ARTON. I must speak, Clare! I do think you're hard on
George. It's generous of him to offer to withdraw the suit--
considering. You do owe it to us to try and spare your father and
your sisters and--and all of us who care for you.

CLARE. [Facing her] You say George is generous! If he wanted to be
that he'd never have claimed these damages. It's revenge he wants--I
heard him here. You think I've done him an injury. So I did--when I
married him. I don't know what I shall come to, Dolly, but I shan't
fall so low as to take money from him. That's as certain as that I
shall die.

MRS. FULLARTON. Do you know, Clare, I think it's awful about you!
You're too fine, and not fine enough, to put up with things; you're
too sensitive to take help, and you're not strong enough to do
without it. It's simply tragic. At any rate, you might go home to
your people.

CLARE. After this!

MRS. FULLARTON. To us, then?

CLARE. "If I could be the falling bee, and kiss thee all the day!"
No, Dolly!

MRS. FULLARTON turns from her ashamed and baffled, but her quick
eyes take in the room, trying to seize on some new point of
attack.

MRS. FULLARTON. You can't be--you aren't-happy, here?

CLARE. Aren't I?

MRS. FULLARTON. Oh! Clare! Save yourself--and all of us!

CLARE. [Very still] You see, I love him.

MRS. FULLARTON. You used to say you'd never love; did not want it--
would never want it.

CLARE. Did I? How funny!

MRS. FULLARTON. Oh! my dear! Don't look like that, or you'll make
me cry.

CLARE. One doesn't always know the future, does one? [Desperately]
I love him! I love him!

MRS. FULLARTON. [Suddenly] If you love him, what will it be like for
you, knowing you've ruined him?

CLARE. Go away! Go away!

MRS. FULLARTON. Love!--you said!

CLARE. [Quivering at that stab-suddenly] I must--I will keep him.
He's all I've got.

MRS. FULLARTON. Can you--can you keep him?

CLARE. Go!

MRS. FULLARTON. I'm going. But, men are hard to keep, even when
you've not been the ruin of them. You know whether the love this man
gives you is really love. If not--God help you! [She turns at the
door, and says mournfully] Good-bye, my child! If you can----

Then goes. CLARE, almost in a whisper, repeats the words:
"Love! you said!" At the sound of a latchkey she runs as if to
escape into the bedroom, but changes her mind and stands blotted
against the cur