Theft Part 49

{Margaret}

(_Confronting Chalmers and thrusting him slightly back from Knox, and continuing to hold him off from Knox._) No, Tom, no dramatics, please. This excitement of yours is only automatic and conventional. You really don't mean it. You don't even feel it.

You do it because it is expected of you and because it is your training. Besides, it is bad for your heart. Remember Dr. West's warning--

(_Chalmers, making an unusually violent effort to get at Knox, suddenly staggers weakly back, signs of pain on his face, holding a hand convulsively clasped over his heart. Margaret catches him and supports him to a chair, into which he collapses._)

{Chalmers}

(_Muttering weakly._) My heart! My heart!

{Knox}

(_Approaching._) Can I do anything?

{Margaret}

(_Calmly._) No; it is all right. He will be better presently.

(_She is bending over Chalmers, her hand on his wrist, when suddenly, as a sign he is recovering, he violently flings her hand off and straightens up._)

{Knox}

(_Undecidedly._) I shall go now.

{Margaret}

No. You will wait until Linda comes back. Besides, you can't run away from this and leave me alone to face it.

{Knox}

(_Hurt, showing that he will stay._) I am not a coward.

{Chalmers}

(_In a stifled voice that grows stronger._) Yes; wait I have a word for you.

(_He pauses a moment, and when he speaks again his voice is all right._)

(_Witheringly._) A nice specimen of a reformer, I must say. You, who babbled yesterday about theft. The most high, righteous and n.o.ble Ali Baba, who has come into the den of thieves and who is also a thief.

(_Mimicking Margaret._) "Ah, you flame, you flame!"

(_In his natural voice._) I should call you; you thief, you thief, you wife-stealer, you.

{Margaret}

(_Coolly._) I should scarcely call it theft.

{Chalmers}

(_Sneeringly._) Yes; I forgot. You mean it is not theft for him to take what already belongs to him.

{Margaret}

Not quite that--but in taking what has been freely offered to him.

{Chalmers}

You mean you have so forgotten your womanhood as to offer--

{Margaret}

Just that. Last night. And Mr. Knox did himself the honor of refusing me.

{Knox}

(_Bursting forth._) You see, nothing else remains, Margaret.

{Chalmers}

(_Twittingly._) Ah, "Margaret."

{Knox}

(_Ignoring him._) The situation is intolerable.

{Chalmers}

(_Emphatically_). It is intolerable. Don't you think you had better leave this house? Every moment of your presence dishonors it.

{Margaret}

Don't talk of honor, Tom.

{Chalmers}

I make no excuses for myself. I fancy I never fooled you very much. But at any rate I never used my own house for such purposes.

{Knox}

(_Springing at him._) You cur!

{Margaret}

(_Interposing._) No; don't. His heart.

{Chalmers}

(_Mimicking Margaret._) No dramatics, please.