ve joy and power and freedom... all the
privileges of life... all things that are excellent and beautiful. You
are born to them... you claim them! And you come down here to stare at
us as you might at some strange animals in a cage. You chatter and laugh
and go your way... but remember what I told you. .. I shall be with you!
You cannot keep ME down! I shall be master of you all!"

GER. Incredible!

EST. And then in a moment it was all over. He made a mocking bow to the
party... "It has given me the greatest pleasure in the world to meet
you!" And with a wild laugh he went out of the door... and the crowd in
the street burst into a roar that was like a clap of thunder. [A pause.]
Gerald, what do you think he meant?

GER. My dear, you've been up against the class-war. It's rather the
fashion now, you know.

EST. Oh, but it was horrible! I can't get it out of my mind. We heard
some of his speech afterwards... and it seemed as if every word of
it was meant for me! He lashed the crowd to a perfect fury... I think
they'd have set fire to the city if he'd told them to. What do you
suppose he expects to do?

GER. I can't imagine, I'm sure.

EST. I should like to know more about him. He was never raised in the
slums, I feel certain.

GER. Steve O'Hagen. The name sounds Irish.

EST. I don't think he's Irish. He's dark and strange-looking... almost
uncanny.

GER. I shall go down there and hear him the first chance I get. And now,
I guess I'd best get out, if I want to dodge old Plimpton.

EST. Yes... and Rutherford, too. Isn't it a bore! I think they are
perfectly odious people.

GER. Why do you suppose mother invited them?

EST. Oh, it's a business affair... they have forced their way into some
deal of father's, and so we have to cultivate them.

GER. Plimpton, the coal baron! And Rutherford, the steel king! I wonder
how many hundred millions of dollars we shall have to have before we can
choose our guests for something more interesting than their Wall Street
connections!

EST. I think I hear them. [Listens.] Yes... the voice. [Mocking
PLIMPTON'S manner and tone.] Good evening, Miss Isman. I guess I'll skip
it!

[Exit right.]

GER. And I, too!

[Exit left.]

RUTHERFORD. [A stout and rather coarse-looking man, enters, right, with
PLIMPTON.] It's certainly an outrageous state of affairs, Plimpton!

PLIMPTON. [A thin, clerical-looking person, with square-cut beard.]
Disgraceful! Disgraceful!

RUTH. The