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[_They turn in great surprise._
BLANCHE. d.i.c.k!
[_Fright at his appearance is mingled with her surprise._
WARDEN. [_At the same time as_ BLANCHE.] Sterling!
[_They do not drop hands._
STERLING. [_Coming nearer, very strong._] Drop my wife's hand! [_They do so quickly, not understanding yet._] So I've _caught_ you!
WARDEN. [_Angry._] Caught us!
STERLING. Yes, I had my suspicions roused some time ago!
BLANCHE. Of what?
STERLING. _I_ could go to the devil--what did _you two_ care! I could go to State's Prison! All the better--_out of your way!_
WARDEN. You're speaking like a madman!
STERLING. I went back to my house this morning; my wife was gone--no message left where to! But I questioned the servant. She'd driven here!
Why? Ha! [_A bitter half laugh; he turns to_ BLANCHE.] _You've come here once too often!_
WARDEN. [_Very strong._] Sterling!
STERLING. [_To_ WARDEN, _but ignoring his exclamation._] Then I went to _your_ house. _They knew_ where _you'd_ gone! You ought to train your servants better! _Both here!_
WARDEN. If you're not careful, I'll ram your insinuations down your throat.
STERLING. [_Jeers._] "Insinuations?" I've caught you! I make no "_insinuations_." I tell you _both you're caught!_ You're my wife's lover, and she's your d.a.m.ned mis--
[_Interrupted._
WARDEN. [_Seizing_ STERLING _by the throat._] Don't you finis.h.!.+
BLANCHE. s.h.!.+--for Heaven's sake! [_To_ WARDEN.] Let him alone; I'm not afraid of what he says.
[WARDEN _leaves_ STERLING.
STERLING. No, you never were a liar, I'll give you credit for that,--so confess the truth--you're his--
[_Interrupted._
BLANCHE. [_Excited beyond her control._] Listen! And you shall have the truth if you want it! These years that he's been befriending me I never dreamed of loving him nor thought of his loving me. [d.i.c.k _sneers._]
_Wait!_ No, not even the day my father was buried, when I learned outright you were _dishonest!_
STERLING. [_Surprised._] What do you mean?
BLANCHE. What I say--I learned it then from a paper of my father's. I shouldn't have kept my knowledge to myself--I see that now; but I did, for your sake, not for love of you--the love went for good that day. But here, a moment ago, I realized for the first time that my old friend _did_ love me, love me with an ideal devotion the n.o.blest woman in the world might be proud of! I didn't tell him then I loved him, but now I take this chance, I _take it_ GLADLY before you!--_forced by you!_ I tell him now, what perhaps he has already guessed, I love him with all my heart--I _love him_! I LOVE HIM!
STERLING. d.a.m.n you both! then it's the _end_ of _me!_
[_He pulls out a pistol and tries to put it to his temple._
BLANCHE. [_Cries out._] Ned!
WARDEN. [_Seizes_ STERLING, _catches his arm, and wrenches the pistol from him._] So that's what you planned to do, is it--make a wretched scene like that?
[_It begins to snow more heavily._
STERLING. [_In utter collapse and shame._] Why did you stop me? I'm better out of the world. I'm crazy with shame. First I disgraced and now I've insulted--_degraded_--the only living thing I care for,--that's my wife.
[_A moment's pause._
BLANCHE. [_Speaks quietly._] Come back to the house. Mr. Mason is looking for you; he has something to tell you.
STERLING. I know--more bad news.
BLANCHE. No, good.
STERLING. [_Echoes._] Good! [_Starting to go, he turns at the porch._] I want _you_ to know that _I_ know I'm a rotten beast.
[_He goes out Left._
WARDEN. You're going back _home_?
BLANCHE. "_Home!_" [_With a faint smile._] I should hardly call it that.
WARDEN. [_Aside to her._] You're not afraid?
BLANCHE. [_Half smiling._] Oh, no! And my boy's there.
[_The thick falling snow almost hides them, but they are unconscious of it._
WARDEN. What's to be done?
BLANCHE. Wait; we'll see--we'll see--let it be something we could never regret. Good-by, Ned.
[_Giving him her hand._
WARDEN. Good-by, Blanche.
[_Kissing her hand very tenderly and almost with a certain kind of awe, as_
THE CURTAIN SLOWLY FALLS