Quality Street Part 19

MISS WILLOUGHBY (_with a sigh_). I thought as little of the lady I refer to, but he thought otherwise.

PHOEBE. Indeed, Miss Willoughby, you wrong me.

(_But_ MISS WILLOUGHBY _does not entirely believe her, and there is a pause, so long a pause that unfortunately_ MISS SUSAN _thinks she has left the house._)

MISS SUSAN (_peeping in_). Is she gone?

MISS WILLOUGHBY (_hurt_). No, Susan, but I am going.

MISS SUSAN (_distressed_). Mary!

(_She follows her out, but_ MISS WILLOUGHBY _will not be comforted, and there is a coldness between them for the rest of the day_. MISS SUSAN _is not so abashed as she ought to be. She returns, and partakes with avidity of the arrowroot._)

MISS SUSAN. Phoebe, I am well aware that this is wrong of me, but Mary's arrowroot is so delicious. The ladies'-fingers and petticoat-tails those officers sent to Livvy, I ate them also! (_Once on a time this would have amused_ MISS PHOEBE, _but her sense of humour has gone. She is crying._) Phoebe, if you have such remorse you will weep yourself to death.

PHOEBE. Oh, sister, were it not for you, how gladly would I go into a decline.

MISS SUSAN (_after she has soothed_ PHOEBE _a little_). My dear, what is to be done about her? We cannot have her supposed to be here for ever.

PHOEBE. We had to pretend that she was ill to keep her out of sight; and now we cannot say she has gone away, for the Miss Willoughby's windows command our door, and they are always watching.

MISS SUSAN (_peeping from the window_). I see f.a.n.n.y watching now. I feel, Phoebe, as if Livvy really existed.

PHOEBE (_mournfully_). We shall never be able to esteem ourselves again.

MISS SUSAN (_who has in her the makings of a desperate criminal_).

Phoebe, why not marry him? If only we could make him think that Livvy had gone home. Then he need never know.

PHOEBE. Susan, you pain me. She who marries without telling all--hers must ever be a false face. They are his own words.

(PATTY _enters importantly._)

PATTY. Captain Brown.

PHOEBE (_starting up_). I wrote to him, begging him not to come.

MISS SUSAN (_quickly_). Patty, I am sorry we are out.

(_But_ VALENTINE _has entered in time to hear her words._)

VALENTINE (_not unmindful that this is the room in which he is esteemed a wit_). I regret that they are out, Patty, but I will await their return. (_The astonis.h.i.+ng man sits on the ottoman beside_ MISS SUSAN, _but politely ignores her presence._) It is not my wish to detain you, Patty.

(PATTY _goes reluctantly, and the sisters think how like him, and how delightful it would be if they were still the patterns of propriety he considers them._)

PHOEBE (_bravely_). Captain Brown.

VALENTINE (_rising_). You, Miss Phoebe. I hear Miss Livvy is indisposed?

PHOEBE. She is--very poorly.

VALENTINE. But it is not that unpleasant girl I have come to see, it is you.

MISS SUSAN (_meekly_). How do you do?

VALENTINE (_ignoring her_). And I am happy, Miss Phoebe, to find you alone.

MISS SUSAN (_appealingly_). How do you do, sir?

PHOEBE. You know quite well, sir, that Susan is here.

VALENTINE. Nay, ma'am, excuse me. I heard Miss Susan say she was gone out. Miss Susan is incapable of prevarication.

MISS SUSAN (_rising--helpless_). What am I to do?

PHOEBE. Don't go, Susan--'tis what he wants.

VALENTINE. I have her word that she is not present.

MISS SUSAN. Oh dear.

VALENTINE. My faith in Miss Susan is absolute. (_At this she retires into the bedroom, and immediately his manner changes. He takes_ MISS PHOEBE'S _hands into his own kind ones._) You coward, Miss Phoebe, to be afraid of Valentine Brown.

PHOEBE. I wrote and begged you not to come.

VALENTINE. You implied as a lover, Miss Phoebe, but surely always as a friend.

PHOEBE. Oh yes, yes.

VALENTINE. You told Miss Livvy that you loved me once. How carefully you hid it from me!

PHOEBE (_more firmly_). A woman must never tell. You went away to the great battles. I was left to fight in a little one. Women have a flag to fly, Mr. Brown, as well as men, and old maids have a flag as well as women. I tried to keep mine flying.

VALENTINE. But you ceased to care for me. (_Tenderly._) I dare ask your love no more, but I still ask you to put yourself into my keeping.

Miss Phoebe, let me take care of you.

PHOEBE. It cannot be.

VALENTINE. This weary teaching! Let me close your school.

PHOEBE. Please, sir.

VALENTINE. If not for your own sake, I ask you, Miss Phoebe, to do it for mine. In memory of the thoughtless recruit who went off laughing to the wars. They say ladies cannot quite forget the man who has used them ill; Miss Phoebe, do it for me because I used you ill.

PHOEBE. I beg you--no more.

VALENTINE (_manfully_). There, it is all ended. Miss Phoebe, here is my hand on it.

PHOEBE. What will you do now?