"Good morning, my love." "Good morning, my dear" " Smells like good bacon cooking." "So it is." "Every man needs after the sermons to return at home for breakfast with his wife." "Tom Carne,you have been thinking at the stomac, not at the sermons?" "O, my love you keep me as you do..." " ..." "I have no chance to slip when I return to you..." " You have not ansered at my question, Tom Carne." "Oh,only at the end of the sermon I was thinking at the stomac, my love.... ...maybe because I was talking of the calf..... ...or because the smell of the bacon cooking was entring in the chappel," "but it didn't distract me." " Ah!" " Come along, children." "Now, where's that daughter of mine?" "She's making the beds, my love." "She don't get up early enough." "If'n she were up an hour afore, she'd come hear the preacher." "Do her a power of good, like it's done me." "She works well enough, my pet." "I ain't making no complaints." "She helps in the house, in the shop and don't get no money." "So she should, my love." "We keeps her here, we took her in like good Christian folk when she had nowhere to go." "Even putting on weight, she is." "It's your cooking." "Well, breakfast is ready, my pet." "You sit down." " There." " Ah." "Demelza?" "Demelza, breakfast be on the table!" "There, girl." "You noticed her putting on weight, then?" "Course I have." "Skinny little thing she were at first." "It's all that good food these last three months." "And the work 'tain't so hard as 'tis on the farm." "She's mighty fortunate to find her old father wed to as saintly a woman as ever lived." "And a good cook besides." "Go on with you, Tom Carne, you'd flatter a waistcoat off a bee." "Come along, girl." "Your father's waiting to say grace." " No, wait." " Grace now." "For what us are about to receive, may the good Lord make us truly thankful." "Amen." "I was just saying to Mrs Carne that if'n you got up an hour early, you could come to prayers." "Well?" "Leave her be, Tom." "Let her eat her breakfast." "She's my daughter, I've got to think of her soul." "I should never have let her live with strangers." "Too young she were but I were evil then and knew no better." "You've made up for it since." "She got a good home here." "She's got you to thank." "Isn't many a stepmother'd want a full-grown girl to come live, give her a good home and good food besides." " What's the matter with you?" " l feel sick." "That's evil thoughts." "Mayhap you took cold the other day, I told you to wrap up." "Sinful wickedness, how young girls go out with too little on, just so they boys can fill their eyes with them." "No thought of the illness it causes." "So much trouble!" "Mayhap it's not illness, not cold she took but summat else?" "What do you mean by that?" "What I say, Tom Carne, what I say!" "Putting on weight?" "Sick of a morning?" "You've brought five children into the world, you ought to know." "Her?" "That daughter of mine?" "But she isn't wed nor nothing!" "That don't signify, as well you know." "She's a good-looking girl." "Ain't you seen the way the boys all stare at her?" " What's the matter?" " You tell I, my girl." "Nothing. I was sick, that's all." "I ain't sick no more." "Oh, well, it's got to come out." "Ah." "That's putting it exactly, innit?" "!" "You got yourself stuck up, didn't you?" "I won't have such miner's talk in my house!" "The talk's not as coarse as the facts." "We've got a real slut sitting with us at this table." "Whose brat is it, eh?" "Tom Salter's maybe?" "Or George Nester's?" "Which is it?" "I'd better know who cos there's gonna be a marriage afore long." " It ain't neither." " Who, then?" "None of your business." "Ow!" "" "Now, whose brat is it?" "Jimmy Daniels'?" "Vic Calker's?" "Even Cap'n Poldark, maybe." "Here we are, sir." "Here's a lovely piece of beef with pickle on the side." "Now, sit up, sir." "Mr Poldark, sir, I brought your dinner." "Mr Poldark?" "Mr Poldark?" "Mr Poldark!" "Mistress!" "Mistress, come here, quick!" " Mistress Poldark!" " What is it, Mrs Tabb?" "It's him, the master. I think..." " l think he's gone!" " Father?" "Father?" " Where are his smelling salts?" " He had 'em a