Yes,
leave him to us.
MAGGIE. No, David, I want to hear what is to become of me; I promise
not to take any side.
[And sitting by the fire she resumes her knitting. The four regard
her as on an evening at The Pans a good many years ago.]
DAVID [barking]. How long has this been going on?
JOHN. If you mean how long has that lady been the apple of my eye,
I'm not sure; but I never told her of it until today.
MAGGIE [thoughtfully and without dropping a stitch]. I think it
wasn't till about six months ago, John, that she began to be very
dear to you. At first you liked to bring in her name when talking to
me, so that I could tell you of any little things I might have heard
she was doing. But afterwards, as she became more and more to you,
you avoided mentioning her name.
JOHN [surprised]. Did you notice that?
MAGGIE [in her old-fashioned way]. Yes.
JOHN. I tried to be done with it for your sake. I've often had a sore
heart for you, Maggie.
JAMES. You're proving it!
MAGGIE. Yes, James, he had. I've often seen him looking at me very
sorrowfully of late because of what was in his mind; and many a
kindly little thing he has done for me that he didn't use to do.
JOHN. You noticed that too!
MAGGIE. Yes.
DAVID [controlling himself]. Well, we won't go into that; the thing
to be thankful for is that it's ended.
ALICK [who is looking very old].
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