en us was the child. We were holding
it by the hands--our little child. (_Angrily, to keep herself from
crying_) It's too silly for anything! I know, of course, that our child
would be a gawky youngster of twenty-three by now--that it might have
turned into a scamp or a good-for-nothing girl. Or that it might be
dead already. Or that it had drifted out into the wide world, so that
we had nothing left of it--oh, yes, yes.... But we should have had it
once, for all that--once there would have been a little child that
seemed rather fond of us. And.... (_She is unable to go on; silence
follows_)

JULIAN (_softly_)

You shouldn't talk yourself into such a state, Irene.

IRENE

I am not talking myself into anything.

JULIAN

Don't brood. Accept things as they are. There have been other things in
your life--better things, perhaps. Your life has been much richer than
that of a mere mother could ever have been.... You have been an artist.

IRENE (_as if to herself_)

I don't care that much for it.

JULIAN

A great, famous one--that means something after all. And your life has
brought you many other exquisite experiences--since the one with me. I
am sure of it.

IRENE

What have I got left of it? What does it amount to? A woman who has no
child has never been a woman. But a woman who once might have had
one--who should have had one, and who--(_with a glance at
him_)--has never become a mother, she is nothing but--oh! But that's
what a man cannot understand! It is what not one of them can
understand! In this respect the very best one of the lot will always
remain something of a cad. Is there one of you who knows how many of
his own offspring have been set adrift in the world? I know at least
that there are none of mine. Can you say as much?

JULIAN

And if I did know....

IRENE

How? Have you got one really?--Oh, speak, please! You can tell _me,_
Julian, can't you? Where is it? How old is it? A boy? Or a girl?

JULIAN

Don't question me.... Even if I had a child, it wouldn't belong to you
anyhow.

IRENE

He has a child! He has a child! (_Pause_) Why do you permit it to be
drifting around in the world then?

JULIAN

You yourself have given the explanation: in this respect the very best
of us remains always something of a cad. And I am not the best one at
that.

IRENE

Why don't you go and get it?

JULIAN

How could it be any of my concern? How could I dare to make it my
concern? Oh, that's