ACT I

Scene: The Inner Hall at the Manor House in Brendon-Underwood village. An old-fashioned white-panelled room. At the back is a big stone-mullioned Tudor window looking out on to the garden. On the left of this is a bay in which is a smaller window. A door in the bay leads out into the garden. People entering by this door pass the window before they appear. The furniture is oak, mostly Jacobean or older. The right-hand wall of the room is mainly occupied by a great Tudor fireplace, over which the De Mullin Coat of Arms is carved in stone. Above this a door leads to the outer hall and front door. A door on the opposite side of the room leads to the staircase and the rest of the house. The walls are hung with a long succession of family portraits of all periods and in all stages of dinginess as to both canvas and frame. When the curtain rises the stage is empty. Then Hester is seen to pass the window at the back, followed by Mr. Brown. A moment later they enter. Mr. Brown is a stout, rather unwholesome-looking curate, Hester a lean, angular girl of twenty-eight,

very plainly and unattractively dressed in sombre tight-fitting clothes. She has a cape over her shoulders and a black hat on. Brown wears seedy clerical garments, huge boots and a squashy hat. The time is twelve o’clock in the morning of a fine day in September.

HESTER

Come in, Mr. Brown. I’ll tell mother you’re here. I expect she’s upstairs with father (going towards door).

BROWN

Don’t disturb Mrs. De Mullin, please. I didn’t mean to come in.

HESTER

You’ll sit down now you are here?

BROWN

Thank you (does so awkwardly). I’m so glad to hear Mr. De Mullin is better. The Vicar will be glad too.

HESTER

Yes. Dr. Rolt thinks he will do all right now.

BROWN

You must have been very anxious when he was first taken ill.

HESTER

We were terribly anxious. [Hester takes off her hat and cape and puts them down on the window seat.

BROWN

I suppose there’s no doubt it was some sort of stroke?

HESTER

Dr. Rolt says no doubt.

BROWN

How did it happen?

HESTER

We don’t know. He had just gone out of the room when we heard a fall. Mother ran out into the hall and found him lying by the door quite unconscious. She was dreadfully frightened. So were we all.

BROWN

Had he been complaining of feeling unwell?

HESTER

Not specially. He complained of the heat a little. And he had a headache. But father’s not strong, you know. None of the De Mullins are, Aunt Harriet says.

BROWN

Mrs. Clouston is with you now, isn’t she?

HESTER

Yes. For a month. She generally stays with us for a month in the summer.

BROWN

I suppose she’s very fond of Brendon?

HESTER

All the De Mullins are fond of Brendon, Mr. Brown.

BROWN

Naturally. You have been here so long.

HESTER

Since the time of King Stephen.

BROWN

Not in this house?

HESTER

(smiling)

Not in this house, of course. It’s not old enough for that.

BROWN

Still, it must be very old. The oldest house in the Village, isn’t it?

HESTER

Only about four hundred years. The date is 1603. The mill is older, of course.

BROWN

You still own the mill, don’t you?

HESTER

Yes. Father would never part with it. He thinks everything of the mill. We get our name from it, you know. De Mullin. Du Moulin. “Of the Mill.”

BROWN

Were the original De Mullins millers then?

HESTER

(rather shocked at such a suggestion)

Oh no!

BROWN

I thought they couldn’t have been. .

HESTER

No De Mullin has ever been in trade of any kind! But in the old days to own a mill was a feudal privilege. Only lords of manors and the great abbeys had them. The farmers had to bring all their corn to them to be ground.

BROWN

I see.

HESTER

There were constant disputes about it all through the Middle Ages.

BROWN

Why was that?

HESTER

The farmers would rather have ground their corn for themselves, I suppose.

BROWN

Why? If the De Mullins were willing to do it for them?

HESTER

They had to pay for having it ground, of course.

BROWN

(venturing on a small joke)

Then the De Mullins were millers, after all, in a sense.

HESTER

You mustn’t let father hear you say so!

BROWN

The mill is never used now, is it?

