Mrs. Grose leaves. The Governess holds the letter a moment, smiles, then sits to open it. She fumbles a little with the envelope, displays some excitement. When she opens the envelope, she sees that another, smaller envelope is tucked inside, along with a note. She takes a quick look at the enclosed envelope, then reads the letter.
MASTER
(a voice over)
I apologize for intruding so early in your tenure. I have received the enclosed letter from the headmaster of Miles’ school. As I’ve stated to you, I have no desire to or intention of dealing with this or any other matter involving the children. Please, read the enclosed letter, and handle any situation that may have arisen at the school. If it involves money, contact my solicitor. Under no circumstances contact me about it. I want no report. Not a word. As we agreed.
The Governess folds the letter, then opens the enclosed letter. She reads it. It is very brief. Clearly, the news is not good.
GOVERNESS
(calls)
Mrs. Grose?
(stands)
Mrs. Grose, come here, please.
MRS. GROSE
(appearing, wiping her hands with a towel)
Yes, Miss. What is it, Miss?
GOVERNESS
Miles has been expelled from school.
MRS. GROSE
What?
GOVERNESS
He has been dismissed. The Master sent me this letter from Miles’ headmaster.
MRS. GROSE
You mean, for next term, Miss?
GOVERNESS
No. He’s been expelled with no option to return. Here.
(gives note to Mrs. Grose)
Read for yourself.
MRS. GROSE
(looks at letter, freezes, hands it back to the Governess)
I...such things are not for me, Miss.
GOVERNESS
Oh, it’s just words, nothing unsavory...
MRS. GROSE
No, Miss. I can’t...read, Miss.
GOVERNESS
Oh. I see.
(takes back letter)
MRS. GROSE
Did he give a reason, Miss? The headmaster?
GOVERNESS
None at all. He simply expresses his regret that it will be impossible to keep the boy.
MRS. GROSE
Impossible to keep him? Why, Miles is an angel!
GOVERNESS
Well, clearly he is not.
MRS. GROSE
Oh, but he is, Miss. You’ll meet him, Miss. You’ll see!
GOVERNESS
Mrs. Grose, the only possible reason for expelling a ten-year-old boy from school is that he poses a serious threat of injury to others!
MRS. GROSE
Injury, Miss! Forgive, me, Miss, but you speak...you speak...
GOVERNESS
(distressed)
Mrs. Grose, I’m sorry. I’m merely dealing with this...news, this...information.
MRS. GROSE
Yes, Miss. And the Master, Miss?
GOVERNESS
What about the Master?
MRS. GROSE
His letter, his note...?
GOVERNESS
(brandishes headmaster note)
All about this. Take care of this, he asked. Nothing else.
MRS. GROSE
Ah.
GOVERNESS
So...the boy...you’ve never known him to be bad?
MRS. GROSE
Never known? Well, of course, Miss, he’s a little boy, he...he may do things that...naughty things that...
GOVERNESS
Naughty things?
MRS. GROSE
That make him a little boy! That’s all I mean, Miss. Why, I wouldn’t expect anything else...
GOVERNESS
You mean that a boy who is never naughty...
MRS. GROSE
Is no boy for me, yes, Miss, that’s what I mean.
GOVERNESS
But not to the degree to contaminate.
MRS. GROSE
Con...tam...
GOVERNESS
Corrupt! You understand that it is unseemly of a little boy to be a corruptive influence.
MRS. GROSE
(beat)
You’re not...afraid he’ll corrupt you?
GOVERNESS
What do you mean?
MRS. GROSE
Nothing, Miss. This is too much, Miss. Let’s go to dinner and...
GOVERNESS
The governess here previous to me...
MRS. GROSE
Yes, Miss?
GOVERNESS
What was her name?
MRS. GROSE
Jessel. Miss Jessel.
GOVERNESS
What was she like?
MRS. GROSE
She was young and pretty. Like you, Miss.
GOVERNESS
He seems to like them young and pretty, doesn’t he?
MRS. GROSE
(a touch of contempt)
Oh, he did. It was the way he liked every one.
(catches herself)
I mean that was his way, the Master’s.
GOVERNESS
Whom did you mean the first time?
MRS. GROSE
As I say, Miss. The Master. Who else would I mean?
GOVERNESS
(beat)
Miss Jessel....did she see anything in the boy?
MRS. GROSE
You mean anything...not right? She never told me.
GOVERNESS
Did you...sense she had concerns about the boy?
MRS. GROSE
The woman is dead, Miss. I don’t want to be telling tales...
GOVERNESS
Tales?
MRS. GROSE
Dinner, Miss. We should go to dinner.
GOVERNESS
(beat)
Did she die here, Mrs. Grose?
MRS. GROSE
(unsettled)
No...no, she went off.
GOVERNESS
Went off? To die? You mean she was taken ill and went home?
MRS. GROSE
No, no, not at all...not...ill...just...she went home at the end of the year...for a holiday. A holiday is all it was. And it was a holiday she earned, no doubt, with the hours she put in here with the children. She was absent...a little longer than I’d anticipated. A few weeks. But on the day she was due to return, I heard from the Master that she was...dead.
GOVERNESS
I see. And how did she die?
MRS. GROSE
The Master chose not to inform me, Miss.
GOVERNESS
And you never asked?
MRS. GROSE
It’s not my place to ask, Miss. Dinner, Miss. Please.
GOVERNESS
(beat)
All right, Mrs. Grose. I’ll be in presently.
Mrs. Grose gladly scurries out of the living room. The Governess holds both letters a moment, puts one inside the other, and stands staring. The lights fade to black.