VOICEMechanically。It’sme-it’sPhil-it’syourhusband。
CAPTGShedoesn’tknowmel-It’syourownhusband，darling。
VOICEYourownhusband，darlingAYAHWithaninspiration。
MemsahibunderstandingallIsaying。
CAPTGMakeherunderstandmethen-quick！
AYAHHandonMasG。’sfore-head。Memsahib！CaptainSahibhere。
VOICESalaemdoFretfully。IknowI’mnotfittobeseen。
AYAHAsidetoG。Say“marneen“sameasbreakfash。
CAPTGGood-morning，littlewomanHowareweto-day？
VOICEThat’sPhilPooroldPhilViciously。Phil，youfool，I
can’tseeyouComenearer。
CAPTGMinnie！Minnie！It’sme-youknowme？
VOICEMockingly。OfcourseIdoWhodoesnotknowthemanwhowassocrueltohiswife-almosttheonlyoneheeverhad？
CAPTGYes，dearYes-ofcourse，ofcourseButwon’tyouspeaktobim？Hewantstospeaktoyousomuch。
VOICEThey’dneverlethiminTheDoctorwouldgivedarwazabundevenifhewereinthehouseHe’llnevercome。
Despairingly。OJudas！Judas！Judas！
CAPTGPuttingouthisarms。Theyhavelethimin，andhealwayswasinthehouseOh，mylove-don’tyouknowme？
VOrCEInahalfchant。“Anditcametopassattheeleventhhourthatthispoorsoulrepented。”Itknockedatthegates，buttheywereshut-tightasaplaster-agreat，burningplasterTheyhadpastedourmarriagecertificateallacrossthedoor，anditwasmadeofred-hotiron-peoplereallyoughttobemorecareful，youknow。
CAPTGWhatamItodo？Takingherinhisarms。Minnie！
speaktome-toPhil。
VOICEWhatshallIsay？Oh，tellmewhattosaybeforeit’stoolate！TheyareallgoingawayandIcan’tsayanything。
CAPTGSayyouknowme！Onlysayyouknowme！
DOCTORWhohasenteredquietly。Forpity’ssakedon’ttakeittoomuchtoheart，GadsbyIt’sthiswaysometimesTheywon’trecognizeTheysayallsortsofqueerthings-don’tyousee？
CAPTGAllright！Allright！Goawaynow；she’llrecognizeme；
you’rebotheringherShemust-mustn’tshe？
DOCTORShewillbefore-HaveIyourleavetotry？-
CAPTGAnythingyouplease，solongasshe’llknowmeIt’sonlyaquestionof-hours，isn’tit？
DOCTORProfessionally。Whilethere’slifethere’shopey’knowButdon’tbuildonit。
CAPTGIdon’tPullhertogetherifit’spossibleAside。WhathaveIdonetodeservethis？
DOCTORBendingoverbed。Now，MrsGadsby！WeshallbeallrighttomorrowYoumusttakeit，orIsha’n’tletPhilseeyouItisn’tnasty，isit？
VoiceMedicines！Alwaysmoremedicines！Can’tyouleavemealone？
CAPTGOh，leaveherinpeace，Doc！
DOCTORSteppingback，-aside。MayIbeforgivenifI’venonewrongAloud。Inafewminutessheoughttobesensible；butI
daren’ttellyoutolookforanythingIt’sonly-
CAPTGWhat？Goon，man。
DOCTORInawhisper。Forcingthelastrally。
CAPTGThenleaveusalone。
DOCTORDon’tmindwhatshesaysatfirst，ifyoucanThey-they-theyturnagainstthosetheylovemostsometimesinthis-It’shard，but-
CAPTGAmIherhusbandorareyou？Leaveusaloneforwhattimewehavetogether。
VOICEConfidentially。Andwewereengagedquitesuddenly，EmmaIassureyouthatIneverthoughtofitforamoment；but，oh，mylittleMe！-Idon’tknowwhatIshouldhavedoneifhehadn’tproposed。
CAPTGShethinksofthatDeercourtgirlbeforeshethinksofme。
Aloud。Minnie！
VOICENotfromtheshops，MummydearYoucangettherealleavesfromKaintu，andlaughingweaklynevermindabouttheblossoms-Deadwhitesilkisonlyfitforwidows，andIwon’twearitIt’sasbadasawindingsheetAlongpause。
