Page 37
Mason tries to understand what Mary keeps silence about. And, being aware that it is connected with Mark and explosion at the mountain house, he gets into Mark's doctor's office and learns about the impotency from the file. Puzzled Mason goes back to the stable, Mark, who cannot find Mary anywhere, meets him there. Mason admits that Mary was in the stable but says that when he saw her last time, she was looking for Mark and suggests him to look for her in the guest house. Mason stares at Mark. The latter demands Mason to keep away from Mary, and reminds him that she is his wife and belongs to him only. Mason answers that Mary is not his now and that he destroyed his marriage by himself.
Mark and Mason are looking for Mary simultaneously but unsuccessfully. Mason quarrels with his father, who demands Mason to leave the marriage of Mary and Mark in peace. He says to Mason that Mary will never break the oath, which she has given to the God, and which is sacred for her. Mason answer that it has been sacred for him too, until he learned that it is as if she was not married at all. Not having explained to CC any more, Mason leaves.
Mark's doctor calls to Mark and informs him that someone has viewed his file. Mark understands immediately that it was Mason. |
|
|
|
At this moment Mary calls and says she is in the convent in Ventura. She has to think over their marriage and wants to do it in the silence and serenity. Mark is resentful but he cannot do anything.
In a fury, Mark rushes to the Capwells' house and attacks Mason. They quarrel. Mark accuses Mason of his doctor's office entering, Mason confesses he did it but says that Mark does not have any witnesses or evidences. And he wishes he has known what was going on earlier and could tell Mary about it. Mark says Mary is aware of his illness. Mason does not believe him and says with assurance that Mary does not know all the truth and accuses herself of it (actually, it is so). Mason says Mark takes the advantage even of the accident and Mary just has a pity for him that is why she has left now.
Mark is angry and he lies that he saw Mary before she left and that Mary said to him that she escaped from Mason and that she was ashamed. Accidentally, he touches Mason on the raw place - Mason is afraid that Mary won't want to see him after what has happened.
While Mason and Mark are speaking, Mary was at the confession. She says she dislikes her husband a lot and desires another man. She says she is confused and mazed but she does not say a word about her adultery.
|
|
|
| Having failed to find Mary by himself, Mason hires a private detective and the latter, after the search, informs him that Mary is in the convent. Mason goes to the convent but the gates are closed and he gets over a fence. |
|
|
| Meanwhile, Mary recollects what has happened at the stable. Someone knocks at the door but she finds nobody at the door-step, just a big candle. Mary and a nun light it. |
|
|
| Mason returns to Santa-Barbara and receives a message saying that Sophia wants to talk to him. She asks him to make her will. Mason agrees, although he does not know that Sophia has found a tumour in her breast and she is afraid it is cancer. She took only Mary into her confidence and Mary convinced her to examine herself. It was immediately before the event at the stable. Mark calls to Sophia to say to her that the result of her biopsy will be ready soon, and Mason is surprised with his presence. |
|
|
| Unfortunately, the result of Sophia's test is bad: it is cancer. Mark, having informed her about it, tries to convince her to the operation but Sophia does not want to talk to him and leaves. She communicates with Mary and the latter invites her to the convent to have a rest and decide on the operation (that can lead to the breast amputation). |
|
|
