Chapter 5

man's overcoat, with a pillow tied in the middle with a silk scarf, eyes, nose, and mouth made on it with a burnt match._] Eliza crossing the ice! Come, honey darling! [_To the pillow._] Mammy'll save you from de wicked white man! [_Jumping up on the sofa, and moving with the springs._] _You_ ought to do the bloodhounds for me, Jack! Excuse me, but you look the part! [_AUSTIN watches her, not unamused, but without smiling._] Hold tight to Lize, honey, and don't be afeerd o' dat big black man over dah--dat's Uncle Tom. [_Crossing to the arm-chair._] Don't be afeerd, honey; it's Lize dat's cuttin' de ice this time. [_She throws the pillow away and drags off the two sheets._] Oh, I can see this is too serious for you!

[_She starts singing a cakewalk and dances across the room until she reaches him, where she finishes._

AUSTIN. Very good, Jinny! I'm sure we couldn't have seen better at the theatre.

JINNY. Ah! You're getting yourself again!--Darling! Come!--Come!--come to the pianola and you shall have the sextette! It's in there ready; I heard mother struggling with it. You don't suppose she has designs upon the Casino, do you? Now--ready?

[_He goes to the pianola and starts to play the sextette from "Florodora." She runs to the opposite side of the room and begins to sing and dance, crossing to AUSTIN as he plays._

AUSTIN. [_After a few moments._] But I can't see you and play at the same time; I don't like it!

JINNY. [_Delighted._] You _want to see me_, do you?

AUSTIN. Of course I do!

JINNY. Jack! [_Delighted._] Well, then, turn round!

[_JINNY, hurrying the time of the song, turns it into a regular skirt dance. She dances delightfully and AUSTIN cannot resist her charm. His face lightens, he smiles, and love comes into his eyes. JINNY sees and dances and sings all the better till she reaches him._

AUSTIN. [_Rising, he takes her into his arms._] You adorable Jinny!

JINNY. Ah, Jack! You're smiling again and--_you love me_!

[_Clasping her arms about his neck._

AUSTIN. Yes! Is the theatre finished?

JINNY. No, only the first act. [_He sits in the big arm-chair, JINNY on his knee._] I'm _tired_! [_He kisses her. There is a pause. There is a knock on the door at Right._] Oh, hang it! [_Knock repeated._] _Don't_ answer it! We haven't half made up yet!

AUSTIN. But we must answer it, dear.

JINNY. [_As she rises unwillingly._] I don't see why--I should have let her knock till she went away.

AUSTIN. Come in!

[_MAGGIE enters with a letter._

JINNY. What is it, Maggie?

MAGGIE. A note from Miss Chester, m'm, and she's downstairs herself waiting for an answer.

JINNY. For _me_?

[_Taking the letter._

MAGGIE. No, m'm; I think she said it was for _Mr._ Austin.

JINNY. _Oh!_--You may wait outside for the answer, Maggie.

MAGGIE. Yes, m'm.

[_She goes out._

JINNY. [_Slowly goes to AUSTIN and gives him the letter, lightly._] I see now why you were so anxious to let Maggie in. Perhaps you were expecting this.

AUSTIN. Jinny! [_Holding her by the hand and trying to pull her over to him._] Come, I'll give you a kiss for the letter.

JINNY. No, thank you, I don't want kisses that are given by you for letters from Ruth Chester. Yes! do kiss me! [_He kisses her._] I _won't_ be jealous! _I won't be!_ [_Clinching her teeth._] See, I'm not jealous a bit! Read your old letter!

[_AUSTIN opens the note and reads it. As he does so JINNY has passed on to the desk and sees AUSTIN'S unfinished letter to RUTH, which after a little hesitation she picks up and reads. AUSTIN, having read RUTH'S note, looks up thoughtfully a second, and then re-reads it. JINNY is furious over what she reads. As she finishes she gives a little cry from the very depths of her heart._

JINNY. Oh, _Jack_!

AUSTIN. What is it?

JINNY. Nothing!

[_She sinks by the desk, crushing the letter in her hand. She looks over at him, and then down at the letter, and then back at him._

AUSTIN. Maggie!

