MADELINE: As great as the danger of staying within--and becoming like the thing I'm within? HOLDEN: You wouldn't become like it. MADELINE: Why wouldn't I? That's what it does to the rest of you. I don't see it--this fullness of life business. I don't see that Uncle Felix has got it--or even Aunt Isabel, and you--I think that in buying it you're losing it. HOLDEN: I don't think you know what a cruel thing you are saying. MADELINE: There must be something pretty rotten about Morton College if you have to sell your soul to stay in it! HOLDEN: You don't 'sell your soul'. You persuade yourself to wait. MADELINE: (_unable to look at him, as if feeling shame_) You have had a talk with Uncle Felix since that day in the library you stepped aside for me to pass. HOLDEN: Yes; and with my wife's physician. If you sell your soul--it's to love you sell it. MADELINE: (_low_) That's strange. It's love that--brings life along, and then it's love--holds life back. HOLDEN: (_and all the time with this effort against hopelessness_) Leaving me out of it, I'd like to see you give yourself a little more chance for detachment. You need a better intellectual equipment if you're going to fight the world you find yourself in. I think you will count for more if you wait, and when you strike, strike more maturely. MADELINE: Detachment. (_pause_) This is one thing they do at this place. (_she moves to the open door_) Chain them up to the bars--just like this. (_in the doorway where her two grandfathers once pledged faith with the dreams of a million years, she raises clasped hands as high as they will go_) Eight hours a day--day after day. Just hold your arms up like this one hour then sit down and think about--(_as if tortured by all who have been so tortured, her body begins to give with sobs, arms drop, the last word is a sob_) detachment. HOLDEN _is standing helplessly by when her father comes in_. IRA: (_wildly_) Don't cry. No! Not in this house! I can't--Your aunt and uncle will fix it up. The law won't take you this time--and you won't do it again. MADELINE: Oh, what does _that_ matter--what they do to _me_? IRA: What are you crying about then? MADELINE: It's--the _world_. It's-- IRA: The _world_? If that's all you've got to cry about! (_to_ HOLDEN) Tell her that's nothing to cry about. What's the matter with you. Mad'line? That's crazy--cryin' about the world! What good has ever come to this house through carin' about the world? What good's that college? Better we had that hill. Why is there no one in this house to-day but me and you? Where's your mother? Where's your brother? The _world_. HOLDEN: I think your father would like to talk to you. I'll go outside--walk a little, and come back for you with your aunt. You must let us see you through this, Madeline. You couldn't bear the things it would bring you to. I see that now. (_as he passes her in the doorway his hand rests an instant on her bent head_) You're worth too much to break.