all the doors and locks them. She carefully draws down the shade
and closes in the curtains of the window. She hesitates, then pulls
aside the curtains and the shade, and takes a long, last look at the
dawn. She closes it all in again. She gets Austin's picture from the
desk and places it on the table near the centre of the room. She then
goes to the gas bracket at the Right and turns on the gas. She lights it
to see if the gas is all right; then blows it out. She then crosses to
the other bracket and turns that on; she goes to the chandelier at
centre, and, mounting a chair, turns on its three jets. She then sits
down by the table with AUSTIN'S picture before her, and looking into its
eyes, her elbows on the table, her head in her hands, she waits._] Oh,
Jack, my beloved! I couldn't help it--I never for one minute stopped
loving you better than everything else in my life, but no more than I
could stop loving you could I stop or help being jealous! Once the cruel
idea has got hold of me it seems to _have_ to work its way out!
Everything gets red before me and I don't seem to know what I say or do!
It's no excuse, I know. I've got no excuse, only I _love_ you! You'll
forgive me when I'm gone, won't you, Jack? You'll know I _loved_
you!--loved you so I couldn't _live_ without you!--loved you!--_loved_
you! [_She kisses the photograph tenderly, adoringly, slowly, in
tears._] Loved--you--loved you!--loved--

[_Her head drops forward, as_

THE CURTAIN FALLS

SCENE II

_The same morning, three hours later. The curtain rises on the same
scene in a dull, cold, early morning light. The lamp has burnt itself
out. A tiny ray of sunlight steals through a slip between the
curtains. JINNY sits by the table, her arms spread over it and her
head on her arms--she is perfectly still. AUSTIN'S picture is before
her. There is a moment's silence. Voices are heard outside,
approaching door, at Right. Gradually what they say is distinguished._

MAGGIE. No, sir. She hasn't been to bed; I've been to her bedroom--that
door's not unlocked.

TILLMAN. She's been here all night?

MAGGIE. Yes, sir. But twice in the night, sir, I came to the door and
spoke to her and she wouldn't answer me--but I could hear her walking up
and down and sometimes talking to herself.

TILLMAN. [_Calls softly._] Jinny! [_Knocks softly._] It's father! [_No
answer._] It looks as if she were asleep now.

AUSTIN. [_At a little distance._] Fathe