(_A Story in Scenes._)
SCENE XVII.--_The Drawing-room at Hornbeam Lodge._ CURPHEW _and_
ALTHEA _are standing at some distance from one another, in evident
constraint_.
_Curphew (sadly)._ It's only what I expected, and yet--tell me
this--is it entirely because of--of what you saw at the Eldorado last
Saturday?
_Althea._ Ah, you _know_, then! but what does it matter now? I was
mistaken--isn't that enough?
_Curph._ Don't judge me by what you saw of WALTER WILDFIRE. I can do
better things than that. I can make you forget _him_--forget that he
ever existed, if only you will trust me!
_Alth. (indignantly)._ Do you really suppose that he--that I--oh, it's
_too_ insulting! And you will do no good by disparaging _him_. The man
who could write those songs, and sing them like that----
_Curph. (wincing)._ Don't! I know how they must have struck you. I
would have prepared you, if I could. I _did_ try--that afternoon at
the station, but I was interrupted. And now it's too late, and the
harm's done. But at least you will never see WALTER WILDFIRE again!
_Alth. (exasperated)._ Have I ever said that I _wanted_ to? Why will
you persist in talking as if----? Once for all, I _can't_ care for
you; whatever I may have thought once, I know now that I can have no
sympathy with the sort of life you lead; the pleasures you are content
with would not satisfy me; I should want more than you could ever give
me. We should have nothing in common--nothing----There, _now_ do you
understand?
_Curph._ Yes, I think I do. I suppose it's natural, and yet--don't
think too hardly of me if you can help it. I might have chosen a
higher walk than I did, but at least I've kept out of the mire, and
now at last I see my way to----But that wouldn't interest you. There,
I had better say good-bye: you won't refuse to give me your hand at
parting, will you?
[_As he takes her hand_, Mrs. TOOVEY _enters with_ CHARLES,
_and stands transfixed._
_Mrs. Toovey._ ALTHEA, don't tell me I'm too late! You have not
accepted that man?
_Curph._ (_releasing_ ALTHEA'S _hand_). On the contrary, I have just
had my dismissal, Mrs. TOOVEY; we were merely saying good-bye.
_Mrs. Toov._ Thank Heaven! But I knew I could trust _my_ daughter
to detect instinctively the designing serpent in wolf's
clothing--(_correcting herself angrily_)--the sheep in dove's plumage,
I _should_ say.
_Charles (sotto voce)._ Similes are cheap to-day!
_Mrs. Toov. (more angrily still)._ Well, _I_ know what I mean, and so
does he! (Mr. TOOVEY _enters_.) And how a person with Mr. CURPHEW'S
antecedents could ever have the face to thrust himself into such a
household as this----
_Mr. Toov. (coming forward)._ CORNELIA, my love! Such language to our
dear young friend! Surely, surely, there must be some sad mistake!
_Mrs. Toov._ There has been indeed, Pa, and so you will say when you
hear who and what he really is!
_Curph._ Mr. TOOVEY has been quite aware of it for the last week, and
was kind enough to say he saw no insuperable objection.
_Mrs. Toov._ Pa, is this true? You knew who Mr. CURPHEW was and never
told me!
_Mr Toov._ My dear, I've no more notion who he is, if he's not Mr.
CURPHEW, than a babe un----
_Curph._ But surely, Sir, you forget our conversation at Clapham
Junction this day week? You certainly knew everything _then_. I
thought your nephew had probably----
_Charles._ I'd no idea of it myself till last Saturday, so it couldn't
have been _me_!
_Alth. (impatiently)._ No idea of _what_? Who _is_ Mr. CURPHEW, Papa?
_Curph. (to her, in astonishment)._ But you know! surely you know?
What else have we been talking about?
_Mr. Toov. (helplessly)._ I think we might try to be a little more
clear, all of us. I do indeed. I'm in a perfect fog myself.
_Mrs. Toov._ Then, Pa, let me inform you that you have been
encouraging the acquaintance of a person who gains his living by
singing ribald songs at music-halls under the name of WALTER WILDFIRE!
_Alth. (to herself)._ WALTER WILDFIRE! Then it was----Oh, if I had
known!
_Mr. Toov._ A--a music-hall singer! He! Oh, dear, _dear_ me; _how_ one
may be deceived in people!
_Curph._ Really, Sir, this can hardly be news to you, when you allowed
me to send you a box for the Eldorado for the express purpose of----
_Mrs. Toov._ Don't deny you were sent the box, Pa, because I know
better. The question is--what you wanted one at all for?
