The Eldest Son (Second Series Plays)

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LADY CHESHIRE. I did before I knew what was in front of her--I said
all I could. I can't go again now. I can't do it, Bill.

SIR WILLIAM. What are you going to do, then--fold your hands? [Then
as LADY CHESHIRE makes a move of distress.] If he marries her, I've
done with him. As far as I'm concerned he'll cease to exist. The
title--I can't help. My God! Does that meet your wishes?

LADY CHESHIRE. [With sudden fire] You've no right to put such an
alternative to me. I'd give ten years of my life to prevent this
marriage. I'll go to Bill. I'll beg him on my knees.

SIR WILLIAM. Then why can't you go to the girl? She deserves no
consideration. It's not a question of morality: Morality be d---d!

LADY CHESHIRE. But not self-respect....

SIR WILLIAM. What! You're his mother!

LADY CHESHIRE. I've tried; I [putting her hand to her throat] can't
get it out.

SIR WILLIAM. [Staring at her] You won't go to her? It's the only
chance. [LADY CHESHIRE turns away.]

SIR WILLIAM. In the whole course of our married life, Dorothy, I've
never known you set yourself up against me. I resent this, I warn
you--I resent it. Send the girl to me. I'll do it myself.

With a look back at him LADY CHESHIRE goes out into the
corridor.

SIR WILLIAM. This is a nice end to my day!

He takes a small china cup from of the mantel-piece; it breaks
with the pressure of his hand, and falls into the fireplace.
While he stands looking at it blankly, there is a knock.

SIR WILLIAM. Come in!

FREDA enters from the corridor.

SIR WILLIAM. I've asked you to be good enough to come, in order
that--[pointing to chair]--You may sit down.

But though she advances two or three steps, she does not sit
down.

SIR WILLIAM. This is a sad business.

FREDA. [Below her breath] Yes, Sir William.

SIR WILLIAM. [Becoming conscious of the depths of feeling before
him] I--er--are you attached to my son?

FREDA. [In a whisper] Yes.

SIR WILLIAM. It's very painful to me to have to do this. [He turns
away from her and speaks to the fire.] I sent for you--to--ask--
[quickly] How old are you?

FREDA. Twenty-two.

SIR WILLIAM. [More resolutely] Do you expect me to sanction such a
mad idea as a marriage?

FREDA. I don't expect anything.

SIR WILLIAM. You know--you haven't earned the right to be considered.

FREDA. Not yet!

SIR WILLIAM. What! That oughtn't to help you! On the contrary. Now
brace yourself up, and listen to me!

She stands waiting to hear her sentence. SIR WILLIAM looks at
her; and his glance gradually wavers.

SIR WILLIAM. I've not a word to say for my son. He's behaved like a
scamp.

FREDA. Oh! no!

SIR WILLIAM. [With a silencing gesture] At the same, time--What
made you forget yourself? You've no excuse, you know.

FREDA. No.

SIR WILLIAM. You'll deserve all you'll get. Confound it! To expect
me to--It's intolerable! Do you know where my son is?

FREDA. [Faintly] I think he's in the billiard-room with my lady.

SIR WILLIAM. [With renewed resolution] I wanted to--to put it to
you--as a--as a--what! [Seeing her stand so absolutely motionless,
looking at him, he turns abruptly, and opens the billiard-room door]
I'll speak to him first. Come in here, please! [To FREDA] Go in, and
wait!

LADY CHESHIRE and BILL Come in, and FREDA passing them, goes
into the billiard-room to wait.

SIR WILLIAM. [Speaking with a pause between each sentence] Your
mother and I have spoken of this--calamity. I imagine that even you
have some dim perception of the monstrous nature of it. I must tell
you this: If you do this mad thing, you fend for yourself. You'll
receive nothing from me now or hereafter. I consider that only due
to the position our family has always held here. Your brother will
take your place. We shall--get on as best we can without you. [There
is a dead silence till he adds sharply] Well!

BILL. I shall marry her.

LADY CHESHIRE. Oh! Bill! Without love-without anything!

BILL. All right, mother! [To SIR WILLIAM] you've mistaken your man,
sir. Because I'm a rotter in one way, I'm not necessarily a rotter
in all. You put the butt end of the pistol to Dunning's head
yesterday, you put the other end to mine to-day. Well! [He turns
round to go out] Let the d---d thing off!