HESTER

No. When, people gave up growing corn round here and all the land was turned into pasture it fell into decay, and now it’s almost ruinous.

BROWN

What a pity!

HESTER

Yes. Father says England has never been the same since the repeal of the Corn laws. (Enter Mrs. De Mullin and Mrs. Clouston by the door on the left, followed by Dr. Rolt.) Here is mother—and Aunt Harriet.

Mrs. De Mullin, poor lady, is a crushed, timid creature of fifty-eight or so, entirely dominated by the De Mullin fetish and quite unable to hold her own against either her husband or her sister-in-law, a hardmouthed, resolute woman of sixty. Even Hester she finds almost too much for her. For the rest a gentle, kindly lady, rather charming in her extreme helplessness. Rolt is the average country doctor, brisk, sensible, neither a fool nor a genius.

ROLT

(as they enter the room)

He’s better. Distinctly better. A little weak and depressed, of course. That’s only to be expected. Good morning.

[Shakes hands with Hester. Nods to Brown.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Mr. De Mullin is always nervous about himself.

ROLT

Yes. Constitutional, no doubt. But he’ll pick up in a few days. Keep him as quiet as you can. That’s really all he needs now.

MRS. DE MULLIN

You don’t think he ought to stay in his room?

... Good morning, Mr. Brown. Are you waiting to see me?

[Brown shakes hands with both ladies.

BROWN

(awkwardly)

Not specially. I walked over from the church with Miss De Mullin.

HESTER

Is father coming downstairs, mother?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes, Hester. He insisted on getting up. You know he always hates staying in his room.

HESTER

Oh, Dr. Rolt, do you think he should?

ROLT

I don’t think it will do him any harm. He can rest quietly in a chair or on the sofa.... Well, I must be off. Good-bye, Mrs. De Mullin.

[Shakes hands briskly with every one.

BROWN

(rising ponderously)

I must be going too (shakes hands with Mrs. De Mullin). You’ll tell Mr. De Mullin I inquired after him? Good-bye, Mrs. Clouston (shakes hands). And you’re coming to help with the Harvest Decorations on Saturday, aren’t you, Miss De Mullin?

HESTER

(shaking hands)

Of course.

[Brown and Rolt go out.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(seating herself and beginning to knit resolutely)

What singularly unattractive curates the Vicar seems to get hold of, Jane!.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(meekly)

Do you think so, Harriet?

MRS. CLOUSTON

Quite remarkably. This Mr. Brown, for instance. He has the most enormous feet! And his boots! I’ve never seen such boots!

HESTER

(flushing)

We needn’t sneer if Mr. Brown doesn’t wear fine clothes, Aunt Harriet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Of course not Hester. Still, I think he goes to the opposite extreme. And he really is quite abnormally plain. Then there was that Mr. Snood, who was curate when I was down last year. The man with the very red hands. (These acid comments are too much for Hester, who flounces out angrily. Mrs. Clouston looks up for a moment, wondering what is the meaning of this sudden disappearance. Then continues unmoved.) I’m afraid the clergy aren’t what they were in our young days, Jane.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I don’t think I’ve noticed any falling off.

MRS. CLOUSTON

It is there all the same. I’m sure Hugo would agree with me. Of course, curates are paid next to nothing. Still, I think the Vicar might be more happy in his choice.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I believe the poor like him.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(to whom this seems of small importance compared with his shocking social disabilities)

Very likely.... Do please keep still, Jane, and don’t fidget with that book. What is the matter with you?

MRS. DE MULLIN

I’m a little nervous this morning. Hugo’s illness...

MRS. CLOUSTON

Hugo’s almost well now.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Still the anxiety...

MRS. CLOUSTON

Nonsense, Jane. Anxiety is not at all a thing to give way to, especially when there’s no longer anything to be anxious about. Hugo’s practically well now. Dr. Rolt seems to have frightened us all quite unnecessarily.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I suppose it’s difficult to tell.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Of course, it’s difficult. Otherwise no one would send for a doctor. What are doctors for if they can’t tell when a case is serious and when it is not?

