EMILY--[Breaking in.] It's all very well for you to ignore what people in town think--you'll be in China or heaven knows where. The scandal won't touch you--but we've got to live here and have our position to consider.

CURTIS--[Mystified.] Scandal? What scandal? [Then with a harsh laugh.]

Oh, you mean the imbecile busy-bodies will call me an unnatural father.

Well, let them! I suppose I am. But they don't know--

EMILY--[Spitefully.] Perhaps they know more than you think they do.

CURTIS--[Turning on her--sharply.] Just what do you mean by that, eh?

ESTHER--Emily! Shhh!

JAYSON--[Flurriedly.] Be still, Emily. Let Mark do the talking.

SHEFFIELD--[Interposing placatingly.] What Emily means is simply this, Curt: You haven't even been to look at this child since it has been born--not once, have you?

CURTIS--No, and I never intend--

SHEFFIELD--[Insinuatingly.] And don't you suppose the doctors and nurses--and the servants--have noticed this? It is not the usual procedure, you must acknowledge, and they wouldn't be human if they didn't think your action--or lack of action--peculiar and comment on it outside.

CURTIS--Well, let them! Do you think I care a fiddler's curse how people judge me?

SHEFFIELD--It is hardly a case of their judging--you. [Breaking off as he catches CURT'S tortured eyes fixed on him wildly.] This is a small town, Curt, and you know as well as I do, gossip is not the least of its faults. It doesn't take long for such things to get started.

[Persuasively.] Now I ask you frankly, is it wise to provoke deliberately what may easily be set at rest by a little--I'll be frank--a little pretense on your part?

JAYSON--Yes, my boy. As a Jayson, I know you don't wish--

ESTHEE--[With a sigh.] Yes, you really must think of us, Curt.

CURTIS--[In an acute state of muddled confusion.] But--I--you--how are you concerned? Pretense? You mean you want me to stay and pretend--in order that you won't be disturbed by any silly tales they tell about me? [With a wild laugh.] Good G.o.d, this is too much! Why does a man have to be maddened by fools at such a time! [Raging.] Leave me alone!

You're like a swarm of poisonous flies.

JAYSON--Curt! This is--really--when we've tried to be so considerate--

JOHN--[Bursting with rage.] It's an outrage to allow such insults!

d.i.c.k--You're not playing the game, Curt.

EMILY--[Spitefully.] It seems to me it's much more for Martha's sake, we're urging you than for our own. After all, the town can't say anything against us.

CURTIS--[Turning on her.] Martha's sake? [Brokenly.] Martha is gone.

Leave her out of this.

SHEFFIELD--[Sharply.] But unfortunately, Curt, others will not leave her out of this. They will pry and pry--you know what they are--and--

EMILY--Curt couldn't act the way he is doing if he ever really cared for her.

CURTIS--You dare to say that! [Then controlling himself a bit--with scathing scorn.] What do know of love--women like you! You call your little rabbit-hutch emotions love--your bread-and-b.u.t.ter pa.s.sions--and you have the effrontery to judge--

EMILY--[Shrinking from him frightenedly.] Oh! John!

JOHN--[Getting to his feet.] I protest! I cannot allow even my own brother--

d.i.c.k--[Grabbing his arm.] Keep your head, old boy.

SHEFFIELD--[Peremptorily.] You are making a fool of yourself, Curt--and you are d.a.m.ned insulting in the bargain. I think I may say that we've all about reached the end of our patience. What Emily said is for your own best interest, if you had the sense to see it. And I put it to you once and for all: Are you or are you not willing to act like a man of honor to protect your own good name, the family name, the name of this child, and your wife's memory? Let me tell you, your wife's good name is more endangered by your stubbornness than anything else.

CURTIS--[Trembling with rage.] I--I begin to think--you--all of you--are aiming at something against Martha in this. Yes--in back of your words--your actions--I begin to feel--[Raging.] Go away! Get out of this house--all of you! Oh, I know your meanness! I've seen how you've tried to hurt her ever since we came--because you resented in your small minds her evident superiority--

EMILY--[Scornfully.] Superiority, indeed!

CURTIS--Her breadth, of mind and greatness of soul that you couldn't understand. I've guessed all this, and if I haven't interfered it's only because I knew she was too far above you to notice your sickening malice--

EMILY--[Furiously.] You're only acting--acting for our benefit because you think we don't--

CURTIS--[Turning on her--with annihilating contempt.] Why, you--you poor little nonent.i.ty! [John struggles to get forward but d.i.c.k holds him back.]

EMILY--[Insane with rage--shrilly.] But we know--and the whole town knows--and you needn't pretend you've been blind. You've given the whole thing away yourself--the silly way you've acted--telling everyone how you hated that baby--letting everyone see--

JAYSON--Emily! [The others are all frightened, try to interrupt her.

CURT stares at her in a stunned bewilderment]

EMILY--[Pouring forth all her venom regardless.] But you might as well leave off your idiotic pretending. It doesn't fool us--or anyone else--your sending for Bigelow that night--your hobn.o.bbing with him ever since--your pretending he's as much your friend as ever. They're all afraid of you--but I'm not! I tell you to your face--it's all acting you're doing--just cheap acting to try and pull the wool over our eyes until you've run away like a coward--and left us to face the disgrace for you with this child on our hands!

ESTHER--[Trying to silence her--excitedly.] Emily! Keep still, for Heaven's sake! [The others all utter exclamations of caution, with fearful glances at CURT.]

EMILY--[Becoming exhausted by her outburst--more faintly.] Well, someone had to show him his place. He thinks he's so superior to us just because--telling us how much better she was than--But I won't stand for that. I've always had a clean name--and always will--and my children, too, thank G.o.d! [She sinks down on the couch exhausted, panting but still glaring defiantly at CURT.]

CURTIS--[An awareness of her meaning gradually forcing itself on his mind.] Bigelow! Big? Pretending he's as much my friend--[With a sudden gasp of sickened understanding.] Oh! [He sways as if he were about to fall, shrinking away from EMILY, all horror.] Oh, you--you--you-filth!

JOHN--[His fists clenched, tries to advance on his brother.] How dare you insult my wife! [He is restrained, held bake by his remonstrating father and d.i.c.k.]

MRS. DAVIDSON--[As if suddenly coming out of a dream--frightenedly.]

What is the matter? Why is John mad at Curt?

CURTIS--[His hands over his eyes, acting like a person stricken with a sudden attack of nausea, weakly.] So--that's--what has been in your minds. Oh, this is b.e.s.t.i.a.l--disgusting! And there is nothing to be done. I feel defenseless. One would have to be as low as you are--She would have been defenseless, too. It is better she is dead. [He stares about him--wildly.] And you think--you all think--

ESTHER--[Pityingly.] Curt, dear, we don't think anything except what you've made us think with your crazy carrying-on.

CURTIS--[Looking from one to the other of them.] Yes--all of you--it's on your faces. [His eyes fix themselves on his aunt.] No, you don't--you don't--

MRS. DAVIDSON--I? Don't what, Curtis? My, how sick you look, poor boy!

CURTIS--You--don't believe--this child--

MRS. DAVIDSON--He's the sweetest baby I ever saw [proudly] and Jayson right to the tips of his toes.

CURTIS--Ah, I know you--[Looking around at the others with loathing and hatred.] But look at them--[With a burst of fierce determination.]

Wait! I'll give you the only answer--[He dashes for the door in rear, shakes off his father and d.i.c.k, who try to stop him, and then is heard bounding up the stairs in hall. d.i.c.k runs after him, JAYSON as far as the doorway. ESTHER gives a stifled scream. There is a tense pause.