human
Margaret, you must know the worst now.
gpt
Oh, is there anything _worse_, James?
human
Yes: I'm afraid I have been to blame.
gpt
General Wyatt, let me retire. I
human
No, sir. This concerns you, too, now. Your destiny has entangled you with our sad fortunes, and now you must know them all.
gpt
Yes, stay,--whatever it is. If you care for me, nothing can hurt you any more, now.
human
Margaret,--Constance! If I have been mistaken in what I have done, you must try somehow to forgive me; it was my tenderness for you both misled me, if I erred. Sir, let me address my defence to you. You can see the whole matter with clearer eyes than we. At an imploring gesture from Bartlett, he turns again to Mrs. Wyatt.
gpt
Perhaps you are right, sir. Margaret, when I had made up my mind that the wretch who had stolen our child's heart was utterly unfit and unworthy
human
Ah, you _did_ drive him from me then! I knew, I knew it! And after all these days and weeks and months that seem years and centuries of agony, you tell me that it was _you_ broke my heart! No, no, I never _will_ forgive you, father! Where is he? Tell me that! Where is my husband--the husband you robbed me of? Did you kill him, when you chose to crush my life? Is he dead? If he's living I will find him wherever he is. No distance and no danger shall keep me from him. I'll find him and fall down before him, and implore _him_ to forgive you, for I never can! Was this your tenderness for me--to drive him away, and leave me to the pitiless humiliation of believing myself deserted? Oh, great tenderness!
gpt
No, I will give better proof of my tenderness than that. He takes from his pocket-book a folded paper which he hands to his wife:
human
Margaret, do you know that writing?
gpt
Oh, too well! This is to you, James.
human
It's for you now. Read it.
gpt
No, it isn't possible! It's false; it's a fraud! I _will_ see it. She swiftly possesses herself of the paper and scans the handwriting for a moment with a fierce intentness. Then she flings it wildly away.
human
Yes, yes, it's true! It's his hand. It's true, it's the only true thing in this world of lies!
gpt
Sir, I am sorry to make you the victim of a scene. It has been your fate, and no part of my intention. Will you look at this paper? You don't know all that is in it yet.
human
No, I won't look at it. If it were a radiant message from heaven, I don't see how it could help me now.
gpt
I'm afraid you've made a terrible mistake, James.
human
Margaret! Don't say that!
gpt
Yes, it would have been better to show us this paper at once,--better than to keep us all these days in this terrible suffering.
human
I was afraid of greater suffering for you both. I chose sorrow for Constance rather than the ignominy of knowing that she had set her heart on so base a scoundrel. When he crawled in the dust there before me, and whined for pity, I revolted from telling you or her how vile he was; the thought of it seemed to dishonour you; and I had hoped something, everything, from my girl's self-respect, her obedience, her faith in me. I never dreamed that it must come to this.
gpt
I know how well you meant; but oh, it was a fatal mistake!
human
No, mother, it was no mistake! I see now how wise and kind and merciful you have been, papa. You can never love me again, I've behaved so badly; but if you'll let me, I will try to live my gratitude for your mercy at a time when the whole truth would have killed me. Oh, papa! What shall I say, what shall I do to show how sorry and ashamed I am? Let me go down on my knees to thank you. Her father catches her to his heart, and fondly kisses her again and again.
gpt
I don't deserve it, papa! You ought to hate me, and drive me from you, and never let me see you again. She starts away from him as if to execute upon herself this terrible doom, when her eye falls upon the letter where she had thrown it on the floor.
human
To think how long I have been the fool, the slave of that--_felon_! She stoops upon the paper with a hawk-like fierceness; she tears it into shreds, and strews the fragments about the room.
gpt
Oh, if I could only tear out of my heart all thoughts of him, all memory, all likeness!