Well?
JOHN
Well, of course, you realize that you"re asking a great deal of me, Rex, but--[_Offers hand to REX warmly._] Be good to her, my boy, be good to her.
REX
[_shaking hands, forced warmth_]
Thanks awfully. See-what-I-mean? [_To JUDGE._] Congratulate me, Judge; I"m the happiest of men.
JUDGE
[_looking up from newspaper_]
So I see. Don"t let it worry you.
[_JEAN, in riding costume, comes from the house._
JOHN
[_signalling JUDGE to leave_]
If Helen asks for me, I"m in the garden.
JUDGE
If any telegrams come for me, I"m writing to _my wife_!
[_JEAN and REX alone, they look at each other, not very loverlike._
JEAN
[_impulsively_]
You weren"t in love with me yesterday. You aren"t now. You would get out of it if you honorably could. But you honorably _can"t_! So you have spoken to John; you are going to see it through, because you"re a good sport.... I admire you for that, Rex, too much to hold you to it. You are released.
REX
[_amazed_]
Why--why--you--you don"t suppose I want to be released?
JEAN
Well, I do!... Yesterday I let you propose to me when I cared for some one else. That"s not fair to you, to me, to him!
REX
[_in a sudden fury_]
Who is he? What do you mean by this? Why didn"t you tell me?
JEAN
I am telling you now. What have you ever told me about yourself?
REX
[_blinking_]
You had no right to play fast and loose with me.
JEAN
I"m making the only amends I can. You are free, I tell you.
REX
I don"t want to be free! He can"t have you! You are mine! If you think you can make me stop loving you----
JEAN
[_interrupting_]
Love, Rex? Only jealousy. You"ve never been in love with me--you"ve always been in love with Helen. But you couldn"t get her, so you took me. Isn"t that true, Rex?
REX
[_after an uncomfortable pause_]
I"ll be honest with you, too. Yesterday I wasn"t really very serious. I felt like a brute afterward. You tried your best to prevent what happened and ran away from me. But now----