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Professor Waring: Well soon see if Tom would care whether you ran off with another man or not. Now listen to me, Bessie. Tom of course knows the circumstances of your early marriage and of Clifford's death? How at first we hoped he might be alive somewhere? And the final uncertainty as to just where he was buried?
Mrs. Kent: (puzzled) Yes — oh, yes. Tom knows all that.
Professor Waring: Well then, Bessie, for the rest of the evening I am Clifford Waring, not Charles!
Mrs. Kent: You Clifford-what do you mean?
Professor Waring：Just this: I'11 pretend I'm your first husband. (excited, dramatic) I was not killed in action in France, as was supposed, but, wounded and shell-shocked, I lay helpless in an overseas hospital. Partially recovering, I wandered all over the world, hunting some clue to my identity — hoping to establish some connection with my past. Finally, one night, I had a shock, it all came back — my former life — and I am here to claim you, Bessie!
Mrs. Kent: (thrilled) Oh, Charles, the way you say it, it seems positively real. I feel absolutely wicked. (delighted) (Goes up to mirror, pulls her hair out in a softer fashion, readjusts her dress.) But, Charles, why should you do such a thing for me? Why, for all you know, after tonight you may have me hanging around your neck for the rest of your life!
Professor Waring: I can think of worse things than that, Bessie. (Mrs. Kent laughs girlishly.) But I'm afraid it won't turn out that way. No, to me it will just be a very interesting little research in psychology.
Mrs. Kent: Shh — shh. I think I hear Tom and Eve coming downstairs now! Oh dear, I don't see how I can go through with this, Charles! (Enter Mr. Kent and Eve. Eve has changed into a tea gown. Mr. Kent's arm is around Eve. He talks in a low earnest voice. Professor Waring rises. Mrs. Kent, still standing,
speaks dramatically.) Tom, I — I must prepare you for a shock.
Mr. Kent: (Stands with arm still about Eve.) If you mean Eve here, I —
Mrs. Kent: (hastily) No, no, not Eve. Tom, you remember — years ago — I was married once before — we thought my husband was killed in France. Still I always had a strange feeling — Oh, Tom, there's no use beating about the bush. This gentleman here — let me present him — Professor C. Waring! Clifford, this is Mr. Kent, my husband — at least I thought he was my husband!
Mr. Kent: Waring! Bessie, what do you mean?
Professor Waring: Mr. Kent, she means just this: I was not killed in action in France, but circumstances over which I had no control kept me abroad all these years. As soon as I was free to do so, I came straight to Bessie, and I should like nothing better than for us to go away together at once. I want to take her out of the false position she has been in all these years, and the sooner the better.
