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itlike。
WELLWYN。 Ah； yes I know。
MRS。 MEGAN。 I didn't seem no good to meself nor any one。 But when
I got in the water； I didn't want to any more。 It was cold in
there。
WELLWYN。 Have you been having such a bad time of it？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 And listenin' to him upset me。 ＇She signs with
her head at FERRAND。＇ I feel better now I've been in the water。
＇She smiles and shivers。＇
WELLWYN。 There； there！ Shivery？ Like to walk up and down a
little？
＇They begin walking together up and down。＇
WELLWYN。 Beastly when your head goes under？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 It frightened me。 I thought I wouldn't come up
again。
WELLWYN。 I knowsort of world without end； wasn't it？ What did
you think of； um？
MRS。 MEGAN。 I wished I 'adn't jumpedan' I thought of my baby
that diedand＇in a rather surprised voice＇ and I thought of
d…dancin'。
＇Her mouth quivers； her face puckers； she gives a choke and a
little sob。
WELLWYN。 ＇Stopping and stroking her。＇ There； therethere！
＇For a moment her face is buried in his sleeve； then she
recovers herself。
MRS。 MEGAN。 Then 'e got hold o' me； an' pulled me out。
WELLWYN。 Ah！ what a comfortum？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 The water got into me mouth。
＇They walk again。＇ I wouldn't have gone to do it but for him。
＇She looks towards FERRAND。＇ His talk made me feel all funny；
as if people wanted me to。
WELLWYN。 My dear child！ Don't think such things！ As if anyone
would！
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Stolidly。＇ I thought they did。 They used to look at
me so sometimes； where I was before I ran awayI couldn't stop
there； you know。
WELLWYN。 Too cooped…up？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 No life at all； it wasn'tnot after sellin'
flowers； I'd rather be doin' what I am。
WELLWYN。 Ah！ Well…it's all over； now！ How d'you feeleh？
Better？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。 I feels all right now。
＇She sits up again on the little stool before the fire。＇
WELLWYN。 No shivers； and no aches； quite comfy？
MRS。 MEGAN。 Yes。
WELLWYN。 That's a blessing。 All well； now； Constablethank you！
CONSTABLE。 ＇Who has remained discreetly apart at the
door…cordially。＇ First rate； sir！ That's capital！ ＇He approaches
and scrutinises MRS。 MEGAN。＇ Right as rain； eh； my girl？
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Shrinking a little。＇ Yes。
CONSTABLE。 That's fine。 Then I think perhaps； for 'er sake； sir；
the sooner we move on and get her a change o' clothin'； the better。
WELLWYN。 Oh！ don't bother about thatI'll send round for my
daughterwe'll manage for her here。
CONSTABLE。 Very kind of you； I'm sure； sir。 But ＇with
embarrassment＇ she seems all right。 She'll get every attention at
the station。
WELLWYN。 But I assure you； we don't mind at all； we'll take the
greatest care of her。
CONSTABLE。 ＇Still more embarrassed。＇ Well； sir； of course； I'm
thinkin' ofI'm afraid I can't depart from the usual course。
WELLWYN。 ＇Sharply。＇ What！ But…oh！ No！ No！ That'll be all right；
Constable！ That'll be all right！ I assure you。
CONSTABLE。 ＇With more decision。＇ I'll have to charge her； sir。
WELLWYN。 Good God！ You don't mean to say the poor little thing has
got to be
CONSTABLE。 ＇Consulting with him。＇ Well； sir； we can't get over the
facts； can we？ There it is！ You know what sooicide amounts to
it's an awkward job。
WELLWYN。 ＇Calming himself with an effort。＇ But look here；
Constable； as a reasonable man This poor wretched little girlyou
