"Here I am, miss." "Oh, I'm sorry, miss." "That's all right, Dora." "It was an accident." " You don't seem a bit nervous, Miss Delia." " Nervous?" "No, I don't think I am." "Oh, I wish I wasn't." "I wouldn't be so clumsy and slow." "You'd think it was me getting married, my hands shake so." " Take your time, Dora." " There." "That's it." "There now." "Well." "Well, you was always one to take things calm." "If it was me, now..." "You're not superstitious either, are you, miss?" "Superstitious?" "Oh, not very." "Why?" "Oh, but all the same, you'd ought to have something borrowed and something blue." "That's true." "Something old and something new." "Well, my lace is old and everything else is new but I've nothing borrowed and I've nothing blue." "Oh, Dora, what can we find?" "Well, I'd feel better in my mind, miss, if you had..." "Then you'll have to lend me something." "But what have I got, miss, that you'd wear?" " It's something no one will see." " Lend me a garter." " A gar...?" " A garter." "Oh, very well, miss, but please look the other way, then." "Oh, I don't see you, Dora." " Delia, what a lovely day for a wedding." " Something borrowed." "Let me, miss." "I'm so excited that I wanna laugh and cry at the same time." "I've felt the same way, Miss Charlotte, all morning." " I wish it were me." " Oh, it will be one day." "I don't feel like laughing or crying." "I just feel, well, beautifully happy." "Charlotte." "Charlotte." "Charlotte!" "It's beautiful, isn't it?" "Charlotte!" "Yes, Granny." "I'm coming." "Charlotte." " Coming." "Coming." " Oh, Charles, what's that?" "A telegram?" " Yes, for Miss Delia." " Oh, yes." "Charlotte." " Yes, Granny?" "Walk like a lady." "Yes, ma'am." " Good morning, Dr. Lanskell." " Good morning, Charlotte." "Granny." " Oh, Granny." " He says I have no strength." "I'll show you all." "Oh, you're naughty, Granny." "Isn't she, Dr. Lanskell?" "No, she's not." "She wants to go to the wedding and why shouldn't she?" "Want to go?" "I am going." "I took my financial life in my hands to dress these girls." "Look at them." "Now, here it is, a lovely June morning, my little Delia getting married and this cursed old doctor says I can't go." "Oh, can't she go, Dr. Lanskell?" " Of course she can if..." " If what?" " Lf you want to take your life in your hands." " I'll take you in my hands." "Now, Granny, darling." "No tantrums." "Her pulse is up." "What would it be if she went to the wedding?" "Oh, stuff and nonsense." "I'll come back and tell you all about it, all the details." "I'll sing the "Wedding March" for you." "I'm not a child." "And I'll tell you just how the bride sounded when she said, "I will. "" " And I'Il..." " Now, stop that." "Get up." "Let me look at you." "Very pretty." "Very, very pretty." "Thank you, doctor." "When a girl goes to her wedding, she should look her best, shouldn't she?" "She should indeed." "The young men look at her." "They used to." "The music plays, thoughts of marriage are in the air." "Am I clear, Charlotte?" "Oh, sweet Granny." "Are you scheming again?" "Of course I am." "Of course, Joe Ralston, the bridegroom's brother, will be there." "Naturally." "And though you are my granddaughter, you're a quaint little thing." "Isn't she?" "I'm talking to you, you old humbug." "Yes, Henrietta, she is." " Charlotte." "Charlotte." " Excuse me, Granny." "There's Delia." "Tell her to hurry or the wedding will be over before she gets there." "I will." "Did you ever see such girls?" "Read it." "Oh, Dora, excuse us a minute, please, and shut the door." ""Darling, arriving on 10:30 train." "Coming directly to you." "Cannot wait." "Love you." "Clem Spender. "" " Clem?" " Yes." " And he doesn't know?" " Of course not." "How could he?" "What time is it?" "I couldn't see him, could I?" "Oh, I can't." "Well, someone must see him." " Poor Clem." " How can you say "poor Clem" like that?" " I waited two years." " Now, Delia, we have no time to lose." "We'll have to send a messenger to the station." "We'll write a note." "My hands are so shaky." "You'll have to write it for me." "No." "No, I'm not going to write a note." "I'm going." " To the station?" " Yes." " But, Charlotte, you can't." " But I am going." "You can't go like that." "Downtown." "The station." "Clem." "He might be intoxicated when you get there." "You don't know what he might do." "Oh, Charlotte, you know Clem Spender." "Yes, I do know him." "That's why I'm going." "But, Charlotte." " Who is it?" "Dr. Lanskell is waiting." "Tell him I'll be right down." "Delia." "Delia, go along quickly." "I must hurry." "How will you explain to Clem?" "What can you say?" "What is there to say?" "I'll think of something." " Thank you, Charlotte." "Charlotte." " Yes?" "Ask him, for my sake, to behave like a gentleman." "He will." "I know." "Go on." "Forward march." "Company halt." "Right face." "Left, turn." "Halt." "Delia." "Delia." "Delia." "Delia." " Oh, I thought it was Delia." "It's Charlotte." " Yes." "Yes, it's Charlotte." "It must be the cape." "It's Delia's cape." " Where's Delia?" " She, uh..." " Isn't she here?" " No." " Why?" "Has something happened?" " Yes, she, uh..." " What?" "What?" " She, uh..." "She what?" "She's being married." " Why, you're joking." " I'm not joking." "She's being married to Jim Ralston today in less than an hour." "Delia?" "Jim Ralston?" "Oh, I don't believe it." "She asked me to come and meet you and see you and tell you." "She didn't want you to hear from anyone else." "She said..." "She said, "Explain to Clem and ask him, for my sake to behave like a gentleman. "" "And you will, won't you?" "I am sorry, Clem." "I know how you feel." "Really, I do." "I know." "My little Delia, Jim Ralston." "Married." "Today." "She asked me to behave like a gentleman." "She waited two years." "It's a woman's duty to marry." "To marry the man she promised and she did promise me." "Oh, Charlotte, I wouldn't have come back and..." "What church?" "Where?" "Where are they gonna be married?" "No, that's what Delia's afraid of." "You're crazy and impulsive, you are." " You'll get into trouble." " I know." "You can't leave whenever you please and expect Delia to wait on your doorstep." "A gentleman?" "I'll behave like a gentleman." " I'll break her neck." " Clem." "Marrying Ralston." "I'll break my toe in the seat of his pants." " No." " I will." "I'm gonna jam that wedding cake down his stiff neck." " Clem." "Oh, the bridegroom." "Jim Ralston, congratulations." " Thank you, bishop." "Glad to see you." "Is that champagne?" " Isn't that refreshing?" " Good idea." "You know, I'm gonna suggest..." "You lads are still just boys to me." " Champagne, Laughton." " I'm going to propose a toast." "Jim Ralston, Joe Ralston, a toast." " Shall we drink to the bride?" " To Delia." "And to you, the bridegroom and the bride." "Thank you, Joe." "Hello, Charlotte." " Hello." "Oh, Charlotte, wait a minute." " I must see Delia." " I know." "You look lovely." " Thank you." " Wait." "I wanna talk to you." "I can't." "I must see Delia, Joe." "Excuse me." "Thank you, Dora." "Delia." " Did you see him?" " Yes." "What did he say?" "He's downstairs at the side door." "He wants to see you." "Oh, but I can't." "You know I can't." "He's very hurt, Delia." "I haven't wanted to hurt him." "I don't see how anyone could hurt poor Clem." "Don't." " I didn't know you cared that much." " You knew I loved him." "I knew you told him so." "I have to go downstairs in a few minutes." "I mustn't cry." "You won't cry if you keep saying over and over to yourself:" ""I'm marrying a Ralston." "Marrying a Ralston. "" "Yes, I'm marrying a Ralston and I'm glad." " I don't envy you." " I don't want you to envy me." "Don't hold my marriage to Jim against me either." "I'm fond of Jim and it seemed hopeless to wait for Clem." "A woman can't wait forever." "I wanted children and a home." "I couldn't