Doctor-Of course, I don't believe her. Mrs. Dole-I'll prove it before I get through. Why did my husband take to painting again? Because he was in love with her. Why did she make you keep your engagement secret? Because she was afraid the truth might come out. Why didn't she want me to come here? Because she didn't know what I knew. Why does she want me to go now? Because she's afraid of me, that's why.

Doctor-Get out of this house and don't wait till morning! Get out now, this minute! If you don't I'll send for the police and have them put you out!

Mrs. Dole-Send for them! Send for them! This would be a fine scandal for the police court, wouldn't it? And when I produced my documentary evidence-what about that, eh? What about that?

Doctor-Documentary evidence! Ethel-It's a lie! I never wrote your husband a letter in my life!

Mrs. Dole-Who said anything about letters? I didn't. But I've got a documentary evidence just the same-got it right here in this very house-and I'll get it and prove to you that everything I've said is true. I'll prove it, I tell you! I'll prove it in black and white! (Mrs. Dole goes out)

Ethel (In a whisper to self) Documentary evidence? Black and white?

Doctor-What does the woman mean? You didn't write him any letters that she might misunderstand, did you?

Ethel-Never! Never!

Doctor-Then what is she talking about? Ethel-I don't know! But whatever it is-it isn't true. You know that, don't you?

Doctor-Certainly, I know it.

Ethel Then don't listen to her! Whatever she's got, don't hear it. If you do it will be an insult to me.

Doctor-I must hear it.

.Ethel-(IIysterically) You shan't! You shan't! I tell you! Whatever she's got is lies-all lies and I won't let you read them! I won't! And she shan't come in! She shan't come in! Do you hear! she can't come in! (She places her back to the door)

Doctor (Goes to Ethel) Listen, Ethel-I know what she says is lies and I know that she has no proofs. But this has evidently become an obsession with her. Without having the slightest foundation in fact, she is convinced that it is true.

Doctor-Then, don't you see that our best plan is to hear this alleged evidence so that we may learn exactly what it is and thus be in a position to refute it? You see that, don't you? (She nods) Of course you do, so be a dear good girl! Let her come in, and then leave everything to me. Come, dear! Come! (Takes her to chair) That's it! That's it!

Ethel-Whatever it is, you won't believe it, will you?

Doctor-Of course not!

Ethel (To herself) I must deny it! (Mrs. Dole enters)

Doctor-Well?

Mrs. Dole-Here it is!
Doctor-What?

Mrs. Dole-The documentary evidence. His diary.

Doctor-His diary?

Mrs. Dole-Yes.

Ethel-You mean that he wrote in thereabout-him-and

Mrs. Dole-And you? Yes-that's just what I mean!

Doctor-What did he write?

Mrs. Dole-You know his writing?
Doctor-Yes. (Mrs. Dole shows diary)
Mrs. Dole-Is that it?

Doctor-Yes.

Mrs. Dole-Then listen to this and see for yourself whether it's here or not. "April 12. Another secretary came to-day. She has a personality and seems to have brains, and I hope my search for an intelligent helper is over. Her name is Ethel Toscani."

Ethel (With the one idea of denial in her brain) It's a lie!

Mrs. Dole-What's a lie?
Ethel Why Why-

Mrs. Dole-Didn't you go to work for him April 12? Didn't you go as his secretary? Wasn't your name Ethel Toscani? If so, what's the lie? (Pause)

my happiness, and I'm going to get it if I can.

Ethel-Even though it costs your wife's?

Ethel pleads with her husband for forgiveness. Has any woman ever been a truer, better wife than she has been, she asks. She tells him to open his mind and his heart to the fact that she loves him, and loves him truly. He replies that there is one thing not man can forgive, and wishes to know why she never told him of the relation between Stannard Dole and herself before she married. Ethel says that it was because she knew that he drew a straight line for women, and that she was afraid of losing him. She has made her one mistake and has paid the penalty, she argues. Why must she pay forever? The doctor cannot see things that way. She sinned and she must pay. That's justice.

Ethel If I am to be condemned for what I did before I met you, what about your life before you met me?

Doctor-That's different.
Ethel Where?

Doctor-Right here. When you married me you neither expected nor believed me to be virtuous. I never pretended nor led you to believe that I was. My personal purity My personal purity wasn't a part of the contract, but yours was a part. I did expect and believe you to be virtuous, and you knew it and led me to believe it when you were not. That's fraud, and a contract obtained by fraud is void.

Ethel But is the contract fair?

Doctor-You should have thought of that before you made it. You said I am a man. I am; and my feelings are those of a man. You deceived me regarding something a man holds dearer than anything else in the world-the virtue of his wife. You obtained your marriage to me by fraud, your whole life with me has been a lie, and I'm done with it-I'm through

Ethel-Don't say that, Ethan!
Doctor-I do say it!

Ethel (Pleading) Then what's to become of me? What am I to do? Where am I to go? If it isn't to be pity or justice, have mercy, Ethan-have mercy! I'm pleading for my happiness, for my life, have mercy! (Pause. Doctor is touched by Ethel's plea) Give me another chance-just one; let me show that my love and care and devotion will make you forget what is past and gone! Doctor That's impossible!

Ethel Don't you think I've been punished enough already? I do. Oh, forgive

me, dear, forgive me! If you won't, what is there left for me? Nothing! If you leave me, there won't be anything in life to live for, and I shall die! I know I shall die! Doctor-There's one thing we have both forgotten.

Ethel-The scandal!

Doctor-There's never been any in our family-we've been proud of it, too. Our name has never been flared in the daily papers and it shan't be now if I can help it. Mrs. Dole has no proofs. They're all there. (Points to the diary) She'll realize it, too, when she comes to her senses and that will keep her quiet. We must stop the scandal at all costs and there's just one way to do it -we must live, apparently, as we have been living.

Ethel-You are overlooking one very important part of the plan. Doctor-What?

Ethel-Me.

Doctor-You, Ethel?

Ethel The papers may flaunt it as much as they like, the entire world may know; let our names be on every one's tongue; what do I care? do I care? If you think nothing of me, why should I think anything of myself? Doctor-Ethel!

Ethel-My suffering was nothing to you; my pleading, nothing; my love, nothingin spite of them all I was to be cast off for the whole world to scorn and revile. But the moment you are touched, the minute you think that even a finger will be pointed at you then it's different, isn't it? I beg for my life and you reply by asking me to keep up appearances. Well, I won't do it! I won't do it! I'm your wife or I'm nothing! (Pause. Doctor's face shows that her words have taken effect)

Doctor-You are right. Through it all I had been thinking only of myself. That's clear enough. Now it's time to think of