Mrs. Warren’s Profession

epub:type="z3998:persona">Mrs. Warren To Frank. What! You’re here, are you? Frank Turning in his chair from his writing, but not rising. Here, and charmed to see you. You come like a breath of spring. Mrs. Warren Oh, get out with your nonsense. In a low voice. Where’s Vivie? Frank points expressively to the door of the inner room, but says nothing. Mrs. Warren Sitting down suddenly and almost beginning to cry. Praddy: won’t she see me, don’t you think? Praed My dear Kitty: don’t distress yourself. Why should she not? Mrs. Warren Oh, you never can see why not: you’re too innocent. Mr. Frank: did she say anything to you? Frank Folding his note. She must see you, if very expressively. you wait till she comes in. Mrs. Warren Frightened. Why shouldn’t I wait? Frank looks quizzically at her; puts his note carefully on the ink-bottle, so that Vivie cannot fail to find it when next she dips her pen; then rises and devotes his attention entirely to her. Frank My dear Mrs. Warren: suppose you were a sparrow⁠—ever so tiny and pretty a sparrow hopping in the roadway⁠—and you saw a steam roller coming in your direction, would you wait for it? Mrs. Warren Oh, don’t bother me with your sparrows. What did she run away from Haslemere like that for? Frank I’m afraid she’ll tell you if you wait until she comes back. Mrs. Warren Do you want me to go away? Frank No. I always want you to stay. But I advise you to go away. Mrs. Warren What! And never see her again! Frank Precisely. Mrs. Warren Crying again. Praddy: don’t let him be cruel to me. She hastily checks her tears and wipes her eyes. She’ll be so angry if she sees I’ve been crying. Frank With a touch of real compassion in his airy tenderness. You know that Praddy is the soul of kindness, Mrs. Warren. Praddy: what do you say? Go or stay? Praed To Mrs. Warren. I really should be very sorry to cause you unnecessary pain; but I think perhaps you had better not wait. The fact is⁠—Vivie is heard at the inner door. Frank Sh! Too late. She’s coming. Mrs. Warren Don’t tell her I was crying. Vivie comes in. She stops gravely on seeing Mrs. Warren, who greets her with hysterical cheerfulness. Well, dearie. So here you are at last. Vivie I am glad you have come: I want to speak to you. You said you were going, Frank, I think. Frank Yes. Will you come with me, Mrs. Warren? What do you say to a trip to Richmond, and the theatre in the evening? There is safety in Richmond. No steam roller there. Vivie Nonsense, Frank. My mother will stay here. Mrs. Warren Scared. I don’t know: perhaps I’d better go. We’re disturbing you at your work. Vivie With quiet decision. Mr. Praed: please take Frank away. Sit down, mother. Mrs. Warren obeys helplessly. Praed Come, Frank. Goodbye, Miss Vivie. Vivie Shaking hands. Goodbye. A pleasant trip. Praed Thank you: thank you. I hope so. Frank To Mrs. Warren. Goodbye: you’d ever so much better have taken my advice. He shakes hands with her. Then airily to Vivie. Bye-bye, Viv. Vivie Goodbye. He goes out gaily without shaking hands with her. Praed follows. Vivie, composed and extremely grave, sits down in Honoria’s chair, and waits for her mother to speak. Mrs. Warren, dreading a pause, loses no time in beginning. Mrs. Warren Well, Vivie, what did you go away like that for without saying a word to me? How could you do such a thing! And what have you done to poor George? I wanted him to come with me; but he shuffled out of it. I could see that he was quite afraid of you. Only fancy: he wanted me not to come. As if trembling I should be afraid of you, dearie. Vivie’s gravity deepens. But of course I told him it was all settled and comfortable between us, and that we were on the best of terms. She breaks down. Vivie: what’s the meaning of this? She produces a paper from an envelope; comes to the table; and hands it across. I got it from the bank this morning. Vivie It is my month’s allowance. They sent it to me as usual the other day. I simply sent it back to be placed to your credit, and asked them to send you the lodgment receipt. In future I shall support myself. Mrs. Warren Not daring to understand. Wasn’t it enough? Why didn’t you tell me? With a cunning gleam in her eye. I’ll double it: I was intending to double it. Only let me know how much you want. Vivie You know very well that that has nothing to do with it. From this time I go my own way in my own business and among my own friends. And you will go yours. She rises. Goodbye. Mrs. Warren Appalled. Goodbye? Vivie Yes: goodbye. Come: don’t let us make a useless scene: you understand perfectly well. Sir George Crofts has told me the whole business. Mrs. Warren Angrily. Silly old⁠—She swallows an epithet, and then turns white at the narrowness of her escape from uttering it. He ought to have his tongue cut out. But I explained it all to you; and you said you didn’t mind. Vivie Steadfastly. Excuse me: I do mind. You explained how it came about. That does not alter it. Mrs. Warren, silenced for a moment, looks forlornly at Vivie, who waits, secretly hoping that the combat is over. But the cunning expression comes back into Mrs. Warren’s face; and she bends across the table, sly and urgent, half whispering. Mrs. Warren Vivie: do you know how rich I am? Vivie I have no doubt you are very rich. Mrs. Warren But you don’t know all that that means: you’re too young. It