bear to be an old maid." "I can't imagine not waiting forever." "You think that but you don't know." "Miss Delia." " Miss Delia." " What is it, Dora?" "It's Mr. Spender." "He came in through the back door." " He's outside." "He wants to speak to you." " But I can't." "You go." "He insists." "He'll talk to you if he has to talk at the altar." "May I come in?" "I beg your pardon." " I'm looking for someone I used to know." " Clem, you shouldn't be here." " Did anyone see you?" " Oh, no." "I disguised myself as a friend of the family." "And as an added precaution, I sneaked up the back stairs." " You'll leave us alone." " Of course." "No, don't." " Well, how things have changed." "We used to strive to get rid of Charlotte so that we could be alone, remember?" " There are things I must do." " Of course there are." "Delia isn't afraid to be alone with me." "Or are you afraid to be alone with me, Delia?" "I didn't want you to regret later not having seen me." " Delia..." " Charlotte saw you." " She told you." " Yes." "It would have been considerate if you hadn't come." "I was curious." "I wanted to see if you were as beautiful as the girl I've been carrying in my imagination these last two years." "Well, you're not." "Not that it's your fault." "No one this side of heaven could be that beautiful or faithful or steadfast." " I didn't go away." "You did." " That's right." "We were to be married." "My family, even my friends had been told." "You must have known it would humiliate me." "You knew I wanted to make a success of myself for you." "I meant to keep that promise, settle down." " Have you kept it, Clem?" " No." "Just the same as I always was and always will be." "I didn't plan to hurt you, Clem." "You haven't, any more than you've hurt yourself." "That's the pity." "Poor Delia, condemned to a life of elegant boredom." "I'm not." "I love Jim." "Oh, yes, I can imagine that." "Then I can imagine a person developing a consuming passion for the First National Bank." "It isn't the money." "Don't dare think that." "I believe you." "The trouble with you, Delia, is you're too conventional." "You only want what it's nice to want." "I only want what it's every woman's right to have:" "A home and a family, a decent amount of faithfulness and security from my husband." "What else is there for a woman?" "Can you ask me that?" "Don't you know what there could be for you and me?" "A little happy poverty perhaps, but excitement, adventure and us." "All our lives we'll want each other." "Uselessly, cruelly." "I'm gonna pick you up, take you down the back stairs..." "It's too late." "I've made my decision." "I'm marrying Jim Ralston." "That's all I'm going to say." "Go, please." "All right." "Marry your nice Mr. Ralston." "Some day when you're bored, perhaps you have nothing better to do you'll think about the things you've made us miss." "I have come to take you down." "Hello, Spender." " How do you do?" " Clem came to wish me happiness." " Yes, of course." " By the way, I almost forgot." "I brought this for you." "Funny." "When I bought it, I thought it was going to be an engagement present." " Goodbye, Delia." "Lots of happiness." " Thank you." " Goodbye, sir." " Goodbye." "Oh, Dr. Lanskell, it's something blue." "Come, my dear." "Clem." "Clem." "Oh, I was worried for you, Miss Charlotte." "Your grandma's awakened twice, asked if you was in." "And I told a lie." "I said you was." " Good evening." " Good evening." "You go to bed, Dora, and I'll be up." "Oh, Miss Charlotte." "Goodbye, Charlotte." "What's the matter?" "Oh, little Charlotte." "Oh, I should be the one to weep but I don't." "Supposing you had come home expecting to find everything and there was nothing." "Nothing even to live for?" " That's why I'm so worried for you, Clem." " Oh, please don't worry about me." "I'm all right." "I'll be leaving immediately." " To this war?" " Well, what other war is there?" "War makes you forget, sometimes rather quickly." " Lf I could do anything..." " You have." "You've been sweet." "Sweet little Charlotte." "Pretty little Charlotte." "Don't you know what happens to you means more to me than anything?" "You mustn't say that." "You mustn't." "But I have said it." "But I'm not worth it, Charlotte." "Yes, you are." "I think you are." "Don't laugh at me." "How could I laugh at anyone so sincere, so kind?" "Charlotte." "What's the matter?" "What are you doing here?" "Clem, he's leaving." "Clem?" "Yes, in a few minutes." "I can't find him." "There he is." "Time to load, general." " Clem." " Charlotte." "Oh, you brought Delia with you." " Hello, Clem." " Hello." " It's nice to see you before I leave." " The best of luck." "And the same to you always, Delia." "Thank you." "Ralston has turned his factories into munitions." "See that he sends plenty along to us." "We'll need it." "I will, lieutenant." "I'll use all I can." "And I'll remember that every shot will make you richer." " Thank you, Clem." " Goodbye, Delia." "Goodbye." "Step, company." "Step lively, men." "Step up there." "Clem, come back?" "I'll try." "I'll try, really." " Please, Clem." "All aboard." "The train's moving." "There's so much left unsaid." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "I think we can feed him up a bit, though, don't you?" "Oh, isn't she sweet?" "Dora, you know, I am worried about Tina." "Oh, she's been playing hard and she's warm and tired." " Tell me, what are the first symptoms?" " Sometimes they turn blue." " Oh, Dora, don't say things like that." "Well?" "There's the doctor now." "There they are." "Ha-ha." " Hello, everybody." "You did come." "Well, well, you worry, worry, worry." "Tina's not as strong as the others." "I thought she might have it." "Well, where is the invalid, you alarmist?" "I've kept her away from the others." " I thought she might have a little fever." " Well, well, well." "Hello, sweetheart." "Hello." "How does she look?" "Pretty as a picture." "Oh, you know what I mean." " Open your mouth, darling." "Say "ah. " Ah." "Now, open your mouth wide." "That's it." "Well, how many children have you got here now?" "Oh, about 22." " They keep coming?" " Yes." "Two more today." "I can't refuse them." "You've been such a help." "Well, you're doing a splendid job here." "If I had more isolation spots like this, we could keep this thing under control." "Never mind that." "Is there anything wrong with her?" "Well, I think I shall prescribe one licorice candy." "It's the best thing in the world for a sore throat." "Is that all?" " There you are." " There you are, Tina." "Let's see if we can find some real troubles." " Run along." "Play with your dolls, Tina." " Come on." "Tina's as sound as a pumpkin, so don't fret." "I'm so relieved." "Well, look who's here." "Oh, it's Delia." "Oh, hello, Delia." " Hello, Charlotte, dear." "Children, children, children, you mustn't." "Let them play." " Horses will kick them." " You watch them, will you?" " Yes, ma'am." "Come in." "My, what you've done with this place." " How are you, Dr. Lanskell?" " Very well, thank you." "Vincent, Vincent." "Isn't this a rather remarkable occasion?" " That I've come to see my cousin?" " Here?" " I think it's your first visit." " Jim hasn't wanted me to come." "You know how afraid he is that our children will catch something." " It doesn't mean I haven't been interested." " Yes, Delia." "While you two girls have it out, I think I'll go and look at those rascals and see if I can discover some germs doctors are beginning to talk about." "If I find any, Delia, I'll let you take them home to Jim." "Charlotte, I've come to talk to you." "I rather supposed you hadn't." "All right, let's go in there." "I can't believe it." "Charlotte, what you've done with this place." " Do you like it?" " Yes." "Sit down, Delia." "Charlotte." "Tuesday's getting nearer and I'm worried." "Joe spoke to you again, didn't