Fires of St. John Part 53

[_Calling for help_.] Mine daughter! Mine Mamie! My Mamie!!

Marie.

Hear? Hear? _My mother_! They are taking her away--to prison! s.h.!.+ Be still! No, no; don't open the door! Be quiet! Be quiet!

Gypsy.

[_Not as loud as before_.] Oh, mine daughter! My Mamie--my Mamie----!

[_Dying out_.]

George.

Will you not go out to her, no matter what she has done?

Marie.

How can I? How can I? I am afraid--afraid----

George.

Then shall I go?

Marie.

[_Frightened_.] No, no; don't leave me!! s.h.!.+ Be quiet! So, quiet! Now they have gone! Thank heaven! [_Again wailing, but very distant_.]

Hear? Hear? Let her shriek! Let her call! I cannot help her! I am a thief, the same as she. I, too, have come to this house, and I have stolen. But oh, my G.o.d, what have I stolen? What have I stolen?

George.

Come, Marie, control yourself! Think of what we have before us!

Marie.

Yes, yes--I'll be quiet! What have we before us? No, no; I will not--I cannot--I----

George.

Do you mean to----

Brauer.

[_In door_.] Did you hear anything, children? Any noise?

George.

We heard screams and a scuffle. What was the matter?

Brauer.

Oh, nothing of any consequence. Don't mind it. An old vagabond of a woman, that's all. I have only to sign the papers now, then I'll be back. [_Exit_.]

George.

_Marie_!

Marie.

Hush, not a word, not a word! She out there must go her way, and I must go mine!

George.

What do you mean?

Marie.

You said it yourself. 'Tis madness! Yes, yes; 'tis madness!

_All_--_all_! What we do--what we desire--all--all!

George.

Marie!

Marie.

Or do you imagine for one moment we could be happy together? No, I know you too well. I know the certain result. You would never forgive yourself nor me, and in the end life would become a burden to me, if only because I was in your way. Yes, yes, that would be the end of it all----

George.

_Marie_, I will be faithful to you forever, let come what may, be it good or bad; you know that!

Marie.

Yes, thank G.o.d!--yes!

George.

If there was only the slightest possibility of a chance to escape from all this whirl--then we might be free, we might---- But no matter what we begin, we cannot shake off nor disregard our obligations to this house; never, as long as we live!

Marie.

Therefore, what more can you desire? Everything on earth we possess, all that was beautiful, all the love, all--all, we gave to each other.

There is nothing more to give, for either one of us. St. John's night is past, the fires are out, are dead----

George.

And what shall become of us?

Marie.