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JILL。 She was sitting like this。 ＇She buries her chin in her
hands； wide her elbows on her knees＇ And she said in a sort of
fierce way： 〃What do you want？〃 And I said： 〃I'm awfully sorry； but
I thought you might like it。〃
HILLCRIST。 Well？
JILL。 She looked at me hard； and said： 〃I suppose you know all
about it。〃 And I Said： 〃Only vaguely；〃 because of course I don't。
And she said： 〃Well； it was decent of you to come。〃 Dodo； she looks
like a lost soul。 What has she done？
HILLCRIST。 She committed her real crime when she married young
Hornblower without telling him。 She came out of a certain world to
do it。
JILL。 Oh！ ＇Staring in front of her） Is it very awful in that
world； Dodo？
HILLCRIST。 ＇Uneasy＇ I don't know； Jill。 Some can stand it； I
suppose； some can't。 I don't know which sort she is。
JILL。 One thing I'm sure of： she's awfully fond of Chearlie。
HILLCRIST。 That's bad； that's very bad。
JILL。 And she's frightened； horribly。 I think she's desperate。
HILLCRIST。 Women like that are pretty tough； Jill； don't judge her
too much by your own feelings。
JILL。 No； only Oh！ it was beastly； and of course I dried up。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Feelingly＇ H'm！ One always does。 But perhaps it was
as well； you'd have been blundering in a dark passage。
JILL。 I just said： 〃Father and I feel awfully sorry； if there's
anything we can do〃
HILLCRIST。 That was risky； Jill。
JILL。 （Disconsolately） I had to say something。 I'm glad I went；
anyway。 I feel more human。
HILLCRIST。 We had to fight for our home。 I should have felt like a
traitor if I hadn't。
JILL。 I'm not enjoying home tonight； Dodo。
HILLCRIST。 I never could hate proper； it's a confounded nuisance。
JILL。 Mother's fearfully' bucked； and Dawker's simply oozing
triumph。 I don't trust him。 Dodo； he's toonot pugilisticthe
other one with a pug…naceous。
HILLCRIST。 He is rather。
JILL。 I'm sure he wouldn't care tuppence if Chloe committed
suicide。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Rising uneasily） Nonsense！ Nonsense！
JILL。 I wonder if mother would。
HILLCRIST。 ＇Turning his face towards the window＇ What's that？ I
thought I heard＇Louder＇Is these anybody out there？
＇No answer。 JILL； springs up and runs to the window。＇
JILL。 You！
＇She dives through to the Right； and returns； holding CHLOE'S
hand and drawing her forward＇
Come in！ It's only us！ ＇To HILLCRIST＇ Dodo！
HILLCRIST。 ＇Flustered； but making a show of courtesy＇ Good
evening！ Won't you sit down？
JILL。 Sit down； you're all shaky。
＇She makes CHLOE sit down in the armchair； out of which they
have risen； then locks the door； and closing the windows； draws
the curtains hastily over them。＇
HILLCRIST。 ＇Awkward and expectant＇ Can I do anything for you？
CHLOE。 I couldn't bear it he's coming to ask you
HILLCRIST。 Who？
CHLOE。 My husband。 ＇She draws in her breath with a long shudder；
then seem to seize her courage in her hands＇ I've got to be quick。
He keeps on askinghe knows there's something。＇
HILLCRIST。 Make your mind easy。 We shan't tell him。
CHLOE。 ＇Appealing＇ Oh！ that's not enough。 Can't you tell him
something to put him back to thinking it's all right？ I've done him
such a wrong。 I didn't realise till afterI thought meeting him
was just a piece of wonderful good luck； after what I'd been
through。 I'm not such a bad lotnot really。
＇She stops from the over…quivering of her lips。 JILL； standing
beside the chair； strokes her shoulder。 HILLCRIST stands very
still； painfully biting at a finger。＇
You see； my father went bankrupt； and I was in a shop
HILLCRIST。 ＇Soothingly； and to prevent disclosures＇ Yes； yes； Yes；
yes！
CHLOE。 I never gave a man away or did anything I was ashamed ofat
leastI mean； I had to make my living in all sorts of ways； and
then I met Charlie。
＇Again she stopped from the quivering of her lips。＇
JILL。 It's all right。
CHLOE。 He thought I was respectable； and that was such a relief；
you can't think； soso I let him。
JILL。 Dodo！ It's awful
HILLCRIST。 It is！
CHLOE。 And after I married him； you see； I fell in love。 If I had
before； perhaps I wouldn't have dared only； I don't knowyou never
know； do you？ When there's a straw going； you catch at it。
JILL。 Of course you do。
CHLOE。 And now； you see； I'm going to have a child。
JILL。 ＇Aghast＇ Oh！ Are you？
HILLCRIST。 Good God！
CHLOE。 ＇Dully＇ I've been on hot bricks all this month； ever since
that day here。 I knew it was in the wind。 What gets in the wind
never gets out。 ＇She rises and throws out her arms＇ Never！ It
just blows here and there ＇Desolately＇ and thenblows home。 ＇Her
voice changes to resentment＇ But I've paid for being a fool
'tisn't fun； that sort of life； I can tell you。 I'm not ashamed and
repentant； and all that。 If it wasn't for him！ I'm afraid he'll
never forgive me； it's such a disgrace for himand then； to have
his child！ Being fond of him； I feel it much worse than anything I
ever felt； and that's saying a good bit。 It is。
JILL。 ＇Energetically＇ Look here！ He simply mustn't find out。
CHLOE。 That's it； but it's started； and he's bound to keep on
because he knows there's something。 A man isn't going to be
satisfied when there's something he suspects about his wife； Charlie
wouldn't never。 He's clever； and he's jealous； and he's coming
here。
＇She stops； and looks round wildly； listening。＇
JILL。 Dodo； what can we say to put him clean off the scent？
HILLCRIST。 Anythingin reason。
CHLOE。 ＇Catching at this straw＇ You will！ You see； I don't know
what I'll do。 I've got soft； being looked afterhe does love me。
And if he throws me off； I'll go underthat's all。
HILLCRIST。 Have you any suggestion？
CHLOE。 ＇Eagerly＇ The only thing is to tell him something positive；
something he'll believe； that's not too badlike my having been a
lady clerk with those people who came here； and having been
dismissed on suspicion of taking money。 I could get him to believe
that wasn't true。
JILL。 Yes； and it isn'tthat's splendid！ You'd be able to put
such conviction into it。 Don't you think so； Dodo？
HILLCRIST。 Anything I can。 I'm deeply sorry。
CHLOE。 Thank you。 And don't say I've been here； will you？ He's
very suspicious。 You see； he knows that his father has re…sold that
land to you； that's what he can't make outthat； and my coming here
this morning； he knows something's being kept from him； and he
noticed that man with Dawker yesterday。 And my maid's been spying
on me。 It's in the air。 He puts two and two together。 But I've
told him there's nothing he need worry about； nothing that's true。
HILLCRIST。 What a coil！
CHLOE。 I'm very honest and careful about money。 So he won't
believe that about me； and the old man wants to keep it from
Charlie； I know。
HILLCRIST。 That does seem the best way out。
CHLOE。 ＇With a touch of defiance＇ I'm a true wife to him。
CHLOE。 Of course we know that。
HILLCRIST。 It's all unspeakably sad。 Deception's horribly against
the grainbut
CHLOE。 ＇Eagerly＇ When I deceived him； I