LAURA.  Well, John, there are so many things I don’t want to speak of even to you.  It isn’t easy for a woman to go back and dig up a lot of ugly memories and try to excuse them. [Crosses to front of table, picks up magazine, places it on table.

JOHN.  I’ve known everything from the first; how you came to San Francisco as a kid and got into the show business, and how you went wrong, and then how you married, still a kid, and how your husband didn’t treat you exactly right, and then how, in a fit of drunkenness, he came home and shot himself. [LAURA buries her head in her hands, making exclamations of horror. JOHN crosses to her as if sorry for hurting her; touches her on shoulder.] But that’s all past now, and we can forget that.  And I know how you were up against it after that, how tough it was for you to get along.  Then finally how you’ve lived, and—­and that you and this man Brockton have been—­well—­never mind.  I’ve known it all for months, and I’ve watched you.  Now, Laura, the habit of life is a hard thing to get away from.  You’ve lived in this way for a long time.  If I ask you to be my wife you’ll have to give it up; you’ll have to go back to New York and struggle on your own hook until I get enough to come for you.  I don’t know how long that will be, but it will be.  Do you love me enough to stick out for the right thing?

LAURA crosses to him, puts her arms around him, kisses him once very affectionately, looks at him very earnestly.

LAURA.  Yes.  I think this is my one great chance.  I do love you and I want to do just what you said.

JOHN.  I think you will.  I’m going to make the same promise.  Your life, dear girl, has been an angel’s compared with mine.  I’ve drank whiskey, played bank, and raised hell ever since the time I could develop a thirst; and ever since I’ve been able to earn my own living I’ve abused every natural gift God gave me.  The women I’ve associated with aren’t good enough to touch the hem of your skirt, but they liked me, and [JOHN crosses to armchair, turns up stage, then faces her.] well—­I must have liked them.  My life hasn’t been exactly loose, it’s been all in pieces.  I’ve never done anything dishonest.  I’ve always gone wrong just for the fun of it, until I met you. [Crosses to her, takes her in his arms.] Somehow then I began to feel that I was making an awful waste of myself.

LAURA.  John!

JOHN.  Some lovers place a woman on a pedestal and say, “She never has made a mistake.” [Taking her by each arm he playfully shakes her.] Well, we don’t need any pedestals.  I just know you never will make a mistake.

LAURA. [Kissing him.] John, I’ll never make you take those words back. [Arms around his neck.

JOHN.  That goes double.  You’re going to cut out the cabs and cafes, and I’m going to cut out the whiskey and all-night sessions [LAURA releases him; he backs slightly away.]; and you’re going to be somebody and I’m going to be somebody, and if my hunch is worth the powder to blow it up, we’re going to show folks things they never thought were in us.  Come on now, kiss me.