SCENE--Is the same as Scene One of Act One--the sitting-room of Margaret's home. It is about half an hour after the last scene. Margaret sits on the sofa, waiting with the anxious, impatient expectancy of one deeply in love. She is dressed with a careful, subtle extra touch to attract the eye. She looks young and happy. She is trying to read a book. The front door is heard opening and closing. She leaps up and runs back to throw her arms around Brown as he enters from right, rear. She kisses him passionately.
MARGARET--(as he recoils with a sort of guilt--laughingly) Why, you hateful old thing, you! I really believe you were trying to avoid kissing me! Well, just for that, I'll never . . .
BROWN--(with fierce, defiant passion, kisses her again and again) Margaret!
MARGARET--Call me Peggy again. You used to when you really loved me. (softly) Remember the school commencement dance--you and I on the dock in the moonlight?
BROWN--(with pain) No. (He takes his arms from around her.)
MARGARET--(still holding him--with a laugh) Well, I like that! You old bear, you! Why not?
BROWN--(sadly) It was so long ago.
MARGARET--(a bit melancholy) You mean you don't want to be reminded that we're getting old?
BROWN--Yes. (He kisses her gently.) I'm tired. Let's sit down. (They sit on the sofa, his arm about her, her head on his shoulder.)
MARGARET--(with a happy sigh) I don't mind remembering--now I'm happy. It's only when I'm unhappy that it hurts--and I've been so happy lately, dear--and so grateful to you! (He stirs uneasily. She goes on joyfully.) Everything's changed! I'd gotten pretty resigned to--and sad and hopeless, too--and then all at once you turn right around and everything is the same as when we were first married--much better even, for I was never sure of you then. You were always so strange and aloof and alone, it seemed I was never really touching you. But now I feel you've become quite human--like me--and I'm so happy, dear! (She kisses him.)
BROWN--(his voice trembling) Then I have made you happy--happier than ever before--no matter what happens? (She nods.) Then--that justifies everything! (He forces a laugh.)
MARGARET--Of course it does! I've always known that. But you--you wouldn't be--or you couldn't be--and I could never help you--and all the time I knew you were so lonely! I could always hear you calling to me that you were lost, but I couldn't find the path to you because I was lost, too! That's an awful way for a wife to feel! (She laughs--joyfully) But now you're here! You're mine! You're my long-lost lover, and my husband, and my big boy, too!
BROWN--(with a trace of jealousy) Where are your other big boys tonight?
MARGARET--Out to a dance. They've all acquired girls, I'll have you know.
BROWN--(mockingly) Aren't you jealous?
MARGARET--(gayly) Of course! Terribly! But I'm diplomatic. I don't let them see. (changing the subject) Believe me, they've noticed the change in you! The eldest was saying to me to-day: "It's great not to have Father so nervous, any more. Why, he's a regular sport when he gets started!" And the other two said very solemnly: "You bet!" (She laughs.)
BROWN--(brokenly) I--I'm glad.
MARGARET--Dion! You're crying!
BROWN--(stung by the name, gets up--harshly) Nonsense! Did you ever know Dion to cry about anyone?
MARGARET--(sadly) You couldn't--then. You were too lonely. You had no one to cry to.
BROWN--(goes and takes a rolled-up plan from the table drawer--dully) I've got to do some work.
MARGARET--(disappointedly) What, has that old Billy Brown got you to work at home again, too?
BROWN--(ironically) It's for Dion's good, you know--and yours.
MARGARET--(making the best of it--cheerfully) All right. I won't be selfish. It really makes me proud to have you so ambitious. Let me help. (She brings his drawing-board, which he puts on the table and pins his plan upon. She sits on sofa and picks up her book.)
BROWN--(carefully casual) I hear you were in to see me today?
MARGARET--Yes, and Billy wouldn't hear of it! I was quite furious until he convinced me it was all for the best. When is he going to take you into partnership?
BROWN--Very soon now.
MARGARET--And will he really give you full charge when he goes abroad?
BROWN--Yes.
MARGARET--(practically) I'd pin him down if I could. Promises are all right, but--(she hesitates) I don't trust him.
BROWN--(with a start, sharply) What makes you say that?
MARGARET--Oh, something that happened today.
<!--pagebreak-->BROWN--What?
Margaret--I don't mean I blame him, but--to be frank, I think the Great God Brown, as you call him, is getting a bit queer and it's time he took a vacation. Don't you?
BROWN--(his voice a bit excited--but guardedly) But why? What did he do?
MARGARET--(hesitatingly) Well--it's really too silly--he suddenly got awfully strange. His face scared me. It was like a corpse. Then he raved on some nonsense about he'd always loved me. He went on like a perfect fool! (She looks at Brown, who is staring at her. She becomes uneasy.) Maybe I shouldn't tell you this. He simply wasn't responsible. Then he came to himself and was all right and begged my pardon and seemed dreadfully sorry, and I felt sorry for him. (then with a shudder) But honestly, Dion, it was just too disgusting for words to hear him! (with kind, devastating contempt) Poor Billy!
BROWN--(with a show of tortured derision) Poor Billy! Poor Billy the Goat! (with mocking frenzy) I'll kill him for you! I'll serve you his heart for breakfast!
MARGARET--(jumping up--frightenedly) Dion!
BROWN--(waving his pencil knife with grotesque flourishes) I tell you I'll murder this God-damned disgusting Great God Brown who stands like a fatted calf in the way of our health and wealth and happiness!
MARGARET--(bewilderedly, not knowing how much is pretending, puts an arm about him) Don't, dear! You're being horrid and strange again. It makes me afraid you haven't really changed, after all.
BROWN--(unheeding) And then my wife can be happy! Ha! (He laughs. She begins to cry. He controls himself--pats her head--gently) All right, dear. Mr. Brown is now safely in hell. Forget him!
MARGARET--(stops crying--but still worriedly) I should never have told you--but I never imagined you'd take it seriously. I've never thought of Billy Brown except as a friend, and lately not even that! He's just a stupid old fool!
BROWN--Ha-ha! Didn't I say he was in hell? They're torturing him! (then controlling himself again--exhaustedly) Please leave me alone now. I've got to work.
MARGARET--All right, dear. I'll go into the next room and anything you want, just call. (She pats his face--cajolingly) Is it all forgotten?
BROWN--Will you be happy?
MARGARET--Yes.
BROWN--Then it's dead, I promise! (She kisses him and goes out. He stares ahead, then shakes off his thoughts and concentrates on his work--mockingly) Our beautiful new Capitol calls you, Mr. Dion! To work! We'll adroitly hide old Silenus on the cupola! Let him dance over their law-making with his eternal leer! (He bends over his work.)
(Curtain)