Mary Shelley by Helen Edmundson

Author:Helen Edmundson [Edmundson, Helen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3, mobi
ISBN: 9781780010991
Publisher: Nick Hern Books
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Scene Six

The bedroom. The beds and floor are littered with Mary Wollstonecraft’s books. MARY enters. She is distressed and angry and frightened – overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. She collapses to her knees.

She takes up one of the books and clutches it to her heart.

JANE enters, cautiously.

JANE. That was so cruel. I’m so sorry.

MARY turns away from her touch.

MARY. Don’t. Please.

JANE takes a scrap of paper from her pocket, and gives it to MARY.

JANE. Here. It’s from him.

MARY. You saw him?

JANE. He sent someone into the shop. I went to meet him. He is desperate. Quite desperate.

MARY reads the note.

He wants you to go away with him, doesn’t he? To elope.

MARY. Yes.

JANE. Mary, if you want to go, I will come with you. He thinks I should. I could be so useful to you. I can speak French. Think what a help that would be. And I cannot stay here. Mama is already treating me like a prisoner. Imagine what it will be like after you’ve gone.

MARY. She has his child. She loves him.

JANE. But he does not love her. She isn’t right for him. It was a mistake.

MARY. Would you please leave me, Jane?

JANE. Oh, my poor Mary. You will answer him, won’t you? He’s waiting for your answer. I will find a way to take it to him.

MARY. Thank you.

JANE starts to go, then pauses.

JANE. There is no life but loving.

JANE leaves.

In her mind, MARY sees HARRIET struggling in the river, just as her mother did. HARRIET is trying to hold the baby’s head above the water, even as she forces her own head under.

MARY can bear it no longer. She closes her eyes and covers her ears, and buries her face.

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