THeReSE. I'll never break my word.

RENe. What d'you want us to wait for? A change of opinion that'll probably never come. And our youth will go, we shall have spoilt our lives. You want to send me back to Paris all alone and unhappy, to spend long silent evenings thinking about you and suffering from not being with you, while you, here, will be suffering in the same way, in the same loneliness. And we love each other, and it absolutely depends only on ourselves whether we shall change our double unhappiness for a double joy. [_Changing his tone_] I can't stand it, Therese. I've loved you for two years, and all this last year I've toiled and slaved to win you.

[_Low and ardently_] I want you.

THeReSE. Oh, hush, hush!

RENe. I want you. You're the one woman I've loved in my life. My love for you _is_ my life. I can't give up my life. Listen: I have to be in Paris this evening; are you going to let me leave you broken-hearted?

THeReSE. Do you think that I'm not broken-hearted?

RENe. I shan't suffer any the less because I know that you're suffering too.

THeReSE. It doesn't depend upon us.

RENe. It depends entirely upon us. Look here, if people refuse to let us marry, our love for each other is strong enough to do without marriage.

Therese, come with me!

THeReSE. Oh, Rene, Rene! What are you asking me to do?

RENe. Have you faith in me? Look at me. Do you think I'm sincere? Do you think I'm an honest man? Do you think that, if people refuse to let us go through a ridiculous ceremony together, our union will be any the less durable? Is it the ceremony that makes it real? Therese, come with me. Come this evening; let's go together; let's love each other. Oh, if you loved me as much as I love you, you wouldn't hesitate for a second.

THeReSE. Oh, don't say that, I implore you!

RENe. Then you don't trust me?

THeReSE. I won't do it. I won't do it.

RENe. What prevents you? You're absolutely alone, you have no relations.

You owe nothing to anybody. No one will suffer for your action. You've already given a year of your life to the foolish prejudices of society.

You've shown them respect enough. First they prevented our marriage because you were poor; now they want to prevent it because you work.

Thanks to you I have been able to a.s.sert myself and get free. My father and mother can keep their money. I don't want it. Come.

THeReSE [_in tears_] You're torturing me. Oh, my dear, you're making me most unhappy. I could never do that, never. Don't be angry with me. I love you. I swear that I love you.

RENe. I love you, Therese. I swear that I love you. All my life is yours. [_He breaks down_] Don't make me so unhappy. The more unhappy, the more I love you.

THeReSE. I couldn't do it.

_Monsieur Feliat comes in._

FeLIAT. Hullo! Was it to make her cry like that that you wanted to see her? Is that what you've learnt "in phosphates"? [_To Therese_] Don't, my dear. [_In a tone of kindly remonstrance_] You! Is it you I find crying like a little schoolgirl? [_Therese wipes her eyes_] Oh, I understand all about it. But his father will give in in the end. And you, Rene, be reasonable, don't hurry things.

RENe. But I want--

FeLIAT [_interrupting him_] No, no, for goodness' sake, not just now.

We'll talk about it later on. Just now we have other fish to fry. We're in a fix, my young lover. We've got to face some very serious difficulties. Go along with you.

_Monsieur Gueret comes in._

GUeRET [_to Monsieur Feliat_] One of the delegates of the Central Committee is outside.

FeLIAT. And what does the brute want?

GUeRET [_makes a gesture of caution and points to the door_] He wishes to speak to the Chairman of the Women's Union.

FeLIAT. Oh, ask the gentleman in. [_To Rene_] My boy, you must be off.

I'll see you presently.

RENe. Yes, presently.

THeReSE [_aside to Rene_] Be at the station half an hour before the train goes. I'll be there to say good-bye.

_Rene goes out. Monsieur Gueret brings in the delegate and goes out again himself._

FeLIAT. Good-morning. What can I do for you?

DELEGATE. I am a delegate from the Central Committee in Paris.

FeLIAT. I am Monsieur Feliat, the owner of these works. I'm at your service.

DELEGATE. It's not to you I wish to speak. This is a question which doesn't concern you.

FeLIAT. Which doesn't concern _me_!

DELEGATE. Not at present, at any rate. Will you kindly tell me where I can find the person I have come to see?

FeLIAT [_furious_] I--[_controlling himself_] She is here. [_He indicates Therese_]

_Monsieur Feliat goes out to the right._

DELEGATE. Mademoiselle, I'm here as the representative of the Central Committee in Paris to request you to break up your Women's Union.

THeReSE. So that's it.

DELEGATE. That's it.

THeReSE. What harm does it do you?

DELEGATE. It strengthens you too much against us.

THeReSE. If I asked you to break up yours for the same reason, what would you say to me?

DELEGATE. Our union is to fight the masters; yours is to fight us.

THeReSE. It does you no harm whatever.

DELEGATE. Your union supports a movement we've decided to fight.

THeReSE. What movement?