ek out loud with rage and despair.

NERISSE [_speaking sternly_] I've never asked you to sell yourself. I
ask you to love me.

THERESE. I shall never love you.

NERISSE [_as before_] You'll never love. Neither me nor others. Listen--

THERESE [_interrupting_] I--

NERISSE [_preventing her from speaking_] Wait; I insist upon speaking.
You will never love, you say. You will live alone all your life. You're
foolish and self-confident enough to think that you can do without a
man's affection.

THERESE. But I--

NERISSE [_continuing_] I must try to make you understand your folly.
These efforts you're making to escape from the ordinary life of
affection are useless, and it's lucky for you they are useless. You
can't live without love.

THERESE. Why?

NERISSE. All lonely people are wretched. But the lonely woman is twice,
a hundred times more wretched than the man. You've no idea what it is.
It's to pass all your life under suspicion, yes, suspicion. The world
never believes that people live differently from others unless they have
secret reasons, and the world always says that secret reasons are
shameful reasons. And that's not all. Think of the lonely room where you
may cry without anyone to hear you. Think of illness where to your
bodily pain is added the mental torture of the fear of dying all alone.
Think of the empty heart, the empty arms always, always. And in old age,
more wretchedness in the regret for a wasted life. And for what and for
whom are you making this sacrifice? For a convention; for a morality
that nobody really believes in. Who'll think the better of you for it?
People won't even believe in your honesty. They will find explanations
for it that would make you die of shame if you knew them. Is that what
you want, Therese? I am unhappy. Love me. Oh, if you only--

THERESE. Please spare me your confidences.

NERISSE. You think this is only a caprice on my part. You are mistaken.
I ask you to share my life.

THERESE. I will never be your mistress.

NERISSE. You're proud and you're strong. You insist upon marriage. Very
well. I agree.

THERESE. I will not have you! I will not have you!

NERISSE. Why? Tell me why.

THERESE. I _will_ tell you why; and then, I hope, I shall have done with
you. You're right in one way. I believe I should not be able to live all
alone. I should be too unhappy. But at least I'll keep my right of
choice. If ever I give myself to anyone, it will be to someone I lov