ER _speaks to his
groomsman_, JOHNSTONE, _who exits into vestry. At the same time_
JEANNETTE _re-enters, bringing by the hand a small child_, EDWARD,
_with her. She leads him straight to the foot of the chancel steps,
and, pointing to_ FLETCHER, _speaks. All through the rest of this
scene, the child keeps hold of the skirts of the mother ... standing
close to her side._

JEANNETTE. This is that man's child ... and mine. [MRS. LORRIMER
_exits; also_ ETHEL. _Re-enter_ DAWSON _without bouquet._ FLETCHER
_speaks to the_ CLERGYMAN. MRS. FLETCHER _leaves the pew and joins_
MRS. WOLTON. DOUGLAS _joins_ MRS. LORRIMER, _and all the guests and
ushers leave the church quietly._ MARION _starts to go to_ MRS.
WOLTON.

MARION. Mother!

JEANNETTE. [_Turning and facing_ MARION.] Ah!... you go to _her_, in
what must be the greatest sorrow of your life ... well, so will he ...
[_With her arms around the child._] come to me when he begins to
understand, and _that's_ why I am here.

FLETCHER. [_To_ CLERGYMAN.] Ask her for proofs! She won't have them!
It is a question of her word or mine, and surely there can be no such
question, when the woman is that sort of thing! [_Turns to_ MARION.]
Marion! [_The_ CLERGYMAN _goes to_ JEANNETTE, _up stage, with whom he
talks._ MARION _joins_ FLETCHER, _and they come down the steps, but
she does not look at him._ MRS. WOLTON _starts to go to_ MARION.
FLETCHER _stops her._

FLETCHER. [_To_ MRS. WOLTON.] No. I wish to speak to Marion alone.
[MRS. WOLTON _and_ MRS. FLETCHER _speak together up stage._ MRS.
WOLTON, _turning back, faints._ DAWSON _and_ MRS. FLETCHER _take her
out._

FLETCHER. [_To_ MARION.] Do you despise me?

MARION. I can't ... I love you.

FLETCHER. I didn't deceive you, did I? You will remember I confessed
that before we met my life had not been fit to be lived in the same
world with you.

MARION. I know, but I didn't imagine anything so bad as this.

FLETCHER. Yes, I realize that now, as it is only since I have known
you that I have realized how low I was. Yet, Marion, this sort of
thing exists all around us; I am not the only one ... [_Interrupted._

MARION. [_Interrupting._] _Don't_--don't try to excuse it.

FLETCHER. At any rate ... it was before I knew you.

MARION. [_Looking up in his face for the first time, slowly._] Since
you've known me have you been good and honest?

FLETCHER. [_Without any hesitation, looks back at her, honestly._]
Yes. [_They hold this posi