Nature or Nurture Ch. 69: Finale

Mr Wilde's lawyers do not believe in a victory anymore, and have advised him to drop the charges, and according to Bosie his lover is considering doing just that.

Then when George Alexander asks to talk to Vincent in private, and hands him a script with the request to learn the marked lines by heart, Vincent knows George has lost faith as well. With a heavy heart, and not very eagerly, Vincent checks out the script to see what the future has in store for him.

And nearly faints.

For the script is Othello, and the role that is marked out for him is that of the famous antagonist, Iago.

As Vincent looks up in shock, George smiles at him half-heartedly and observes, 'I have a lot of faith in you, Vincent. I'll be the one wearing the blackface, and I expect rehearsals to start by May. It'll be a double load for you until the show is stopped, which cannot be much more than a month from the start of May.

We're not feeling the effect of the trial yet, if anything, people are curious, but once Oscar loses he'll be sued by the state, and then I'm afraid it will be curtains for Earnest. I'm very sorry to go behind Oscar's back, but the show cannot follow his fortunes, however much I like him.

I suppose you knew all the time, and I don't fault you for keeping it under your hat, one just doesn't betray one's friends in a matter of righteousness. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, he wouldn't have listened to me any more than his other friends, and we cannot do anything but continue until the public stops buying tickets.

I merely ask you do me the same favour you did Lord Douglas, to not breathe a word to anyone except your family and someone to rehearse your lines with. You'll feel bad about it I'm sure, but it cannot be helped, life goes on.

Vincent, I want you to know that in offering you this part I feel in no way like I'm taking a risk, as I did when I offered you the Reverend. But you have proven yourself, and I'm certain you will give this classic villain a taking personality and plenty of feeling, so the whole audience will identify with him and wonder why they are hoping the hero will fall, when it is certain their favourite will go down with him, after betraying everyone in his life he holds dear. Tragic. They'll gobble it up.

Now mind you, as soon as it becomes clear that Earnest is doomed, you will get offers. Good offers, excellent offers even. But none will be as good as mine, and you know it. Iago will make you, those others can wait, they will have their chance at you, but I want to be first.'

Vincent is actually moved by George's offer and his faith in him, he is passing over quite a few better known actors to offer Vincent this part.

'And you will be the first, George, I have never had any ambition higher than playing Shakespeare, and Iago as you describe him is a part I can put my heart and soul in. I'm yours.'

'But remember, Vincent, you cannot tell anyone about this, this needs to be a total secret until May first at least, so maybe you can keep those other theatres interested, hear their offers?'

'I promise, George, I'll either hold myself dumb, tell them I promised to see this play through to the very end, or keep them thinking I might fall for their offer. Either way, they'll get nothing from me.'

With mixed feelings Vincent comes home that night, Adison waiting for him, Mina and Vincent gone off to bed for Mina's dinner. Adison knows him so well, she can see something's up before he has even taken off his coat.

'You look so regal in that coat, Vincent,' she observes, kissing him and holding on to his broad frame, 'what happened?'

He takes off the coat and leads her to their bed, where they undress and crawl in close to each other. Warm and safe, he says, 'Bosie told me Mr Wilde is thinking of dropping the charges, which will ruin him financially since he'll have to pay the Marquess' trial costs. And it's as good as a confession, which means he'll be prosecuted for practising sodomy, and undoubtedly condemned to prison, taking Bosie down with him.

Bosie is thinking of fleeing to France, but he doesn't want to leave Mr Wilde to face the world by himself. He is more faithful than I expected, but neither of them will do well in prison, they'd better both flee. And all that for loving one another.'

'I'm sorry to hear your worst fears come true, Vincent, why didn't they listen to reason?'

'I think they wanted the right to love whomever they chose, but clearly they cannot have that, I feel so bad for them. And it gets worse..'

Holding Adison has always been such a comfort. To finally be able to lead a quiet life, the baby Adison wished for safely tucked away inside her, completely normal and very healthy according to their friends, their enemies beaten, and the part Vincent dreamed of his to accept, already accepted in fact, when Bosie probably cannot find a night's sleep anymore for worrying over his lover, and George Alexander is facing the ruination of his beloved project with Mr Wilde, having to go behind his friend's back to secure the future of his theatre and the jobs of his staff.

In Adison's arms he finds the words to tell her about it.

'George Alexander offered me a part in his next play, Adison, he expects Earnest to fail in May, he expects Mr Wilde to lose the suit and bring Earnest down with him.

