Give me that telegram, or
I'll take it away from you.
LAURA. No.
WILL. Come on!
LAURA. I'll give it to you.
[_Takes telegram out of waist, and hands it to him_.
_He takes it slowly, looking her squarely in the eye_. WILL _crosses
to centre, and does not glance away while he slowly smoothes it out so
that it can be read; when he finally takes it in both hands to read it
she staggers back a step or two weakly_.
WILL. [_Reads the telegram aloud_.] "I will be in New York before
noon. I'm coming to marry you, and I'm coming with a bank-roll. I
wanted to keep it a secret and have a big surprise for you, but I
can't hold it any longer, because I feel just like a kid with a new
top. Don't go out, and be ready for the big matrimonial thing. All my
love. John." Then you knew?
LAURA. Yes.
WILL. But you didn't know he was coming until this arrived?
LAURA. No.
WILL. And you didn't mail the letter [_Tossing telegram on table_],
did you?
LAURA. No.
WILL. What did you do with it?
LAURA. I--I burned it.
WILL. Why?
[LAURA _is completely overcome and unable to answer_.
WILL. Why?
LAURA. I--I couldn't help it--I simply couldn't help it.
WILL. So you've been corresponding all this time.
LAURA. Yes.
WILL. And he doesn't know [_With a gesture around the room, indicating
the condition in which they live._] about us?
LAURA. No.
WILL. [_Taking a step towards her._] By God, I never beat a woman in
my life, but I feel as though I could wring your neck.
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