while ago." "Look in his pockets." " Here they be." "Quick!" " Father?" " Father!" " Mercy on us, he's gone." "Send Tom for Dr Choake, tell him to hurry." "And run up to the mine for Mr Francis." "Hurry!" "Ma'am, aye." "Oh, dear God." "Mercy on us." ""'My darling Francis," ""'how can I bear the long days when you do not come to me?" ""'You said you could not live without me" ""'but every day that passes makes me doubt it." ""'l know I shall see you in a week" ""'but please, please write to me before." ""'Oh, my dearest Francis," ""'l shall be desolate until I hear from you." ""'Your devoted, Anna."'" ""Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live" ""and is full of misery." ""He cometh up and is cut down like a flower." ""He fleeth as it were a shadow" ""and never continueth in one stay." ""ln the midst of life, we are in death." ""Of whom may we seek for succour but of Thee, O Lord," ""who for our sins are justly displeased?" ""Yet O Lord God most holy," ""O Lord most mighty," ""O holy and most merciful saviour," ""deliver us not into the bitter pains of eternal death." ""Thou knowest, Lord, the secrets of our hearts." ""Shut not Thy merciful ears to our prayer" ""but spare us, Lord most holy, O God most mighty," ""O holy and merciful saviour," ""Thou most worthy judge eternal," ""suffer us not at our last hour" ""for any pains of death to fall from Thee." ""For as much as it hath pleased almighty God," ""of His great mercy, to take unto Himself" ""the soul of our dear brother here departed," ""we therefore commit his body to the ground." ""Earth to earth," ""ashes to ashes," ""dust to dust," ""in sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life" ""through Our Lord Jesus Christ," ""who shall change our vile body," ""that it may be like unto His glorious body..."" " Amen." " Amen." "Mistress Poldark?" "I remember when we first met him." "Long before you and Elizabeth were engaged, you were young." "It was at a dinner at Truro, at the Warleggans'." "He seemed such a gruff man." "But I soon saw that beneath all that there was a heart of gold." "No, thank you." "I'm glad you saw him before he died." "He was fond of you." " What will you do now?" " Now?" "Why, I shall go on as before." "I shall live here and become an old maid." "I shall start coming to see you more often." "Old maids have a lot of free time and now Father's gone..." "You may come as often as you like." "And don't settle too soon for being a maiden aunt, it won't suit you." "I must go." "Francis is taking his father's death very hard." "There's more to it than that." "Something has happened between him and Elizabeth." "I don't know what it is but it worries me." " Think of your own life a little more." " l will." " What has happened?" " Nothing." "It's to do with Francis." "What is it?" "I don't wish to talk about it." "Goodbye, Ross." "Thank you for coming." "Come and see me." " Where are they, Blewitt?" " Down the lower level." "Near the old working." "They're swimming about in water." "I'd stay here, Cap'n." " Passed anything back?" " Yeah." "Here, look at it - she's loaded with copper." " Good, rich copper." " It's rich." "Who found it?" "Jedediah, who else?" "Foxy old mole." "Something in copper draws him to it." "He branched off from the old working, says he could sniff it." "'Tis impossible but he found it." "Well done, Blewitt." "Look out for yourself, Cap'n." "Load of water came down with it, swimming about they are!" " Where is it, Jedediah?" " Over 'ere, Cap'n." "Mind how 'e comes - deeper in some parts than others." " Oh..." " Whoops!" " Gets a bit deeper there." "That's it." " l'm all right." "Look at her." "Can you see her?" "She's loaded with it!" " How far does she stretch?" " Ooh, 'tis hard to say." "A fair ways, I reckon." "There's more pound to the ton of this than you're seein', Cap'n." "Good strike, Jedediah." "But that pump will never get rid of this water." "We'll need a much bigger one." " l been thinking about that." " Huh?" "If we can raise it 20 feet then dam 'em up we can release it down a leat to turn a water wheel which could work a pump." "He'd be pumping out more water than