Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1960 page)

Enter
CRAYFORD.

Cray.
Did I hear you call me? Good Heaven, Wardour, how pale you are! Has anything happened?

Ward.
(
hastily folding a handkerchief round his left hand
). I hurt myself with the axe. It’s nothing — never mind. Pain has always a curious effect on me. I tell you it’s nothing — don’t notice. Where’s Aldersley? He’s a good fellow, isn’t he? You know him well — the sort of fellow the women take to — likely to get on with them? Man alive! how you stare at me! Where’s Aldersley?

Frank
(
entering
). Here! Who wants him? I wish he was in better marching order.

Ward.
(
taking him abruptly by the arm
). Not strong, eh? You don’t look it. I didn’t speak civilly to you when you were casting the dice. I apologise. Shake hands. Come on! Not strong, eh? The dice had better have sent me away, and kept you here. I never felt in better condition in my life. We men of Kent are made of tough material.

Frank.
You come from Kent?

Ward.
From East Kent. Do you know that part of the country?

Frank.
I ought to know something about East Kent. Some dear friends of mine once lived there.

Ward.
Ah? One of the county families, I suppose? (
Suddenly to
CRAYFORD.) Why do you still stare at me so?

Cray.
Why are you still looking unlike yourself?

Ward.
(
to
FRANK). One of the county families, of course. The Witherbys of Yew Grange, I dare say?

Frank.
No; but friends of the Witherbys, very likely. The Burnhams.

Ward.
(
turning aside suddenly, lets the handkerchief drop from his hand, which he presses convulsively over his heart
). Quiet! quiet!

Cray.
(
picking up the handkerchief, and offering it significantly to
WARDOUR). You have dropped your bandage. Strange —

Ward.
(
fiercely
). What’s strange?

Cray.
That there should be no blood on it.

Ward.
(
snatching it away
). Next time you see it, there may be a stain or two. (
To
FRANK.) So you know the Burnhams? What became of Clara when her mother married again?

Frank
(
haughtily
). Clara! What authorises you to speak of the young lady in that familiar way?

Ward.
What right have you to ask me?

Frank
(
aside
). Why should I mind mentioning it? (
To
WARDOUR.) Right?

Ward.
Yes. Right?

Frank.
The right of being engaged to marry her.

(WARDOUR,
turning away again, his left hand slips down to a knife which he wears round his waist.
)

Cray.
(
standing on that side, observes it
). You forget (
seizing his hand
) that your hand is hurt.

Ward.
(
to
FRANK,
with overstrained politeness
). Impossible to dispute such a right as yours. Perhaps you will excuse me, when you know that I am one of Miss Burnham’s old friends. My father and her father were neighbours. We have always met like brother and sister.

Frank
(
warmly
). Say no more. I was in the wrong. Pray forgive me!

Ward.
Is she very fond of you?

Frank.
What a question! Make one at our wedding when we get back to England, and judge for yourself.

Ward.
(
aside
). Make one at your wedding? (
A knock at the door. It opens, and
CAPTAIN HELDING
enters.
) Yes! — if you can walk to it out of your grave.

(
The Men of the exploring party appear outside.
)

Capt. H.
We are ready.

Frank.
And I am ready. I go!

(
Throwing his snow-shoes over his shoulder.
)

Ward.
(
aside
). And I stay? Stay, when the day of reckoning is come? Stay, when I have him at last?

Capt. H.
(
to
CRAYFORD). I have a casualty to report, which diminishes our numbers by one. (WARDOUR
starts, and listens anxiously.
) My second lieutenant, who was to have joined the exploring party, has had a fall on the ice, and, I fear, has broken his leg.

Ward.
I will supply his place.

Cray.
(
looking alternately at
WARDOUR
and
FRANK). No! Not you.

Ward.
Why not?

Capt. H.
Why not, indeed? Wardour is the very man to be useful on a long march. I was thinking of him myself. He is the healthiest of the party.

Cray.
He has no right to volunteer. We settled that chance should decide who was to go and who was to stay.

