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woman； I suppose。 Think of her！
DAWKER。 ＇Decisively＇ It won't do； Mrs。 Chloe。 You're a pawn in
the game； and I'm going to use you。
CHLOE。 ＇Despairingly＇ What is it to you？ ＇With a sudden touch of
the tigress＇ Look here！ Don't you make an enemy； of me。 I haven't
dragged through hell for nothing。 Women like me can bite； I tell
you。
DAWKER。 That's better。 I'd rather have a woman threaten than
whine； any day。 Threaten away！ You'll let 'em know that you met me
in the Promenade one night。 Of course you'll let 'em know that；
won't you？or that
CHLOE。 Be quiet！ Oh！ Be quiet！ ＇Taking from her bosom the notes
and the pearls＇ Look！ There's my savingsthere's all I've got！
The pearls'll fetch nearly a thousand。 ＇Holding it out to him＇
Take it； and drop me outwon't you？ Won't you？
DAWKER。 ＇Passing his tongue over his lips with a hard little laugh＇
You mistake your man； missis。 I'm a plain dog； if you like； but I'm
faithful； and I hold fast。 Don't try those games on me。
CHLOE。 ＇Losing control＇ You're a beast！a beast！ a cruel；
cowardly beast！ And how dare you bribe that woman here to spy on
me？ Oh！ yes； you do； you know you do。 If you drove me mad； you
wouldn't care。 You beast！
DAWKER。 Now； don't carry on！ That won't help you。
CHLOE。 What d'you call itto dog a woman down like this； just
because you happen to have a quarrel with a man？
DAWKER。 Who made the quarrel？ Not me； missis。 You ought to know
that in a row it's the weak and helplesswe won't say the innocent…
that get it in the neck。 That can't be helped。
CHLOE。 ＇Regarding him intently＇ I hope your mother or your sister；
if you've got any； may go through what I'm going through ever since
you got on my track。 I hope they'll know what fear means。 I hope
they'll love and find out that it's hanging on a thread； andand
Oh！ you coward； you persecuting coward！ Call yourself a man！
DAWKER。 ＇With his grin＇ Ah！ You look quite pretty like that。 By
George！ you're a handsome woman when you're roused。
＇CHLOE'S passion fades out as quickly as it blazed up。 She
sinks down on the sofa； shudders； looks here and there； and
then for a moment up at him。＇
CHLOE。 Is there anything you'll take； not to spoil my life？
＇Clasping her hands on her breast； under her breath＇ Me？
DAWKER。 ＇Wiping his brow＇ By God！ That's an offer。 ＇He recoils
towards the window＇ Youyou touched me there。 Look here！ I've
got to use you and I'm going to use you； but I'll do my best to let
you down as easy as I can。 No； I don't want anything you can give
methat is＇He wipes his brow again＇ I'd like itbut I won't
take it。
＇CHLOE buries her face in her hands。＇
There！ Keep your pecker up； don't cry。 Good…night！ ＇He goes
through the window。＇
CHLOE。 ＇Springing up＇ Ugh！ Rat in a trap！ Rat！
＇She stands listening； flies to the door； unlocks it； and；
going back to the sofa； lies down and doses her eyes。 CHARLES
comes in very quietly and stands over her； looking to see if
she is asleep。 She opens her eyes。＇
CHARLES。 Well； Clo！ Had a sleep； old girl？
CHLOE。 Ye…es。
CHARLES。 ＇Sitting on the arm of the sofa and caressing her＇ Feel
better； dear？
CHLOE。 Yes； better； Charlie。
CHARLES。 That's right。 Would you like some soup？
CHLOE。 ＇With a shudder＇ No。
CHARLES。 I say…what gives you these heads？ You've been very on and
off all this last month。
CHLOE。 I don't know。 Except thatexcept that I am going to have a
child； Charlie。
CHARLES。 After all！ By Jove！ Sure？
CHLOE。 ＇Nodding＇ Are you glad？
CHARLES。 WellI suppose I am。 The guv'nor will be mighty pleased；
anyway。
CHLOE。 Don't tell himyet。
CHARLES。 All right！ ＇Bending over and drawing her to him＇ My poor
girl； I'm so sorry you're seedy。 Give us a kiss。
＇CHLOE puts up her face and kisses him passionately。＇
I say； you're like fire。 You're not feverish？
CHLOE。 ＇With a laugh＇ It's a wonder if I'm not。 Charlie； are you
happy with me？
CHARLES。 What do you think？
CHLOE。 ＇Leaning against him＇ You wouldn't easily believe things
against me； would you？
CHARLES。 What！ Thinking of those Hillcrists？ What the hell that
woman means by her attitude towards you When I saw her there to…
day； I had all my work cut out not to go up and give her a bit of my
mind。
CHLOE。 ＇Watching him stealthily＇ It's not good for me； now I'm
like this。 It's upsetting me； Charlie。
CHARLES。 Yes； and we won't forget。 We'll make 'em pay for it。
CHLOE。 It's wretched in a little place like this。 I say； must you
go on spoiling their home？
CHARLES。 The woman cuts you and insults you。 That's enough for me。
CHLOE。 ＇Timidly＇ Let her。 I don't care； I can't bear feeling
enemies about； Charlie； Iget nervousI
CHARLES。 My dear girl！ What is it？
＇He looks at her intently。＇
CHLOE。 I suppose it'sbeing like this。 ＇Suddenly＇ But； Charlie；
do stop it for my sake。 Do； do！
CHARLES。 ＇Patting her arm＇ Come； come； I say； Chloe！ You're
making mountains。 See things in proportion。 Father's paid nine
thousand five hundred to get the better of those people； and you
want him to chuck it away to save a woman who's insulted you。
That's not sense； and it's not business。 Have some pride。
CHLOE。 ＇Breathless＇ I've got no pride； Charlie。 I want to be
quietthat's all。
CHARLES。 Well； if the row gets on your nerves； I can take you to
the sea。 But you ought to enjoy a fight with people like that。
CHLOE。 ＇With calculated bitterness＇ No； it's nothing； of course
what I want。
CHARLES。 Hello！ Hello！ You are on the jump！
CHLOE。 If you want me to be a good wife to you； make father stop
it。
CHARLES。 ＇Standing up＇ Now； look here； Chloe； what's behind this？
CHLOE。 ＇Faintly＇ Behind？
CHARLES。 You're carrying on as ifas if you were really scared！
We've got these people： We'll have them out of Deepwater in six
months。 It's absolute ruination to their beastly old house； we'll
put the chimneys on the very edge； not three hundred yards off； and
our smoke'll be drifting over them half the time。 You won't have
this confounded stuck…up woman here much longer。 And then we can
really go ahead and take our proper place。 So long as she's here；
we shall never do that。 We've only to drive on now as fast as we
can。
CHLOE。 ＇With a gesture＇ I see。
CHARLES。 ＇Again looking at her＇ If you go on like this； you know；
I shall begin to think there's something you
CHLOE ＇softly＇ Charlie！ ＇He comes to her。＇ Love me！
CHARLES。 ＇Embracing her＇ There； old girl！ I know women are funny
at these times。 You want a good night； that's all。
CHLOE。 You haven't finished dinner； have you？ Go back； and I'll go
to bed quite soon。 Charlie； don't stop loving me。
CHARLES。 Stop？ Not much。
＇While he is again embracing her； ANNA steals from behind the
screen to the door； opens it noiselessly； and passes through；
but it clicks as she shuts it。＇
CHLOE。 ＇Starting violently＇ Oh…h！
＇He comes to her。＇
CHARLES。 What is it？ What is it？ You are nervy； my dear。
CHLOE。 ＇L