he'd be usin'." "Horse whims would do it, if there's enough room." "This calls for a keg of brandy!" "I'll send one over from the house." "When the pump's working, tell the men to break." "Yes, sir!" " Ah!" " Careful." "I'm all right, Jedediah." "Come on, then, you lazy lot!" "Looks a good one, Blewitt." "I'm going back to the house for brandy." "The men can break when the pump is working." "There'll be no more work done this day, then, Cap'n?" "Let the devil do it!" "I've waited a long time for this." "Prudie?" "Prudie, tell Jud to bring up the brandy from the cellar." "The, er, keg of brandy in the cellar - tell Jud to take it to the mine" " and put these out to dry." " Yes, sir." " Celebration?" " We found a rich lode of copper." " That's wonderful." " l'd given up expecting you." " l wasn't sure if I should come." " But you did come." "Yes, I... had to talk to someone." "What has happened?" "I found a letter, by accident, in his pocket." "He's been seeing another woman." "I don't know what to do." "Have you told him that you know?" "Yes." "He didn't deny it." "Oh, he couldn't, after all." "He simply said it hadn't meant anything to him." " Perhaps it doesn't." " It does to me this time." " There have been others?" " Oh, yes, twice before." "There were quarrels and I forgave him but not for this." "Oh, Ross, I've never read anything so humiliating." "You must leave him." "Leave him?" "How can I?" "How can you not?" "Do you love him?" "No." "Then come to me." " To you?" " Yes." " Oh, Ross, if only I..." " Are you afraid?" " Yes!" " Of what?" " Well, I don't know..." " What is the alternative?" "To go on living as man and wife but strangers to each other, or to go back to your father's house?" "Elizabeth..." "Do you love me?" " Yes." " Then what else matters?" " Oh, I must think." " Not too long." " Oh, Ross, don't press me." " l must." "You were afraid once before and I lost you." "I'll not let that happen again." " We'll meet in a few days but not here." " Does he know you're here?" "Yes, I told him, I saw no reason not to but...in future..." "How strange life is, Ross." "You said once there would come a time when I wanted you as much as you wanted me." "And you said it would be my salvation." "is this my salvation, Ross?" "And mine too." "Cap'n Poldark!" "By God, if you were ten years younger and I ten years older." "Age don't matter in the dark, Cap'n." "What would Jud say if he heard that?" "He trusts you." "Of course he do, I wouldn't be sayin' it if he didn't trust me." "You're in fine spirits, sir, I can see that." " l am." " That were brung this morning." " From Jim Carter, innit, sir?" " Yes, it's from Jim." "'Tisn't right that poor lad to be in prison." "He's not strong enough." "Oh, I'll fetch the pie in." "Oh, you didn't find no one yet to put in place of Demelza?" "No." "Have you heard anything of her?" "No, sir, not a word." "'Tis a mystery to me why she up and left like that without a word to no one and takin' nothing wi' her." "Anyway, 'tis too much work for one, sir." "I need some help in the house." "There, there, my boy." "That's it, my Benjy." "Who's my boy, then?" "There you are, my darlin'..." "Come in." "Cap'n Poldark, I didn't hear your horse." "No, I walked over." "How are you, Jinny?" " How's the little one?" " He's comin' on a treat, sir." "Will you sit down, sir?" "Can I get you a mug of water?" "No, thank you, Jinny." "Are you expecting someone?" " No, sir." " Oh." "I received a letter from Jim." " Oh, is he all right?" " Yes." "He enclosed a letter for you." "Oh, well, I don't read too well, sir, could you read it for me?" ""My dearest Jinny," ""this be written by a man in my cell who writes letters, a good friend." ""l am well, my dear." "And you?" "And the little one?" ""l am sending this to Captain Poldark, for l know he'll pay the post," ""him being kind and done so much already." ""l cannot say for truth how much I miss you, for l think I should cry." ""They are moving me to Launceston, which is further and worse, I'm told." ""At least the food here ain't bad." ""Best of all is night." ""l close my eyes and I see you and the little one and our dear