_Jessie._ Oh, we mustn"t allow it! It would be wicked! You go upstairs, Bob, and stay with Dad until I can find out what"s happened.
_Bob (rises)._ A good idea!
_Jessie._ Maybe I"ll have to hide Jack until we can break the news.
_(As she speaks Dad appears in the doorway behind her.)_ You see, Bob, we must handle him carefully--he"s an old man and he"s liable to fly off, and we can"t tell what he might do in a sudden rage.
He"s not really responsible, you know.
_Dad (stepping forward)._ What"s this?
_Jessie (starting)._ Oh, Dad!
_Dad._ What"s this you"re trying to keep from me?
_Jessie._ Why--it wasn"t from you, Dad.
_Dad._ Who was it from, hey? Answer me!
_Jessie._ Why--Dad--
_Dad (raging)._ So I"m not really responsible! You have to handle me carefully, do you? What is it? Out with it.
_Jessie._ Why Dad--it"s nothing--
_Dad._ I know better. Out with it!
_Bob._ Really, Dad--
_Dad._ Answer me!
_Jessie._ Why Dad--it"s only that I"ve spent some money.
_Dad._ Spent some money!
_Jessie._ I"ve been buying clothes, and I was afraid when you saw the bills--
_Dad._ Where are the bills?
_Jessie._ I"ll show them to you.
_Dad._ Where are they?
_Jessie._ Upstairs. Please don"t scold me too much, Dad. _(Starts to lead him off.)_ You see, I didn"t realize at the time--
_Dad._ I know. That"s always the way with my children. They never realize anything!
_Jessie._ It isn"t so bad--_(The front door bell rings, she starts.)_ Oh!
_Dad._ What"s the matter?
_Jessie._ Nothing. Come on!
_Dad._ Wait till I see what this is.
_Jessie._ It"s nothing, Dad.
_Dad._ How do you know it"s nothing?
_Jessie._ I want to show you the bills.
_Dad._ Well, wait just a moment. The bills won"t run away.
_Jessie (aside to Bob)._ Lost!
_Dad._ Why, what"s that? Isn"t that Jack"s voice? Why-why-good G.o.d!
_(Jack appears in doorway, with Belle on His arm, Dolly and Bill behind him. All stare.)_
_Jack (staggers to chair with Belle)._ Excuse me, please. _(He proceeds to loosen Belle"s coat, tears away her collar. She is half fainting.)_ Get me a gla.s.s of wine! Quick! _(Bob obeys.)_ A fan, somebody! _(Jessie seizes a newspaper and hands it to him. Dolly kneels at Belle"s other side.)_ She"ll be all right in a moment--she"s exhausted. Ah! Better? _(He rises and speaks swiftly, intensely.)_ You see what"s the matter. The girl is ill; she"s nearly dying. I had to get help for her. _(To Bob.)_ You must excuse me, old man. I had to give up the wager. This was too much for me.
You see--_(Hesitates.)_ I guess you were right. I ran into the reality of life, and it floored me. You may kid me all you please, I"ll take my medicine. But there was this girl--I had to come back, you see. _(To Dad.)_ Excuse me, Dad, for making such a mess of it.
But I couldn"t punish this girl for my sins. I had to give up my quarter of a million, and save her life.
_Dad._ What"s the matter with the girl?
_Jack._ She"s been worked to death. Standing on her feet in a restaurant fourteen hours a day.
_Jessie._ Oh!
_Jack._ And you see, Jessie--I remembered how you"d gone to Florida and got well. _(To the others.)_ Look at the difference! Look at the contrast between them. That was what knocked me out--I couldn"t get away from it. I"ve got to send this girl to Florida and give her the same chance that Jessie had.
_Jessie._ Who is she?
_Jack._ She was a waitress. She helped me when I was starving. And now I have to help her. She"s as good as gold, Jessie, and you must be kind to her. It wasn"t fair that she should die, just because I"d been an idler, a good for nothing! Bob--you"ll be satisfied when you know what a lesson I"ve had. You can"t imagine how I feel, coming out of it--it"s like escaping from a nightmare! I can"t quite believe it"s over. _(He stands staring before him)._ And then I think--I"ve brought her out with me, but how many others I left behind me! Tens of thousands of others, down there in a pit! Belle, look at me! It was a bad dream, and now it"s over! Here"s my sister--see! She was as sick as you, and now, how well she is! Look at her cheeks--touch her--take her hand. And you shall be like that, you shall start for Florida right away! Can"t you believe it, Dolly?
_Dolly._ It seems to me we"ve got some explanation coming to us, Jack.
_Jack._ Oh, I forgot. This is my sister. This is Dolly, Belle"s sister, and this is Bill--a little news-boy who helped me when I was down and out.
_Bill._ Good evenin", ladies and gents.
_Dolly._ It was some kind of joke you played on us, Jack?
_Jack._ It was a wager I had made. I went out to shift for myself and see how I"d get along. I wasn"t playing any joke on you, Dolly.
_Dolly._ It was a pretty poor joke on Belle, I think.
_Jack._ How do you mean?
_Dolly._ You promised you"d marry her!