Why Marry? Part 42

JOHN

And you'll give him up? Good! Good!

HELEN

Give him up? Never! The right to work, the right to love--those rights are inalienable. No, we'll give up marriage but not each other.

JOHN

But--but--I don't understand.

HELEN

[_straight in his eyes_]

We need each other--in our work and in our life--and we're to have each other--until life is ended and our work is done. Now, do you understand?

JOHN

[_recoiling_]

Are you in your right mind? Think what you're saying.

HELEN

I have thought all night, John. You have shown me how to say it.

JOHN

But, but--why, this is utterly unbelievable! Why I'm not even shocked.

Do you notice? I'm not even shocked? Because everything you have said, everything you have done--it all proves that you are a good woman.

HELEN

If I were a bad woman, I'd inveigle him into marriage, John.

JOHN

Inveigle! Marriage! Are you crazy? ... Oh, this is all one of your highbrow jokes!

HELEN

John, weren't you serious when you said marriage would destroy him?

JOHN

But this would destroy _you_!

HELEN

Well, even if that were so, which is more important to the world? Which is more important to your "great humanitarian work"?

JOHN

Ah, very clever! A bluff to gain my consent to marrying him--a trick to get his salary raised.

HELEN

[_with force_]

John, nothing you can do, nothing you can say, will ever gain my consent to marrying him. I've not told you half my reasons.

JOHN

My G.o.d! my own sister! And did you, for one moment, dream that I would consent to that!

HELEN

Not for one moment. I'm not asking your consent. I'm just telling you.

JOHN

[_after scrutinizing her_]

Ridiculous! If you really meant to run away with this fellow, would you come and tell _me_, your own brother?

HELEN

Do you suppose I'd _run_ away without telling, even my own brother?

JOHN