eg you to be very careful
to-night to control yourself?

JINNY. It's your turn to be careful! What did you marry me for if you
were in love with Ruth?

AUSTIN. _Jinny!_

JINNY. [_A little frightened, to excuse herself._] You gave me your word
of honor she would stay abroad indefinitely.

AUSTIN. Nonsense! I said I understood she was going to stay some
time--indefinitely.

JINNY. It's the same thing, and here she is back practically the moment
we are!

AUSTIN. I can't control Miss Chester's movements--I couldn't foresee
when she would come back. In Rome she told me she would stay on.

JINNY. [_Rising and facing him._] Ah! that's what I wanted to see, if
you really _would lie_ to me!

AUSTIN. What do you mean?

JINNY. [_Beside herself._] Liar! [_He only looks at her, with his face
hard and set; she is insane with jealousy for the moment._] _You sent_
for Ruth to come back.

AUSTIN. _And_ if _I did_?

JINNY. You tried to deceive me about it. And if you'll tell me a lie
about one thing, you'll tell me a lie about another, and I don't believe
one word of all your explanations about the intrigue between you and
Ruth Chester!

AUSTIN. [_Taking her two hands._] Sit down!

[_She sits in the arm-chair, half forced by him._

JINNY. _Why_ did you send for Ruth Chester to come back?

AUSTIN. I have told you before, I am trying to help Miss Chester.

JINNY. "_Ruth!_"

AUSTIN. I am trying to help her in a great and serious trouble.

JINNY. Why did you send for her to come back? What's the trouble?

AUSTIN. I've told you before I can't tell you.

JINNY. You daren't tell me, and you haven't even the face to tell
another lie about it!

AUSTIN. If you say another word, I shall _hate_ you! If you _won't_
control _yourself_, I must make you, as well as keep my own sane
balance. You have insulted my love for you to-night as you've never done
before; you've struck at my own ideal of _you_; you've almost done, in a
word, what I warned you you might do--_kill_ the love I have for you!

JINNY. [_Frightened._] Jack!

AUSTIN. I mean what I say!

JINNY. [_In tears._] That--that you--you don't love me?

AUSTIN. That is not what I said, but I tell you now that since I first
began to care for you, never have I loved you so little as I do
to-night.

JINNY. [_With an effort at angry justification._] And suppose I tell you
it is your own fault, because you haven't treated me--

AUSTIN. [_Interrupting her._] Like a _