MRS. DE MULLIN

But if he didn’t know?

MRS. CLOUSTON

Then he ought to have known. Next time Hugo is ill you’d better send to Bridport. (Mrs. De Mullin drops book on table with a clatter) Really, Jane, what are you doing? Throwing books about like that!

MRS. DE MULLIN

It slipped out of my hand.,,

[Rises and goes up to window restlessly.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Is anything wrong?

MRS. DE MULLIN

(hesitating)

Well, the truth is I’ve done something, Harriet, and now I’m not sure whether I ought to have done it. Mrs. Clouston

Done what?

MRS. DE MULLIN

(dolorously)

I’m afraid you won’t approve.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Perhaps you’d better tell me what it is. Then we shall know.

MRS. DE MULLIN

The fact is some one is coming here this morning, Harriet—to see Hugo.

MRS. CLOUSTON

To see Hugo? Who is it?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Janet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(with horror)

Janet?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Janet! She wouldn’t dare!

MRS. DE MULLIN

(dolorously)

I sent for her, Harriet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

You sent for her?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes. When Hugo was first taken ill and Dr. Rolt seemed to think the attack was so serious....

MRS. CLOUSTON

Dr. Rolt was a fool.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Very likely, Harriet. But he said Hugo might die. And he said if there was any one Hugo would wish to see....

MRS. CLOUSTON

But would Hugo wish to see Janet?

MRS. DE MULLIN

I thought he might. After all Janet is his daughter. Mrs. Clouston

I thought he said he would never see her again?

MRS. DE MULLIN

He did say that, of course. But that was eight years ago. And, of course, he wasn’t ill then.

MRS. CLOUSTON

When did you send for her?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Three days ago.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Why didn’t she come then, if she was coming at all?

MRS. DE MULLIN

She was away from home. That was so unfortunate. If she had come when Hugo was ill in bed it might have been all right. But now that he’s almost well again....

MRS. CLOUSTON

When did you hear she was coming?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Only this morning. Here is what she says..

[Produces telegram from pocket.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(reads)

“Telegram delayed. Arrive mid-day. Seagrave.” Seagrave?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes. She calls herself Mrs. Seagrave now.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(nods)

On account of the child, I suppose.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I suppose so.

MRS. CLOUSTON

I never could understand how Janet came to go so wrong. (Mrs. De Mullin sighs.) None of the De Mullins have ever done such a thing before.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(plaintively)

I’m sure she doesn’t get it from my family.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Well, she must have got it from somewhere. She’s not in the least like a De Mullin.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(lamentably)

I believe it was all through bicycling.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Bicycling?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes. When girls usen’t to scour about the country as they do now these things didn’t happen.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(severely)

I never approved of Janet’s bicycling you remember, Jane.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Nor did I, Harriet. But it was no use. Janet only laughed. Janet never would do what she was told about things even when she was quite a child. She was so very obstinate. She was always getting some idea or other into her head. And when she did nothing would prevent her from carrying it out. At one time she wanted to teach.

MRS. CLOUSTON

I remember.

MRS. DE MULLIN

She said girls ought to go out and earn their own living like boys.

MRS. CLOUSTON

What nonsense!

MRS. DE MULLIN

So Hugo said. But Janet wouldn’t listen. Finally we had to let her go over and teach the Aldenham girls French three times a week, just to keep her amused.

MRS. CLOUSTON

(thoughtfully)

It was strange you never could find out who the father was.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(sighs)

Yes. She wouldn’t tell us.

MRS. CLOUSTON

You should have made her tell you. Hugo should have insisted on it.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Hugo did insist. He was terribly angry with her. He sent her to her room and said she was not to come down till she told us. But it was no use. Janet just stayed in her room till we had all gone to bed and then took the train to London.

MRS. CLOUSTON

You should have locked her door.

MRS. DE MULLIN

We did. She got out of the window.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Got out of the window! The girl might have been killed.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes. But Janet was always fond of climbing. And she was never afraid of anything.

