. He has given
me his promise: here in this room just before you came; and he is
incapable of breaking his word. That was his only real weakness; and now
it is conquered and done with for ever.

RIDGEON. Was that really his only weakness?

MRS DUBEDAT. He is perhaps sometimes weak about women, because they
adore him so, and are always laying traps for him. And of course when he
says he doesnt believe in morality, ordinary pious people think he must
be wicked. You can understand, cant you, how all this starts a great
deal of gossip about him, and gets repeated until even good friends get
set against him?

RIDGEON. Yes: I understand.

MRS DUBEDAT. Oh, if you only knew the other side of him as I do! Do you
know, doctor, that if Louis honored himself by a really bad action, I
should kill myself.

RIDGEON. Come! dont exaggerate.

MRS DUBEDAT. I should. You don't understand that, you east country
people.

RIDGEON. You did not see much of the world in Cornwall, did you?

MRS DUBEDAT [naively] Oh yes. I saw a great deal every day of the beauty
of the world--more than you ever see here in London. But I saw very few
people, if that is what you mean. I was an only child.

RIDGEON. That explains a good deal.

MRS DUBEDAT. I had a great many dreams; but at last they all came to one
dream.

RIDGEON [with half a sigh] Yes, the usual dream.

MRS DUBEDAT [surprised] Is it usual?

RIDGEON. As I guess. You havnt yet told me what it was.

MRS DUBEDAT. I didn't want to waste myself. I could do nothing myself;
but I had a little property and I could help with it. I had even
a little beauty: dont think me vain for knowing it. I always had a
terrible struggle with poverty and neglect at first. My dream was to
save one of them from that, and bring some charm and happiness into his
life. I prayed Heaven to send me one. I firmly believe that Louis was
guided to me in answer to my prayer. He was no more like the other men
I had met than the Thames Embankment is like our Cornish coasts. He saw
everything that I saw, and drew it for me. He understood everything.
He came to me like a child. Only fancy, doctor: he never even wanted to
marry me: he never thought of the things other men think of! I had to
propose it myself. Then he said he had no money. When I told him I had
some, he said "Oh, all right," just like a boy. He is still like that,
quite unspoiled, a man in his thoughts, a great poet and artist in his
dreams, and a child