Plays: Lady Frederick, The Explorer, A Man of Honor Part 148

What d'you mean? She's not really dead!

BASIL.

[_In agony._] She threw herself into the river last night.

JOHN.

How awful!

BASIL.

Haven't you got something more to say than how awful? I feel as if I were going mad.

JOHN.

But I can't understand! Why did she do it?

BASIL.

Oh--yesterday we had an awful row ... before you came.

JOHN.

I know.

BASIL.

Then she followed me to ... to your sister-in-law's. And she came up and made another scene. Then I lost my head. I was so furious, I don't know what I said. I was mad. I told her I'd have nothing more to do with her.... Oh, I can't bear it, I can't bear it.

[_He breaks down and hides his face in his hands, sobbing._

JOHN.

Come, Basil--pull yourself together a bit.

BASIL.

[_Looking up despairingly._] I can hear her voice now. I can see the look of her eyes. She asked me to give her another chance, and I refused. It was so pitiful to hear the way she appealed to me, only I was mad, and I couldn't feel it.

[f.a.n.n.y _comes in with the cup of tea, which_ BASIL _silently takes and drinks_.

f.a.n.n.y.

[_To_ JOHN.] He ain't slept a wink all night, sir.... No more 'ave I, for the matter of that.

[JOHN _nods, but does not answer; and_ f.a.n.n.y, _wiping her eyes with her ap.r.o.n, leaves the room_.

BASIL.

Oh, I'd give everything not to have said what I did. I'd always held myself in before, but yesterday--I couldn't.

JOHN.

Well?

BASIL.

I didn't get back here till nearly ten, and the maid told me Jenny had just gone out. I thought she'd gone back to her mother's.

JOHN.

Yes?

BASIL.

And soon after a constable came up and asked me to go down to the river.

He said there'd been an accident.... She was dead. A man had seen her walk along the tow-path and throw herself in.

JOHN.

Where is she now?

BASIL.

[_Pointing to one of the doors._] In there.

JOHN.

Will you take me in?

BASIL.

Go in alone, John. I daren't, I'm afraid to look at her. I can't bear the look on her face.... I killed her--as surely as if I'd strangled her with my own hands. I've been looking at the door all night, and once I thought I heard a sound. I thought she was coming to reproach me for killing her.

[JOHN _goes to the door, and as he opens it_, BASIL _averts his head. When_ JOHN _shuts the door after him, he looks at it with staring, frightened eyes, half mad with agony. He tries to contain himself. After a while_ JOHN _comes back, very quietly_.

BASIL.

[_Whispering._] What does she look like?

JOHN.

There's nothing to be afraid of, Basil. She might be sleeping.

BASIL.

[_Clenching his hands._] But the ghastly pallor....