Soldiers Three Volume I Part 36

VOICE. They've cut it off. What a shame!

CAPT. G. It must have been to make your head cooler.

VOICE. 'Just like a boy's wig. Don't I look horrid?

CAPT. G. Never looked prettier in your life, dear. (_Aside._) How am I to ask her to say good-bye?

VOICE. I don't _feel_ pretty. I feel very ill. My heart won't work.

It's nearly dead inside me, and there's a funny feeling in my eyes.

Everything seems the same distance--you and the almirah and the table--inside my eyes or miles away. What does it mean, Pip?

CAPT. G. You're a little feverish, Sweetheart--very feverish. (_Breaking down._) My love! my love! How can I let you go?

VOICE. I thought so. Why didn't you tell me that at first?

CAPT. G. What?

VOICE. That I am going to--die.

CAPT. G. But you aren't! You shan't.

AYAH _to punkah-coolie_. (_Stepping into veranda after a glance at the bed._) _Punkah chor do!_ (Stop pulling the punkah.)

VOICE. It's hard, Pip. So very, _very_ hard after one year--just one year. (_Wailing._) And I'm only twenty. Most girls aren't even married at twenty. Can't they do _anything_ to help me? I don't _want_ to die.

CAPT. G. Hush, dear. You won't.

VOICE. What's the use of talking? _Help_ me! You've never failed me yet.

Oh, Phil, help me to keep alive. (_Feverishly._) I don't believe you wish me to live. You weren't a bit sorry when that horrid Baby thing died. I wish I'd killed it!

CAPT. G. (_Drawing his hand across his forehead._) It's more than a man's meant to bear--it's not right. (_Aloud._) Minnie, love, I'd die for you if it would help.

VOICE. No more death. There's enough already. Pip, don't _you_ die too.

CAPT. G. I wish I dared.

VOICE. It says: 'Till Death do us part.' Nothing after that--and so it would be no use. It stops at the dying. _Why_ does it stop there? Only such a very short life, too. Pip, I'm sorry we married.

CAPT. G. No! Anything but that, Min!

VOICE. Because you'll forget and I'll forget. Oh, Pip, _don't_ forget!

I always loved you, though I was cross sometimes. If I ever did anything that you didn't like, say you forgive me now.

CAPT. G. You never did, darling. On my soul and honour you never did. I haven't a thing to forgive you.

VOICE. I sulked for a whole week about those petunias. (_With a laugh._) What a little wretch I was, and how grieved you were! Forgive me that, Pip.

CAPT. G. There's nothing to forgive. It was my fault. They _were_ too near the drive. For G.o.d's sake _don't_ talk so, Minnie! There's such a lot to say and so little time to say it in.

VOICE. Say that you'll always love me--until the end.

CAPT. G. Until the end. (_Carried away._) It's a lie. It _must_ be, because we've loved each other. This isn't the end.

VOICE. (_Relapsing into semi-delirium._) _My_ Church-service has an ivory-cross on the back, and _it_ says so, so it must be true.

'Till Death do us part.'--But that's a lie. (_With a parody of_ G.'s _manner._) A d.a.m.ned lie! (_Recklessly._) Yes, I can swear as well as Trooper Pip. I can't make my head think, though. That's because they cut off my hair. How _can_ one think with one's head all fuzzy?

(_Pleadingly._) Hold me, Pip! Keep me with you always and always.

(_Relapsing._) But if you marry the Thorniss girl when I'm dead, I'll come back and howl under our bedroom window all night. Oh, bother!

You'll think I'm a jackal. Pip, what time is it?

CAPT. G. I--I--I can't help it, dear.

VOICE. How funny! I couldn't cry now to save my life. (G. _shivers._) _I_ want to sing.

CAPT. G. Won't it tire you? Better not, perhaps.

VOICE. Why? I _won't_ be bothered about. (_Begins in a hoa.r.s.e quaver_):--

'Minnie bakes oaten cake, Minnie brews ale, All because her Johnnie's coming home from the sea.

(That's parade, Pip.) And she grows red as rose, who was so pale; And "Are you sure the church-clock goes?" says she.'

(_Pettishly._) I knew I couldn't take the last note. How do the ba.s.s chords run? (_Puts out her hands and begins playing piano on the sheet._)

CAPT. G. (_Catching up hands._) Ahh! Don't do that, p.u.s.s.y, if you love me.

VOICE. Love you? Of course I do. Who else should it be? (_A pause._)

VOICE. (_Very clearly._) Pip, I'm going now. Something's choking me cruelly. (_Indistinctly._) Into the dark--without you, my heart.--But it's a lie, dear--we mustn't believe it.--For ever and ever, living or dead. Don't let me go, my husband--hold me tight.--They can't--whatever happens. (_A cough._) Pip--_my_ Pip! Not for always--and--so--soon!

(_Voice ceases._)

_Pause of ten minutes._ G. _buries his face in the side of the bed while ayah bends over bed from opposite side and feels_ MRS. G.'s _breast and forehead._

CAPT. G. (_Rising._) _Doctor Sahib ko salaam do._

AYAH. (_Still by bedside, with a shriek._) Ai! Ai! _Tuta---phuta!_ My _Memsahib!_ Not getting--not have got!--_p.u.s.s.eena agya!_ (The sweat has come.) (_Fiercely to _G.) TUM _jao Doctor Sahib ko jaldi!_ (_You_ go to the doctor.) _Oh,_ my _Memsahib!_

DOCTOR. (_Entering hastily._) Come away, Gadsby. (_Bends over bed._) Eh! The Dev--What inspired you to stop the punkah? Get out, man--go away--wait outside! _Go!_ Here, Ayah! (_Over his shoulder to_ G.) Mind, I promise nothing.

_The dawn breaks as_ G. _stumbles into the garden._

CAPT. M. (_Reining up at the gate on his way to parade and very soberly._) Old man, how goes?

CAPT. G. (_Dazed._) I don't quite know. Stay a bit. Have a drink or something. Don't run away. You're just getting amusing. Ha! Ha!

CAPT. M. (_Aside._) What _am_ I let in for? Gaddy has aged ten years in the night.

CAPT. G. (_Slowly, fingering charger's headstall._) Your curb's too loose.

CAPT. M. So it is. Put it straight, will you? (_Aside._) I shall be late for parade. Poor Gaddy.