NED. Then I shouldn"t.
LORETTA. But I ought to marry him.
NED. _Ought_ to marry him? [LORETTA nods.] That is a strong word.
LORETTA. [Nodding.] I know it is. [Her lips are trembling, but she strives for control and manages to speak more calmly.] I am a wicked woman. A terrible wicked woman. No one knows how wicked I am . . .
except Billy.
NED. [Starting, looking at her queerly.] He . . . Billy knows? [LORETTA nods. He debates with himself a moment.] Tell me about it. You must tell me all of it.
LORETTA. [Faintly, as though about to weep again.] All of it?
NED. [Firmly.] Yes, all of it.
LORETTA. [Haltingly.] And . . . will . . . you . . . ever . . . forgive . . . me?
NED. [Drawing a long, breath, desperately.] Yes, I"ll forgive you. Go ahead.
LORETTA. There was no one to tell me. We were with each other so much.
I did not know anything of the world . . . then. [Pauses.]
NED. [Impatiently.] Go on.
LORETTA. If I had only known. [Pauses.]
NED. [Biting his lip and clenching his hands.] Yes, yes. Go on.
LORETTA. We were together almost every evening.
NED. [Savagely.] Billy?
LORETTA. Yes, of course, Billy. We were with each other so much . . .
If I had only known . . . There was no one to tell me . . . I was so young . . . [Breaks down crying.]
NED. [Leaping to his feet, explosively.] The scoundrel!
LORETTA. [Lifting her head.] Billy is not a scoundrel . . . He . . . he . . . is a good man.
NED. [Sarcastically.] I suppose you"ll be telling me next that it was all your fault. [LORETTA nods.] What!
LORETTA. [Steadily.] It was all my fault. I should never have let him.
I was to blame.
NED. [Paces up and down for a minute, stops in front of her, and speaks with resignation.] All right. I don"t blame you in the least, Loretta.
And you have been very honest. It is . . . er . . . commendable. But Billy is right, and you are wrong. You must get married.
LORETTA. [In dim, far-away voice.] To Billy?
NED. Yes, to Billy. I"ll see to it. Where does he live? I"ll make him. If he won"t I"ll . . . I"ll shoot him!
LORETTA. [Crying out with alarm.] Oh, Ned, you won"t do that?
NED. [Sternly.] I shall.
LORETTA. But I don"t want to marry Billy.
NED. [Sternly.] You must. And Billy must. Do you understand? It is the only thing.
LORETTA. That"s what Billy said.
NED. [Triumphantly.] You see, I am right.
LORETTA. And if . . . if I don"t marry him . . . there will be . . .
scandal?
NED. [Calmly.] Yes, there will be scandal.
LORETTA. That"s what Billy said. Oh, I am so unhappy!
[LORETTA breaks down into violent weeping.]
[NED paces grimly up and down, now and again fiercely twisting his moustache.]
LORETTA. [Face buried, sobbing and crying all the time.]
I don"t want to leave Daisy! I don"t want to leave Daisy! What shall I do? What shall I do? How was I to know? He didn"t tell me. n.o.body else ever kissed me. [NED stops curiously to listen. As he listens his face brightens.] I never dreamed a kiss could be so terrible . . . until . . . until he told me. He only told me this morning.
NED. [Abruptly.] Is that what you are crying about?
LORETTA. [Reluctantly.] N-no.
NED. [In hopeless voice, the brightness gone out of his face, about to begin pacing again.] Then what are you crying about?
LORETTA. Because you said I had to marry Billy. I don"t want to marry Billy. I don"t want to leave Daisy. I don"t know what I want. I wish I were dead.
NED. [Nerving himself for another effort.] Now look here, Loretta, be sensible. What is this about kisses? You haven"t told me everything after all.
LORETTA. I . . . I don"t want to tell you everything.
NED. [Imperatively.] You must.
LORETTA. [Surrendering.] Well, then . . . must I?
NED. You must.
LORETTA. [Floundering.] He . . . I . . . we . . . I let him, and he kissed me.
NED. [Desperately, controlling himself.] Go on.