Her Own Way Part 36

GEORGIANA. Lovely, Louise!

LOUISE. I've got a splitting headache. [_Man's voice outside, "Extra--Extra."_] What can the extra be? [_Enter_ STEVEN.] Steve, do you know what the extra is?

STEVEN. Oh, they're never anything you know.

[_In distance are heard several voices at once at different distances, all calling, "Extra--Extra--Terrible"--etc._

MRS. CARLEY. Yes, they're always so disappointing, generally a railway accident out west! or a bomb thrown in Europe. Are you ready, Georgiana?

[_The "Extras" are louder._

STEVEN. Yes, if we're going we ought to go.

[_"Extra--Extra," called underneath the window._

GEORGIANA. Listen, what did he say?

[_Voice shouts outside, "Terrible fight in the Philippines; an entire regiment wiped out!"_

BELLA. [_Frightened._] I heard "Philippines."

[_Goes to the window._

GEORGIANA. And a terrible fight! Some one must get the paper!

STEVEN. We haven't time now, Georgy.

MRS. CARLEY. Yes, we must be there before the Grand Duke arrives.

[_Outside, "Extra--Extra!"_

GEORGIANA. I must see that paper, Steve.

MRS. CARLEY. Georgiana, I think you are too thoughtless.

[_Outside, "Entire regiment wiped out!"_

GEORGIANA. Steve, do you hear that! Will you get the paper or shall I call to the man?

STEVEN. I'll get it. [_Goes to a window and opens it, pulling aside the curtain. He calls down to the boy in the street._] Here! Hi! Extra!

[_Voice outside, "Here you are, boss!"_

STEVEN. Ring the bell.

[_He comes back into the room. One "Extra" is heard louder than before, and then the cries gradually die away._

MRS. CARLEY. The carriage has already been here nearly an hour.

GEORGIANA. It if should be d.i.c.k's fight, if it should be d.i.c.k's regiment!

LOUISE. Make up your mind, mother, to be a little late. We can't go till we see the paper.

GEORGIANA. [_At the door Right._] Lizzie! Where is she? Didn't he go to the door with the paper, Steve?

BELLA. I'll see, miss.

[_She goes out Right._

STEVEN. Yes. I saw him. But, Georgy, it won't be d.i.c.k's regiment.

MRS. CARLEY. [_By the sofa._] Louise, I'll tell you what we'll do, let's go down and be getting on our wraps.

LOUISE. No, mother, wait.

GEORGIANA. No, Louise, go down, please, with mother. I'd rather.

MRS. CARLEY. [_Going out Left._] Yes, come along.

[LOUISE _looks at_ GEORGIANA, _who nods her head "Yes" to go._

LOUISE. I'll come back.

[_She follows_ MRS. CARLEY _out._ LIZZIE _enters Right with the paper._ GEORGIANA _takes the paper from_ LIZZIE, _who immediately goes out Right._

STEVEN. Shall I look?

GEORGIANA. [_Standing by the sofa._] No, I will. Here it is--"Battle with Ladrones. The 91st Regiment of New York, which went out under Captain H.S. Miller to subdue the bandits in the Island of Orla, met an ambuscade of the Ladrones and were annihilated almost to a man." [_She looks up dazed, not able at once to realize what it means. Rereads, skipping some lines._] "Captain H.S. Miller who went out under--to subdue the bandits in the--met an ambuscade of the Ladrones and was annihilated almost to a man." Steve! his regiment,--do you think it's true? Do you think it can be true?

STEVEN. [_Beside her._] No, let me read it.

GEORGIANA. [_She sinks down on the end of the sofa._] No, I will! [_She reads on._] "News was brought by private--private--[_Her eyes hurrying on._] the sole survivors. Privates--" [_Her eyes run along the printed lines again._] Steve, I can't see his name. Isn't it there? Can't _you_ see it?

STEVEN. [_Looking._] No.

GEORGIANA. [_Almost whispers._] It means--?

STEVEN. [_Striving to hide his own emotion and to encourage her._] The news is too meagre to be true.

MRS. CARLEY. [_In hall Left._] Georgiana! We must go.

GEORGIANA. [_Starts. To_ STEVEN.] _Don't_ let mother come in, please.

LOUISE. [_Just outside the door._] Georgiana, we must go.

GEORGIANA. [_To_ STEVEN.] Say I'm coming.

STEVEN. I can't leave you alone. [_Going to the door._] Georgy's coming.