_Philo_ (_coming to table_)
I will work--work--work! (_Busies his hands._) Not a voice to help me--not a smile of hope--not a touch of sympathy. (_Sits still and despairing._) ... Perhaps the time is not ripe for larger knowledge.
Nature and the Divinity that guides her must protect their new evolving creatures. A too sudden revelation and they might perish from sheer wonder.... Yes, truth must come softened, as a dream, to the man child"s brain. Its naked light would sere and blind him forever.... But to me it has been given to see--to hear--and keep sane in the light. Oh, from what planet is the call? From what one of the hundred million spheres?
How many centuries has it been sent outward to the deaf, the dumb, and the blind? And what is the word? Is it Hail? Help? Hope?... Or is it an answer? An answer to some signal of mine? How shall I know?... How shall I know?
(_There is a noise outside the window._ PHILO _does not look up._ REBA _appears and leaps lightly through the windows. Advances centre.
Her dress is of clinging black, relieved by a floating scarf of cloudy white. She has a ma.s.s of blonde hair, and all the charms properly belonging to her age, which is eighteen._)
_Reba_
Philo!
_Philo_ (_turning_)
Reba!
_Reba_
Don"t be angry.
_Philo_
How did you get here?
_Reba_
The window. Don"t you remember--you showed me how to climb up once--with a ladder--the tree--and the shed roof? Oh, the things you"ve forgotten, Philo!
(_He goes to door and unbolts it._)
_Philo_
You must go down, Reba. (_She does not move._) What will mother say?
_Reba_ (_laughing_)
She held the ladder for me.
_Philo_
Mother?
_Reba_
You"ve frightened her so. You mustn"t bolt the door again. She"s afraid you"ll do something dreadful.
_Philo_
You were not afraid to come.
_Reba_
I like to take risks. Life"s dull in this village.
_Philo_
How you"ve changed, Reba!
_Reba_
It"s taken you long enough to find it out. I"ve been back a month.
_Philo_
You"d better go down. I"m very busy, and I"ve had a long interruption this evening.
_Reba_
I"m going to interrupt some more. Dr. Seymour says it"s good for you.
_Philo_ (_angrily_)
Dr. Seymour knows you"ve come?
_Reba_
Yes. He said you might like the surprise. Don"t you like it, Philo?
(_Comes near him._ PHILO _turns away and busies himself about the table and shelves as if he meant to ignore her utterly._ REBA _watches him, then goes to window and takes a large apple from the ledge. Comes back._)
_Reba_
I brought you an apple--such a love of an apple. There"s a whole summer of sunsets in it. I climbed the tree myself.
_Philo_ (_not looking_)
Thank you; I don"t eat.
_Reba_
Don"t eat! Well, there it is! (_Throws it on the table. He jumps to protect his instrument._) You can _lick_ it when you"re hungry!
(_He sits down and begins to work. She walks to other side of table and picks up a book._)
_Reba_
Oh! Our old "Swiss Family Robinson"! The very one we read together! With our names in it! You"ve kept it all the time! (_Hugging it._) Dear old book! (_Turns the leaves._) Why--the leaves are half gone!