home." ""Then I do sleep." ""Hoping this letter finds you well, my dearest Jinny." "Jim."" "The time will soon go." "Four months has gone already." "'Tis his chest that worries me." "They say it's damp in prison and he won't see the sun much." " If you won't take money..." " Oh, no, sir." "My mother helps with the food." "'Tis enough." "And you send things from the house." "I need someone to help Prudie." "She has too much work, even if she were energetic." "She loves work the way the devil loves holy water." "Would you like to help her?" "For wages, of course." " l weren't thinking of that." " What, then?" "Bring the child with you, he'll be no trouble." "Well, think about it." "There's no need to decide now." "I'll write to Jim, tell him I've seen you and that all is well." " Goodbye, Jinny." " Goodbye, sir." "She's been staying with me, sir, a month since." "You should've let me know." "Where did you go when you left the house?" " To Father." " Stayed with him?" "Yes." "We didn't get on, though, so I left." "Sittin' too close to the Lord for my taste, too much praying' and preaching'." "Wouldn't let me go out, wouldn't let me look at anyone." "That were no good, I weren't ready to be an old maid." " Could've told me, Jinny." " l didn't want her to." "I'll be movin' on soon, I wasn't staying' long." " Where will you go?" " l got somewhere to go." "In Illogan. I met this man." "A gentleman." "He's offered me marriage, I've been thinking about it." "Well, goodbye." " Goodbye, Jinny." " Goodbye, sir." "I didn't know he was here, I didn't see his horse outside." " What did he come for?" " He brought a letter from Jim." " How is he?" " Oh, all right, I think." "Cap'n Poldark asked if I'd work at the house." "I said I'd think about it." " You ought to." " l didn't like to." "Felt funny taking your place." "Oh, I didn't have no place there." "Leastways none I wouldn't mind anyone filling'." "Why don't you tell him?" "He'd help, I know he would." "I don't want his help." "I want nothin' from him, nothin'." "Do you know how hard it'll be bearing a child alone, caring for it alone?" "And it growin' up in the world without a name?" "It'll have to fight all the harder." "If'n it's a girl?" "Fight like a man all her life?" "I'll find someone." "Someone who'll take care of us both." "And if'n he don't, what then?" "And mayhap..." "mayhap the child'll live and you won't." "A child born without a name, alone, without father or mother, brother or sister - 'tis a sin, Demelza." "It's worse than the life you had." "Tell him." "You must tell him!" " Jinny Carter's here, sir." " Hm?" " Says her's come to help in the house." " Oh, come in, Jinny." "I thought about it, sir, and I'd like to work here." "Good." "Thank you, Prudie." " Where's the babe?" " Left him with Demelza, sir." "Ah, yes." "I was, er..." "I was surprised to see her there." "I was surprised when she came." "Glad to have her, though." "Were a bit lonely when Jim went." "It's none of my business but..." " ..is she...?" " Yes, sir, she is." "No use asking, I don't know who the father be." "Some lad in Illogan, I think." "I see." "Perhaps that's why she quarrelled with her father?" "Yes, sir, perhaps that's why." " Well, that's a shame." " Yes. 'Twas foolish too, perhaps." "Yes." "Prudie will tell you what to do." "Don't let her gossip all day!" "No, sir." "What a good boy!" "Eating all his food." "Grow big and strong, he will." "Where's Mama gone?" "Say "Mama"." "Go on. "Mama"..." "Come in. "Mama"..." "May I come in?" " Jinny's up at house." " l know." "I came to see you." "He's a fine fella." "Jinny tells me you're expecting a child." "I'd like to help you." " No need for that." " But I'd like to." "Will you, er..." " Will you be married?" " Course I shall." "The father is in Illogan, Jinny says." " What is his work?" " He's a miner." "Would he work for me?" "There's an empty cottage down by the stream." "If he'll come and work here, you can have it." "I'll find some furniture." "He's not just a miner, him's a mining cap'n." "He's a mining cap'n." "He's a gentleman, like I said, and he's desperate to marry me." "Perhaps I will, perhaps I