_Mr. Toov. (to himself)._ There's no occasion to say anything about
those shares now! (_Aloud._) To be sure. I _was_ sent a ticket, my
love; I could not help that, but (_drawing himself up_) it was not
likely that I should compromise myself by visiting such a place, even
from the best of motives, and I did not use the ticket myself, though
I believe some other person did.
_Mrs. Toov. (in some distress)._ Well, well, never mind that now, Pa.
What _you_ have to do is to ask this Mr. WILDFIRE to oblige us all by
walking out of this house--for ever.
_Curph._ I should not have stayed so long as this, only I hoped that
Mr. TOOVEY at least would have done me the justice---- However, I've
nothing to keep me here any longer now.
[_He moves towards the door._
_Alth. (coming forward and intercepting him)._ Yes, you have--you've
_me_. Oh, do you think I'll let you go like this--now I _know_? Can't
you understand what a difference it makes?
[_She clings to his arm._
[Illustration: "Can't you understand what a difference it makes?"]
_Charles._ Bravo, THEA! I always knew you were a sensible girl!
_Curph. (utterly bewildered)._ Then you weren't--you don't----? I
wonder if I can be awake!
_Mrs. Toov._ ALTHEA, if you had the remotest conception of what a
music-hall singer _is_, you would never----
_Alth._ I know what Mr. CURPHEW is, Mamma. He is a great artist, a
genius; he can hold a mixed crowd of careless people spell-bound
while he sings, make them laugh, cry, shudder, just as he chooses,
and whatever he does is all so natural and human and real, and--oh, I
can't put it into proper words, but one goes away thinking better of
the whole world after it--and to hear him treated as if he were some
outcast--oh, I can't bear it!
[_She breaks down._
_Curph. (to himself)._ I don't care what happens now. They can't take
_this_ away!
_Mrs. Toov._ Upon my word! And pray where did you learn all this about
Mr. WILDFIRE'S performances?
_Alth. (boldly)._ Where, Mamma? Why, at the Eldorado, last Saturday
evening.
[_Sudden collapse of_ Mrs. TOOVEY.
_Mr. Toov. (electrified)._ A daughter of mine at the Eldorado! THEA,
my child, you _can't_ know what you are talking about; look at the
effect on your poor mother!
_Alth. (desperately)._ But indeed, Papa, there was no harm in it, I
went with the MERRIDEWS. And--and I may be mistaken, of course, but
I--I thought I saw _Mamma_ there too!
[_Sensation._
_Charles._ Oh, I say, THEA; aren't you coming it _rather_ strong? Aunt
at the Eldorado! Why, Aunt thought _Uncle_ was there!
_Mr. Toov._ CORNELIA, my love, don't pay any attention to her; the
child must be stark staring mad to say such things. It's bad enough
that _she_ should have gone; but to think of _you_ in such a scene!
(_To_ ALTHEA.) Why, it was that very Saturday evening that your dear
mother went to the Zenana Meeting at Mrs. CUMBERBATCH'S--yes, to be
sure. (_To_ Mrs. T.) You remember, my dear, how you came home so
late, in a cab the driver had been smoking in, and how the moment you
entered the room I----
_Mrs. Toov. (hastily)._ My dear THEOPHILUS, I remember the
circumstances perfectly, but I should not condescend to answer so
preposterous a charge; especially when it is my own daughter who
brings it!
_Alth._ (_in distress_). But indeed I don't Mamma. I only fancied
it _might_ have been you, and of course, if you were at the
CUMBERBATCHES----
_Mrs. Toov._ (_to herself_). I must put a stop to this once and for
all. (_Aloud_.) _If_ I was at the CUMBERBATCHES! When your father
has just _told_ you I was there--really, ALTHEA! Did I hear wheels
outside? Just look, Pa. I haven't seen my spectacles since Saturday.
_Mr. Toov._ (_at the window_). Why, really, my love, it does seem to
be a carriage, indeed. I wonder who can be calling at such a----Now,
it's quite a coincidence, truly--it's dear Mrs. CUMBERBATCH! I hope
she'll come in, because I really think it's a duty to warn her against
employing that particular cabman again. A driver who permits himself
to smoke inside his own vehicle to that extent----
[Mrs. TOOVEY _makes ineffectual efforts to speak_.
_Alth._ (_in a whisper, to_ CURPHEW). Do look at Mamma! You don't
think she could really----?
_Curph._ I don't know what to think yet; but we shall all know in a
very few seconds now.
[_The hall-door is heard to open; Mrs. TOOVEY attempts to
rise, but has to remain in her seat, dumb and paralysed_.