University of Virginia Library

ACT V.

Scene.—Library in Toppington House, as in Act II.
Enter Sir Joshua and Lady Toppington.
Sir J.
Refused him! Anne refused him!

Lady T.
Calmly, firmly!
I've seen the letter.

Sir J.
Refuse Llaniston!
Twelve thousand pounds a year, and a near earldom,
Flung back like a gown in tatters! Why, it's impious;
It's crossing Providence;—and he'll claim his mortgage!
Ungrateful minx, to ruin me, her friend
And benefactor!

Lady T.
Hush! She'll marry him.

Sir J.
She'll not—to spite me.

Lady T.
But she will—to escape you,
And she has no choice. Mark! I've persuaded Llaniston,
Not her own will refused him, but her guardian's.
He'll wait a second answer. Thorold leaves
At once for India. It seems some mines there
Have brought him sudden wealth.

Sir J.
[Impatiently.]
There's luck! 'Twas said
Those mines would fail; shares went for nothing. Now
Their owners turn out princes, and count thousands
For their risked hundreds. There's luck! [Paces the room, then composes himself.]
He has no thoughts, though,
To waste on Anne.

Lady T.
And she would rather starve
Than be his debtor. In great poverty
Her father died. Llaniston had that from Thorold.
Her only choice, then, lies between her suitor
And you, her benefactor. O, she'll marry!

Sir J.
Ay, or repent it. Hush! she's here.

Enter Anne, simply attired.
Anne.
I came,
Madam, to tell you what 'tis fit you learn.
I've pondered your friend's suit, and have refused it.

Sir J.
[Ironically.]
Can you deign your reason?

Anne.
[Gently.]
Yes, he's generous,
And merits love. I felt none.

Sir J.
O, we're meek,
We're nice, it seems. We can so well afford
The luxury of a conscience. We can't marry;
It wounds our principles! Let principle
Feed, clothe, and house you.

Lady T.
Stay, unmanly tyrant!
She'll hate you.

Sir J.
Let her! She'll the sooner seek
A husband's shelter.

Lady T.
[Kindly to Anne.]
'Tis your last resource.
He'll grind you into dust. Your pride forbids
All thought of Thorold; nay, your vow.

Anne.
[Emphatically.]
The sin
Of my rash, selfish heart, which his recoils from,
Forbids it, too; nay, could he pardon, still
The poor dependant, who forsook him humble,
Will never share his greatness—never, never!
Save time could work a miracle to show
'Twas love, not fortune, swayed her.

Sir J.
[Aside, exultingly.]
Then all's safe.
She's in my power!

[He moves to door.
Lady T.
Yield, Anne!

Anne.
Go, madam!
[Lady Toppington follows Sir Joshua out.
Plunge back into that guilt whence Thorold snatched me! Yield!
Never. He loved me! 'Twas my mother's face
Stung me to jealous madness. [Gazing on the portrait which she wears.]
Had I but
Subdued my pride, sought him and told my doubts,
All else, perchance, like this, had been explained;
Dispelled like vapour, and I had not driven
Full on the rock that shivers me! Too late!

Enter Lloyd, followed by Clara Thurleigh.
Lloyd.
A lady, sweet, would speak with you.

Anne.
With me?

Clara.
[Advancing, and offering her hand.]
A friend compelled to introduce herself.
[Lloyd goes out.
Am I so frightful that you thus start back!

Anne.
[Aside.]
The very voice of yesterday!

Clara.
Well, well,
Where are your arms? Love me, and love my dog,
The proverb says. 'Tis surely right to add,
Love me, and love my cousin. You love Thorold,
And I'm his cousin—love me!

[Seizes her hands and kisses her.
Anne.
Cousin!

Clara.
Yes,
His favourite—don't be jealous—favourite cousin.
You're still suspicious? Sometimes cousins marry.
Take comfort—I'll not steal him, for two reasons:—
I wouldn't if I could; and, next, I can't.
In short, I was, three months since, what I hope
To see you in three weeks—a happy bride!

Anne.
Married! You! [Aside.]
O blind, wilful, faithless heart,
For this I wronged him!

Clara.
[Aside.]
What's amiss? [Aloud.]
Where's Thorold?
He promised me, himself, to make us known
At noon to-day; but at the appointed hour
My knight evaporates, and, in lieu of him,
I only find his trunks all ranged and packed
For instant flight.

Anne.
[With an effort.]
He's going then—he leaves—
He leaves our neighbourhood?

Clara.
He's going!
He leaves our neighbourhood! Where does he go, then?
Surely you know?—There's something wrong; dear Anne,
Don't turn from me! What, tears? There's no division
'Twixt you and Thorold?

Anne.
Severance—utter, final!

Clara.
What has he done!

