Mr. Pim Passes By Part 11

GEORGE. I only propose to ask him one question. I shall ask him if he is absolutely certain of this fellow's name. I can do that quite easily without letting him know the reason for my inquiry.

OLIVIA. You couldn't make a mistake about a name like Telworthy. But he might tell us something about Telworthy's plans. Perhaps he's going back to Australia at once. Perhaps he thinks I'm dead, too. Perhaps--oh, there are so many things I want to know.

GEORGE. Yes, yes, dear. It would be interesting to--that is, one naturally wants to know these things, but of course it doesn't make any real difference.

OLIVIA (_surprised_). No difference?

GEORGE (_rising and coming down to back of settee_ L.). Well, that is to say, you're as much his wife if he's in Australia as you are if he's in England.

OLIVIA. I am not his wife at all. (_Shaking her head_.) Jacob Telworthy may be alive, but I am not his wife. I ceased to be his wife when I became yours.

GEORGE. You never _were_ my wife. (_Annoyed and crossing to_ R. _and back again to_ L.C.) That is the terrible part of it. Our union--you make me say it, Olivia--has been unhallowed by the Church. Unhallowed even by the Law. Legally, we have been living in--living in--well, the point is, how does the Law stand? I imagine that Telworthy could get a--a divorce....

Oh, it seems impossible that things like this can be happening to _us_.

(_Going up_ C.)

OLIVIA. A divorce?

GEORGE. I--I imagine so.

OLIVIA. But then we could _really_ get married, and we shouldn't be living in--living in--whatever we were living in before.

GEORGE (_coming down to_ R. _of table_ L.C.). I can't understand you, Olivia. You talk about it so calmly, as if there was nothing blameworthy in being divorced.

OLIVIA. Yes, but----

GEORGE. As if there was nothing unusual in my marrying a divorced woman.

OLIVIA. Yes, but----

GEORGE. As if there was nothing wrong in our having lived together for years without having been married.

OLIVIA (_placing her hands on table_). What seems wrong to me is that I lived for five years with a bad man whom I hated. What seems right to me is that I lived for five years with a good man whom I love.

GEORGE (_taking and patting her hands affectionately_). Yes, yes, my dear, I know. (_Drops her hands and moves to_ C.) But right and wrong don't settle themselves as easily as that. We've been living together when you were Telworthy's wife. That's _wrong_.

OLIVIA. Do you mean wicked?

GEORGE. Well, no doubt the Court would consider that we acted in perfect innocence----

OLIVIA. What Court?

GEORGE. Well, you see, my dear, these things have to be done legally, of course. (_Moving to_ R. _to settee, thinking it out_.) I believe the proper method is a nullity suit, declaring our marriage null and--er-- void. It would, so to speak, wipe out these years of--er---(_Moving back to_ C.)

OLIVIA. Wickedness?

GEORGE. Of irregular union, and-er--then----

OLIVIA. Then I could go back to Jacob.... Do you really mean that, George?

GEORGE (_uneasily_). Well, dear, you see-that's how things are--one can't get away from--er------

OLIVIA. What you feel is that Telworthy has the greater claim? You are prepared to--make way for him?

GEORGE. Both the Church and the Law would say that I had no claim at all, I'm afraid. I--I suppose I haven't.

OLIVIA. I see. (_She looks at him curiously_.) Thank you for making it so clear, George.

GEORGE. Of course, whether or not you go back to--er--Telworthy is another matter altogether. (_Crossing to fireplace_.) That would naturally be for you to decide.

OLIVIA (_cheerfully_). For me and Jacko to decide.

GEORGE. Er--Jacko?

OLIVIA. I used to call my first husband--I mean my only husband--Jacko. I didn't like the name of Jacob, and Jacko seemed to suit him somehow.

(_Enjoying the joke_.) He had very long arms. (GEORGE _is very annoyed_.) Poor Jacko.

GEORGE (_annoyed_). You don't seem to realize that this is not a joke, Olivia.

OLIVIA (_still amused_). It may not be a joke, but it is funny, isn't it?

GEORGE. I must say I don't see anything funny in a tragedy that has wrecked two lives.

OLIVIA. Two? Oh, but Jacko's life isn't wrecked. It has just been miraculously restored to him. And a wife, too. There's nothing tragic for Jacko in it.

GEORGE (_stiffly_). I was referring to _our_ two lives--yours and mine.

OLIVIA. Yours, George? Your life isn't wrecked. The Court will absolve you of all blame; your friends will sympathize with you, and tell you that I was a designing woman who deliberately took you in; your Aunt Julia--

GEORGE (_overwrought_). Stop it! (_Crossing over to her_.) What do you mean? Have you no heart? (OLIVIA _gives a little hurt cry_.) Do you think I _want_ to lose you, Olivia? (_Sits on her_ L.) Do you think I _want_ my home broken up like this? Haven't you been happy with me these last five years?

OLIVIA. Very happy.

GEORGE. Well then, how can you talk like that?

OLIVIA. But you want to send me away,

GEORGE. There you go again. I don't _want_ to. I have hardly had time to realize just what it will mean to me when you go. The fact is I simply daren't realize it. I daren't think about it.

OLIVIA. Try thinking about it, George.

GEORGE. And you talk as if I _wanted_ to send you away!

OLIVIA. Try thinking about it, George.

GEORGE. You don't seem to understand that I'm not _sending_ you away. You simply aren't mine to keep.

OLIVIA. Whose am I?