Adison, he offered me the role of Iago in Othello, he wants me to make him a human being, so the public identifies with him and wants Othello to go down against their better feelings. Which kind of means he offered me the lead, though in name that will be his, playing Othello.

Can you feel how that part is already mine? I can, I can see myself right now, playing their feelings, making them weep and rejoice at my demise. But I cannot tell anyone but you until May, not even Bosie. George knows I refrained from telling him about Mr Wilde and Bosie, he wants me to keep as quiet about Othello.

I have the script in my coat-pocket, I'm to know my part by the first of May.

I'm elated, Adison, and I'm crushed.'

Adison has nothing to say for a moment, but she can still comfort him with caresses, which is as good. When she finally finds words to express herself, she congratulates him.

'This will make you, Vincent. I do see it before my mind's eye, it will break all our hearts to see your Iago destroy his dearest friends and finally himself. We will cry buckets of hot tears. I understand your elation, as I understand your sadness.

Just be there for Bosie, Vincent, there was nothing more you could do for him from the moment he supported Mr Wilde in his crazy lawsuit. I'm so very sorry for them, they just wanted to love each other, frankly I fear for all of us, what is the world coming to when people cannot love whom they want to, if both are consenting adults?'

'He also told me Mr Grey visits every single show, young and beautiful once more, and leaves straight after the show, downhearted. Have I been too hard on him, Adison? I really don't ever want to see him anymore, he betrayed me twice, and in exactly the same manner. Am I cold-hearted not to want to forgive him?'

'Mr Grey should get a part himself, Vincent, he's so good at playing drama. You were pretty nice to him last time we met, and he knows where we live, and he can easily gain admittance to the receiving room now he's back to being the handsome and young Dorian Grey. Don't you feel bad for him after what he did to you, let him feel guilty for a few months, it will make him a better man.'

'I feel much better already, Adison, you're so good to me. How have you been? I miss you when you're not in the audience.'

'I'm well, Catherine and I amuse each other, we read and we talk a lot. And we practise magic, it's safe now with the shield on the house, and she wants to. Says you may want a quiet life, but she might not. If Earnest is going down, we'll come more often, it's so funny, and I'm afraid Othello will be grand, but very down heartening. Will you tell her?'

'Yes, I think I will. She can keep a secret, did so for years, and I'll want to practise my lines with her. There will be plenty to learn, and undoubtedly more difficult than I've ever tried to memorize. Besides, I got the feeling George expected me to have a character developed by May, or at least an impression of one, I mean to test that on all of you.

It will mean double shifts as long as Earnest lasts in May, Adison, rehearsals and performance, though I suppose the number of performances will be reduced if the public fails to turn up.'

'It will be hard on all of us, but we will manage, for this is what you dreamed of from the very start. We will all support you, Vincent.'

And George Alexander's apprehensions prove true, as April ends with Mr Wilde in jail and Lord Douglas in exile in France. Vincent is devastated, more with the humiliation of his good friend and the loss of his friendship due to the distance at which he resides, and the knowledge that talented, sensitive Mr Wilde will be suffering terrible deprivations in jail, than with the diminishing success of The importance of being Earnest.

It is hard to keep the group motivated, but George is managing rather well, and Vincent is convinced that their current public is seeing the exact same show, not a weakened version of it. The wit is still sharp, the action still funny, though the creator of it all is locked away for the sole crime of loving another man.

But amidst his sadness, Vincent is already feeling the elation of having memorized his lines and having found a characterization for Iago that George will recognize from his own description. Actually, Vincent is convinced he will blow George away with his interpretation, his own housemates seem to feel it at any rate, and though Adison is of course biassed, admiring everything Vincent does, and Victor only slightly less so, strangely enough Catherine and Mina can be quite observant and very critical, noting every small inconsistency or vagueness in his test-scenes. No, Vincent is ready for Othello, but he can still play Earnest with a relish, knowing it can be over any moment now.

Lucy has indeed been to visit, when Bosie was still hopeful of a good ending to the whole business, and of course they talked it over afterwards with Jonathan, who had been thrilled to sneak through the theatre, as expected.

And one day, a month after their excursion to the Master's place, Vincent finds Mr Grey in the receiving room, young, handsome and very well-dressed.

He addresses Vincent tentatively, bashfully, as if he really is the age he looks, calling him Mr Vincent, begging him for a moment of his time.

Remembering Bosie's comments, Vincent is very nice to him, exerting himself to call him Dorian and standing close to him to prove he trusts him. And not for nothing, for Mr Grey breaks out in a heartfelt smile, and tells him about his new life with Steve, less openly than before since things were changing even then with Mr Wilde's trial all over the news, but very happy nonetheless.

