Lock your trunk! But you’ve not _packed?_ JANET Oh yes, I have. Everything’s packed, down to my last shoelace. I don’t know how often I haven’t packed and unpacked during the last five days. MRS. DE MULLIN _(astonished and hurt)_ You meant to leave us then, Janet? You’ve been _wanting_ to leave us all the time? JANET Yes, mother. I’ve been wanting to leave you. I can’t stay here any longer. Brendon stifles me. It has too many ghosts. I suppose it’s your ridiculous De Mullins. DE MULLIN Janet! JANET I know, father. That’s blasphemy, isn’t it? But I can’t help it. I must go. I’ve been meaning to tell you every day for the last four days, but somehow I always put it off. DE MULLIN Understand me, Janet. If you leave this house to-night you leave it for ever. JANET _(cheerfully)_ All right, father. DE MULLIN _(growing angrier)_ Understand, too, that if you leave it you are never to hold any communication either with me or with any one in it henceforward. You are cut off from the family. I will never see you or recognize you in any way, or speak to you again as long as I live. JANET _(astonished)_ My dear father, why are you so angry? Is there anything so dreadful in my wanting to live in London instead of in the country? DE MULLIN _(getting more and more excited)_ Why am I angry! Why am I...! MRS. DE MULLIN Sh! Hugo! You mustn’t excite yourself. You know the doctor said... DE MULLIN Be quiet, Jane! _(turning furiously to Janet)_ Why am I angry! You disgrace the family. You have a child, that poor fatherless boy.... JANET _(quietly)_ Oh come, I could have got along quite well without a father if it comes to that. And so could Hester. MRS. DE MULLIN Janet! JANET Well, mother, what has father ever done for Hester or me except try and prevent us from doing something we wanted to do? Hester wanted to marry Mr. Brown. Father wouldn’t have allowed her. He’s not genteel enough to marry a De Mullin. I want to go back to my shop. Father objects to that. That’s not genteel enough for a De Mullin either. Well, hang all the De Mullins, say I. DE MULLIN _(furious)_