The Second Mrs. Tanqueray Arthur W. Pinero (free children's online books txt) đ
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epub:type="z3998:persona">Lady Orreyed
Rising. Dodo!
Sir George
Jusâ because Iâve married beneath me, to be chucked over! Aunt Lydia, the General, Hooky Whitgrave, Lady Sugnallâ âmy own dear sister!â âall turn their backs on me. Itâs more than I can stanâ!
Lady Orreyed
Approaching him with dignity. Sir George, wish Mrs. Tanqueray good night at once and come upstairs. Do you hear me?
Sir George
Rising angrily. Whaââ â
Lady Orreyed
Be quiet!
Sir George
You presoom to order me about!
Lady Orreyed
Youâre making an exhibition of yourself!
Sir George
Look âereâ â!
Lady Orreyed
Come along, I tell you!
He hesitates, utters a few inarticulate sounds, then snatches up a fragile ornament from the table, and is about to dash it on to the ground. Lady Orreyed retreats, and Paula goes to him.
Paula
George!
He replaces the ornament.
Sir George
Shaking Paulaâs hand. Good niâ, Mrs. Tanqueray.
Lady Orreyed
To Paula. Good night, darling. Wish Aubrey good night for me. Now, Dodo?
She goes out.
Sir George
To Paula. I say, are you goinâ to sit up for olâ Aubrey?
Paula
Yes.
Sir George
Shall I keep you compâny?
Paula
No, thank you, George.
Sir George
Sure?
Paula
Yes, sure.
Sir George
Shaking hands. Good night again.
Paula
Good night.
She turns away. He goes out, steadying himself carefully. Drummle appears outside the window, smoking.
Drummle
Looking into the room, and seeing Paula. My last cigar. Whereâs Aubrey?
Paula
Gone down to The Warren, to see Mrs. Cortelyon home.
Drummle
Entering the room. Eh? Did you say Mrs. Cortelyon?
Paula
Yes. She has brought Ellean back.
Drummle
Bless my soul! Why?
Paula
Iâ âIâm too tired to tell you, Cayley. If you stroll along the lane youâll meet Aubrey. Get the news from him.
Drummle
Going up to the window. Yes, yes. Returning to Paula. I donât want to bother you, onlyâ âthe anxious old woman, you know. Are you and Aubreyâ â?
Paula
Good friends again?
Drummle
Nodding. Um.
Paula
Giving him her hand. Quite, Cayley, quite.
Drummle
Retaining her hand. Thatâs capital. As Iâm off so early tomorrow morning, let me say nowâ âthank you for your hospitality.
He bends over her hand gallantly, then goes out by the window.
Paula
To herself. âAre you and Aubreyâ â?â âGood friends again?â âYes.â âQuite, Cayley, quite.â
There is a brief pause, then Aubrey enters hurriedly, wearing a light overcoat and carrying a cap.
Aubrey
Paula dear! Have you seen Ellean?
Paula
I found her here when I came down.
Aubrey
Sheâ âsheâs told you?
Paula
Yes, Aubrey.
Aubrey
Itâs extraordinary, isnât it! Not that somebody should fall in love with Ellean or that Ellean herself should fall in love. All thatâs natural enough and was bound to happen, I suppose, sooner or later. But this young fellow! You know his history?
Paula
His history?
Aubrey
You remember the papers were full of his name a few months ago?
Paula
Oh, yes.
Aubrey
The manâs as brave as a lion, thereâs no doubt about that; and, at the same time, heâs like a big good-natured schoolboy, Mrs. Cortelyon says. Have you ever pictured the kind of man Ellean would marry some day?
Paula
I canât say that I have.
Aubrey
A grave, sedate fellow Iâve thought aboutâ âhah! She has fallen in love with the way in which Ardale practically laid down his life to save those poor people shut up in the Residency. Taking off his coat. Well, I suppose if a man can do that sort of thing, one ought to be content. And yetâ âThrowing his coat on the settee. I should have met him tonight, but heâd gone out. Paula dear, tell me how you look upon this business.
Paula
Yes, I willâ âI must. To begin with, Iâ âIâve seen Mr. Ardale.
Aubrey
Captain Ardale?
Paula
Captain Ardale.
Aubrey
Seen him?
Paula
While you were away he came up here, through our grounds, to try to get a word with Ellean. I made her fetch him in and present him to me.
Aubrey
Frowning. Doesnât Captain Ardale know thereâs a lodge and a front door to this place? Never mind! What is your impression of him?
Paula
Aubrey, do you recollect my bringing you a letterâ âa letter giving you an account of myselfâ âto the Albany late one nightâ âthe night before we got married?
Aubrey
A letter?
Paula
You burnt it; donât you know?
Aubrey
Yes; I know.
Paula
His name was in that letter.
Aubrey
Going back from her slowly, and staring at her. I donât understand.
Paula
Wellâ âArdale and I once kept house together. He remains silent, not moving. Why donât you strike me? Hit me in the faceâ âIâd rather you did! Hurt me! hurt me!
Aubrey
After a pause. What did youâ âand this manâ âsay to each otherâ âjust now?
Paula
Iâ âhardlyâ âknow.
Aubrey
Think!
Paula
The end of it all was that Iâ âI told him I must inform you ofâ âwhat had happenedâ ââ ⊠he didnât want me to do thatâ ââ ⊠I declared that I wouldâ ââ ⊠he dared me to. Breaking down. Let me alone!â âoh!
Aubrey
Where was my daughter while this went on?
Paula
Iâ âI had sent her out of the roomâ ââ ⊠that is all right.
Aubrey
Yes, yesâ âyes, yes.
He turns his head towards the door.
Paula
Whoâs that?
A Servant enters with a letter.
Servant
The coachman has just run up with this from The Warren, sir. Aubrey takes the letter. Itâs for Mrs. Tanqueray, sir; thereâs no answer.
The Servant withdraws. Aubrey goes to Paula and drops the letter into her lap; she opens it with uncertain hands.
Paula
Reading it to herself. Itâs fromâ âhim. Heâs going awayâ âor goneâ âI think. Rising in a weak way. What does it say? I never could make out his writing.
She gives the letter to Aubrey and stands near him, looking at the letter over his shoulder as he reads.
Aubrey
Reading. âI shall be in Paris by tomorrow evening. Shall wait there, at Meuriceâs, for a week, ready to receive any communication you or your husband may address to me. Please invent some explanation to Ellean. Mrs. Tanqueray, for Godâs sake, do what you can for me.â
Paula and Aubrey speak in low voices, both still looking at the letter.
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