THE DOCTOR'S DILEMMA
A monologue from the
play by George
Bernard Shaw
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NOTE: This monologue is reprinted
from The Doctor's Dilemma, Getting Married, and The Shewing-Up
of Blanco Posnet. Bernard Shaw. New York: Brentano's, 1909. |
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MRS. DUBEDAT: I had a great many dreams; but at last
they all came down to this. I didn't want to waste myself. I
could do nothing myself; but I had a little property and I could
help with it. I had even a little beauty: don't think me vain
for knowing it. I knew that men of genius always had a terrible
struggle with poverty and neglect at first. My dream was to save
one of them from that, and bring some charm and happiness into
his life. I prayed Heaven would send me one. I firmly believe
that Louis was guided to me in answer to my prayer. He was no
more like the other men I had met than the Thames Embankment
is like our Cornish coasts. He saw everything that I saw, and
drew it for me. He understood everything. He came to me like
a child. Only fancy, doctor: he never even wanted to marry me:
he never thought of the things other men think of! I had to propose
it myself. Then he said he had no money. When I told him I had
some, he said "Oh, all right," just like a boy. He
is still like that, quite unspoiled, a man in his thoughts, a
great poet and artist in his dreams, and a child in his ways.
I gave him myself and all I had that he might grow to his full
height with plenty of sunshine. If I lost faith in him, it would
mean the wreck and failure of my life. I should go back to Cornwall
and die. I could show you the very cliff I should jump off. You
must cure him: you must make him quite well again for me. I know
that you can do it and that nobody else can. I implore you not
to refuse.
MORE MONOLOGUES BY GEORGE BERNARD SHAW |
