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Thelma: Pardon me, ma'am, but there's a gentleman to see you. Here's his card, ma'am. (Hands Mrs. Kent a card.)
Mrs. Kent: (startled) Professor C. Waring! Strange — the same name! But I never heard of him. (Shrugs.) Show him in, Thelma.
(Exit Thelma. She returns, bringing in Professor Waring. Exit Thelma.)
Professor Waring: (Comes forward smiling, takes her hand.) I'm Charles Waring, and you're Bessie Kent — you were Bessie Waring once, wife of my brother Clifford, That's a long time ago. I've always wanted to know you, but right after Clifford's death I spent some years in Europe, then wandered over various other parts of the globe so that I never did get a chance to see you.
Mrs. Kent: Why, yes — now I do remember. Clifford spoke of having a brother, but it's all so long ago. I'd forgotten. But do sit down, I'm glad to know you, Charles, (Both sit down.) You must have had a most interesting life traveling around as you have. Tell me, was it solely for pleasure?
Professor Waring: No, I was continually working, investigating and studying, collecting material for my new book on experimental psychology. But tell me about yourself, Bessie — I always envied Clifford his brief happiness.
Mrs. Kent: (Sighs.) Oh, I was happy then! But it ended so quickly, as all perfect things seem to end. We had only a few short months together. Then the World War came, and in 1917 Clifford was killed in France. We never even found where his grave was for certain.
Professor Waring: I have heard, Bessie. But afterward? I knew you remarried and I have always hoped that you had in some measure found a new happiness.
Mrs. Kent: (Weeping as she talks, dabs her eyes continually with her handkerchief.) Oh, Charles, you are so kind! Yes, I thought, I was happy, ideally so — but, oh, Charles, it was a fool's paradise! I found that out just before you came!
Professor Waring: (sympathetically) Tell me all about it, Bessie.
Mrs. Kent: Eve, my little girl — she's eighteen now — has just decided to run off with the boy next door, and try an experimental marriage. Nothing I can say or do can stop her. And she has opened my eyes to my own life, too — has made me see that Tom only stays with me for conventional reasons and he wouldn't even care if I ran off with another man! Oh, Charles, I am very miserable, but I have no right to trouble you with my problems. Only I do feel close to you. You are a sort of relative to me, aren't you?
Professor Waring: Oh, yes indeed, Bessie, I want you to feel that way, and I want to help you if I can. Now let me see. (Rubs forehead speculatively, pauses.) Will your husband and daughter be here soon?
Mrs. Kent: Oh, yes, they'll both be down for tea in a few minutes. And Stephen too — he's the boy Eve is running off with. (Starts weeping.) Oh, Charles, what shall I do?
Professor Waring: Oh, yes indeed, what you want, Bessie, is this: to prevent this foolishness on Eve's part, and to know if your husband still loves you. Am I right?
Mrs. Kent: Oh, Charles, yes, that's it!
