CLAIRE: (_over the flower_) Breath of Life--you here? Are you lonely--Breath of Life? TOM: Claire--hear me! Don't go where we can't go. As there you made a shell for life within, make for yourself a life in which to live. It must be so. CLAIRE: As you made for yourself a shell called beauty? TOM: What is there for you, if you'll have no touch with what we have? CLAIRE: What is there? There are the dreams we haven't dreamed. There is the long and flowing pattern, (_she follows that, but suddenly and as if blindly goes to him_) I am tired. I am lonely. I'm afraid, (_he holds her, soothing. But she steps back from him_) And because we are tired--lonely--and afraid, we stop with you. Don't get through--to what you're in the way of. TOM: Then you don't love me? CLAIRE: I'm fighting for my chance. I don't know--which chance. (_Is drawn to the other chance, to Breath of Life. Looks into it as if to look through to the uncaptured. And through this life just caught comes the truth she chants._) I've wallowed at a coarse man's feet, I'm sprayed with dreams we've not yet come to. I've gone so low that words can't get there, I've never pulled the mantle of my fears around me And called it loneliness--And called it God. Only with life that waits have I kept faith. (_with effort raising her eyes to the man_) And only you have ever threatened me. TOM: (_coming to her, and with strength now_) And I will threaten you. I'm here to hold you from where I know you cannot go. You're trying what we can't do. CLAIRE: What else is there worth trying? TOM: I love you, and I will keep you--from fartherness--from harm. You are mine, and you will stay with me! (_roughly_) You hear me? You will stay with me! CLAIRE: (_her head on his breast, in ecstasy of rest. Drowsily_) You can keep me? TOM: Darling! I can keep you. I will keep you--safe. CLAIRE: (_troubled by the word, but barely able to raise her head_) Safe? TOM: (_bringing her to rest again_) Trust me, Claire. CLAIRE: (_not lifting her head, but turning it so she sees Breath of Life_) Now can I trust--what is? (_suddenly pushing him roughly away_) No! I will beat my life to pieces in the struggle to-- TOM: To _what_, Claire?