Not now. I did once.
JESSE COLLINGS. You always said so.
CHAMBERLAIN. I said it as long as I believed it: till the stars in their
courses turned against me. That broke me, Collings. If I could have gone
on having faith in myself, I shouldn't be--as I am now.
JESSE COLLINGS. But what--what made you lose it?
CHAMBERLAIN. Can't you guess?
(_Collings shakes his head, remains valiantly incredulous; and there is
a pause_.)
I saw somebody else--whose cards weren't so good--playing with a better
hand. It was the hand beat me. My head's all right still, though it
sleeps. But I've lost my hand. Look at it! (_Again the gesture
illustrative of defeat_.) Threw it away. You know who I mean?
JESSE COLLINGS (_cautiously, _rather reluctantly_). I suppose I do.
CHAMBERLAIN (_watching to see the effect of his news_).
He's coming to-day: to see me.
COLLINGS (_surprised_). Coming here?
CHAMBERLAIN. Yes, it's all been nicely arranged--just a call in passing.
To-morrow's papers will describe it as "a pathetic meeting." Well, when a
man has to meet his executioner on friendly terms, I suppose it is
"pathetic" for one of them.
(_All this is very disconcerting to poor Collings. He helps himself to a
half-sentence, and stops._)
JESSE COLLINGS. Did he himself----?
CHAMBERLAIN. Propose it? Oh, yes--in the most charming way possible. Isn't
it amazing how a man with charm can do things that nobody else dare? I
never managed to charm anybody.
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