he?" " About the children?" " Yes." " About giving them up after you're married?" " Yes." "You know, Charlotte, you've changed." "Ever since you went out West that time for your health." "Ever since you've come back." "Haven't you noticed it yourself?" "Changed?" "I don't understand you." "Take, for instance, this passion for mothering stray waifs." " There's disease..." " The children need isolation." "They had no other place to go." "I had the stables." "I had nothing to do." "But you will have when you're married." "How do you mean I've changed?" "Well, you've..." "You've become morose and distant." "You seem to be living inside yourself somehow." "Charlotte, Joe and Jim were discussing you last night at dinner and I couldn't help feeling that..." "Well, although Joe loves you deeply and I think he always has, he's hurt." "And he's a little annoyed at your disregard for his wishes." "After all, Charlotte, he will be your husband." "I've heard all this before." "I'm not giving up the nursery." "Joe's coming to see you this afternoon." "I just slipped over to ask you." "Charlotte, to beg you if necessary." "Will you let me handle this in my own way, Delia?" "But you don't know the Ralstons as I do." "They don't say much but..." "I believe Joe is different." "That's why I'm marrying him." "Well, I can't..." "I won't argue or quarrel with you." "But I would be so much happier..." "We all would be if..." "If what?" "Your marriage means so much to Jim and me." "You know it does, don't you?" "Yes." "Come on." "Have a cup of tea, Mrs. Serious." "You have two very sweet children of your own to mother." "Why not let me mother myself?" "You know, Delia, you'd like to run the world, wouldn't you?" "Well, I'd like to run you until after Tuesday." "And if I'm Mrs. Serious, you're Mrs. Stubborn." " Why...?" " Oh, look." "Well, where did you spring from?" "Who are you?" "She's just one of the children." "She's usually very shy." "Do you like my chain?" "So does my little girl." "I have a little girl at home." "She's about your size." "And I have a little boy too." " What's your name?" " It's Tina." " What's your other name?" " Clementina." "Clementina." " But what's your other name, dear?" " She doesn't understand." "But don't you know your parents' name?" " No, she hasn't any." " Oh." "Come along, darling." "Go play with the other children." "You mustn't come bursting in like that." " There's a good girl." " Now, just a moment." "Is this the girl I'm looking for?" "Did you steal my hat?" " Did you steal my hat?" " Here it is." "Oh, well, then, darling, you're not guilty." "All right, run along." " Really a foundling?" " Yes." "Oh, Charlotte, you must put a strip of carpet on those stairs." "Stebbins has a bump on his head." "Johnny has a bruised elbow." " Oh, but they slide down the banisters." " Well, put nails in the banisters." " I've tried that and they cut themselves." " Well, then take the banister away." " Oh, but they'd fall off." " Well, put up a sign." "But they can't read." "Then shoot the whole bunch of them and be done with it and goodbye." " Goodbye." "Goodbye." "I'm going." "Why don't you come and have potluck?" "I'm just waiting for you to ask me." " Think over what I've said, dear." " I have, Delia." "Goodbye." " Goodbye, doctor." "Goodbye, dear." "Well, well, here you are, Granny." " Shut up, you old quack." " Your prayers have been answered." "You're getting rid of your last little girl." " Yes, this is my last wedding." " Don't be too sure." "I'm still single." "Yeah." "You've always been too easy." "The man must be the master." "I was just telling Joe, here, when I was a little wife my husband's slightest wish was my command." "So be firm, Joe." "Ha-ha-ha." "Yes, Grandma." "Now, why don't you let me slip down and tell Joe that his little bride will obey?" "She'll heed the word of her lord, master and save herself for him and his home and his children?" "Delia, I'm so tired of this argument." "Will it go on and on after, do you think?" "To quote my own dear lord and master:" ""The Ralston fortunes were founded on tenacity to a fixed idea." "They do not change their minds or allow others to change it for them. "" "Darling, give up that stable full of noisy, charming little brats and all will be peace." "The gesture alone will mean so much to Joe." " Oh, you look lovely." " Do I?" "What's the matter?" "Charlotte, what's the matter?" "I will not give up my own baby." " What?" " My own baby." "Which of them do you call your baby?" "I call my own baby my baby." "Charlotte." "Oh, my poor dear Charlotte." "Don't pity me." "I couldn't stand that." "I don't want pity." "I wanna know what to do." "I want you to help me." "But I will." "My poor Charlotte, I will." "Every minute, all the time." "Pounding at me. "Give them up. "" "You, Joe, Jim, Granny." "Everybody." ""Give them up." "You're so stubborn." "You'll lose Joe." "Give them up. "" "And I won't." "I can't." "Could you?" "Could you?" "No." "Not if I had a child of my own hidden among them." "No, I don't think I could do..." "I had to hide her." "What else could I do?" " A girl?" " A little girl, yes." " The foundling?" " The foundling." "Tina." "Yes." "Oh, Delia." "Delia, please go and talk to them." "Tell them that you see my point." "Tell them that you agree." "How could I?" "What reason could I give?" "Then I must tell Joe the truth." "And lose him?" "But, Delia, he's human." "He loves me." "A Ralston in love is something more than just human." "He'd never forgive you." "You know it." "If it comes to that, what decent man do we know who would?" "Well, Delia, what can I do?" "The time is getting so near." "We must think quickly." "Darling, don't look like that." "You loved someone?" "I did." "Ever since I was a little girl." " Then, if he was in love with you, why...?" " You see, he loved someone else." " You knew that?" " Yes, I knew it." " I tried to think differently but I knew it." " Charlotte, how could you?" "I loved him." "I'm not pretending it wasn't a sin." "He was lonely and unhappy before he went away." " He went away?" " Yes." " Knowing?" " No, he never knew." "You see, he never came back." "He never will." "Why won't he come back?" "Where did he go?" "Why won't you tell me who it was?" "How can I help you if you don't trust me?" "Oh, Delia, I've told you all you need to know." "Where did he go?" "He went to war?" "He was killed at Vicksburg." "Tina." "The child said Clementina." "Clem Spender." "You and Clem." "But how could that hurt you?" "You threw Clem away." "Clem Spender." "You and Clem." "Delia." "You still love him." "You hypocrite." "Our little Charlotte with her good deeds." "Her haven for destitute children." "Twenty children to hide one child." "Yes, his child." "That's what hurt you." "I should never let you know." "I might have known you can't forgive that." "How dare you imply such a thing?" "I won't even discuss it." "We must..." "We must think of something to do." "You said your first instinct was to tell Joe the truth." " You were right." "You must tell him." " Tell him?" "What you've told me." "I can't connive a lie, not to Jim's brother." "But you just said yourself, he's a Ralston." "He'd never forgive me." "That I'd lose him." "Better lose him than deceive a man into a marriage." " A man you don't even love." " Oh, Delia, listen to me." "I do love Joe." "Not in the way I loved Clem but differently." "In the way that you love Jim differently." "I'll be a good wife to him." "He'll never be sorry he married me." " Are you going to tell him?" " But I can't." " Then I will." " Delia." "Oh, pardon me." "Will you come with me?" "We must find Joe." " Pardon me." " Sure." "I read it." "I don't know how much truth there was in it." " They write all sorts of things." "Oh, excuse me." "I must speak with you immediately." "That'll be all." "Excuse me." "Shut the