--Alice.-- James! (_They k---- No, perhaps better not. There has been quite enough for one evening._) And to think that she knew all the time. Now I am quite, quite happy. And James--you _will_ remember in future that I am Miss _Alice_ Prendergast?
--Bootle-- (_gaily_). My dear, I shall only be able to remember that you are The Future Mrs. Bootle!
CURTAIN.
XLIII. "AT DEAD OF NIGHT"
_The stage is in semi-darkness as_ d.i.c.k Trayle _throws open the window from outside, puts his knee on the sill, and falls carefully into the drawing-room of Beeste Hall. He is dressed in a knickerbocker suit with arrows on it (such as can always be borrowed from a friend), and, to judge from the noises which he emits, is not in the best of training.
The lights go on suddenly; and he should seize this moment to stagger to the door and turn on the switch. This done he sinks into the nearest chair and closes his eyes._
_If he has been dancing very late the night before, he may drop into a peaceful sleep; in which case the play ends here. Otherwise, no sooner are his eyes closed than he opens them with a sudden start and looks round in terror._
--d.i.c.k-- (_striking the keynote at once_). No, no! Let me out--I am innocent! (_He gives a gasp of relief as he realises the situation._) Free! It is true, then! I have escaped! I dreamed that I was back in prison again! (_He shudders and helps himself to a large whisky-and-soda, which he swallows at a gulp._) That"s better! Now I feel a new man--the man I was three years ago. Three years! It has been a lifetime!
(_Pathetically to the audience._) Where is Millicent now? (_The audience guesses that she is in the making-up room, but musn"t say so._) Alas! (_He falls into a reverie, from which he is suddenly wakened by a noise outside. He starts, and then creeps rapidly to the switch, arriving there at the moment when the lights go out. Then he goes swiftly behind the window curtain.
The lights go up again as_ Jasper Beeste _comes in with a revolver in one hand and a bull"s-eye lantern of apparently enormous candle power in the other._)
--Jasper-- (_in immaculate evening dress_). I thought I heard a noise, so I slipped on some old things hurriedly and came down.
(_Fingering his perfectly-tied tie._) But there seems to be n.o.body here. (_Turns round suddenly to the window._) Ha, who"s there? Hands up, blow you (_he ought to swear rather badly here, really_) hands up or I fire!
(_The stage is suddenly plunged into darkness, there is the noise of a struggle, and the lights go on to reveal_ Jasper _by the door covering_ d.i.c.k _with his revolver._)
--Jasper.-- Let"s have a little light on you. (_Brutally._) Now then, my man, what have you got to say for yourself? Ha! An escaped convict, eh?
--d.i.c.k-- (_to himself, in amazement_). Jasper Beeste!
--Jasper.-- So you know my name?
--d.i.c.k-- (_in the tones of a man whose whole life has been blighted by the machinations of a false friend_). Yes, Jasper Beeste, I know your name. For two years I have said it to myself every night, when I prayed Heaven that I should meet you again.
--Jasper.-- Again? (_Uneasily._) We have met before?
--d.i.c.k-- (_slowly_). We have met before, Jasper Beeste. Since then I have lived a lifetime of misery. You may well fail to recognise me.
_Enter_ Millicent Wilsdon_--in a dressing gown, with her hair over her shoulders, if the county will stand it._
--Millicent-- (_to Jasper_). I couldn"t sleep--I heard a noise--I--(_suddenly seeing the other_) d.i.c.k! (_She trembles._)
--d.i.c.k.-- Millicent! (_He trembles too._)
--Jasper.-- Trayle! (_So does he._)
--d.i.c.k-- (_bitterly_). You shrink from me, Millicent. (_With strong common sense._) What is an escaped convict to the beautiful Miss Wilsdon?
--Millicent.-- d.i.c.k--I--you--when you were sentenced----
--d.i.c.k.-- When I was sentenced--the evidence was black against me, I admit--I wrote and released you from your engagement. You are married now?
--Millicent-- (_throwing herself on a sofa_). Oh, d.i.c.k!
--Jasper-- (_recovering himself_). Enough of this. Miss Wilsdon is going to marry me tomorrow.
--d.i.c.k.-- To marry _you_! (_He strides over to sofa and pulls Millicent to her feet._) Millicent, look me in the eyes! Do you love him?
(_She turns away._) Say "Yes" and I will go back quietly to my prison. (_She raises her eyes to his._) Ha! I thought so! You don"t love him! Now then I can speak.
--Jasper-- (_advancing threateningly_). Yes, to your friends, the warders. Millicent, ring the bell.
--d.i.c.k-- (_wresting the revolver from his grasp_). Ha, would you? Now stand over there and listen to me. (_He arranges his audience,_ Millicent _on a sofa on the right, Jasper, biting his finger nails, on the left._) Three years ago Lady Wilsdon"s diamond necklace was stolen. My flat was searched and the necklace was found in my hatbox. Although I protested my innocence I was tried, found guilty, and sentenced to ten years" penal servitude, followed by fifteen years" police supervision.
--Millicent-- (_raising herself on the sofa_). d.i.c.k, you were innocent--I know it. (_She flops back again._)
--d.i.c.k.-- I was. But how could I prove it? I went to prison. For a year black despair gnawed at my heart. And then something happened.
The prisoner in the cell next to mine tried to communicate with me by means of taps. We soon arranged a system and held conversations together. One day he told me of a robbery in which he and another man had been engaged--the robbery of a diamond necklace.
--Jasper-- (_jauntily_). Well?
--d.i.c.k-- (_sternly_). A diamond necklace, Jasper Beeste, which the other man hid in the hatbox of another man in order that he might woo the other man"s _fiancee_! (Millicent _shrieks_.)
--Jasper-- (_bl.u.s.teringly_). Bah!
--d.i.c.k-- (_quietly_). The man in the cell next to mine wants to meet this gentleman again. It seems that he has some old scores to pay off.
--Jasper-- (_sneeringly_). And where is he?
--d.i.c.k.-- Ah, where is he? (_He goes to the window and gives a low whistle. A stranger in knickerbockers jumps in and advances with a crab-like movement._) Good! here you are. Allow me to present you to Mr. Jasper Beeste.
--Jasper-- (_in horror_). Two-toed Thomas! I am undone!
--Two-toed Thomas-- (_after a series of unintelligible snarls_). Say the word, guv"nor, and I"ll kill him. (_He prowls round_ Jasper _thoughtfully._)
--d.i.c.k-- (_sternly_). Stand back! Now, Jasper Beeste, what have you to say?
--Jasper-- (_hysterically_). I confess. I will sign anything. I will go to prison. Only keep that man off me.
--d.i.c.k-- (_going up to a bureau and writing aloud at incredible speed_).
"I, Jasper Beeste, of Beeste Hall, do hereby declare that I stole Lady Wilsdon"s diamond necklace and hid it in the hatbox of Richard Trayle; and I further declare that the said Richard Trayle is innocent of any complicity in the affair. (_Advancing with the paper and a fountain pen._) Sign, please."
(_Jasper signs. At this moment two warders burst into the room._)
--First Warder.-- There they are!
(_He seizes_ d.i.c.k. Two-toed Thomas _leaps from the window, pursued by the second Warder_. Millicent _picks up the confession and advances dramatically._)
--Millicent.-- Do not touch that man! Read this!
(_She hands him the confession with an air of superb pride._)