Part 30 (2/2)

MRS. HUNTER. _Don't know?_ Absolute divorce--no legal separation! [_To_ RUTH.] We're staying at the Waldorf.

[BLANCHE _sits discouragedly on the sofa._

RUTH. [_Sitting beside her._] I shall advise against, and do everything in my power to prevent, Blanche's getting a divorce!

MRS. HUNTER. You don't mean to say you'll carry those ridiculous notions of yours into practice?--now that a scandal has come into our very family?

RUTH. Oh, I know selfish, cynical, and worldly people won't agree with me, and I pity and sympathize with Blanche from the bottom of my heart.

[_Taking and holding_ BLANCHE'S _hand._] But I want her not to decide anything now; wait till the first blows over, and then--well, then I feel sure she will do the strong, n.o.ble thing--the difficult thing--not the easy.

BLANCHE. [_Withdraws her hand from_ RUTH'S.] _No_, you ask too much of me, Aunt Ruth; I can't do it.

RUTH. I say don't decide now--wait.

BLANCHE. I don't want to wait. I want to decide now and to cut my life free, entirely, from d.i.c.k's.

RUTH. You used to agree with me. I've heard you decry these snapshot, rapid-transit, tunnel divorces many a time. I've heard you say when a woman has made her bed, she must lie in it--make the best of her bad bargain.

BLANCHE. I always sympathized with a woman who sought a divorce in this state.

RUTH. Oh, yes, but _you can't_, can you?

BLANCHE. No, but I'm not strong enough to fight out an unhappy life for the sake of setting an example to other women--women who _don't want_ the example set!

RUTH. Blanche, I counted on you to be strong, to be big--

BLANCHE. [_With a voice full of emotion._] But I love Ned Warden. He loves me--life stretches out long before us. d.i.c.k has disgraced us all.

I don't love him--should I give _my_ happiness and Mr. Warden's happiness for _him_?

MRS. HUNTER. Absurd! We all have a right to happiness if we can get it.

I have chosen; let Blanche follow my example.

BLANCHE. [_Disgusted._] _Yours?_ [_Rises._] Oh!

RUTH. [_Following up the advantage._] Yes, Blanche, do you want to follow your mother's example?

BLANCHE. No! But the cases are not a.n.a.logous!

MRS. HUNTER. Not what? You needn't fling any innuendoes at Mr. Trotter; it's he who said it was my duty to stand by you, advise you, and all that sort of thing. I'm not here to please myself! Goodness knows, a divorce court isn't a very pleasant place to spend your honeymoon!

BLANCHE. Thank both you and Mr. Trotter, mother; but I ask you to allow Aunt Ruth and me to decide this matter between us.

MRS. HUNTER. Trotter says _divorce_ was _made_ for woman!

RUTH. And what was made for man, please? Polygamy?

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