door." "Do you mind?" "Not at all." " What is it, Jim?" " I don't know." "What is it, Delia?" "I must tell you about Charlotte before it's too late." " What?" " Yes?" "Charlotte isn't entering into this marriage honorably." " Not honorably?" " Will you explain, Delia?" "Yes, I..." "Is it about those children?" "In a way, yes." "She won't give them up." "She just told me." " She's becoming very attached to them." "Naturally." "Naturally." "Especially one of them, a little girl." "You may have seen her there, a foundling." "Her name is Tina." "I've told Charlotte I'll give her anything she needs for their support." " That's very generous but it's not enough." " No?" "No, she's going to give them her personal care every day herself." "Yes, she told me." "It's a very tender, charming wish." "And I'd let her do it." "I'd put up with the inconvenience but there's a far more serious reason for opposing her." " What?" "Her health." "Her health?" "You mean because she went out West that time." "Yes." "I can speak frankly to you." "You're my brother's wife." "The apprehension that our relatives have had on the grounds of health." "Charlotte..." " You mean...?" "Yes." "Her father was a very young man when he died of lung fever." "Am I being unreasonable in asking Charlotte not to go on taking these unnecessary risks?" "No, of course you're not." "She won't give them up." "Then I must be the one to give in." "She can do exactly as she wishes in the matter?" "Yes, I'm tired of the argument." "I'm going to tell her." "It's no use, Joe." "There's something else." "Delia, what did you come down into this room to tell me?" "Was it about those children?" "You said when you came in here that Charlotte was not marrying me honorably." " What did you mean?" " She can't marry you." " She can't marry anyone now." " Why?" "Why can't she?" "You were talking about her health." "You were right." "She is ill." "She's ill now upstairs." "She just told me." "Told you what?" "She's been coughing again." "That sickness has come back on her." "That's why she can't ever marry anyone." "She's frightened." "She asked me to tell you." "She couldn't bear to tell you herself." "Why wasn't I told at once?" "Because you can't tell those things easily." "I'm not going to give her up, Jim." "I can't." "We must take care of her." "Yes, but you can't marry her." "It wouldn't be a marriage." "You'd both be miserable and you wouldn't dare to have children." "Better face it, Joe." " Yes." "She's in my room." "Joe?" "You'll consider her feelings." "You won't discuss it with her." "Just tell her that she's free and that you understand." "When Charlotte went West five years ago, it was because of lung trouble, wasn't it?" "Yes." "It was expected she might die as her father did, wasn't it?" "Yes, I thought everyone knew that." "You did, didn't you?" "It's in her family, isn't it?" "I thought everybody knew that too." "If she were not cured, what if it should come back?" "Isn't Charlotte perfectly well?" "Why do you ask me this?" "Because I wanna know whether she should marry or not." "If she began coughing again, what would you say to that?" "It's a very bad sign." "Thank you, doctor." "Will you excuse Charlotte and me, please?" " Thank you." "My goodness." "Miss Charlotte, it's unlucky to see the bridegroom before the wedding." " Dora, go, please." " Yes, miss." "Charlotte, Delia has told me." "Has she?" "My poor Charlotte." "I don't know what to say." "There isn't anything to say." "If there is anything I can do now or any time..." "Charlotte, I release you." "Everything that can be done is being done." "All we can do is to wait." "Oh, it's Charlotte." "Good evening, Miss Charlotte." "You're a very welcome stranger." "Thank you." "How's Jim?" "Well, we're at the crisis now." "Concussion, skull fracture." "It's bad." "You'd hardly believe that a big man like Jim..." " His horse stumbles and he's..." " Poor Delia." "Yes, it's very kind of you to come." "She needs someone now." "Naturally, I would come at a time like this." " I'll tell Delia you're here." " Thank you." " Hello, Joe." " Hello, Charlotte." "How are you?" "Well, right now, of course, with Jim upstairs..." "Yes, you and Jim have always been near to each other, haven't you?" "Yes." "He's strong as an ox." "You can't kill a Ralston." "He'll come through, we hope." "Oh, I hope so." "You've been away, haven't you, Joe?" "Yes, I wanted a change." "I took over the bank in Boston." "I read the news about your being married." "My congratulations." "Thank you, Charlotte." "I hope you'll be happy." "I think we will be." "What about you, Charlotte?" " How are you?" " Very well." "I've been living on in the same old place since Granny died." "I got your flowers." "I'd like to have come down to see you but I couldn't get away." "Well, there wouldn't have been any point." "You see, I..." "I did give up the nursery, after all." "Yes, naturally, under the circumstances." "Yes." "I can't understand it, really." "What, Joe?" "You look so well, Charlotte." " Your health has improved?" " My health?" "Yes, you're feeling better?" "You've never looked better." "Feeling better than when, Joe?" "Well, better than when I..." "I..." "Better than when you..." "Mr. And Mrs. Alfred Brooks are here, sir." "Look here, Charlotte, I'm sorry." "I'm dreadfully sorry." "Delia asked me not to talk to you about it when you were ill." "Too ill." "Will you forgive an indelicate idiot?" "Delia said that..." " Delia told..." " I'm terribly sorry, Charlotte." "I should have known it would be painful to you." "I see it is." "I didn't come to see you, because I could understand your wish to be let alone." "Now the first time I do meet you, I've blundered." "I've hurt you." "I'm so sorry." "Please excuse me." "Charlotte." "Charlotte, dear." "It's been so long." "Thank you so much for coming now." "It's sweet of you to..." "Charlotte." "I've just found out from Joe about Tina." " What?" " About Tina." "When you found out about Clem, you hated me, didn't you?" "I could have gone to Joe myself and told him." "He loved me." "He might have let me keep Tina." "But you lied to make sure I wouldn't have a chance, didn't you?" "He wanted to see me but I refused because I was so ashamed." "It was wicked of you." "Delia, you must be brave." "He's gone?" "Jim?" "Suddenly." "He just went to sleep." "There are more things out in the sleigh." "Well, here we are." " You know Miss Force?" " Yes." "Good evening." "Just take those out there, Kirby." " Is Dora here?" " Yes, Dora and the child are here." "Oh, I can't wait." "Are they hanging up their stockings?" "Yes, Mrs. Ralston." "Come along, Charlotte." " Is Tina behaving?" " As well as can be expected." "Of course she is." "If she's any worse than my two brats." " Charlotte." " Yes?" "Charlotte, why don't you live here, you and Tina?" "Live here?" "Yes, let's be practical." "Let's stand in the spirit of Christmas and be cousins." "Charlotte and Delia." "We're both alone now except for our children." "Jim's gone and Granny's gone." "You're living in that empty place and I'm living here in..." "Well, look at it." "Why, really, we should all be together." "No, Delia." "It's just for Christmas and Santa Claus." "Oh, I see it has its advantages." "You're very kind but I do want to take care of Tina myself." "We're very happy together." "Tina and you live together happily now, naturally, she's a child." "But a day is coming when you'll have to tell her." "She'll have to be told something." "It'll be in your hands." "You lie to her or tell her the truth." "Either way will be horrible for you and possibly worse for Tina later." "I know all that, Delia." "Why should you, because you're guilty of a child's existence allow your remorse to color her life?" "It's your duty to put her into a normal life with toys and games and companions." "You'll do your