
Aubrey
And heâs Mrs. Breretonâs brother?
Mrs. Cortelyon
Yes. Heâs with his sisterâ âwas, ratherâ âin Paris. Heâs homeâ âinvalided. Good gracious, Aubrey, why donât you help me out? Canât you guess what has occurred?
Aubrey
Alice!
Mrs. Cortelyon
Young Ardaleâ âEllean!
Aubrey
An attachment?
Mrs. Cortelyon
Yes, Aubrey. After a little pause. Well, I suppose Iâve got myself into sad disgrace. But really I didnât foresee anything of this kind. A serious, reserved child like Ellean, and a boyish, high-spirited soldierâ âit never struck me as being likely. Aubrey paces to and fro thoughtfully. I did all I could directly Captain Ardale spokeâ âwrote to you at once. Why on earth donât you receive your letters promptly, and when you do get them why canât you open them? I endured the anxiety till last night, and then made up my mindâ âhome! Of course, it has worried me terribly. My headâs bursting. Are there any salts about? Aubrey fetches a bottle from the cabinet and hands it to her. Weâve had one of those hateful smooth crossings that wonât let you be properly indisposed.
Aubrey
My dear Alice, I assure you Iâve no thought of blaming you.
Mrs. Cortelyon
That statement always precedes a quarrel.
Aubrey
I donât know whether this is the worst or the best
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