onsent. What will become of us? Try
to look the thing in the face. How should we live? Rene, it's horrible
to bring our love down to the level of these miserable realities, but
facts are facts. You know very well that if you marry me without your
father and mother's consent, they won't give you any money. Isn't that
so?

RENE. Oh! father is hard.

THERESE. He's quite right, my dear, quite right. If I was your sister, I
should advise you not to give up the position you have been brought up
in and the profession you've been educated for.

RENE. But I love you.

THERESE [_moved_] And I love you. Well, we've got to forget one another.

RENE. That's impossible.

THERESE. We must be wise enough to--[_She stops, her voice breaks_]

RENE. Oh! how unhappy I am.

THERESE [_controlling herself_] Don't let yourself go. We're not in
dreamland. If you keep on saying "I am unhappy," you'll be unhappy.

RENE. I love you so. Oh, Therese, how I love you!

THERESE [_softly_] You'll forget me.

RENE. Never.

THERESE. Yes. You'll remember me in a way, of course. But you're young.
Very soon you'll be able to live, to laugh, to love, to work.

RENE. My dearest! I don't know what to say. I can't talk of it. I only
know one thing--I can't let you go.

THERESE. But we should be miserable, Rene.

RENE. Miserable _together_!

THERESE. Think, dear, think. It will be years before you can earn your
own living, won't it?

RENE. But I--

THERESE. Now you know you've tried already. Only last year you wanted to
leave home and be independent, and you had to go back because you were
starving. Isn't that true?

RENE. It's dreadful, dreadful! [_He is overcome, terrified_]

THERESE. So we must look at life as it is, practically, mustn't we? We
have to have lodging and furniture and clothes. How are we to manage?

RENE. It's dreadful!

THERESE. How would you bear to see me going about in rags? [_He is
silent. She waits, looking at him, hoping for a word of strength or
courage. It does not come. She draws herself up slowly, her face
hardening_] You can't face that, can you? Tell me. Can you face that?

RENE. No.

THERESE [_humiliated by his want of courage and infected by his
weakness_] So you see, I'm right.

RENE [_sobbing_] Oh! Oh!

THERESE [_setting her teeth_] Oh, can you do nothing but cry?

RENE. What a useless creature I am.

THERESE. There, now, you see you're better!

RENE. I'm ashamed of being so good-for-nothin