East Lynne

Mrs. Henry Wood, Lisa Evans

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781840025897
• eBook ISBN: 9781783197958
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

A classic of Victorian literature, East Lynne was published in 1861. It was a sensational success, selling more than 500, 000 copies and making its author as famous in her lifetime as Charles Dickens himself.
Beautiful, kind and unblemished, Lady Isabel Vane is the perfect wife and mother. Until, in a fit of jealousy, she leaves her neglectful husband and infant children to elope with her aristocratic suitor. Her fall from grace is absolute. Can she be redeemed? And will she ever see her children again?
Dramatic and moving, East Lynne draws aside the curtains of the respectable Victorian middle-classes to reveal their hypocrisy, cruelty and lust. And we witness the terrible punishment of those that dare to disobey a merciless moral code. This dramatisation of East Lynne opened at the New Vic Theatre, Staffordshire, in June 2005.

ACT ONE

Scene 1

ISABEL: Christmas. And the promise is made, whispered in the dark across the fens and marshes, across the rooves and gables. It is blown softly into the dreams of wishful children, so they kick and fidget for morning. This time it could happen. It could be true. A promise. A promise. This time the child will be born and the world made anew. There will be time for redemption. So, blown along corridors, stirring dust in the attics of memory, is the hope that echoes through all the pain of childhood, of loss, of growing up. We shall be forgiven. Beside the beds, kneeling, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them who trespass against us. And the child is born with the voice in his heart saying I will die for you. I will die for you.

Christmas. Snow falls, church bells ring joy to all mankind. Victoria loves Albert and Albert loves Victoria. All’s well with the world. All children have fur muffs and skate on frozen ponds that never crack, eat chestnuts that never burn the fingers and always have red rosy cheeks. Victoria loves Albert and Albert loves Victoria. The family is certain. All’s well with the world.

And because it is Christmas now, the time is come, in the season of hope and redemption, to tell my tale again. And this time I will tell it. And tell it true. For there is a place, a place in the heart where even at Christmas judgements are made without compassion and there is no redemption. This place is cold and cruel for it denies the warm blood of understanding and the pulse of imagination. It judges and does not care. It punishes and does not weep. The place is East Lynne.

Scene 2

A burst of cheerful music.

EMMA: May I introduce Lady Isabel Vane. Captain Francis Levison.

LEVISON: I’m enchanted. Merry Christmas to you Lady Isabel. It’s so good to see a fresh face at these gatherings.

ISABEL: Is it? This is my first grand party.

EMMA: Isabel! Captain Levison will take you for a bumpkin.

ISABEL: Oh but I am. Doesn’t it look just splendid? Everything sparkles. Just look at the frocks!

EMMA: Frocks!

ISABEL: Sorry, dresses.

EMMA: Frocks indeed. Isabel, you’re not in the nursery now.

LEVISON: I expect your dance card is nearly full, Lady Isabel.

ISABEL: Oh no.

LEVISON: May I?

EMMA: Did your governess teach you nothing? You shouldn’t let him see it, my dear.

ISABEL: Why not? It’s quite empty.

LEVISON: Then I shall, with your permission put my name here and…

EMMA: Francis, you mustn’t monopolise Lady Isabel, this is her first attempt at this sort of occasion.

LEVISON: If I don’t monopolise you, someone else will.

EMMA: Captain Levison.

LEVISON: It always means trouble when cousin Emma calls me Captain. May I fetch you some fruit cup?

ISABEL: Thank you. That would be kind.

LEVISON moves.

Oh aren’t the ladies’ jewels splendid! So much finery.

EMMA: My dear, if I might offer a word of advice.

ISABEL: Have I done something wrong?

EMMA: No. No. But it does reflect upon our hostess. Especially in the festive season.

ISABEL: What does?

EMMA: Your dress. It’s so plain. Almost as if you didn’t care.

ISABEL: Oh but I do. I just didn’t want to appear too fine. I did put on my diamonds but I took them off again. They seemed too showy.

EMMA: Yes, that necklace.

ISABEL: My mother gave me this cross.

EMMA: And it seems I am to bear it.

LEVISON approaches.

LEVISON: Here we are. Lady Isabel. Emma.

EMMA draws him aside.

EMMA: Thank you Francis. I shall be walking in the park tomorrow. I do hope you will be able to join me.

LEVISON: Tomorrow is another day, my dear Emma. I think the next is our dance, Lady Isabel? Lady Isabel?

ISABEL is trying not to cry.

The dance is beginning.

Would you rather sit this one out?

ISABEL glances at EMMA.

Some fresh air perhaps. The stars are beautiful tonight.

They move away from EMMA.

I find it hard to believe that you and Emma are related.

ISABEL: We’re not. Well only by marriage. Her husband is my father’s heir.

LEVISON: One always forgets Emma Vane has a husband.

Beat.

What did she say to you?

ISABEL: I don’t know what you mean.

LEVISON: You mustn’t mind her. She’s only jealous.

ISABEL: No. I’m foolish to care.

LEVISON: To let her barbs hurt you, that is foolish. But to care? No. Caring requires courage.

ISABEL: I’d like to be brave.

LEVISON: Then come and dance with me. That requires a deal of bravery, I assure you.

ISABEL: Are you such a bad dancer?

LEVISON: On the contrary. I think I’m so frightfully good I’m bound to come a cropper and bring you crashing down with me. Do you care to risk it?

ISABEL: (Laughing.) Are you always so silly?

LEVISON: I didn’t want you to cry.

They start to waltz.

ISABEL: That was kind of you.

LEVISON: Careful, you’ll ruin my reputation.

ISABEL: What’s that?

LEVISON: You mean you haven’t heard?

ISABEL: I’ve not been much out in society. There’s only my father and me, you see, and he’s not very well.

LEVISON: I am sorry.

ISABEL: Should I ask him about your reputation?

LEVISON: Oh no. I wouldn’t go as far as that. I’ll confess it freely. You see I’m a single man in line for a title one day and I won’t marry any of their daughters.

ISABEL: Whose?

LEVISON: (Gesturing round the room.) Theirs.

ISABEL: Why not?

LEVISON: I have no money. So that automatically gives me a bad reputation. Which I strive to maintain, for my own prote...

Table of contents

• Front Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two