Theft Part 51

{Chalmers}

Everything. Forgive and forget You know.

{Margaret}

You will forgive my--I--this--this adultery?

{Chalmers}

(_Doggedly._) I'll forgive anything for the letters. I've played fast and loose with you, Madge, and I fancy your playing fast and loose only evens things up. Return the letters and you can go with Knox quietly. I'll see to that. There won't be a breath of scandal. I'll give you a divorce. Or you can stay on with me if you want to. I don't care. What I want is the letters. Is it agreed?

(_Margaret seems to hesitate._)

{Knox}

(_Pleadingly._) Margaret.

{Margaret}

{Chalmers} (_Testily._) Am I not giving you each other? What more do you want? Tommy stays with me. If you want Tommy, then stay with me, but you must give up the letters.

{Margaret}

I shall not go with Mr. Knox. I shall not give up the letters. I shall remain with Tommy.

{Chalmers}

So far as I am concerned, Knox doesn't count in this. I want the letters and I want Tommy. If you don't give them up, I'll divorce you on statutory grounds, and no woman, so divorced, can keep her child. In any event, I shall keep Tommy.

{Margaret}

(_Speaking steadily and positively._) Listen, Tom; and you, too, Howard. I have never for a moment entertained the thought of giving up the letters. I may have led you to think so, but I wanted to see just how low, you, Tom, could sink. I saw how low you--all of you--this morning sank. I have learned--much. Where is this fine honor, Tom, which put you on a man-killing rage a moment ago? You'll barter it all for a few sc.r.a.ps of paper, and forgive and forget adultery which does not exist--

(_Chalmers laughs skeptically._)--though I know when I say it you will not believe me. At any rate, I shall not give up the letters. Not if you do take Tommy away from me. Not even for Tommy will I sacrifice all the people. As I told you this morning, there are two million Tommys, child-laborers all, who cannot be sacrificed for Tommy's sake or anybody's sake.

(_Chalmers shrugs his shoulders and smiles in ridicule._)

{Knox}

Surely, Margaret, there is a way out for us. Give up the letters.

What are they?--only sc.r.a.ps of paper. Why match them against happiness--our happiness?

{Margaret}

But as you told me yourself, those sc.r.a.ps of paper represent the happiness of millions of lives. It is not our happiness that is matched against some sc.r.a.ps of paper. It is our happiness against millions of lives--like ours. All these millions have hearts, and loves, and desires, just like ours.

{Knox}

But it is a great social and cosmic process. It does not depend on one man. Kill off, at this instant, every leader of the people, and the process will go on just the same. The people will come into their own. Theft will be unseated. It is destiny. It is the process. Nothing can stop it.

{Margaret}

But it can be r.e.t.a.r.ded.

{Knox}

You and I are no more than straws in relation to it. We cannot stop it any more than straws can stop an ocean tide. We mean nothing--except to each other, and to each other we mean all the world.

{Margaret}

(_Sadly and tenderly._) All the world and immortality thrown in.

{Chalmers}

(_Breaking in._) Nice situation, sitting here and listening to a strange man woo my wife in terms of sociology and scientific slang.

(_Both Margaret and Knox ignore him._)

{Knox}

Dear, I want you so.

{Margaret}

(_Despairingly._) Oh! It is so hard to do right!

{Knox}

(_Eagerly._) He wants the letters very badly. Give them up for Tommy. He will give Tommy for them.

{Chalmers}

No; emphatically no. If she wants Tommy she can stay on; but she must give up the letters. If she wants you she may go; but she must give up the letters.

{Knox}

(_Pleading for a decision._) Margaret.

{Margaret}

Howard. Don't tempt me and press me. It is hard enough as it is.

{Chalmers}

(_Standing up._) I've had enough of this. The thing must be settled, and I leave it to you, Knox. Go on with your love-making. But I won't be a witness to it. Perhaps I--er--r.e.t.a.r.d the--er--the flame process. You two must make up your minds, and you can do it better without me. I am going to get a drink and settle my nerves. I'll be back in a minute.

(_He moves toward exit to right._) She will yield, Knox. Be warm, be warm.