(MICHAEL shakes ROSE’S hand very tenderly. Exeunt ROSE and ANDREW by transept. MICHAEL watches them off, goes to altar.)
MICH. (alone). One thing more and all is done. (Looking round the church.) And I must give you up! Never enter your doors, never lead my people through you in chariots of fire, never make you the very presence-chamber of God to my soul and their souls who were committed to me! Oh, if I had been worthy!
(A little pause. A woman’s laugh is heard in the transept opposite to that by which ANDREW and ROSE have gone off. MICHAEL withdraws to the side of chancel, where he is seen by the audience, during the following scene, but is hidden from AUDRIE and MRS. CANTELO.)
AUDRIE enters from transept in magnificent evening dress, cloak, and jewellery, and carrying a large basket of roses. Her features are much paler and sharpened, and she shows a constant restlessness and excitement.
AUDR. (looks round, calls out). Somebody is here? (Pause, calls out.) Somebody is here? No? (Speaks down transept.) You may come in, Milly.
MILLY CANTELO, a fashionable little woman, enters at transept, looking admiringly round the church.
AUDR. There’s nobody here except (raising her voice) a stone saint (pointing up to carved figure), and he can’t hear, because he has only stone ears, and he can’t feel, because he has only a stone heart.
(MICHAEL shows intense feeling.)
MILLY (looking round). Isn’t it gorgeous?
AUDR. H’m—yes—— (Raises her voice.) I can’t bear that stone saint. Look how hard and lifeless he is. In a well-regulated world there would be no room for angels or devils, or stone saints, or any such griffins.