FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   >>  
akes you look at me like that? I tried to help her. MADGE. [With suppressed savagery.] I thought you'd like to know. ENID. [Passionately.] It's so unjust! Can't you see that I want to help you all? MADGE. I never harmed any one that had n't harmed me first. ENID. [Coldly.] What harm have I done you? Why do you speak to me like that? MADGE. [With the bitterest intensity.] You come out of your comfort to spy on us! A week of hunger, that's what you want! ENID. [Standing her ground.] Don't talk nonsense! MADGE. I saw her die; her hands were blue with the cold. ENID. [With a movement of grief.] Oh! why wouldn't she let me help her? It's such senseless pride! MADGE. Pride's better than nothing to keep your body warm. ENID. [Passionately.] I won't talk to you! How can you tell what I feel? It's not my fault that I was born better off than you. MADGE. We don't want your money. ENID. You don't understand, and you don't want to; please to go away! MADGE. [Balefully.] You've killed her, for all your soft words, you and your father! ENID. [With rage and emotion.] That's wicked! My father is suffering himself through this wretched strike. MADGE. [With sombre triumph.] Then tell him Mrs. Roberts is dead! That 'll make him better. ENID. Go away! MADGE. When a person hurts us we get it back on them. [She makes a sudden and swift movement towards ENID, fixing her eyes on the child's frock lying across the little table. ENID snatches the frock up, as though it were the child itself. They stand a yard apart, crossing glances.] MADGE. [Pointing to the frock with a little smile.] Ah! You felt that! Lucky it's her mother--not her children--you've to look after, is n't it. She won't trouble you long! ENID. Go away! MADGE. I've given you the message. [She turns and goes out into the hall. ENID, motionless till she has gone, sinks down at the table, bending her head over the frock, which she is still clutching to her. The double-doors are opened, and ANTHONY comes slowly in; he passes his daughter, and lowers himself into an arm-chair. He is very flushed.] ENID. [Hiding her emotion-anxiously.] What is it, Dad? [ANTHONY makes a gesture, but does not speak.] Who was it? [ANTHONY does not answer. ENID going to the double-doors meets EDGAR Coming in. They speak together in low t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   >>  



Top keywords:

ANTHONY

 
father
 

emotion

 
Passionately
 

double

 

movement

 
harmed
 

sudden

 

mother

 

children


fixing

 
snatches
 

glances

 

crossing

 

Pointing

 

flushed

 

Hiding

 
passes
 

daughter

 

lowers


anxiously

 

Coming

 

gesture

 

answer

 

slowly

 
motionless
 
message
 

opened

 
clutching
 

bending


trouble
 

hunger

 

Standing

 

ground

 
bitterest
 

intensity

 

comfort

 

nonsense

 
wouldn
 

unjust


thought

 
savagery
 

suppressed

 

Coldly

 

wretched

 
strike
 

suffering

 
wicked
 

sombre

 

triumph