e I am. Can you support two families?

STRANGER. If all goes well.

MOTHER. All doesn't--in this life. Money can be lost.

STRANGER. But my talent's capital I can never lose.

MOTHER. Really? The greatest of talents has been known to fail...
gradually, or suddenly.

STRANGER. I've never met anyone who could so damp one's courage.

MOTHER. Pride should be damped. Your last book was much weaker.

STRANGER. You read it?

MOTHER. Yes. That's why I know all your secrets. So don't try to deceive
me; it won't go well with you. (Pause.) A trifle, but one that does us
no good here: why didn't you pay the ferryman?

STRANGER. My heel of Achilles! I threw my last coin away. Can't we speak
of something else than money in this house?

MOTHER. Oh yes. But in this house we do our duty before we amuse
ourselves. So you came on foot because you had no money?

STRANGER (hesitating). Yes....

MOTHER (smiling). Probably nothing to eat?

STRANGER (hesitating). No....

MOTHER. You're a fine fellow!

STRANGER. In all my life I've never been in such a predicament.

MOTHER. I can believe it. It's almost a pity. I could laugh at the
figure you cut, if I didn't know it would make you weep, and others with
you. (Pause.) But now you've had your will, hold fast to the woman who
loves you; for if you leave her, you'll never smile again, and soon
forget what happiness was.

STRANGER. Is that a threat?

MOTHER. A warning. Go now, and have your supper.

STRANGER (pointing at the table for the poor). There?

MOTHER. A poor joke; which might become reality. I've seen such things.

STRANGER. Soon I'll believe anything can happen--this is the worst I've
known.

MOTHER. Worse yet may come. Wait!

STRANGER (cast down). I'm prepared for anything.

(Exit. A moment later the OLD MAN comes in.)

OLD MAN. It was no angel after all.

MOTHER. No good angel, certainly.

OLD MAN. Really! (Pause.) You know how superstitious people here are. As
I went down to the river I heard this: a farmer said his horse shied at
'him'; another that the dogs got so fierce he'd had to tie them up. The
ferryman swore his boat drew less water when 'he' got in. Superstition,
but....

MOTHER. But what?

OLD MAN. It was only a magpie that flew in at her window, though it was
closed. An illusion, perhaps.

MOTHER. Perhaps. But why does one often see such things at the right
time?

OLD MAN. This man's presence is intolerable. When he looks at me I can'