The Second Mrs. Tanqueray by Arthur W. Pinero (top 100 novels TXT) 📕

epub:type="z3998:persona">Paula Has he left The Warren, I wonder, already? Aubrey That doesn’t matter. Paula No, but I can picture him going quietly off. Very likely he’s walking on to Bridgeford or Cottering tonight, to get the first train in the morning. A pleasant stroll for him. Aubrey We’ll reckon he’s gone, that’s enough. Paula That isn’t to be answered in any way? Aubrey Silence will answer that. Paula He’ll soon recover his spirits, I know. Aubrey You know. Offering her the letter. You don’t want this, I suppose? Paula No. Aubrey It’s done with⁠—done with. He tears the letter into small pieces. She has dropped the envelope; she searches for it, finds it, and gives it to him. Paula Here! Aubrey Looking at the remnants of the letter. This is no good; I must burn it. Paula Burn it in your room. Aubrey Yes. Paula Put it in your pocket for now. Aubrey Yes. He does so. Ellean enters and they both turn, guiltily, and stare at her. Ellean After a short silence, wonderingly. Papa⁠— Aubrey What do you want, Ellean? Ellean I heard from Willis that you had come in; I only want to wish you good night. Paula steals away, without looking back. What’s the matter? Ah! Of course, Paula has told you about Captain Ardale? Aubrey Well? Ellean Have you and he met? Aubrey No. Ellean You are angry with him; so was I. But tomorrow when he calls and expresses his regret⁠—tomorrow⁠— Aubrey Ellean⁠—Ellean! Ellean Yes, papa? Aubrey I⁠—I can’t let you see this man again. He walks away from her in a paroxysm of distress, then, after a moment or two, he returns to her and takes her to his arms. Ellean! my child! Ellean Releasing herself. What has happened, papa? What is it? Aubrey Thinking out his words deliberately. Something has occurred, something has come to my knowledge, in relation to Captain Ardale, which puts any further acquaintanceship between you two out of the question. Ellean Any further acquaintanceship⁠ ⁠… out of the question? Aubrey Yes. Advancing to her quickly, but she shrinks from him. Ellean No, no⁠—I am quite well. After a short pause. It’s not an hour ago since Mrs. Cortelyon left you and me together here; you had nothing to urge against Captain Ardale then. Aubrey No. Ellean You don’t know each other; you haven’t even seen him this evening. Father! Aubrey I have told you he and I have not met. Ellean Mrs. Cortelyon couldn’t have spoken against him to you just now. No, no, no; she’s too good a friend to both of us. Aren’t you going to give me some explanation? You can’t take this position towards me⁠—towards Captain Ardale⁠—without affording me the fullest explanation. Aubrey Ellean, there are circumstances connected with Captain Ardale’s career which you had better remain ignorant of. It must be sufficient for you that I consider these circumstances render him unfit to be your husband. Ellean Father! Aubrey You must trust me, Ellean; you must try to understand the depth of my love for you and the⁠—the agony it gives me to hurt you. You must trust me. Ellean I will, father; but you must trust me a little too. Circumstances connected with Captain Ardale’s career? Aubrey Yes. Ellean When he presents himself here tomorrow of course you will see him and let him defend himself? Aubrey Captain Ardale will not be here tomorrow. Ellean Not! You have stopped his coming here? Aubrey Indirectly⁠—yes. Ellean But just now he was talking to me at that window! Nothing had taken place then! And since then nothing can have⁠—! Oh! Why⁠—you have heard something against him from Paula. Aubrey From⁠—Paula! Ellean She knows him. Aubrey She has told you so? Ellean When I introduced Captain Ardale to her she said she had met him in London. Of course! It is Paula who has done this! Aubrey In a hard voice. I⁠—I hope you⁠—you’ll refrain from rushing at conclusions. There’s nothing to be gained by trying to avoid the main point, which is that you must drive Captain Ardale out of your thoughts. Understand that! You’re able to obtain comfort from your religion, aren’t you? I’m glad to think that’s so. I talk to you in a harsh way, Ellean, but I feel your pain almost as acutely as you do. Going to the door. I⁠—I can’t say anything more to you tonight. Ellean Father! He pauses at the door. Father, I’m obliged to ask you this; there’s no help for it⁠—I’ve no mother to go to. Does what you have heard about Captain Ardale concern the time when he led a wild, a dissolute life in London? Aubrey Returning to her slowly and staring at her. Explain yourself! Ellean He has been quite honest with me. One day⁠—in Paris⁠—he confessed to me⁠—what a man’s life is⁠—what his life had been. Aubrey Under his breath. Oh! Ellean He offered to go away, not to approach me again. Aubrey And you⁠—you accepted his view of what a man’s life is! Ellean As far as I could forgive him, I forgave him. Aubrey With a groan. Why, when was it you left us? It hasn’t taken you long to get your robe “just a little dusty at the hem!” Ellean What do you mean? Aubrey Hah! A few weeks ago my one great desire was to keep you ignorant of evil. Ellean Father, it is impossible to be ignorant of evil. Instinct, common instinct, teaches us what is good and bad. Surely I am none the worse for knowing what is wicked and detesting it! Aubrey Detesting it! Why, you love this fellow! Ellean Ah, you don’t understand! I have simply judged Captain Ardale as we all pray to be judged. I have lived in imagination through that one week in India when he deliberately offered his life back to God to save those wretched, desperate people. In his whole career I see now nothing but that one week; those few hours bring him nearer the Saints, I believe, than fifty uneventful years of mere blamelessness would have done! And so, father, if Paula has reported anything to Captain Ardale’s discredit⁠— Aubrey Paula⁠—! Ellean It must be Paula; it can’t be anybody else. Aubrey You⁠—you’ll please keep Paula out of the