best." "Here she'd have everything." "Yeah, I know all that." "But I want to take care of Tina myself." "Whatever you do will be of your own free will but it isn't fair to bring up that child alone and you know it." "Let's not decide now." "It's Christmas." "Get that look off your face." "Come on." "My, it's warm and quiet in here, isn't it?" "Yes, I suppose it is." "Do you suppose it's too late for Tina to look at little Miss Dee's dolls?" "I'm afraid all the dolls and toys have been put away for the night." "Look, Tina, the nice lady is going to warm your bed." "Well, we're not so very strict with Tina." "Children who are not handled are apt to become precocious." "Precocious?" "Is that something to do with her insides?" "Can they catch it?" " Are you joking?" " No, ma'am." "Personally, I think it's a great mistake mixing classes, even with children." "Oh, now, go on." "We was children ourselves once and it's only over Christmas." "You'll take to Tina." "Everyone does." " She's a little tartar..." "Hello." "Well, here's Tina." " Are you happy?" "Yes." "Isn't she sweet?" "How's my darling?" "Well." " Hello, darling." " Hello." " Has she been a good girl?" " Of course, miss." " Did you bring her stocking?" " I brought one for her." "Oh, good, Dora." "Come on, darling." "Come on." "We're gonna hang up your stocking and then..." "Miss Force, did you hang a Christmas stocking for Tina?" "I was just going to." "Santa will come down and fill it for you." "Santa Claus in the morning." "Now, prayers and then bed." "Come along, Jimmy, down." "Do you say prayers too, Tina?" " Of course she does." "Three different ones." " Oh, come along, then." "Come on." "Down." "Close your eyes." "Mm-hm." "Now I lay me down to sleep" "I pray the Lord my soul to keep" "My soul to keep" "It..." "It I shall die betore I wake" "I pray the Lord my soul to take" "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "That's right." "What are you doing?" " Tina, darling." "Say amen." " Amen." "That's a good girl." "I'll tuck her in." "That's it." "Remove your robe." "That's my boy." "Here we are." "Let's take your shoes off." "That's it." "There." " Oh, gentle." "See how good they are, Tina." "Good night, Mommy." "Good night, angel." " Say good night to Aunt Charlotte." " Good night." "Good night, Jimmy." "Come on." "Here we go, off to bed." " Good night, Mommy." " Good night, precious." " Say good night to Aunt Charlotte." " Good night, Aunt Charlotte." "Good night, Dee." "Come on, Tina." "Here we go." "Right to bed and wake up in the morning." "Whoops." "Here." "We'll put our feet way down and we'll grow to be a big, tall girl." "That's right." "That's right." "Yes." "You mustn't have a pillow." "That's bad for girls." "There we are." "Now go to sleep quickly." "Santa will come in the morning." "That's right." "Tina, how would you like to cuddle this?" " Good night, dear." " Good night, Mommy." "Good night, Aunt Charlotte." "Aunt Charlotte." "What else can she ever call me but Aunt Charlotte?" ""... shine upon you and be gracious unto you." "The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace both now and in the life everlasting." "Amen. "" "Dora, why are you standing there mooning?" "Well, I thought you was downstairs, miss." "There's a great deal to be done." "Somebody must see that it gets done." "They mustn't miss their train." "Dora, bring Miss Dee's clothes in by the fire." " Yes, miss." " Hurry." "I see no reason for tears." "Well, I can't help it, Miss Charlotte." "I'm that unstrung." "You know me and weddings." "I can't help remembering that 20 years ago, 20 years come this June, in this very room Miss Delia had her near tragedy and I was here." " I remember without being reminded." " I can't help it, Miss Charlotte." "I can't help remembering that five years later right in this room, too, you..." "Dora." "And now it's Miss Delia's own daughter, little Miss Dee." "I hope to heaven this wedding goes through all right." "The orchestra is playing the recessional." "I hardly think anything can happen." "Well, just the same, I'll feel easier in my mind when it's all over." "I must go to Miss Dee's room and see that her luggage is properly taken care of." "Dora, if you can manage to control yourself long enough to get Miss Dee dressed it would be a great help." "I'll try, miss, but I can't give no guarantee." "You must hurry now." " Oh, Dee." " Oh, Mommy, it was so beautiful." "Let me look at you." "My own daughter." "Oh, I can't realize it." "My own daughter grown up and married." "Oh, it is beautiful but it's awful too." "Dee." "Dee, my dear." "You must hurry and catch your train." " Dear Aunt Charlotte." "I caught it." "I caught it." "I caught it." "Tina." "Yes, Aunt Charlotte." " What are you doing?" " Dee threw her bouquet." "I caught it..." "Is that an example for one lady of the house to set for the others?" "Tina, come on." "Go in and help Dee dress, dear." "Come along." "I must go see if Dee's luggage is taken care of." "I'm so happy." "Oh, good gracious." "I thought something had happened." "I'm so happy." "I can't bear it." "Now, go right on crying." "Why, you should." "You're the luckiest girl in the world." "But you've started out right with something old and something new." "Something borrowed and something blue." "Your gentleman has lots of money and your mother has lots of money and there's no war now." "You're a very lucky girl." "I know it." "Here's your blue garter." "May I wear it away?" "Well, of course." "Your mother did and she's always had good luck." "I suppose before we know it, we'll be getting Miss Tina married off." "I'd better buy another pair of blue garters just in case." "Dee." "Oh, Dee, darling, it was so lovely." "Tina, darling, I'm married." "Oh, I'm really married, Tina." "I wish I were." " We were saying you soon will be." " Don't you just love weddings?" "I don't know what there is about them but there's just something in the air." " Think one wedding can lead to another?" " Oh, I thought Lanning's parents objected." "They're downstairs right now glowering at me but I don't care." "I just can't take my eyes off him." "Dee, let's always be happy and let them glower and glower..." "You're mad." "I don't know what we'll do tonight after you've gone." "Dear Aunt Charlotte will probably want to put us all to bed." "Mommy will wanna have a weep and..." " Hasn't Mommy been nice?" " Well, of course." "She's Mommy." " She did look lovely, didn't she?" " Didn't she?" "Are you going to spend your honeymoon with your husband or chattering with Miss Tina?" "Come on, now." "Hurry up." " Here comes the bride." "Darling." "Darling, you've been years." "Aunt Charlotte, you've managed everything beautifully." "We can never thank you enough." "I can't let you go." " Oh, Dee." "Tina, we've said our goodbyes." "Yes, but I want you to tell Lanning goodbye." " Goodbye, Lanning." " Goodbye, Dee." "Dee." " Oh, my big brother, Jimmy." " Darling." "Be good to her, John." " I will." " You'll miss your train." " Here she goes." " Now I've only got Tina left." " Don't worry, Mother, I'm here." " I know, darling." "Goodbye." "Bye." