(aside to LAURA). Don't give way!
Laura (to SIR PERCIVAL). I suppose my signature pledges me to something? Surely I ought to know what it is. Ask Marian.
Sir P. No appeals to Miss Halcombe! Miss Halcombe has nothing to do with the matter.
Fosco (at SIR PERCIVAL'S ear). Gently!
Mar. I beg your pardon, Sir Percival. As one of the witnesses, I have something to do with the matter. I decline the responsibility of witnessing Laura's signature, unless she first reads what you wish her to sign.
Sir P. (breaking out). A cool declaration, upon my soul! The next time you invite yourself to a man's house, Miss Halcombe, don't repay his hospitality by siding against him with his wife!
Mar. (indignantly). Sir Percival!!! (She suddenly controls herself.) No! Laura needs me!
(LAURA gratefully embraces MARIAN. FOSCO lays his hand on SIR PERCIVAL'S shoulder, and whispers to him.)
Fosco. If I could cut your tongue out, I would do it!
Sir P. (shaking FOSCO'S hand off his shoulder). Take your hand off! (To LAURA.) Come into the house and sign!
Mar. (to LAURA). Sign nothing, unless you have read it first.
Sir P. (violently). Come into the house and sign.
(He attempts to seize LAURA'S arm. MARIAN draws [45]her back out of his reach, and stands between them. FOSCO beckons to his wife.)
Fosco. Eleanor! (MADAME FOSCO approaches.) You have not spoken yet. Let us see if your interference will bring Percival to his senses.
Sir P. Madame Fosco knows better than to interfere with a man in his own house.
Madame F. I don't presume to interfere, Sir Percival. I merely decline, with my husband's permission, to remain in any house in which ladies are treated as your wife and Miss Halcombe have been treated to-night.
Fosco (admiring his wife). Madame Fosco is sublime! (He produces his box of bonbons.) My angel! have a bonbon.
Sir P. (cowed). Are you all in a conspiracy to bully me? It's no part of a woman's duty, Madame Fosco, to set her husband's wishes at defiance.
Laura (quietly). I am doing nothing of the sort. I am only claiming what is due to my own self-respect.
Sir P. (losing his temper once more). Your self-respect! The less you say about that the better. Where was your self-respect when you fell in love with another man while you were engaged to me?
Laura (resenting the insult). I refuse to sign that paper until I have read every line in it from beginning to end.
(She turns her back on him, and goes out by the drawing-room. SIR PERCIVAL attempts to stop her. FOSCO seizes him by the arm, and calls to MARIAN, who is about to follow LAURA into the house.)
Fosco. Stop, Miss Halcombe! (He sternly addresses SIR PERCIVAL.) Enough for to-night! Put off the signing till to-morrow.
Sir P. (trying to free himself). Go to the devil!
Fosco. Put off the signing till to-morrow!
Sir P. You're taking a tone that I won't submit to from any man.
Fosco. Submit to lock that paper up for to-night, or Madame Fosco and I leave the house!
Sir P. Are you picking a quarrel with me?
Fosco. I am waiting for an answer. Is it Yes or No?
(A pause. The two men look at each other. SIR PERCIVAL gives way. FOSCO smiles, releases him, [46]and points to the study. SIR PERCIVAL withdraws, and is seen to lock the paper up in a cabinet in the study. He remains in the room waiting. FOSCO turns to MARIAN with a bow of the deepest respect.)
Fosco. Percival shall not break out to-morrow, Miss Halcombe, as he has broken out to-night. Be kind enough to say this for me, with my respectful compliments, to Lady Glyde. (He addresses his wife.) Bah! the skirmish was hot while it lasted! Give me a cigarette.
(They walk aside, and seat themselves on two of the garden-chairs. The COUNT lights his cigarette. MARIAN remains alone absorbed in her own thoughts.)
Mar. (to herself). The sacrifice demanded of Laura, if she signs the paper, is too plain to be mistaken. I must communicate with her lawyer--I must appeal to her guardian. So far, I see my duty to her plainly. But what lies beyond? What terrible discovery is waiting for us when I see Anne Catherick to-morrow?
(She enters the house by way of the drawing-room.)
Fosco (to MADAME FOSCO, pointing to MARIAN'S window on the first-floor of the house). Miss Halcombe's room is next to yours, is it not?
Madame F. The second window on the left.
Fosco (rising). When the house is quiet, I have something serious to say to Percival. Keep a watch on Miss Halcombe. She is bold enough to steal down-stairs and listen. (He picks up some pebbles from the garden walk.) Throw one of these little stones out of your window if Miss Halcombe leaves her room.
(He signs to MADAME FOSCO to go. She enters the house by the drawing-room. SIR PERCIVAL shows himself at the study window.)
Sir P. Fosco!
Fosco (approaching him). What is it?
Sir P. I am waiting for an explanation of your conduct to-night.
(A light appears in MISS HALCOMBE'S window, the blind of which is drawn down. FOSCO sees it.)
Fosco (with his eye on the window). You shall have your explanation.
[47]Sir P. When?
Fosco. In a minute or two.
(A footman appears in the drawing-room with a tray containing bottles and glasses. He sets the tray on the table. SIR PERCIVAL enters the drawing-room, and, signing to the servant to go out, mixes himself a glass of spirits-and-water. A brief pause. FOSCO remains on the lawn looking at the window.)
Sir P. (calling to FOSCO). Will you take anything?
Fosco. A glass of sugar-and-water.
Sir P. Sugar-and-water for a man of your age!
(FOSCO joins SIR PERCIVAL in the drawing-room. The light in MARIAN'S window is extinguished at the same moment. FOSCO seats himself opposite to SIR PERCIVAL at the table, mixing his sugar-and-water, and talking in dumb show. MARIAN appears, drawing up the blind at the window. She speaks as if addressing some one in her room.)
Mar. Wait! Don't show yourself yet. (She stretches her head out of the window and looks round.) Nobody in the garden--all quiet.
(LAURA appears at the window at MARIAN'S side; the dialogue between them is pitched in a low tone.)
Laura. What are you going to do?
Mar. Before I leave you to-morrow, I am going to discover all I can to-night.
Laura. Must you go?
Mar. The one chance for us is for me to see your lawyer at once, and to take Anne Catherick with me to London. I shall get away to-morrow, before the servants are up.
Laura. When shall you come back?
Mar. Courage, Laura! I shall be back before night.
Laura. I have dreadful presentiments, Marian. Run no risks!
Mar. Never fear! (LAURA disappears.) If the heat drives them out under the verandah, shall I hear what they say? I'll wait, and try.
(FOSCO rises in the drawing-room.)
Fosco. Suppose I explain myself outside--in the air?
Sir P. With all my heart. I'm suffocating here. (FOSCO goes out under the verandah with his glass of [48]sugar-and-water, and seats himself on one side of the little round table, exactly under his wife's window. SIR PERCIVAL remains behind a moment to replenish his glass.)
Fosco (to himself).