won't." "But if I do, he'll take care of me and he won't want no help from anyone else." "So no need for you to fret for me." "You seem to hesitate to accept his offer." "That's because I met someone else after him, he wants to marry me too." "I see." " You love him and not the first?" " Exactly." " Does he know about the child?" " l ain't told him yet." "Won't make no difference when I do, though." "You've led a very full life since you left." "I haven't hid myself under a barrel, if that's what you mean." "Let's have a little sleep, my darlin'." " Come on, come on." " l can't help you, then?" "You can give me those wages I didn't take before I left." "I'll buy you somethin' nice, won't I?" "Just wages." "Don't want no pay for anything else." "Well, if you change your mind." "Sleepy, sleepy, sleepy." "Sleepy, sleepy..." "Shall I take the port, sir?" "Yes, I've finished, thank you." "Mrs Tabb, I'm going back to the mine." "Will you ask Tom to saddle my horse?" " Aye, sir." " Thank you." "Shall I take Geoffrey for a little walk?" "Yes, he'd like that." "Wrap him up, though, the wind is cold." "I'll get him ready." "I'd like to talk to you, Francis." " l was hoping you'd want to talk again." " l'm leaving you." "You can't be serious." "I've thought about it - l no longer want to live with you." "Oh, Beth..." "Beth, you mustn't be so hard, I know this foolishness must have upset you... I won't discuss it!" "My mind is made up, I wanted only to tell you." "You mean everything is just to be thrown away for a piece of folly?" " Answer me." " There is nothing to throw away." "It's all gone." "I feel nothing for you any more." "I don't blame you entirely, I was not perhaps the right wife for you." "I won't live with this mistake forever, nor need you." "Beth, you're saying this to frighten me." "Make of it what you will but I shall not change my mind." "is it my cousin?" "Oh, Beth." "I've broken with this woman, I'll never see her again, nor any other." "l-l don't know why or how it all began, I've no excuses... I know it may sound absurd to you, perhaps, but I think it was because I was lonely." "W-Well perhaps that does sound absurd, perhaps it is, I... I find it very hard to explain!" "Whatever I say will just sound like feeble excuses but I know I haven't been the best of husbands." "Perhaps I'll never make a good one but I love you enough to try if you'll let me." "I'm sure you would try, Francis, and I do believe in your own way that you love me." "But the fact is I no longer love you." "The ill will I felt when I read that letter is gone but I feel nothing any more so what is the profit of..." "Damn it!" " You have a duty, then!" " So did you!" "Which it has pleased you to ignore on more than one occasion." "Must my duty go on forever while you are to forget yours when it suits you?" "What about..." "little Geoffrey, then?" "I shall take him." "You know he'd be unhappy without me." "Oh, yes." "Yes, you've seen to that." "Oh, that's not fair." "You had time enough to spare for him had you chosen to." "But you had other interests." "I..." "I thought there was more forgiveness in a woman." "Only where she loves." "What is happening between you and Francis?" "I'm leaving him." "You know why." "Yes, he told me." "You've talked with Ross, haven't you?" " Do you think to begin again?" " That's my affair." "Yes, it's your affair." "But when it was mine you were quick with advice." "That was different." "Then it was a matter of the family - your family." "Isn't it now a matter of your family?" " Will you not consider the child?" "!" " l do consider him." "A child shouldn't grow up in a house where his father has such contempt for his mother." " Francis loves you." " No, Francis does not!" "He thinks that he does but I know better." "He valued me more for being prized by his cousin than for what I was." "He does so again now and makes the same mistake." " Then why did you marry him?" " Because I didn't know it then." "And because... I was afraid of life then and I no longer am." "Yes, you were afraid, you've always been and you are still." "You think in choosing Ross now you have found your strength." "But