(_Dismally._) You have every right to be. (_A pause--Ted goes to window._) PRIMROSE DEANE. I think if I were a gentleman, and had behaved exceedingly rudely to a lady, I should take the first opportunity of begging her pardon, and asking her to--to _try_ and forgive me. TED MORRIS. (_Still at window._) I do beg your pardon, Miss Deane, from the bottom of my heart. And I should like you to forgive me--if you ever could. PRIMROSE DEANE. I don't think that's at all the way anybody ought to ask anybody else's pardon (_looks across at him_) all that way off. And I can't forgive you until I know why you did it. (_A pause._) Why--why did you do it? TED MORRIS. I--I cannot tell you. Please don't ask me. PRIMROSE DEANE. I suppose then I must think what I like? TED MORRIS. (_Gloomily._) I'm afraid so. PRIMROSE DEANE. I--I thought at one time it might be because--(_looking slyly at him_) because I had lost all my money. TED MORRIS. (_Turning suddenly mid eagerly._) Lost all your money? PRIMROSE DEANE. (_Looking carefully away._) Yes. I thought somebody might have told you--people are so fond of telling bad news--and that you didn't care to have anything more to do with me after that. Of course, when people have lost all their money they can't expect people to be so nice as--as they were before. TED MORRIS. (_Who has stood rooted to the ground._) Then that was what that letter was about. It came just at that very time. And--and you have been thinking that of me! (_Rushes across and kneels down beside her, and takes her hands._) Miss Deane--Primrose--let me work for you. Let me take care of you all your life. I can do it now. I feel like a new man. I can face the whole College of Surgeons and the world too, and lick them both. (_His manner grows more and more enthusiastic and joyous._) PRIMROSE DEANE. You--you're not very sympathetic. TED MORRIS. I know I'm a selfish brute. I can't help it. You shan't regret it. I'll make another fortune for you and you shall have it all. Primrose, dear, I love you, I love you. I could not speak when you were rich, but now you are poor I can. You--you do care for me a little, dear. PRIMROSE DEANE. A little, Ted. TED MORRIS. Enough to be my wife? PRIMROSE DEANE. Yes, I think it's enough for that. (_Ted draws her face down and kisses her._) And you don't mind the money either way? TED MORRIS. Of course not, dear. PRIMROSE DEANE. And you care for me just the same, rich or poor? TED MORRIS. (_He sits on arm of chair beside her_.) Now and always, sweetheart, rich or poor. PRIMROSE DEANE. I'm glad of that. I shouldn't like to be cared for merely because I was poor. It would be so awkward if--if one wasn't poor. TED MORRIS. But you are poor? PRIMROSE DEANE. Not--not very, I'm afraid, dear. TED MORRIS. You said you'd lost all your money! PRIMROSE DEANE.