ng to help you, you will help me by doing exactly as I say,
won't you?

RUTH. Yes.

AUSTIN. It's _very_ important that you should _absolutely obey me_!

RUTH. _I will._

[_A pause._

[_JINNY, unnoticed by either of them, appears in the doorway at Right.
AUSTIN is walking up and down. RUTH is leaning her elbow on the back
of the bench and burying her face in her hands._

AUSTIN. It's awful! My God, it's awful!

JINNY. [_In a strained, assumed, nonchalant tone._] _What is?_

RUTH. Jinny!

[_Rising._

AUSTIN. I didn't hear you, Jinny!

JINNY. No, you both seemed so absorbed.

RUTH. [_Going to JINNY._] I'm so glad to see you.

[_Kisses her, but JINNY only gives her her cheek and that rather
unwillingly; she is looking all the time at her husband._

JINNY. Thank you, I've just left the Cullinghams. They sent word to you
they were going and would wait for you outside.

RUTH. Oh, then, I mustn't keep them waiting. We'll all meet at dinner
to-night, won't we? Good-by--good-by.

[_With a grateful look at AUSTIN, she goes out Right._

JINNY. [_Watches her go; then turns to AUSTIN._] That wasn't true, what
I told her--I haven't seen the Cullinghams, and I don't know where they
are, and what's more, I don't care!

AUSTIN. What do you mean?

JINNY. [_Beginning by degrees to lose control of herself._] What did
_she_ mean by _following you_ to Rome?

AUSTIN. Jinny!

JINNY. Oh, don't try to deny it; that'll only make me suspect _you_!

AUSTIN. My dear girl, you don't know what you're saying!

JINNY. She's ill, they say at home! Yes, and they don't know what's the
matter with her, do they? No! But I can tell them! She's in love with
another woman's husband!

AUSTIN. [_Taking her hand._] Hush! I won't allow you to say such things!

JINNY. [_With a disagreeable little laugh._] Oh, won't you? _You'd_
better be careful,--my eyes are opened!

AUSTIN. Yes, and much too wide.

JINNY. A half-blind person would have known there was something between
you two. When I came into this room just now, it was in the air--it was
in both your faces!

[_She sits on the bench._

AUSTIN. You've worked yourself up to such a pitch you're not responsible
for what you're saying!

JINNY. _I_ not _responsible_! What was it you were saying was _so_
"awful" when I came in here? "My God, so awful!"

[_He doesn't answer._

[_Almost hysterical, she rises._

She had told you she loved you! She'd confesse