Hilary. [Violently, crying her down] You did love me once.
Margaret. [Beaten] Did I—once? I don’t know—
There is a silence.
Hilary. [Without expression] What do you expect me to do? Forgive you?
Margaret. [Stung] There’s nothing to forgive. [Softening] Oh, so much, Hilary, to forgive each other; but not that.
Hilary. [More and more roughly as he loses control of himself] Divorce you then? Because I’ll not do that! I’ll have no dirty linen washed in the courts.
Margaret. [Forced into the open] Hilary, I divorced you twelve months ago.
Hilary. [Shouting] What? What? What?
Margaret. I divorced you—
Hilary. [Beside himself] You’re mad! You couldn’t do it! You’d no cause! D’you think I’m to be put off with your lies? Am I a child? You’d no cause! Oh, I see what you’re at. You want to confuse me. You want to pull wool over my eyes. You want to drive me off my head—drive me mad again. You devil! You devil! You shan’t do it. I’ve got friends—Sydney! where’s that girl [Shouting] Sydney! Hester! All of you! Come here! Come here, I say! [Sydney opens the drawing room door.]