RS. MASTERSON. My dear...

ETHEL. Mother, this concerns me as much as it concerns any one of you.
And I tell you, you have simply got to let me know about that will.

MRS. MASTERSON. My dear...

ETHEL. Do I understand that it is your intention to threaten to go to
law, unless Oceana gives us a part of grandfather's property?

MRS. MASTERSON. Ethel, I refuse...

DR. MASTERSON. You might as well tell the child, Sophronia. It's
perfectly certain, Ethel, that your grandfather was not of sound mind
when he made the will.

ETHEL. It's perfectly certain that he hated you and mother and Aunt
Letitia and me and Freddy... every one of us; and that he had hated us
for years and years; and that he left his money to Oceana to spite us
all.

MRS. MASTERSON. That's precisely it, Ethel...

ETHEL. And I, for one, knowing that he hated me, don't want his money.
And what is more, I refuse to touch his money.

DR. MASTERSON. Not being of age, my dear, you can't...

ETHEL. I am near enough of age to possess my self-respect. And I shall
refuse to touch one penny.

DR. MASTERSON. My child, there are a good many pennies in a half million
dollars.

MRS. MASTERSON. And when you are of age, Ethel, you'll appreciate..

ETHEL. I shall be of age two years from now, and then I shall return to
Oceana every penny of grandfather's money that may have been gotten for
me.

LETITIA. Ethel!

MRS. MASTERSON. It seems to me this is a strange way for a young girl to
be speaking to her parents!

ETHEL. I can't help it, mother. I am meek and patient... I try to
let you have your way with me in everything. But this is a matter of
principle, and I can't let myself be sat on.

MRS. MASTERSON. Sat on! Is that your view of your mother's attitude
towards you?

ETHEL. You know, perfectly well, mother; that it's impossible for
anybody to preserve any individuality in contact with you... that as a
matter of fact, neither father nor Letitia nor Freddy nor myself have
preserved a shred of it. Grandfather said that to you himself, the
last time you ever saw him... I know it, for I've heard father say it a
hundred times.

DR. MASTERSON. Well!

MRS. MASTERSON. It seems to me there's more than a trace of
individuality in this present outburst, Ethel.

ETHEL. Yes, but it's the first time, mother.

LETITIA. Some one is coming. [Turns to door.] Oh! Henry!

HENRY. [Enters; a handsome, powerfully-built man; smooth shaven,
immaculate, reserved in mann