Anne.
Discovered a mistake.
He deemed he had in mine a true fond heart;
He found it mean and treacherous!

Clara.
And repentant.
Go to him, tell your fault, and be forgiven!

Anne.
Impossible!

Clara.
Anne!

Anne.
Spare me!

Clara.
Well, I'll leave you;
But hear me first. The want of one frank word
May blight a life. You are yet in time; speak now.
If dumb through pride, you'll let a moment pass
So rich, that all your sum of future years
May ne'er redeem it. Take a sister's counsel,
Who, having many faults, can pity yours.
Again, I say—tell all, and be forgiven.

[She kisses Anne; as she is going, Anne turns to her, and falls sobbing upon her neck, then motions her away; Clara goes out.
Anne.
Forgiven—when he deems I cast him off
For the sake of prouder fortunes! Oh, he must
Despise me now! The tears of my remorse
He will not see nor heed. Within his hand
Mine will not anchor when storms lash me on,
And when I die, upon my upraised eyes
No love will float from his; but once he loved me,
And I will keep my soul inviolate,
To his love's memory!

Enter Lloyd, cautiously.
Lloyd.
Darling pet, dear child,
The colonel's here, and asks an interview
Ere he sets sail.

Anne.
Sets sail!

Lloyd.
For India.
You must have heard it?

Anne.
No; or heard it but
As in a dream. Sets sail for India!

Lloyd.
It's strange! all's strange—that he should prove a hero,
A great man the world talks of, one whose name's
In the newspapers! Why, all the tenants round
Are bent to honour him, and in procession
To see him to his ship!

Anne.
To his ship—Heaven bless them!
They know his worth.

Lloyd.
[Observing her emotion.]
Nay, bird, he's little worth
Who'd wrong or slight thee!

Anne.
Lloyd!

Lloyd.
Don't thrust me off.
I meant no ill. I'll call him kind, to please you.
He may forsake you; all may; but not Lloyd!

Anne.
Dear Lloyd!—He waits.
[Lloyd snatches her hand, kisses it, and goes out.
Is it real? To meet once more,
Then part, most like for ever! To think to-morrow
Even the white speck of his sail will vanish,
And a whole life slide from me in an hour!
Is it real?—I must be calm. He shall not catch
One cry of this wild grief. For me, who left
His lot when it seemed lowly, now to plead
For his compassion, as I sought to share
His state and affluence, would seem doubly base.—
I could not bear that pang!

Enter Thorold, followed by a Servant with casket and packet.
Thor.
So, friend! the casket.

[Takes it and places it on table.
Ser.
A packet, just delivered, sir!

[Hands it to Thorold, and goes out.
Thor.
[Opening it, and taking out a deed.]
Ah, from Llaniston!
[Looking at Anne, who affects to occupy herself with books and prints.
How all unmoved she looks! She never loved me.
[Advances to her with casket.
Anne, 'tis our farewell meeting!

Anne.
So I've heard.
Your called hence suddenly.

[Points to a chair.
Thor.
And ere I leave
Would end a guardian's duties. It may chance
I shall return no more.

Anne.
[Aside.]
No more!—You've friends—
I mean you've friends in England, who would grieve—
That is—regret to think so.

Thor.
[Turning aside with emotion.]
What we two
Seemed once to one another, and we part
For ever with regret! [After a pause, with forced calmness.]
Regret's the word;
It suits our life.—Hope sinks, the dark abyss
Parts, closes,—and all's sunshine!

Anne.
Ay, above!

[Aside.
Thor.
[Opening casket.]
We trifle and waste time. First take this token,
Your mother's hair. Your father's farewell words;
Her letters to him; some were in their courtship,
Some traced the year she died.

[Giving them.
Anne.
[Aside.]
Her letters! Dupe!
The words I read were hers.

Thor.
You weep,—ah, wear
In your heart's depths their memory, though mine
Has no more place there!

Anne.
Yours no place!—you think!
No matter—

Thor.
Anne!

Anne.
[As with sudden recollection.]
Ah, I can speak! Mark, Thorold,
I've vowed, and here repeat my pledge—

Thor.
Hold! hold!

Anne.
Never to link my abject lot with yours!
'Tis sworn, the choked tide's free,—I love you—love you!
[Sits at table.
You can't misjudge me now!

Thor.
No.

Anne.
Hear me still,
You'll not to-morrow. You have seen me rash,
Wilful, unjust;—worse—ay, you must have deemed so,
Basely ambitious, bartering for gold
And rank your priceless love! O Thorold! 'twas not
A hireling heart's indifference; 'twas a proud,
Stung heart's delirium!

Thor.
Ay, say on!

