TOM:  How can one tell—­where a door may be?  One thing I want to say to you—­for it is about you. (regards DICK and not with his usual impersonal contemplation) I don’t think Claire should have—­any door closed to her. (pause) You know, I think, what I mean.  And perhaps you can guess how it hurts to say it.  Whether it’s—­mere escape within,—­rather shameful escape within, or the wild hope of that door through, it’s—­(suddenly all human) Be good to her! (after a difficult moment, smiles) Going away for ever is like dying, so one can say things.

DICK:  Why do you do it—­go away for ever?

TOM:  I haven’t succeeded here.

DICK:  But you’ve tried the going away before.

TOM:  Never knowing I would not come back.  So that wasn’t going away.  My hope is that this will be like looking at life from outside life.

DICK:  But then you’ll not be in it.

TOM:  I haven’t been able to look at it while in it.

DICK:  Isn’t it more important to be in it than to look at it?

TOM:  Not what I mean by look.

DICK:  It’s hard for me to conceive of—­loving Claire and going away from her for ever.

TOM:  Perhaps it’s harder to do than to conceive of.

DICK:  Then why do it?

TOM:  It’s my only way of keeping her.

DICK:  I’m afraid I’m like Harry now.  I don’t get you.

TOM:  I suppose not.  Your way is different, (with calm, with sadness—­not with malice) But I shall have her longer.  And from deeper.

DICK:  I know that.

TOM:  Though I miss much.  Much, (the buzzer.  TOM looks around to see if anyone is coming to answer it, then goes to the phone) Yes?...  I’ll see if I can get her. (to DICK) Claire’s daughter has arrived, (looking in the inner room—­returns to phone) I don’t see her. (catching a glimpse of ANTHONY off right) Oh, Anthony, where’s Miss Claire?  Her daughter has arrived.

ANTHONY:  She’s working at something very important in her experiments.

DICK:  But isn’t her daughter one of her experiments?

ANTHONY:  (after a baffled moment) Her daughter is finished.

TOM:  (at the phone) Sorry—­but I can’t get to Claire.  She appears to have gone below. (ANTHONY closes the trap-door) I did speak to Anthony, but he says that Claire is working at one of her experiments and that her daughter is finished.  I don’t know how to make her hear—­I took the revolver back to the house.  Anyway you will remember Claire doesn’t answer the revolver.  I hate to reach Claire when she doesn’t want to be reached.  Why, of course—­a daughter is very important, but oh, that’s too bad. (putting down the receiver) He says the girl’s feelings are hurt.  Isn’t that annoying? (gingerly pounds on the trap-door.  Then with the other hand.  Waits.  ANTHONY has a gentle smile for the gentle tapping—­nods approval as, TOM returns to the phone) She doesn’t come up.  Indeed I did—­with both fists—­Sorry.