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "There's your boy now, Mr. Halsey." "What are they doing?" "It looks as though a little dance is anticipated." "But what time is it?" "My good mother and father have their eye on us." " They're glowering and glowering." " No, not really." "Won't there be a row about this?" "Well, if we can get the rug up before dear Aunt Charlotte..." "Here she is now." "Tina?" "What are you doing?" "We're rolling up the rugs." "We're going to have a dance." "Wouldn't it be better manners for a lady to ask permission?" "But I did." "I asked my feet and my feet told me." "There has been enough excitement here today." "Perhaps for you, Aunt Charlotte, but not enough for me." "You don't mind if we dance even though Aunt Charlotte does?" "I don't know." "If Charlotte thinks..." "Oh, why must we always abide by what Aunt Charlotte thinks?" "Because she doesn't dance." "She's never danced." "Tina." "I apologize." "We'll all sit around and weep for the departed." "Do you suppose there's any harm in it?" "Personally, I've had one little weep and I expect to have another later." "But right now, I would like one little waltz with my son." "Miss Lovell will you dance with me?" "You heard what Tina said." "I don't dance." "I never have danced." "We must do something about it." "Just look at them." "Don't worry." "We'll pack him off to Paris." "That'll stop it." "She's nothing at all." "Nobody knows where she came from." "A foundling." "Good night, Charlotte." "Good night." "Doctor, dance?" "Oh, Clem." "I shouldn't worry too much about her, Charlotte." "After all, when you and I privately think of Tina's origin it's not too surprising that she has shall we say, spirit, freedom?" "I can see him in every move she makes." "And so can I." "That's why I'm so frightened." "But you've done your best for her." "When one thinks how pleasant it is to live in this house you must feel a sense of satisfaction having found her such a fine home." "If Tina's life has been pleasant in this house it's because of Delia, not I." "Well, we won't go into the sacrifices you've made for the child, Charlotte but Delia has done her best also." "Best to spoil her." "Ever since the first day we came here to live." "Now that her child is married, there's nothing." "Nothing in the world that Tina won't have, can't take for the asking." "Now, now, no more arguments." "You may not believe it but I am ready." "Ready for the dance, huh?" "Aren't you proud of our girl, Aunt Charlotte?" "Do you like me?" " I think I'll be quite a sensation." " Oh, Tina." " Do you like my hair?" " Beautiful." "Do you think people will notice it?" " Tina." "Tina, why must you think people are interested in you?" "Why shouldn't I?" "Aren't they?" "Oh, my dear, what will people think of you if you say such things?" "Exactly what she deserves, probably." "Aunt Charlotte's always finding fault with me." "You're not perfection, my child." "I know someone who thinks I am." "Dear, if you're going, you'd better go." "You're half an hour late already." "It doesn't really matter if one is late to a ball." "Being late anywhere matters more than you think." "Thank you, doctor." "Notice that people who have no regard for punctuality have no regard for other things as well." "I'm going." " Thank you." " The carriage is ready." "The horses don't like standing on a cold night like this." "Oh, fiddle the horses." "Speaking of horses, that reminds me." "My own poor, bedraggled beast has been waiting more than an hour." "Good night, my dears." "And, Tina, don't break all their hearts." " Good night, Dr. Lanskell." " Good night, dear." "You must wear your boots, Tina." "It's snowy outside." "Mommy, must I wear those ugly things?" "Yes, dear, your Aunt Charlotte is right." "I'll appreciate it if you'll come home when the carriage is ready." "Oh, after all..." "I don't expect you to come late with the neighbors as you did before." "Will you tell Aunt Charlotte to stop finding fault?" "Child." "Child." "Somebody must find fault sometimes." "You see?" "You think Mommy spoils me but she doesn't." "She understands me while you don't." "Mommy knows what it is to be young and have people fond of her." "While you, you've never been young." "Tina." "Tina?" "Wait outside, boys." "Come here, Tina." "I want you to promise me, never speak like that to your Aunt Charlotte again." "You heard how she speaks to me." " I only said the truth." " Oh, Tina, dear." "You do understand me, don't you?" "And even..." "Even though I'm not your very own like Dee I feel as if I were." "I can never, never thank you enough for taking me in and treating me as if I were." "I took you in because your Aunt Charlotte wouldn't come to live with me unless I took you too." " Oh, that's all very well to say but would you have wanted her without me?" "Now, tell the truth, Mommy." "I wanted you both." "That's beside the point." "Now, run in and make it up to your Aunt Charlotte." "I will tomorrow." "Lanny's waiting for me." "I've got to go." "I love you so much." "I've got my key, please make Aunt Charlotte go to bed." "If I'm late, she's always pretending she didn't know whether I could get in." "You have forgotten your boots." "Oh, well, it's frozen ground." "It's just a step to the carriage." " Dear, run along." " Oh, mind the cold." "I do wish you were coming, Mommy." "Aunt Charlotte doesn't mind being left alone." "This is a young people's ball, darling." "You're young." "Good night." "Will you ring when you want your hot milk, miss?" "Yes, Dora." "Oh, they go out to play and I don't feel a bit like knitting." "Why do we grow old?" "I suppose you felt you must scold Tina because of the way she talked to me." "I made her realize it was disrespectful." "She thinks I can't understand." "She considers me an old maid." " My dear." " A ridiculous, narrow-minded old maid." "What else can she ever think of me?" "Poor Charlotte." "Oh, but you needn't pity me, because she's really mine." "And if she considers me an old maid, it's because I've made myself one in her eyes." "I've done it from the beginning." "She wouldn't have the least suspicion." "I've practiced everything I've ever had to say to her, if it was important so that I'd sound like an old-maid aunt talking not her mother." "After all, darling, there isn't anything important to say to her now." "She has every attribute of a modern, successful woman." "She's healthy, she's young, she's gay, she's attractive." "I've known for some time the day would come when we would have to talk this out." " What?" " Tina's future." "You've noticed what's been happening since Lanning's been coming here so often." "He's such a nice young man." "Do you dislike him?" "Aren't you jumping to an optimistic conclusion?" "In the first place, we both know Lanning's parents do not consider a marriage to Tina as desirable." "Unfortunately, my girl has no position, no name." "But if it's not to be Lanning, there'll be others." "Good heavens, the girl's not 20 yet." "Wait." "Wait." "Yes." "And if she doesn't wait?" " What do you mean?" " Don't forget, Delia, I know Tina." "After all, she's mine." "I know her better than anyone else in the world every thought, every act, every temptation." "And Lanning is in her mind." " Perhaps, even more..." " You're insinuating that she's..." " I'm remembering myself." " Oh, surely, you trust your own child." "Granny trusted me." "She's perfect." "Let us say, then, she must pay for my imperfections." "All I want is that she shan't pay too heavily." "Delia, you must be tired." "You'd better be getting to bed." "There's no reason why you should wait up for Tina." "Why should you wait up for her either?" "She has the key and the carriage will bring them all home together." "Go along." "I'll turn out the lights." " I hope they've kept your fire up." " I'm sure they have." "If you can't sleep, take one of those pills that Dr. Lanskell left." "I will, thank you." "Good night." "Good night, Delia." "Oh, Tina, Tina, Tina." "My darling little girl, so spoiled, so headstrong." "You know, you shouldn't have gone out without your boots." "You'll walk home with Lanning." "I'm so worried." "Tina." "You walked home with Lanning and without your boots too." "You shouldn't do these things." "Do you know how late it is?" "Tina." "Tina." "Oh, Lanning." "Shh." "You must go." "Not yet." "They're all asleep." "Lanning, this is very wicked of us." "Is it?" "Why?" "You're going away." "To Europe." "I wish you'd come with me." "I wish you wouldn't go." "You don't think I wanna go, do you?" "Then why do you go?" "What else