_E._ No, I was reading an old letter—one by which a man put himself out of misery. Your last letter, in fact. _H._ My last letter? _E._ Yes. MARY ANN _brings in the tea, and as_ ESTHER _moves things on the table, she hands him_ DR. TENNANT’S _letter by mistake_. HAROLD _glances at it and looks up surprised, but_ ESTHER _does not see him_. _H._ Am I to read this? _E._ Certainly. MARY ANN _leaves the room_. ESTHER _busies herself with the tea-things_. _H._ (_having read the letter—stiffly_). Very elegant penmanship. _E._ (_surprised but indifferently_). I had not thought of that. (_A pause._) _H._ (_glancing at the letter again_). I fancy the writer did. _E._ (_coldly_). Possibly. (_Aside._) Oh, why did I show it to him? I would not have believed he would be so hard. (_Aloud._) Rather a forcible style, I think. _H._ Stiff, rather than forcible, I would suggest. _E._ (_with suppressed feeling_). Your criticisms are less pointed than usual. If you had said unnatural it might express your meaning still better. _H._ (_a little irritated_). He is a fortunate man who is able to express himself with such justness and freedom from exaggeration. _E._ It seemed to me exaggerated at the time. _H._ (_with mock admiration_). Oh, how can you say so! It is positively Grandisonian—almost Chesterfieldian. (_Aside._) And utterly detestable. _E._ (_almost with tears_). I was wrong to fancy you would be interested in such a trifle. Please give it back. _H._ (_politely, handing it to her_). Not at all. Certainly, the writer deserves the lasting happiness he refers to. (_Aside._) And I wish it were nothing to me—if he gets it or not. _E._ What do you mean? Is this what I gave you? Oh, dear! (_Much embarrassed._) It was the wrong one! Never mind. Here is your tea. _H._ (_takes the cup, after a short pause_). I feel as if I had forced myself into your confidence. _E._ You need not. It was my own stupidity, of course. _H._ (_tastes his tea_). Might I see the other one? _E._ Yes. (_Gives it to him._) _H._ (_reads it while_ ESTHER _watches him_). Yes; well, I might have said more. But that was enough. _E._ Yes, that was, as the children say, a great plenty. Oh, I neglected your tea! One lump, or two? _H._ (_thoughtfully_). One. I wonder if it has? _E._ What has? _H._ Heaven. _E._ Heaven has what? _H._ Forgiven you. _E._ I think so, by this time. It doesn’t bear malice. Cream? _H._ Yes—prussic acid—anything. Thank you. You do not ask whether I have or not. _E._ No. I understood you shifted the responsibility once for all. (_Sipping her tea._) _H._ Perhaps I did. It is generally once for all with me. _E._ Is it? It is better to have all—for once. It is broader. It is more liberal. It is my motto. _H._ Yes. So it was then. I have heard there is safety in numbers. (_Aside._) If I believed that, I should begin to repeat the multiplication-table. I shall never be in greater need of it. _E._ Not always.