know what that life means better than anyone！ Why！ It's to her
credit to try and jump out of it！
＇The CONSTABLE shakes his head。＇
WELLWYN。 You said yourself her best friends couldn't wish her
better！ ＇Dropping his voice still more。＇ Everybody feels it！ The
Vicar was here a few minutes ago saying the very same thingthe
Vicar； Constable！ ＇The CONSTABLE shakes his head。＇ Ah！ now； look
here； I know something of her。 Nothing can be done with her。 We
all admit it。 Don't you see？ Well； then hang ityou needn't go
and make fools of us all by
FERRAND。 Monsieur； it is the first of April。
CONSTABLE。 ＇With a sharp glance at him。＇ Can't neglect me duty；
sir； that's impossible。
WELLWYN。 Look here！ Sheslipped。 She's been telling me。 Come；
Constable； there's a good fellow。 May be the making of her； this。
CONSTABLE。 I quite appreciate your good 'eart； sir； an' you make it
very 'ard for mebut； come now！ I put it to you as a gentleman；
would you go back on yer duty if you was me？
＇WELLWYN raises his hat； and plunges his fingers through and
through his hair。＇
WELLWYN。 Well！ God in heaven！ Of all the d…d topsyturvy！
Not a soul in the world wants her aliveand now she's to be
prosecuted for trying to be where everyone wishes her。
CONSTABLE。 Come； sir； come！ Be a man！
＇Throughout all this MRS。 MEGAN has sat stolidly before the
fire； but as FERRAND suddenly steps forward she looks up at
him。＇
FERRAND。 Do not grieve； Monsieur！ This will give her courage。
There is nothing that gives more courage than to see the irony of
things。 ＇He touches MRS。 MEGAN'S shoulder。＇ Go； my child； it will
do you good。
＇MRS。 MEGAN rises； and looks at him dazedly。＇
CONSTABLE。 ＇Coming forward； and taking her by the hand。＇ That's my
good lass。 Come along！ We won't hurt you。
MRS。 MEGAN。 I don't want to go。 They'll stare at me。
CONSTABLE。 ＇Comforting。＇ Not they！ I'll see to that。
WELLWYN。 ＇Very upset。＇ Take her in a cab； Constable； if you must…
…for God's sake！ ＇He pulls out a shilling。＇ Here！
CONSTABLE。 ＇Taking the shilling。＇ I will； sir； certainly。 Don't
think I want to
WELLWYN。 No； no； I know。 You're a good sort。
CONSTABLE。 ＇Comfortable。＇ Don't you take on； sir。 It's her first
try； they won't be hard on 'er。 Like as not only bind 'er over in
her own recogs。 not to do it again。 Come； my dear。
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Trying to free herself from the policeman's cloak。＇ I
want to take this off。 It looks so funny。
＇As she speaks the door is opened by ANN； behind whom is dimly
seen the form of old TIMSON； still heading the curious
persons。＇
ANN。 ＇Looking from one to the other in amazement。＇ What is it？
What's happened？ Daddy！
FERRAND。 ＇Out of the silence。＇ It is nothing； Ma'moiselle！ She
has failed to drown herself。 They run her in a little。
WELLWYN。 Lend her your jacket； my dear； she'll catch her death。
＇ANN； feeling MRS。 MEGAN's arm； strips of her jacket； and helps
her into it without a word。＇
CONSTABLE。 ＇Donning his cloak。＇ Thank you。 Missvery good of
you； I'm sure。
MRS。 MEGAN。 ＇Mazed。＇ It's warm！
＇She gives them all a last half…smiling look； and Passes with
the CONSTABLE through the doorway。＇
FERRAND。 That makes the third of us； Monsieur。 We are not in luck。
To wish us dead； it seems； is easier than to let us die。
＇He looks at ANN； who is standing with her eyes fixed on her
father。 WELLWYN has taken from his pocket a visiting card。＇
WELLWYN。 ＇To FERRAND。＇ Here quick； take this； run after her！ When
they've done with her tell her to come to us。
FERRAND。 ＇Taking the card； and reading th