Her Own Way Part 26

COAST. _Coleman_ thinks you'll have me!

GEORGIANA. He couldn't! Why should he?

COAST. He congratulated me, when he was here just now!

GEORGIANA. For what?

COAST. For you!

GEORGIANA. Oh! [_Laughing hysterically._] That's what he meant by his happy marriage--

[_Laughing and crying._

COAST. If he mentioned marriage, that's what he meant.

GEORGIANA. But didn't you tell him he was wrong?

COAST. No.

GEORGIANA. But why not?

COAST. I wanted him to think it!

GEORGIANA. But it was wrong of you--it can never be true, and I don't want him to go away believing it. [_Music of a military band is heard in the distance._] Here they come! [_Going to the balcony, he follows._]

No, please don't come out with me! Sam--I don't want him to see me standing there with you. [SAM _starts towards_ GEORGIANA.] Let me go out on the balcony _alone_, Sam! Please, alone!

[_He looks at her a moment and then deliberately goes past her out on to the balcony._

MRS. CARLEY. [_Hurrying in from the Right._] They're coming! I've told the children.

[_She goes out on balcony. The children run in._

ALL THE CHILDREN. The soldiers are coming! Auntie, the soldiers are coming!

[_They rush out on the balcony._

COAST. [_In the window, picking up_ PHIL _in his arms._] Come on, Georgy. What does it matter?

GEORGIANA. That's true, go on! What does it matter, it's good-by!

[COAST _goes on the balcony._ MRS. CARLEY, _on balcony, calls, "Here comes_ d.i.c.k!" GEORGIANA _hesitates and then goes close to the window.

She stands in a chair so as to see over the others' heads, hidden behind the curtain of the half-open window, and watches. The music is louder as they pa.s.s under the balcony; a flag is seen almost on level with the balcony floor. Those on the balcony wave and shout, and shouts are heard in the street._ GEORGIANA _stands still, wiping the tears from her eyes every moment with a tiny wad of a handkerchief, and as the music pa.s.ses, growing less loud,_

THE CURTAIN FALLS

ACT III

_Eight months later._ GEORGIANA'S _room, an octagonal room with dark panel walnut woodwork and panels of yellow brocade, with furniture to match. All in the simplest style of Louis XV. There is a fireplace on the Left, and doors Right and Left. Two windows at the back. At right of the Centre is a very large dressing table covered with ma.s.sive silver toilet articles, a big mirror, candelabra, etc., and a silver-framed, photograph of_ d.i.c.k COLEMAN. _There is a low bench before the table, tables and chairs about the room, and a most comfortable, roomy sofa, on the Left, piled with embroidered pillows. It is after seven and the lamps are lit._ STEVEN _enters from Left and sits on the sofa. He is haggard, his clothes mussed, his linen rumpled and soiled. He is painfully nervous and agitated; he cannot keep still; as soon as he sits down he gets up; he goes from one place in the room to another, taking up a picture without looking at it, sitting down and getting up again.

Twice he half whispers, half groans, "Good G.o.d!" He takes out a pistol from his pocket, looks at it, and puts it away again as_ LIZZIE _enters Right._

LIZZIE. Miss Carley says she'll be in as soon as she can.

STEVEN. [_Rising and going to the dressing table._] Is she dressing for the ball now?

LIZZIE. No, sir, she's wearing a tea gown for dinner; it'll be a grand sight, the ball, sir!

STEVEN. I suppose so.

LIZZIE. Pity _we_ couldn't 'ave got the Grand Duke here, sir, to dinner.

STEVEN. [_Moving about._] We couldn't afford to entertain a Russian prince, Lizzie,--don't tell your mistress,--but I've been speculating again and we're hard up.

LIZZIE. Oh, I am so sorry, sir--I know how to sympathize with you, though we did get our money back! Perhaps you'll get yours.

STEVEN. How about you and Moles?

[_Comes to_ LIZZIE.

LIZZIE. Well, sir, last Tuesday we counted up, we're about two years off, or fourteen hundred dollars distance, so to speak. We've calculated then we could marry and settle down if we'd be satisfied with two rooms and no children.

[_There is a knock on door Left._ Yes? [_Going to the door, opens it._]

Oh, come in, sir. [_Moves away._] Mr. Carley is here.

COAST. [_Entering._] Where's Miss Georgiana?

LIZZIE. She's dressing, sir. She'll be down in five or ten minutes.

[_Goes out Right._

COAST. How are you?

[_The two men nod a surly greeting._

STEVEN. I've been looking for you all afternoon!

COAST. Didn't you know I was coming here and going with your folks to the ball?

STEVEN. I forgot!

[_After a pause, both men look at each other._