DANCY. And now you can't. It's the end, Mabel.
MABEL. [Looking up at him] No.
DANCY goes suddenly on his knees and seizes her hand.
DANCY. Forgive me!
MABEL. [Putting her hand on his head] Yes; oh, yes! I think I've known a
long time, really. Only--why? What made you?
DANCY. [Getting up and speaking in jerks] It was a crazy thing to do;
but, damn it, I was only looting a looter. The money was as much mine as
his. A decent chap would have offered me half. You didn't see the brute
look at me that night at dinner as much as to say: "You blasted fool!"
It made me mad. That wasn't a bad jump-twice over. Nothing in the war
took quite such nerve. [Grimly] I rather enjoyed that evening.
MABEL. But--money! To keep it!
DANCY. [Sullenly] Yes, but I had a debt to pay.
MABEL. To a woman?
DANCY. A debt of honour--it wouldn't wait.
MABEL. It was--it was to a woman. Ronny, don't lie any more.
DANCY. [Grimly] Well! I wanted to save your knowing. I'd promised a
thousand. I had a letter from her father that morning, threatening to
tell you. All the same, if that tyke hadn't jeered at me for parlour
tricks!--But what's the good of all this now? [Sullenly] Well--it may
cure you of loving me.
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