HORACE [staggered]. What!
PIKE [smiling]. Yes, sir, Daniel Voorhees Pike, attorney at law, Kokomo, Indiana.
[HORACE falls back from him in horror.]
[HAWCASTLE, excited but cool, makes a quick, imperative gesture to LADY CREECH, who majestically sweeps up to ETHEL, kisses her on the forehead in lofty pity, and sweeps out.]
[MADAME DE CHAMPIGNY kisses ETHEL compa.s.sionately on cheek and follows LADY CREECH off.]
[MARIANO and MICHELE, having cleared the table, exeunt.]
HORACE [hoa.r.s.e with shame, to PIKE; slight pause after PIKE"S last speech.] I shall ask her if she will consent to an interview.
PIKE [at same time, astounded]. "Consent to an interview"? Why, I want to _talk_ to her!
HAWCASTLE [quickly and earnestly to ETHEL]. This shall make no difference to _us_, my child. Speak to him at once.
[Exit into the hotel.]
PIKE [to HORACE]. Don"t you understand? I"m her _guardian_.
HORACE [with a desperate gesture]. I shall never hold up my head again!
[Rushes off.]
VASILI [gravely, to PIKE]. When you have finished your affairs, my friend, remember my poor car yonder.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "YES, SIR, DANIEL VOORHEES PIKE, ATTORNEY AT LAW, KOKOMO, INDIANA"]
PIKE [with a melancholy smile]. All right, Doc, I"m kind of confused just now, but I reckon I can still put a plug back in a gear-box.
VASILI [at same time]. Then _au revoir_, my friend.
[Strolls off through the grove.]
PIKE [watching him go, thoughtfully]. Yes, _sir_!
ETHEL [haughtily, yet with the air of confessing a humiliating truth, her eyes cast down]. I am Miss Granger-Simpson.
[As she speaks he turns and lifts his hand toward her as if suddenly startled. He has not seen her until now. He stands for a moment in silence, looking at her with great tenderness and pride.]
PIKE [with both wonder and pathos in his voice]. Why, I knew your pa from the time I was a little boy till he died, and I looked up to him more"n I ever looked up to anybody in my life, but I never thought he"d have a girl like you!
[She turns from him; he takes a short step nearer her.]
He"d "a" been mighty proud if he could see you now.
ETHEL [quickly, and with controlled agitation]. Perhaps it will be as well if we avoid personal allusions.
PIKE [mildly]. I don"t see how that"s possible.
ETHEL [sitting]. Will you please sit down?
PIKE. Yes, ma"am!
[ETHEL shivers at the "ma"am."]
[He sits in the chair which HORACE has occupied, still holding his hat in his hand.]
ETHEL [tremulously, her eyes cast down]. As you know, I--I--
[She stops, as if afraid of breaking down; then, turning toward him, cries sharply.]
Oh, are you _really_ my guardian?
PIKE [smiling]. Well, I"ve got the papers in my grip. I expect--
ETHEL. Oh, I KNOW it! It is only that we didn"t fancy, we didn"t expect--
PIKE. I expect you thought I"d be considerable older.
ETHEL. Not only _that_--
PIKE [interrupting gently]. I expect you thought I"d neglected you a good deal [remorsefully], and it _did_ LOOK like it--never comin" to see you; but I couldn"t hardly manage the time to get away. You see, bein"
trustee of your share of the estate, I don"t hardly have a fair show at my law practice. But when I got your letter, eleven days ago, I says to myself: "Here, Daniel Voorhees Pike, you old sh.e.l.lback, you"ve just got to _take_ time. John Simpson trusted you with his property, and he"s done more [his voice rises, but his tone is affectionate and shows deep feeling]--he"s trusted you to look out for _her_, and now she"s come to a kind of jumpin"-off place in her life--she"s thinking of gettin"
married; and you just pack your grip-sack and hike out over there and stand _by_ her!"
ETHEL [frigidly]. I quite fail to understand your point of view. Perhaps I had best make it at once clear to you that I am no longer _thinking_ of marrying.
PIKE [leaning back in his chair and smiling on her]. Well, Lord-a-Mercy!
ETHEL. I mean I have decided upon it. The ceremony is to take place within a fortnight.
PIKE. Well, I declare!
ETHEL. We shall dispense with all delays.
PIKE [slowly and a little sadly]. Well, I don"t know as I could rightly say anything against that. He must be a mighty nice fellow, and you must think a heap _of_ him!
[With a suppressed sigh.]
That"s the way it should be.
[He smiles again and leans toward her in a friendly way.]
And you"re happy, are you?
ETHEL [with cold emphasis, sitting very straight in her chair].
Distinctly!