it is cowardice, not courage." "Love is not everything!" "Except for the weak." "There's duty too!" "Are you glad of the duty you chose?" "I have never believed I had an unassailable right to happiness." "Do I?" "You were involved with a man we thought might do you harm." "We were not so far from wrong." "The harm he did was to your brother and father, who tried to protect you." "If you see our two cases as comparable, I cannot." "I love him." "I love your cousin." "If it's strength that's needed to give him up, I haven't got it." "If it's weakness that drives me to him... I'll give up wanting to be strong." "I'm very fond of you, Verity, and I would not easily do anything to hurt you except I cannot live the rest of my life in a barren waste, which is what you ask." "Can you understand?" "I told him." "I took all my courage in my hands and I told him." " Oh, Ross." " What did he say?" "He wants to try again but it's too late." " Does he know?" " About us?" "I think he guesses, but he also knows it's not the cause, only the outcome." "You won't change your mind?" "I made one mistake, I shall not make another." "Oh, Ross, I feel free!" "Free, for the very first time!" "" "Why, 'tis the little'un!" " What's he doin' here, then?" " Demelza brought him." " Where's her gone?" " Oh, Prudie, I don't know what to do." "Oh, come on, now, let me have him!" "Well, well, well, well, well look who's got you now!" "'Tis Prudie." "And if you're not good, I'll put you in the horse trap, you little monkey!" " When will he be back?" " Cap'n?" "Oh, soon, I expect." "Well, what's fretting' you?" "She's gone." "I tried to stop her but she's gone." " Gone where?" " Truro." " Walking?" " Yes." "There's a madwoman - for her'll give birth to a dead'un on the way." "Pray she do, that's what she's gone for." " To get rid o' it?" " Says she knows this woman in Truro." " Says she does it regular." " Aye, I heard o' her." "Doesn't stay round long enough to find out what happens." "Takes her money and leave it all in the lap of the Almighty." "Like as not, there'll be two dead afore morning'." "May as well put her money in the poor box and jump off a cliff." " She wouldn't listen." " No." "Take wild horses to hold Demelza when she's made her mind up." "Oh, what she wanna do it for, though?" " l thought she were gonna get married." " No, Prudie, there were no one." " Wasn't there some man in Illogan?" " No." "No, never is when it comes to it." "Oh, they're all the same." "Have their pleasure and go and leave her take care of herself." "Oh, the poor little mite." "# Poorest mite as ever were born" "# Poor little maiden all forlorn" "# Poor little lamb so cruelly shorn" "# Poor little maiden all forlorn... #" "What's this?" "A wake?" "Aye, could be, who knows?" "What's the babe doing here?" "You didn't have him with you this morning." " Demelza bring 'im." " Demelza?" "We'll leave if that's all 'e can say to a poor babe that's never done 'e no harm." " Oh, for heaven's sake!" " It don't do no good cursing'!" "Him can curse all 'e likes but us knows best, don't us, my petal?" "Nurse Prudie knows best." " What's the matter with her?" " Don't know, sir." "Mayhap she's upset." "Why did Demelza bring the baby?" " Has she left?" " Yes, sir." " Where has she gone?" " Truro." "Truro?" "I thought her destiny lay in Illogan." "Why has she gone to Truro?" "What is it?" "What's happened?" "Why did she go?" " Who took her?" " No one, she walked." "What has she gone for, is she mad?" " Tell me, woman!" "Why has she gone?" " To get rid o' it." " Why?" " Cos she got no one." " But I offered to help." " She didn't want no help." "Well, she must do as she must." "Cannot help someone who will not be helped." "She's a grown woman, her life is her own." " She ought to be brought back." " It's not for me to bring her back." "You couldn't stop her, how can I?" "Someone ought to bring her back." "whwther she wants it or no." "'Tisn't something I'd like done to me." "I'm not her keeper." " What of the man in Illogan?" " There weren't one." "Well, the other one?" "The man she met after?" "Well, there must have been someone." "Where is he?" "Where