can I do?" "It's Mother and Dad, of course." "They don't like me." "It isn't that they don't like you as a person." "I mean, it's..." "Well, you know how it is in a family like mine." "It's just because I'm not anybody." "Tina, if I had any money of my own, even if I were trained for a job so I could tell them to go to blazes, then things would be different." " What sort of things, Lanning?" " With us, dearest." " You're cold." " No." "Yes." "I don't know." "Tina." "Tina, please don't be angry with me." "You know I can't marry anyone yet." "You're shivering." " I shouldn't have let you walk home." " Oh, I loved it." "I love the snow and the moonlight and the trees." "And being with you at last all alone." "I shall want to die when you've gone." "Oh, dearest." "Tina." "That's the first." "And I'll never kiss anyone but you." "Ever." " Tina." "Mommy." "I've not been able to sleep." "I heard you come in." "It's late." "Yes, Mommy, dearest." "I know it's late." "I'm sorry." " You'd better be leaving now." " Yes, Mrs. Ralston." " Good night." " Good night." " Good night, Tina." " Good night." "It was ever so nice of you not to scold me for being here, Mrs. Ralston." "Don't scold him." "This is Tina's fault." "Not his." "Any man would've done the same had she permitted it." " It isn't her fault." " It doesn't matter who's to blame this time." "I don't want it to happen again." "I hope you both understand that." "But, Miss Charlotte." "Delia, ask him not to come here again." "This is your house or I would ask him myself." "Make Aunt Charlotte take that back, Mommy." "Tell Lanning he's to come whenever he wants to." "Tell him, Mommy." " It's your house, not hers." "Shh." "Tina." "Tina." "It won't be necessary, Mrs. Ralston." "I'm sailing soon." "Next week." "Doesn't make much difference if I'm forbidden in this house or not." "I'd only come back to say goodbye in any case." " Goodbye?" " Yes." "That's the only thing I can say in the circumstances, it seems." " Oh, Lanning." " Good night, Lanning." "I'm sorry if I made you angry, Miss Charlotte." "But it didn't seem a crime to me to stay on at the ball." "It didn't seem a crime to come in for a moment with Tina but if you think it was a liberty, I apologize." "As I said before, it can't happen again." " Good night." " Good night." "Good night, Mrs. Ralston." "And goodbye, Tina." "Aunt Charlotte, wait a minute." "You see what you've done?" "You've driven Lanning away." "No, my child, I have not driven him away." "If he doesn't come here again, it's because he would find it awkward marrying a girl who is so free with her kisses." " That's not true." "That's not true." " It is true." "There is nothing I could say to keep him away if he really cared about you." "He would have cared if you had not sent him away." "I'd have made him care and now I can't." "I'll never forgive you." "Never." "Go to your room, Tina." "I'll go but before I go you've got to know I'm sick of your spying fault-finding and meddling." " No." "You can say what you want to because you understand me and I love you." "But she's just a sour old maid who hates me." " Tina." " I'm young and attractive." "And in love, while she's old and hideous and dried up and has never known anything about love." "I'm sorry, Mommy." "Come up and say good night to me." "Delia." "Delia." "Delia, why don't you turn up the light?" "I wanna talk to you." "There's no fire there." "I'm taking her away." " What?" " Yes, I'm taking Tina away." "It's what I should have done from the beginning, the very beginning when I asked for your help and allowed you to interfere." "I see my mistake now." "Do you realize what you're saying?" "I'm going to take her somewhere where we're not known." "Among plain people living plain lives." "Somewhere they won't know she's a foundling." "Where she can find herself a husband and make herself a home." "You'd take Tina away from me now?" "Away from you?" "Away from..." "From the life you've made such a sacrifice to give her?" "Oh, it would be too cruel." "Even more cruel to her than to me." "What is there ahead for her here?" "A girl without a name, without a penny living among cautious people like the Halseys and their kind." "Delia, you've done a great deal for us in your way and I'm very grateful." "But you see what it's come to tonight." "No." "No, I haven't done all I could but I'm going to now, if you'll let me." "If you mean using your influence with the Halseys thank you, no." "I don't wish a compulsory marriage for my child." "It isn't that." "It's something I've thought since the two of you came here to be with me and Tina began calling me Mommy because Dee did." "I'll adopt Tina legally." "Adopt?" "You adopt Tina?" "If she has my name, the Ralston name and part of the Ralston fortune..." " Why haven't you mentioned this plan?" " I wasn't sure of how you'd take it." "If Tina's to be happy, her position must be made unassailable financially and socially." " I refuse." "But, Charlotte, it won't be like giving her up." "We..." "We can both go on loving her together." "No." "No, this has gone on long enough, this..." "This mistake." " I'm going to take her away." " Then you are going to sacrifice her when she might have everything she wants and you want." "The boy she loves, a home of her own." "Tina said Lanning will love her if she wants him to." "She can make him love her if there's no reason why he shouldn't." "And if she has money of her own and the Ralston name why, the Halseys wouldn't dare find her a bad match for their son." " Mommy, are you coming up now?" "Tina." "I'm sorry." "Delia." "Delia, go on up to her." "And tell her tonight." "She'll be glad to hear it." "Oh, Tina." "Hurry up." "Mommy, do turn around and start us." "Oh, we must stop here." "This is sacrilegious." "Oh, but we're only rehearsing." "Oh, that thing." "It's like me." " It's getting old." " Let it run down, Tina." " You've rehearsed a dozen times already." " Oh, but it's fun." " Feel." "My heart." "Yours too?" " Mm-hm." "Oh, Mommy, darling, you're so sweet." "We can rehearse this thing a hundred times, if necessary." "This is one wedding that must be perfect." " It is perfect." " Thank you, darling." " And then the minister will say..." " And then I'll say, "I do." "I do." "I do. "" " Well, I get to say it first." " And then..." "And then..." "You know, Delia, she's really too happy." "When she talks, she laughs." "When she walks, she dances." "She sings and runs about flinging her happiness into our faces until I'm afraid for her." "Dora, I told cook to count on 200 plates of ice cream tomorrow." " Yes, miss." "Two hundred?" "Charlotte, you've been wonderful." "She's taken over every detail." "You're so sweet." "You've taken trouble as if it was your own wedding." "Thank you, Tina." "I don't think there's anything further to be done tonight." " Except to go to bed." " The bride is to be sent to bed." " Say good night to Lanning." " Go to bed now." "Oh, but, Mommy, I'm not sleepy." "You can rest whether you sleep or not." "You should go up now." "I'll go." " Come to the gate with me." "Not tonight." "It's late." "Say good night to her." "All right." "Good night." "Good night." "Only at the front door." "You must be tired." "Sit down and rest." "The doilies." "I wonder if the new ones arrived." "Maybe they were sent upstairs." " The doilies?" "But haven't we enough?" " Oh, we'll manage perfectly, Delia." " Tina." "Tina, it's late." " Yes, Aunt Charlotte." "Good night, darling." "Well, he's gone." " I'm going up now." " Yes, do, darling." "Will you come up and say good night?" "Of course." "Because tonight it is just like Dr. Lanskell said I am much too happy." "And I'm just a little afraid, though I pretended I wasn't." "It's been so hectic since you adopted me and Lanning's parents decided we might get married." "They've been very sweet to me." "If