HELEN.  Well, he is.

MRS. CROSBY.  Nonsense, child, don’t be silly. (Sits down stage end of table.)

HELEN (moving a step to MRS. CROSBY).  It’s not silly, Mrs. Crosby.  Everyone will say it, and they’ll be right.

WILLIAM.  Let’s settle this thing now once and for all, then.  In the first place it’s all nonsense, and in the second it isn’t true—­

HELEN.  Oh, yes, it is.

MRS. CROSBY.  Oh, the first row!  I’ll settle this one.  Nelly!

WILLIAM.  Now then, Nell, out with it, get it all out of your system.

HELEN.  In the first place, it’s the money.

MRS. CROSBY.  Yes, but—­Helen—­

HELEN.  Please, let me say it all.  You have social position, great wealth, charming friends, everything that makes life worth—­Oh, what’s the use?  You know as well as I do the great difference between us, and—­

MRS. CROSBY.  My dear child, suppose we admit all that, what then?

HELEN.  But don’t you see—­

WILLIAM (embracing her in front of table R.).  You little idiot! 
I don’t see anything but you.

MRS. CROSBY.  You love each other, that’s the whole of it, children. 
Suppose you listen to an old woman.

WILLIAM.  Old!  Huh!

MRS. CROSBY.  Well, old enough.  If Billy was the usual rich man’s son it might be different.  There might be something in what you say.  But thank God he isn’t.  Mind you, I don’t say he wasn’t like most of them when he was younger.  I dare say he was, I know he went to supper with a chorus girl once.

WILLIAM.  Twice.

HELEN.  What was she like?

WILLIAM.  Like a chorus girl.

MRS. CROSBY.  The trouble with you, my dear, is that you’ve been reading novels.  When Billy’s father married me, I was a school teacher, and he was a clerk.  We didn’t have any money, but we were awfully in love—­we still rather like each other.  Now just for the sake of argument, suppose we should have acted like stern parents, what would be the use?  Billy’s in business for himself, he’s making his own money, he can marry when he wants to and as he wants to, and if you want my real opinion, I don’t mind confessing that I think he’s pretty lucky to get you.

WILLIAM.  There!

HELEN.  But you know so little about me.

WILLIAM.  Oh, rot!

MRS. CROSBY (to WILLIAM).  Thank you, Billy.  I was trying to think of an effective word. (To HELEN.) You’ve been my private secretary for over a year, and no matter how much my looks belie it, I’m not a bit of a fool.  I know a great deal about you.

HELEN.  My family—­

WILLIAM (C.).  I’m not marrying your family!

HELEN.  I’m afraid you are.

WILLIAM.  Oh!

HELEN.  There’s only mother.

MRS. CROSBY (rising and moving to HELEN’S side in front of table R.).  Oh, my dear, forgive me.  Your mother should have been here to-night.