{Margaret} (_Wistfully._) I should like to. I should like to. But I can't. {Knox} You must. {Margaret} There are other and greater things that say must to me. Oh, my dear, have you forgotten them? Things you yourself have spoken to me--the great stinging things of the spirit, that are greater than you and I, greater even than our love. {Knox} I exhaust my arguments--but still I love you. {Margaret} And I love you for it. (_Chalmers enters from right, and sees Margaret still caressing Knox's hair._) {Chalmers} (_With mild elation, touched with sarcasm._) Ah, I see you have taken my advice, and reached a decision. (_They do not answer. Margaret moves slowly away and seats herself._) (_Knox remains with head bowed on hand._) No? (_Margaret shakes her head._) Well, I've thought it over, and I've changed my terms. Madge, go with Knox, take Tommy with you. (_Margaret wavers, but Knox, head bowed on hand, does not see her._) There will be no scandal. I'll give you a proper divorce. And you can have Tommy. {Knox} (_Suddenly raising his head, joyfully, pleadingly._) Margaret! (_Margaret is swayed, but does not speak._) {Chalmers} You and I never hit it off together any too extraordinarily well, Madge; but I'm not altogether a bad sort. I am easy-going. I always have been easy-going. I'll make everything easy for you now. But you see the fix I am in. You love another man, and I simply must regain those letters. It is more important than you realize. {Margaret} (_Incisively._) You make me realize how important those letters are. {Knox} Give him the letters, Margaret {Chalmers} So she hasn't turned them over to you yet? {Margaret} No; I still have them. {Knox} Give them to him. {Chalmers} Selling out for a petticoat. A pretty reformer. {Knox} (_Proudly._) A better lover. {Margaret} (_To Chalmers._) He is weak to-day. What of it? He was strong last night. He will win back his strength again. It is human to be weak. And in his very weakness now, I have my pride, for it is the weakness of love. God knows I have been weak, and I am not ashamed of it. It was the weakness of love. It is hard to stifle one's womanhood always with morality. (_Quickly._) But do not mistake, Tom. This of mine is no conventional morality. I do not care about nasty gossipy tongues and sensation-mongering sheets; nor do I care what any persons of all the persons I know, would say if I went away with Mr. Knox this instant. I would go, and go gladly and proudly with him, divorce or no divorce, scandal or scandal triple-fold--if--if no one else were hurt by what I did. (_To Knox._)