# Dramas (Baillie)/The Alienated Manor/Act 2

ACT II.
SCENE I.—Mrs. Charville's Dressing Room. She is discovered with Mary, sitting by a table at work, &c.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
Charville enters by a door behind the Ladies, but stops short on hearing their conversation.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
Somebody is coming. (Charville retires softly without being perceived, and Smitchenstault, by the opposite door, enters, with heavy creaking steps.)
MARY.
SMITCHENSTAUDT.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAIJLT.
MARY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
MARY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT (bowing conceitedly).
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT (bowing again).
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT (turning again to Mary).
MARY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
Re-enter Charville.
CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
Dear brother, how severe you are! But a truce to philosophy! It is in matters of taste that we have been craving Mr. Smitchenstault's instruction, though he has not yet told us whether the dew-drops—emblems of sensibility—should be hung upon this rose, or the buds which have been torn from her. (Pointing to the flowers Mrs. Charville has been painting.)
CHARVILLE (eagerly to Mrs. Charville).
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
Enter Sir Level Clump, skipping joyfully.
SIR LEVEL.
CHARVILLE.
SIR LEVEL.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
SIR LEVEL.
MARY (to Smitchenstault, as they are going).
SMITCHENSTAULT.
[Exeunt all but Charville.
CHARVILLE. (after musing moodily on the front of the Stage).
A bad, a suspicious, a dangerous disposition. I think I know myself; I am not prone to suspicion; but for those strange words, I should not have cared a maravedi for her painting that cursed flower. (Dashing his hand over the papers, and scattering them about.) ​
Re-enter Sir Level Clump.
SIR LEVEL.
CHARVILLE.
[Exit the other way.
SIR LEVEL.
Re-enter Charville.
CHARVILLE.
SCENE II.
Mrs. Smoothly's Room. She enters speaking, and taking a Bandbox from a Servant, who immediately retires.
SMOOTHLY.
Enter Smitchenstault softly behind her, and looks over her shoulders.
O mercy on me! (Shrieking out.) ​
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY (coyly).
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
SMITCHENSTAULT.
SMOOTHLY.
[Exeunt severally. ​
SCENE III.
The Wood near the House.
Enter Mary and Sir Robert Freemantle by opposite sides.
MARY.
FREEMANTLE.
MARY.
FREEMANTLE.
MARY.
FREEMANTLE.
MARY.
FREEMANTLE.
Enter Mrs. Charville.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
FREEMANTLE.
Enter Charville.
MRS. CHARVILLE (to her husband).
CHARVILLE (to her).
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE (peevishly).
You are dutiful, and that makes you grave. (Striding away from him, muttering to himself.) I comprehend it; it is all plain enough. (Checking himself and returning to Freemantle.) This beautiful morning, Sir Robert, has tempted you to prolong your rambles in the wood: but what has become of Mr. Crafton?
FREEMANTLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
Then Sir Robert will stay and dine with us, and go home in the cool of the evening. He has ​walked a great deal, and must be fatigued, if he return now. (Looking wistfully to Charville, who is silent.) This would be a most agreeable arrangement. (Looks to him again, and he still remains silent.) Don't you think it would?
CHARVILLE.
FREEMANTLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
MARY.
Did you not see it, brother? It was very curious.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
He looks at no creatures but those which are bred in his kennels and his stable. I'll describe it to Sir Robert. (Going to Sir Robert, and walking with him to the bottom of the Stage, talking, and demonstrating with her hands, while Charville and Mary occupy the front.)
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
So it seems, so it seems. (Striding away, and pacing round the Stage with his eyes fixed upon Sir Robert and Mrs. Charville, till he gets close behind them, while they move towards the front.)
MRS. CHARVILLE (continuing to speak as she and Freemantle come forward).
CHARVILLE (thrusting his head between them).
MRS. CHARVILLE.
FREEMANTLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
FREEMANTLE (to Mrs. Charville).
MRS. CHARVILLE (calling him back).
FREEMANTLE (returning).
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
CHARVILLE.
MRS. CHARVILLE.
It fell not from the clouds then; but verily, I think, from your own forehead. How warm you are! (Turning to Freemantle.) Good day, then, I will not detain you. [Exit Freemantle. (To Charville.) Well, dear Charles, since you are so afraid of the clouds, let us go into the house. But I must visit my bower first. [Exit swiftly among the trees.
CHARVILLE (after stalking slowly away in another direction, stops short, and returns to Mary, who stands on the front, looking after Freemantle).
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
MARY.
CHARVILLE.
SCENE IV.
An outer Court adjoining to the House.
Enter Isaac with a Letter, and immediately followed by Mrs. Smoothly.
SMOOTHLY.
ISAAC.
SMOOTHLY.
ISAAC.
MRS. SMOOTHLY.
ISAAC (giving her the letter).
SMOOTHLY.
ISAAC.
SMOOTHLY.
Enter Charville.
CHARVILLE.
SMOOTHLY.
CHARVILLE.
SMOOTHLY.
CHARVILLE.
SMOOTHLY.
CHARVILLE.
SMOOTHLY.
CHARVILLE.
SMOOTHLY (giving it unwillingly).
CHARVILLE (looking at the direction).
By heaven and earth just what I expected. (Sternly to her.) And you did not know to ​whom this letter is directed? (Motioning her to go as she is about to speak.) Away, away! Tell me no more lies: I'll take care of this letter. [Exeunt severally.
SCENE V.
The Butler's Room.
Enter Dickenson with a Paper in his Hand, which he looks upon ruefully.
DICKENSON.
Enter Charville.
CHARVILLE.
DICKENSON.
CHARVILLE.
DICKENSON.
CHARVILLE.
Yes, yes! Sir Level is there with his cursed plans: they are in my dressing-room too; they are every where. Watch by the door, I say, for a few minutes. [Exit Dickenson.
(Taking out the letter with agitation.)
"To Sir Robert Freemantle." Her own handwriting: that fair character for such foul ends! What man on earth would not do as I do? (Breaking open the seal.) A cover only. The enclosed. (Reads again.) "To Miss Freemantle." Is this all? (Examining the envelope.) What's here? A coarse scratched drawing of a horned bat. (Reads again.) "You will understand what I mean by this, though it is but a scratch."—No more! By Jove there is some mischievous meaning under this! It is my likeness she would give under that of a bat, and she will add the horns to the original, if she can. (Reads again.) "To Miss Freemantle." If this should be a device now, lest the letter should be opened! I'll pawn my life it is. "To Miss Freemantle." We shall see; we shall see. (Tears open the enclosed letter.) Mercy on us! three pages and a half so closely written!
DICKENSON (without).
CHARVILLE.
Re-enter Dickenson.
DICKENSON.
CHARVILLE.
DICKENSON.
CHARVILLE.