Olive. [Deliciously limp] Had I better put in the duty to your neighbour if there isn’t a victory soon? [As they pass through the door] You’re tickling under my knee! [Little gurgles of pleasure follow.  Then silence.  Then a drowsy voice] I must keep awake for Daddy.

Katherine comes back.  She is about to leave the door a little open, when she hears a knock on the other door.  It is opened a few inches, and nurse’s voice says:  “Can I come in, Ma’am?” The nurse comes in.

Katherine. [Shutting OLIVE’s door, and going up to her] What is it,
Nurse?

Nurse. [Speaking in a low voice] I’ve been meaning to—­I’ll never do it in the daytime.  I’m giving you notice.

Katherine.  Nurse!  You too!

     She looks towards olive’s room with dismay.  The nurse smudges a
     slow tear away from her cheek.

Nurse.  I want to go right away at once.

Katherine.  Leave Olive!  That is the sins of the fathers with a vengeance.

Nurse.  I’ve had another letter from my son.  No, Miss Katherine, while the master goes on upholdin’ these murderin’ outlandish creatures, I can’t live in this house, not now he’s coming back.

Katherine.  But, Nurse——!

Nurse.  It’s not like them [With an ineffable gesture] downstairs, because I’m frightened of the mob, or of the window’s bein’ broke again, or mind what the boys in the street say.  I should think not—­ no!  It’s my heart.  I’m sore night and day thinkin’ of my son, and him lying out there at night without a rag of dry clothing, and water that the bullocks won’t drink, and maggots in the meat; and every day one of his friends laid out stark and cold, and one day—­’imself perhaps.  If anything were to ’appen to him.  I’d never forgive meself—­here.  Ah!  Miss Katherine, I wonder how you bear it—­bad news comin’ every day—­And Sir John’s face so sad—­And all the time the master speaking against us, as it might be Jonah ’imself.

Katherine.  But, Nurse, how can you leave us, you?

Nurse. [Smudging at her cheeks] There’s that tells me it’s encouragin’ something to happen, if I stay here; and Mr. More coming back to-night.  You can’t serve God and Mammon, the Bible says.

Katherine.  Don’t you know what it’s costing him?

Nurse.  Ah!  Cost him his seat, and his reputation; and more than that it’ll cost him, to go against the country.

Katherine.  He’s following his conscience.

Nurse.  And others must follow theirs, too.  No, Miss Katherine, for you to let him—­you, with your three brothers out there, and your father fair wasting away with grief.  Sufferin’ too as you’ve been these three months past.  What’ll you feel if anything happens to my three young gentlemen out there, to my dear Mr. Hubert that I nursed myself, when your precious mother couldn’t?  What would she have said —­with you in the camp of his enemies?