CAPTGIneveraskedafavoryetIfthereisanybodytolistentome，letherknowme-evenifIdietoo！
VOICEVeryfaintly。Pip，Pipdear。
CAPTGI’mhere，darling。
VOICEWhathashappened？They’vebeenbotheringmesowithmedicinesandthings，andtheywouldn’tletyoucomeandseeme。
IwasneverillbeforeAmIillnow？
CAPTGYou-youaren’tquitewell。
VOICEHowfunny！HaveIbeenilllong？
CAPTGSomeday；butyou’llbeallrightinalittletime。
VOICEDoyouthinkso，Pip？Idon’tfeelwelland-Oh！whathavetheydonetomyhair？
CAPTGId-d-on’tknow。
VOICEThey’vecutitoffWhatashame！
CAPTGItmusthavebeentomakeyourheadcooler。
VOICEJustlikeaboy’swigDon’tIlookhorrid？
CAPTGNeverlookedprettierinyourlife，dearAside。HowamItoaskhertosaygood-bye？
VOICEIdon’tfeelprettyIfeelveryillMyheartwon’twork。
It’snearlydeadinsideme，andthere’safunnyfeelinginmyeyes。
Everythingseemsthesamedistance-youandthealmirahandthetableinsidemyeyesormilesawayWhatdoesitmean，Pip？
CAPTGYou’realittlefeverish，Sweetheart-veryfeverish。
Breakingdown。Mylove！mylove！HowcanIletyougo？
VOICEIthoughtsoWhydidn’tyoutellmethatatfirst？
CAPTGWhat？
VOICEThatIamgoingto-die。
CAPTGButyouaren’t！Yousha’n’t。
AYAHtopunkah-coolieSteppingintoverandaafteraglanceatthebedPunkahchordo！Stoppullingthepunkah。
VOICEIt’shard，PipSovery，veryhardafteroneyear-justoneyear。
Wailing。AndI’monlytwentyMostgirlsaren’tevenmarriedattwentyCan’ttheydoanythingtohelpme？Idon’twanttodie。
CAPTGHush，dearYouwon’t。
VOICEWhat’stheuseoftalking？Helpme！You’veneverfailedmeyetOh，Phil，helpmetokeepaliveFeverishly。Idon’tbelieveyouwishmetoliveYouweren’tabitsorrywhenthathorridBabythingdiedIwishI’dkilledit！
CAPTGDrawinghishandacrosshisforehead。It’smorethanaman’smeanttobear-it’snotrightAloud。Minnie，love，I’ddieforyouifitwouldhelp。
VOICENomoredeathThere’senoughalreadyPip，don’tyoudietoo。
CAPTGIwishIdared。
VOICEItsays：“TillDeathdouspart。”Nothingafterthat-andsoitwouldbenouseItstopsatthedyingWhydoesitstopthere？
Onlysuchaveryshortlife，tooPip，I’msorrywemarried。
CAPTGNo！Anythingbutthat，Mm！
VOICEBecauseyou’llforgetandI’llforgetOh，Pip，don’tforget！
Ialwayslovedyou，thoughIwascrosssometimesIfIeverdidanythingthatyoudidn’tlike，sayyouforgivemenow。
CAPTGYouneverdid，darlingOnmysoulandhonoryouneverdidIhaven’tathingtoforgiveyou。
VOICEIsulkedforawholeweekaboutthosepetuniasWithalaugh。WhatalittlewretchIwas，andhowgrievedyouwere！
Forgivemethat，Pp。
CAPTGThere’snothingtoforgiveItwasmyfaultTheyweretoonearthedriveForGod’ssakedon’ttalkso，Minnie！There’ssuchalottosayandsolittletimetosayitin。
VOICESaythatyou’llalwaysloveme-untiltheend。
CAPTGUntiltheendCarriedaway。It’salieItmustbe，becausewe’velovedeachotherThisisn’ttheend。
VOICERelapsingintosemi-delirium。MyChurch-servicehasanivory-crossontheback，anditsaysso，soitmustbetrue“TillDeathdouspart。”-butthat’salieWithaparodyofG。’smanner。
Adamnedlie！Recklessly。Yes，IcanswearaswellasaTrooper，PipIcan’tmakemyheadthink，thoughThat’sbecausetheycutoffmyhairHowcanonethinkwithone’sheadallfuzzy？
Pleadingly。Holdme，Pip！Keepmewithyoualwaysandalways。