MRS. CLOUSTON

But there’s no late train to London.

MRS. DE MULLIN

She caught the mail at Weymouth, I suppose.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Do you mean to say she walked all the way to Weymouth in the middle of the night? Why, it’s twelve miles.

MRS. DE MULLIN

She had her bicycle as I said.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Tck!... How did you know she went to London?

MRS. DE MULLIN

She wrote from there, for her things.

MRS. CLOUSTON

I wonder she wasn’t ashamed.

MRS. DE MULLIN

So Hugo said. However, he said I might send them. But he made me send a letter with the things to say that he would have nothing more to do with her and that she was not to write again. For a time she didn’t write. Nearly five months. Then, when her baby was born, she wrote to tell me. That was how I knew she had taken the name of Seagrave. She mentioned it.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Did you show the letter to Hugo?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes.

MRS. CLOUSTON

What did he say?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Nothing. He just read it and gave it back to me without a word.

MRS. CLOUSTON

That’s the last you’ve heard of her, I suppose?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Oh no, Harriet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Do you mean to say she goes on writing? And you allow her? When Hugo said she was not to?

MRS. DE MULLIN

(meekly)

Yes. Not often, Harriet. Only occasionally.

MRS. CLOUSTON

She has no business to write at all.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Her letters are quite short. Sometimes I wish they were longer. They really tell one nothing about herself, though I often ask her.

MRS. CLOUSTON

You ask her! Then you write too!

MRS. DE MULLIN

I answer her letters, of course. Otherwise she wouldn’t go on writing. ‘

MRS. CLOUSTON

Really, Jane, I’m surprised at you. So you’ve actually been corresponding with Janet all these years—and never told me! I think you’ve behaved very badly.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I didn’t like to, Harriet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Didn’t like to!

MRS. DE MULLIN

And as you don’t think I ought to hear from her....

MRS. CLOUSTON.

I don’t think you ought to hear from her, of course. But as you do hear naturally I should like to have seen the letters.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I didn’t know that, Harriet. In fact, I thought you would rather not. When a dreadful thing like this happens in a family it seems best not to write about it or to speak of it either, doesn’t it? Hugo and I never speak of it.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Does Hugo know you hear from her?

MRS. DE MULLIN

I think not. I have never told him. Nor Hester. I’m sure Hester would disapprove.

MRS. CLOUSTON

My dear Jane, what can it matter whether Hester approves or not? Hester knows nothing about such things. At her age!

MRS. DE MULLIN

Hester is twenty-eight.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Exactly. A girl like that.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(sighs)

Girls have such very strong opinions nowadays. Mrs. Clouston

What does Janet live on? Teaching?

MRS. DE MULLIN

I suppose so. She had her Aunt Miriam’s legacy, of four hundred pounds of course.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Only four hundred pounds.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes.

MRS. CLOUSTON

I never approved of that legacy, Jane. Girls oughtn’t to have money left them. It makes them too independent.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Aunt Miriam was always so fond of Janet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Then she should have left the money to Hugo. Fathers are the proper people to leave money to.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Hugo did have the management of the money—till Janet was twenty-one.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Why only till she was twenty-one?

MRS. DE MULLIN

It was so in Aunt Miriam’s will. Of course, Hugo would have gone on managing it for her. It was very little trouble as it was all in Consols. But Janet said she would rather look after it for herself.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Ridiculous! As if girls could possibly manage money!

MRS. DE MULLIN

So Hugo said. But Janet insisted. So she got her way.

MRS. CLOUSTON

What did she do with it? Spend it?

MRS. DE MULLIN

No. Put it into a Railway, she said.

MRS. CLOUSTON

A Railway! How dangerous!

MRS. DE MULLIN

She said she would prefer it. She said Railways sometimes went up. Consols never.

MRS. CLOUSTON

She lost it all, of course?

MRS. DE MULLIN

I don’t know, Harriet.

MRS. CLOUSTON

You don’t know?

