Jesse Lynch Williams

“ But if I sold myself, as you are forcing poor little Jean to do, to a libertine she does not love, who does not love her—that is not sin! That is respectability! To urge and aid her to entrap a man into marriage by playing the shameless tricks of the only trade men want women to learn—that is holy matrimony. But to give yourself of your own free will to the man you love and trust and can help, the man who loves and needs and has won the right to have you—oh, if this is sin, then let me live and die a sinner! ”

“ What did I tell you, Theodore? The old marriage doesn't fit the New Woman. A self-supporting girl like Helen objects to obeying a mere man—like Ernest.
Helen
[patting the Judge's arm affectionately, too]
Uncle Everett, you know nothing about it! You think you understand the new generation. The only generation you understand is the one which clamored for "Woman's Rights." [To Ernest.] I obey you already—every day of my life, do I not, dear? [Looking up into his face.] You're my "boss," aren't you, Ernest? [To Judge.] But I do object to contracting by law for what is better done by love. ”

“ John
See the example he sets to society—I honor him for it.
Judge
Fine! but that doesn't seem to restore Mary's radiant health, Theodore's brilliant youth.
Lucy
Ah, but they have their children—think how they adore those beautiful children!
Judge
No, don't think how they adore them, think how they rear those beautiful children—in the streets; one little daughter dead from contagion; one son going to the devil from other things picked up in the street! If marriage is a social institution, look at it socially. Why, a marriage like mine is worth a dozen like theirs—to Society. ”

“ Marriage is woman's only true career.
Helen
Jean! You can't, you won't, you mustn't marry Rex!
Lucy
[flouncing out]
"She who will not when she may," my dear!
Jean
[avoiding Helen's eyes]
Lucy hears John coming—he'd take her head off if she weren't there to meet him. [Helen only looks at her.] He bullies and browbeats her worse than ever. I can't stand it here much longer. It's getting on my nerves.
Helen
Jean! You care for Rex no more than I do.
Jean
[still evasive]
John's bringing out Uncle Everett and Cousin Theodore. My dear, the whole family is up in the air about you. ”

“ Your love too sacred for the Church? The Church has a name for such love! The world a name for such women!
Ernest
[about to strike John, then shrugs]
A rotten world! A kept Church! Come, let's get away from it all! Come!
[Helen offers her hand in farewell to Lucy, but John shields her from Helen's touch, then to Jean. Rex shields Jean from contamination, but Jean weeps.
Judge
[barring the way. To Ernest]
Stop! You cannot! The very tie that binds you to this woman binds you to us and to the whole world with hooks of steel! [The lovers are still going, Judge ascends steps, facing them.] ”

“ Lucy
Very clever, my dear, but some day you'll be sorry. No man, Helen, likes a woman to have independent views.
Jean
Helen can afford to have independent views; she has an independent income—she earns it. [Pg 19]
Lucy
Independent income! Her salary wouldn't pay for your hats.
Jean
All the same, I wish I had gone to college; I wish I had learned a profession.
Lucy
What have these New Women accomplished? Just one thing: they are destroying chivalry!
Helen
Not entirely, Lucy, not entirely. For instance, I am the best assistant Ernest Hamilton has, but the worst paid; the others are all men. ”

“ John
[advances menacingly]
By what right are you here in my home? By what right do you take my sister in your arms?
Ernest
By a right more ancient than man-made law! I have come to the cry of my mate. I'm here to fight for the woman I love! [Arm about Helen, defies the world. To all.] My trip to Paris is postponed. One week from to-day gather all your family here, and in your home we'll make our declaration to the world. ”

“ A New Woman? No, friends, look behind the stupid names the mob would cast, like stones to destroy, look and you will see your true conservative—willing to appear radical in order to conserve woman's work in the world! willing to appear ridiculous to right ancient wrongs! willing even to appear wrong—for those she loves! Ah, the same old-fashioned woman we all adore, in a form so new we blindly fail to understand her glorious [Pg 235] advent before our very eyes! To Helen, the gracious embodiment of all that is sweetest, noblest, and best in womanhood—to Helen! Our lovely Helen! ”

“ I thought so, too, at first, but I can't marry Ernest Hamilton. I love him.
Theodore
But if you love him truly—marriage, my dear, brings together those who love each other truly.
Helen
But those who love each other truly don't need anything to bring them together. The difficulty is to keep apart.
[A reminiscent shudder.
[Pg 149]
John
That's all romantic rot! Every one feels that way at first.
Helen
At first! Then the practical object of marriage is not to bring together those who love each other, but to keep together those who do not? [To Lucy.] What a dreadful thing marriage must be! ”

“ You never can tell, my dear, you never can tell.
Helen
Do you think I'd live with a man who did not love me? Do you think I'd live on a man I did not love? [Lucy blinks.] Why, what kind of a woman should I be then! The name wife—would that change it? Calling it holy—would that hallow it?... Every woman, married or not, knows the truth about this! In her soul woman has always known. But until to-day has never dared to tell. [Pg 219]
Ernest
[approaching Helen]
Oh, come now—those vows—they aren't intended in a literal sense. Ask Theodore. Why, no sane person means half of that gibberish. ”

