him into the
safety of lights. She is flushed, trembling, but rather ecstatic, and
her voice has lost all affectation now._

AMY O'CONNELL. Oh ... oh ... you shouldn't have kissed me like that!

TREBELL _stands in the window-way; a light in his eyes, and speaks low
but commandingly._

TREBELL. Come here.

_Instinctively she moves towards him. They speak in whispers._

AMY O'CONNELL. He was locking up.

TREBELL. I've sent him to bed.

AMY O'CONNELL. He won't go.

TREBELL. Never mind him.

AMY O'CONNELL. We're standing full in the light ... anyone could see us.

TREBELL. [_With fierce egotism._] Think of me ... not of anyone else. [_He
draws her from the window; then does not let her go._] May I kiss you again?

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Her eyes closed._] Yes.

_He kisses her. She stiffens in his arms; then laughs almost joyously,
and is commonplace._

AMY O'CONNELL. Well ... let me get my breath.

TREBELL. [_Letting her stand free._] Now ... go along.

_Obediently she turns to the door, but sinks on the nearest chair._

AMY O'CONNELL. In a minute, I'm a little faint. [_He goes to her quickly._]
No, it's nothing.

TREBELL. Come into the air again. [_Then half seriously._] I'll race you
across the lawn.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Still breathless and a little hysterical._] Thank you!

TREBELL. Shall I carry you?

AMY O'CONNELL. Don't be silly. [_She recovers her self-possession, gets up
and goes to the window, then looks back at him and says very beautifully._]
But the night's beautiful, isn't it?

_He has her in his arms again, more firmly this time._

TREBELL. Make it so.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Struggling ... with herself_] Oh, why do you rouse me like
this?

TREBELL. Because I want you.

AMY O'CONNELL. Want me to...?

TREBELL. Want you to ... kiss me just once.

AMY O'CONNELL. [_Yielding._] If I do ... don't let me go mad, will you?

TREBELL. Perhaps. [_He bends over her, her head drops back._] Now.

AMY O'CONNELL. Yes!

_She kisses him on the mouth. Then he would release her, but suddenly
she clings again._

Oh ... don't let me go.

TREBELL. [_With fierce pride of possession._] Not yet.

_She is fragile beside him. He lifts her in his arms and carries her
out into the darkness._

THE SECOND ACT

TREBELL'S house in Queen Anne Street, London. Eleven o'clock on an October
morning.

TREBELL'S _working room is rem