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CHLOE。 ＇Starting violently＇ Oh…h！
＇He comes to her。＇
CHARLES。 What is it？ What is it？ You are nervy； my dear。
CHLOE。 ＇Looking round with a little laugh＇ I don't know。 Go on；
Charlie。 I'll be all right when this head's gone。
CHARLES。 ＇Stroking her forehead and； looking at her doubtfully＇
You go to bed； I won't be late coming up。
＇He turn； and goes； blowing a kiss from the doorway。 When he
is gone； CHLOE gets up and stands in precisely the attitude in
which she stood at the beginning of the Act； thinking； and
thinking。 And the door is opened； and the face of the MAID
peers round at her。＇
CURTAIN
ACT III
SCENE I
HILLCRIST'S study next morning。
JILL coming from Left； looks in at the open French window。
JILL。 ＇Speaking to ROLF； invisible＇ Come in here。 There's no one。
＇She goes in。 ROLF joins her； coming from the garden。＇
ROLF。 Jill； I just wanted to sayNeed we？
＇JILL。 nodes。＇
Seeing you yesterdayit did seem rotten。
JILL。 We didn't begin it。
ROLF。 No； but you don't understand。 If you'd made yourself； as
father has
JILL。 I hope I should be sorry。
ROLF。 ＇Reproachfully＇ That isn't like you。 Really he can't help
thinking he's a public benefactor。
JILL。 And we can't help thinking he's a pig。 Sorry！
ROLF。 If the survival of the fittest is right
JILL。 He may be fitter； but he's not going to survive。
ROLF。 ＇Distracted＇ It looks like it； though。
JILL。 Is that all you came to say？
ROLF。 Suppose we joined； couldn't we stop it？
JILL。 I don't feel like joining。
ROLF。 We did shake hands。
JILL。 One can't fight and not grow bitter。
ROLF。 I don't feel bitter。
JILL。 Wait； you'll feel it soon enough。
ROLF。 Why？ ＇Attentively＇ About Chloe？ I do think your mother's
manner to her is
JILL。 Well？
ROLF。 Snobbish。 ＇JILL laughs。＇
She may not be your class； and that's just why it's
snobbish。
JILL。 I think you'd better shut up。
ROLF。 What my father said was true； your mother's rudeness to her
that day she came here； has made both him and Charlie ever so much
more bitter。
＇JILL whistles the Habanera from 〃Carmen。〃＇
＇Staring at her； rather angrily＇
Is it a whistling matter？
JILL。 No。
ROLF。 I suppose you want me to go？
JILL。 Yes。
ROLF。 All right。 Aren't we ever going to be friends again？
JILL。 ＇Looking steadily at him＇ I don't expect so。
ROLF。 That's very…horrible。
JILL。 Lots of horrible things in the world。
ROLF。 It's our business to make them fewer； Jill。
JILL。 ＇Fiercely＇ Don't be moral。
ROLF。 ＇Hurt＇ That's the last thing I want to be。 I only want to
be friendly。
JILL。 Better be real first。
ROLF。 From the big point of view
JILL。 There isn't any。 We're all out； for our own。 And why not？
ROLF。 By jove； you have got
JILL。 Cynical？ Your father's motto〃Every man for himself。〃
That's the winnerhands down。 Goodbye！
ROLF。 Jill！ Jill！
JILL。 ＇Putting her hands behind her back； hums＇
〃If auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne〃
ROLF。 Don't！
＇With a pained gesture he goes out towards Left； through the
French window。＇
＇JILL； who has broken off the song； stands with her hands
clenched and her lips quivering。＇
＇FELLOWS enters Left。＇
FELLOWS。 Mr。 Dawker； Miss； and two gentlemen。
JILL。 Let the three gentlemen in； and me out。
＇She passes him and goes out Left。 And immediately。 DAWKER
and the two STRANGERS come in。＇
FELLOWS。 I'll inform Mrs。 Hillcrist； sir。 The Squire is on his
rounds。 ＇He goes out Left。＇
＇The THREE MEN gather in a discreet knot at the big bureau；
having glanced at the two doors and the open French window。＇
DAWKER。 Now this may come into Court； you know。 If there's a screw
loose anywhere； better mention it。 ＇To SECOND STRANGE＇ You knew
her personally？
SECOND S。 What do you think？ I don't； take girls on trust for that
sort of job。 She came to us highly recommended； too； and did her
work very well。 It was a double stuntto make surewasn't it；
George？
FIRST S。 Yes； we paid her for the two visits。
SECOND S。 I should know her in a minute； striking looking girl； had
something in her face。 Daresay she'd seen hard times。
FIRST S。 We don't want publicity。
DAWKER。 Not Likely。 The threat'll do it； but the stakes are heavy
and the man's a slugger； we must be able to push it home。 If you
can both swear to her； it'll do the trick。
SECOND S。 And aboutI mean； we're losing time； you know； coming
down here。
DAWKER。 ＇With a nod at FIRST STRANGER＇ George here knows me。
That'll be all right。 I'll guarantee it well worth your while。
SECOND S。 I don't want to do the girl harm； if she's married。
DAWKER。 No； no； nobody wants to hurt her。 We just want a cinch on
this fellow till he squeals。
＇They separate a little as MRS。 HILLCRIST enters from Right。＇
DAWKER。 Good morning； ma'am。 My friend's partner。 Hornblower
coming？
MRS。 H。 At eleven。 I had to send up a second note； Dawker。
DAWKER。 Squire not in？
MRS。 H。 I haven't told him。
DAWKER。 ＇Nodding＇ Our friends might go in here ＇Pointing Right＇
and we can use 'em as the want 'em。
MRS。 H。 ＇To the STRANGERS＇ Will you make yourselves comfortable？
＇She holds the door open； and they pass her into the room；
Right。＇
DAWKER。 ＇Showing document＇ I've had this drawn and engrossed。
Pretty sharp work。 Conveys the Centry； and Longmeadow； to the
Squire at four thousand five hundred： Now； ma'am； suppose Hornblower
puts his hand to that； hell have been done in the eye； and six
thousand all told out o' pocket。You'll have a very nasty neighbour
here。
MRS。 H。 But we shall still have the power to disclose that secret
at any time。
DAWKER。 Yeh！ But things might happen here you could never bring
home to him。 You can't trust a man like that。 He isn't goin' to
forgive me； I know。
MRS。 H。 ＇Regarding him keenly＇ But if he signs； we couldn't
honourably
DAWKER。 No； ma'am； you couldn't； and I'm sure I don't want to do
that girl a hurt。 I just mention it because； of course； you can't
guarantee that it doesn't get out。
MRS。 H。 Not absolutely； I suppose。
＇A look passes between them； which neither of them has quite
sanctioned。＇
＇There's his car。 It always seems to make more noise than any
other。＇
DAWKER。 He'll kick and flounderbut you leave him to ask what you
want； ma'am； don't mention this ＇He puts the deed back into his
pocket＇。 The Centry's no mortal good to him if he's not going to
put up works； I should say he'd be glad to save what he can。
＇MRS。 HILLCRIST inclines her head。 FELLOWS enters Left。＇
FELLOWS。 ＇Apologetically＇ Mr。 Hornblower； ma'am； by appointment；
he says。
MRS。 H。 Quite right； Fellows。
＇HORNBLOWER comes in； and FELLOWS goes out。＇
HORNBLOWER。 ＇Without salutation＇ I've come to ask ye point bleak
what ye mean by writing me these letters。 ＇He takes out two
letters。 And we'l