The Man from Home Part 29

ALMERIC. Worrying? My good man, do you mind excusing me. I saw a most likely pup yesterday; I'm afraid some other chap'll s.n.a.t.c.h him up before I do. I should have taken him at once. Good-morning!

[Exit through the grove with a sprightly gait and a wave of his stick.]

[PIKE gazes after him, shaking his head with a half-admiring, half-sardonic chuckle.]

[Enter ETHEL from the hotel. She wears a pretty morning dress and hat; her face is very sad.]

ETHEL. I hear that Lord Hawcastle has left the hotel.

PIKE [dryly]. Yes; I saw him go.

ETHEL. He left very quickly?

PIKE. He did seem to be forgetting the scenery.

ETHEL [decidedly]. He was afraid of Ivanoff.

PIKE. I shouldn't be surprised. Ivanoff wants to thank you. May I bring him?

ETHEL. Yes.

[PIKE goes off into the grove.]

[MARIANO and a file of servants enter from the hotel, form a line, and bow profoundly as VASILI enters. They withdraw at a sign from him.]

ETHEL [making a deep curtsy]. Monseigneur!

VASILI [to ETHEL]. Not _you_! You see, I must fly to some place where an incognito will be respected. If I stay here it will be--what you call--fuss and feathers and revolutionary agents. I have come to make my adieu to your guardian. Incognito or out of it, he is my very good friend--no matter if he is an egoist.

ETHEL. An egoist! That is the last thing in the world he should be called.

VASILI. Ah, so; what do you call him?

ETHEL. I? I call him--

[She begins bravely, but at a keen glance from him stops abruptly, blus.h.i.+ng.]

VASILI. Bravo! I call him an egoist because he is so content to be what he is he will not pretend to be something else! I respect your country in him, my dear young lady; and he cares nothing whether I am a king or a commoner. Everywhere the people bow and salaam half on their knees to me; but _he_--

ETHEL. No, I can't quite imagine _him_ doing that.

[Enter PIKE from the grove, followed by IVANOFF.]

VASILI [to PIKE]. I have come to bid you goodbye, my friend. Life is a service of farewells, they say; but if you ever come to St. Petersburg when I am there you will be made welcome. Your amba.s.sador will tell you where to find me.

PIKE. I know I'd be welcome; and if you ever get out as far as Indiana, don't miss Kokomo--the depot hackman will tell you where to find me, and the boys will help me show you a good time. You'd like it, Doc--

[He stops, horrified at his slip of the tongue.]

VASILI. I _know_ that.

PIKE. I don't know how to call you by name, but I reckon you'll understand I do think an awful lot of you.

VASILI [as they shake hands]. My friend, I have confided to you that you are a great man. But a great man is sure to be set upon a pedestal by some pretty lady. [ETHEL turns away.] It is a great responsibility to occupy a pedestal. On that account I depart in some anxiety for you.

PIKE. What do you mean?

VASILI. Ah, you do not understand? Then, my friend--what is it you have taught me to say?--ah, yes--then there is sand in your gear-box.

[VASILI gives his hand to IVANOFF quietly, bows deeply to ETHEL, and goes quickly into the hotel.]

IVANOFF [turning to ETHEL]. Dear, kind young lady, your guardian has known how to make me accept the help you granted. He has known how because his heart is like yours, full of goodness. I shall go to London and teach the languages. There I shall be able to repay you--at least what you have given me in money.

ETHEL. Professor Ivanoff, are you following Lord Hawcastle and your wife?

IVANOFF. My wife exists no longer for me.

ETHEL. But Lord Hawcastle? Do you mean to follow him?

IVANOFF [with great feeling]. No, no, no! I could not hurt his body--I could not. The suffering of a man is here--here! What is it _he_ has of most value in this world? It is that name of his. Except for that, he is poor, and that I shall destroy. He shall not go in his clubs; he shall not go among his own cla.s.s, and in the streets they will point at him.

His story and mine shall be made--ah, but too well known! And that name of which he and all his family have been so proud, it shall be disgrace and dishonor to bear.

ETHEL [sadly]. Already it is that.

IVANOFF. But I forget myself. I talk so ugly.

ETHEL. It is not in my heart to blame you. Your wrongs have given you the right.

IVANOFF [kissing her hand]. G.o.d bless you always!

[Ill.u.s.tration: "MY FRIEND, THERE IS SAND IN YOUR GEAR-BOX"]

[He takes PIKE'S hand, tries to speak, but chokes up and cannot. He goes into the hotel.]

PIKE. There _are_ some good people over here, aren't there?

ETHEL. When you're home again I hope you will remember _them._

PIKE. I will.

ETHEL. And I hope you will forget everything I've ever said.

PIKE. Somehow it doesn't seem as if I very likely would.

ETHEL [coming toward him]. Oh yes, you will! All those unkind things I've said to you--

PIKE. Oh, I'll forget _those_ easy!

ETHEL [going on eagerly, but almost tearfully]. And the other things, too, when you're once more among your kind, good home folks you like so well--and probably there's one among them that you'll be so glad to get back to you'll hardly know you've been away--an unworldly girl--[she falters]--one that doesn't need to be cured--oh! of all sorts of follies--a kind girl, one who's been always sweet to you. [Turns away from him.] I can see her--she wears a white muslin and waits by the gate for you at twilight [turns to him again]--isn't she like that?