Her Own Way Part 28

GEORGIANA. Wait! She's built her tiara up with a breastpin and an aigrette off my winter hat, and it was all I could do to keep her from wearing the three feathers in which she was presented to the Queen in A.D. '73.

[_They all laugh good-naturedly._

COAST. Aunt Laura's a corker!

GEORGIANA. Well, no one will miss her! She'll get the Grand Duke's eye if no one else does! I tell her she'll go through the ballroom like a search-light!

COAST. Is she all dressed now?

GEORGIANA. Not yet. I'm judging by her dress rehearsal! I left her in a state of terrible indecision as to whether she should arch her eyebrows "just a little" with a burnt match!

[_All laugh again good-naturedly._

COAST. Smart old girl!

GEORGIANA. She's all the happier for being silly, and she's a good soul and does her best! What's _your_ news, Steve?

[_Turning to_ STEVEN.

STEVEN. Sam, would you mind?

[_Motions to_ COAST _to leave the room._

COAST. Oh, no! [_Rises._] See you later! I'll go and take a squint at auntie.

[_He goes out Right._

GEORGIANA. Steve, you look troubled--what's gone wrong?

[_She goes to_ STEVEN _on the sofa and sits beside him._

STEVEN. _I_ have!

GEORGIANA. How do you mean? You and Louise haven't quarrelled?

STEVEN. If it was only that!

GEORGIANA. What then?

STEVEN. I've gone wrong, I tell you, all wrong.

GEORGIANA. How? In what way, Steve?

STEVEN. Your money's lost, it's all lost.

[GEORGIANA _rises. A pause._

GEORGIANA. How do you mean?

STEVEN. And that isn't the worst of it, either. I've broken my word to you! I know I've killed your faith in me. I've lost faith in myself.

GEORGIANA. [_Still standing, very strong._] Steve!

STEVEN. I've speculated!

GEORGIANA. _No_, Steve!

STEVEN. [_Rises and goes to the mantel._] Yes, I've been speculating since the very day I said I wouldn't. I won a lot at first, and of course I thought I'd get all back; and then, of course, what I did get back was my old cursed luck!

GEORGIANA. Oh, Steve! And I believed in you so thoroughly, I never had a doubt!

STEVEN. I know it! I know it! I'm rotten all through, Georgy. [_Bursting into tears._] I'm not worth being forgiven--[_He falls on his knees, in a paroxysm of sobs and tears._] I'm _rotten_! Oh--I'm rotten--

[_He sobs uncontrollably._

[GEORGIANA _watches him a little while in silence. Then she goes to him and puts her hand on his shoulder._

GEORGIANA. Steve!

STEVEN. [_Sobbing._] Yes!

GEORGIANA. I forgive you!

STEVEN. No! No!

GEORGIANA. And I'll trust you again if I have a chance.

STEVEN. [_Looking up._] Georgy, what do you mean?

[_Beginning to control his sobs._

GEORGIANA. I mean, though it's been a pretty big blow, my faith in you isn't altogether gone yet.

STEVEN. Oh, I can't bear it! I can't bear it! But you don't mean it! No, you can't mean it! How could you? Forgive me? Trust me again? No, no!

You couldn't--it's all over! I've thrown away my own money first, then my wife's and her mother's--that ought to have been enough,--but I had to go and break my word of honor to you, and lose every penny of yours!

There's no excuse for me, nor reason to forgive.

GEORGIANA. [_After a moment, very quietly, with her eyes filling._]

There's _love_, Steve!

STEVEN. Not for a man like me. I'm not worth it. [_He rises._] Not deserving it! There's only one thing for such as me, and that is to end it all with a bullet.

GEORGIANA. Now you're talking wildly!

STEVEN. [_In a lowered voice._] No, Georgy, I mean it! It's better for all of you to have me out of the way; I tried to do it to-day--only, _I was afraid_!

GEORGIANA. That would be worse than anything you have done yet. That I would never forgive--anything but that!

[_She goes to him._