She said you had come there often in the past year.

CHRISTINE —(desperately ) It was the first time I had ever been there. He insisted on my going. He said he had to talk to me about you. He wanted my help to approach your father —

LAVINIA —(furiously ) How can you lie like that? How can you be so vile as to try to use me to hide your adultery?

CHRISTINE —(springing up — with weak indignation ) Vinnie!

LAVINIA — Your adultery, I said!

CHRISTINE — No!

LAVINIA — Stop lying, I tell you! I went upstairs! I heard you telling him —“I love you, Adam”— and kissing him! (with a cold bitter fury ) You vile —! You’re shameless and evil! Even if you are my mother, I say it! (Christine stares at her, overwhelmed by this onslaught, her poise shattered for the moment. She tries to keep her voice indifferent but it trembles a little. )

CHRISTINE — I— I knew you hated me, Vinnie — but not as bitterly as that! (then with a return of her defiant coolness ) Very well! I love Adam Brant. What are you going to do?

LAVINIA — How you say that — without any shame! You don’t give one thought to Father — who is so good — who trusts you! Oh, how could you do this to Father? How could you?

CHRISTINE —(with strident intensity ) You would understand if you were the wife of a man you hated!

LAVINIA —(horrified — with a glance at the portrait ) Don’t! Don’t say that — before him! I won’t listen!

CHRISTINE —(grabbing her by the arm ) You will listen! I’m talking to you as a woman now, not as mother to daughter! That relationship has no meaning between us! You’ve called me vile and shameless! Well, I want you to know that’s what I’ve felt about myself for over twenty years, giving my body to a man I—

LAVINIA —(trying to break away from her, half putting her hands up to her ears ) Stop telling me such things! Let me go! (She breaks away, shrinking from her mother with a look of sick repulsion. A pause. She stammers ) You — then you’ve always hated Father?

CHRISTINE —(bitterly ) No. I loved him once — before I married him — incredible as that seems now! He was handsome in his lieutenant’s uniform! He was silent and mysterious and romantic! But marriage soon turned his romance into — disgust!

LAVINIA —(wincing again — stammers harshly ) So I was born of your disgust! I’ve always guessed that, Mother — ever since I was little — when I used to come to you — with love — but you would always push me away! I’ve felt it ever since I can remember — your disgust! (then with a flare-up of bitter hatred ) Oh, I hate you! It’s only right I should hate you!

CHRISTINE —(shaken — defensively ) I tried to love you. I told myself it wasn’t human not to love my own child, born of my body. But I never could make myself feel you were born of any body but his! You were always my wedding night to me — and my honeymoon!

LAVINIA — Stop saying that! How can you be so —! (then suddenly — with a strange jealous bitterness ) You’ve loved Orin! Why didn’t you hate him, too?

CHRISTINE — Because by then I had forced myself to become resigned in order to live! And most of the time I was carrying him, your father was with the army in Mexico. I had forgotten him. And when Orin was born he seemed my child, only mine, and I loved him for that! (bitterly ) I loved him until he let you and your father nag him into the war, in spite of my begging him not to leave me alone. (staring at Lavinia with hatred ) I know his leaving me was your doing principally, Vinnie!

LAVINIA —(sternly ) It was his duty as a Mannon to go! He’d have been sorry the rest of his life if he hadn’t! I love him better than you! I was thinking of him!

CHRISTINE — Well, I hope you realize I never would have fallen in love with Adam if I’d had Orin with me. When he had gone there was nothing left — but hate and a desire to be revenged — and a longing for love! And it was then I met Adam. I saw he loved me —

LAVINIA —(with taunting scorn ) He doesn’t love you! You’re only his revenge on Father! Do you know who he really is? He’s the son of that low nurse girl Grandfather put out of our house!

CHRISTINE —(concealing a start — coolly ) So you’ve found that out? Were you hoping it would be a crushing surprise to me? I’ve known it all along. He told me when he said he loved me.

LAVINIA — Oh! And I suppose knowing who he was gave you all the more satisfaction — to add that disgrace!

CHRISTINE —(cuttingly ) Will you kindly come to the point and tell me what you intend doing? I suppose you’ll hardly let your father get in the door before you tell him!

LAVINIA —(suddenly becoming rigid and cold again — slowly ) No. Not unless you force me to. (then as she sees her mother’s astonishment — grimly ) I don’t wonder you’re surprised! You know you deserve the worst punishment you could get. And Father would disown you publicly, no matter how much the scandal cost him!

CHRISTINE — I realize that. I know him even better than you do!

LAVINIA — And I’d like to see you punished for your wickedness! So please understand this isn’t for your sake. It’s for Father’s . He hasn’t been well lately. I’m not going to have him hurt! It’s my first duty to protect him from you!

CHRISTINE — I know better than to expect any generosity on my account.

LAVINIA — I won’t tell him, provided you give up Brant and never see him again — and promise to be a dutiful wife to Father and make up for the wrong you’ve done him!

CHRISTINE —(stares at her daughter — a pause — then she laughs dryly ) What a fraud you are, with your talk of your father and your duty! Oh, I’m not denying you want to save his pride — and I know how anxious you are to keep the family from more scandal! But all the same, that’s not your real reason for sparing me!

LAVINIA —(confused — guiltily ) It is!

CHRISTINE — You wanted Adam Brant yourself!

LAVINIA — That’s a lie!

CHRISTINE — And now you know you can’t have him, you’re determined that at least you’ll take him from me!

LAVINIA — No!

CHRISTINE — But if you told your father, I’d have to go away with Adam. He’d be mine still. You can’t bear that thought, even at the price of my disgrace, can you?

LAVINIA — It’s your evil mind!

CHRISTINE — I know you, Vinnie! I’ve watched you ever since you were little, trying to do exactly what you’re doing now! You’ve tried to become the wife of your father and the mother of Orin! You’ve always schemed to steal my place!

LAVINIA —(wildly ) No! It’s you who have stolen all love from me since the time I was born! (then her manner becoming threatening ) But I don’t want to listen to any more of your lies and excuses! I want to know right now whether you’re going to do what I told you or not!

CHRISTINE — Suppose I refuse! Suppose I go off openly with Adam! Where will you and your father and the family name be after that scandal? And what if I were disgraced myself? I’d have the man I love, at least!

LAVINIA —(grimly ) Not for long! Father would use all his influence and get Brant blacklisted so he’d lose his command and never get another! You know how much the “Flying Trades” means to him. And Father would never divorce you. You could never marry. You’d be an anchor around his neck. Don’t forget you’re five years older than he is! He’ll still be in his prime when you’re an old woman with all your looks gone! He’d grow to hate the sight of you!

CHRISTINE —(stung beyond bearing — makes a threatening move as if to strike her daughter’s face ) You devil! You mean little —! (But Lavinia stares back coldly into her eyes and she controls herself and drops her hand. )

LAVINIA — I wouldn’t call names if I were you! There is one you deserve!

CHRISTINE —(turning away — her voice still trembling ) I’m a fool to let you make me lose my temper — over your jealous spite! (A pause.