(To Chalmers.) Here are you, Tom, not only willing and eager to give me into the arms of the man you believe my lover, but you throw in your boy – your child and mine – to make it good measure and acceptable. And for what? Love of some woman? – any woman? No. Love of humanity? No. Love of God? No. Then for what? For the privilege of perpetuating your stealing from the people – money, bread and butter, hats, shoes, and stockings – for stealing all these things from the people.
(To Knox.) Now, and at last, do I realize how stern and awful is the fight that must be waged – the fight in which you and I, Howard, must play our parts and play them bravely and uncomplainingly – you as well as I, but I even more than you. This is the den of thieves. I am a child of thieves. All my family is composed of thieves. I have been fed and reared on the fruits of thievery. I have been a party to it all my life. Somebody must cease from this theft, and it is I. And you must help me, Howard.
Chalmers
(Emitting a low long whistle.) Strange that you never went into the suffragette business. With such speech-making ability you would have been a shining light.
Knox
(Sadly.) The worst of it is, Margaret, you are right. But it is hard that we cannot be happy save by stealing from the happiness of others. Yet it hurts, deep down and terribly, to forego you. (Margaret thanks him with her eyes.)
Chalmers
(Sarcastically.) Oh, believe me, I am not too anxious to give up my wife. Look at her. She's a pretty good woman for any man to possess.
Margaret
Tom, I'll accept a quiet divorce, marry Mr. Knox, and take Tommy with me – on one consideration.
Chalmers
And what is that?
Margaret
That I retain the letters. They are to be used in his speech this afternoon.
Chalmers
No they're not.
Margaret
Whatever happens, do whatever worst you can possibly do, that speech will be given this afternoon. Your worst to me will be none too great a price for me to pay.
Chalmers
No letters, no divorce, no Tommy, nothing.
Margaret
Then will you compel me to remain here. I have done nothing wrong, and I don't imagine you will make a scandal.
(Enter Linda at right rear, pausing and looking inquiringly.) There they are now.
(To Linda.) Yes; give them to me.
(Linda, advancing, draws package of documents from her breast. As she is handing them to Margaret, Chalmers attempts to seise them.)
Knox
(Springing forward and thrusting Chalmers back.) That you shall not!
(Chalmers is afflicted with heart-seizure, and staggers.)
Margaret
(Maternally, solicitously.) Tom, don't! Your heart! Be careful!
(Chalmers starts to stagger toward bell) Howard! Stop him! Don't let him ring, or the servants will get the letters away from us. (Knox starts to interpose, but Chalmers, growing weaker, sinks into a chair, head thrown back and legs out straight before him.) Linda, a glass of water.
(Linda gives documents to Margaret, and makes running exit to right rear.) (Margaret bends anxiously over Chalmers.) (A pause.)
Knox
(Touching her hand.) Give them to me.
(Margaret gives him the documents, which he holds in his hand, at the same time she thanks him with her eyes.) (Enter Linda with glass of water, which she hands to Margaret.) (Margaret tries to place the glass to Chalmer's lips.)
Chalmers
(Dashing the glass violently from her hand to the floor and speaking in smothered voice.) Bring me a whiskey and soda.
(Linda looks at Margaret interrogatively. Margaret is undecided what to say, shrugs her shoulders in helplessness, and nods her head.)
(Linda makes hurried exit to right.)
Margaret
(To Knox.) You will go now and you will give the speech.
Knox
(Placing documents in inside coat pocket.) I will give the speech.
Margaret
And all the forces making for the good time coming will be quickened by your words. Let the voices of the millions be in it.
(Chalmers, legs still stretched out, laughs cynically.)
You know where my heart lies. Some day, in all pride and honor, stealing from no one, hurting no one, we shall come together – to be together always.
Knox
(Drearily.) And in the meantime?
Margaret
We must wait
Knox
(Decidedly.) We will wait.
Chalmers
(Straightening up.) For me to die? eh?
(During the following speech Linda enters from right with whiskey and soda and gives it to Chalmers, who thirstily drinks half of it. Margaret dismisses Linda with her eyes, and Linda makes exit to right rear.)
Knox
I hadn't that in mind, but now that you mention it, it seems to the point. That heart of yours isn't going to carry you much farther. You have played fast and loose with it as with everything else. You are like the carter who steals hay from his horse that he may gamble. You have stolen from your heart. Some day, soon, like the horse, it will quit We can afford to wait. It won't be long.
Chalmers
(After laughing incredulously and sipping his whiskey.) Well, Knox, neither of us wins. You don't get the woman. Neither do I. She remains under my roof, and I fancy that is about all. I won't divorce her. What's the good? But I've got her tied hard and fast by Tommy. You won't get her.
(Knox, ignoring hint, goes to right rear and pauses in doorway.)
Margaret
Work. Bravely work. You are my knight. Go.
(Knox makes exit.)
(Margaret stands quietly, face averted from audience and turned toward where Knox was last to be seen.)
Chalmers
Madge.
(Margaret neither moves nor answers.) I say, Madge.
(He stands up and moves toward her, holding whiskey glass in one hand.) That speech is going to make a devil of a row. But I don't think it will be so bad as your father says. It looks pretty dark, but such things blow over. They always do blow over. And so with you and me. Maybe we can manage to forget all this and patch it up somehow.
(She gives no sign that she is aware of his existence.) Why don't you speak? (Pause.)
(He touches her arm.) Madge.
Margaret
(Turning upon him in a blase of wrath and with unutterable loathing.)
Don't touch me!
(Chalmers recoils.)
Curtain