HALL, SARAH MUNN, and other Women._
SARAH. What young thing is that they have just brought in? She looks
as if she thought we were wild tigers from a caravan.
CATHARINE. She's a proud little minx; see how she holds up her head,
and looks about, with her old brown rags on. For all she has such fine
ways, I'll warrant you she is no better than the rest of us. I'll have
a talk with her.
SARAH. Let her alone. Don't go; she's better than we, and shall be
left so.
CATHARINE. Hands off. Do you think I'm going to be cheated of my
sport? You had better turn minister. You look as grand as a
judge. We'll teach her what kind of company she has fallen into. Come
along; you haven't had any too much amusement to-day.
SARAH. Well.
CATHARINE. Come, child, tell us all about it; what are you in here
for?
EDITH. I have done nothing.
CATHARINE. Arson, perhaps; that's my
go.
EDITH. What is arson?
CATHARINE. What innocence! You never set a barn on fire, did you, my
pretty one?
SARAH. Only a fence, Catharine, you know.
CATHARINE. You never stole a watch, or picked a pocket, or took a
drink or two. O, no! How very young we are! Well, stay with us a
while, and you'll soon be old. We can give you the best instructors.
EDWARD, (_entering._) Where is she? Here, among these women!
Edith, look up. I have come to take you home.
EDITH. Home! O Edward, I have heard such things!
EDWARD. Never mind the things; come quick as you can. Mother is in the
greatest distress.
EDITH. Is Lisa there?
EDWARD. No, we sent her off, fast enough. I met her in the road
looking for the jail and her mother.
EDITH. And you showed her the way?
EDWARD. No, I left her there; I was in haste to find you. I would not
have any one know you are here for the world; the whole village would
be talking about it to-morrow.
EDITH. Edward, I will not stir from this place until you bring Lisa
here. If you knew to what dangers she is exposed, you would not have
left her.
EDWARD. Are the bears coming to eat her? What dangers are you talking
about?
EDITH. I cannot tell you now. Go--will you not? and bring her. She
must not be left with these wretched people; she must not be taught to
be wicked. She must go, with us, and be taken care of.
EDWARD. But let me carry you home first.
EDITH. No, Edward; I will not go until Lisa goes with me.
EDWARD. How obstinate you have become, all of a sudden! But I suppose
I must go; I shall find her somewhere, crying, in the road. Hide
yourself away; pray do not let any one see you. (_Goes out._)
EDITH. Hide! I should like to hide a thousand miles under the
ground. Is this the beautiful world I have dreamed so much about? It
cannot be--such things cannot be true! Yes, I see them written on the
faces of these women--how dreadful they are! O, what can we do?
SARAH. How could you talk to her so, Catharine? See how you have made
her feel.
CATHARINE. She'll get used to it soon; that's the way with us all at
first. She'll harden to it.
SARAH. It makes me almost cry to see her. Poor child! It was just so
with me once; but that's all over now.
EDITH. You are not so bad as you seem. There is something good in
you.
SARAH. Once there was.
EDITH. And is now. I am sure you would be good if you could come out,
and live where people would love you, and be kind to you.
SARAH. That can never be.
EDITH. O, yes. You shall come and let me take care of you; I am not so
poor as I seem. My mother is rich, and you shall come and live in one
of her houses, and have books to read, and a little garden, and every
thing pleasant.
SARAH. Your mother will never let me come. She will tell you, you must
not speak to me, and send me away if I go near her.
EDITH. No, she will not. I will tell her the temptations you are led
into; she knows nothing about it now. When she does, she will do all
she can for you.
SARAH. O, if it might be so!
EDITH. And you too; I can forgive you, although you have made me so
unhappy. I do not believe you are entirely wicked.
CATHARINE. I am wicked enough. Let me alone.
EDITH. But have you no one in the world who loves you--no mother, no
sister, or brother?
CATHARINE. I have a child. I shall never see her again!
EDITH. Never see her again! Why not?
CATHARINE. I sent her away from me; I do not want her to lead the life
I lead.
EDITH. But if you could lead a good life,--if she could be with you
all day, and love you, and sleep all night with her little arms round
you,--then should you not be happy?
CATHARINE. And scorn me, and jeer at me, as all the others do.
EDITH. But she will not; she will call you her own mother, and love
you dearly. You will become good, and she will never know you have
done wrong. Will you not come?
CATHARINE. O, yes, I will, I will!
_Enter LISA and EDWARD._
EDITH. I am so glad you are found, Lisa; now you shall go home with
me.
LISA. O, no; my mother is in prison; I must go to her--she'll want me
so much. Do let me go.
EDITH. Edward, we must carry her there before we go home.
EDWARD. It will be useless; we cannot get into the jail at this hour
of the evening.
EDITH. To-morrow, Lisa, early in the morning.
LISA. It is so long till then!
EDITH. Tell me your names before I go. “Catharine Hall.” “Sarah
Munn.” “You will not forget.”
CATHARINE. And my child--you will not forget her.
EDITH. I will remember you all, and come to-morrow. Good night.
_She holds out her hand; CATHARINE draws back, then
takes it. SARAH kisses it._