t superiority--

EMILY--[Scornfully.] Superiority, indeed!

CURTIS--Her breadth, of mind and greatness of soul that you couldn't
understand. I've guessed all this, and if I haven't interfered it's
only because I knew she was too far above you to notice your sickening
malice--

EMILY--[Furiously.] You're only acting--acting for our benefit because
you think we don't--

CURTIS--[Turning on her--with annihilating contempt.] Why, you--you
poor little nonentity! [John struggles to get forward but Dick holds
him back.]

EMILY--[Insane with rage--shrilly.] But we know--and the whole town
knows--and you needn't pretend you've been blind. You've given the
whole thing away yourself--the silly way you've acted--telling everyone
how you hated that baby--letting everyone see--

JAYSON--Emily! [The others are all frightened, try to interrupt her.
CURT stares at her in a stunned bewilderment]

EMILY--[Pouring forth all her venom regardless.] But you might as well
leave off your idiotic pretending. It doesn't fool us--or anyone
else--your sending for Bigelow that night--your hobnobbing with him
ever since--your pretending he's as much your friend as ever. They're
all afraid of you--but I'm not! I tell you to your face--it's all
acting you're doing--just cheap acting to try and pull the wool over
our eyes until you've run away like a coward--and left us to face the
disgrace for you with this child on our hands!

ESTHER--[Trying to silence her--excitedly.] Emily! Keep still, for
Heaven's sake! [The others all utter exclamations of caution, with
fearful glances at CURT.]

EMILY--[Becoming exhausted by her outburst--more faintly.] Well,
someone had to show him his place. He thinks he's so superior to us
just because--telling us how much better she was than--But I won't
stand for that. I've always had a clean name--and always will--and my
children, too, thank God! [She sinks down on the couch exhausted,
panting but still glaring defiantly at CURT.]

CURTIS--[An awareness of her meaning gradually forcing itself on his
mind.] Bigelow! Big? Pretending he's as much my friend--[With a sudden
gasp of sickened understanding.] Oh! [He sways as if he were about to
fall, shrinking away from EMILY, all horror.] Oh, you--you--you-filth!

JOHN--[His fists clenched, tries to advance on his brother.] How dare
you insult my wife! [He is restrained, held bake by his remonstrating
father and DICK.]

MRS. DAVIDSON--[As if suddenly coming out o