She wouldn’t destroy so _much_. Why she never destroyed anything--a flower--a caterpillar. Don’t you see what I mean, Abbie? This denies so _much_. And then is it true that all this time she wasn’t happy? Why she seemed happy--as trees grow. Did Mr. Norris make her unhappy? Oh, don’t think you shouldn’t talk about it. Don’t act as if I shouldn’t ask. It’s too big for those little scruples. Abbie! I can’t let Bernice’s life go out in darkness. So tell me--just what happened--each little thing. [_MARGARET has taken hold of ABBIE; ABBIE has turned away._] When did you first know she had--taken something? Just what did she say to you about it? I want to know each little thing! I have a _right_ to know. [_A step is heard above._ ABBIE [_As if saved._] Mrs. Kirby’s coming down now. MARGARET I want to talk to you, Abbie, after the others have gone to bed. [_LAURA comes down, ABBIE passes her at the foot of the stairs, and goes through to the kitchen._ LAURA Margaret, what is to be gained in making people feel worse than they need? Craig upstairs--he’s so broken--strange. And even Abbie as she passed me now. You seem to do this to them. And why? MARGARET I don’t do it to them. I’m not very happy myself. LAURA Of course not. None of us can be that. But I believe we should try to bear things with courage. MARGARET That comes easily from the person who’s bearing little! LAURA You think it means nothing to me that my brother has lost his wife? MARGARET Your brother has lost his wife! That’s all _you_ see in it! LAURA I don’t see why you seem so wild--so resentful, Margaret. Death should soften us. [_She takes her old place before the fire._ MARGARET Well I can tell you this doesn’t soften me! LAURA I see that you feel hard toward Craig. But Bernice didn’t. You think he should have come right home. But you must be just enough to admit he didn’t have any idea Bernice was going to be taken suddenly sick. He had been out of the country for three months, naturally there were things connected with his writing to see about. MARGARET Connected with his writing! Laura! Don’t _lie_ about life with death in the next room. If you want to talk at a time like this, have the decency to be honest! Try to see the _truth_ about living. Craig stayed in New York with May Fredericks--and he doesn’t pretend anything else. Stayed there with May Fredericks, continuing an affair that has been going on for the past year. And before it was May Fredericks it was this one and that one. Well, all right. That may be all right. I’m not condemning Craig for his affairs. I’m condemning you for the front you’re trying to put up! LAURA I certainly am not trying to put up any front. It’s merely that there seems nothing to be gained in speaking of certain things. If Craig was--really unfaithful, I do condemn him for that. I haven’t your liberal ideas. [_Slight pause, she takes up her knitting._] It’s unfortunate Bernice hadn’t the power to hold Craig.