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      (THERE IS A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.)

      LADY JANET. God forgive me, but — can you not temporise? In time she —

      PAUL. No.

      LADY JANET. For Margaret’s sake — yes!

      PAUL. For Margaret’s honour — no!

      (Enter MARGARET.)

      MARGARET (speaking eagerly as she enters). Is she better?

      PAUL. Yes.

      MARGARET (LOOKING ABOUT HER). Auntie, she has not gone?

      LADY JANET. No.

      MARGARET. I am so glad I am in time.

      LADY JANET. Margaret, come away! This is no place for you.

      MARGARET. Auntie, she is a woman, and so am I. She is in distress and I can help her. This is the place for me.

      PAUL. Why did you come back?

      MARGARET. Because of that; because I saw how cruel, how unwomanly I had been. How sweet she was when she sat on the sofa telling us her pitiful story, what a baby I was to run from her! Aunt Janet, if I had been in her place — if I had loved a villain, oh, I don’t know what I might have fallen to. If she had been in mine, if she had loved a man like Paul —

      LADY JANET. There are only good women and bad.

      MARGARET. I had always thought so, but her story has lifted a veil from the eyes of an ignorant girl. Good women and bad! I became a woman when I saw how much they have in common. Where is she?

      (mrs ommaney COMES OUT; HER face is UNFATHOMABLE.)

      MRS OMMANEY. I am here.

      MARGARET. Mrs. Ommaney, can you forgive me?

      MRS. OMMANEY. I have heard every word you said.

      MARGARET. Were they driving you away? — they shan’t. Auntie, how dare you! Paul, Mrs. Ommaney is my friend.

      (SHE PUTS HER ARM ROUND MRS. OMMANEY, AND STANDS LIKE ONE DEFENDING HER.)

      LADY JANET. Margaret, you must not —

      MARGARET. Auntie, you are on the side of the men; so was I. I am on the side of my sisters now.

      LADY JANET (APPEALINGLY). Mr. Digby!

      (PAUL TAKES A STEP FORWARD.)

      MARGARET. Not my husband himself shall take my arm from her.

      PAUL (TO MRS. OMMANEY). Speak — and quickly.

      MRS. OMMANEY (QUIETLY TO MARGARET, AFTER LOOKING AT PAUL). I have a wedding present — I should like to give you.

      LADY JANET. Woman!

      MRS. OMMANEY. It is this — my locket.

      (PAUL AND LADY JANET START.)

      It was something else I meant to give you, but you will like this better. As you know, his face was in it, but it has been taken out. So perhaps you will not object. I hope your husband will not object to your having it from me. You sweet girl, you and I shall never meet again, but I should like to think that you had put your husband’s face in it instead of the face that used to be there and wore it sometimes in memory of a good woman’s victory over a bad one.

      (MARGARET kisses locket.)

      It will remind you, Mr. Digby, of what was the great event in the life of a woman — and a little episode in the life of a man.

      MARGARET. We shall meet again and often.

      MRS. OMMANEY. Never! I want you all to go away now.

      (TO PAUL) May I kiss her?

      (PAUL is too affected to speak, MARGARET kisses her.)

      Take her away.

      PAUL. What are you to do?

      MRS. OMMANEY. Work and forget — if I can. Go!

      (She sits down a forlorn figure, LADY JANET signs to MARGARET and they go towards door; PAUL follows a step, and stops, looking in agitation at MRS. OMMANEY.)

      LADY JANET. Come!

      (PAUL stands looking and LADY JANET grows anxious.)

      Come, I command you.

      PAUL (HUSKILY). I can’t come.

      MARGARET. Paul, why?

      PAUL. Because I believe in God, and I hear Him calling to me to speak. Margaret, it was I who did this thing. I am the man!

      (mrs ommaney STARTS UP. MARGARET LOOKS FROM ONE TO THE OTHER, DAZED.’ MARGARET (AFTER A PAUSE). Paul, did you say anything?

      PAUL. I am the man.

      MARGARET (after pause, with growing enlightenment). Mrs. Ommaney, Aunt Janet, he did not say it? (Imploringly)

      Speak!

      LADY JANET. My dear, my dear!

      (MARGARET turns from her to PAUL; she points to bedroom door.)

      PAUL. It is my child.

      (MARGARET REELS, BUT LADY JANET CATCHES HER.)

      LADY JANET. You are still his wife.

      MARGARET. His wife! Oh, dear God, what have I done that you let me marry this man!

      PAUL (WITH A CRY OF AGONY). Margaret!

      MARGARET. A betrayer of women, he is my husband! Oh, sir, must I thank you for that? I loved you, and yet you married me. You might have dealt with me as you have dealt with her. I thank you.

      MRS. OMMANEY. Hear me!

      MARGARET (VEHEMENTLY). You, you! It is such women as you. No, I beg your pardon. This man, I took him from you; I did not understand; he is yours, yours and your child’s.

      (Slowly takes off ring, and hands it to MRS. OMMANEY.

      PAUL takes a step towards her — she recoils.)

      Aunt Janet, I am going back to my father.

      (She goes away quietly, LADY JANET slowly follows her; the outer door is heard opening and shutting.)

      MRS. OMMANEY. Why did you tell?

      PAUL (huskily). I am glad I told.

      MRS. OMMANEY (in a whisper — a wild hope springing into her face). Paul!

      (He shudders and avoids her, her head droops; she hands him the ring, it remains in his fingers a moment, then he lets it drop. It is heard striking the floor.)

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