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[_Jonathan looks toward Susan and Albert. There is pity in Susan's eyes and a smile in Albert's._
SUSAN
Albert, come--let's go!
[_They pa.s.s into the house._
JOHN III [_Almost as Susan speaks._
Wasn't he funniest of all!
MLLE. PERRAULT
Now, run along, children. Run along.
MARY
Look, I can make a hump-back.
JOHN III
So can I.
MARY
Not a good one!
JOHN III
You can't touch mine.
[_He smacks Mary on the back and runs off, Mary following him._
MLLE. PERRAULT
Little man, I'm very sorry. You mustn't let them hurt you. They are only children.
JONATHAN
Yes, ma'am.... Thank you.
MLLE. PERRAULT
May I do something for you?
JONATHAN
No, ma'am... if you please... I must go to Hank.
MLLE. PERRAULT
Here, take this--
[_She offers a coin._
JONATHAN
Oh, no, ma'am....
[_He puts his hand behind him._
MLLE. PERRAULT
I am sorry.... Very, very sorry.
JONATHAN
Yes, ma'am.
[_Mlle. Perrault goes out silently, and in a moment she is heard to call_ "Marie"--"John," _and a distant answer is heard_.
_Susan comes to the door and sees Jonathan. She crosses to him. He looks at her almost with madness in his eyes._
SUSAN
They didn't mean to hurt you.
[_She lays her hand on his arm._
JONATHAN
Yes, I know.
[_There is a moment of the tenderest, most understanding silence. He turns away._
_Susan starts to reach in her bag, she even takes her purse out; but she replaces it unopened, and instead of bestowing alms, she takes a flower from her hair and presses it in Jonathan's hands._
_He looks at her with years of pent-up grat.i.tude loosed from his heart._
_Silently, she turns away and goes into the house. Jonathan, left alone, turns so that his hump once more shows in the most distorted shadow. He lifts the flower and for a single moment, its shadow rises above the shadow of the hump, a tiny cross on his little Calvary. Then he lays the flower against his cheek and sits upon the log near Hank._
_Hank awakens._
HANK (_looking up stupidly_)
What you got?
JONATHAN (_hiding the flower_)
