DR. ALLIOT. Stifle. Like a snake that can’t cast its skin. Grow or perish--it’s the law of life. And so, when this young generation--yours, not mine, Hilary--decided that the marriage laws were, I won’t say evil, but outgrown, they set to work to change them. MISS FAIRFIELD. You needn’t think it was without protest, Hilary. I joined the anti-divorce league myself. DR. ALLIOT. No, it wasn’t without protest. Mrs. Grundy and the churches are protesting still. But in spite of protest, no man or woman to-day is bound to a drunkard, an habitual criminal, or-- HILARY. Or--? DR. ALLIOT. Or to a partner who, as far as we doctors know-- HILARY. But you can’t be sure! DR. ALLIOT. I say as far as we know, is incurably insane--in practice, is insane for more than five years. HILARY. And if he recovers? Look at me! DR. ALLIOT. [_With a sigh_] “It is expedient--” HILARY. And you call that justice! MARGARET. At least call it mercy. All the days of your life to stand at the window, Hilary, and watch the sun shining on the other side of the road--it’s hard, it’s hard on a woman. DR. ALLIOT. At least call it common sense. If a man can’t live his normal life, it’s as if he were dead. If he’s an incurable drunkard, if he’s shut away for life in prison-- HILARY. But I’m not a drunkard. I’m not a convict. I’ve done nothing. I’ve been to the war, to fight, for her, for all of you, for my country, for this law-making machine that I’ve called my country. And when I’ve got from it, not honourable scars, not medals and glory, but sixteen years in hell, then when I get out again, then the country I’ve fought for, the laws I’ve fought for, the woman I’ve fought for, they say to me, “As you’ve done without her for fifteen years you can do without her altogether.” That’s what it is. When I was helpless they conspired behind my back to take away all I had from me. [_To_ MARGARET] Did I ever hurt you? Didn’t I love you? Didn’t you love me? Could I help being ill? What have I done? SYDNEY. You died, Father. MARGARET. Sydney, don’t be cruel. MISS FAIRFIELD. Ah, we cry after the dead, but I’ve always wondered what their welcome back would be. HILARY. Well, you know now. DR. ALLIOT. I don’t say it isn’t hard-- HILARY. Ah, you don’t say it isn’t hard. That’s good of you. That’s sympathy indeed. And my wife--she’s full of it too, isn’t she? “Poor dear! I was married to him once. I’d quite forgotten.” MARGARET. For pity’s sake, Hilary! DR. ALLIOT. Why, face it, man! One of you must suffer. Which is it to be? The useful or the useless? the whole or the maimed? the healthy woman with her life before her, or the man whose children ought never to have been born? HILARY. [_In terrible appeal_] Margaret! SYDNEY. Is that true, Dr. Alliot? Is that true? MARGARET. [_Her voice shaking_] I think you go too far. DR. ALLIOT. Mrs. Fairfield, in this matter I cannot go too far.