The Straw Part 20

EILEEN (_joyously_). No--not long--now that I'm happy for once in my life. I'll surprise you, Stephen, the way I'll pick up and grow fat and healthy. You won't know me in a month. How can you ever love such a skinny homely thing as I am now! (_With a laugh._) I couldn't if I was a man--love such a fright.

MURRAY. Sssh!

EILEEN (_confidently_). But you'll see now. I'll make myself get well.

We won't have to wait long, dear. And can't you move up to the town near here where you can see me every day, and you can work and I can help you with your stories just as I used to--and I'll soon be strong enough to do your typing again. (_She laughs._) Listen to me--talking about helping you--as if they weren't all your own work, those blessed stories!--as if I had anything to do with it!

MURRAY (_hoa.r.s.ely_). You had! You did! They're yours. (_Trying to calm himself._) But you mustn't stay here, Eileen. You'll let me take you away, won't you?--to a better place--not far away--White Lake, it's called. There's a small private sanatorium there. Doctor Stanton says it's one of the best. And I'll live near by--it's a beautiful spot--and see you every day.

EILEEN (_in the seventh heaven_). And did you plan out all this for me beforehand, Stephen? (_He nods with averted eyes. She kisses his hair._) You wonderful, kind dear! And it's a small place--this White Lake? Then we won't have so many people around to disturb us, will we? We'll be all to ourselves. And you ought to work so well up there. I know New York wasn't good for you--alone--without me. And I'll get well and strong so quick! And you say it's a beautiful place? (_Intensely._) Oh, Stephen, any place in the world would be beautiful to me--if you were with me! (_His face is hidden in the pillow beside her. She is suddenly startled by a m.u.f.fled sob--anxiously._) Why--Stephen--you're--you're crying! (_The tears start to her own eyes._)

MURRAY _(raising his face which is this time alight with a pa.s.sionate awakening--a revelation_). Oh, I do love you, Eileen. I do! I love you, love you!

EILEEN (_thrilled by the depth of his present sincerity--but with a teasing laugh_). Why, you say that as if you'd just made the discovery, Stephen!

MURRAY. Oh, what does it matter, Eileen! I love you! Oh, what a blind, selfish a.s.s I've been! I love you! You are my life--everything! I love you, Eileen! I do! I do! And we'll be married----

(_Suddenly his face grows frozen with horror as he remembers the doom. For the first time the grey spectre of Death confronts him face to face as a menacing reality._)

EILEEN (_terrified by the look in his eyes_). What is it, Stephen?

What----?

MURRAY (_with a groan--protesting half-aloud in a strangled voice_).

No! No! It can't be----! My G.o.d! (_He clutches her hands and hides his face in them._)

EILEEN (_with a cry_). Stephen! What is the matter? (_Her face suddenly betrays apprehension, an intuitive sense of the truth._) Oh--Stephen---- (_Then with a childish whimper of terror._) Oh, Stephen, I'm going to die! I'm going to die!

MURRAY (_lifting his tortured face--wildly_). No!

EILEEN (_her voice sinking to a dead, whisper_). I'm going to die.

MURRAY (_seizing her in his arms in a pa.s.sionate frenzy and pressing his lips to hers_). No, Eileen, no, my love, no! What are you saying?

What could have made you think it? You--die? Why, of course, we're all going to die--but--Good G.o.d! What d.a.m.ned nonsense! You're getting well--every day. Everyone--Miss Gilpin--Stanton--everyone told me that.

I swear before G.o.d, Eileen, they did! You're still weak, that's all.

They said--it won't be long. You mustn't think that--not now.

EILEEN (_miserably--unconvinced_). But why did you look at me--that way--with that awful look in your eyes----?

(_While she is speaking_ Miss Gilpin _enters the room from the corridor. She appears worried, agitated. She hurries towards the porch, but stops inside the doorway, arrested by_ Murray's _voice._)

MURRAY (_takes_ Eileen _by the shoulders and forces her to look into his eyes_). I wasn't thinking about you then---- No, Eileen--not you. I didn't mean you--but me--yes, me! I couldn't tell you before. They'd warned me--not to excite you--and I knew that would--if you loved me.

EILEEN (_staring at him with frightened amazement_). You mean you--you're sick again?

MURRAY (_desperately striving to convince her_). Yes. I saw Stanton. I lied to you before--about that. It's come back on me, Eileen--you see how I look--I've let myself go. I don't know how to live without you, don't you see? And you'll--marry me now--without waiting--and help me to get well--you and I together--and not mind their lies--what they say to prevent you? You'll do that, Eileen?

EILEEN. I'll do anything for you---- And I'd be so happy---- (_She breaks down._) But, Stephen, I'm so afraid. I'm all mixed up. Oh, Stephen, I don't know what to believe!

MISS GILPIN (_who has been listening thunderstruck to_ Murray's _wild pleading, at last summons up the determination to interfere--steps out on the porch--a tone of severe remonstrance_). Mr. Murray!

MURRAY (_starts to his feet with wild, bewildered eyes--confusedly_).