JINNY. [_Rising suddenly. She speaks with a voice trembling with only half-contained emotion and passion._] I told her to wait in the hall; may I read it?

[_Holding out her hand for the letter._

AUSTIN. Now look here, Jinny,--I always let you read everything, don't I?

JINNY. [_Hiding his letter behind her back._] Yes. [_Holding out her other hand._] Give it to me!

AUSTIN. Now begin to show that you really are going to turn over a new leaf, and that your love is going to have perfect confidence, and don't ask to see this letter.

JINNY. But I _do_ ask to see it!

AUSTIN. Then this time I must refuse you!

JINNY. What! is it even more compromising than _your_ letter to her?

AUSTIN. What letter? [_Looking first on the desk, he looks across at her and sees it in her hand. He is angry, but also frightened for fear it has told her her brother's secret._] And you've read it?

JINNY. It lay open on the desk there, and anyway the end justifies me!

AUSTIN. [_In an agony._] What does it tell you? I forget what I wrote!

JINNY. It tells me that my jealousy all along has been right, that I've been a fool to let you blind me!

AUSTIN. [_With a great sigh of relief._] Is that all?

JINNY. [_Beside herself._] "Is that all!" Isn't that enough? Dear God, isn't that enough? That there's an understanding between you and Ruth to get rid of _me_!

AUSTIN. If it tells you that, the letter lies! Give it to me!

JINNY. No! _I'll_ read it to you! [_Reads with bitter emphasis._] "The satisfaction of the visit to Brooklyn prevents me from being disappointed at having missed your telegram till too late to go to your house to-night!" So--you and she went to Brooklyn, did you, and that's why you came back too late to go to the theatre with me? You _cheat_! [_She screams in her madness. A pause._] Why don't you answer--why don't you say something?

AUSTIN. Because if I speak as I feel, I'm afraid of saying something I'll regret all my life!

JINNY. You don't deny, then?

AUSTIN. Yes! that is due to Ruth. Whatever you may feel about _me_, you have no _right_ to _insult_ her!

JINNY. Oh, _there's more to_ the letter!

AUSTIN. Jinny, don't you see what you're doing?

JINNY. Yes, I'm getting at the truth at last! [_Reads._] "My heart aches for the blow you must have this evening! The man who loves you--"

AUSTIN. You shan't read any more; you're mad now!

[_Tearing the letter away from her._

JINNY. I don't need the letter, the words are burning in here! [_Pressing her hands to her forehead._] "The man who loves you isn't bad, only weak. However, I feel once we can shake off the burden of _this present marriage_"--oh! you--you _brute_ to say that!--"you will never have cause to complain of him again! So far I have been able to keep Jinny in perfect ignorance, but I feel the blow must fall upon her now--"

[_Interrupted._

AUSTIN. Shall I tell you _the truth_?

JINNY. You don't have to; I've found it out for myself!

AUSTIN. [_In weariness, in disgust, in utter hopelessness._] No! what's the use. You've done it now--let it go! Let it all go--the whole thing! What's the use!--it's finished!-- [_A knock on the door at Right._] Come in!

[_Maggie enters and closes the door behind her._

MAGGIE. Please, sir, Miss Chester came upstairs and made me knock again to see if there was an answer and if you will see her now or not.

JINNY. [_Suddenly--aflame with her idea._] Yes! Maggie, show her in!

AUSTIN. No, no! What do you want to do! I'll see Miss Chester to-morrow, Maggie.

[_JINNY has crossed to the door, Right._

JINNY. Ruth! Ruth!

RUTH. [_Off stage._] Yes? May I come?

JINNY. _Do_ come in!

[_She recrosses room; she and AUSTIN face each other for a second._

AUSTIN. [_In a lowered voice._] For God's sake, be careful!

[_RUTH enters Right._

RUTH. Jinny!

[_Going to her quickly to embrace her._

[_JINNY, without speaking, draws away and stares at her with a look of hatred. RUTH, seeing it, stops short, and looks from JINNY to AUSTIN for explanation--she turns to AUSTIN and gives him her hand, which he takes, presses, and drops; JINNY'S shoulders contract at this moment; RUTH immediately turns again to JINNY._

RUTH. What is it, Jinny? [_To AUSTIN._] Surely she doesn't blame _me_ in any way.

