The Profligate 23

The Profligate 23

LESLIE.

 

Look here! This poor child is a living sacrifice to a man whose history

is a horrible chapter of dishonour. He is a man who preys upon the

weak under the mask of a false name; who stabs but has not the mercy

to kill; and who leaves his victims to bleed to death in their hearts,

slowly but surely.

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

I always feared this was a worthless girl. But pray, what has her

depravity to do with us?

 

LESLIE.

 

Only this. Janet has just discovered the whereabouts of the man she has

been seeking.

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Really this is no concern of ours.

 

LESLIE.

 

There you are mistaken, Mrs. Stonehay.

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Mistaken?

 

LESLIE.

 

Yes. Because, if this man were willing to atone to Janet Preece by

marrying her, he could not fulfil his engagement to your daughter.

 

IRENE.

 

Oh!

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

This is an infamous fabrication!

 

LESLIE.

 

[_To JANET._] Is it the truth?

 

JANET PREECE.

 

It is--the truth.

 

[_JANET sinks back upon the sofa burying her face in the pillows._]

 

IRENE.

 

Oh, Leslie!

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

A girl of that character lives upon her lying romances, and the woman

who harbours such a creature becomes a partner and not a protector.

[_To IRENE._] Come--do you hear me!

 

IRENE.

 

No, no! Leslie!

 

LESLIE.

 

Dunstan!

 

[_DUNSTAN RENSHAW and LORD DANGARS enter._]

 

DUNSTAN RENSHAW.

 

[_Tenderly._] Leslie. [_He bows to MRS. STONEHAY and IRENE._] Leslie,

dear, let me introduce Lord Dangars to you. [_JANET raises her head

with a startled look of horror._]

 

LORD DANGARS.

 

[_Offering his hand._] Mrs. Renshaw, I----

 

LESLIE.

 

No, Dunstan; forgive me--I cannot make the acquaintance of Lord Dangars.

 

DUNSTAN RENSHAW.

 

[_In an undertone._] Leslie!

 

LESLIE.

 

If Lord Dangars wishes for an explanation, Dunstan, I have only to

recall to him the existence of this unhappy girl whose story is known

to me.

 

[_She reveals JANET._]

 

JANET PREECE.

 

No, no!

 

LESLIE.

 

Janet Preece.

 

[_DUNSTAN stares at JANET helplessly and horror-stricken._]

 

LORD DANGARS.

 

I should not be so impolite as to disturb Mrs. Renshaw’s prejudices

against me were they founded upon less illusory evidence. But I can

assure Mrs. Renshaw that I believe I have never seen this young lady

until the present moment.

 

[_LESLIE looks aghast at JANET._]

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Janet, do _you_ say you know Lord Dangars?

 

JANET PREECE.

 

No, no! It’s not he I know! It is a mistake--I----

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

A mistake!

 

JANET PREECE.

 

Ah! Let me go! let me go!

 

[_LESLIE grasps her by the arm._]

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Girl, do you mean that you know _Mr. Renshaw_?

 

[_DANGARS and LESLIE turn to DUNSTAN, who is staring blankly before

him with his hands clenched._]

 

LESLIE.

 

Janet! Janet! [_As the truth dawns upon her._] Oh!

 

JANET PREECE.

 

Ah! What have I done to you! I’d have died to save you this. God

forgive me! I’m not fit to live! Kill me! Kill me! Ah!

 

[_She rushes down the garden steps, past LESLIE, who is as one turned

to stone._]

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Lord Dangars, may I trespass upon your good nature so far as to beg

your escort home? Poor Irene is naturally much distressed.

 

LORD DANGARS.

 

[_Looking from DUNSTAN to LESLIE._] This is perhaps not the time to

express regrets----

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Regrets! Regrets that the character of an honourable man is cleared

from a gross and vindictive slander! It is not from _us_ that regrets

should come. I am ready.

 

IRENE.

 

[_Weeping._] Leslie--Leslie! [_She takes LESLIE’S hand and kisses it.

LESLIE stands, with staring eyes, immovable._]

 

MRS. STONEHAY.

 

Irene, give your arm to Lord Dangars.

 

[_IRENE gives her arm helplessly to DANGARS. MRS. STONEHAY shrugs her

shoulders and goes out, followed by DANGARS with IRENE._]

 

DUNSTAN RENSHAW.

 

[_In a hollow, changed voice._] Leslie--Leslie! [_He staggers towards

her._] You hate me--you hate me. [_He looks into her face._] How you

hate me!

 

LESLIE.

 

[_Speaking with great effort._] Deny it--deny it.

 

DUNSTAN RENSHAW.

 

Deny it!

 

LESLIE.

 

Deny it.

 

DUNSTAN RENSHAW.

 

I--I--Ah, God! I’m guilty! I’m guilty! I’m guilty! Don’t ask me to tell

you the story of my life--I can’t--I can’t. It’s one of sin--all sin.

Till I met you--till I met you. Can you hear me?

 

[_She nods her head twice, still with the wild dazed look in her

face._]

 

DUNSTAN RENSHAW.

 

Then everything altered. I love you--I love you! In all the world there

is nothing for me but you--you make my day or my night by the opening

or the closing of your eyes. There is nothing for me but you! I worship you!