Fair. We owe you more than we can ever pay. Won"t you come in and rest?
Winth. (comes closer as though to take her hand). You, too, Fair?
Fair. What else? You are our--enemy!
Winth. (his voice choked with pa.s.sion). No. G.o.d knows I wear this uniform because I think it right. But if it make me an enemy to you, I would to G.o.d I"d never seen it. You loved me once, Fair. Two years is not so very long--yet have you changed? Ah! no, no. You cannot look at me like that and say you hate me!
[With a sudden, wild impulse, Fair has drawn very near to him.
Fair (draws back with an effort). I must not. You hear me! I must not.
Winth. But if you love me, Fair.
Fair (looks up with a strange, wild, longing look in her face, then quickly covers her eyes with her hand. She is trembling so, she can hardly stand. She raises her face to his: all the pa.s.sion is none; she is paler than the dead. Her words come slowly, hardly above a whisper).
But I--don"t love you!
[Winthrop takes a step backward, his face very white and drawn.
He slowly loosens the clasp of her hand as--
THE CURTAIN FALLS.
ACT II.
The parlor of the Stuart home. A large room with high ceiling and carved doors and mantels. The room, when in order, is beautiful in every appointment. The furniture, old mahogany, the hangings and ornaments are handsome and in good taste. Now, however, the furniture is piled together, as though for moving; the pictures, down from their places, stand against the wall; some cut through with sabers. Many of the chairs are broken and overturned. A large sofa is against the wall; this has been slit open and all the bedding torn out. A table left near it, and by the sofa a large fire chair. At the back and near the right stands the great cedar chest. It, as well as the other things, was carried out by the soldiers in Act I. On the right, a desk with writing materials. On the left (back) a door. At back (center) double doors, with heavy curtains, leading to the hall where may be seen a large "grandfather clock," the face smashed in, as though with an ax. On the right, a large bay window with two steps leading up to it, looking out on the moonlit garden. It is after dusk, three days later than Act I.
The curtain rises on an empty stage. There is a dreary half light over everything.
[Enter from the hall Cupid and Marthy. He has a candle in a heavy iron candlestick in his hand. She carries a large woolen blanket. They speak in subdued voices, very low.
Cupid (placing candle near the chest). Missus say ter bring the silber up stairs ter her room. She feard it ain"t safe down here.
Marthy (spreads the blanket she carries on the floor, and together they lift out the silver during the following dialogue).
"Tain"t nothin" safe round here, now dem Yankees is come.
[Cupid pauses a moment.
Cupid. I sho was glad when mistus sent for me and speak rite out "bout de silber. "Pears like hit de fust thing she er Miss Charlotte done notice.
Marthy. Dey ant neither one ob um cry. Dat what worry me. Ef dey could bof brek rite down and have er good long cry, hit ud do um a power er good.
[A slight pause.
Cupid. I got um dar in time, please Gaud. He let dis ole n.i.g.g.e.r do dat much fer Mars George. He ax bout us all, Old Missus say, in de few minutes he had lef. He say he powerful glad we git dar.
Marthy. It"s de Lord"s will, "nd hits rite, but hit pears like we don had little mo den our share ob de trouble. Dar de silber, hits ready. You pack it up to Mistus, and ax her can"t I fix her little somethin" ter eat. I don"t know what hits gwine ter be.
Cupid (brightening). Would she eat a piece ob nice young chicken?
Marthy. Go way, n.i.g.g.e.r, don"t I know dar ant bin no chicken nor nothin" else fer Old Mistus ter eat on this place fer more dan a month; what you come round here talking bout chicken fer?
Cupid. Kin you keep you mouth shet bout somethin if I tells you?
Marthy (on her guard). Dat pens on what hits bout.
Cupid. I got a chicken, three fo on um, and some flour and some b.u.t.ter, too. I tell you mistus gwine get chicken ef dars chicken lef in dis world.
Marthy (suspicious). Whar did you get hit?
Cupid. I went down dar long twods whar de Yankees campin yestiddy. I powerful skerd, yet I bleged to go, cause I got ter git somethin for mistus ter eat, and de very fust person I meet war Mars Winthrop. Pears like he don come down de lane by hisself, and he standin down dar at de bars at de end ob de lane, lookin way off twords de house. Pears like he studyin bout somethin. He mighty sorrowful and lonesom lookin. He suprised ter see me, but he ax me rite off how de people was and most pintedly bout ole mistus and Miss Fair. Den he ax me how dey stand de trouble dat come to um, and ax me ant dar nothin on de earth he can do. Cos I tell we all well and dat we din"t need nothin, cause I ant gwine ter tell him dar ant nothin lef sep hog meat and corn meal. Well, sir, dat white man he tek me rite in de tent and gib me a gret basket full ub de bes dey had and say hit fer me ter tek home ter you, but hit pears like he onderstand mighty well, and he gib me a dollar and mek me promise not ter say nothin bout see him. Dat how I come ter had de chicken fer mistus. He powerful good white man if he is er Yankeey.
Marthy. Whar dat basket? Git hit. Mistus ant touch nothin cep a little tea fer days, and Miss Charlotte she jest set dar at de winder lookin so white and still. She ant war no dress cep dat white one jes like she gwine get married. She ant realise hit somehow. Soon as de flowers wilt she put fresh ones in de place (she turns to Cupid). Get me de basket and tek hit to de kitchen. Dem chillun shan"t go hungry (she looks about the room). I got ter fix dis some way (she begins to straighten room).
I"s glad dem Yankees ant get ter mistus room. I bleeged ter get dis lookin better fo mistus see it. She ant bin in here since she come home.
Cupid. Mars Winthrop sure anxious ter do somethin fer we all.
Pears like he most es griev as we is bout Mars George. I don fix up little sprise fo um.
Marthy. What you know "bout sprisin"? Why don you git de basket?
Cupid. I don hear Mistus say she anxious ter see Mars Winthrop and Mars Hopkins, so she kin thank um ter all dey don--gitten de ambulance wagen and sendin" de soldiers ter tek ker ob de place. And when I seed um, I tole him Mistus want see him. He brighten up mighty, and say dey come over har ter night. Now, don"t you let on.
Marthy. Cose I ain"t. Go on, n.i.g.g.e.r, wid de silber.
[Exit Cupid with silver.
Hit"s somethin" ter git de minds off de trouble; It"ll do um a power er good.
[Enter Fair from the hall; she is very pale and tired looking: she wears a simple little black dress; her hair tied with a black ribbon; all her youthful gaiety is gone; she seems suddenly to have become a woman. Her voice has a tired, pathetic sound, as though she were constantly fighting for her self-control.
Fair (timidly looking around her, as though afraid). I have been afraid to come in here before. It"s very bad, isn"t it, Marthy?
Marthy. I was jes tryin" ter get hit lookin" little better fo"
you seed it.
Fair (wearily). No matter, Marthy; leave it as it is. I"ll help you to-morrow.
Marthy. I rekon I better git dem pictures up in de attic fo" your mar see um.
[She takes up one picture, mutilated beyond recognition, and tries to cover it with her ap.r.o.n.
Fair. What is it, Marthy?
Marthy. "Tain"t nothin", honey. You go on back ter your mar and let old Marthy get things straight.
Fair (with an effort). Let me see it--I"d rather, please. (She holds out her hand; Marthy gives her the picture). Oh, Marthy, not even this. They couldn"t even leave his picture.
Marthy. Dar, my lamb; don"t you cry when you bin so brave. Dars a nother picture of Mars George in yo" mar"s room. (She draws Fair"s head down upon her knee, stroking her hair). My blessed chile--my lamb!