Of course,I'll speak to your Uncle.I'll stop him somehow,even if I have to make a fool of myself.I 'll do anything you want--MRS.GWYN.I feel as if I were being smothered here.
LEVER.It 's only for one day.
MRS.GWYN.[With sudden tenderness.]It's not your fault,dear.Iought to have known how it would be.Well,let's go in!
[She sets her lips,and walks towards the house with LEVERfollowing.But no sooner has she disappeared than JOY comes running after;she stops,as though throwing down a challenge.
Her cheeks and ears are burning.]
JOY.Mother!
[After a moment MRS.GWYN reappears in the opening of the wall.]
MRS.GWYN.Oh!here you are!
JOY.[Breathlessly.]Yes.
MRS.GWYN.[Uncertainly.]Where--have you been ?You look dreadfully hot;have you been running?
JOY.Yes--no.
MRS.GWYN.[Looking at her fixedly.]What's the matter--you 're trembling![Softly.]Are n't you well,dear?
JOY.Yes--I don't know.
MRS.GWYN.What is it,darling?
JOY.[Suddenly clinging to her.]Oh!Mother!
MRS.GWYN.I don't understand.
JOY.[Breathlessly.]Oh,Mother,let me go back home with you now at once--MRS.GWYN.[Her face hardening.]Why?What on earth--JOY.I can't stay here.
MRS.GWYN.But why?
JOY.I want to be with you--Oh!Mother,don't you love me?
MRS.GWYN.[With a faint smile.]Of course I love you,Joy.
JOY.Ah!but you love him more.
MRS.GWYN.Love him--whom?
JOY.Oh!Mother,I did n't--[She tries to take her Mother's hand,but fails.]Oh!don't.
MRS.GWYN.You'd better explain what you mean,I think.
JOY.I want to get you to--he--he 's--he 'snot--!
MRS.GWYN.[Frigidly.]Really,Joy!
JOY.[Passionately.]I'll fight against him,and I know there's something wrong about--[She stops.]
MRS.GWYN.About what?
JOY.Let's tell Uncle Tom,Mother,and go away.
MRS.GWYN.Tell Uncle--Tom--what?
JOY.[Looking down and almost whispering.]About--about--the mine.
MRS.GWYN.What about the mine?What do you mean?[Fiercely.]
Have you been spying on me?
JOY.[Shrinking.]No!oh,no!
MRS.GWYN.Where were you?
JOY.[Just above her breath.]I--I heard something.
MRS.GWYN.[Bitterly.)But you were not spying?
JOY.I was n't--I wasn't!I didn't want--to hear.I only heard a little.I couldn't help listening,Mother.
MRS.GWYN.[With a little laugh.Couldn't help listening?
JOY.[Through her teeth.]I hate him.I didn't mean to listen,but I hate him.
MRS.GWYN.I see.Why do you hate him?
[There is a silence.]
JOY.He--he--[She stops.]
MRS.GWYN.Yes?
JOY.[With a sort of despair.]I don't know.Oh!I don't know!
But I feel--
MRS.GWYN.I can't reason with you.As to what you heard,it 's--ridiculous.
JOY.It 's not that.It 's--it 's you!
MRS.GWYN.[Stonily.]I don't know what you mean.
JOY.[Passionately.]I wish Dad were here!
MRS.GWYN.Do you love your Father as much as me?
JOY.Oh!Mother,no-you know I don't.
MRS.GWYN.[Resentfully.]Then why do you want him?
JOY.[Almost under her breath.]Because of that man.
MRS.GWYN.Indeed!
JOY.I will never--never make friends with him.
MRS.GWYN.[Cuttingly.]I have not asked you to.
JOY.[With a blind movement of her hand.]Oh,Mother!
[MRS.GWYN half turns away.]
Mother--won't you?Let's tell Uncle Tom and go away from him?
MRS.GWYN.If you were not,a child,Joy,you wouldn't say such things.
JOY.[Eagerly.]I'm not a child,I'm--I'm a woman.I am.
MRS.GWYN.No!You--are--not a woman,Joy.
[She sees joy throw up her arms as though warding off a blow,and turning finds that LEVER is standing in the opening of the wall.]
LEVER.[Looking from face to face.]What's the matter ?[There is no answer.]What is it,Joy?
JOY.[Passionately.]I heard you,I don't care who knows.I'd listen again.
LEVER.[Impassively.]Ah!and what did I say that was so very dreadful?
JOY.You're a--a--you 're a--coward!
MRS.GWYN.[With a sort of groan.]Joy!
LEVER.[Stepping up to JOY,and standing with his hands behind him--in a low voice.]Now hit me in the face--hit me--hit me as hard as you can.Go on,Joy,it'll do you good.
[Joy raises her clenched hand,but drops it,and hides her face.]
Why don't you?I'm not pretending!
[Joy makes no sign.]
Come,joy;you'll make yourself ill,and that won't help,will it?
[But joy still makes no sign.]
[With determination.]What's the matter?now come--tell me!
JOY.[In a stifled,sullen voice.]Will you leave my mother alone?
MRS.GWYN.Oh!my dear Joy,don't be silly!
JOY.[Wincing;then with sudden passion.]I defy you--I defy you!
[She rushes from their sight.]
MRS.GWYN.[With a movement of distress.]Oh!
LEVER.[Turning to MRS.GWYN with a protecting gesture.]Never mind,dear!It'll be--it'll be all right!
[But the expression of his face is not the expression of his words.]
The curtain falls.
