But she isn't there.... Cousin Fanny isn't there. ... She's here.... She's over here with us... over here with _us_! Mary Thinker Here with us... over here, forever, now. Mary Speaker [_Holding John Speaker's hand and gazing at vacant chair_.] How beautiful she looks! She is at rest, now! She is better off so. Better dead. She is better at peace! John Thinker [_Violently; starting towards other room_.] My God. I'm going to stop it... stop it... stop that lying... stop it at any cost.... I'm going to stop that pretending... that damned pretending.... Mary Thinker [_Quickly getting in front of him; holding him back._] What are you going to do? John Thinker Stop it, I tell you.... Tell the truth... stop that pretense.... [_Moves towards the other room. As he does so, Mary Speaker and John Speaker, for the first time become aware of John and Mary Thinker, and shrink back in terror and alarm, clinging together, confused, convicted, abject, retreating, powerless; Cousin Fanny leaps in front of John Thinker at same instant, and bars him back, saying:_] Cousin Fanny Stop! John Thinker Why? I _will_ stop this pretense... Why not? Cousin Fanny [_All four of the others lean forward and hang eagerly upon her words_.] You must not. It can't be done. It is the foundation upon which your society rests. It is necessary..._ over there!_ CURTAIN End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Carter, and Other People, by Don Marquis