FREDERIK.  Yes.  She held him in her arms.

DR. MACPHERSON.  And then?

FREDERIK.  I left the house.

DR. MACPHERSON.  Then it’s all true. [FREDERIK is silent.] What are you going to do for William?

FREDERIK.  Nothing.  I’m a rich man now—­and if I recognize him—­he’ll be at me till the day he dies.  His mother’s gone to the dogs and under her influence, the boy—­

DR. MACPHERSON.  Be silent, you damned young scoundrel.  Oh!  What an act of charity if the good Lord took William, and I say it with all my heart.  Out of all you have—­not a crumb for—­

FREDERIK.  I want you to know I’ve sweat for that money, and I’m going to keep it!

DR. MACPHERSON. You’ve sweat for—­

FREDERIK. [Showing feeling.]—­Yes!  How do you think I got the money?  I went to jail for it—­jail, jail.  Every day I’ve been in this house has been spent in prison.  I’ve been doing time.  Do you think it didn’t get on my nerves?  I’ve gone to bed at nine o’clock and thought of what I was missing in New York.  I’ve got up at cock-crow to be in time for grace at the breakfast table.  I took charge of a class in Sabbath-school, and I handed out the infernal cornucopias at the church Christmas tree, while he played Santa Claus.  What more can a fellow do to earn his money?  Don’t you call that sweating?  No, sir; I’ve danced like a damned hand-organ monkey for the pennies he left me, and I had to grin and touch my hat and make believe I liked it.  Now I’m going to spend every cent for my own personal pleasure.

DR. MACPHERSON.  Will rich men never learn wisdom!

FREDERIK. [Rising.] No, they won’t!  But in every fourth generation there comes along a wise fellow—­a spender who knows how to distribute the money others have hoarded:  I’m the spender.

DR. MACPHERSON.  Shame upon you and your like!  Your breed should be exterminated.

FREDERIK. [Taking a little packet of letters from the desk.] Oh, no, we’re quite as necessary as you are.  And now—­I shall answer no more questions.  I’m done.  Good-night, Doctor.

DR. MACPHERSON.  Good-night and good-bye. [With a look of disgust, he has gone to the table, held a medicine bottle to the light to look at the label and poured a spoonful into a wine-glass filled with water.  As FREDERIK leaves the house, the DOCTOR taps on a door and calls.] Catherine! [CATHERINE enters, and shows by the glance she directs at the front door that she knows FREDERIK has been in the room and has just left the house.] Burn up your wedding dress.  We’ve made no mistake.  I can tell you that! [Goes up the stairs to WILLIAM’S room, taking the lamp with him.  JAMES has entered, and, taking CATHERINE’S hand, holds it for a moment.

JAMES.  Good-night, Catherine. [She turns and lays her hand on his shoulder.