LADY CHESHIRE. Bill!

BILL. [Turning to her] I'm not going to leave her in the lurch.

SIR WILLIAM. Do me the justice to admit that I have not attempted to
persuade you to.

BILL. No! you've chucked me out. I don't see what else you could
have done under the circumstances. It's quite all right. But if you
wanted me to throw her over, father, you went the wrong way to work,
that's all; neither you nor I are very good at seeing consequences.

SIR WILLIAM. Do you realise your position?

BILK. [Grimly] I've a fair notion of it.

SIR WILLIAM. [With a sudden outburst] You have none--not the
faintest, brought up as you've been.

BILL. I didn't bring myself up.

SIR WILLIAM. [With a movement of uncontrolled anger, to which his son
responds] You--ungrateful young dog!

LADY CHESHIRE. How can you--both?
[They drop their eyes, and stand silent.]

SIR WILLIAM. [With grimly suppressed emotion] I am speaking under the
stress of very great pain--some consideration is due to me. This is
a disaster which I never expected to have to face. It is a matter
which I naturally can never hope to forget. I shall carry this down
to my death. We shall all of us do that. I have had the misfortune
all my life to believe in our position here--to believe that we
counted for something--that the country wanted us. I have tried to
do my duty by that position. I find in one moment that it is gone--
smoke--gone. My philosophy is not equal to that. To countenance
this marriage would be unnatural.

BILL. I know. I'm sorry. I've got her into this--I don't see any
other way out. It's a bad business for me, father, as well as for
you----

He stops, seeing that JACKSON has route in, and is standing
there waiting.

JACKSON. Will you speak to Studdenham, Sir William? It's about
young Dunning.

After a moment of dead silence, SIR WILLIAM nods, and the butler
withdraws.

BILL. [Stolidly] He'd better be told.

SIR WILLIAM. He shall be.

STUDDENHAM enters, and touches his forehead to them all with a
comprehensive gesture.

STUDDENHAM. Good evenin', my lady! Evenin', Sir William!

STUDDENHAM. Glad to be able to tell you, the young man's to do the
proper thing. Asked me to let you know, Sir William. Banns'll be up
next Sunday. [Struck by the silence, he looks round at all three in
turn, and suddenly seeing that LADY CHESHIRE is shivering] Beg
pardon, my lady, you're shakin' like a leaf!

BILL. [Blurting it out] I've a painful piece of news for you,
Studdenham; I'm engaged to your daughter. We're to be married at
once.

STUDDENHAM. I--don't--understand you--sir.

BILL. The fact is, I've behaved badly; but I mean to put it
straight.

STUDDENHAM. I'm a little deaf. Did you say--my daughter?

SIR WILLIAM. There's no use mincing matters, Studdenham. It's a
thunderbolt--young Dunning's case over again.

STUDDENHAM. I don't rightly follow. She's--You've--! I must see my
daughter. Have the goodness to send for her, m'lady.

LADY CHESHIRE goes to the billiard-room, and calls: "FREDA, come
here, please."

STUDDENHAM. [TO SIR WILLIAM] YOU tell me that my daughter's in the
position of that girl owing to your son? Men ha' been shot for less.

BILL. If you like to have a pot at me, Studdenham you're welcome.

STUDDENHAM. [Averting his eyes from BILL at the sheer idiocy of this
sequel to his words] I've been in your service five and twenty years,
Sir William; but this is man to man--this is!

SIR WILLIAM. I don't deny that, Studdenham.

STUDDENHAM. [With eyes shifting in sheer anger] No--'twouldn't be
very easy. Did I understand him to say that he offers her marriage?

SIR WILLIAM. You did.

STUDDENHAM. [Into his beard] Well--that's something! [Moving his
hands as if wringing the neck of a bird] I'm tryin' to see the rights
o' this.

SIR WILLIAM. [Bitterly] You've all your work cut out for you,
Studdenham.

Again STUDDENHAM makes the unconscious wringing movement with
his hands.

LADY CHESHIRE. [Turning from it with a sort of horror] Don't,
Studdenham! Please!

STUDDENHAM. What's that, m'lady?

LADY CHESHIRE. [Under her breath] Your--your--hands.

While STUDDENHAM is still staring at her, FREDA is seen standing
in the doorway, like a black ghost.