JINNY. _Blame you!_

AUSTIN. She doesn't _know_.

JINNY. That's a lie! I know everything, Ruth! I know why you followed my husband to Rome, and why he sent for you to come back here. I know that you and he were in Brooklyn this afternoon, and that you only plan to get rid of me by some divorce, and by hook or crook to marry each other!

RUTH. No!--No!--

JINNY. Oh, you can lie, too, can you? I won't keep you waiting long! You've stolen my husband from me--take him. I won't _share_ him with any woman! He's yours now, and I'll soon be out of your way!

AUSTIN. _Jinny!_

RUTH. [_To Austin._] She must be told the truth.

[_AUSTIN bows his head._

JINNY. Now you'll make up your story, will you? I tell you it's useless. If he wouldn't let me see your compromising letter, I've seen a letter from _him_ to _you_ to-night that gives the whole thing away.

RUTH. [_Very quietly._] Your husband went to Brooklyn _without me_, as your _brother_ will tell you, to see the clergyman who married me, or _thought_ he _married_ me to _Geoffrey Tillman_ three months ago! [_JINNY looks up with a start._] That marriage was _illegal_ because your brother was already married, and Mr. Austin tried and did get the promise of silence this afternoon about the Brooklyn service, to prevent a charge of bigamy against your brother. The first marriage, which still holds good, was with--Maggie, your present servant--

[_JINNY stands immovable. There is a silence._

AUSTIN. Geoffrey is not at your house?

RUTH. No, he left when I came on here. As I wrote you in the note I sent upstairs, I was too stunned by what he told me to answer then, and I wanted a word of advice with you. [_She turns to JINNY._] _I_ knew what I thought was my _marriage_ to your brother must be kept secret, but I could not learn why. This was my trouble, which, after your marriage, I selfishly laid on your husband's shoulders, thinking he might help me! [_No answer from JINNY, who stands as if struck dumb and into stone._] Mr. Austin only learned the whole truth when we met that day in Rome. _I_ did not learn till to-day that I was not honestly your brother's wife. I had to be told, because divorce proceedings are to be started at once to break--the other--marriage. [_No answer from JINNY._] To spare me, and above all to spare you the knowledge of your brother's sin, your husband has kept Geoffrey's secret from you. You have _well_ repaid him! [_She turns again to AUSTIN._] Good-by--I feel to-night I couldn't marry Geoffrey again. He's tumbled so far off his pedestal he has fallen out of my heart. But still--we'll see; I've told him to come to-morrow. _Thank you_ from the bottom of my heart--it's full of gratitude, even if it is broken!

[_She goes out Right._

[_JINNY slowly turns, almost afraid to look at AUSTIN. He stands stern, with set face._

JINNY. [_In a low voice, ashamed to go near him._] Can you forgive me? Can you--

AUSTIN. Ugh!

[_Crossing room for his coat._

JINNY. I'm mad! You know I don't know what I do. But I _love you_--I love you! Forgive me!

AUSTIN. Never!

[_Taking up his coat._

JINNY. Where are you going?

AUSTIN. Out of this house.

JINNY. If you leave me, I'll not bear it! I'll kill myself! I warn you!

AUSTIN. Bah!--Good-by!

[_Going to the door Right._

JINNY. No! Where are you going?

AUSTIN. Out of this house _for good_!

[_At the door he turns and looks at her._

JINNY. [_Echoes._] For good?

AUSTIN. _For good!_

[_He goes out, slamming the door behind him._

[_JINNY stands a moment motionless. She then cries faintly--"Jack!" She goes to the door and pushes it open, crying out again in loud, strong despair, "Jack!" There is a moment's pause. She cries out again weakly, heartbrokenly, "Jack!"--comes back into the room, and throwing herself down on the floor, her head resting on her arms in the arm-chair, she sobs hysterically, wildly, "What have I done! Dear God, what have I done!" as_

THE CURTAIN FALLS