She's as poor as a mouse.
JAMES [thinking possibly of his Elizabeth's mother]. We'll go to her
friends, and tell them all. They'll stop it.
JOHN. She's of age.
JAMES. They'll take her far away.
JOHN. I'll follow, and tear her from them.
ALICK. Your career---
JOHN [to his credit]. To hell with my career. Do you think I don't
know I'm on the rocks? What can you, or you, or you, understand of
the passions of a man! I've fought, and I've given in. When a ship
founders, as I suppose I'm foundering, it's not a thing to yelp at.
Peace, all of you. [He strides into the dining-room, where we see him
at times pacing the floor.]
DAVID [to JAMES, who gives signs of a desire to take off his coat].
Let him be. We can't budge him. [With bitter wisdom] It's true what
he says, true at any rate about me. What do I know of the passions of
a man! I'm up against something I don't understand.
ALICK. It's something wicked.
DAVID. I dare say it is, but it's something big.
JAMES. It's that damned charm.
MAGGIE [still by the fire]. That's it. What was it that made you
fancy Elizabeth, James?
JAMES [sheepishly]. I can scarcely say.
MAGGIE. It was her charm.
DAVID. HER charm!
JAMES [pugnaciously]. Yes, HER charm.
MAGGIE. She had charm for James.
[This somehow breaks them up. MAGGIE goes from one to another with an
odd little smile flickering on her face.
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