Sydney Grundy

“ Sir G. It must be got. (lays down cigar. Philip sinks back into seat again—Lady Carlyon, who has gone through the first processes of waking, lifts her head; at the sound of Sir George’s voice she starts half up and holds herself in that position during the rest of the conversation, but always so as not to be visible to the others. Sir George rises and stands by Philip) I feel so strongly that is the right course, because in my own life I have pursued the opposite; and I have paid—nay, I have not yet paid the penalty. I claim to be no better than my kind. ”

“ When passion is burnt out, sweep the hearth clean, and clear away the ash, before you set alight another fire. It is a law of life. Old things give place to new. The loves of yesterday are like these faded flowers, fit only to be cast into the flames. (flings bouquet into fire) That is the moral: and I call it excellent. (sits, C., and looks at Philip)
Lady C. (aside) He doesn’t speak to me. Am I a faded flower? (sits, L.)
Rose. Very good, Uncle George. That ought to get the verdict. (leaning upon his shoulder)
Sir G. Let us hope it will. (looking at Philip)
Rose. ”

“ Lady Carlyon sits upon the lounge before the fire—Rose kneels beside her, on the further side from audience, so that both their faces are visible.
Lady C. I am so glad to have you with me, Rose. I wish I had you always. I am very lonely.
Rose. You have Uncle George!
Lady C. Sir George is always busy, and I do not care to interrupt him.
Rose. But he has some leisure.
Lady C. I never knew him to have any, since I was his wife. It’s not his fault. A man in his position has so much to do. When he is not in court, he is in Parliament.
Rose. He is at home to-night. ”

“ No wonder we don’t always read our briefs, for we know most of them by heart.
(lies back)
Philip. Hallo! (smiling)
Sir G. What have you found?
Philip. A breach of promise case. This looks amusing.
Sir G. Very amusing for the judge and jury. Very amusing for the public too. Very amusing for the new-made wife to read in all the newspapers her husband’s past.
Philip. Is the defendant married, then?
Sir G. Of course he is. They always are. And of course he was on with the new love before he was off with the old. They always will be. ”

“ To-days and yesterdays are different things.
(holds the bouquet, head downwards)
Rose. It wasn’t the flowers, though. Aunt Bell didn’t like the play
Philip. It isn’t everybody who admires French plays.
Sir G. (to Lady Carlyon) What, were you scandalised? You must know, Philip—you do know, of course—Lady Carlyon is a dragon in her way—the very pink and pattern of propriety. Now, I’ll be bound, she didn’t like the moral of that comedy.
Lady C. Had it a moral?
Sir G. Certainly! and one men would do well to lay to heart. If that young man——
Rose. The one with the moustache? ”

“ If she has done wrong, she has borne her punishment. Therefore, in pity, let us hide her shame. (lights spill at lamp, and holds it in his hand—all three stand watching it, until the ashes drop upon the floor, then turn aside, Lady Carlyon, R., Philip, L., Sir George to back of scene)
Re-enter Rose, R., in a dressing-gown.
Rose. You want me, aunt?
Sir G. I want you, Rose. (leads her to Philip) Philip has asked for my consent to your engagement. I give it cordially. He is the son of a good father, and I think he will make you a good husband.
Rose. Uncle George! ”

“ Sir G. (putting chair, C., into its place at desk) Now, Miss Dalrymple, if you are at liberty, perhaps you will be kind enough to tell me what has become of my wife.
Rose. (going to him, C.) She’ll be here directly. She is only speaking to the servants. (kisses him)
Enter Lady Carlyon, L., also in evening dress, with a bouquet; she at once sees Philip and he her; Philip, R., turns full front to audience.
Lady C. (aside) Philip! (stops short)
Sir G. (seeing her) Ah, here she is! (goes to her, L.) My dear, you don’t look well!
Lady C. The theatre was so close.
Sir G. It always makes you ill. ”

“ Death cut the knot which I could not unravel. I am free. Now, many a time amongst these dead dry bones (pointing to briefs) I hunger for the love it is too late to win. Still that accursed past stands like a wall betwixt my wife and me. (returns, C.) Profit by my experience. (sits, C. )
Philip. No doubt, the course you recommend would be the proper course to take, if it were possible; but in the circumstances it is quite impossible.
Sir G. Difficult, perhaps, but not impossible. Have no [Pg 15] false delicacy in a case like this. ”

“ However, some concessions have been made. For example, in the printed text stage directions following a line of dialogue were placed a couple spaces after the dialogue, flush right on the same printed line, or flush right on the next line. In the etext, all stage directions printed on the same line were placed right after the dialogue. ”

“ Throughout the text, the use of dashes has been made consistent. p. 3: Based on the Penn edition and editorial practice in other contemporaneous French’s Acting Editions, three colons in the opening scene description were changed to semicolons. p. 4: The only girl in the wide world for me—Added a period at the end of the sentence. p. 8: Sir George (putting chair...—Changed “Sir George” to “Sir G.” for consistency. p. 9: Of course. (quickl y) —Deleted space in “quickl y” in two consecutive lines. p. 10: Sir. ”