HARRY:  Well, let’s go down now.  About dinner-time.  I shouldn’t wonder if Emmons were here. (as ADELAIDE is starting down stairs) Coming, Claire?

CLAIRE:  No.

HARRY:  But it’s time to go down for dinner.

CLAIRE:  I’m not hungry.

HARRY:  But we have a guest.  Two guests—­Adelaide’s staying too.

CLAIRE:  Then you’re not alone.

HARRY:  But I invited Dr Emmons to meet you.

CLAIRE:  (her smile flashing) Tell him I am violent to-night.

HARRY:  Dearest—­how can you joke about such things!

CLAIRE:  So you do think they’re serious?

HARRY:  (irritated) No, I do not!  But I want you to come down for dinner!

ADELAIDE:  Come, come, Claire; you know quite well this is not the sort of thing one does.

CLAIRE:  Why go on saying one doesn’t, when you are seeing one does (to
TOM) Will you stay with me a while?  I want to purify the tower.

(ADELAIDE begins to disappear)

HARRY:  Fine time to choose for a tete-a-tete. (as he is leaving) I’d think more of you, Edgeworthy, if you refused to humour Claire in her ill-breeding.

ADELAIDE:  (her severe voice coming from below) It is not what she was taught.

CLAIRE:  No, it’s not what I was taught, (laughing rather timidly) And perhaps you’d rather have your dinner?

TOM:  No.

CLAIRE:  We’ll get something later.  I want to talk to you. (but she does not—­laughs) Absurd that I should feel bashful with you.  Why am I so awkward with words when I go to talk to you?

TOM:  The words know they’re not needed.

CLAIRE:  No, they’re not needed.  There’s something underneath—­an open way—­down below the way that words can go. (rather desperately) It is there, isn’t it?

TOM:  Oh, yes, it is there.

CLAIRE:  Then why do we never—­go it?

TOM:  If we went it, it would not be there.

CLAIRE:  Is that true?  How terrible, if that is true.

TOM:  Not terrible, wonderful—­that it should—­of itself—­be there.

CLAIRE:  (with the simplicity that can say anything) I want to go it, Tom, I’m lonely up on top here.  Is it that I have more faith than you, or is it only that I’m greedier?  You see, you don’t know (her reckless laugh) what you’re missing.  You don’t know how I could love you.

TOM:  Don’t, Claire; that isn’t—­how it is—­between you and me.

CLAIRE:  But why can’t it be—­every way—­between you and me?

TOM:  Because we’d lose—­the open way. (the quality of his denial shows how strong is his feeling for her) With anyone else—­not with you.

CLAIRE:  But you are the only one I want.  The only one—­all of me wants.

TOM:  I know; but that’s the way it is.

CLAIRE:  You’re cruel.