Denham, I think your conduct in bringing
that woman into the house, and carrying on a flirtation with her
under your wife's eyes, was simply abominable. It was an insult to
Constance. Did ye ever consider that? It was not the conduct of a
gentleman!
Denham.
No, a gentleman should throw a decent veil of secrecy over
his--flirtations. But, you see, if I had done that, I should have
been a hypocrite; now I'm only a brute.
Miss Macfarlane.
Oh, my dear boy, don't be a brute, and then you needn't be a
hypocrite. There's the way out of that.
Denham.
It is a narrow way.
Miss Macfarlane.
If ye can't have good morals, at least have good manners. (_Crosses
L._)
Denham.
Oh, good manners are becoming obsolete. They are too much trouble
for this Bohemian age. Ladies and gentlemen went out with gold
snuffboxes and hooped petticoats; we are trying to be men and women
now, frankly and brutally.
Miss Macfarlane.
Eh! and I suppose ye thought ye were learning to be a man by playing
at Adam and Eve with Mrs. Tremaine?
Denham.
(_crosses_ R) We drifted, we drifted.
Miss Macfarlane.
A man has no _right_ to _drift_, Mr.
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