Relapsing。ButifyoumarrytheThornissgirlwhenI’mdead，I’llcomebackandhowlunderourbedroomwindowallnightOh，bother！You’llthinkI’majackallPip，whattimeisit？
CAPTGAlittlebeforethedawn，dear。
VOICEIwonderwhereIshallbethistimeto-morrow？
CAPTGWouldyouliketoseethePadre？
VOICEWhyshouldI？He’dtellmethatIamgoingtoheaven；
andthatwouldn’tbetrue，becauseyouarehereDoyourecollectwhenheupsetthecream-icealloverhistrousersattheGassers’
tennis？
CAPTGYes，dear。
VOICEIoftenwonderedwhetherhegotanotherpairoftrousers；
butthenhisaresoshinyalloverthatyoureallycouldn’ttellunlessyouweretoldLet’scallhiminandask。
CAPTGGravely。NoIdon’tthinkhe’dlikethat’Yourheadcomfy，Sweetheart？’
VOICEFaintlywithasighofcontentment。Yeth！Gracious，Pip，whendidyoushavelast？Yourchin’sworsethanthebarrelofamusicalbox-No，don’tliftitupIlikeitApause。Yousaidyou’venevercriedatallYou’recryingallovermycheek。
CAPTGI-I-Ican’thelpit，dear。
VOICEHowfunny！Icouldn’tcrynowtosavemylifeG。
shivers。Iwanttosing。
CAPTGWon’tittireyou？’Betternot，perhaps。
VOICEWhy？Iwon’tbebotheredaboutBeginsinahoarsequaver
“Minniebakesoatencake，Minniebrewsale，AllbecauseherJohnnie’scominghomefromthesea。
That’sparade，Pip。
Andshegrowsredasarose，whowassopale；
And’Areyousurethechurch-clockgoes？’saysshe。”
Pettishly。IknewIcouldn’ttakethelastnoteHowdothebasschordsrun？Putsoutherhandsandbeginsplayingpianoonthesheet。
CAPTGCatchinguphands。Ahh！Don’tdothat，Pussy，ifyouloveme。
VOICELoveyou？OfcourseIdo。
Whoelseshoulditbe？Apause。
VOICEVeryclearly。Pip，I’mgomgnowSomething’schokingmecruellyIndistinctly。Intothedark-withoutyou，myheart-Butit’salie，dear-wemustn’tbelieveit-Foreverandever，livingordeadDon’tletmego，myhusband-holdmetight-Theycan’t-
whateverhappensAcough。Pip-myPip！Notforalways-and-
so-soon！Voiceceases。
PauseoftenminutesGburieshisfaceinthesideofthebedwhileAYAHbendsoverbedfromoppositesideandfeelsMasG。’sbreastandforehead。
CAPTGRising。DoctorSahibkosalaamdo。
AYAHStillbybedside，withashriek。AilAilTuta-phuta！MyMemsahib！Notgetting-nothavegot！-PusseenaagyalThesweathascome。FiercelytoG。TUMjaoDoctorSahibkojaldi！Yougotothedoctor。Oh，myMemsahib！
DOCTOREnteringhastily。Comeaway，GadsbyBendsoverbed。Eb！TheDev-Whatinspiredyoutostopthepunkab？Getout，man-goaway-waitoutside！Go！Here，Ayab！OverhisshouldertoG。MindIpromisenothing。
ThedawnbreaksasGstumblesintothegarden。
CAPTMRehungupatthegateonhiswaytoparadeandverysoberly。Oldman，howgoes？
CAPTGDazed。Idon’tquiteknowStayabitHaveadrinkorsomethingDon’trunawayYou’rejustgettingamusingHa！
ha！
CAPTMAside。WhatamIletinfor？Gaddyhasagedtenyearsinthenight。
CAPTGSlowly，fingeringcharger’sheadstall。Yourcurb’stooloose。
CAPTMSoitisPutitstraight，willyou？Aside。IshallbelateforparadePoorGaddy。
CAPTGlinksandunlinkscurb-chainaimlessly，andfinallystandsstaringtowardtheverandaThedaybrightens。
DOCTORKnockedoutofprofessionalgravity，trampingacrossflower-bedsandshakingG’shands。It’-it’s-it’s！-Gadsby，tbere’safairchance-adashedfairchanceTheflicker，y’knowThesweat，y’knowIsawhowitwouldbeThepunkab，y’know。