you hadn't cared to give me your name and the money they wouldn't want Lanning to care." "Oh, nonsense, darling." "But I know, Mommy." "I know what I owe you." "I owe you everything." "Everything and I'm glad." "I used to wonder who I really was but I don't care now." "I'd rather have my mommy for my mother than anyone in this world." "Tina." "You mustn't say such things." "Your Aunt Charlotte's been as much interested as I've been." " And just as generous to you." "Yes, I know." "She gave me my wedding veil." "She asked me to wear the wedding dress she was going to wear too." "But I didn't, I told her I wanted to wear Mommy's." "The one Dee wore at her wedding." "It seems odd anyone ever wanted to marry Charlotte." "There you are tired, chatterbox." "I won't sleep until you come in and tell me good night." " And I've told you I'll come." "Run along." " All right." " Good night, Tina." " Good night." "Mommy, look." "Mommy gave this to me besides all her other presents." "She's always worn it." "That's the very first thing I remember in all my life." "A beautiful lady." "Like a princess." "It's very pretty." "I love it." "Good night." "You were always very kind to me when I was little." "I remember that too." "Good night." "Don't forget, Mommy, I'll be waiting." "Good night." "Good night, Aunt Charlotte." "Hurry, Mommy." "Well, good night, my dear." "Dr. Lanskell?" "Come here a moment." "Do you remember when I stopped Charlotte from marrying Joe?" "At the time it was a sacrilegious thing to lay a hand on another person's destiny." "I thought it was a mistake." "But one never knows what was a mistake and what was not." "We can't turn back the clock and play life over again." "But you see?" "I've carried through and I know I've done right." "I think you've paid for your mistake, if it was a mistake." "Ever since the day Tina went to you instinctively as to a mother you've watched Charlotte turn into a bitter, frustrated woman." "And you've had to live with her and no woman like that was ever easy to live with." "Thank you for realizing that." "And now that Tina's leaving us from tomorrow evening on, till death comes for one of us we'll be sitting here alone together beside the same lamp and an empty house with heaven knows what thoughts to keep us company." "Oh, this isn't like me." "No, it isn't." "Perhaps it's because memories have a way of inviting themselves to the family feasts." "Whether they're invited or not." "Good night, my dear." "Good night, Dr. Lanskell." " Delia." " Yes?" "You're going up now to speak to Tina?" "Well, unless you want to talk to me about something else." "Before she goes to sleep I ought to." "Yes, you think you ought to." "What's the matter, Charlotte?" "You agree a word ought to be said to the child before her marriage?" "And tomorrow, with the excitement, there'll be no opportunity." "So I told her I'd go up." "I understand." "So please understand me when I ask you not to." "No, I don't understand you, Charlotte." "You feel that on the night before her wedding a girl have her mother's counsel?" "Yes." "That's why I must be the one to talk to Tina tonight." "Because just tonight I am her mother." "You're not going to tell her so?" "Not now?" "Would it be such a tragedy for her to find out that I am her mother?" "Oh, I won't let you." " Would you hate me so much if I did?" " Hate?" "What a word between us." "It's the word that has been between us since the beginning, the very beginning." "The day when you found out that Clem Spender hadn't broken his heart." "He wasn't good enough for you." "Since then, you found your revenge and your triumph in keeping me at your mercy in taking his child from me." "You've always believed I've hated you because you've hated me." "For everything I tried to do for you." "Do for me?" "Everything you've done, you've done for him." "You're horrible." "I haven't thought of Clem Spender for years." "Oh, yes, you have." "You have." "In thinking of Tina, you have thought of him." "Of him and nobody else." "A woman never stops thinking of the man she loves." "She thinks of him for years in all sorts of unconscious ways." "In thinking of all sorts of things, a sunset, an old song, a cameo on a chain." "I know because I've thought of him too." "Suppose that's true?" "That's why you took us in, to give his child a home." "She is mine." "Clem didn't love you." "He loved me." "I loved him." "She should have been ours." "I am her mother." "We'll see which one of us is her mother." "You are wicked, Charlotte." "You are wicked." "No." "I'm not wicked." "I never could have done to you what you've done to me." "You made me an old maid." "You divided my child from me." "You adopted her." "You even took away my legal right to her." "You taught her to call you mother." "Well, tonight just tonight, she belongs to me." "That's not too much to ask." "Tonight I want her to call me mother." "Come in, Mommy." "Oh, it's you, Aunt Charlotte." "I thought it was Mommy." "I came in to say..." "You did remember to brush your hair tonight." "Such pretty hair." "Why, Aunt Charlotte, that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me." "I don't say nice things very nicely, Tina." "You must have had..." "I mean, your hair is very pretty too." " There is something else." " Something else nice?" "Oh, please don't bother." "I can do this, Aunt Charlotte." "Oh, your hands are cold." "They're trembling." "You've been working too hard." "Won't you be glad when I'm married, off your hands at last?" "What's the matter, Aunt Charlotte?" "I just came in to say good night and to wish you happiness." "God bless you, my child." "Thank you." "Tina if I've been severe with you at times I haven't meant it." "I love you very much." "After all the mean things I've said to you?" "You didn't mean them, my child." " I really didn't mean them." " I know." "Good night, Aunt Charlotte." "Will you please ask Mommy to hurry up?" "Good night, Tina." " You told her." " Shh." "No." "No, I didn't tell her." "She's waiting for you, Delia." "If she never really belonged to me perhaps it's because her father never really belonged to me either." "They're both yours." "He loved you and she loves you too." "You're the mother she wants." "Go in to her, Delia." "It's not your fault or mine." "Don't feel sorry for me." "After all, she was mine when she was little." "Oh, Charlotte." "Mommy?" "Would you like to do something that would make me very happy?" "Anything, you darling." "It's about your Aunt Charlotte." "What?" "Well, first I want to tell you this:" "She didn't marry a man who loved her very much and who would have given her everything she wanted." " Why?" " Because she wouldn't give you up." "That's why she's an old maid." "Why didn't anyone tell me this before?" "Well, darling, sometimes people don't think." "Sometimes they're selfish." "But you remember and try to make her glad tomorrow of the choice she made without letting her know I told you so." "I've always been so horrid." " And there's one more thing." " Yes, Mommy?" "When you go away tomorrow at the very last moment you understand, after you've said goodbye to me and to everybody else..." "Mm-hm." "...just as Lanning puts you into the carriage lean down and give your last kiss to Aunt Charlotte, will you?" " Yes." " Don't forget, the very last." "I won't forget." "It's late, Miss Charlotte." "Yes, I know, Dora." "There's a big day coming tomorrow." "A beautiful day." "A perfect day." "It ought to make you very happy and proud." "Have a nice trip." " Thank you." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Bye-bye." "Goodbye." "Bye-bye." "Bye." " Goodbye." "Goodbye." " Oh, where's Aunt Charlotte?" "Oh, Charlotte." "Miss Charlotte." " Charlotte." "Yes, Tina?" "Goodbye, Aunt Charlotte." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Bye." "Bye-bye." "Bye." "Bye-bye."