PIKE. An answer to what?
HAWCASTLE [painfully resuming his suavity]. An answer to our request that you accede to the wishes of that young lady.
PIKE. And if I don"t, what are you going to do?
HORACE. Ethel, you _must_ go!
MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY. This man is an Apache!
LADY CREECH [simultaneously]. Barbarian!
PIKE [to HAWCASTLE]. I"ll leave it to you to tell her.
HAWCASTLE. A gentleman would spare her that.
PIKE. _I_ won"t! Speak out! Why do you come here sure of the answer you want?
HAWCASTLE [intensely annoyed]. Tut, tut!
LADY CREECH. Don"t mumble your words!
PIKE. I"ll make it even plainer than you like.
HORACE. I protest against this!
ALMERIC. Throw the rotter out of the window!
PIKE [particularly addressing ETHEL]. This afternoon I tried to help a poor devil--a broken-down Russian running away from Siberia, where he"d been for nine years.
[She rises; her eyes eagerly meet his.]
A poor weak thing, hounded like you"ve seen a rat in the gutter by dogs and bootblacks. Some of your friends here saw us bring him into this apartment; they know we"ve got him here now. If I don"t agree to hand over you and seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars of the money John Simpson made, it means that the man I have tried to help goes back to rot in Siberia and I go to an Italian jail for two years, or as much longer as they can make it.
HAWCASTLE [violently]. Nonsense!
ETHEL [stepping toward PIKE, indignantly]. I knew that you had only a further humiliation in store for me--
HAWCASTLE [following her and trying to interrupt]. But my dear--
ETHEL [with dignity]. No--you need make no denial for yourselves.
[To PIKE, haughtily.]
Do you think I would believe that an English n.o.ble would stoop--
PIKE [with pa.s.sionate indignation]. Stoop! Why, ten years ago in St.
Petersburg there was a poor revolutionist who, in his crazy patriotism, took government money for the cause he believed in. He made the mistake of keeping that money in his house, when this man [pointing at HAWCASTLE] knew it was there. He also made the mistake of having a wife that this man coveted and stole--as he coveted and stole the money. Oh, he made a good job of it! Don"t think that to-night is the first time he has given information to the police. He did it then, and the husband went to Siberia--
HAWCASTLE [staggered and enraged]. A dastardly slander!
PIKE [in a ringing voice].--and he"ll do it again to-night. I go to an Italian jail [he suddenly swings his outstretched hand to point to MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, continuing without pause] and, by the living G.o.d, that same poor devil of a husband goes back to Siberia!
[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, with an e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n of horror and fright, staggers back.]
HAWCASTLE [in extreme agitation]. It"s a ghastly lie!
PIKE. You came for your answer. Here it is.
[Calls sharply.]
Ivanoff!
[IVANOFF appears in the doorway on the right. He advances, lifts both clinched fists above MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY"S head.]
[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, with a shuddering cry, falls on her knees in an att.i.tude of fright and abas.e.m.e.nt.]
MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY. Ivan!--oh, Mother of G.o.d!--Ivan! Don"t kill me--
[IVANOFF shudders with weakness, trembles violently, collapses into chair, she still at his feet. IVANOFF sobbing.]
HORACE [starting toward her in extreme agitation]. Helene!
PIKE [sternly to HORACE]. You keep back, she"s his wife.
[Pointing to HAWCASTLE.]
And there stands his best friend!
HAWCASTLE. It"s a lie! I never saw the man before in my life.
PIKE [grimly, with a gesture toward MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY]. The lady seems to recognize him.
HAWCASTLE. Almeric, go for the police. Call them quickly!
[His voice loud and hoa.r.s.e.]
MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY [springs to her feet, protesting]. No--no--I can"t!
PIKE [with his hand on IVANOFF"S shoulder]. Call them in--we"re ready.
[To ETHEL.]
But I want _you_ always to remember that I considered it cheap at the price.
[ETHEL, in an agony of shame, turns from him. At same time MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY, never taking her eyes from IVANOFF"S face, and showing great fear, moves back near HAWCASTLE.]
ALMERIC [opening the upper doors and calling]. Tell that officer to bring his men in here!