MARGARET. (R. C.) (_falling on her knees before_ SIR JOSEPH) Forgive me!
SIR J. (_staggered_) Margaret! (_crosses to_ R. C.)
MOLLEN. (_down_ L. C.) You _must_ forgive her! Balsted, it was your brain, your massive brain, that attracted poor Margaret--but to-day, as she sat beside Everard, two pair of lips met, quite by chance--and your brain was forgotten!
EVERARD. (_rising_ R.) (_appealingly_) Lady Claude!
MOLLEN. (L. C.) Rosamund, you too will pardon, and grant absolution. Rosamund, Balsted, rise to superior heights--and, from your loftiness, smile on our lovers!
MOLLEN. (_up_ L. C.) Go now, my children--leave me--to pour balm on their wounds!
(_He waves them off; they rush out gleefully, hand in hand_, R. 2 E.)
MOLLEN. (C.) The infallible working of an undeviating law!
SIR J. Mollentrave, I love your daughter. And she--
LADY C. (_rising and to_ L. _of_ MOLLEN.) Papa, this will be a disappointment to you, I know. But I--
MOLLEN. (C.) Disappointment! The dearest wish of my heart!
MOLLEN. My scheme of schemes, at which I have labored since first I set eyes on our friend! Every single event, all that has happened, was merely the inlay, the minute fragments that dovetailed--and produced this!
SIR J. Marvellous! Mollentrave, I have no words--to express my admiration!
MOLLEN. (_taking_ SIR JOSEPH'S _hand and placing it in_ LADY CLAUDE'S) After all, my dear fellow, what is it? A little knowledge of human nature!
Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.
Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.
End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mollentrave on Women; A comedy in three acts, by Alfred Sutro