ificing
yourself, and me. I don't want them. I want you. I am tired.
What does anything matter except love? I have pursued ideals long
enough. Now I want you.

{Margaret}

(_Gravely._) Ah, there you have expressed the pith of it. You will
now forsake ideals for me--(_He attempts to interrupt._) No, no;
not that I am less than an ideal. I have no silly vanity that
way. But I want you to remain ideal, and you can only by going
on--not by being turned back. Anybody can play the coward and
assert they are fatigued. I could not love a coward. It was your
strength that saved us last night. I could not have loved you
as I do, now, had you been weak last night. You can only keep my
love--

{Knox}

(_Interrupting, bitterly._) By foregoing it--for an ideal.
Margaret, what is the biggest thing in the world? Love. There is
the greatest ideal of all.

{Margaret}

(_Playfully._) Love of man and woman?

{Knox}

What else?

{Margaret}

(_Gravely._) There is one thing greater--love of man for his
fellowman.

{Knox}

Oh, how you turn my preachments back on me. It is a lesson.
Nevermore shall I preach. Henceforth--

{Margaret}

Yes.

(_Chalmers enters unobserved at left, pauses, and looks on._)

{Knox}

Henceforth I love. Listen.

{Margaret}

You are overwrought. It will pass, and you will see your path
straight before you, and know that I am right. You cannot run
away from the fight.

{Knox}

I can--and will. I want you, and you want me--the man's and
woman's need for each other. Come, go with me--now. Let us snatch
at happiness while we may.

(_He arises, approaches her, and gets her hand in his. She becomes
more complaisant, and, instead of repulsing him, is willing to
listen and receive._) As I have said, the fight will go on just
the same. Scores of men, better men, stronger men, than I, will
rise to take my place. Why do I talk this way? Because I love
you, love you, love you. Nothing else exists in all the world but
love of you.

{Margaret}

(_Melting and wavering._) Ah, you flame, you flame.

(_Chalmers utters an inarticulate cry of rage and rushes forward
at Knox_)

(_Margaret and Knox are startled by the cry and discover Chalmer's
presence._)

{Margaret}

(_Confronting Chalmers and thrusting him slightly back from Knox,
and continuing to hold him off from Knox._) No, Tom, no
dramatics, please. This excitement of yours is only automatic and
conventional. You really don't mean it. Y