SCENE IV.

Morning in a business street down-town. Many people are passing, among them the PRIEST, the SUBURBAN, and the LOAFER. A crowd thickens before the bulletin boards of “The Earth,” a prominent daily newspaper. At the extreme left are the headquarters of “The Universe,” a rival paper. Not far from “The Earth” building can be seen the modest sign of the eminent physician:--

+------------------------------------+ | DR. ESMERALD THORNE. | | OFFICE HOUR 12-1 O’CLOCK. | +------------------------------------+

(_A door opens within._ DR. THORNE _appears in the entrance to the corridor_.)

_Enter_ DR. THORNE (_upon the sidewalk. Standing irresolute, he seems to wince from the daylight and the morning air; he mutters_).

Now it is light, I can find my way to Helen. (_Steps slowly along the sidewalk; shades his eyes from the sun. He wears no hat, and his pallor has increased. No person addresses him._)

(_On the bulletin boards of_ “The Earth” _can be seen the following announcement_:

WAR WITH THE ISLAND OF BORNEO. BORNEO LAYS DOWN HER ULTIMATUM. THE PRESIDENT HAS CALLED FOR VOLUNTEERS. PANIC IN STOCK STREET. SANTA MA FALLEN 30 POINTS SINCE YESTERDAY. DISSENSION AT THE CITY HOSPITAL. RUMORS OF ACCIDENT AT THE WEST END.)

_Enter_ DR. GAZELL (_a short, blond, thick-set, suave man of middle age_) _and_ DR. CARVER (_a very young man; the latter reading a fresh copy of_ “The Universe”).

DR. GAZELL (_with emotion_). Shocking! Shocking! I cannot express--I am overcome!

DR. CARVER (_without emotion_). Yes. It is very sad. You’ll be apt to find these things in “The Universe” before “The Earth” gets them. I wonder if he--

DR. GAZELL. No. Never. He was above reproach. A hard man to get along with--willful, but above reproach. I am greatly shocked!

DR. THORNE (_stepping out into the crowd_). Ah, Gazell! Good-morning. I am--I am very glad to see you, Dr. Gazell (_pathetically_).

(DR. GAZELL _continues reading his paper. He does not look up._)

DR. THORNE (_with embarrassment_). Gazell! (_He moves directly in front of the office of_ “The Earth.” _At that moment a new bulletin flashes in large letters, over the heads of the crowd, these words_:--

RUMOR CONFIRMED. SHOCKING ACCIDENT! TERRIBLE TRAGEDY. RUNAWAY AT THE WEST END. MRS. FREDERICK FAYTH DANGEROUSLY HURT. THE EMINENT AND POPULAR PHYSICIAN, DR. ESMERALD THORNE, KILLED INSTANTLY.)

(DR. THORNE _reads, and reels; stares about him appealingly._)

(_Murmurs are heard from the crowd._)

_Enter two_ Office Girls.

(FIRST OFFICE GIRL _starts, and points to the bulletin_.)

SECOND OFFICE GIRL. Oh! Oh! (_She bursts into tears._)

SUBURBAN. Too bad! He was a clever fellow. He saved my little boy’s life last summer.

LOAFER. He took a t’orn out av me eye onct and divil a cint did he charrge for ’t.

PRIEST. Pater Noster in Cœlo--gone without absolution, poor soul! An attractive heretic--merciful to the poor of my parish.

DR. GAZELL. He drove too fast a horse. And he drove the horse too fast. I always told him so. But I am greatly agitated by this!

DR. CARVER (_reading aloud_). Now “The Universe” had it already in type: “Dr. Thorne was dragged for some distance before the horse broke free. He was found near the buggy, which was a wreck. The robe was over him, and his face was hidden. Life was extinct when he was discovered, which was not for an unaccountably long time. His watch had stopped at five minutes past seven o’clock. He was not immediately identified. By some unpardonable blunder the body of the distinguished and favorite physician was taken to the morgue.”

DR. GAZELL. That accounts for it.

DR. CARVER (_reads on_). “It was not until nearly midnight that the mistake was discovered. A message was dispatched to the elegant residence of the popular doctor. Mrs. Thorne is a young and beautiful woman, on whom, with their only child, an infant son, this blow falls with uncommon cruelty.”

DR. THORNE (_utters a long, heartrending moan. But no person hears the sound. He stretches out his hands. The crowd shrinks from but does not see him. Staring at the bulletin, he stands apart. He raises his clenched right hand in the air; speaks_). It is a dastardly lie! It is one of those cursed canards manufactured to harass men--and--break the hearts of women. God!--She has seen it by this time. Let me pass! Let me go to her! You may kill _her_ with this, but you can’t kill me. Gentlemen, make way for me! _I am Dr. Thorne!_

(_The crowd pays no attention to this outcry._)

_Enter_ NEWSBOY (_shrilly piping_).

NEWSBOY. “Earth!” “Universe!” Latest--8.30. All about the accident! Dr. Thorne killed instantly--Mrs. Fayth still breathin’--“Earth,” sir? Two cents, sir.

(DR. THORNE _clutches the newsboy by the arm, and would tear the paper from him_. DR. THORNE’S _fingers grope over it--touch it. He tries several times to obtain it. The paper remains in the hands of the boy._)

_Enter_ BRAKE, _the broker_.

(DR. THORNE _staggers against_ BRAKE, _who is reading_ “The Universe.”)

[_Exit the_ Suburban, _consulting his watch_.

DR. THORNE (_more gently; addresses the loafer_). Jerry! Is that you, Jerry! Tell these gentlemen, will you, that I am Dr. Thorne? I should take it--kindly--of you, Jerry.

LOAFER (_stares; mutters_). Divil a cint did he charrge me for ’t.

DR. THORNE (_addresses the broker_). Oh, Brake! I am glad to see you! I couldn’t get down to save my Santa Ma. But _that_ is of no consequence.... I’ve been hurt--an accident--and I am confused. I am suffering from hallucinations. They have got beyond my control. I wonder if you wouldn’t call a cab for me? I thought Dr. Gazell would take me home in his carriage,--but he didn’t seem to hear me when I spoke to him. If you’ll call a cab, I’ll get home--to my wife.

[_Exeunt_ DR. GAZELL, DR. CARVER, _and_ BRAKE, _without replying_.

(DR. THORNE _watches them with a piteous expression; stands back and apart from the crowd_.)

END OF ACT I.