STUDDENHAM. Come here! You! [FREDA moves a few steps towards her
father] When did you start this?

FREDA. [Almost inaudibly] In the summer, father.

LADY CHESHIRE. Don't be harsh to her!

STUDDENHAM. Harsh! [His eyes again move from side to side as if
pain and anger had bewildered them. Then looking sideways at FREDA,
but in a gentler voice] And when did you tell him about--what's come
to you?

FREDA. Last night.

STUDDENHAM. Oh! [With sudden menace] You young--! [He makes a
convulsive movement of one hand; then, in the silence, seems to lose
grip of his thoughts, and pits his hand up to his head] I want to
clear me mind a bit--I don't see it plain at all. [Without looking
at BILL] 'Tis said there's been an offer of marriage?

BILL. I've made it, I stick to it.

STUDDENHAM. Oh! [With slow, puzzled anger] I want time to get the
pith o' this. You don't say anything, Sir William?

SIR WILLIAM. The facts are all before you.

STUDDENHAM. [Scarcely moving his lips] M'lady?

LADY CHESHIRE is silent.

STUDDENHAM. [Stammering] My girl was--was good enough for any man.
It's not for him that's--that's to look down on her. [To FREDA] You
hear the handsome offer that's been made you? Well? [FREDA moistens
her lips and tries to speak, but cannot] If nobody's to speak a
word, we won't get much forrarder. I'd like for you to say what's in
your mind, Sir William.

SIR WILLIAM. I--If my son marries her he'll have to make his own
way.

STUDDENHAM. [Savagely] I'm not puttin' thought to that.

SIR WILLIAM. I didn't suppose you were, Studdenham. It appears to
rest with your daughter. [He suddenly takes out his handkerchief,
and puts it to his forehead] Infernal fires they make up here!

LADY CHESHIRE, who is again shivering desperately, as if with intense
cold, makes a violent attempt to control her shuddering.

STUDDENHAM. [Suddenly] There's luxuries that's got to be paid for.
[To FREDA] Speak up, now.

FREDA turns slowly and looks up at SIR WILLIAM; he involuntarily
raises his hand to his mouth. Her eyes travel on to LADY
CHESHIRE, who faces her, but so deadly pale that she looks as if
she were going to faint. The girl's gaze passes on to BILL,
standing rigid, with his jaw set.

FREDA. I want--[Then flinging her arm up over her eyes, she turns
from him] No!

SIR WILLIAM. Ah!

At that sound of profound relief, STUDDENHAM, whose eyes have
been following his daughter's, moves towards SIR WILLIAM, all
his emotion turned into sheer angry pride.

STUDDENHAM. Don't be afraid, Sir William! We want none of you!
She'll not force herself where she's not welcome. She may ha'
slipped her good name, but she'll keep her proper pride. I'll have
no charity marriage in my family.

SIR WILLIAM. Steady, Studdenham!

STUDDENHAM. If the young gentleman has tired of her in three months,
as a blind man can see by the looks of him--she's not for him!

BILL. [Stepping forward] I'm ready to make it up to her.

STUDDENHAM. Keep back, there? [He takes hold of FREDA, and looks
around him] Well! She's not the first this has happened to since
the world began, an' she won't be the last. Come away, now, come away!

Taking FREDA by the shoulders, he guides her towards the door.

SIR WILLIAM. D---n 'it, Studdenham! Give us credit for something!

STUDDENHAM. [Turning his face and eyes lighted up by a sort of
smiling snarl] Ah! I do that, Sir William. But there's things that
can't be undone!

He follows FREDA Out. As the door closes, SIR WILLIAM'S Calm
gives way. He staggers past his wife, and sinks heavily, as
though exhausted, into a chair by the fire. BILL, following
FREDA and STUDDENHAM, has stopped at the shut door. LADY
CHESHIRE moves swiftly close to him. The door of the
billiard-room is opened, and DOT appears. With a glance round,
she crosses quickly to her mother.

DOT. [In a low voice] Mabel's just going, mother! [Almost
whispering] Where's Freda? Is it--Has she really had the pluck?

LADY CHESHIRE bending her head for "Yes," goes out into the
billiard-room. DOT clasps her hands together, and standing
there in the middle of the room, looks from her brother to her
father, from her father to her brother. A quaint little pitying
smile comes on her lips. She gives a faint shrug of her shoulders.



The curtain falls.