Dolly Reforming Herself Part 34

_Harry._ Never mind the geyser bath.

_Dolly._ And only this morning you rowed me because I hadn't got it ready for the New Year! Where did you put their address?

_Harry._ I don't know! Somewhere upstairs among my papers.

_Dolly._ [_Gently pushing him off._] I can just catch to-night's post!

Make haste and get it! Quick! There's a dear! And then we can get the bath fixed up for you next week.

_Harry._ Ye--es. I say, Doll, I mean to get those oddments fixed up to-night.

[_Taps the writing-case significantly and exit._ DOLLY _looks frightened, sees him off, goes up to writing-desk, takes out bills, looks at them, throws up her arms in despair, groans, slams down the writing-desk, looks at the chair she has touched in first act, shows great resolution, marches up and touches it._

_Dolly._ Yes! Yes! I have got free will.

[_Goes back from it, again looks at it, again marches up to it, touches it._

_Dolly._ Then why do I keep on having bills?

RENIE _enters in great agitation and distress._

_Renie._ Oh, Dolly!

_Dolly._ What's the matter?

_Renie._ Oh, Dolly!

_Dolly._ What is it?

_Renie._ [_Throws her arms round_ DOLLY _affectionately._] You've always been such a true friend to me----

_Dolly._ Yes, dear.

_Renie._ More like a sister. And I know I may trust you now.

_Dolly._ [_A little suspicious._] Yes. Has anything happened?

_Renie._ Yes. Oh, Dolly----

_Dolly._ Tell me!

_Renie._ As we were going out at the garden gate, Captain Wentworth held out a letter behind his back for me to take----

_Dolly._ What?!

_Renie._ But now his arm is wounded he couldn't manage it properly, and he dropped it. I hurried to pick it up, and then my husband noticed and insisted on reading it----

_Dolly._ What was in the letter?

_Renie._ It wasn't so very bad, but my husband has chosen to jump to a wrong conclusion, and--oh, Dolly, you can help me!

_Dolly._ [_Coldly, relaxing her embrace._] How?

_Renie._ If you'd only let me tell my husband that I was receiving it for you----

_Dolly._ What?!

_Renie._ There was no address, and fortunately it was so worded that it showed that you weren't really guilty.

_Dolly._ Oh! I wasn't really guilty?

_Renie._ In fact, it proves your complete innocence.

_Dolly._ I'm glad of that.

_Renie._ Then you'll let me say it was you?

_Dolly._ No! You can't suppose I should let my own cousin make love to me in my own house?!

_Renie._ You won't help me?

_Dolly._ Yes, any way but that! How could you be so foolish?

_Renie._ I don't know. When I heard yesterday he was coming, I quite made up my mind I'd have nothing to say to him! Dolly, free will must be an illusion, or else why am I always doing the things I don't mean to do. Oh, what shall I do?

_Dolly._ As you are completely innocent, you'd better ask your husband to forgive you.

_Renie._ Ye--es. No! As it is a perfectly pure and exalted attachment I shall take that ground--at any rate at first, and see what he says.

You'll help me all you can?

_Dolly._ Yes, but promise me you'll have nothing to do with Lucas in future!

_Renie._ No, indeed! if I once get out of this.

_Dolly._ Very well! I'll see what I can do.--Hush!

_The_ PROFESSOR _enters with a letter in his hand_, MATT _soothing him._

_Prof._ [_Very angry._] Not a word more, if you please. Mrs. Telfer, you have doubtless heard----

_Dolly._ Yes----?

_Prof._ I leave for London to-night-to consult my lawyer. Mrs. Sturgess will, I trust, return to her friends until----

_Matt._ Perhaps Mrs. Sturgess may be able to explain----

_Prof._ What explanation can be offered of language like this. [_Reading from letter._] "From the first moment I saw you, I felt that you were entirely different from any woman I have ever met----" A monstrously inexact statement to start with. And a woman who is capable of practising such deceit----

[RENIE _bursts into tears_.