is the father?" "Well, tell me." "It's mine, isn't it?" "The child is mine." "Whoa!" "Whoa, boy, whoa!" "Demelza!" "We're going back." "Demelza!" "Demelza!" " Let go, let go!" " You're coming back!" "I'm not!" "Let go of me!" "Let go!" "Demelza!" "Demelza!" "Let me go!" "No, I won't go!" "Let me go!" " Ow!" " Oh!" "Ah!" "Let me go!" "No!" " Let me go!" " For God's sake!" " You've got no right!" " Demelza!" " Let me go!" " You're coming back!" "I don't want to." "I won't come back, I won't!" "Oh, let me go!" "You're hurting me!" "Oh, please, let me go." "Please, please." "Oh, God, oh, God." " l'm taking you back." " You got no right." " l think I have." " 'Tain't yours." "I know Jinny said but she don't know." "'Tain't yours, 'tis somebody else's." "Whose?" " l ain't sayin'." " Look at me." "Look at me!" "Tell me the child is not yours and mine." "Tell me." "'Tweren't nothin'." "It just happened." "'Tweren't made out of love." "It was made out of yours." " Come on." " Oh, please, Ross." "Let me go. 'Tain't nothin' to do with you." "'Tain't nothin' you should think of." "Tomorrow it'll be gone." "And you too." "Take more than that to see me off." "Oh, Ross, please." "That's the first time I called you Ross." "'Tain't nothin' to do with you." "'Tisn't your fault, 'tis mine." " What would I do with a babe all alone?" " You won't be alone." "We'll be married." "No." "No, you don't want that." "I will come back but not for that." "The child's mine too." "It'll have a name." "My name." "Now, there'll be no more arguing." "What are you saying to me?" "That you're going to marry this girl?" "Yes." "Because she's bearing your child?" "Yes." "I don't understand you." "You say you're not in love, yet you feel something for her." " l must marry her." " But why?" "What of me?" "You said you loved me." "Only yesterday, you... lt was you who pressed me to break with Francis." "Do you now turn around and tell me it was all a mistake?" "Am I to be picked up and dropped so easily?" "Do you owe nothing to your promise to me?" " Do I mean so little to you?" " You mean everything to me." "What is she to you, then?" "Hard to explain. I... I feel responsible for her." "When I brought her here..." "Oh, yes, I'm aware of how and when you brought her here." "There was gossip enough about it." "Gossip l chose to ignore." " l can see now I was mistaken." " You were right to ignore it." "There was no foundation for it." "None?" "It happened once, Elizabeth." "She left the day after." " You asked her to leave." " Yes." "You saw what she'd become." "She became nothing she was not before." "I thought it wiser, that's all." "Naturally, you were protecting your reputation." "I was protecting hers." "Did you seduce her, then?" "In a way, I suppose I did." "Well, did you or did you not?" "I gave her the impression that I needed her." "I perhaps played on her feelings." "And she, being generous, responded." "You draw a very fine picture, Ross." "Your sensibilities do you credit, for you avoid saying the one thing about her that's plain to any woman, that she is a trollop!" "You have an unshakeable conviction that she has only herself to blame and deserves all she gets." "Try to understand it differently." "I feel an obligation to her." "Why?" "Perhaps because she was so young when I brought her here." "Haven't you more than met your obligations?" "If you'd asked me that a week ago I would have said yes." "But now..." "How do you know the child is yours?" "I believe it to be mine." "There's no way I can prove it to you." "There is no way she can prove it to you either." "No." "Ross..." "Listen to me." "Even granting her child is yours, you're not required to marry her." "She doesn't expect it." "You can support her and the child but why must you take it upon yourself to marry her?" "Have you thought of the barriers between you of class and culture, of manners and taste?" "How can she cross them?" "You'd be forever leaving her behind." "Only yesterday, you said you loved me." " Has that changed?" " No." "Oh, give up this folly, Ross." "For it is a folly." "As mine was four years ago, this is now." "Give it up, I beg you."