A Monologue for Me

Ciw-restr ar gyfer Geraldine

(Branscombe) {Rousing himself.}
 
(0, 1) 194 The post, Mr. Branscombe.
 
(0, 1) 196 Rowland!
(Morley) {Rising quickly, his eyes fixed on GERALDINE.}
 
(0, 1) 209 It is dreadful to meet you like this.
(Morley) What do you mean?
 
(Morley) You come back into my life, and I am glad─glad!
(0, 1) 213 It would be better for you─to forget me.
(Morley) I don't want to forget you.
 
(Morley) Since you left me, you have never been out of my thoughts.
(0, 1) 216 After what happened, I can never come back to you, never!
(Morley) I don't understand.
 
(Morley) You speak of something that happened?
(0, 1) 219 You must know─you do know.
(0, 1) 220 Don't ask me to recall those days of shame!
(Morley) I want your story from your own lips.
 
(0, 1) 223 From my own lips?
(0, 1) 224 I wanted to tell you then─at the time─but I was afraid─afraid!
 
(0, 1) 226 I feared what you would think, feared that you would drive me from you; and I couldn't face that.
(Morley) You need not have feared.
 
(Morley) You will find that I am not a harsh judge.
(0, 1) 230 I have told the truth to others.
(0, 1) 231 They said they would believe me.
(0, 1) 232 But, when they heard, they shook their heads, and I could see they condemned me in their hearts.
(0, 1) 233 I─I'm afraid to tell you─you would condemn me, too, and I─I couldn't bear it (sobs).
(Branscombe) I'll leave you, Morley.
 
(0, 1) 239 Don't go, please don't go!
 
(0, 1) 242 The past is past.
(0, 1) 243 Words can't bring it back.
(Morley) But there is the future.
 
(Morley) Is it fair?
(0, 1) 249 It is for your sake I am siient.
(Morley) For my sake?
 
(Morley) Tell me the truth.
(0, 1) 253 The truth?
 
(0, 1) 255 The truth?
(0, 1) 256 I─I can't remember.
(0, 1) 257 They confused me─frightened me─in the Police Court.
(0, 1) 258 I─I─
 
(Morley) Hush!
(0, 1) 264 They took me there.
(0, 1) 265 They said I was─was a thief.
 
(0, 1) 267 Oh─no─no!
(0, 1) 268 I didn't do it.
 
(0, 1) 270 I'm not guilty─indeed, indeed, I'm not.
 
(0, 1) 286 Yes, Mr. Branscombe has a right to know what I am.
(0, 1) 287 I forgot that.
(0, 1) 288 I had nowhere to go, no friends, after that day.
(0, 1) 289 I had to find work, or ask God to let me sleep.
 
(0, 1) 320 Some bank notes were missing from the safe.
(0, 1) 321 One of the missing notes and a skeleton key were found in my desk.
(Branscombe) Ah!
 
(Branscombe) Go on, Miss─Mrs. Morley.
(0, 1) 325 They said I had opened the safe with the skeleton key, and stolen the notes.
(0, 1) 326 I denied it, but I was confused, contradicted myself, they said.
(0, 1) 327 Perhaps I did.
(0, 1) 328 It was all so horrible.
(0, 1) 329 I wanted to go home to tell you; but they took me to the Police Court.
(0, 1) 330 Was I guilty?
(0, 1) 331 I didn't know!
(0, 1) 332 I couldn't remember what I had done, my brain was in a whirl, I thought I should go mad!
(Morley) Poor little woman!
 
(Morley) Poor little woman!
(0, 1) 334 That night I slept in the cells.
(0, 1) 335 Slept!
 
(0, 1) 337 They sentenced me to three months' imprisonment.
(0, 1) 338 It was the end of my life.
(0, 1) 339 I was broken, broken! for all time dead to those I loved.
(0, 1) 340 At last my day of liberty came.
(0, 1) 341 Liberty!
(0, 1) 342 What a mockery it was!
(0, 1) 343 It gave me back to the world, a woman without a character, a thing to be jeered at and scorned.
(Morley) I was there waiting for you.
 
(Morley) But you didn't come.
(0, 1) 347 No, I couldn't face you.
(0, 1) 348 I saw you and was afraid.
(0, 1) 349 I waited until you had gone.
(0, 1) 350 A mist lay heavily on the moors, and I watched you drifting out of my life.
(0, 1) 351 I─I thought my heart would break.
(Morley) Why did you let me go?
 
(Morley) Why did you let me go?
(0, 1) 353 I loved you─loved you too much to bring a shadow into your life.
(0, 1) 354 That is all!
(0, 1) 355 Only indeed, indeed, I never did it.
(Morley) I know you have never done anything in your life to be ashamed of.
 
(0, 1) 358 You believe that─after what I have told you?
(Morley) {Looking steadily, trustfully into her eyes─close to her─one hand stealing out to her.}
 
(0, 1) 362 Oh, Rowland, if I had only known!
(Morley) {Softly.}
 
(0, 1) 366 Yes!
(0, 1) 367 (Sheds tears of happiness in MORLEY's arms.)
(Branscombe) {Strangely affected─turns away.}
 
(0, 1) 397 Geraldine O'Connor, if you please.
(Branscombe) The devil!─
 
(Morley) Can't you stretch a point, Miss Geraldine, and make my play a little more real?
(0, 1) 401 It would be guite convincing then, wouldn't it?
(Morley) It would be The Real Thing─if you were really Mrs. Morley.
 
(Branscombe) Is it a bargain?
(0, 1) 409 It would be a pity to spoil such a splendid chance.