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The Missing Arm
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== Act 2 == === Scene 1 === Time: some months after the events of Act 1, Scene 3 Place: the castle of Lord Ellingham. ERVYNE paces about in the room, looking impatient and worried. He is dressed in his aristocratic clothes, with a sword dangling at his side. ERVYNE (Glances offstage.) Oh, look at those woodcutters. To think that I was once among them, young Ervyne...oh those days. They were good, in their way. They were days in which I could look a man in the eye...I could look Mildred in the eye...and speak the truth! I was happier in those days! I was Ervyne—I was the poor, despised, miserable Ervyne, but I was Ervyne. Those were the best days of my life. (Sighs.) Oh—how horrible it would be, if for one moment the villagers suspected—if they knew! If...Mildred knew...But I have already lied, and there is nothing I can do further. I am trapped... (Enter a MAID.) What do you want? MAID. Excuse me, Lord Ellingham, but there’s a man who wants to speak to you. ERVYNE. What sort of man? MAID. A poor man, sir. He come from afar. He won’t give his name, but he insists on seeing you. ERVYNE. I—I suppose you may bring him in. By the way, where’s my wife? MAID. Lady Ellingham is visiting the village for a few days. ERVYNE. I see. Well, bring him in. MAID. Yes, sir. (She exits, then returns with RICHMOND before leaving. ERVYNE is startled.) RICHMOND. (Smiles and bows.) Sir? Ah, things have changed a good deal, a good deal. ERVYNE. What—what are you doing here? RICHMOND. I told you, long ago, when you and I were chopping wood together—remember? I was going to the house of a distant great-aunt, who lived very far away. I was going to get my inheritance, remember? ERVYNE. And— RICHMOND. Well, it didn’t happen. There was a lot of bickering among all these relatives, and I’ve been there all these months, trying to get my fair share of money. But it was split up, and taken, and divided again, until I had barely enough money to buy a horse and leave the area. I decided I should see how home was, and if it was all right for me to come back. ERVYNE. Oh? RICHMOND. And then I come here yesterday, and what do I hear but Ervyne, Ervyne, Ervyne? All this talk (he smiles) of a young man who fought off some thieves with his bare hands and saved the king! ERVYNE. (Pales.) I—I— RICHMOND. Oh, yes! It was a fine story! You told the king about it, you told them all! Ha! Now you’re a high lord with lots of money, and property! What an excellent story, sir! Trouble is—it’s not true, is it? ERVYNE. It— RICHMOND. Oh, how the people will be horrified! To think that the viscount—their own brave Ervyne—lied to them all! Oh! Oh! ERVYNE. Silence! RICHMOND. And the king—what will he think of this? He bestowed these titles on a liar? Oh, he’ll be angry. Shouldn’t wonder if he’ll order imprisonment, eh? ERVYNE. How dare you! The people listen to me. They respect me. So does the king! RICHMOND. But I, sir, know the truth. They know me. If someone tells me your story, I can say, “Ah, I’ve been away for so long. I didn’t know this lie spread. Why, I cut his arm.” They’ll say, “What? You lie.” Then I’ll tell them the story—I know you, Ervyne, you ambitious knave. I’ll tell the story, and we’ll see who the people believe when I’m done with you! (Smiles.) I would love to see that Mildred’s face when she finds who her hero really is! ERVYNE (In horror.) Please! Please! Do not—do not shame me this way! RICHMOND. (Leans back.) Well, we could reach an agreement of some sort. ERVYNE. Like what? RICHMOND. Money. I didn’t get it from my distant great-aunt, but I’ll get it from you, or it will all be known! ERVYNE. How much? I’ll pay you right now. RICHMOND. Oh no, sir. Not one round sum. An income. ERVYNE. Tell me how much, and I’ll pay you every month. Quickly! And speak lower so that the servants don’t hear. (RICHMOND walks up to ERVYNE and whispers in his ear. ERVYNE looks horrified.) I haven’t got that much. RICHMOND. You’ll pay it, or I’ll tell. ERVYNE. I can’t pay it! RICHMOND. Well then, I must leave. (He turns away with a smile. Suddenly ERVYNE leaps after him and draws his sword in anger.) ERVYNE. No, you shall not! (Slays RICHMOND. Glances about the room and calls for SERVANTS.) (Enter two SERVANTS.) FIRST SERVANT. What—oh, sir! ERVYNE. My guest Richmond was a violent man, and coming to high words with me, attempted to strike me. And I slew him. Take his body away. FIRST SERVANT. Yes, sir. (They carry out the body of RICHMOND.) (Curtain.) === Scene 2 === Time: a day after the events in Scene 1 Place: the local prison. OLD WILLIAM is sitting on a bench in a cell. Enter MILDRED, with a basket on her arm. OLD WILLIAM. (Looks at her with displeasure.) Why, it’s our own Lady Ellingham. MILDRED. Old William, it’s nice to see you. I have been visiting the village, and I thought I would stop by and see you. OLD WILLIAM. I’ve been getting quite enough visits, thank you. MILDRED. Really? I’m glad to know that you aren’t forgotten. OLD WILLIAM. (Looks at her maliciously.) Oh, it was quite a nice visit! You remember Richmond? MILDRED. Not very well. Didn’t he leave town