Well, you see for myself I haven’t any honor to worry about, and haven’t had for some time. So I thought, if the sacrifice of a woman’s honor is going to save, a man’s life, let me, who have none, nobly sacrifice mine. MOTHERLY ONE What do you mean, you haven’t had any honor for some time? SCORNFUL ONE Oh, I haven’t had my honor around with me since I was seventeen. MOTHERLY ONE [_Kindly._] Do you miss it? SCORNFUL ONE Well--yes; sometimes when I’m tired I might like to slump back into it. You see honor camouflages so many things--stupidity, selfishness--greed, lust, avarice, gluttony. So without it you’re almost forced to be a decent sort--and that’s sometimes wearing. [_In another voice._] But I’ll tell you why I’m really here! When men begin to sob around about woman’s honor they get my goat. That lawyer--he thought he was going to get away with it. Why, woman’s honor would have died out long ago if it hadn’t been for men’s talk about it. MOTHERLY ONE I suppose it really has to be kept up, as long as it gives men such noble feelings. SCORNFUL ONE That man--the one when I was seventeen--_he’s_ that sort. He would be of course. Why, this instant his eyes would become “pools of feeling” if any one were to talk about saving a woman’s honor. [_Under her breath._] Gee! MOTHERLY ONE [_With a diffident glance at the SHIELDED ONE._] If she _is_ here, she must be feeling quite upset. If she cares enough about her honor to have held back this long--it can’t be easy to let it go. SCORNFUL ONE She’ll be better off without it. MOTHERLY ONE I don’t know. You see, she’s had it quite a while. She’s used to it. I was thinking-- [_The door opens and a brisk young woman dressed in cheap, up-to-the-minute clothes darts in. All turn and look at her, continue to stare. Something in this scrutiny becomes disconcerting._ MERCENARY ONE While he was busy with the other women--I just slipped by. Is this--? [_Sees the young man, now huddled in terror._ SCORNFUL ONE Sit down and wait your turn. MERCENARY ONE Are all of you ahead of me? SCORNFUL ONE Your number seems to be five. [_Number five sits down; a pause in which they continue to look at her in this unusual way--she finally rather indignantly settles her coat, her hat, assuring herself nothing is the matter with her._ MOTHERLY ONE You look young for this. MERCENARY ONE Well, if you’ll excuse my saying so, the same objection can’t be made to some of you. SCORNFUL ONE What are you here for? MERCENARY ONE Oh, I guess I’m here for about the same reason all of you are here. MOTHERLY ONE But we are here for different reasons. MERCENARY ONE Say, what are you tryin’ to put over on me? Suppose I think you’re here for your health? Or out of kindness? Or to show your great beauty? Hard-_ly_. Anybody not feeble-minded could dope out why you’re sitting here like owls. SCORNFUL ONE Well--why? MERCENARY ONE Oh, not for _money_, of course.