Page:Under the Gaslight.djvu/24

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and an envelope? Here's a dollar—try and see how slow you can be.

Peach. (Firmly.) You can't sheet of paper me, mister; I'm protecting Miss, and I'm not to be enveloped.

Laura. Go as the gentleman asks you,.

Peach. Oh! (Takes money, fixes her bonnet.) First it's "Keep the man out," now it's "Let him stay in alone with me." But I suppose she's like all of us—it makes a great difference which man it is.

(Exit,

Ray. (After watching out.), when I approached you, you shrank from me. Why did you so?

Laura. Look around you and find your answer.

Ray. (Shuddering.) Pardon me, I did not come here to insult your misery. When I saw you I forgot everything else.

Laura. And now it's time for us to remember every thing. I told you to look around that you might understand that in such a place I am no longer, nor anything I used to be. But I did not ask your pity. There is no misery here.

Ray. Alone, without means, exposed to every rudeness, unprotected, is this not misery for you?

Laura. (Laughing.) Oh, it's not so bad as that.

Ray. , don't trifle with me. You cannot have exchanged everything that made you happy, for this squalid poverty, and not feel it deeply.

Laura. I have not time to feel anything deeply. (Takes basket up, goes to table, busies herself about preparing dinner.) I work from sunrise till night, and I sleep so soundly that I have not even dreams to recall the past. Just as you came in I was about to cook our dinner. Only think—lamb chops!

Ray. Lamb chops! It makes me shudder to hear you speak.

Laura. Does it? Then wait till I get the gridiron on the fire, and you'll shiver. And if you want to be transfixed with horror, stop and take dinner.

Ray. I will not hear you mock yourself thus,. I tell you in this self-banishment you have acted thoughtlessly—you have done wrong.

Laura. Why?

Ray. Because, let the miserable creatures who slandered you say what they might, you had still a home and friends.

Laura. A home! Where the very servants would whisper and point. Friends who would be ashamed to acknowledge me. You are mistaken. That is neither home nor friendship.

Ray. And you are resolved to surrender the past forever.

Laura. The past has forgotten me in spite of myself.

Ray. Look at me.

Laura. (Coming down, ) Well then, there's one who has not forgotten me, but I desire that he may. You speak to me of bitter ness. Your presence, your words, cause me the first pang I have felt since the night I fled unnoticed from my chamber, and began my life anew. Therefore I entreat you to leave me, to forget me.

Ray. , by the tie that once bound us!—

Laura. (Going up.) Yes, once. It is a long time ago.

Ray. What have I said?— the tie which still—

Laura. (Sharply turning.) Mr., must I remind you