the day Ervyne— OLD WILLIAM. (Harshly.) Don’t mention that man’s name to me again! MILDRED. You mustn’t hate my husband! How would you like being slandered in front of you whole village? You did wrong, Old William. OLD WILLIAM. I spoke the truth. Richmond knew that, anyway. MILDRED. When did he return? OLD WILLIAM. Two days ago. He visited me, and we talked about...that man. Richmond was shocked when he heard the sort of lies that man was telling. MILDRED. (Rises.) Please, I won’t listen to you slandering my husband. OLD WILLIAM. Slander! (MILDRED prepares to leave.). Richmond saw your husband get wounded! He knows what happened! It’s just as I predicted—your husband was wounded by an axe! MILDRED. You are lying, Old William, and I’m sorry, but I have to leave. OLD WILLIAM. Ask your husband if he knows a man named Richmond! See his reaction! (MILDRED exits, stopping her ears, while Old William continues to shout from his cell. Curtain.) === Scene 3 === Time: The day after the events of Scene 1 Place: the castle of Lord Ellingham. Enter MILDRED, twisting her hands. MILDRED. Ervyne is honest. I know he wouldn’t lie to me about something like this, but...then again...no. I must trust Ervyne. But I will ask him about Richmond, just to prove to myself, because it isn’t possible that Old William is totally wrong...but Ervyne can’t have lied. (Enter ERVYNE, in his aristocratic clothes, wearing the ornamental sword.) Oh, good! Ervyne, dear, I needed to ask you something. ERVYNE. (Starts.) Oh? MILDRED. I was in the village these past few days. ERVYNE. How was the visit? MILDRED. Very nice. I have a question, however. ERVYNE. What is it, my dear? Ugochuku 19 MILDRED. But, Ervyne, promise me that you won’t...doubt how much I trust and love you. ERVYNE. (Suspiciously.) Why would I do that? MILDRED. Because it’s a strange question. ERVYNE. Ask it. MILDRED. All right, then...who is Richmond? ERVYNE. (Pales.) Who told you to ask that? MILDRED. Someone in the village. But who is he, dear? I don’t really remember him, but I think he lived by the forest near the village, and left around the same time you got injured. ERVYNE. I don’t remember him either. MILDRED. But weren’t you both woodcutters? ERVYNE. Yes...I... MILDRED. (Looks concerned.) Then why won’t you tell me who he is? ERVYNE. Mildred, leave me alone! (He races out of the room in terror.) MILDRED. I hope I haven’t worried him! Ervyne! Ervyne! (Enter a SERVANT.) SERVANT. Lady Ellingham, is anything wrong? MILDRED. No...no...Ervyne got upset when I mentioned a person named Richmond. SERVANT. Oh, that man? He tried to attack Lord Ellingham. MILDRED. Attack Ervyne? SERVANT. He had an audience with Lord Ellingham, and I believe he became violent. When he summoned me, the man was dead. We buried him yesterday. I believe that’s why Lord Ellingham would not like to discuss that man with you. MILDRED. (Looks horrified.) You may go, now. Could you call Ervyne as you go? (Exit SERVANT. A few minutes later, enter ERVYNE.) ERVYNE. Mildred...I don’t want to talk about Richmond. MILDRED. You don’t need to. ERVYNE. Then why did you call me? MILDRED. Let’s stand away from the door, where servants can’t hear us speak. ERVYNE. My dear, have you— MILDRED. Please, Ervyne. Let me speak. I have been speaking to Old William. ERVYNE. Stay away from that man. MILDRED. We spoke for a while, and he encouraged me to learn about a man named Richmond. That’s why I asked you about him. ERVYNE. And I told you I didn’t want to talk about him. MILDRED. You don’t need to. He’s dead, isn’t he? ERVYNE. (Starts.) Did the servants tell you anything? MILDRED. That’s not the point. ERVYNE. (Trembles.) Then what is? MILDRED. I see it now, Ervyne! How could you deceive me? How could you lie to me? ERVYNE. Mildred, my dear, don’t accuse me! MILDRED. It’s obvious, Ervyne! You murdered Richmond, didn’t you? You killed him before he could expose you! Expose that you never fought a thief in your life! Expose that you lost your arm in a woodcutting accident! ERVYNE (Snatches his sword and holds it over her head.) That’s right. I slew him; and I will slay the next person who tries to ruin me! (MILDRED crumples to the ground in a faint. ERVYNE, terrified, drops his sword, and falls on his knees.) Mildred, my dear! Mildred, forgive me! Oh, my wife, what have I become? MILDRED. (Stands up shakily.) Ervyne—Ervyne! ERVYNE. (Crying.) What have I become? MILDRED. Oh, Ervyne, oh Ervyne! It was all a lie. ERVYNE. It was, Mildred! I hated deceiving you. I hated deceiving everyone. But I was greedy, and ambitious, and you see what’s happened now. I imprisoned Old William. I slew Richmond. I almost slew you. (The two embrace, MILDRED hugging the weeping ERVYNE.) MILDRED. What will you do next? ERVYNE. I shall need to confess—oh the disgrace of telling the whole village! They will strip MILDRED. But you will still confess? ERVYNE. Yes. MILDRED. (Smiles.) Then I have married a brave man. You are still my hero, Ervyne, even if you are not Lord Ellingham. ERVYNE. Then you won’t mind if I change my name? MILDRED. To what? ERVYNE. Young Ervyne, the woodcutter. MILDRED. Not at all. (Curtain.) [[Category:Plays]]
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