Michael and His Lost Angel: A Play in Five Acts

by Henry Arthur Jones

AUDR. (coming to him). Ah, now I know you love me! If you only dare be as bold as I dare——

MICH. Bold?

AUDR. We love each other. Our loves and lives are in our own hands.

MICH. (repulses her, braces himself to stern resolve, very coldly and commandingly). Listen! These are perhaps the last words I shall ever speak to you. The past is past. There’s no way out of that. But the future is in our power. Can’t you see, woman, that we are half-way down the precipice? We’ll go no further. From this moment we part; I toil back to repentance and peace one way, you toil back another. So far as God will give me grace I’ll never think of you from this moment—I’ll spend all my life in putting a gulf between you and me. You do the same—ask only one thing for yourself and me, that we may forget each other.

AUDR. (looks at him, smiles, sighs, then as she is going off). I was right about man’s love. You are all cowards. There’s not one of you that doesn’t think first of his comfort, or his pocket, or his honour, or his skin, or his soul, and second of the woman he thinks he loves. Forget you? (A little laugh.) Do you think that possible? Do you think I was jesting with you when I gave myself to you? Forget you? (A little laugh.) My memory is good for such trifles. Forget you?

MICH. (with a wild revulsion). Oh, take me where you will! I have no guide but you! Heaven, hell, wherever you go, I shall follow. Be sure of that. But won’t you be my better angel, now I’ve lost her: If you love me as you say, you can yet be the master influence of my life, you can yet save yourself through me, and me through you. Won’t you make our love a monument for good? Dearest of all, I’m at your feet—I think you come from heaven, and I’m all obedience to you. You are my angel. Lead me—Lead me, not back to sin—Lead me towards heaven—You can even now!

AUDR. What do you wish me to do?

MICH. Go back to your duty and to deep repentance. Have strength, dearest. These are not idle words—duty, purity, holiness. They mean something. Love is nothing without them. Have courage to tread the hard road. Leave me.

AUDR. If I leave you now, shall we meet one day—hereafter?

MICH. Yes.