ful not to look
too long at her, surveys the tower_)

EMMONS: Curious place.

ADELAIDE: Yes; it lacks form, doesn't it?

CLAIRE: What do you mean? How _dare_ you?

(_It is impossible to ignore her agitation; she is backed against the
curved wall, as far as possible from them._ HARRY _looks at her in
alarm, then in resentment at_ TOM, _who takes a step nearer_ CLAIRE.)

HARRY: (_trying to be light_) Don't take it so hard, Claire.

CLAIRE: (_to_ EMMONS) It must be very interesting--helping people go
insane.

ADELAIDE: Claire! How preposterous.

EMMONS: (_easily_) I hope that's not precisely what we do.

ADELAIDE: (_with the smile of one who is going to 'cover it'._) Trust
Claire to put it in the unique and--amusing way.

CLAIRE: Amusing? You are amused? But it doesn't matter, (_to the
doctor_) I think it is very kind of you--helping people go insane. I
suppose they have all sorts of reasons for having to do it--reasons why
they can't stay sane any longer. But tell me, how do they do it? It's
not so easy to--get out. How do so many manage it?

EMMONS: I'd like immensely to have a talk with you about all this some
day.

ADELAIDE: Certainly this is not the time, Claire.

CLAIRE: The time? When you--can't go any farther--isn't that that--

ADELAIDE: (_capably taking the whole thing into matter-of-factness_)
What I think is, Claire has worked too long with plants. There's
something--not quite sound about making one thing into another thing.
What we need is unity. (_from_ CLAIRE _something like a moan_) Yes,
dear, we do need it. (_to the doctor_) I can't say that I believe in
making life over like this. I don't think the new species are worth it.
At least I don't believe in it for Claire. If one is an intense,
sensitive person--

CLAIRE: Isn't there any way to _stop_ her? Always--always smothering it
with the word for it?

EMMONS: (_soothingly_) But she can't smother it. Anything that's really
there--she can't hurt with words.

CLAIRE: (_looking at him with eyes too bright_) Then you don't see it
either, (_angry_) Yes, she can hurt it! Piling it up--always piling it
up--between us and--What there. Clogging the way--always, (_to_ EMMONS)
I want to cease to know! That's all I ask. Darken it. Darken it. If you
came to help me, strike me blind!

EMMONS: You're really all tired out, aren't you? Oh, we've got to get
you rested.

CLAIRE: They--deny it saying they have it; and he (_half looks at_
TOM_--quickly