“ Must we be hypocrites because others are? Must we, too, be cowards and take on the protective coloring of our species?
Ernest
Our ideas may be higher than society's, but society rewards and punishes its members according to its own ideas, not ours.
Helen
Do you want society's rewards? Do you fear society's punishment? [Pg 163]
Ernest
[jubilantly enfolding her]
With you in my arms, I want nothing from heaven, I fear nothing from hell; but, my dear [shrugs and comes down to earth with a smile and releases her] , consider the price, consider the price. ”

“ Call them bad [Pg 204] women and let it go at that. Blame it all on human nature, made by God, and leave untouched our human institutions, made by man. You poor little pessimists! human nature to-day is better than it ever was, but our most important institution is worse—the most sacred relationship in life has become a jest in the market-place.... You funny little cowards, you're afraid of life, afraid of love, afraid of truth. You worship lies, and call it God!
John
[interrupts]
All right, all right—but we can't change marriage overnight just to suit Helen. ”

“ Without children I don't see how any marriage is ever consummated—socially.
Theodore
Ah, but this relationship—it's a sacred thing in itself.
Helen
[sincerely]
I know it. I want to do right, Theodore, please believe that I do! But the kind of marriage preached by the Church and practised by the world—does that cherish the real sacredness of this relationship? Of course, I can only judge from appearances, but so often marriage seems to destroy the sacredness—yes, and also the usefulness—of this relationship! ”

“ Cousin Theodore, a care-worn rector, who, though he buttons his collar behind, likes those who don't; a noble soul, self-sacrificing and sanctified, but he does not obtrude his profession upon others—never talks shop unless asked to do so, and prides himself upon not being a bigot.
They are continuing an earnest discussion, with the intimate manner of friendly members of the same family. John, Lucy, and Theodore deeply concerned; Uncle Everett detached and amused. ”

“ Up from the fragrant garden comes a girl, running. She takes the broad terrace steps two at a stride, laughing, breathless, fleet as a fawn, sweet as a rose. She is hotly pursued by a boy, handsome, ardent, attractively selfish, and just now blindly determined to catch the pretty creature before she gains the protecting shelter of home. ”

“ John
My God, what next? Lucy, don't let Rex get away! You know what he'll do—and when he sobers up, it may be too late. [To Ernest.] As for you, you snake, you get right out of here. [Pg 171]
Judge
[in the sudden silence]
Now you've done it, John.
Ernest
Oh, very well, this is your property.
Helen
But I am not! I go, too!
[She runs to Ernest.
Theodore
Don't commit this sin!
John
Let her go! She's no sister of mine.
Judge
[the only calm one]
If she leaves this house now, it's all up.
John
A woman who will give herself to a man without marriage is no sister of mine. ”

“ Doctor Hamilton needs every cent of that enormous salary—books, travel, scientific conferences—all the advantages he simply must have if he's to keep at the top and do his best work for the world. The most selfish thing a girl can do is to marry a poor man.
[With that she hurries up the steps.
Theodore
[following her]
All the same, deep down under it all, she has a true woman's yearning for a home to care for and a mate to love. [She is silently crying.] Why, Helen, dear, what's the matter? ”

“ Believe in marriage? Why, there never was, there never will be a more perfect tribute to true marriage than from this fearless pair you now accuse of seeking to destroy it! [John tries to interrupt, but the Judge waves him down.] They have been not only honorable but old-fashioned, save in the one orthodox detail of accepting the authority constituted by society for its protection and for theirs. [To Helen and Ernest.] ”

“ For over twenty years I—I have broken my marriage vow! [Lucy drops her eyes. Theodore aghast. John wags head.] So has your Aunt Julia!
Theodore
No! not that!
Judge
Well, we solemnly promised to love each other until death did us part. We have broken [Pg 34] that sacred vow! I don't love her; she doesn't love me—not in the least!
John
Rot! A matured, middle-aged man, a distinguished member of the bar—break up his home for that? Damned rot!
Judge
Right again, John. That's not why I'm breaking up my home. I prefer my club. What does the modern home amount to? Merely a place to leave your wife. ”

“ Well, Theodore has certainly done his duty by society—six children!
Judge
Then society hasn't done its duty by Theodore—only one salary!
John
The more credit to him! He and Mary have sacrificed everything to their children and the Church—even health!
Theodore
We don't need your pity! We don't want your praise! Poverty, suffering, even separation, have only drawn us closer together. We love each other through it all! Why, in the last letter the doctor let her write she said, she said— [Suddenly overcome with emotion, turns abruptly.] If you'll excuse me, Lucy ... Sanitarium ... the telephone. ”

“ Helen
[smiling up into his face]
Why didn't you?
Ernest
Thank God I didn't! For while we worked there together I came to know you as few men ever know the women they desire. Woman can be more than sex, as man is more than sex. And all this makes man and woman not less but more overwhelmingly desirable and necessary to each other, and makes both things last—not for a few years, but forever!
[Sound of voices approaching from the garden. The lovers separate. It is Jean and Rex, Rex laughing, Jean dodging until caught and kissed.
Jean
No, no—it's time to dress.... Be good, Rex—don't! [Pg 103] ”