Oh, you look just as you did then--so happy! I nearly died when I came home and saw the change in your face. It seemed to shut me out, like a great iron door. Philo.... You won"t forget again?
_Philo_
Never!
_Reba_
And I may come every day?
_Philo_
Every day!
_Reba_
I"ll help you, Philo. I"ll give you all my hair. (_Lays her head on his shoulder._) And I"ll let you work and not think of me at all. You can live with your stars----
_Philo_ (_kissing her_)
There are no stars!
_Reba_ (_laughing_)
I"ll never be jealous again! (_Gets up._) Come! Let"s see what the d.i.n.ky thing is doing!
(_Goes to table._ PHILO _watches her, slowly repeating her name._)
_Reba_
What a little thing it is! And--there _is_ something fluttering!
(PHILO _crosses, still seeing nothing but the girl._)
_Reba_
See--I"m trying to count--two--three----
(_He looks down, and becomes transfixed._)
_Philo_
Oh, my G.o.d! They"ve changed the signal!... Look, Reba! Count the beats!
Count for me! Count!
_Reba_ (_confused_)
Two--three--no, four----
_Philo_
Can"t you _count_? Get away! (_Pushes her aside._) Two--three--four--three-- They have _changed_ it! Oh, I must answer!
_Reba_
Philo----
_Philo_
Go down!
_Reba_ (_clinging to him_)
I won"t--I won"t----
_Philo_ (_putting her in a chair_)
Sit there, then. And for G.o.d"s sake be still! (_Returns to machine and counts under his breath._) It is true--it is true--and I am not ready! I am dumb, like all the world! I cannot let them know! (_Walks the floor, muttering_) But I will--I must. (_Crosses to window._) I must do it!--think of nothing else--nothing! I shall not sleep till it is done!... But they will call me mad--lock me up before I have finished, G.o.d, before I have finished!
_Reba_
Philo, listen!
_Philo_
It"s the world"s way ... to beat the spirit down ... the eager spirit, superbly sane, daring to pierce the barriers between heaven and earth!
_Reba_
I"ll not sit here! (_She sits nevertheless._)
_Philo_
Oh, Truth-driven martyrs, seers of visions, prophets of the old world and the new, born out of your time to suffer by fire, by sword, and prison bars!
_Reba_ (_cooingly_)
Dear Philo!
_Philo_
I too shall join you! Forerunners of the waking spirit of the world!
(REBA _gets before him as he walks. Completely absorbed, he puts her aside, absently but gently, as if she were a kitten he did not wish to hurt._)
_Philo_
I must finish it--I must--before they beat me down! (_Pauses by machine._) There is no one but me to do it. If I fail they may have to wait another million years--out there--working, waiting. (_Resumes walk._) I shall not fail. I have gone too far. G.o.d will take my part now. Be it His own eternal sign, I will answer it!