Oh--you---- (Miss Gilpin _cannot restrain an exclamation of dismay as she sees his face wrung by despair._ Eileen _turns her head away with a little cry, as if she would hide her face in the bedclothes. A sudden fierce resolution lights up_ Murray's _countenance--hoa.r.s.ely._) You're just in the nick of time, Miss Gilpin! Eileen! Listen! You'll believe Miss Gilpin, won't you? She knows all about it. (Eileen _turns her eyes questioningly on the bewildered nurse._)

MISS GILPIN. What----?

MURRAY (_determinedly_). Miss Gilpin, Doctor Stanton has spoken to you since he examined me. He must have told you the truth about me. Eileen doesn't believe me--when I tell her I've got T.B. again. She thinks--I don't know what. I know you're not supposed to, but can't you make an exception--in this case? Can't you tell Eileen the truth?

MISS GILPIN (_stunned by being thus defiantly confronted--stammeringly_).

Mr. Murray! I--I--how can you ask----

MURRAY (_quickly_). Eileen has a right to know. She loves me--and I--I--love her! (_He holds her eyes and speaks with a pa.s.sion of sincerity that compels belief._) I love her, do you hear?

MISS GILPIN (_falteringly_). You--love--Eileen?

MURRAY. Yes! I do! (_Entreatingly._) So--tell her--won't you?

MISS GILPIN (_swallowing hard, her eyes full of pity and sorrow fixed on_ Eileen). Yes--Eileen--it's true. (_She turns away slowly towards the door._)

EILEEN (_with a little cry of alarmed concern, stretches out her hands to_ Murray _protectingly_). Poor Stephen--dear! (_He grasps her hands and kisses them._)

MISS GILPIN (_in a low voice_). Mr. Murray. May I speak to you for a moment?

MURRAY (_with a look of questioning defiance at her_). Certainly.

MISS GILPIN (_turns to_ Eileen _with a forced smile_). I won't steal him away for more than a moment, Eileen. (Eileen _smiles happily._)

MURRAY (_follows_ Miss Gilpin _into the room. She leads him to the far end of the room near the door to the hall, after shutting the porch door carefully behind him. He looks at her defiantly_). Well?

MISS GILPIN (_in low agitated tones_). What has happened? What is the meaning--I feel as if I may have done a great wrong to myself--to you--to her--by that lie. And yet--something impelled me.

MURRAY (_moved_). Don't regret it, Miss Gilpin! It has saved her--us.

Oh, how can I explain what happened? I suddenly saw--how beautiful and sweet and good she is--how I couldn't bear the thought of life without her--her love---- That's all. (_Determinedly._) She must marry me at once and I will take her away--the far West--any place Stanton thinks can help. And she can take care of me--as she thinks--and I know she will grow well as I seem to grow well. Oh Miss Gilpin, don't you see?

No half and half measures--no promises--no conditional engagements--can help us--help her. We love too much! (_Fiercely, as if defying her._) But we'll win together. We can! We must! There are things your doctors cannot value--cannot know the strength of! (_Exultantly._) You'll see!

I'll make Eileen get well, I tell you! Happiness will cure! Love is stronger than---- (_He suddenly breaks down before the pitying negation she cannot keep from her eyes. He sinks on a chair, shoulders bowed, face hidden in his hands, with a groan of despair._) Oh, why did you give me a hopeless hope?

MISS GILPIN (_putting her hand on his shoulder--with tender compa.s.sion--sadly_).

Isn't everything we know--just that--when you think of it? (_Her face lighting up with a consoling revelation._) But there must be something behind it--some promise of fulfilment,--somehow--somewhere--in the spirit of hope itself.

MURRAY (_dully_). Yes--but what do words mean to me now? (_Then suddenly starting to his feet and flinging off her hand with disdainful strength--violently and almost insultingly._) What d.a.m.ned rot! I tell you we'll win! We must! Oh, I'm a fool to waste words on you! What can you know? Love isn't in the materia medica. Your predictions--all the verdicts of all the doctors--what do they matter to me? This is--beyond you! And we'll win in spite of you! (_Scornfully._) How dare you use the word hopeless--as if it were the last! Come now, confess, d.a.m.n it!

There's always hope, isn't there? What do you _know_? Can you say you _know_ anything?

MISS GILPIN (_taken aback by his violence for a moment, finally bursts into a laugh of helplessness which is close to tears_). I? I know nothing--absolutely nothing! G.o.d bless you both!

(_She raises her handkerchief to her eyes and hurries out to the corridor without turning her head._ Murray _stands looking after her for a moment; then strides out to the porch._)

EILEEN (_turning and greeting him with a shy smile of happiness as he comes and kneels by her bedside_). Stephen! (_He kisses her. She strokes his hair and continues in a tone of motherly, self-forgetting solicitude._) I'll have to look out for you, Stephen, won't I? From now on? And see that you rest so many hours a day--and drink your milk when I drink mine--and go to bed at nine sharp when I do--and obey everything I tell you--and----

THE CURTAIN FALLS