Ruth. A month before your wedding.
Austin. [To himself.] It's impossible!
[Walking up and down.
Ruth. [Smiling sadly.] Oh, no! I remember the date only too well.
Austin. I didn't mean that.
Ruth. I lied to my mother that day for the first time—at any rate, since I was a child—and I've been lying to her ever since.
Austin. [Probing her.] But—but why were you married so secretly?
Ruth. We couldn't afford to marry and set up for ourselves. He expected then to be sent off at once to the Philippines, and—well he didn't want to leave me behind, free; I'm afraid he's rather jealous—you must have found out by now that Jinny is. They all are! And I didn't want him to go so far off without my belonging to him either; I'm that jealous, too! [Smiling.] So—that's why!
Austin. And this long period of secrecy since then—do you understand that?
Ruth. Hasn't he explained to you his debts? You know before he loved me he was very fast, but since—