much less misunderstood。
TANNER。 ＇restively＇ I quite expect to get married in the course
of the afternoon。 You all seem to have set your minds on it。
VIOLET。 You might do worse。 ＇To Mrs Whitefield： putting her arm
round her＇ Let me take you to the hotel with me： the drive will
do you good。 Come in and get a wrap。 ＇She takes her towards the
villa＇。
MRS WHITEFIELD。 ＇as they go up through the garden＇ I don't know
what I shall do when you are gone； with no one but Ann in the
house； and she always occupied with the men！ It's not to be
expected that your husband will care to be bothered with an old
woman like me。 Oh； you needn't tell me： politeness is all very
well； but I know what people think＇She talks herself and Violet
out of sight and hearing＇。
Ann； musing on Violet's opportune advice； approaches Tanner；
examines him humorously for a moment from toe to top； and finally
delivers her opinion。
ANN。 Violet is quite right。 You ought to get married。
TANNER。 ＇explosively＇ Ann： I will not marry you。 Do you hear？ I
won't； won't； won't； won't； WON'T marry you。
ANN。 ＇placidly＇ Well； nobody axd you； sir she said； sir she said；
sir she said。 So that's settled。
TANNER。 Yes； nobody has asked me； but everybody treats the thing
as settled。 It's in the air。 When we meet； the others go away on
absurd pretexts to leave us alone together。 Ramsden no longer
scowls at me： his eye beams； as if he were already giving you
away to me in church。 Tavy refers me to your mother and gives me
his blessing。 Straker openly treats you as his future employer：
it was he who first told me of it。
ANN。 Was that why you ran away？
TANNER。 Yes； only to be stopped by a lovesick brigand and run
down like a truant schoolboy。
ANN。 Well； if you don't want to be married； you needn't be ＇she
turns away from him and sits down； much at her ease＇。
TANNER。 ＇following her＇ Does any man want to be hanged？ Yet men
let themselves be hanged without a struggle for life； though they
could at least give the chaplain a black eye。 We do the world's
will； not our own。 I have a frightful feeling that I shall let
myself be married because it is the world's will that you should
have a husband。
ANN。 I daresay I shall； someday。
TANNER。 But why meme of all men？ Marriage is to me apostasy；
profanation of the sanctuary of my soul； violation of my manhood；
sale of my birthright； shameful surrender； ignominious
capitulation； acceptance of defeat。 I shall decay like a thing
that has served its purpose and is done with； I shall change from
a man with a future to a man with a past； I shall see in the
greasy eyes of all the other husbands their relief at the arrival
of a new prisoner to share their ignominy。 The young men will
scorn me as one who has sold out： to the young women I； who have
always been an enigma and a possibility； shall be merely somebody
else's propertyand damaged goods at that： a secondhand man at
best。
ANN。 Well； your wife can put on a cap and make herself ugly to
keep you in countenance； like my grandmother。
TANNER。 So that she may make her triumph more insolent by
publicly throwing away the bait the moment the trap snaps on the
victim！
ANN。 After all； though； what difference would it make？ Beauty is
all very well at first sight； but who ever looks at it when it
has been in the house three days？ I thought our pictures very
lovely when papa bought them； but I haven't looked at them for
years。 You never bother about my looks： you are too well used to
me。 I might be the umbrella stand。
TANNER。 You lie； you vampire： you lie。
ANN。 Flatterer。 Why are you trying to fascinate me； Jack； if you
don't want to marry me？
TANNER。 The Life Force。 I am in the grip of the Life Force。
ANN。 I don't understand in the least： it sounds like the Life
Guards。
TANNER。 Why don't you marry Tavy？ He is willing。 Can you not be
satisfied unless your prey struggles？
ANN。 ＇turning to him as if to let him into a secret＇ Tavy will
never marry。 Haven't you noticed that that sort of man never
marries？
TANNER。 What！ a man who idolizes women who sees nothing in
nature but romantic scenery for love duets！ Tavy； the chivalrous；
the faithful； the tenderhearted and true！ Tavy never marry！ Why；
he was born to be swept up by the first pair of blue eyes he
meets in the street。
ANN。 Yes； I know。 All the same； Jack； men like that always live
in comfortable bachelor lodgings with broken hearts； and are
adored by their landladies； and never get married。 Men like you
always get married。
TANNER。 ＇Smiting his brow＇ How frightfully； horribly true！ It has
been staring me in the face all my life； and I never saw it
before。
ANN。 Oh； it's the same with women。 The poetic temperament's a
very nice temperament； very amiable； very harmless and poetic； I
daresay； but it's an old maid's temperament。
TANNER。 Barren。 The Life Force passes it by。
ANN。 If that's what you mean by the Life Force； yes。
TANNER。 You don't care for Tavy？
ANN。 ＇looking round carefully to make sure that Tavy is not
within earshot＇ No。
