Her Own Way Part 41

[_He goes out Right._

LOUISE. [_Wiping her eyes, goes to_ STEVEN.] What does it say?

STEVEN. [_Reads the note._] "d.i.c.k and the answer from Was.h.i.+ngton arrived together!" He'll be over here at once--they won't keep him.

LOUISE. We must tell her before he gets here.

STEVEN. Yes.

LOUISE. We must do it very carefully.

STEVEN. But we mustn't lose any time.

[GEORGIANA _comes in during this last speech, overhearing it. A movement is made by others on_ GEORGIANA'S _entrance._

GEORGIANA. "Losing time!" Am I keeping you from anything? I'm very sorry!

LOUISE. [_Very tenderly, and hiding her emotion._] No, you're not keeping us, Georgy, we only wanted to see you, that's all.

GEORGIANA. [_Going to her._] Why?

STEVEN. [_Also very tenderly._] Do we have to have a reason to want to see you, isn't that we love you enough?

GEORGIANA. Yes, but why do you speak to me like this?--it's very kind of you--only--what does it mean?

[_Smiling a little nervously, they hesitate._

LOUISE. Steve has news for you, Georgy.

GEORGIANA. I know about it, Coast told me.

STEVEN. It isn't that, Georgy.

GEORGIANA. What is it, then? How serious you both look.

[_She becomes frightened._

STEVEN. This is _good_ news.

GEORGIANA. _Good_ news!

LOUISE. Yes.

STEVEN. The best in the world!

GEORGIANA. For me?

STEVEN. For you!

GEORGIANA. [_A second's pause, she speaks then in a low voice._] No, it can't be! It can't be!

STEVEN. Yes, it _is_, Georgy!

GEORGIANA. No!

STEVEN. Georgy! It _is_!

[MOLES _enters Left._

MOLES. [_With voice full of happy emotion which he cannot disguise._]

Please, sir--

[_He hesitates._

STEVEN. Show him here, Moles.

[MOLES _lowers his head and goes out._

GEORGIANA. d.i.c.k--?

[_She looks from_ STEVEN _to_ LOUISE. _They all show her by their faces and movements that it is true._

GEORGIANA. [_Whispers._] d.i.c.k!

[_She stands waiting, breathless._ STEVEN _steals out with his arm about_ LOUISE.

GEORGIANA. [_Excitedly, to herself._] _Come!_ No, no! It can't be true!

It can't be true! They killed him, those brutes out there! You told me so! Every one believed it! I believed it! And so you want me to believe he's alive! That he's here! In this house, coming into this room--that I shall see--

[_She stops suddenly, looking up. The door-k.n.o.b of the door Left turns.

Every nerve in_ GEORGIANA'S _body grows tense._ MOLES _opens the door and lets_ d.i.c.k _pa.s.s in and closes the door behind him._

GEORGIANA. [_Cries out._] d.i.c.k!

[d.i.c.k _goes towards her, but stops. She starts towards him, stops a moment, and they look at each other, unable to speak,--then she goes on slowly, almost fearfully, till she reaches him._

d.i.c.k. [_Moving to her._] Georgy!

[_He stands before her with both arms bandaged in a sling._

GEORGIANA. [_Whispers._] d.i.c.k! [_Looks him straight in the eyes--he looks back. She cries out._] d.i.c.k!

[_Holding out her arms toward him._

d.i.c.k. Georgy! [_He looks down at his arms._] My arms--I can't--

GEORGIANA. Oh, d.i.c.k!

[_And putting her arms tenderly about his neck, she holds him close, as he leans down his head and kisses her, and_