"Mother, Mother, I am so happy!" Sibyl Vane whispered. She put her face on her mother’s lap. They were in a small, dark room. Mrs. Vane sat in an old chair. She looked tired.
"I am only happy when you act, Sibyl," Mrs. Vane said. She touched her daughter’s hair. "You must think about your acting. Mr. Isaacs gave us money. We have many debts (money that you must pay back to someone)."
"Money does not matter, Mother!" Sibyl Vane cried. "Love is more important than money." Sibyl Vane stood up and walked to the window.
"Mr. Isaacs gave us fifty pounds," Mrs. Vane said. "We used it to pay for James’s clothes. Fifty pounds is a lot of money. Mr. Isaacs is very kind."
"He is not a gentleman, Mother," Sibyl Vane said. "I hate the way he talks to me." Sibyl Vane laughed. "We do not need him now. Prince Charming is here."
Sibyl Vane was very much in love. Her face turned red when she thought of him. "I love him," she said simply. Her mother did not understand. Mrs. Vane only thought about the theatre and money.
Sibyl Vane was very happy. She felt like a bird in a cage that was finally free. She did not listen to her mother’s advice. She only thought about her "Prince Charming." She remembered his kiss.
Mrs. Vane thought about the young man. She thought he might be rich. If he was rich, Sibyl Vane should marry him. Mrs. Vane watched her daughter and smiled.
"Mother," Sibyl Vane said. "Why does he love me? I am not as good as him. But I feel very proud. Did you love my father like this?"
Mrs. Vane turned pale. It was painful for her to talk about Sibyl’s father. Sibyl Vane ran to her mother and kissed her. "I am sorry, Mother," Sibyl Vane said. "I am just so happy."
"You are too young to be in love," Mrs. Vane said. "You do not even know his name. And your brother James is going to Australia today. You should think about James."
The door opened and a young man came in. This was James Vane. He had brown hair and big hands. He was strong and rough. He did not look like his beautiful sister.
"Give me a kiss, Sibyl," James Vane said. Sibyl Vane ran to him and hugged him.
"Come for a walk with me, Sibyl," James Vane said. "I will leave London today. I don’t think I want to see this city again."
Mrs. Vane was sewing an old dress. "Don’t say that, James," she said. "I want you to make a lot of money in Australia. Then you can come back to London and be a gentleman."
"I don't care about being a gentleman," James Vane said. "I want to earn money to help you and Sibyl. I want you both to stop acting. I hate the theatre."
Sibyl Vane laughed. "That is unkind, Jim! But I will go for a walk with you. Let’s go to the park."
"I look too poor for the park," James Vane said. "Only rich people go there."
"That is not true, Jim," Sibyl Vane said. She went upstairs to get ready. James Vane walked up and down the room.
"Is everything ready, James?" Mrs. Vane asked. She felt nervous when she was alone with her son. James Vane was very serious.
"Yes, Mother," James Vane said. "I chose this life on the sea. But you must watch over Sibyl. Do not let anything happen to her."
"I always watch over her, James," Mrs. Vane said.
"I heard a gentleman comes to the theatre every night," James Vane said. "Is that true? Who is he?"
"He is a perfect gentleman," Mrs. Vane said. "He is very polite. He is very rich, too. He sends beautiful flowers to Sibyl."
"But you do not know his name," James Vane said.
"No," Mrs. Vane answered. "He is very romantic (having strong feelings about love). I think he is a member of the aristocracy (the highest social class of people)."
"Watch over her, Mother," James Vane said again. He was worried.
Sibyl Vane ran into the room. "Why are you both so serious?" she asked. James Vane did not answer. He said good-bye to his mother.
Sibyl Vane and James Vane went outside. They walked down the street in the sunlight. People looked at them. Sibyl Vane looked like a beautiful rose. James Vane looked like a common gardener.
Sibyl Vane talked about James’s future. She imagined him finding a nugget (a small, solid piece of gold). She thought he would become very rich and marry a beautiful woman.
James Vane was silent. He was sad to leave home. He was also worried about Sibyl Vane. He did not trust the "gentleman." He hated rich men.
"You are not listening, Jim!" Sibyl Vane said. "I am making great plans for you."
"You have a new friend," James Vane said. "Who is he? He is not a good man for you."
"Stop, Jim!" Sibyl Vane cried. "I love him. His name is Prince Charming. He is wonderful. I am playing Juliet for him tonight."
"He is a gentleman," James Vane said. He was angry.
"He is a prince!" Sibyl Vane said. "I love him and I trust him."
They sat down on two chairs in the park. There were many people and many beautiful flowers. Sibyl Vane watched the carriages go by. Suddenly, she saw a young man with golden hair.
"There he is!" Sibyl Vane cried.
"Who?" James Vane asked.
"Prince Charming!" she said. She looked at a carriage. James Vane stood up quickly. He tried to see the man. But a large carriage with horses moved in front of them. The man was gone.
"He is gone," Sibyl Vane said sadly.
"I wish I saw him," James Vane said. "If he ever hurts you, I will kill him."
Sibyl Vane was afraid. "James, don't say that!" she said. "You are being jealous. Love makes people good. You should not be so mean."
"I am sixteen years old," James Vane said. "I know what I am doing. Mother does not know how to look after you. I want to stay here and protect you."
"Don't be so serious, Jim," Sibyl Vane said. "I love him and he loves me. We will be happy forever."
They went back to their home. Sibyl Vane went to her room to rest before the play. James Vane went to his mother. He sat down and ate a small meal.
James Vane looked at his mother. "Tell me the truth," he said. "Were you married to my father?"
Mrs. Vane breathed a long sigh. "No," she answered.
"My father was a bad man then!" James Vane said. He was very angry.
"We loved each other," Mrs. Vane said. "He was a gentleman. He was from a very good family."
James Vane stood up to leave. "I am sorry I asked you about my father," he said. "But listen to me. If that man hurts my sister, I will find him. I will kill him like a dog. I swear it."
Mrs. Vane watched her son leave. She liked the way he spoke. It was very dramatic (exciting and full of emotion). She thought it was like a scene from a play.
She went to tell Sibyl Vane that James was gone. She did not tell Sibyl Vane about James’s threat. She thought they would all laugh about it one day.