TANNER。 And you do care for me？
ANN。 ＇rising quietly and shaking her finger at him＇ Now Jack！
Behave yourself。
TANNER。 Infamous； abandoned woman！ Devil！
ANN。 Boa…constrictor！ Elephant！
TANNER。 Hypocrite！
ANN。 ＇Softly＇ I must be； for my future husband's sake。
TANNER。 For mine！ ＇Correcting himself savagely＇ I mean for his。
ANN。＇ignoring the correction＇ Yes； for yours。 You had better
marry what you call a hypocrite； Jack。 Women who are not
hypocrites go about in rational dress and are insulted and get
into all sorts of hot water。 And then their husbands get dragged
in too； and live in continual dread of fresh complications。
Wouldn't you prefer a wife you could depend on？
TANNER。 No； a thousand times no： hot water is the revolutionist's
element。 You clean men as you clean milkpails； by scalding them。
ANN。 Cold water has its uses too。 It's healthy。
TANNER。 ＇despairingly＇ Oh； you are witty： at the supreme moment
the Life Force endows you with every quality。 Well； I too can be
a hypocrite。 Your father's will appointed me your guardian； not
your suitor。 I shall be faithful to my trust。
ANN。 ＇in low siren tones＇ He asked me who would I have as my
guardian before he made that will。 I chose you！
TANNER。 The will is yours then！ The trap was laid from the
beginning。
ANN。 ＇concentrating all her magic＇ From the beginning from our
childhoodfor both of usby the Life Force。
TANNER。 I will not marry you。 I will not marry you。
ANN。 Oh； you will； you will。
TANNER。 I tell you； no； no； no。
ANN。 I tell you； yes； yes； yes。
TANNER。 NO。
ANN。 ＇coaxingimploringalmost exhausted＇ Yes。 Before it is too
late for repentance。 Yes。
TANNER。 ＇struck by the echo from the past＇ When did all this
happen to me before？ Are we two dreaming？
ANN。 ＇suddenly losing her courage； with an anguish that she does
not conceal＇ No。 We are awake； and you have said no： that is all。
TANNER。 ＇brutally＇ Well？
ANN。 Well； I made a mistake： you do not love me。
TANNER。 ＇seizing her in his arms＇ It is false： I love you。 The
Life Force enchants me： I have the whole world in my arms when I
clasp you。 But I am fighting for my freedom； for my honor； for
myself； one and indivisible。
ANN。 Your happiness will be worth them all。
TANNER。 You would sell freedom and honor and self for happiness？
ANN。 It will not be all happiness for me。 Perhaps death。
TANNER。 ＇groaning＇ Oh； that clutch holds and hurts。 What have you
grasped in me？ Is there a father's heart as well as a mother's？
ANN。 Take care； Jack： if anyone comes while we are like this； you
will have to marry me。
TANNER。 If we two stood now on the edge of a precipice； I would
hold you tight and jump。
ANN。 ＇panting； failing more and more under the strain＇ Jack： let
me go。 I have dared so frightfullyit is lasting longer than I
thought。 Let me go： I can't bear it。
TANNER。 Nor I。 Let it kill us。
ANN。 Yes： I don't care。 I am at the end of my forces。 I don't
care。 I think I am going to faint。
At this moment Violet and Octavius come from the villa with Mrs
Whitefield； who is wrapped up for driving。 Simultaneously Malone
and Ramsden； followed by Mendoza and Straker； come in through the
little gate in the paling。 Tanner shamefacedly releases Ann； who
raises her hand giddily to her forehead。
MALONE。 Take care。 Something's the matter with the lady。
RAMSDEN。 What does this mean？
VIOLET。 ＇running between Ann and Tanner＇ Are you ill？
ANN。 ＇reeling； with a supreme effort＇ I have promised to marry
Jack。 ＇She swoons。 Violet kneels by her and chafes her band。
Tanner runs round to her other hand； and tries to lift her bead。
Octavius goes to Violet's assistance； but does not know what to
do。 Mrs Whitefield hurries back into the villa。 Octavius； Malone
and Ramsden run to Ann and crowd round her； stooping to assist。
Straker coolly comes to Ann's feet； and Mendoza to her head； both
upright and self…possessed＇。
STRAKER。 Now then； ladies and gentlemen： she don't want a crowd
round her： she wants airall the air she can git。 If you please；
gents ＇Malone and Ramsden allow him to drive them gently past
Ann and up the lawn towards the garden； where Octavius； who has
already become conscious of his uselessness； joins them。 Straker；
following them up； pauses for a moment to instruct Tanner＇。 Don't
lift er ed； Mr Tanner： let it go flat so's the blood can run back
into it。
MENDOZA。 He is right； Mr Tanner。 Trust to the air of the Sierra。
＇He withdraws delicately to the garden steps＇。
TANNER。 ＇rising＇ I yield to your superior knowledge of physiology；
Henry。 ＇He withdraws to the corner of the lawn； and Octavius
immediately hurries down to him＇。
TAVY。 ＇aside to Tanner； grasping his hand＇ Jack： be very happy。
TANNER。 ＇aside to Tavy＇ I never asked her。 It is a trap for me。
＇He goes up the lawn towards the garden。 Octavius remains
petrified＇。
MENDOZA。 ＇intercepting Mrs Whitefield； who comes from the villa
with a glass of brandy＇ What is this； madam ＇he takes it from
her＇？
MRS WHITEFIELD。 A little brandy。
MENDOZA。 The worst thing you could give her。 Allow me。 ＇He
swallows it＇。 Tru