Ward.
And chance
has
decided it. Do you think we are going to cast the dice again, and give an officer of the Sea-Mew a chance of replacing an officer of the Wanderer? There is a vacancy in our party, not in yours, and we claim the right of filling it as we please. I volunteer, and my captain backs me. Whose authority is to keep me here, after that? (
Calling.
) Give me my gun there! Where is that man? Give me my gun!

Capt. H.
He is right, Crayford. The missing man belongs to my hut, and, in common justice, one of my officers ought to supply his place.

CAPTAIN HELDING
takes leave of the Officers.
JOHN WANT
gives the “Go” party bottles, &c., out of the box. The two parties of Men take leave of each other. The “Stay” party give three cheers. The “Go” party respond. Two Men at the sledge.
)

Cray.
No hope that way. (
Turns to
FRANK.) Frank! Frank!

Frank.
Yes. What is it?

Cray.
Take the advice of an old friend, who wishes you well.

Ward.
Let him alone! Let him alone!

Cray.
Frank, don’t risk hardships you are unfit to bear.

Ward.
Let him alone!

Cray.
(
with great earnestness
). Frank, you feel yourself, how weak illness has left you, and how unfit you are to brave exposure to cold, and long marches over the snow.

Ward.
(
suddenly taking
CRAYFORD
by the throat
). What do you mean? Leave him to his choice?

(CRAYFORD
catches
WARDOUR’S
hand quietly in both of his.
FRANK
interposes between them from behind.
CRAYFORD,
releasing one of his hands, puts
FRANK
away with the other, all the time looking steadily in
WARDOUR’S
face.
)

Cray.
I said to you, Wardour, a little while ago, there are times when a man is to be pitied. I pity you now. Take your hand away.

Ward.
(
releasing him
). I beg your pardon.

Frank.
Spoken like a brave man! Come along!

Ward.
Bring me my gun there! (BATESON
brings it.
) Come then! Come, over the snow and the ice! Come, over the road that no human footsteps have ever trodden, and where no human trace is ever left!

(
Loads his gun, and rams the charge home.
)

Frank
(
at the door
). God bless you, Crayford.

(
The Men outside move off, leaving
FRANK
alone in the snow.
)

Cray.
(
going to him, and seizing his hand
). Heaven preserve you, Frank! (
They shake hands, and
FRANK
begins climbing the drift.
) I would give all I have in the world to be with you. While you can stand, keep with the main body, Frank!

Ward.
While he can stand, he keeps with ME!

(WARDOUR
joins
FRANK
outside.
CRAYFORD
is left alone in the Hut, watching them as they disappear over the snow.

THE END OF THE SECOND ACT.

ACT III

SCENE. —
A Cavern on the coast of Newfoundland, opening at the actor’s left hand, into another cavern. At the back, a bright view of the sea-beach and sea, with a ship at anchor in the offing. A rude table, composed of planks laid across barrels, is placed near the mouth of the cave, on the left. A sea-chest is near it.

At the rise of the curtain
JOHN WANT
is discovered cording a box.

John Want.
If I had only known, before I was rescued, that I was to be brought to this place, I think I should have preferred staying at the North Pole. I was very happy, keeping up everybody’s spirits at the North Pole. I had a good deal of sleep at the North Pole. Taking one thing with another, I think I must have been very comfortable at the North Pole — if I had only known it. Another man in my place might be inclined to say that this Newfoundland cavern was rather a sloppy, slimy, drafty, sea-weedy sort of a habitation to stop in. Another man might object to perpetual Newfoundland fogs, perpetual Newfoundland codfish, and perpetual Newfoundland dogs. We had some very nice bears at the North Pole. But never mind — it’s all one to me —
I
don’t grumble!

Enter
BATESON,
from the beach.

Bate.
Look sharp with your work there, John Want — the ladies will be coming in here before long. Miss Crayford and Miss Burnham are within two minutes’ walk of the cave; and Mrs. Steventon and Miss Ebsworth are not far behind them.