Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (1969 page)

           
Obenreizer
. (
gaily to
W
ILDING
). We must be firm friends — we must do business together — we must exchange hospitalities when I have a home of my own. I am eager for your English puddings! I adore your glorious grogs! (
Turns away
,
and rouses
M
ADAME
D
OR
. B
INTREY
persists in silencing
W
ILDING
.)

           
Vendale
. (
to
M
ARGUERITE
). When shall we meet again?

           
Marguerite
. It depends on Mr. Obenreizer!

(
She joins
O
BENREIZER
.)

           
Obenreizer
. Adieu, gentleman, for the present! Mr. Wilding, you shall hear from me to-morrow. (
Giving his arm to
M
ARGUERITE
.) Now, dearest, for our house-hunting in this great city! We will find you the prettiest home to live in that London can produce!

(
He goes out with
M
ARGUERITE
. M
ADAME
D
OR
follows sideways
,
still cleaning the glove. At the same moment
, V
ENDALE
and
B
INTREY
,
at either side of the stage
,
and
W
ILDING
in the middle
,
all three turn towards the audience
,
each speaking in turn
,
in a whisper to himself
.)

           
Vendale
. He is the kindest of guardians!

           
Bintrey
. He is the greatest of rascals!

           
Wilding
. He may be the lost man!

THE END OF THE FIRST ACT.

ACT II.

(
In Three Scenes
.)

F
IRST
S
CENE
. —
The drawing-room at
O
BENREIZER’S
lodgings. The room is richly furnished. On one side of the stage
, M
ARGUERITE
,
elegantly dressed
,
stands at a window
,
looking out. On the other side
, O
BENREIZER
is engaged at an open desk
,
counting and arranging a sum of money in gold and bank-notes. In the centre
,
at the back of the stage
, M
ADAME
D
OR
sits,
with her back to the audience
,
cleaning a glove. A lapse of three months is supposed to have occurred since the First Act
.

           
Marguerite
. (
speaking to herself
). Mr. Vendale knows that to-day is my birthday — and yet Mr. Vendale never comes near me! (
Remains at the window
,
looking out
.)

           
Obenreizer
. (
counting the money
). One hundred, two hundred, four hundred — four hundred and fifty. Fifty pounds still wanting to make up the five hundred — the sum which I
must
replace — or I am a lost man! Oh, this ruinous luxury! this hollow show of prosperity and wealth! Will Marguerite ever know what the splendour she lives in has cost me? We have been three months in England. Have I produced no impression on her by all that I have done in that time? I
must
have produced an impression! She has been more familiar — there has been something almost affectionate in her manner to me lately. She thinks less — she evidently thinks less of that man, Vendale.

           
Marguerite
. (
at the window
). No signs of Mr. Vendale! And yet I felt so sure that he would come to me on my birthday!

           
Obenreizer
. (
handling the money
). Vendale knows that it is her birthday. If he sends her a present, it will be the most brilliant present that wealth can buy. What am
I
going to give her? Nothing but the flowers that she loves! — the flowers whose eloquence I trust to speak for me. If I only dared use this money, I know whose birthday gift should be the richest! I have a month before me — the five hundred pounds won’t be wanted for another month. Dare I run the risk? Madness to think of it! Every farthing I can spare must be scraped together to make up the missing sum. Discovery brands me as a felon — discovery ruins me for life. I’ll lock the money up — the sight of it tempts me. Vendale? Bah! he is overwhelmed with business — he will forget her birthday. (
Putting the money into a drawer
.)

           
Marguerite
. (
joyously
). Ah! I didn’t reckon on him in vain. There he is in the street! (
Turns to
O
BENREIZER
.) Mr. Vendale is coming!

           
Obenreizer
. (
pausing
,
before he closes the drawer
). He
has
remembered the birthday! Come what may of it, Vendale shall not get the upper hand of me now! (
A knock at the door
.) Come in!

Enter
V
ENDALE
,
with a jeweller’s case in his hand. He

bows to
O
BENREIZER
,
and passes on to
M
ARGUERITE
.

           
Vendale
. (
to
M
ARGUERITE
). May I offer you my best wishes and congratulations? Will you honour me by accepting a little memorial of this happy day? (M
ARGUERITE
receives the present hesitatingly
.)

           
Obenreizer
. A
little
memorial! Oh, Mr. Vendale! how modestly wealth speaks, when it speaks in England!

           
Marguerite
. (
to
V
ENDALE
). You are very kind — I am much obliged to you, Mr. Vendale. (
Aside
.) I hope he has remembered that a simple present is the only present I can accept from
him!

           
Vendale
. (
to
M
ARGUERITE
). You don’t open the case? Will you favour me by looking at what is inside?

           
Obenreizer
. (
aside
). I can bear it no longer! (
Snatching the money out of the drawer
.) The die is cast! (
To
M
ARGUERITE
.) Excuse me, dearest, for one moment. Mr. Vendale reminds me that
my
birthday present has not been made yet! (
Goes out
,
stopping for a moment to speak to
M
ADAME
D
OR
,
and to show by a gesture that he desires her not to leave
V
ENDALE
and
M
ARGUERITE
alone in his absence
.)

           
Marguerite
. (
opening the case
,
and taking from it a plain gold locket and chain
). Oh, Mr. Vendale! how well you have understood me! A present that I might have received from a person in my own rank of life!

           
Vendale
. Is my little offering forgiven, as well as accepted?

           
Marguerite
. More than forgiven! I own you have pleased and flattered me! (
She places the locket in the bosom of her dress
,
and seats herself on the sofa
.)

           
Vendale
. (
looking towards
M
ADAME
D
OR
). Madame Dor! Is there no way of getting that piece of human furniture out of the room? Stay! Her head nods — her stocking falls into her lap. Best of women! yield to Nature’s weakness, and mercifully fall asleep!

           
Marguerite
. (
noticing
M
ADAME
D
OR
,
and rising to wake her
). Madame Dor!

           
Vendale
. (
taking
M
ARGUERITE’S
hand
,
and leading her back to the sofa
). Don’t disturb her! I have been waiting to tell you a secret, which must be heard by nobody but ourselves. Let me tell it now!

(
He seats himself by
M
ARGUERITE
on the sofa. She takes up her embroidery
,
and tries to hide her confusion
,
by affecting to work
.)

           
Marguerite
. (
coquettishly
). What claim can
I
have, Mr. Vendale, to know your secrets?

           
Vendale
. I can never tell you, if you persist in looking at your work. (M
ARGUERITE
shyly looks up at him
.) We have often talked of those delightful days in Switzerland, when we were fellow-travellers. I have often told you of the impressions I brought back with me to England. But there is
one
impression that I have never mentioned yet. Can you guess what that one is?

           
Marguerite
. I am very bad at guessing, Mr. Vendale. It was an impression of the mountains, perhaps?

           
Vendale
. No: a much more precious impression than that.

           
Marguerite
. An impression of the lakes?

           
Vendale
. No. The lakes are not associated with my happiness in the present, and my hopes in the future. Marguerite! all that makes life worth having, hangs for me on a word from your lips. Marguerite! I love you!

           
Marguerite
. (
sadly
). Oh, Mr. Vendale, it would have been kinder to have kept your secret! Have you forgotten the distance between us? It can never, never be!

           
Vendale
. There can be but one distance between us — a distance of your making. My love! There is no higher rank in goodness, there is no higher rank in beauty, than yours! Come! whisper the one little word! Tell me you will be my wife!

           
Marguerite
. Think of
your
family! and think of
mine!