BLANCHE.  I don’t want to wait.  I want to decide now and to cut my life free, entirely, from Dick’s.

RUTH.  You used to agree with me.  I’ve heard you decry these snapshot, rapid-transit, tunnel divorces many a time.  I’ve heard you say when a woman has made her bed, she must lie in it—­make the best of her bad bargain.

BLANCHE.  I always sympathized with a woman who sought a divorce in this state.

RUTH.  Oh, yes, but you can’t, can you?

BLANCHE.  No, but I’m not strong enough to fight out an unhappy life for the sake of setting an example to other women—­women who don’t want the example set!

RUTH.  Blanche, I counted on you to be strong, to be big—­

BLANCHE. [With a voice full of emotion.] But I love Ned Warden.  He loves me—­life stretches out long before us.  Dick has disgraced us all.  I don’t love him—­should I give my happiness and Mr. Warden’s happiness for him?

MRS. HUNTER.  Absurd!  We all have a right to happiness if we can get it.  I have chosen; let Blanche follow my example.

BLANCHE. [Disgusted.] Yours? [Rises.] Oh!

RUTH. [Following up the advantage.] Yes, Blanche, do you want to follow your mother’s example?

BLANCHE.  No!  But the cases are not analogous!

MRS. HUNTER.  Not what?  You needn’t fling any innuendoes at Mr. Trotter; it’s he who said it was my duty to stand by you, advise you, and all that sort of thing.  I’m not here to please myself!  Goodness knows, a divorce court isn’t a very pleasant place to spend your honeymoon!

BLANCHE.  Thank both you and Mr. Trotter, mother; but I ask you to allow Aunt Ruth and me to decide this matter between us.

MRS. HUNTER.  Trotter says divorce was made for woman!

RUTH.  And what was made for man, please?  Polygamy?

MRS. HUNTER.  I don’t know anything about politics!  But I could count a dozen women in a breath, all divorced, or trying to be, or ought to be!

RUTH.  And each one of them getting a cold shoulder.

BLANCHE.  What of it if their hearts are warm—­poor climbers after happiness!

RUTH.  Believe me, dear, the chill spreads.  You’re going to be selfish?

MRS. HUNTER.  She’s going to be sensible.

[CLARA enters Right.

CLARA.  Hello, everybody!  I just saw Dick coming out of his room and I cut him dead.

BLANCHE.  Clara!

RUTH. [To BLANCHE.] You’ve taken a certain responsibility upon yourself, and you can’t shirk it.

BLANCHE.  He isn’t what I thought him!

RUTH.  The day the sun shone on you as a bride, in God’s presence, you said you took him for better for worse—­

CLARA.  Dear me, is that in it?  The marriage service ought to be expurgated!

RUTH. [To CLARA.] I’m ashamed of you.