RLING. How do you mean I, "too"?

BLANCHE. Mr. Mason has just told us _father_ lost everything in it.

STERLING. [_Aghast._] You don't mean your father hasn't left any money?

BLANCHE. Nothing.

STERLING. [_Forgetting everything but what this means to him._] Nothing!
But I was counting on your share to save me! What did the damned old
fool mean?

BLANCHE. Dick!

STERLING. Forgive me, I didn't mean to say that.

BLANCHE. Oh, _who are you_! _What_ are you! You are not the man I
thought when I married you! Every day something new happens to frighten
me, to threaten my love for you!

STERLING. No, no, don't say that, old girl.

[_He tries to take her hand._

BLANCHE. What right have you to criticise my father, to curse him--and
to-day!

STERLING. I don't know what I'm saying, Blanche. Try to forgive me. I
wouldn't have thought of such a thing as his money to-day if it wasn't
the only thing that can save me from--disgrace.

[_His voice sinking almost to a whisper and the man himself sinking into
a chair._

BLANCHE. Disgrace! How? What disgrace?

[_Going to him._

STERLING. I can't explain it; you wouldn't understand.

BLANCHE. You must explain it! _Your_ disgrace is _mine_.

STERLING. [_Alarmed at having said so much, tries to retract a little._]
Disgrace was too strong a word--I didn't mean that. I'm in trouble. I'm
in trouble. Good God, can't you see it? And if you love me, why don't
you leave me alone?

BLANCHE. How can I go on loving you without your confidence?--without
ever being suffered to give you any sympathy? Doll wives are out of
fashion, and even if they weren't, I could never be one.

STERLING. [_Laughing._] My dear, I'd never accuse you of being stuffed
with sawdust.

BLANCHE. Oh, and now you joke about it. Take care, Dick.

STERLING. What's this, a threat?

BLANCHE. Yes, if you like to call it that. You've been putting me more
and more completely out of your life; take care that I don't finish your
work and go the last step.

STERLING. [_Seizing her roughly by the wrist._] The last step! What do
you mean by that? [_Holding her hand more roughly._] _You dare_ to be
unfaithful to me!

BLANCHE. What! You could think I meant that! Ugh! How could you?

STERLING. Well, what did you mean then? Eh?

[_Pulling her up close to him, her face close to his. She realizes first
by the odor, then by a searching look at his face, that he is partly
under the influence of liquor._

BLANCHE.