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LOUIS No: you must always be in the garden when the bush flames. You are my hold on the world: you are my immortality. Promise.
MRS DUBEDAT I’m listening. I shall not forget. You know that I promise.
LOUIS Well, thats about all; except that you are to hang my pictures at the one-man show. I can trust your eye. You wont let anyone else touch them.
MRS DUBEDAT You can trust me.
LOUIS Then theres nothing more to worry about, is there? Give me some more of that milk. I’m fearfully tired; but if I stop talking I shant begin again. [SIR RALPH gives him a drink. He takes it and looks up quaintly]. I say, B. B., do you think anything would stop y o u talking?
B. B. [almost unma
LOUIS [musing] I used to be awfully afraid of death; but now it’s come I have no fear; and I’m perfectly happy. Je
MRS DUBEDAT Yes, dear?
LOUIS I’ll tell you a secret. I used to think that our marriage was all an affectation, and that I’d break loose and run away some day. But now that I’m going to be broken loose whether I like it or not, I’m perfectly fond of you, and perfectly satisfied because I’m going to live as part of you and not as my troublesome self.
MRS DUBEDAT [heartbroken] Stay with me, Louis. Oh, dont leave me, dearest.
LOUIS Not that I’m selfish. With all my faults I dont think Ive ever been really selfish. No artist can: Art is too large for that. You will marry again, Je
MRS DUBEDAT Oh, how can you, Louis?
LOUIS [insisting childishly] Yes, because people who have found marriage happy always marry again. Ah, I shant be jealous. [Slyly] But dont talk to the other fellow too much about me: he wont like it. [Almost chuckling] I shall be your lover all the time; but it will be a secret from him, poor devil!
SIR PATRICK Come! youve talked enough. Try to rest awhile.
LOUIS [wearily] Yes: I’m fearfully tired; but I shall have a long rest presently. I have something to say to you fellows. Youre all there, arnt you? I’m too weak to see anything but Je
RIDGEON We are all here.
LOUIS [startled] That voice sounded devilish. Take care, Ridgeon: my ears hear things that other people’s ears cant. Ive been thinking — thinking. I’m cleverer than you imagine.
SIR PATRICK [whispering to RIDGEON] Youve got on his nerves, Colly. Slip out quietly.
RIDGEON [apart to SIR PATRICK] Would you deprive the dying actor of his audience?
LOUIS [his face lighting up faintly with mischievous glee] I heard that, Ridgeon. That was good. Je
RIDGEON [relentless] Was I?
LOUIS But it’s not true. It’s you who are still on the stage. I’m half way home already.
MRS DUBEDAT [to RIDGEON] What did you say?
LOUIS [answering for him] Nothing, dear. Only one of those little secrets that men keep among themselves. Well, all you chaps have thought pretty hard things of me, and said them.
B. B. [quite overcome] No, no, Dubedat. Not at all.
LOUIS Yes, you have. I know what you all think of me. Dont imagine I’m sore about it. I forgive you.
WALPOLE [involuntarily] Well, damn me! [Ashamed] I beg your pardon.
LOUIS That was old Walpole, I know. Dont grieve, Walpole. I’m perfectly happy. I’m not in pain. I dont want to live. Ive escaped from myself. I’m in heaven, immortal in the heart of my beautiful Je
MRS DUBEDAT [breathless] Louis: are you — WALPOLE rises and comes quickly to see whether he is dead.
LOUIS Not yet, dear. Very nearly, but not yet. I should like to rest my head on your bosom; only it would tire you.
MRS DUBEDAT No, no, no, darling: how could you tire me? [She lifts him so that he lies on her bosom].
LOUIS Thats good. Thats real.
MRS DUBEDAT Dont spare me, dear. Indeed, indeed you will not tire me. Lean on me with all your weight.
LOUIS [with a sudden half return of his normal strength and comfort] Ji
MRS DUBEDAT [hopefully] Yes, yes: you shall.
LOUIS Because I suddenly want to sleep. Just an ordinary sleep.
MRS DUBEDAT [rocking him] Yes, dear. Sleep. [He seems to go to sleep. WALPOLE makes another movement. She protests]. Sh-sh: please dont disturb him. [His lips move]. What did you say, dear? [In great distress] I cant listen without moving him. [His lips move again: WALPOLE bends down and listens].
WALPOLE He wants to know is the newspaper man here.
THE NEWSPAPER MAN [excited;for he has been enjoying himself enormously] Yes, Mr Dubedat. Here I am.
WALPOLE raises his hand warningly to silence him. SIR RALPH sits down quietly on the sofa and frankly buries his face in his handkerchief.
MRS DUBEDAT [with great relief] Oh thats right, dear: dont spare me: lean with all your weight on me. Now you are really resting.
SIR PATRICK quickly comes forward and feels LOUIS’s pulse; then takes him by the shoulders.
SIR PATRICK Let me put him back on the pillow, maam. He will be better so.
MRS DUBEDAT [piteously] Oh no, please, please, doctor. He is not tiring me; and he will be so hurt when he wakes if he finds I have put him away.
SIR PATRICK He will never wake again. [He takes the body from her and replaces it in the chair. RIDGEON, unmoved, lets down the back and makes a bier of it].
MRS DUBEDAT [who has unexpectedly sprung to her feet, and stands dry-eyed and stately] Was that death?
WALPOLE Yes.
MRS DUBEDAT [with complete dignity] Will you wait for me a moment? I will come back. [She goes out].
WALPOLE Ought we to follow her? Is she in her right senses?
SIR PATRICK [with quiet conviction] Yes. She’s all right. Leave her alone. She’ll come back.
RIDGEON [callously] Let us get this thing out of the way before she comes.
B. B. [rising, shocked] My dear Colly! The poor lad! He died splendidly.
SIR PATRICK Aye! that is how the wicked die.
For there are no bands in their death;
But their strength is firm:
They are not in trouble as other men.[168]
No matter: it’s not for us to judge. He’s in another world now.
WALPOLE Borrowing his first five-pound note there, probably.
RIDGEON I said the other day that the most tragic thing in the world is a sick doctor. I was wrong. The most tragic thing in the world is a man of genius who is not also a man of honor.
168
Quotation from the Bible, Psalm 73:4-5 (KJV).