SCENE--The sitting room of a small house Evans has rented in a seashore suburb near New York. It is a bright morning in the following April.
The room is a typical sitting room of the quantity-production bungalow type. Windows on the left look out on a broad porch. A double doorway in rear leads into the hall. A door on right, to the dining room. Nina has tried to take the curse of offensive, banal newness off the room with some of her own things from her old home but the attempt has been half-hearted in the face of such overpowering commonness, and the result is a room as disorganized in character as was the Professor's study in the last Act.
The arrangement of the furniture follows the same pattern as in preceding scenes. There is a Morris chair and a round golden oak table at left of center, an upholstered chair, covered with bright chintz at center, a sofa covered with the same chintz at right.
Nina is sitting in the chair at center. She has been trying to read a book but has let this drop listlessly on her lap. A great change is noticeable in her face and bearing. She is again the pregnant woman of Act Three but this time there is a triumphant strength about her expression, a ruthless self-confidence in her eyes. She has grown stouter, her face has filled out. One gets no impression of neurotic strain from her now, she seems nerveless and deeply calm.
NINA--(as if listening for something within her--joyfully)
There! … that can't be my imagination … I felt it plainly … life … my baby … my only baby … the other never really lived … this is the child of my love! … I love Ned! … I've loved him ever since that first afternoon … when I went to him … so scientifically! …
(She laughs at herself.)
Oh, what a goose I was! … then love came to me … in his arms … happiness! … I hid it from him … I saw he was frightened … his own joy frightened him … I could feel him fighting with himself … during all those afternoons … our wonderful afternoons of happiness! … and I said nothing … I made myself be calculating … so when he finally said … dreadfully disturbed … "Look here, Nina, we've done all that is necessary, playing with fire is dangerous" … I said, "You're quite right, Ned, of all things I don't want to fall in love with you!" …
(She laughs.)
He didn't like that! … he looked angry … and afraid … then for weeks he never even phoned … I waited … it was prudent to wait … but every day I grew more terrified … then just as my will was breaking, his broke … he suddenly appeared again … but I held him to his aloof doctor's pose and sent him away, proud of his will power … and sick of himself with desire for me! … every week since then he's been coming out here … as my doctor … we've talked about our child wisely, dispassionately … as if it were Sam's child … we've never given in to our desire … and I've watched love grow in him until I'm sure …
(with sudden alarm)
But am I? … he's never once mentioned love … perhaps I've been a fool to play the part I've played … it may have turned him against me …
(suddenly with calm confidence)
No … he does … I feel it … it's only when I start thinking, I begin to doubt …
(She settles back and stares dreamily before her--a pause.)
There … again … his child! … my child moving in my life … my life moving in my child … the world is whole and perfect … all things are each other's … life is … and the is is beyond reason … questions die in the silence of this peace … I am living a dream within the great dream of the tide … breathing in the tide I dream and breathe back my dream into the tide … suspended in the movement of the tide, I feel life move in me, suspended in me … no whys matter … there is no why … I am a mother … God is a Mother …
(She sighs happily, closing her eyes. A pause.)
EVANS--(enters from the hallway in rear. He is dressed carefully but his clothes are old ones--shabby collegiate gentility--and he has forgotten to shave. His eyes look pitiably harried, his manner has become a distressingly obvious attempt to cover up a chronic state of nervous panic and guilty conscience. He stops inside the doorway and looks at her with a pitiable furtiveness, arguing with himself, trying to get up his courage.)
Tell her! … go on! … you made up your mind to, didn't you? … don't quit now! … tell her you've decided … for her sake … to face the truth … that she can't love you … she's tried … she's acted like a good sport … but she's beginning to hate you … and you can't blame her … she wanted children … and you haven't been able …
(protesting feebly)
But I don't know for certain … that that's my fault …
(then bitterly)
Aw, don't kid yourself, if she'd married someone else … if Gordon had lived and married her … I'll bet in the first month she'd … you'd better resign from the whole game … with a gun! …