that sweet lady? a lady whom I have taken under my protection.

JUNO. Protection!

MRS. JUNO [returning hastily] Really you must be more careful what you
say about me, Mr. Lunn.

JUNO. My precious! [He embraces her]. Pardon this betrayal of my
feeling; but I've not seen my wife for several weeks; and she is very
dear to me.

GREGORY. I call this cheek. Who is making love to his own wife before
people now, pray?

MRS. LUNN. Won't you introduce me to your wife, Mr. Juno?

MRS. JUNO. How do you do? [They shake hands; and Mrs. Juno sits down
beside Mrs. Lunn, on her left].

MRS. LUNN. I'm so glad to find you do credit to Gregory's taste. I'm
naturally rather particular about the women he falls in love with.

JUNO [sternly] This is no way to take your husband's unfaithfulness.
[To Lunn] You ought to teach your wife better. Where's her feelings?
It's scandalous.

GREGORY. What about your own conduct, pray?

JUNO. I don't defend it; and there's an end of the matter.

GREGORY. Well, upon my soul! What difference does your not defending it
make?

JUNO. A fundamental difference. To serious people I may appear wicked.
I don't defend myself: I am wicked, though not bad at heart. To
thoughtless people I may even appear comic. Well, laugh at me: I have
given myself away. But Mrs. Lunn seems to have no opinion at all about
me. She doesn't seem to know whether I'm wicked or comic. She doesn't
seem to care. She has no more sense. I say it's not right. I repeat, I
have sinned; and I'm prepared to suffer.

MRS. JUNO. Have you really sinned, Tops?

MRS. LUNN [blandly] I don't remember your sinning. I have a shocking
bad memory for trifles; but I think I should remember that--if you mean
me.

JUNO [raging] Trifles! I have fallen in love with a monster.

GREGORY. Don't you dare call my wife a monster.

MRS. JUNO [rising quickly and coming between them]. Please don't lose
your temper, Mr. Lunn: I won't have my Tops bullied.

GREGORY. Well, then, let him not brag about sinning with my wife. [He
turns impulsively to his wife; makes her rise; and takes her proudly on
his arm]. What pretension has he to any such honor?

JUNO. I sinned in intention. [Mrs. Juno abandons him and resumes her
seat, chilled]. I'm as guilty as if I had actually sinned. And I insist
on being treated as a sinner, and not walked over as if I'd done
nothing, by your wife or any other man.

MRS. LUNN. Tush! [She sits down again contemptuously].