The Climbers Part 26

WARDEN. [_To_ JESSICA.] Mason is waiting for you with the sleigh. He's going first to my house. d.i.c.k may have gone back there to hear the result of my interview with Ryder,--then Mason'll try his own house and Sterling's club.

G.o.dESBY. The _police_ are the best men to find Sterling, whatever's happened.

WARDEN. [_To_ G.o.dESBY.] You wait a minute with me; I haven't finished with you yet. [_To_ JESSICA.] I'll stay here for your sister, in case she comes.

[JESSICA _goes out Left._

G.o.dESBY. [_To_ MISS G.o.dESBY.] Don't you give in!

MISS G.o.dESBY. Not for a minute! [_To_ WARDEN.] Don't you think, under the circ.u.mstances, the wedding breakfast had better be called off, and my brother and I go back to town?

WARDEN. Not till you've given me your promise, both of you, that you will keep silent about the embezzlement of your bonds for the sake of Mrs. Sterling and her son.

MISS G.o.dESBY. [_Half laughs._] Huh!

WARDEN. For the sake of her mother, who is your friend.

[_Sleigh-bells start up loud and die off quickly;_ JESSICA _has gone._

MISS G.o.dESBY. Oh, come, you know what sort of friends we are,--for the amus.e.m.e.nt we can get out of each other. This is the case,--I trusted this man with my affairs. He was very attractive--I don't deny that; business with d.i.c.k Sterling became more or less of a pleasure--but that doesn't cut any ice with me; he's stolen my money. To put it plainly, he's a common thief, and he ought to be punished; why should he go scot free and a lot of others not? You know perfectly well his note wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on; and, anyway, if he hasn't gone and sneaked out of the world, I won't lift my little finger to keep him from the punishment he deserves!

G.o.dESBY. Good for you, Julia!

WARDEN. Don't you put your oar in, G.o.desby; just let this matter rest between your sister and me! She's always been known as the best man in your family.

G.o.dESBY. You don't choose a very conciliatory way of bringing us around!

WARDEN. I'm not choosing any way at all; I'm striking right out from the shoulder. There isn't time for beating round the bus.h.!.+ I'm pleading for the good name and honorable position of a perfectly innocent, a fine, woman, and for the reputation and unimpeded career of her son! And I make that appeal as man to man and woman!

MISS G.o.dESBY. I have nothing to do with any one in this matter but Sterling himself, who has robbed me, and I'll gladly see him suffer for it!

WARDEN. Now look here, Miss G.o.desby, you belong to a pretty tough crowd in society, but I know at heart you're not a bad sort! What good will it do you? Granted even that you don't care for Mrs. Sterling, still don't tell me you're the kind of woman to take a cruel pleasure in seeing another woman suffer! I wouldn't believe it! You're not one of those catty creatures! You're a clever woman, and I don't doubt you can be a pretty hard one, too, at times; but you're _just_--that's the point now--you're _JUST_--

MISS G.o.dESBY. [_Interrupting._] Exactly! I'm just, an eye for an eye!

Sterling is a thief, let him get the deserts of one!

[_She sits on the bench determinedly._

WARDEN. But you can't look at only one side! You can't shut your eyes to his wife's suffering, too, and she doesn't deserve it! Neither does her boy deserve to share his disgrace. [_He sits beside her._] Why, you have it in your power to handicap that boy through his whole life by publis.h.i.+ng his father a criminal; or you can give that boy a fair show to prove himself more his _mother's son_ than his father's, and to live an honest--who knows--perhaps a n.o.ble life!

MISS G.o.dESBY. I refuse to accept such a responsibility. Ryder--

WARDEN. [_Rises, interrupting her._] Ryder's word is given to be silent.

MISS G.o.dESBY. Well, that's _his_ lookout.

WARDEN. You'll have many a heart wrench, I'll bet you! You'll have to run across the results of the harm you do to Mrs. Sterling and Richard day in and day out, year after year! I don't believe you realize what it means! Why, I know _you_ can't bear to see a _dog_ suffer! I met you last week on the street carrying a mangy, crippled brute of a little dog in your arms, afraid lest he'd get into the hands of the vivisectionists, and yet here you'll let a boy and his mother--

MISS G.o.dESBY. [_Interrupts him, struggling against a tiny emotion which he has stirred._] Stop Stop! I don't want you working on my feelings that way.

[_She rises and turns from him_

WARDEN. [_Follows her._] I'm only knocking at the door of your heart.

And now because it's opened just a tiny way, you want to shut it in my face again. Will you leave this woman's name fit for her to use? _Won't_ you make that boy's life worth living to him?

MISS G.o.dESBY. [_After a moment's pause, looks straight into_ WARDEN'S _face._] I'll tell you what I'll do. Get me some security, some sort of indors.e.m.e.nt of Sterling's note--

WARDEN. If the man's only alive!

MISS G.o.dESBY. And I'll hold my tongue.

WARDEN. How long will you give me?

MISS G.o.dESBY. Oh, come, I can't have any monkey business! You must get me my security to-day.

WARDEN. To-day?

MISS G.o.dESBY. Yes.

WARDEN. But--

MISS G.o.dESBY. That's my last word.

G.o.dESBY. Stick to that, Julia!

WARDEN. I shan't try to persuade her against that. Will you leave your sister alone with me a moment. Perhaps you'll see about your sleigh being ready to return to town.

G.o.dESBY. I've no objection--if Julia wishes it.

MISS G.o.dESBY. Yes, go on, Howard!

[G.o.dESBY _goes out back of house._

WARDEN. [_Left alone with_ MISS G.o.dESBY, _goes nearer to her._] Look, here! Will you accept _my_ indors.e.m.e.nt? Will _I_ be all right?

MISS G.o.dESBY. [_Incredulously._] Certainly.

WARDEN. Then it's settled?

MISS G.o.dESBY. You don't mean it!

WARDEN. I do.

MISS G.o.dESBY. You'd be willing to lose--[_A revelation comes to her._]

Oh--for _Mrs. Sterling_! I see!

WARDEN. [_Very seriously._] I _wouldn't_. I wouldn't see.

MISS G.o.dESBY. And she's always been blackguarding me for my affairs with men! And all the time--