'Will you allow me to buy you a drink in a pub tonight after the show, Vincent?'

And he answers, 'I'd prefer to take a glass of absinthe with you, at your own place, Dorian. I think I'm ready to face the past and move on.'

That of course, causes Mr Grey's smile to broaden even more, and they indeed spend an hour together at Mr Grey's place, drinking absinthe and going back to all the rooms where Vincent has bad memories. Then they talk some more, and Dorian shows him the painting, still hidden away carefully, but less degraded already, though just as old.

After an hour, Vincent takes a cab back home, finding Adison in bed and just a bit worried, but relieved to hear he has finally made his peace with Mr Grey.

'Though it's still a task to call him by his first name. He'll die when he finds out I'm to play Iago.'

And of course George Alexander's other prediction also comes true: as soon as Mr Wilde's case starts to become hopeless, the receiving room turns into a hunting ground for talent, and Vincent is the prime target.

From the end of April there is not one night that he is not approached by someone to offer him a role in a new play in a different theatre, large parts and small parts, some very tempting indeed. Vincent acts surprised every time, presents himself as kind of simpleton not to have foreseen this, and either tell the agent in question he has promised to stick to Earnest to its very end, or to promise him, or her, to consider the offer carefully, also pointing out the other offers he has had so far, excepting one, Othello.

From his regular contact with Father Nicholas, Vincent is relieved to understand that Hercules has regained some memories, though that doesn't mean he has a life to go back to, he will stay with Father Nicholas to build a new life.

And the best news is, that Lukas is no longer a suspect of witch-craft, people now merely think he has a rich benefactor who supplies excellent medicine, rumours stating it to be Dr Frankenstein and his associate, since the latter is often seen in his company doing her own share of the splinting of breaks and cleaning of wounds.

The Father still supplies advice on places that are watched, and people who should lie low for a while, and he doesn't seem to be at all suspect to his own underlings.

To protect him, and their own interests, they dare to organize a fundraising event in his honour at Mr Telling's London home, where somehow only magic-using noble families are present. Foodstuffs are brought in by industrious workers from all over town, who then gather around one of Mr Telling's working class associates instead of leaving, and who quickly and efficiently provide the Father with a shield that reflects magic.

Since the Father leaves with a bag of cash and plenty of donated food and clothing for the poor, no-one is ever the wiser, and a lot of people benefit from the proceeds.

And so May starts, with balmy weather and an explosion of green on the Nomes' estate, where Vincent now rides regularly with Lucy, and Percy.

Vincent starts his rehearsals, and the premiere is set for the first of June, a very ambitious project, and some would say foolish, for most of the rich city folk flee London in the summer. But George Alexander has regained his confidence, and as Earnest slowly dwindles to five shows a week, then to three, by the time they need to get serious about their preparations, George Alexander cancels Earnest and promotes Othello with all he has got.

And so everyone is still busy, Vincent achieving his ultimate goal of playing Shakespeare in a real, serious theatre, Catherine three years old and hoping to get a bicycle soon, Adison admiring Edward, Melissa's son, certainly recognizing his brown eyes for Lukas', and slowly growing herself.

Mina has escorted her friend Miss Yves to the ship that will take her and her companions, among whom Mina's father, to Africa, and Victor is making great progress in storing electricity in a large glass vessel filled with toxic chemicals, playing with dangerous currents with glee, often accompanied by Paul. They enjoy their quiet life, but should excitement catch up with them anyway, they'll be ready for it, armed with weapons' skills, magic and friends.

Author's comment

That's it for now, there is virtually no connection to the Penny Dreadful series left, so I guess there will not be a part three of this story when the third series starts. Still, one never knows...

Should you like to read more about Lukas, Melissa and Paul, or want to know who the horticulturist from Greece actually is, you can start on Mirror Bound and Past Lives right away, good for many hours of fun reading, with fantasy action but also plenty of romance, relationships and intense loving.

I'm currently writing on a shorter story with even more physical intimacies, Mistress Agnes, which is being published as it progresses.

And I'm working on two as yet unpublished time-lines of the story you have just finished, with Adison meeting Vincent, but not right after his birth but a year later, when he first arrives in London in search of Dr Frankenstein, nameless and bewildered by the way the world treats him, and even later, when he has named himself and is working at the wax-museum, split between anger at the world and a desperate wish to find acceptance somewhere, anywhere.

They started as an exploration of the possibility to save someone from a loveless life, but are developing a surprising character of their own, and if there is an interest I can be persuaded to publish them.