The Big Drum Part 51

BERTRAM.

[_Straightening himself._] Look heah, Ottoline----!

OTTOLINE.

Stand up when I speak to you!

[BERTRAM _gets to his feet in a hurry._

LADY FILSON.

[_Appealingly._] Otto----!

OTTOLINE.

[_To_ BERTRAM.] All your life you've been paltry, odious, detestable----

BERTRAM.

Look heah----!

OTTOLINE.

But _this_! My G.o.d! For you--for any of us--to impugn the honesty of a man whose shadow we're not fit to walk in----!

SIR RANDLE.

[_To_ LADY FILSON_--pained._] Winifred----!

OTTOLINE.

[_To_ BERTRAM.] You--you--you're no better than your common, hired spy----!

LADY FILSON.

[_Rising and going to_ OTTOLINE.] My child, remember----!

OTTOLINE.

[_Clenching her hands and hissing her words at_ BERTRAM.] _C'est la verite! Tu n'es qu'une canaille--une vile canaille----!_

LADY FILSON.

Control yourself, I _beg_!

OTTOLINE.

[_To_ LADY FILSON.] Leave me alone----!

[_She pa.s.ses_ LADY FILSON _and sits on the settee on the right with glittering eyes and heaving bosom._ PHILIP _has withdrawn to the fireplace and is standing looking into the fire._

LADY FILSON.

[_To_ BERTRAM.] Bertie dear, I'm surprised at you! To do a thing like this behind our backs!

BERTRAM.

My dear mother, I knew that you and father wouldn't do it----

LADY FILSON.

I should think not, indeed!

SIR RANDLE.

[_To_ BERTRAM.] Your mother and I!

LADY FILSON.

[_Horrified at the notion._] Oh!

BERTRAM.

Upon my word, this is rather rough! [_Walking away._] I mean to _say_----!

PHILIP.

[_Turning._] We mustn't be too hard on poor Bertram, Lady Filson----

BERTRAM.

[_Pacing the room near the big doors._] Poor Bertram! Ho!

SIR RANDLE.

[_To_ PHILIP.] I trust we are never unduly hard on our children, my dear Philip----

PHILIP.

To do him justice, he was most anxious to postpone these dreadful revelations till to-morrow----

BERTRAM.

Exactly! [_Throwing himself into the chair between the big doors and the vestibule door._] I predicted a scene! I predicted a scene!

PHILIP.

[_To_ SIR RANDLE _and_ LADY FILSON, _penitently._] Perhaps it would have been wiser of me--more considerate--to have complied with his wishes. But I was in a fury--naturally----