Give it up! [Pressing closer
to him] It shall be me--and everything----

MORE. God!

KATHERINE. It shall be--if--if----

MORE. [Aghast] You're not making terms? Bargaining? For God's
sake, Kit!

KATHERINE. For God's sake, Stephen!

MORE. You!--of all people--you!

KATHERINE. Stephen!

[For a moment MORE yields utterly, then shrinks back.]

MORE. A bargain! It's selling my soul!

He struggles out of her arms, gets up, and stands without
speaking, staring at her, and wiping the sweat from his
forehead. KATHERINE remains some seconds on her knees, gazing
up at him, not realizing. Then her head droops; she too gets up
and stands apart, with her wrapper drawn close round her. It is
as if a cold and deadly shame had come to them both. Quite
suddenly MORE turns, and, without looking back, feebly makes his
way out of the room. When he is gone KATHERINE drops on her
knees and remains there motionless, huddled in her hair.

THE CURTAIN FALLS

ACT IV

It is between lights, the following day, in the dining-room of
MORE's house. The windows are closed, but curtains are not
drawn. STEEL is seated at the bureau, writing a letter from
MORE's dictation.

STEEL. [Reading over the letter] "No doubt we shall have trouble.
But, if the town authorities at the last minute forbid the use of the
hall, we'll hold the meeting in the open. Let bills be got out, and
an audience will collect in any case."

MORE. They will.

STEEL. "Yours truly"; I've signed for you.

[MORE nods.]

STEEL. [Blotting and enveloping the letter] You know the servants
have all given notice--except Henry.

MORE. Poor Henry!

STEEL. It's partly nerves, of course--the windows have been broken
twice--but it's partly----

MORE. Patriotism. Quite! they'll do the next smashing themselves.
That reminds me--to-morrow you begin holiday, Steel.

STEEL. Oh, no!

MORE. My dear fellow--yes. Last night ended your sulphur cure.
Truly sorry ever to have let you in for it.

STEEL. Some one must do the work. You're half dead as it is.

MORE. There's lots of kick in me.

STEEL. Give it up, sir. The odds are too great. It isn't worth it.

MORE. To fight to a finish; knowing you must be beaten--is anything
better worth it?

STEEL. Well, then, I'm not going.

MORE. This is my private hell, Steel; you