Part 33

MRS. BENNET [she takes it]. Quite correct.

FANNY [she tears out a cheque she has written—hands it to Mrs. Bennet]. You will find there two months’ wages for the entire family. I have made it out in a lump sum payable to your husband. The other month is in lieu of notice. [A silence. The thing strikes them all dumb. She puts the cheque-book back and closes the drawer. She rises.] I’m sorry. There’s been a misunderstanding. It’s time that it ended. It has been my own fault. [To Vernon] I deceived you about my family—

NEWTE. If there’s been any deceit—

FANNY. My scene, please, George. [Newte, knowing her, returns to silence.] I have no relations outside this country that I know of. My uncle is Martin Bennet, your butler. Mrs. Bennet is my aunt. I’m not ashamed of them. If they’d had as much respect for me as I have for them, this trouble would not have arisen. We don’t get on together, that’s all. And this seems to me the only way out. As I said before, I’m sorry.

VERNON [recovering speech]. But why did you—?

FANNY [her control gives way. She breaks out]. Oh, because I’ve been a fool. It’s the explanation of most people’s muddles, I expect, if they only knew it. Don’t talk to me, anybody. I’ve got nothing more to say. [To Bennet] I’m sorry. You wouldn’t give me a chance. I’d have met you half way. [To Mrs. Bennet] I’m sorry. Don’t be too hard on me. It won’t mean much trouble to you. Good servants don’t go begging. You can depend upon me for a character. [To Jane] You’ll do much better for yourselves elsewhere. [To Honoria] Don’t let that pretty face of yours ever get you into trouble. [To Ernest] Good-bye, Ernest. We were always pals, weren’t we? Good-bye. [She kisses him. It has all been the work of a moment. She comes down again.] Don’t think me rude, but I’d like to be alone. We can talk calmly about it all to-morrow morning. [To the Misses Wetherell] I’m so awfully sorry. I wish I could have seen any other way out. [The tears are streaming from her eyes. To Vernon] Take them all away, won’t you, dear? We’ll talk about it all to-morrow. I’ll feel gooder. [She kisses him. To Dr. Freemantle] Take them all away. Tell him it wasn’t all my fault. [To Newte] You’ll have to stop the night. There are no more trains. I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.

Bennet has collected his troop. Leads them away. Dr. Freemantle, kindly and helpful, takes off Vernon and the two ladies.

NEWTE [he grips her hand, and speaks in his short, growling way]. Good night, old girl. [He follows the others out.]

FANNY [crosses towards the windows. Her chief business is dabbing her eyes. The door closes with a click. She turns. She puts her handkerchief away. She looks at the portrait of Constance, first Lady Bantock]. I believe it’s what you’ve been telling me to do, all the time.

ACT IV

SCENE

The same. The blinds are down. Ashes fill the grate.

Time.—Early the next morning.

The door opens softly. Newte steals in. He fumbles his way across to the windows, draws the blinds. The morning sun streams in. He listens—no one seems to be stirring. He goes out, returns immediately with a butler’s tray, containing all things necessary for a breakfast and the lighting of a fire. He places the tray on table, throws his coat over a chair, and is on his knees busy lighting the fire, when enter the Misses Wetherell, clad in dressing-gowns and caps: yet still they continue to look sweet. They also creep in, hand in hand. The crouching Newte is hidden by a hanging fire-screen. They creep forward till the coat hanging over the chair catches their eye. They are staring at it as Robinson Crusoe might at the footprint, when Newte rises suddenly and turns. The Misses Wetherell give a suppressed scream, and are preparing for flight.

NEWTE [he stays them]. No call to run away, ladies. When a man’s travelled—as I have—across America, in a sleeping-car, with a comic-opera troop, there’s not much left for him to know. You want your breakfast! [He wheedles them to the table.] We’ll be able to talk cosily—before anybody else comes.

They yield themselves. He has a way with him.

THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. We haven’t slept all night.

Newte answers with a sympathetic gesture. He is busy getting ready the breakfast.

THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. There’s something we want to tell dear Vernon—before he says anything to Fanny.

THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. It’s something very important.

NEWTE. We’ll have a cup of tea first—to steady our nerves.

THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. It’s so important that we should tell him before he sees Fanny.

NEWTE. We’ll see to it. [He makes the tea.] I fancy they’re both asleep at present.

THE ELDER MISS WETHERELL. Poor boy!

THE YOUNGER MISS WETHERELL. If she only hadn’t—

Dr. Freemantle has entered.

DR. FREEMANTLE. I thought I heard somebody stirring—

NEWTE. Hush! [He indicates doors, the one leading to her ladyship’s apartments, the other to his lordship’s.]