Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Complete Plays of John Galsworthy eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,284 pages of information about Complete Plays of John Galsworthy.

Jill.  One thing I’m sure of:  she’s awfully fond of Chearlie.

Hillcrist. That’s bad; that’s very bad.

Jill.  And she’s frightened, horribly.  I think she’s desperate.

Hillcrist. Women like that are pretty tough, Jill; don’t judge her too much by your own feelings.

Jill.  No; only——­Oh! it was beastly; and of course I dried up.

Hillcrist. [Feelingly] H’m!  One always does.  But perhaps it was as well; you’d have been blundering in a dark passage.

Jill.  I just said:  “Father and I feel awfully sorry; if there’s anything we can do——­”

Hillcrist. That was risky, Jill.

Jill. (Disconsolately) I had to say something.  I’m glad I went, anyway.  I feel more human.

Hillcrist. We had to fight for our home.  I should have felt like a traitor if I hadn’t.

Jill.  I’m not enjoying home tonight, Dodo.

Hillcrist. I never could hate proper; it’s a confounded nuisance.

Jill.  Mother’s fearfully’ bucked, and Dawker’s simply oozing triumph.  I don’t trust him.  Dodo; he’s too—­not pugilistic—­the other one with a pug-naceous.

Hillcrist. He is rather.

Jill.  I’m sure he wouldn’t care tuppence if Chloe committed suicide.

Hillcrist. [Rising uneasily] Nonsense!  Nonsense!

Jill.  I wonder if mother would.

Hillcrist. [Turning his face towards the window] What’s that?  I thought I heard—­[Louder]—­Is these anybody out there?

     [No answer.  Jill, springs up and runs to the window.]

Jill.  You!

     [She dives through to the Right, and returns, holding Chloe’s
     hand and drawing her forward]

Come in!  It’s only us! [To Hillcrist] Dodo!

Hillcrist. [Flustered, but making a show of courtesy] Good evening!  Won’t you sit down?

Jill.  Sit down; you’re all shaky.

     [She makes Chloe sit down in the armchair, out of which they
     have risen, then locks the door, and closing the windows, draws
     the curtains hastily over them.]

Hillcrist. [Awkward and expectant] Can I do anything for you?

Chloe.  I couldn’t bear it he’s coming to ask you——­

Hillcrist. Who?

Chloe.  My husband. [She draws in her breath with a long shudder, then seem to seize her courage in her hands] I’ve got to be quick.  He keeps on asking—­he knows there’s something.

Hillcrist. Make your mind easy.  We shan’t tell him.

Chloe. [Appealing] Oh! that’s not enough.  Can’t you tell him something to put him back to thinking it’s all right?  I’ve done him such a wrong.  I didn’t realise till after—­I thought meeting him was just a piece of wonderful good luck, after what I’d been through.  I’m not such a bad lot—­not really.

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Complete Plays of John Galsworthy from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.