very loud. The cheering from the observation trains can be heard]
Marsden
[Stares into her face with great pity now]
Merciful God, Nina! Then you’ve lived all these years—with this horror! And you and Darrell deliberately—?
Nina
[Without looking at him—to the air]
Sam’s mother said I had a right to be happy too.
Marsden
And you didn’t love Darrell then—?
Nina
[As before]
I did afterwards. I don’t now. Ned is dead, too.
[Softly]
Only you are alive now, Father—and Gordon.
Marsden
[Gets up and bends over her paternally, stroking her hair with a strange, wild, joyous pity]
Oh, Nina—poor little Nina—my Nina—how you must have suffered! I forgive you! I forgive you everything! I forgive even your trying to tell Madeline—you wanted to keep Gordon—oh, I understand that—and I forgive you!
Nina
[As before—affectionately and strangely]
And I forgive you, Father. It was all your fault in the