MRS. DE MULLIN

No. I never liked to ask. Hugo was rather hurt about the whole thing, so the subject was never referred to.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Let me see. The child must be eight years old by now.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Just eight. It will be nine years next March since Janet went away.

MRS. CLOUSTON

What did she call him?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Johnny.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Johnny! None of the De Mullins have ever been called Johnny.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Perhaps it was his father’s name.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Perhaps so (pause).

MRS. DE MULLIN

Do you think I ought to tell Hugo about Janet’s coming?

MRS. CLOUSTON

Certainly.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I thought perhaps....

MRS. CLOUSTON

Nonsense, Jane. Of course, he must be told. You ought to have told him from the very beginning?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Do you mean when I sent the telegram? But Hugo was unconscious.

MRS. CLOUSTON

As soon as he recovered consciousness then.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I did mean to. But he seemed so weak, and Dr. Rolt said any excitement....

MRS. CLOUSTON

Dr. Rolt!

MRS. DE MULLIN

(goaded)

Well, I couldn’t tell that Dr. Rolt knew so little about Hugo’s illness, could I? And I was afraid of the shock.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Still, he should have been told at once. It was the only chance.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Yes. I see that now. But I was afraid of the shock, as I said. So I put it off. And then, when I didn’t hear from Janet, I thought I would wait.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Why?

MRS. DE MULLIN

You see I didn’t know whether she was coming. And if she didn’t come, of course there was no necessity for telling Hugo anything about it. I’m afraid he’ll be very angry.

MRS. CLOUSTON

At any rate, you must tell him now. The sooner the better.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(meekly)

Very well, Harriet. If you think so.

MRS. CLOUSTON

You had better go up to him at once.

[Mrs. De Mullin goes to the door on the left, opens it, then draws back hastily.

MRS. DE MULLIN

Here is Hugo. He’s just coming across the hall. With Hester. How unlucky.

MRS. CLOUSTON I don’t see that it matters.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I’d rather not have told him before Hester.

[Mrs. Clouston shrugs her shoulders. A moment later Hugo enters. He leans on a stick and Hester’s arm. He looks weak and pale and altogether extremely sorry for himself, obviously a nervous and a very tiresome patient.

HESTER

Carefully, father. That’s right. Will you lie on the sofa?

DE MULLIN

(fretfully)

No. Put me in the armchair. I’m tired of lying down.

HESTER

Very well. Let me help you. There. Wait a moment. I’ll fetch you some pillows.

[Props him up on pillows in an armchair.

DE MULLIN

Thank you.

[Lies back exhausted and closes his eyes.

MRS. DE MULLIN

(going to him)

How are you feeling now, Hugo?

DE MULLIN

Very weak.

MRS. DE MULLIN

I wonder if you ought to have come down?

DE MULLIN

It won’t make any difference. Nothing will make any difference any more, Jane. I shan’t last much longer. I’m worn out.

HESTER

Father!

DE MULLIN

Yes, Hester. Worn out (with a sort of melancholy pride). None of the De Mullins have been strong. I’m the last of them. The last of the De Mullins.

MRS. CLOUSTON

Come, Hugo, you mustn’t talk in that morbid way.

DE MULLIN

I’m not morbid, Harriet. But I feel tired, tired.

MRS. DE MULLIN

You’ll be better in a day or two.

DE MULLIN

No, Jane. I shall never be better. Never in this world (pause).

MRS. DE MULLIN

(nervously)

Hugo... there’s something... something I have to tell you....

DE MULLIN

What is it, Jane? (fretfully). What have you been keeping from me?

MRS. DE MULLIN

I ought to have told you before. Only I didn’t like...

DE MULLIN

Is it something about my illness?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Oh no, Hugo.

DE MULLIN

(relieved)

I thought Dr. Rolt might have said something.

MRS. DE MULLIN

It’s nothing of that kind.

DE MULLIN

(peevishly)

Well, well, what is it?

MRS. DE MULLIN

Hugo, some one is coming here to-day, to see you.

DE MULLIN

To see me? Who?