Anne.
From childhood,
Friendless, despised, a common mark for taunts
That poisoned where they pierced, you met me, saved me;
My mind grew happier, purer, nearer yours,
Till—O deep shame!—doubt sprang there; I was tempted
By wiles that looked like truth to think you faithless;
Mock proofs swarmed round me, ringing in my ear
This knell—He too abandons! There my soul
Lost light, chart, compass! I but knew one star;
It vanished—and I struck!

[Casts herself before him.
Thor.
[Attempting to raise her.]
Rise, my poor Anne!

Anne.
One boon! when you are happy,
If 'midst the beaming faces round your hearth,
Should steal the phantom sad of her you loved
So nobly, who repaid your love so ill,
Think her not heartless!—Think that, night by night,
She pours for you the prayers God only hears,
And, as some uncrowned queen still keeps the look
Of greatness, feeling she was royal once,
So she who found in you her world, her crown,
Will live—will die, moulding her heart, mind, life,
To make her worthier of one thought—you loved her!

Thor.
Rise, I implore!

Enter Sir Joshua, Lady Toppington, and Llaniston.
Sir J.
[To Anne.]
Rise, don't you hear the colonel?
[She rises.
[Apart to her.]
He'll none of you. A marriage contract waits
Your signature.

Anne.
It must wait.

Sir J.
Do my will,
Or quit my doors.

[Losing all self-control.
Llan.
Silence!—I sought a wife, and not a slave.

Lady T.
Remember, Anne, your vow!
Poor and dependent, I'll ne'er wed with Thorold.

Thor.
Was that your vow?

Anne.
It was.

Sir J.
Ay, word for word.

Thor.
Then I annul it. [She starts up.]
No dependant stands there!
Those Indian mines—

[Laying his hand on casket.
Sir J.
Are nought to her. Her father
Died poor.

Thor.
Most poor. For in those mines he risked his all—
Half a life's earnings to redeem his child.
That darling hope seemed blighted; the scant ore
Scarce paid the miners' toil, and with vain throes
For the far heart he might not clasp to his,
Her father died.

Sir J.
Ay!

Thor.
He died—not his act!
Still delved the miners—delved till earth revealed
A vein—a realm of wealth!

Sir J.
How?

Thor.
In the outcast
Behold the heiress; in the maid your fraud
Divorced from love, the— [Turns to Anne.]
May I speak that word?
Your no dependant now!—

Anne.
Yes, speak.

[He opens his arms, into which she rushes.
Thor.
The wife—the wife!

Sir J.
'Tis false—you fool me!

Thor.
Her father's dying breath
Bound me to silence on her fate while doubtful,
That hoping nothing, failure might not wound her.
Hence I concealed my guardianship and station:
For her dear self I wooed her—for myself
She chose me!

Llan.
Humph! that's soothing, since I've lost her.

Thor.
[Gaily.]
Nay, she's more yours than ever; you most prized her
When she was hard to win; you'll doubly prize her
Now that's impossible.

[Anne smilingly gives Llaniston her hand, then turns to Thorold.
Enter Clara Thurleigh by window.
Clara.
[To Anne.]
Why, here's a change!
Here's sunshine after storm! I'll wager, now,
If he still means to leave our neighbourhood,
He'll pay for double places when he travels.

Sir J.
What means this gross intrusion?

Thor.
Clara, stay.
'Tis my request.

Sir J.
Yours, in my house! What next?

Enter Jillott and Lloyd hastily, by window.
Jil.
Sir Joshua, the tenants, and a mob
Of the—hem!—inferior classes, through the gates
Pour in by hundreds.

Lloyd.
With a band and banners,
To pay respect to the colonel.

Sir J.
Drive them hence!
Send for a constable. Respect to him!

Thor.
Stir not an inch. They're welcome.

Sir J.
[With extreme indignation.]
Sir! your right?

Thor.
[Producing deed.]
This forfeit mortgage of your lands, which Llaniston
Assigns to me, and I to Anne for dowry.
You would have driven her from your roof,
And she—

Anne.
Will grant him one for shelter. So my father
Had said—

Thor.
And so your husband;—far from hence, though,
And humble, like his fortunes.

Llan.
That's your sentence.

Thor.
[To Lady Toppington.]
You, madam—

Lady T.
Have weak nerves,—and he's my husband!

Llan.
True; she's exempt. [Distant music.]
Hark! music!

[Sir Joshua and Lady Toppington retire.
Anne.
[Clinging to Thorold.]
In thine honour!

Thor.
Let all make holiday. The ship shall sail
This tide without us. [To Anne.]
What's ambition's wreath.
To love regained?

Anne.
And what is love regained,
To thine, which, sorely tempted, ne'er was lost?

[During the concluding lines the crowd gradually approach the window with banners; music—air “See the Conquering Hero Comes!” As Thorold turns towards the window with Anne, curtain falls.